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	<title>News - WrestleTalk</title>
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	<description>Daily news from WWE, AEW, NJPW and more</description>
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	<title>News - WrestleTalk</title>
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	<item>
		<title>Giulia &#038; Kiana James Split Up On WWE SmackDown, Chad Gable Returns</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/giulia-kiana-james-split-up-wwe-smackdown-chad-gable-t/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:03:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Giulia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kiana James]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smackdown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chad Gable]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480364</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The partnership of Giulia and Kiana James has split up on today&#8217;s June 5 episode of WWE SmackDown in Bologna, Italy. Upon Giulia&#8217;s call-up to the main roster and James&#8217; [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The partnership of Giulia and Kiana James has split up on today&#8217;s June 5 episode of WWE SmackDown in Bologna, Italy.</p>
<p>Upon Giulia&#8217;s call-up to the main roster and James&#8217; return from injury, they were partnered together with the idea that James was the &#8220;representative&#8221; of Giulia.</p>
<p>This alliance led to Giulia becoming a two-time Women&#8217;s United States Champion, but it did always seem like WWE had plans for James to become a big star as well, and was potentially focusing more on her than Giulia despite Giula&#8217;s title wins.</p>
<p>In recent weeks, the duo had been having some miscommunication issues that culminated today.</p>
<p><iframe title="Kiana James becomes Giulia’s official representation: SmackDown highlights, July 25, 2025" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tkHHkX9FLPo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>James was taking part in a Queen of the Ring tournament four-way match against Bayley, Raquel Rodriguez and Jacy Jayne on SmackDown.</p>
<p>As James was going for a pin, Jayne from the outside broke it up, but when James turned around, she saw Giulia stood there and thought it was Giulia that had broken it up and prevented her from winning.</p>
<p>Shortly after, <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/two-wwe-stars-king-queen-of-the-ring-tournaments/">Rodriguez picked up the win</a>, with Giulia and James left together in the ring before breaking into an argument and eventually brawling when Giulia had enough.</p>
<p>This was in Italy so Giulia got a babyface reaction and it remains to be seen whether that dynamic will translate to the US or if the crowd will be more on James&#8217; side.</p>
<h2>Chad Gable Returns</h2>
<p>Off the back of the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/pete-dunne-rayo-americano-produced-el-grande-americano-mask-vs-mask-match-wwe-aaa-noche-de-los-grandes/">highly praised El Grande Americano mask vs mask match at WWE AAA Noche De Los Grandes last weekend</a>, Chad Gable made his first SmackDown appearance in quite some time.</p>
<p>WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis was talking to Sami Zayn, but said he had something important he needed to go and deal with.</p>
<p>When Zayn asked what could be more important than talking to him, Chad Gable walked in, as he and Aldis went into Aldis&#8217; office together.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll have to see what comes of the meeting, but it appears Gable could be on SmackDown for good going forward.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
<p><strong>To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wrestletalk.official">follow us on Threads by clicking this link</a>!</strong></p>
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		<title>WWE Judgment Day Members Dominik Mysterio &#038; Raquel Rodriguez Advance In King &#038; Queen Of The Ring Tournaments</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/two-wwe-stars-king-queen-of-the-ring-tournaments/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:48:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smackdown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[king of the ring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queen of the Ring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raquel Rodriguez]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480363</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Two more WWE stars have advanced in the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments on SmackDown today. Today&#8217;s SmackDown airing live early from Bologna played host to Bayley vs [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Two more WWE stars have advanced in the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments on SmackDown today.</p>
<p>Today&#8217;s SmackDown airing live early from Bologna played host to Bayley vs Jacy Jayne vs Kiana James vs Raquel Rodriguez, and Bron Breakker vs Damian Priest vs Dominik Mysterio vs Trick Williams in tournament quarter-final rounds.</p>
<p>First up, Rodriguez picked up the win in the women&#8217;s match, so she advances to face the winner of the four-way that took place on Raw this past Monday, IYO SKY.</p>
<p>After the match, <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/wwe-tag-team-split-update-kiana-james-giulia/">Kiana James and Giulia split up and broke out into a brawl</a> with each other after some miscommunication during the match since Giulia was at ringside.</p>
<p>The men&#8217;s match main evented SmackDown and was won by Dominik Mysterio after Bron Breakker and Trick Williams had taken each other out on the outside, and Liv Morgan low blowed Damian Priest.</p>
<p>Mysterio advances to face Oba Femi in the semi-final round.</p>
<h2>Who Will Win The King &amp; Queen Of The Ring Tournaments?</h2>
<p>Over the course of the past week, we&#8217;ve very quickly gone from 16 possible winners in each of the King &amp; Queen of the Ring tournaments to now only having 10 in each.</p>
<p>The semi-finalists so far <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/oba-femi-more-advance-2026-wwe-king-queen-of-the-ring-message-brock-lesnar/">for the men are Oba Femi</a> and Dominik Mysterio, while the women so far has IYO SKY and Raquel Rodriguez in the semis &#8211; with both of those facing each other.</p>
<p>Of the men who have yet to have their quarter-final four-ways, the most likely to advance would seem to be Seth Rollins from the first four-way, and either Jey Uso or LA Knight from the second.</p>
<p>Dominik Mysterio is not going to beat Oba Femi, so Femi will be going to the final, making him a favorite to win overall, so it&#8217;s just a question of who he faces from the other side of the bracket.</p>
