WRESTLING WORLD WAR
-----------------------------------------------
"BREAK THE WALLS DOWN"

Round Robin Standings as of August 9th, 2021
Italicized names have completed the Round Robin portion of the tournament
* = tie-breaker: won match against opponent with same record
** = STARDOM round robin matches did not take place due to COVID restrictions in Japan. Rankings as is.

Men's Division

WWE	AEW	NJPW	IMPACT/NWA
Roman Reigns (9-0)	Kenny Omega (8-1)	Kota Ibushi (9-0)	Josh Alexander (8-1)
Drew McIntyre (7-2)	"Hangman" Adam Page (7-2)	Shinsuke Nakamura (8-1)	Nick Aldis (6-3)*
Finn Balor (6-3)*	Cody Rhodes (6-3)*	Kazuchika Okada (5-4)	Matt Silva (6-3)*
AJ Styles (6-3)	Jon Moxley (6-3)	Hiroshi Tanahashi (4-5)*	Moose (6-3)*
WALTER (5-4)	Penta El Zero M (4-5)*	Minoru Suzuki (4-5)	Ace Austin (6-3)
Cesaro (4-5)	Miro (4-5)	Shingo Takagi (4-5)	Rich Swann (4-5)
Seth Rollins (3-6)	Chris Jericho (3-6)*	Jay White (4-5)*	Eric Young (3-6)
Kevin Owens (2-7)	Christian Cage (3-6)	Tetsuya Naito (4-5)	Aron Stevens (2-7)*
Adam Cole (2-7)	Eddie Kingston (2-7)	KENTA (2-7)	TJP (2-7)*
Matt Riddle (2-7)	Powerhouse Hobbs (1-8)	SANADA (1-8)	Chris Adonis (2-7)

Women's Division

WWE	AEW	STARDOM**	TNA/IMPACT
Becky Lynch (4-1)*	Dr. Britt Baker (4-1)	Utami Hayashishita	Thunder Rosa (4-1)*
Charlotte (4-1)	Hikaru Shida (3-2)*	Tam Nakano	Serena Deeb (4-1)
Bianca Belair (2-3)*	Nyla Rose (3-2)	Giulia	Kiera Hogan (2-3)*
Rhea Ripley (2-3)	Thea Trinidad (3-2)	Syuri	Deonna Purrazzo (2-3)
Bayley (1-4)*	Tay Conti (1-4)*	Unagi Sayaka	Rosemary (2-3)
Sasha Banks (1-4)	Riho (1-4)	Mina Shirakawa	Tenille Dashwood (0-5)

April 11th, 2021
Chris Jericho appears on Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions, and the interview is watched by millions of fans around the globe. The interview is generally tame, with a few hints and inside jokes here and there, but when it looks like nothing of prominence will come of this once in a lifetime crossover, Chris Jericho takes the final minutes of the show to announce a new promotion called 'Wrestling World War', a multi-promotional event that involves a partnership between WWE, AEW, NJPW, NWA & IMPACT. Jericho goes on to say that the event will kick off "sometime this summer," and the finale will be a huge 3-day event that takes place over Labor Day Weekend.

Austin asks Jericho where fans can catch this massive event, but Jericho does not elaborate further, simply saying that they are still ironing out the fine details, but more will be known very soon.

Wrestlemania Weekend comes to a close with the shocking announcement, and immediately the world is abuzz with rumours and speculation.

WRESTLING WORLD WAR

4 Ways To Watch

starting

JUNE 7TH, 2021


June 7th - immediately following WWE RAW


June 8th - AEW Dark premieres on YouTube Premium


June 10th - Destruction After Dominion


June 12th - AEW vs. NWA LIVE in St. Louis

More Details On WWW: Break The Walls Down; Possible Participants
With the announcement that Wrestling World War is kicking off in early June, it appears that we are in for a whole summer of fun. When Chris Jericho originally made the announcement, he said this event would start in the summer and end on Labor Day Weekend. Now we know that Wrestling World War is happening on a global scale, and will take up to 3 months to complete.

For now it appears that the events will air on 4 separate platforms: Peacock, NJPW World, FITE TV & YouTube Premium. Logic states that WWE matches will take place on Peacock, AEW, IMPACT and NWA on FITE TV and YouTube or some combination thereof, and NJPW on NJPW World, naturally. However, with AEW, NWA and NJPW all in working relationships, a lot of surprises are in store.

The outlier is obviously the WWE, and although Chris Jericho made the announcement on Stone Cold Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions on the WWE Network, the WWE is staying silent and nobody is talking about how heavy their involvement is. Clearly they are participating, and clearly they are okay with this working relationship, but it's anyone's guess how much or how little they will be involved, and what talent they are willing to share with other companies, if any.

We have seen the WWE tease working relationships in the past with events like the Cruiserweight Classic and the Mae Young Classic, so it has to be assumed that they're dipping their toe in again at the very least.

Not much is known about what exactly will take place during this event, but rumor has it that some kind of a Round Robin tournament will kick things off. The most likely scenario is qualifying matches will begin to take place in June, then things will shape up from there depending on number of participants, travel, COVID rules, etc etc.

