On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Sonya
Deville accepted Mandy Rose’s hair vs hair
match stipulation for SummerSlam.
Just two days later, it sounded like WWE had
booked their latest home invasion angle to
develop the feud - but it’s scarily emerged
as a shoot, brother.
The Tampa Bay Times initially reported Sunday
morning that a man, Phillip A. Thomas III,
had been arrested outside the home of 26 year
old Daria Berenato - Deville’s real name
- after he had been stalking her on social
media for years.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
issued a statement confirming the incident,
adding that Thomas had travelled from South
Carolina to Lutz, where Deville lives.
According to the police, Thomas parked his
car on a road near Deville’s home at midnight,
cut a hole in the patio screen and remained
there for three to four hours while watching
and listening through the windows.
“After the homeowner went to bed, Thomas
entered through the back sliding glass door,
which activated the home alarm, and prompted
the homeowner to look out the window and spot
the suspect on the property.
The homeowner and their guest fled the home
in a car and called 911.
When deputies arrived, Thomas was still inside
the residence.
Deputies discovered he was carrying a knife,
plastic zip ties, duct tape, mace and other
personal items.”
He reportedly told the deputies he was planning
on taking the homeowner hostage, and he had
begun planning to abduct Deville eight months
ago.
Thomas has been charged with aggravated stalking,
armed burglary of a dwelling, attempted armed
kidnapping and criminal mischief - and is
currently being held without bail.
Deville herself has now issued a statement
on Twitter:
“Thank you everyone for your love and concern.
A very frightening experience but thankfully
everyone is safe.
A special thank you to Hillsborough County
Sheriff’s Office for their response and
assistance.
🖤”
While much less serious, AEW also believes
they have been infiltrated.
Several weeks ago, a Reddit user by the name
of SpaceForce1 leaked that Eric Bischoff was
set to make his surprise debut in AEW as the
special guest moderator for Chris Jericho
and Orange Cassidy’s Super Wednesday debate
segment.
They had also posted several other match spoilers
the month beforehand.
As both AEW and WWE are currently batch taping
multiple episodes of TV in fortnightly stints,
they’re more susceptible to pre-taped show
spoilers getting out.
*cough* Keith Lee beating Adam Cole for all
the titles *cough*
Then on Friday, another Reddit user by the
name of WeirdWarthog posted some major spoilers
for this Saturday’s episode of Dynamite,
which has been moved from its usual Wednesday
night slot because of the NBA - putting it
head-to-head with NXT TakeOver XXX on the
WWE Network.
Because counter programming definitely isn’t
a thing.
After almost a year of denying it, both sides
are now admitting they’re in a wrestling
war.
And just like real wars, there’s battles
(via TV ratings), there’s defensive maneuvers
(like putting on the totally always planned
Great American Bash to go against Fyter Fest),
and, according to noted conspiracy theory
and UFO enthusiast Chris Jericho, there’s
spies.
On his latest Saturday Night Special livestreamed
Q&A, Jericho was talking about how the Bischoff
debut was leaked on Reddit, when he suddenly
said: “We know who the spy is, by the way.
Oh, we know, and he’ll never f****** be
back in AEW.
NXT reject was the spy, so print that.”
That’s no way to talk about Matt Cardona!
But going by another report from the Wrestling
Observer, NXT rejects aren’t the only people
trying to get into AEW.
Apparently nearly every single main roster
wrestler has got in touch about defecting…
On another episode of Saturday Night Special,
Jericho listed Ricochet, Will Ospreay, Kota
Ibushi, Don Callis and Roman Reigns as talent
he’d like to see join AEW - which Dave Meltzer
addressed on Sunday’s episode of Wrestling
Observer Radio:
“Roman Reigns is not going to AEW, not happening.”
But apparently pretty much everyone else in
WWE has at least asked.
Meltzer went onto say that “virtually everybody
in WWE” - even those who have denied it
publicly - “have called people in AEW trying
to see what they can get or have had an interest”
in jumping ship.
Apparently it is only Reigns and “a couple
of others” who have never tested the AEW
waters.
And Reigns is the only one of the top WWE
stars “who never even inquired so he ain’t
going anywhere.”
It’s already been widely reported that Randy
Orton was in talks with AEW last October - which
Orton teased on social media - as was Edge
before he decided to return to WWE in January.
As for the non-WWE names, Jericho is apparently
desperate to get Will Ospreay in AEW, but
Meltzer said it’s up to Tony Khan and New
Japan CEO Harold Meij to come to a working
relationship there.
The same applies for Kota Ibushi.
As for IMPACT Wrestling’s Don Callis, that’s
not a possibility right now.
Which other WWE stars do you think approached
AEW?
Let me know in the comments, because I’ll
be replying to people FROM OUTTA NOWHERE saying
almost definitely Vince McMahon himself.
Meltzer’s report has angered one top WWE
star, with Braun Strowman DMing Heel By Nature
on Twitter to deny claims he’s ever reached
out to AEW, saying he “just don’t like
being click bait for lies” and “I also
like stir the pot.”