<p>As for the women, things seem a lot more open and really any of the eight women could go through.</p>
<p>SKY would really be the ideal choice to win the tournament overall this year and then <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/liv-morgan-wwe-summerslam-2026-plans-no-idea/">win the title from Liv Morgan at SummerSlam</a>, but we&#8217;ll see if that&#8217;s in WWE&#8217;s plans.</p>
<p>That could set up a RHIYO match for this year&#8217;s Crown Jewel Championship with SKY as Women&#8217;s World Champion and Rhea Ripley as WWE Women&#8217;s Champion.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
<p><strong>To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wrestletalk.official">follow us on Threads by clicking this link</a>!</strong></p>
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		<title>Finn Balor Addresses Potential Crossover Into Boxing Or MMA: &#8216;I&#8217;d Rather Stay In My Lane In WWE, Thank You Very Much&#8217;</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/finn-balor-potential-crossover-boxing-mma-rather-stay-wwe/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jamie Toolan]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:52:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finn Balor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boxing]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480361</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Finn Balor has addressed potentially crossing over into the world of boxing or mixed martial arts, admitting he would much rather &#8220;stay in his lane in WWE.&#8221; During the latest [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Finn Balor has addressed potentially crossing over into the world of boxing or mixed martial arts, admitting he would much rather &#8220;stay in his lane in WWE.&#8221;</p>
<p>During the latest episode of What&#8217;s Your Story? With Steph McMahon, former WWE Women&#8217;s Intercontinental Champion <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/becky-lynch-considered-mma-after-working-with-ronda-rousey-in-wwe/">Becky Lynch made headlines when she admitted that she briefly considered making the leap to MMA</a> after facing off with former UFC champion Ronda Rousey in WWE.</p>
<p>However, Lynch admitted that those thoughts lasted around a week, if she was being generous, and she never actually pursued that possibility.</p>
<p>Well, it turns out that Lynch&#8217;s long-time friend and wrestling mentor Finn Balor is very much on the same wave length as &#8220;The Man&#8221; as Balor was asked about potentially stepping into the boxing ring or octagon to compete whilst sat on a <a href="https://x.com/Zuffa_Boxing/status/2062934012931227851">Zuffa Boxing</a> panel alongside the likes of former WBA Welterweight Champion Conor Benn and Irish boxing middleweight Aaron McKenna.</p>
<p>Balor responded:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Well obviously I have the upmost respect for the gentleman that are up here beside me and I wouldn’t take it lightly stepping in the ring with some of the boxers or in the cage with the fighters. </em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>They’re very disciplined guys they know exactly what they’re doing, and I’d rather stay exactly in my lane in WWE, thank you very much.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p>Balor was speaking during a press conference for Zuffa Boxing&#8217;s first UK show in Bournemouth, England on Saturday, which will be headlined by Chris Billam-Smith vs. Ryan Rozicki.</p>
<p>Spearheaded by UFC President Dana White and Turki Al-Shiekh, Zuffa Boxing is a promotion under the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/?s=tko">TKO</a> umbrella and has received cross promotion on WWE broadcasts, with Zuffa signed boxers such as Conor Benn appearing in the crowd at WWE events.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Finn Bálor makes his demonic WrestleMania entrance: WrestleMania 42 Sunday highlights" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pj2kIx2UIlU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
<p><strong>To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wrestletalk.official">follow us on Threads by clicking this link</a>!</strong></p>
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		<title>WWE Star Bayley Sends Message Ahead Of Queen Of The Ring Match On SmackDown: &#8216;First Time For Everything&#8217;</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/bayley-wwe-queen-of-the-ring-message/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sanchez Taylor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:55:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bayley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smackdown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queen of the Ring]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480358</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Former WWE Women&#8217;s Champion Bayley has commented ahead of her first round match in the Queen of the Ring tournament. With both the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former WWE Women&#8217;s Champion Bayley has commented ahead of her first round match in the Queen of the Ring tournament.</p>
<p>With both the King and <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/topic/queen-of-the-ring/">Queen of the Ring</a> tournaments getting underway on the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/oba-femi-more-advance-2026-wwe-king-queen-of-the-ring-message-brock-lesnar/">June 1</a> Raw episode, they will continue with more four-way matches on Friday&#8217;s (June 5) edition of SmackDown.</p>
<p>In what will be her first time competing in the Queen of the Ring tournament, Bayley is slated to face Jacy Jayne, Raquel Rodriguez and Kiana James on this week&#8217;s show, with only one of these names set to advance to the semifinals.</p>
<p>Bayley has now taken to <a href="https://x.com/itsBayleyWWE/status/2062934148122124367">Twitter</a> to comment ahead of her first round match.</p>
<p>Hopeful about moving one step closer to the crown, the Role Model wrote:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f451.png" alt="👑" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f451.png" alt="👑" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Jade Cargill vs. Asuka | Queen of the Ring Finals: Night of Champions 2025 highlights" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/udqkjoU9AZA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Including the 2021 tournament which at the time was called the Queen&#8217;s Crown Tournament, but had its name changed retroactively, WWE has held three complete Queen of the Ring tournaments ahead of the 2026 iteration.</p>
<p>Zelina Vega won in 2021, defeating Piper Niven (then &#8220;Doudrop&#8221;) in the finals to earn the crown.</p>
<p>Nia Jax took hope the crown in 2024, pinning Lyra Valkyria in their finals at that year&#8217;s King and Queen Of The Ring event.</p>