We're likely going to see the best of the best from the top 5 promotions on the planet, and some dream matches along the way. You do not want to miss this.

BREAKING: Minoru Suzuki declares for Wrestling World War
In a rare sit down interview with NJPW legend Minoru Suzuki, he declared that he would be participating in Wrestling World War. Very few details are known about the event to date, but ever since last week's announcement, rumours have run rampant and it's likely that news will begin to break almost daily as the flood gates open.

"My plan is simple: I will win," stated Suzuki, when asked if he knew any details of the event. "Details are unimportant. Hurting everyone in my path is. I will destroy the world."

Suzuki was asked who he wanted to face most if the opportunity came up for wrestling other competitors from other companies. "There is a man they call The American Dragon, or used to anyway. I am eager to see if he still lives up to that name."

When asked what he was looking forward to most: "breaking John Cena's arm."

To see the rest of the interview subscribe to NJPW World now.

Suzuki/Cena is the dream match I didn't realize I needed. And I didn't realize how bad I need it until now. Thanks, RT!

Daniel Bryan promised to punch Cena right in the ear and delivered.

I'm all for breaking his arm and kicking him in the nuts no matter who does it.

Statement from WWE.com

The WWE is proud to announce that a tournament will be taking place to determine which 10 competitors will represent the very best in Sports Entertainment in the upcoming Wrestling World War event.

Beginning next week, 20 of the WWE's top male wrestlers will take part in a tournament to determine the final spots for Wrestling World War. WWE will be represented by 4 Raw Superstars, 4 Smackdown Superstars, and 2 NXT Superstars.

8 men from both Raw and Smackdown will compete in single-elimination matches to fill the 4 open slots from each show. 4 men from NXT will compete for those 2 open spots.

The current male title holders from each brand are automatically entered in the tournament. These title holders are:

Raw
WWE Champion: Bobby Lashley
United States Champion: Sheamus
RAW Tag Team Champions: AJ Styles & Omos

Smackdown
Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
Intercontinental Champion: Apollo Crews
Smackdown Tag Team Champions: Dolph Ziggler & Bobby Roode

NXT
NXT Champion: Karrion Kross
North American Champion: Johnny Gargano

These men will be paired up with singles competitors to determine who will represent the WWE in June. We wish everyone the best of luck.

Chris Jericho responds to Becky Lynch; Women will be included in Wrestling World War
It's been a long 24 hours for Chris Jericho and the Wrestling World War team. Ever since Becky Lynch's tweet went up calling the organization out for not including women, it's been wave after wave after wave of attacks via social media and the mainstream.

It took a little longer than most would have liked for Jericho to respond, and many are calling his comments not good enough, but others are waiting to see what the solution is before jumping down his throat again. One thing we do know is that women will have a spot in the event in some capacity, but like everything else that has happened, very little is known as no details have been released at the time of writing this article.

There are some obstacles in their way, mainly NJPW and their lack of female wrestlers. Perhaps SHIMMER or Stardom join the fold? Or NJPW just competes on the men's side? Hard to say at this point.

More to come as this story develops.



More Details Known for Wrestling World War Event
Thanks to the WWE releasing a statement on their upcoming tournament, we now know that each company will be represented at Wrestling World War by 10 male competitors. The WWE has decided that all their men's title holders will automatically be entered into the tournament, and they will face challengers to win their way in.

We assume the women's champions will be included in this once those details are made public.

The tournament kicks off next week on all 3 brands, so we should get some excellent match ups coming our way in the WWE next week. So far only the WWE has released details, but we are almost certain that more names will come forward from other companies in the coming days.

BREAKING: NWA & IMPACT Join Forces For Wrestling World War
Atlanta, GA - The kick-off for Wrestling World War is still over a month away, but the twists and turns are already coming in hot. Moments ago, NWA and IMPACT released a joint statement saying that they would be joining forces to "win the Wrestling World War."

"This is an event that reflects the core values of our companies and our history," the statement reads. "Our brands have deep roots in the territory days of wrestling history, and Wrestling World War is a direct homage to that. Together we are stronger, and together we can do the unthinkable and take down the brands that have looked down on us for so long."

The statement was tweeted out by NWA Owner Billy Corgan, IMPACT EVP Scott D'Amore, IMPACT Minority Owner Dixie Carter, NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis and former IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann.

This move comes just days after Kenny Omega defeated Rich Swann for the IMPACT World Championship at their Rebellion PPV. Many fans speculate that this move is reactionary to AEW and NJPW developing a close relationship and leaving the other companies in their dust. However AEW Owner Tony Khan has already stated that this is complete speculation and does not hold any basis in reality.

"Our relationships with IMPACT and NWA are closer than ever," Khan wrote in a twitter thread after the statement was released. "The speculation I'm seeing out here is reactionary and silly. There is no reason to assume that we view ourselves as 'better than' or above any other company. We are simply trying to do what is best for business."

Shortly after the statement was released, the names of the 10 men representing IMPACT and NWA were also released. Billy Corgan also tweeted that they had "women standing by" once they knew how many female wrestlers would be included in the event. Those details have yet to be released.

More as this develops.