Braun Strowman maintaining the monster-like
speech gimmick even in private Twitter messages
there.
And Braun really is a top star, as WrestleTalk’s
arch-nemesis Sean Ross Sapp has gotten hold
of an internal WWE document for Fightful Select
that has an in depth chart on where officials
see certain talent on the card.
Apparently Braun Strowman was listed as the
top babyface on SmackDown, with Jeff Hardy
in second place, and Matt Riddle third.
Daniel Bryan wasn’t included because he’s
been staying at home recently following the
birth of his second child.
But while Orton might’ve dropped AEW talks
when he re-signed with WWE last November,
he sure is going to continue being a dick
to them on social media.
Matt Jackson shared a clip of his impressive
flip dive off the stage onto the Dark Order
minions from last Wednesday’s Dynamite,
with the caption: “I really stuck that landing,
didn't I?”
Matt thought he was safe.
The Young Bucks left Twitter last December
following the platform’s negativity.
This was on Instagram, a place for positivity
and looking at fitness models wearing bikinis
on the beach.
Matt Jackson thought he was safe… but lurking
in this comments was Randy Orton, who replied
from outta nowhere:
“Sweet landing...but you didn't hit anybody.
Tell Cody, Goldust, Harper, Swags, Y2J, Hardy,
Ryder, Spears, Ambrose, Arn, Milenko, Gunn,
and most importantly FTR for me."
SARCASTIC HIGH FIVE EMOJI!
Why does he use AEW titles for some, but WWE
names for others?
And that’s not how you spell Malenko!
Oh, the troll is strong in this one.
So Jackson shot back: “Thank Paul for the
generous offer in 2018.
Hope you're all happy & healthy!"
Who knows, maybe in five years time when Randy’s
newest WWE contract expires, we’ll see him
in the Series 57 line-up of AEW action figures…
It’s time for the Wrestling Newsatorium,
formerly the Wrestling News Zip, formerly
the Shooting Gallery… better names welcome.
The debut line of AEW action figures have
reportedly been a huge success across America,
with Jeremy Padawer of Jazwares toy company
telling AEW Unrestricted that they’ve proved
so popular, they plan on releasing double
packs, tag teams and rivalry packs to keep
up with figure and character demand.
Give me Milenko!
[RANDY SPELLING SCREEN]
Just like how internet detectives uncovered
the identities of the Russian GRU agents who
poisoned the English town of Salisbury two
years ago - yes I just read an article about
it - online WWE viewers might have revealed
two of the people in the RETRIBUTION faction.
Twitter user Kelsey claims NXT’s Santana
Garrett and Jessi Kamea were amongst the invaders
on SmackDown’s episode after recognising
their distinctive hair.
Dave Meltzer did report two weeks ago though
that the current group doing in-ring segments
for Retribution aren’t the final line-up,
with Bryan Alvarez adding, “the people under
the masks are just whoever they’ve got at
any given moment.”
It all sounds rather last minute, and that’s
because, unsurprisingly, it is.
Fightful is reporting WWE’s social media
team only announced RETRIBUTION’s debut
ahead of Raw two weeks ago because Pro Wrestling
Sheet had leaked the news - opening up large
logic holes, asking ‘how did WWE’s social
media team know it was happening?’
Apparently on that same ‘chuck ideas at
the wall episode’, Fightful claim the filming
for Raw Underground went as late as 1am, and
“Much of the main roster had no idea what
was even being filmed the day of.”
WrestleVotes is reporting this Sunday’s
SummerSlam at the AmWay Center won’t have
any real-life fans in the building, so instead
WWE will use “over 2500 sq ft of LED boards,
where fans will appear LIVE on the show, hosted
by Superstars & Legends.
Applications to appear on screen will open
next week.”
[TWEET IMAGE] Everyone get your AEW shirts
ready!
Dave Meltzer writes WWE’s deal with the
AmWay Center could see them there until the
end of the year, with at least through the
end of October.
Over in Ring Of Honour, the Wrestling Observer
notes that Delerious has replaced Marty Scurll
in the position of head booker following accusations
against him in June’s SpeakingOut movement.
Scurll is reportedly on “hiatus” with
the company.
Congratulations to Peyton Royce of IIconics
who placed second in her first fitness competition
over the weekend!
And we end with the sad news that former Ring
of Honor Champion, Xavier - real name John
Bedoya - has passed away at the age of 42.
Xavier was the second ever ROH Champion, and
was apparently booked to come back for the
Past vs. Present show in March before it was
cancelled by COVID.
Several ROH names like Christopher Daniels,
Frankie Kazarian and Rhet Titus have shared
their condolences, and we here at WrestleTalk
would like to pass on ours.
Xavier was a subscriber to this channel, and
occasionally superchatted into our livestreams.
He will be missed.
Adam Blampied has fantasy booked Shinsuke
Nakamura better in WWE!
Click the video on the right to watch that
now!
And what are the 13 best body transformations
in WWE?
Click the video below that for Blampied’s
brand new list video!
Also subscribe to partsFUNknown as we’ve
got a brand new series debuting today!
I’ve been Oli Davis, Jam that Jam.