<p>The 2025 finals saw <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/2025-queen-of-the-ring-winner-crowned/">Asuka face off against Jade Cargill</a>, with Cargill ultimately victorious.</p>
<p>Bayley has won almost every accolade available for female wrestlers in WWE, including the Money in the Bank briefcase in 2019 and the Royal Rumble in 2024, in addition to the top women&#8217;s championships on Raw, SmackDown and NXT.</p>
<p>It would make sense to see Bayley take home the Queen of the Ring crown this year, crossing another accolade off her list and reaffirming her as one of the most decorated women in WWE history.</p>
<p>The latest WWE updates and news stories can be found right here.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
<p><strong>To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wrestletalk.official">follow us on Threads by clicking this link</a>!</strong></p>
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		<title>AEW Star HOOK To Challenge For GCW World Championship</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-hook-vs-atticus-cogar-gcw-world-championship/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:15:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - Independents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GCW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Game Changer Wrestling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Atticus Cogar]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480354</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[AEW star HOOK is making a rare foray into independent wrestling, challenging Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Championship on June 27. Debuting in AEW back in November 2020, HOOK [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>AEW star HOOK is making a rare foray into independent wrestling, challenging Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Championship on June 27.</p>
<p>Debuting in AEW back in November 2020, HOOK defeated Leo Sparrow at Limitless Wrestling in January of this year, marking his first independent wrestling appearance.</p>
<p>The AEW star is now heading to Game Changer Wrestling to challenge for the World Championship, facing Atticus Cogar at Amerikas Most Wanted on June 27.</p>
<p>The match was announced on the official GCW Twitter account, in a post that reads:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>*LOS ANGELES UPDATE*</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>Just Signed:</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>*GCW World Title Match* </em><em>ATTICUS COGAR </em><em>vs </em><em>HOOK</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>Plus:</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>Cowboy Way v KJ/Stackhouse</em><br />
<em>Bustah &amp; Brain v Butcher &amp; Blade</em><br />
<em>Janela v Haley J</em><br />
<em>Desperados v VengaHorus</em><br />
<em>Gage v Starboy</em></p>
<p>The &#8216;Starboy&#8217; in question would be Starboy Charlie, now known to fans as Chazz &#8220;Starboy&#8221; Hall, the current <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/new-wwe-id-champion-crowned/">WWE ID Champion</a>.</p>
<p>With Samoa Joe absent from AEW due to filming commitments, HOOK has taken temporary <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/samoa-joe-aew-absence-potential-reason/">leadership of The Opps</a>.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;The Jet&quot; Kevin Knight vs HOOK - TNT Championship MATCH HIGHLIGHTS | AEW Collision, 5/2/26" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o8_bq1PtB88?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>The Multi-Talented HOOK</h2>
<p>Described as &#8220;The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil&#8221;, HOOK certainly proved that when he was featured on the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-hook-tommy-hilfiger-ava-dash/">Tommy Hilfiger</a> Instagram account alongside the model Ava Dash.</p>
<p>His ambitions outside of the ring have seen HOOK explore acting opportunities, having starred in a short film and <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-star-short-films-potential-acting-career/">being a leading man</a> in an upcoming production.</p>
<p>A three-time FTW Champion, HOOK has grown since his early silent days, demonstrating a confidence when speaking that matches the aggressive style he brings to the ring.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s curious that, over a nearly six-year career, the star has opted not to take on more independent bookings, waiting until this year to explore that option.</p>
<p>A very much grounded technical wrestler, he would have been a good fit for GCW&#8217;s Josh Barnett&#8217;s Bloodsport, which has seen many AEW and WWE stars showcase their talents.</p>
<p>Arguably, it&#8217;s easy to see HOOK as a fit for many independent wrestling promotions, not just from his in-ring style but from the charismatic presence he has managed to build despite spending much of his early career not saying a word.</p>
<p>Having only turned 27 in May of this year, HOOK will hopefully make up for lost time and follow in the footsteps of many other AEW stars, bringing his talents to an independent scene that continues to grow.</p>
<p>In the meantime, HOOK as GCW World Champion would certainly be quite the image.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
<p><strong>To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wrestletalk.official">follow us on Threads by clicking this link</a>!</strong></p>
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		<title>PRODUCE Wrestling Pay-Per-Views To Stream Live On MyAEW, New Distribution Deal Confirmed</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/my-aew-produce-wrestling-deal/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:41:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - Independents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - Business and finance news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MyAEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Produce Wrestling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orange Crush]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480351</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[PRODUCE Wrestling is being added to the MyAEW streaming service, with Volume 1 &#8211; The Octopus taking place on June 29, alongside AEW content. MyAEW was announced by AEW in [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>PRODUCE Wrestling is being added to the MyAEW streaming service, with Volume 1 &#8211; The Octopus taking place on June 29, alongside AEW content.</p>
<p>MyAEW was <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-myaew-launch/">announced by AEW in March</a> of this year, promising access to live and on-demand events, along with &#8220;an immersive digital experience&#8221;.</p>