Raw Results
May 3rd, 2021
WWE Thunder Dome (limited capacity)

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Drew McIntyre def. "The Almighty" Bobby Lashley w/MVP
Drew McIntyre defeats the WWE Champion in a non-title qualifier match for Wrestling World War. The main event was a 25-minute back-and-forth slug fest that ended when McIntyre landed not one but two Claymores on the champ to put him away. After the match, McIntyre vowed that when he was done winning Wrestling World War, he would return to defeat Bobby Lashley again for the WWE title.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Matt Riddle def. Sheamus
The unlikely partnership of Riddle and Randy Orton continues to stun the WWE Universe as Riddle moves to Wrestling World War with the assist from Orton. Riddle had Sheamus on the ropes but with the ref too close to the action, he missed Sheamus connecting with a low blow on Riddle, and looked to take the match from there. That is until Randy Orton planted him with an RKO OUTTA NOWHERE behind the referee's back and allowed Riddle to hit The Floating Bro for the 3-count.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
AJ Styles def. Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods
Things continue to devolve between the WWE Raw Tag Team Champions after Omos failed to qualify and AJ Styles refused his help in defeating Kofi Kingston. Styles has had a chip on his shoulder since Wrestlemania after word got around that people felt Styles didn't earn the titles, and Omos did all the heavy lifting himself. Styles was out to prove something, leaving Omos to the wolves in defeat and going on to win his way into the World War.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Braun Strowman def. Omos
Omos is handed his first loss since joining the WWE at the hands of the monstrous Braun Strowman. The fight was intense and both men had several chances to win, but it wasn't until Strowman used his experience to avoid defeat and take Omos out of Wrestling World War with a powerslam that almost destroyed the entire ring.

Shayna Baszler w/Nia Jax def. Mandy Rose w/Dana Brooke
The Miz & John Morrison def. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander

..........

NXT Results
May 4th, 2021
WWE Thunder Dome (limited capacity)

Wrestling World War Qualifier
WALTER def. Karrion Kross w/Scarlett
The Thunderdome was left speechless when the NXT Champion faced off against the NXT UK Champion in a thunderous clash of the titans. Kross did not expect to face another champion in this match, and he also didn't expect to be handed his first loss in NXT. Kross was chopped down to size by WALTER, who was stone-faced as ever while claiming his spot in the War.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Adam Cole def. Johnny Gargano
Adam Cole has set out to prove that he's better off on his own, and so far he's doing just that. The North American Champion told The Way that they should stay backstage and let him do this on his own, and he might be regretting that now, because even without Undisputed Era at his side, Adam Cole still managed to get the win. After the match he vowed to show the world that he's the real deal, and is better than he's ever been, especially solo.

Kyle O'Reilly def. Timothy Thatcher
Tommaso Ciampa def. Cameron Grimes
Cruiserweight Championship Open Challenge
KUSHIDA (c) def. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott

..........

Smackdown Results
May 7th, 2021
WWE Thunder Dome (limited capacity)

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Roman Reigns w/Paul Heyman def. Seth Rollins
Two former Shield members met one-on-one for the first time in years and the match lived up to the hype and then some. This will go down as one of the best main events in Smackdown history, and as it goes, The Head of the Table got the victory in the end and the Universal Champion punched his ticket to Wrestling World War.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Cesaro def. Apollo Crews w/Commander Azeez
The Swiss Superman continues to do the unimaginable and the winning streak continues despite the odds being stacked against him. Crews and Azeez used every trick in the book to try and steal this one from Cesaro, but after Azeez fell victim to The Big Swing, Crews tried a sneak attack on Cesaro that failed. Crews earned a European Uppercut for his troubles that almost knocked him out, then when the Sharpshooter was locked in tight, it was all over but the crying for the Intercontinental Champion.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Kevin Owens def. Dolph Ziggler w/Robert Roode
The Smackdown Tag Team Champs continued to try and use their numbers to their advantage, but it still didn't work against Kevin Owens. The match even became a 3-on-1 attack when Sami Zayn got involved, trying to screw his long-time frenemy out of a Wrestling World War appearance. Zayn, bitter over not being invited to compete, made it his goal to drag Owens down with him, but Owens overcame the odds and Ziggler was left Stunned as the 3-count was made.

Wrestling World War Qualifier
Daniel Bryan def. Robert Roode w/Dolph Ziggler
Daniel Bryan hasn't had a lot of luck lately, and it looked like he took this match very personally. Robert Roode didn't know what hit him and this lopsided affair was over before Ziggler could even try and get involved. The cocky SD Tag Champs bragged that they would both be in the Wrestling World War when this was all said and done, but after Daniel Bryan put Roode through the ringer, suddenly their chances had drastic gone down.

Aleister Black def. Shinsuke Nakamura
Fatal Fourway #1 Contendership match
Bayley def. Carmella, Ruby Riott & Natalya

Don Callis Shoots on IMPACT/NWA Partnership
On last night's episode of AEW: Dark, Don Callis & Kenny Omega appeared in a pre-recorded message from The Elite's trailer. Callis demanded the opportunity to speak and speak he did, tearing into the IMPACT/NWA partnership, AEW owner Tony Khan, and anyone else that came to mind.

"This is not only a cowardly act by two lesser teams to try and steal this event for themselves, but it is a slap in the face to the partnership that Kenny and I have built from scratch. Nobody has done more hard work, more glad-handing with suits that made me want to throw up in my mouth, NOBODY! Kenny, myself, The Young Bucks, The Good Brothers..all of this has happened because of what WE BUILT."

"The fact that this team up was allowed is a disgrace, but you know what? We've moved past it. I'm not even going to comment on the fact that this team completely disrespected The Good Brothers...you're going to walk into Wrestling World War without The Machine Gun on your team? Without Big Daddy Doc on your team? Are you joking?"

Callis became so furious at one point that Omega had to step in and be the voice of reason.

"Look, we can sit here and complain all we want, and it's warranted, don't get me wrong. But the fact of the matter is this: Team AEW is going to win, because I am on Team AEW."

After declaring for Team AEW, Callis got back on his horse.

"You heard it, folks. The AEW Champion. The IMPACT World Champion. The AAA Mega Champion. The soon-to-be NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion at AEW vs. NWA in St. Louis, the soon-to-be-every-other world champion and Wrestling World War winner...The Cleaner. The Best In The World. The Unbeatable Kenny Omega is in. And I don't think Tony Khan or Chris Jericho or anyone else on the planet has a problem with that. And if they do, you know where to find us."

Tony Khan responds to Don Callis on AEW Dynamite
During tonight's episode of AEW Dynamite, AEW CEO Tony Khan made a rare appearance to address the audience. Khan has always been against appearing on television as an authority figure, but made an exception in order to address Wrestling World War and more specifically, Don Callis.

"I felt that I had to come out here and say a few things to you, the fans, and more specifically, one Don Callis," Khan said from the stage, addressing the roughly 1,500 fans in attendance in Jacksonville and the just over 1 million fans watching at home.

"First of all, Don Callis does not speak for AEW. He never has and he never will." Loud cheers from the fans in attendance. "Don, I know you're watching and smirking and scoffing in your crowded trailer, so hear me when I say that if you ever overstep your place again, you're going to regret it."

The uncharacteristic threat from Tony Khan gets another rousing applause from the fans.

"If Don has a problem with IMPACT and NWA joining forces, he needs to take it up with them. But if I'm being honest, I'm a little surprised that he would perceive them as a threat. Don't get me wrong: they're incredible companies packed with talent....but they aren't elite."

Khan's demeanor changes drastically as he looks straight into the camera.

"Kenny Omega is elite. Chris Jericho is elite. The men and women standing backstage are elite. And when Wrestling World War is over...the winner will be elite."

Khan then stated that 3 men would be joining Kenny Omega on Team AEW, and their names would be announced throughout the evening. The final six spots would be decided in a 24-man tournament that would kick off next week, starting on Monday on AEW Dark: Elevation.

Shinsuke Nakamura returns to NJPW; Enters Wrestling World War
The twists and turns keep on coming and now NJPW has entered the fray. In a shocking turn of events, Shinsuke Nakamura has not only returned to NJPW, but declared for their team in the upcoming Wrestling World War event.

NJPW held their first massive, sold out event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, titled Wrestle Grand Slam. The Tokyo Dome was sold out and bumping all night as NJPW put on the best show they could for the dedicated fans in attendance and the millions watching around the globe.

But nobody could have predicted how the show would end.

Before the main event, the reigning World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay laid down a challenge: not only would the main event be for his title, but the winner would also claim a spot on Team NJPW in the Wrestling World War. The Rainmaker was happy to accept.

And when the two finally did battle, a match that NJPW fans have literally been waiting years for, it was well worth the wait. The two tore one another apart and tore the Tokyo Dome down in the process. And when it was all said and done, somehow, some way, Will Ospreay put away Kazuchika Okada and not only held on to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, but also claimed a spot in Wrestling World War.

But of course, Ospreay and The Empire were not done there. They had to make their statement. They had to embarrass Okada in front of the tens of thousands of roaring fans. They had to be what they are....

...until they weren't.

The Tokyo Dome absolutely erupted as a man sprinted from the back, clad in red and black leather, long hair flowing behind him. The first leader of CHAOS, the man that nobody expected to see, Shinsuke Nakamura came to Kazuchika Okada's aid.

The Empire were in shambles. The shock was almost as bad as the beat down that came with Nakamura as he slid into the ring and immediately threw elbows and knees in every direction. The King of Strong Style had come back home, and The Empire were beside themselves as they were tossed from the ring and chased off by the wild-eyed, screaming Nakamura.

After raising Okada's arm and a "YEAOH!" later, Nakamura picked up the mic and spoke in Japanese, saying only five words: "CHAOS will win The War."

Nakamura then flourished and bowed to Okada, who returned the favour, and the show closed with the fans in attendance frantically cheering.