<p>With 1 Fall Wrestling events already streaming on <a href="https://myaew.com/">MyAEW</a>, a second promotion has been confirmed for the service in the form of PRODUCE Wrestling.</p>
<p>The announcement that PRODUCE Wrestling was soon to be added to MyAEW was revealed in a press release dated June 5, shared on <a href="https://x.com/PRODUCENYC/status/2062897143807946847">Twitter</a>, reading:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><b>PRODUCE Wrestling Announces Pay-Per-View Distribution Deal with MyAEW</b></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">PRODUCE&#8217;s Full Summer Series to Stream Live Globally via MyAEW.com and the MyAEW App</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">(NEW YORK, NY &#8211; June 5, 2026) &#8211; PRODUCE Wrestling, the new wrestling and live entertainment company founded by creative director, curator, and independent wrestling entrepreneur Adam Abdalla, today announces a pay-per-view distribution partnership with MyAEW, the global streaming platform powered by Kiswe and All Elite Wrestling. Beginning with PRODUCE&#8217;s debut event, Volume 1- The Octopus at Pioneer Works on June 29th at 8PM, featuring a live musical performance from New York City grindhouse auteur Abel Ferrara, fans worldwide will be able to purchase and stream all upcoming PRODUCE events live via MyAEW.com and on the MyAEW app.</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">The partnership marks a significant milestone for independent wrestling, bringing PRODUCE&#8217;s talent-first, curator-driven model to a global audience through one of the sport&#8217;s most expansive digital platforms. Each individual supercard will be available for $14.95 or fans can purchase all six for a $50 season pass.</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">&#8220;We&#8217;re honored to bring PRODUCE PPVs to MyAEW. Like Tony Khan, we believe in the artistic spirit of professional wrestlers. I couldn&#8217;t think of a better partner to share our unique vision for the sport with the best fans in the world,&#8221; said Adam Abdalla, Founder &amp; Creative Director of PRODUCE.</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">In a first for professional wrestling, each edition of PRODUCE is co-produced by an active professional wrestler, who co-headlines and helps shape the undercard &#8211; integrating original music, art, and film alongside world-class in-ring competition.</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em><span style="font-weight: 400">The MyAEW platform, launched earlier this year in partnership with Kiswe, delivers live and on-demand access to wrestling events globally, with flexible regional pricing and a growing international subscriber base. Future PRODUCE events &#8211; including editions co-produced by Lee Moriarty and Rocky Romero will continue to be distributed through the platform as part of a broader streaming strategy.</span></em></p>
<p>The press release would also see PRODUCE Wrestling announce a number of shows running through to September of this year, including an international debut in Montreal, Quebec.</p>
<p>Orange Crush previously announced an art exhibition featuring <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-thekla-lee-moriarty-art-exhibit/">work from AEW stars</a>, including Thekla and Lee Moriarity. The exhibition is set for Fall 2027.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Thekla DEFILES the STARDOM logo! (6/3/26) | AEW Dynamite Highlights Presented by Upper Deck" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7QDMybQHawI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>A Home For Independent Wrestling</h2>
<p>MyAEW providing a home for 1FW and now PRODUCE Wrestling shows the commitment that the company has to establishing relationships with independent wrestling companies.</p>
<p>While some <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/aew-myaew-launch/">streaming services</a>, such as Triller has a number of independent wrestling companies onboard, these services are not owned by a specific wrestling promotion.</p>
<p>During its lifetime, WWE Network also did something similar, providing a home for PROGRESS Wrestling, Westside Xtreme Wrestling, ICW and Evolve, which it would eventually acquire.</p>
<p>For fans of these promotions, it was no doubt a joy to see shows on a globally accessible platform such as WWE, but the upside was arguably more obvious: being on WWE Network meant that subscribers could dip into shows that they may otherwise not have seen. Of course, for WWE, it helped that they now had access to matches featuring many of the stars they would go on to sign.</p>
<p>AEW has a strong relationship with a number of independent promotions around the world, and being able to bring these indie shows to a platform such as MyAEW is no doubt going to expose smaller companies to the same audience that will tune in to watch Dynamite, pay-per-views or the podcasts.</p>
<p>With WWE Network no longer being a service, MyAEW now has a prime chance to redefine the wrestling landscape when it comes to streaming. It&#8217;s unlikely Tony Khan will stop at two independent promotions, particularly when there&#8217;s a world of relationships already existing and more no doubt down the line.</p>
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		<title>Indi Hartwell Reveals How Steph De Lander Helped Her After WWE Release</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/indi-hartwell-wwe-release-steph-de-lander-helped/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:07:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - NXT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - Independents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - TNA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indi Hartwell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steph De Lander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Persia Pirotta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nxt]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480340</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Indi Hartwell has revealed that Steph De Lander helped her a lot after she was released by WWE in November 2024. Having signed with WWE in 2019, Indi Hartwell would [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Indi Hartwell has revealed that Steph De Lander helped her a lot after she was released by WWE in November 2024.</p>
<p>Having signed with WWE in 2019, Indi Hartwell would see her run come to end on November 1, 2024, when it was reported she had <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/backstage-reaction-indi-hartwell-wwe-release/">been released</a>.</p>