Full Results
Saturday May 15th, 2021
Tokyo Dome, Japan

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Will Ospreay (c) w/The Empire def. Kazuchika Okada

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
El Desperado (c) def. Hiromu Takahashi

Winning Team Enters Wrestling World War
Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & Shingo Takagi) def. Bullet Club (EVIL & Taiji Ishimori)

Winner Enters Wrestling World War
Tetsuya Naito def. Tomohiro Ishii

Winner Enters Wrestling World War
Jay White def. Hirooki Goto

NEVER Openweight Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Taichi

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) def. Bullet Club (BUSHI & Chase Owens)

May 2, 2021 21:46:25 GMT RT said:

Khan then stated that 3 men would be joining Kenny Omega on Team AEW, and their names would be announced throughout the evening. The final six spots would be decided in a 24-man tournament that would kick off next week, starting on Monday on AEW Dark: Elevation.

AEW Dark: Elevation 31/05/2021 - Results
WWW Elimination Tournament
Powerhouse Hobbs w/Team Taz def. Brian Cage w/Team Taz

WWW Elimination Tournament
John Silver w/The Dark Order def. Colt Cabana w/The Dark Order

WWW Elimination Tournament
Christian Cage def. Joey Janela w/Sonny Kiss

WWW Elimination Tournament
Anthony Ogogo w/The Factory def. Brandon Cutler

AEW Dark 01/06/2021 - Results
WWW Elimination Tournament
Eddie Kingston def. "All Ego" Ethan Page w/Scorpio Sky

WWW Elimination Tournament
Scorpio Sky w/"All Ego" Ethan Page def. Shawn Spears w/Tully Blanchard

WWW Elimination Tournament
"Hangman" Adam Page def. Lance Archer w/Jake Roberts

WWW Elimination Tournament
PAC w/The Lucha Bros. def. Orange Cassidy w/Best Friends & Kris Statlander

AEW Dynamite 02/06/2021 - Results
WWW Elimination Tournament
MJF w/The Pinnacle def. Wardlow w/The Pinnacle

WWW Elimination Tournament
Penta El Zero M def. Rey Fenix

WWW Elimination Tournament
Jake Hager w/The Inner Circle def. Sammy Guevara w/The Inner Circle

WWW Elimination Tournament and rematch for the TNT Championship
Miro def. Darby Allin w/Sting

Next week the final six entrants for Team AEW will be determined in six blockbuster match-ups!

AEW Dark: Elevation
Anthony Ogogo vs. Christian Cage
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. John Silver

AEW Dark
Eddie Kingston vs. Scorpio Sky
PAC vs. Penta El Zero M

AEW Dynamite
"Hangman" Adam Page vs. MJF
Miro vs. Jake Hager

AEW News: Final 6 Entrants for Wrestling World War Confirmed
This week on AEW programming, the final six entrants were confirmed for Wrestling World War in six excellent match-ups. The tournament has pulled in new eyes from all over the world and fans of every company tuned in to see who would be representing Team AEW and taking on their respective favourites.

On AEW Dark: Elevation, Powerhouse Hobbs got the win over John Silver, ending the Dark Order's hopes of having a member in WWW this summer. Silver was disappointed in himself after the match, especially after saying that he was going to go to WWW in memory of The Exalted One. The Dark Order consoled Silver after the match and even -1 made an appearance to give him a hug.

In the main event, Christian Cage defeated Anthony Ogogo thanks to an assist from Cody Rhodes. The cocky Brit was poised to hand Christian his first loss in AEW, but Rhodes wasn't about to let that happen and continued his eye for an eye feud with Ogogo by creating just enough distraction for Cage to hit the Killswitch.

The following night on AEW Dark, Eddie Kingston punched his ticket with a hard-fought victory over Scorpio Sky. Sky and Ethan Page used their numbers to their advantage, and it looked like Kingston was in for a disappointing night, until Jon Moxley arrived and planted Page at ringside with the Dirty Deeds. Mox then raised his friend and tag partner's arm and both men will rep AEW together in WWW.

The main event saw Death Triangle's PAC and Penta face off in a match for the ages. The bout was highly received and saw a major spike in viewers on YouTube. When it was all said and done, Penta El Zero Miedo took the win. Fenix rushed to the ring to embrace his brother, but when the duo tried to bring in their stablemate for a group celebration, PAC declined and left the ring...

Then on Dynamite, "Hangman" Adam Page got what many are calling an upset over MJF. The Pinnacle threw everything they had at Page but he refused to die, then with the referee distracted, MJF tried to strike Page with the Dynamite Diamond, only for Dark Order's John Silver and Alex Reynolds to crash the ring and take out MJF from behind. The Pinnacle gave chase but as they did, the rest of The Dark Order appeared through the crowd and surrounded them, attacking them and causing mayhem at ringside. This distraction let Adam Page take out MJF with a Buckshot Lariat for the 3-count. The crowd went wild as Page was eventually hoisted in the air by The Dark Order, and maybe they got their member in WWW after all...

Then the night's main event was a hoss match many have been waiting for as Miro took on Jake Hager. Before the match, Chris Jericho promised that The Inner Circle would have two members in WWW while The Pinnacle would have zero. And Jericho was right, because after a stiff, hard-striking bout, Miro made Jake Hager pass out to the Game Over. Jericho was at the announcer's table and was beside himself, then, in a fit of rage, challenged Miro to a match for the TNT title next week on Dynamite, which Miro happily accepted.

Team NJPW Nearly Complete; KENTA Calls Out Tanahashi
Yesterday was an interesting time for NJPW. Early in the morning, Hiroshi Tanahashi announced that he was declaring for Team NJPW at Wrestling World War. The Ace of New Japan said that he knew his chances of creating wrestling history are few and far between these days, but he still has that fighting spirit and wants to be the first Wrestling World War champion.

Then in the afternoon it was announced that fans would be allowed to attend new episodes of NJPW Strong in the USA. On top of that, the main event at the first show with fans would see the return of KENTA. When asked for comment, KENTA used his time to verbally assault Hiroshi Tanahashi, calling him washed up and a disgrace that should have retired years ago. When asked why the reigning NEVER Openweight Champion should retire, KENTA stated that Tanahashi is handed everything he gets and hasn't earned anything in a long time, specifically his spot at Wrestling World War. KENTA then says that if Tanahashi can claim a spot unchallenged, then so can he. And if anyone had a problem with it, they knew where to find him every Friday night.

BREAKING: Will Ospreay Drops Out of WWW & Relinquishes World Heavyweight Championship
Team NJPW to be finalized at Dominion 06.02.2021
Will Ospreay has pulled out of Wrestling World War and also relinquished the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Ospreay released a brief statement this week stating that he suffered a neck injury that will require surgery, and will be sidelined indefinitely while he heals up.

This comes just days after Ospreay defeated Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam to remain World Heavyweight Champion and grab a spot on Team NJPW at Wrestling World War. After the statement was released, NJPW Global revealed that Okada would be replacing Ospreay on Team NJPW. Furthermore, on June 6th at Dominion, Hiromu Takahashi would be facing Kota Ibushi in a qualifying match for the final spot on the team.

No announcements have been made regarding the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, however it is assumed that a tournament will be held sometime this summer.

Team NJPW is the final team to be assembled and it's happening just in time. Wrestling World War kicks off on June 7th for the WWE, and all other promotions will begin their matches in the days to follow.




Chris Jericho to "address the world" this week on Dynamite
The man who started it all is finally going to speak about Wrestling World War, and he's doing it this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. Jericho has been mostly silent about the ins and outs of WWW since making the announcement on Steve Austin's podcast "Broken Skull Sessions." However that all changes in just a few days.

Jericho tweeted that he would be "addressing the world," from Jacksonville, live on Dynamite. The Demo God continues to show why he's the best in the business and will have our full attention when he speaks yet again.

The first matches of Wrestling World War kick off on June 7th on Peacock, immediately following WWE Raw. And yet we have no idea what to expect, at least until we hear from Jericho himself.

AEW Dynamite Results: Chris Jericho gets a visit from an old friend
As promised, Chris Jericho appeared in the ring on AEW Dynamite tonight, mic in hand, ready to "address the world." Jericho has always had a flare for the dramatic and as we all could have predicted, the long wait to find out the finer details of Wrestling World War paid off. Jericho's segment was the highest rated segment in the 18-49 demo for the entire week, a first for a wrestling program in over 2 decades.

Jericho paced in the ring and spoke about Wrestling World War, first thanking everyone that made it possible. He thanked Tony Khan for having faith in him to bring this dream to life, and thanked everyone that works so hard every day at AEW to "put creativity and quality entertainment ahead of everything else, because those are the most important things in this business."

Jericho also thanked Billy Corgan and Takami Ohbari by name, saying that "their faith in this is just as important to making it a reality. The relationships that have been built over the past couple years have been a blessing, and the vision that I have had for literal decades is finally coming to fruition, and it's because of them."

Then the surprises started rolling in. "I would also like to thank Vince McMahon and Triple H." Jericho had to pause for a moment due to the heavily mixed reaction from the AEW faithful in attendance. When he could finally continue, Jericho added that "in 1999, they took a young man in that they saw a future in when no one else did. For 20 years they put their trust in me at every turn, they made me rich and famous beyond my wildest dreams, and I still consider them friends to this day. Wrestling World War was not going to happen unless everyone was involved, and I mean everyone. They deserve just as much praise as everyone else that has worked to make this happen."

Jericho then summarized the next two months of WWW action:

-Beginning June 7th, the 10 competitors in each promotion will take part in a round robin tournament to determine their rankings. You win, you move up, you lose, you move down, plain and simple. Your rankings are important: #1 will receive perks that #10 will not, and so on. There is no set schedule, so fans are encouraged to pay attention to scheduling and events for matches they want to see.

-Once the rankings are finalized, inter-promotional matches will begin.

-Of the 40 men that take part in Wrestling World War, only 32 will move on to an elimination tournament.

-The 32 will be determined based on rankings:

• The four men ranked #10 will face off in a Fatal Fourway match. The winner gets in.
• Same things for the men ranked #9.
• The men ranked #8 in their promotions will be randomly teamed up and face off in a tag team match. The winning team moves on.

-The women's division will have six competitors from WWE, AEW, NWA/IMPACT, and representing Japan: STARDOM.

-A 24-woman single-elimination tournament will be held once rankings are determined.

-The semi-finals in the women's division will be triple threat matches. The winners will face off in the finals.

-The dates and locations of the inter-promotional events are still TBD, but the bulk of the big matches will take place at "Break The Walls Down" over Labour Day Weekend.