<p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLytyojbKX8">Studio 1 Sports</a>, Hartwell would reveal that Steph De Lander (known to NXT 2.0 fans as Persia Pirotta) gave her a lot of help after being released, saying:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;The person who helped me the most throughout this was Steph De Lander. She&#8217;s my best friend. We were best friends in Australia. We were on the indies together. We were at NXT together.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;She got released in 2022 and she kind of had to navigate that all by herself. She had the help of Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green, who have also been a really great help for me, but just trying to figure out how the indies are these days because, you know, I&#8217;m doing TNA but I&#8217;m also doing the indies, because I am Indi Wrestling.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;So, figuring out how that all works now, because it&#8217;s different to, you know&#8230; the last time I was on the indies was in 2019, so it&#8217;s been quite a while. Covid has happened since then. The landscape has changed. There&#8217;s another major wrestling company out there now. So, there&#8217;s just more opportunity.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Steph has really helped me a lot, and Steph told me that, you know, when you&#8217;re not working for WWE and you&#8217;re on the indies, you are working 24/7, and it&#8217;s so true. It&#8217;s not like you&#8217;re just traveling to a show on the weekend, wrestling and coming home.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p>Hartwell would give an example of the new mindset she has as an independent wrestler, revealing that she has spent many hours packing and shipping her Micro Brawlers merchandise to fans who have bought them, while also making her own graphics to promote things.</p>
<p>She would describe it as a &#8220;grind&#8221;, but agreed with the host that it is giving her a whole bunch of new skills to succeed.</p>
<p>On the recent episode of TNA iMPACT!, Hartwell teamed up with Santino Marella to take on NXT&#8217;s BirthRight (Arianna Grace &amp; Channing Lorenzo).</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FATHER vs. DAUGHTER as Santino Marella and Arianna Grace Face Off | TNA iMPACT! June 4, 2026" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MejQQP_10sw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>The Never-Ending Grind</h2>
<p>It&#8217;s easy to think that an independent wrestling star rolls up to a show, wrestles and goes home, but that&#8217;s clearly not the case for many of them.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not just the travelling to and from the venue, either, but the whole &#8220;grind&#8221; that Hartwell describes, promoting matches and appearances, shipping merch, creating new merch and engaging with audiences through social media. All that, and then there&#8217;s the whole process of creating, building and maintaining relationships, whether it be for a match, appearance, seminar or whatever may be needed by a promoter.</p>
<p>All these soft skills sit alongside the more tangible elements &#8211; the gym and other health-related aspects, and looking after oneself in such a way that the &#8220;grind&#8221; doesn&#8217;t, for lack of a better phrase, grind you down.</p>
<p>Even on off days, it wouldn&#8217;t come as much of a stretch to believe that independent wrestling stars are thinking of what&#8217;s next, while also maintaining their real-life relationships with significant others, friends and family, fully aware that they miss a moment in their lives due to a commitment.</p>
<p>Then, when it comes to show time, their music hits, they step through the curtain and, from that moment, it&#8217;s all forgotten, until it starts all over again.</p>
<p><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
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		<title>WWE &#038; Juventus FC Announce &#8216;Strategic Partnership&#8217;, Crossover Details Revealed</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/wwe-juventus-fc-strategic-partnership/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sanchez Taylor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:29:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crossover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Juventus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[partnership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480343</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[WWE has announced a strategic partnership with Italian football club Juventus FC, amid the company&#8217;s current European tour. Following Clash In Italy and the following episode of Raw emanating from [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>WWE has announced a strategic partnership with Italian football club Juventus FC, amid the company&#8217;s current European tour.</p>
<p>Following <a href="http://wrestletalk.com/topic/clash-in-italy">Clash In Italy</a> and the following episode of Raw emanating from Turin, Italy, the major football club from the same region has announced new cross-promotional plans.</p>
<p>Juventus FC shared the <a href="https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/juventus-and-wwe-announce-strategic-partnership-to-connect-sport-entertainment-and-global-fan-culture">following announcement</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>JUVENTUS AND WWE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO CONNECT SPORT, ENTERTAINMENT AND GLOBAL FAN CULTURE</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>Juventus and WWE today announced a new strategic partnership designed to develop original experiences, content and activations that bring together football, sport, entertainment and global fan culture.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>WWE Clash in Italy, held this past weekend in Turin on Sunday, May 31, marked the first tangible moments of collaboration between the Juventus and WWE worlds. Across the weekend, multiple touchpoints brought the two fan communities together including: </em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>co-created content between Juventus mascot Jay and WWE Superstar Jey Uso; social coverage of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes receiving a custom Juventus jersey; and the availability of the previously revealed WWE x Juventus Championship Title Belts at merchandise stores around the Inalpi Arena.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>As part of the ongoing partnership, Juventus and WWE will explore a wide range of opportunities, from co- branded merchandise and cross-promotional activations to crossover content, cross-promotional partner activations, creator-led storytelling and the integration of WWE and Juventus talent into key cultural moments. </em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>The collaboration will also extend to fan experiences, events and international activations, alongside campaigns designed to reach new audiences. At its core, the partnership establishes a long-term vision focused on building recurring cultural moments that connect football, entertainment and the next generation of fans.</em></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Full WWE Clash in Italy 2026 highlights" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qWX-g4eU30c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Clash In Italy marked the first time WWE held a premium live event in Italy. With more partnerships like the above, the company looks to have an increased presence, not only in Europe, but across mainstream sports and entertainment.</p>
<p>The latest WWE updates and news stories can be found <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/topic/wwe">right here. </a></p>
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		<title>Kevin Knight &#8216;Could Become AEW World Champion&#8217; After Joining The Don Callis Family, Believes Tommy Dreamer</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/kevin-knight-aew-world-champion-tommy-dreamer/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:14:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Don Callis Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kevin knight]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480339</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Tommy Dreamer believes that Kevin Knight could be set for greater success in AEW after joining the Don Callis Family. Kevin Knight joined the Don Callis Family on last night&#8217;s [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tommy Dreamer believes that Kevin Knight could be set for greater success in AEW after joining the Don Callis Family.</p>
<p>Kevin Knight joined the Don Callis Family on last night&#8217;s AEW Dynamite, with Tommy Dreamer sharing his thoughts on <a href="https://x.com/BustedOpenRadio/status/2062518903457169745">Busted Open After Dark</a>, saying:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Joining The Don Callis Family is a great move for Kevin Knight. His value and stock is up. Don Callis got himself a star.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Don Callis adds a lot to an act, and I think with Don Callis leading the charge, Kevin Knight could also become world champion.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;The addition of Don Callis: that is key for Kevin Knight&#8217;s success.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p>Knight would give an insight into his reasoning for the new association on <a href="https://x.com/Jet2Flyy/status/2062371320591966675">Twitter</a>, posting:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Here for one reason and one reason only<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f60e.png" alt="😎" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />&#8221;</em></p>
<p>All this came after Don Callis upended Andrade after he laid out a challenge to MJF for the AEW World Championship on Dynamite, with the management figure introducing The Jet as the newest member.</p>
<p>The newly minted member of the Don Callis Family would go on to defeat his former friend and tag team partner, Speedball Mike Bailey, to retain the TNT Championship, going on to also throw his name into the hat when it comes to championship opportunities.</p>
<p>Callis may have appeared to ignore Andrade&#8217;s declaration about the AEW World Championship challenge, but the fellow family member and &#8216;The Real Latino Man&#8217; would suggest that Knight may want to pump the metaphorical brakes, <a href="https://x.com/AndradeElIdolo/status/2062835440751632809">responding</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;How you know?</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;Welcome to the Family <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f914.png" alt="🤔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> But wait in the line for the gold <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f947.png" alt="🥇" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />&#8221;</em></p>
<p>At AEW Double or Nothing, having lost the World Championship to MJF, Darby Allin found himself on the receiving end of an attack at the hands of Kevin Knight.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="The Jet joins the Don Callis Family?! (6/3/26) | AEW Dynamite Highlights Presented by Upper Deck" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Xu1FdWLOQg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>How Many Members Does The Don Callis Family Need?</h2>
<p>There are currently fifteen members of The Don Callis Family, not including the man himself, with two of those holding AEW Championships: Knight as the TNT Champion and Mark Davis as National Champion.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the former WWE star Baron Corbin suggested that the Don Callis Family should continue to grow, envisaging a &#8220;<a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/former-wwe-star-pitches-aew-invasion-angle/">massive turf war</a>&#8221; with a faction of twenty members.</p>
<p>With Callis only five members away from being in a position to deliver the &#8220;WWF vs. WCW invasion type angle&#8221; that Corbin envisions, there&#8217;s plenty to choose from on the AEW roster, and it&#8217;s something this very site has <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/features/new-aew-don-callis-family-members-2/">speculated upon</a> previously.</p>
<p>Formed in 2023, there&#8217;s arguably a feeling of the nWo with the way that the Don Callis Family and its growth, although the AEW faction is nowhere near as plentiful as the nWo grouping that claimed a hefty chunk of the roster at one point.</p>
<p>Tony Khan still leads the way when it comes to <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/tony-khan-opens-up-aew-creative-process-years/">AEW creative</a>, although he does take input and insight from his roster, with there being little doubt that Callis has agency.  With this in mind, it would be somewhat of a surprise if there wasn&#8217;t at least one eye on the issues that the nWo faced that turned it from a force in WCW to what it would become in the later years of its existence.</p>
<p>Each member of the Don Callis Family, no matter how frequently featured, feels like a cog of the machine, although there has to be a point where some stars seek their own path, as was seen when Sammy Guevara, Will Ospreay, Rush, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Konosuke Takeshita, the most recent to be cast out, all went their own way.</p>
<p>The question remains: Who&#8217;s next when it comes to joining and leaving?</p>
<p><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.wrestlingmasterclass.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-436300 size-full" src="https://wrestletalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wrestling-masterclass-9-stars-webp-768x127.webp" alt="" width="778" height="128" /></a></p>