Jericho then began to thank everyone again and was preparing to sign off, until music hit that nobody expected to hear...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

Jericho stood in stunned silence as the crowd around him became unglued. Kevin Owens walked into Daily Place and shocked the world.

While Jericho was unsure how to react, The Inner Circle knew exactly what to do. Every member jumped from the crowd and threw themselves between the ring and Kevin Owens. Hager, Guevara, Santana and Ortiz taunted Owens and begged him to do something, but when the music died out, Jericho decided to ease tensions and told The Inner Circle to stand down.

The four men reluctantly parted and let Owens through. He entered the ring and he and Jericho stared one another down to a tremendous ovation from the crowd.

Owens eventually extended his hand and asked for the mic.

-Kevin Owens "It's good to see you again, Chris."

-Kevin Owens "You and I go way back. You and I had quite the history. You and I were great friends."

-Kevin Owens "You'll notice I said 'were.'"

-Kevin Owens "You see, Chris, when you left a couple years ago, I was happy for you. I saw the vision that you had for yourself and for the people you chose to surround yourself with, and I wanted nothing more than for you to succeed. And up until recently I still felt that way."

-Kevin Owens "But lately, Chris...you've forgotten your place."

HUUUUUGE boos. The crowd already knows what's coming.

-Kevin Owens "When you walked out on us, Chris, I thought you would do what every wrestler your age does in their twilight years. I thought you'd help a couple scrappy young kids get over somewhere, take a fall for a friend, maybe invest some of your hard-earned money in an upstart company, then ride off into the sunset and leave the future to the people who deserve it."

-Kevin Owens "But no. That isn't you. You just have to be the guy at the top, no matter what. No matter what. That's why you started a little company that could and made yourself the champion."

The crowd is literally trying to climb over the barrier at this point. The camera cuts to Jake Hager, who is beet red and fuming.

-Kevin Owens "You couldn't cut it with the best in the world anymore, so you ran away to Japan and made friends with some bingo hall wannabes and tricked them into making you relevant again."

-Kevin Owens "The fact is, Chris...we joined this little event of yours not as a favour, but out of pity. We are going to remind you who you are, and who your friends are. You want to talk about rankings? Our #10 would be a #1 in any other company and you god damn well know it, you washed up piece of sh-" *POW*

Jericho has heard enough! He decks Kevin Owens and gets the loudest pop in AEW history. Owens falls back into the ropes and Jericho lays into him, but Owens shoves him off and gathers himself. Jericho swings wildly but Owens ducks, then drops Jericho wiht a Stunner before quickly rolling out of the ring and avoiding the wrath of The Inner Circle.

Kevin Owens sprints up the ramp and to the stage with a grin on his face, basking in the heat of all heat he just created. Owens flips the AEW faithful the bird before disappearing backstage and AEW Dynamite goes off the air.

NJPW Dominion Results: Nakamura Confronts Ibushi After Huge Win
NJPW's huge mid-year show came to a close with a legendary confrontation between two of Japan's biggest names.

Kota Ibushi defeated Hiromu Takahashi in the co-main event of the night to take the last spot on NJPW's Wrestling World War team, then after the match Ibushi addressed the audience to tell them his plans for bringing the Wrestling World War title to Japan where it belongs.

But before Ibushi could finish his thoughts, "Subconscious" hit and the fans roared as Shinsuke Nakamura entered the arena as only he can. Nakamura went through his usual shtick, got a huge "YEAOH!" from the faithful in attendance, then bowed to Ibushi with one hand outstretched, asking for the microphone.

Nakamura then congratulated Ibushi on his win, agreeing with him that Japan had the strongest team and would show the world their dominance. However, Nakamura's demanor changed almost immediately, and he got close to Ibushi to ensure he heard every word.

Nakamura berated Ibushi for his role in merging the IWGP Intercontinental Championship with the Heavyweight Championship. Nakamura's face told the whole story, as he snarled at Ibushi and almost growled every word. Nakamura told him that one of his biggest accomplishments was becoming Intercontinental Champion and leaving a legacy that he hoped young stars in NJPW would look up to. Instead, after he left, he watched from afar as the title was disrespected. The reputation and respect he created around that title was literally spat on, and he vowed that one day he would bring the title back to prominence.

But he could no longer do that, because Kota Ibushi took that away from him. Nakamura promised he would have his revenge before exiting.

BREAKING: Daniel Bryan removed from Team WWE
Some time between last night and this morning, Daniel Bryan was removed from Team WWE's Wrestling World War roster. The removal was noticed by a fan and posted on twitter, and quickly picked up steam.

Bryan's unceremonious removal is quite strange considering the ranking matches for WWW begin next week. It's unclear at this time why Bryan was removed, and why it was done quietly, but recent news about Bryan's interest in working outside the WWE leads us to believe it has something to do with his WWE contract expiring and ongoing negotiations with the company.

Recently Daniel Bryan expressed interest in working for NJPW, which led to rumours about a possible working relationship between WWE and NJPW, but those rumours were eventually squashed by sources in both companies.

Daniel Bryan would get his fix by participating in Wrestling World War, but his removal leads to the belief that Bryan wants more than a one-off event, or the WWE is playing hardball with the superstar.