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		<title>Mercedes Mone Sets Goals In First Comments Following AEW Dynamite Return</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/mercedes-mone-aew-dynamite-return-comments/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:54:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AEW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercedes Mone]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480338</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Mercedes Mone made her return on AEW Dynamite, entering the Women&#8217;s Owen Hart Cup, and has now commented on her goals. The June 3 episode of AEW Dynamite saw Mercedes [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Mercedes Mone made her return on AEW Dynamite, entering the Women&#8217;s Owen Hart Cup, and has now commented on her goals.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.allelitewrestling.com/post/aew-dynamite-results-june-3-2026">June 3</a> episode of AEW Dynamite saw Mercedes Mone <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/mercedes-mone-returns-aew-dynamite-owen-hart-foundation-tournament/">revealed as the Wild Card entrant</a> for this year&#8217;s Women&#8217;s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, pitting the star against Alex Windsor.</p>
<p>Mone would be victorious in the match, progressing to the semifinals, where she will face either Persephone or Hazuki, with the winner going on to the final at Forbidden Door on June 28.</p>
<p>In the wake of her return, Mone would tweet &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/MercedesVarnado/status/2062438437219672513"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f911.png" alt="🤑" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f60f.png" alt="😏" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a>&#8220;, but has now shared her first comments since Dynamite, setting out her ambitions, <a href="https://x.com/MercedesVarnado/status/2062644812663124302">posting</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;I don’t return for opportunities. I return for what’s mine <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f5a4.png" alt="🖤" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f911.png" alt="🤑" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />&#8221;</em></p>
<p>The other semi-final will see Athena face the winner of Skye Blue vs. Sareee, with the ROH Women&#8217;s World Champion having put away Mina Shirakawa at AEW Double or Nothing on May 24.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Mercedes Moné is BACK! The CEO is the Wild Card! | AEW Dynamite, 6/3/26" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_QqIMj2SrwY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>History Repeating?</h2>
<p>Mercedes Mone entering the Women&#8217;s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament in 2026, five months after she went on hiatus having lost the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale, has an air of history repeating.</p>
<p>Last year&#8217;s Owen Hart Cup saw Mone victorious in the final at Double or Nothing, pinning Jamie Hayter for the win.</p>
<p>With a return seeing Mone defeat Alex Windsor, the longest-reigning TBS Champion has a victory over both members of the Brawling Birds, and that&#8217;s surely something that won&#8217;t rest easy with either star.</p>
<p>While we&#8217;re still weeks away from Forbidden Door, Mone&#8217;s statement that she is returning for what is hers surely sets her on a path to the final at Forbidden Door, which would see the star make history as the first back-to-back winner of the annual tournament.</p>
<p>Since 2024, the winners of the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament have gone on to receive championship opportunities, with Mone facing Toni Storm at last year&#8217;s All In: Texas, although being unable to dethrone the AEW Women&#8217;s World Champion.</p>
<p>Assuming Mone wins at the tournament, she could be set on a course to face Thekla at AEW All In for the Women&#8217;s World Championship, a title that has alluded her in the past.</p>
<p>Mone has long been a top star in AEW, with reports that her salary at the time of signing in 2024 made her &#8220;the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/mercedes-mone-sasha-banks-aew-salary-wwe-reacts/">highest paid woman</a> in pro wrestling.&#8221; While Mone&#8217;s contribution is undeniable, a run with the top championship in the women&#8217;s division is surely a no-brainer.</p>
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		<title>Indi Hartwell Says It&#8217;s &#8216;Crazy&#8217; Being In TNA Wrestling With Matt &#038; Jeff Hardy: &#8216;They&#8217;ve Been Wrestling For Longer Than I&#8217;ve Been Alive&#8217;</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/indi-hartwell-the-hardys-tna-wrestling-crazy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:13:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - TNA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tna wrestling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indi Hartwell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Hardys]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480336</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Former WWE star Indi Hartwell has shared her thoughts on being in TNA Wrestling at the same time as The Hardys (Matt &#38; Jeff Hardy). Having made her debut at [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former WWE star Indi Hartwell has shared her thoughts on being in TNA Wrestling at the same time as The Hardys (Matt &amp; Jeff Hardy).</p>
<p>Having made her debut at TNA Rebellion in April 2025, Indi Hartwell joined the company a year after Matt Hardy, and later, Jeff made their respective returns.</p>
<p>During a recent appearance on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLytyojbKX8">Studio 1 Sports</a>, Hartwell described being in the same company as the legendary tag team as &#8220;crazy&#8221; to her, saying:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;It&#8217;s just crazy to think about. Do you know what year the Hardys started wrestling? I wasn&#8217;t even born yet.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;I&#8217;m not even considered one of the young people on the roster; I&#8217;m not a Leon Slater. I&#8217;m 29, and they&#8217;ve been wrestling for longer than I&#8217;ve been alive.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;They&#8217;re still wrestling, and I&#8217;m on the roster with them; it&#8217;s crazy.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p>Not only was Hartwell not born at the point of where Matt &amp; Jeff both started wrestling, but she was two years away when the pair debuted in WWE in 1994.</p>
<p>Frequently appearing in singles matches as what would amount to enhancement talent, it wouldn&#8217;t be until 1998 going on to become the Hardy Boyz.</p>
<p>Hartwell would also reveal that she is still getting used to the <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/indi-hartwell-tna-wrestling-creative-wwe/">creative freedoms</a> of TNA Wrestling, comparing it to the &#8220;very micromanaged&#8221; environment of WWE.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="The COMPLETE HISTORY of Willow" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CNYdUrcCnhE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>The Hardys, Creative Freedom &amp; TNA Wrestling</h2>
<p>When it comes to the names that have defined an era in professional wrestling, The Hardy Boyz have to be up there, thanks to what they did for tag team wrestling and the TLC concept alongside The Dudleys and Edge &amp; Christian. While their paths may have diverged, Matt Hardy has recently commented that he&#8217;d like a chance to go up against their &#8220;<a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/matt-hardy-one-more-match-copeland-cage-aew/">greatest rivals</a>&#8220;, now known as Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, once again.</p>
<p>TNA Wrestling, however, gave fans two new iterations of Matt and Jeff Hardy that surely live alongside the Team Extreme incarnations, in the form of Broken Matt Hardy and Willow.</p>
<p>Through TNA Wrestling, Broken Matt Hardy would become as wildly popular as he was manic, with a concept match being born from his creativity: the cinematic The Final Deletion filmed at the Hardy compound, being one of a series that would find its way to AEW as The Firm Deletion.</p>
<p>As for Jeff Hardy, his rebirth as Willow in TNA Wrestling would be a call back to an earlier independent wrestling persona, with the unpredictable alter-ego being much less care-free in nature.</p>
<p>Broken Matt Hardy, arguably, needs the creative freedom that TNA Wrestling clearly offers, having met with limited success in AEW due to the lack of a crowd during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Woken iteration in WWE would also fail to find the reception it could have had.</p>
<p>Perhaps, for Matt and Jeff Hardy, it&#8217;s more of a sense of &#8220;right time and right place&#8221; with TNA Wrestling offering both.</p>
<p><em><strong>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</strong></em></p>
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		<title>Indi Hartwell Says She&#8217;s Still Getting Used To TNA Wrestling Creative Freedom: &#8216;At WWE, Things Are Very Micromanaged&#8217;</title>
		<link>https://wrestletalk.com/news/indi-hartwell-tna-wrestling-creative-wwe/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dave Adamson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:40:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - WWE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App Notifications - TNA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wwe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tna wrestling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indi Hartwell]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://wrestletalk.com/?p=480333</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Indi Hartwell has revealed that she is still getting used to the creative freedom of TNA Wrestling, comparing it to the &#8216;micromanaged&#8217; WWE. On November 1, 2024, Indi Hartwell was [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Indi Hartwell has revealed that she is still getting used to the creative freedom of TNA Wrestling, comparing it to the &#8216;micromanaged&#8217; WWE.</p>
<p>On November 1, 2024, Indi Hartwell was <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/backstage-reaction-indi-hartwell-wwe-release/">released from her WWE contract</a>, having signed with the company in 2019.</p>
<p>Debuting in TNA Wrestling back in April of last year, Hartwell has been a regular fixture in the company, although admitted that she is still getting used the creative process in her new home.</p>
<p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLytyojbKX8">Studio 1 Sports</a>, Hartwell compared her current experience to that in WWE, describing the latter as &#8220;very micromanaged&#8221;.</p>
<p>Stating that she is still getting used to having creative freedom one year into her time with TNA Wrestling, she explained:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;I&#8217;d obviously heard how much creative freedom you have at TNA, but it&#8217;s something that I&#8217;m still trying to get used to.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;At WWE, things are very micromanaged, especially at NXT, because you&#8217;re kind of learning the ropes, so every step is intentional. It&#8217;s something that I&#8217;m not really used to, I feel like that kind of made my creativity go away, so I&#8217;m still trying to find it.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><em>&#8220;It&#8217;s only been a year, you could look at a year and think that&#8217;s a long time, but in reality, I&#8217;ve been wrestling for 10 years, so the past year at TNA is only 10% of my career. There&#8217;s still more to come, still more to learn, more to grow.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px"><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
<p>During her time in WWE, Hartwell would hold the NXT Women&#8217;s Championship and is a former NXT Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champion with Candice LeRae.</p>
<p>Her TNA Wrestling run to date has seen no title success, although the star has previously sought the Knockouts World Championship.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Indi Hartwell Wants The Knockouts World Title | TNA iMPACT! March 12, 2026" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l8KVv9M_QDI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Indi Hartwell Found The Way</h2>
<p>Arguably, Indi Hartwell was at her most entertaining as a member of The Way, with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Austin Theory, on NXT.</p>
<p>An occasionally dysfunctional faction, The Way would seek all the glory in frequently comedic styles, with Gargano going on to become North American Champion, along with the aforementioned Women&#8217;s Tag Team Championship run for LeRae and Hartwell.</p>
<p>It was during this period that Hartwell would become infatuated, leading to their eventual &#8216;wedding&#8217; in September 2021. Hartwell has shared her thoughts on why the InDex storyline connected with fans, noting that &#8220;they can relate to <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/former-wwe-star-indi-hartwell-fans-connected-index-story-dexter-lumis/">falling in love</a>&#8220;.</p>
<p>Between the silent and intimidating Lumis, who had previously kidnapped Austin Theory, and the hopeful star that is Hartwell, it was a touching story that did hit home with many fans.  The pair have since reunited, with the former Lumis <a href="https://wrestletalk.com/news/released-wwe-dexter-lumis-reunites-indi-hartwell-new-look/">unveiling a new look</a> thanks to his WWE wife.</p>
<p>While WWE may be described as creatively &#8216;micromanaged&#8217;, there&#8217;s no doubt that this works for the company.</p>
<p><strong><em>If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.</em></strong></p>
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