More as this develops.

SMACKDOWN Results: Seth Rollins replaces Daniel Bryan on Team WWE
The vacant spot on Team WWE was the focal point of Smackdown tonight, and when it was all said and done, Seth Rollins ended up claiming the final spot in Wrestling World War.

The show kicked off with Bobby Roode in the ring alongside his tag team partner, Dolph Ziggler, demanding he be put in Daniel Bryan's place, since Bryan defeated him for the spot. This drew out Apollo Crews, and eventually Seth Rollins, and the four men squared off all claiming they had a right to the position.

Words turned into shoving which turned into punches, and Ziggler and Roode got the upperhand working together. But when it was pointed out that both of them were involved in the qualifying matches, it became unclear who would earn the final spot.

During commercial break it was decided that a fatal fourway match would take place to determine who would go on to Wrestling World War. And despite working together for most of the match, Roode and Ziggler eventually imploded and Seth Rollins capitalized, pinning Ziggler and winning the match.

Ranking matches begin next week and the WWE has moved quickly to replace Daniel Bryan in the event. This development does not bode well for Daniel Bryan re-signing with the company, but only time will tell.

Wrestling World War - Team WWE
LIVE! on Peacock
June 7th, 2021
WWE Thunderdome

WWW Ranking Match
Drew McIntyre def. Matt Riddle w/Randy Orton

WWW Ranking Match
Roman Reigns w/Paul Heyman def. Cesaro

WWW Ranking Match
WALTER def. Braun Strowman

WWW Ranking Match
AJ Styles w/Omos def. Adam Cole

WWW Ranking Match
Seth Rollins def. Kevin Owens

WWW Women's Division Qualifier
Bianca Belair def. Natalya w/Tamina Snuka

Wrestling World War - Team Elite
LIVE! on YouTube Premium
June 8th, 2021
Daily's Place - Jacksonville, FL

WWW Ranking Match
Kenny Omega w/Don Callis def. Eddie Kingston w/Jon Moxley

WWW Ranking Match
Chris Jericho w/The Inner Circle def. Penta El Zero M w/Fenix & PAC

WWW Ranking Match
Cody Rhodes def. Powerhouse Hobbs w/Team Taz

WWW Ranking Match
Jon Moxley w/Eddie Kingston def. Miro

WWW Ranking Match
Christian Cage def. "Hangman" Adam Page

WWW Women's Division Qualifier
Hikaru Shida def. Kris Statlander w/Best Friends

Before the women's qualifier match, Dr. Britt Baker demanded that she be added to the women's division since all AEW title holders were handed a spot on the roster. Tony Khan was obliged to agree and awarded her a spot.

Wrestling World War - Team IMPACT/NWA
LIVE! on YouTube Premium
June 8th, 2021
NWA Arena - Atlanta, GA

WWW Ranking Match
Nick Aldis w/Kamille def. Chris Adonis

WWW Ranking Match
Rich Swann def. Aron Stevens

WWW Ranking Match
Josh Alexander def. Trevor Murdoch

WWW Ranking Match
Ace Austin def. Eric Young w/VBD

WWW Ranking Match
TJP def. Moose

WWW Women's Qualifier
Kiera Hogan def. Kylie Rae

Similar to Dr. Britt Baker's demands, both the NWA World Women's Champion Serena Deeb and the IMPACT Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo stood unified and demanded that as world champions, they too deserved a spot on the WWW roster. Their wishes were granted by Billy Corgan.

Wrestling World War - Team NJPW
LIVE! on NJPW World
June 10th, 2021
Osaka-jo Hall

WWW Ranking Match
Kota Ibushi def. Hiroshi Tanahashi

WWW Ranking Match
Tetsuya Naito def. SANADA

WWW Ranking Match
Kazuchika Okada def. Shingo Takagi

WWW Ranking Match
Minoru Suzuki def. Jay White

WWW Ranking Match
Shinsuke Nakamura def. KENTA

In addition to the matches at Destruction after Dominion, the six competitors from STARDOM that would represent Japan at Wrestling World War were introduced to the crowd to great applause. It was revealed that the six current champions in STARDOM would be the representatives.

VS.
Chaifetz Arena
St. Louis, MO
June 12th, 2021

Full Results

NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Kenny Omega w/Don Callis def. Nick Aldis w/Kamille

Champion vs. Champion
Serena Deeb def. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.

Champion vs. Champion
Miro def. Da Pope

Six-Man Tag Team Match
Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus & Marko Stunt) def. Violent By Design (Joe Doering, Rhino & W. Morrissey)

WWW Ranking Match - AEW
Chris Jericho def. Cody Rhodes

WWW Ranking Match - NWA/IMPACT
Josh Alexander def. TJP

WWW Ranking Match - AEW
Jon Moxley def. Eddie Kingston

WWW Ranking Match - NWA/IMPACT
Eric Young def. Trevor Murdoch

Aron Stevens def. Orange Cassidy w/Best Friends

Thunder Rosa def. Red Velvet
After the match, Thunder Rosa announced that she would be representing NWA/IMPACT at Wrestling World War, choosing "the side that made her" over AEW.