This article shows snippets of news and notes from around the pro wrestling world for Saturday, June 8th. Many items are collected from mainstream media and others are from Wrestling Observer, PWInsider.com, Wrestling, Inc., and Fightful.
Ludwig Kaiser Talks About Dream Opponent
In an interview with Sportskeeda, Ludwig Kaiser named Randy Orton as one of his dream opponents. Kaiser said, “Somebody like Randy Orton definitely to me would be somebody that would be so special. To me, the absolute very, very best probably ever. Such a legend to me. Definitely always somebody I looked up to even when I was a teenager.”
News: Mark Henry Talks Retirement Angle
While talking to Fightful, Mark Henry said that AJ Styles reached out to him after last week’s fake retirement angle on WWE Smackdown. The segment paid tribute to Henry’s 2013 fake retirement. Henry said:
I loved it. I feel a sense of pride when I’m being honored, and WrestleMania, Bianca Belair did a Mark Henry spot and walked up the steps and pressed her opponent into the ring. Whenever people do stuff like that, Braun Strowman did it several times, I just feel a sense of accomplishment. You feel like a proud papa, and I got a text message from AJ Styles saying, ‘Man, I hope I made you proud.’
It made my eyes well up. So having an effect on people, it’s sometimes greater than you doing it yourself. I don’t know if I explained that properly. I felt in my heart enough to make me tear up, so that was pretty damn special.
Mark Henry during a Fightful interview
Cody Rhodes Loves Being Champ
During an interview with WAVE News in Kentucky, Cody Rhodes discussed how much he loves going from city to city as champion:
I think one of the things I really love is the fact that I am able to go city to city. Whereas the WWE Champion prior to myself, the man I defeated, Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief, was not on every city. He wasn’t making it to every show. And I’ve had the opportunity to be able to bring it, and for a year, I felt like I was the champion without the belt. I was everywhere, promising them, ‘Hey I’m gonna bring you the WWE Championship.’ It feels good when you can fulfill your promise and go back to these places and bring this [title].
Cody Rhodes with WAVE News
Asuka’s Knee Injury News
Asuka thanked Nia Jax for sending her flowers during her knee injury recovery. Earlier this week, Asuka posted a pic indicating that she had undergone surgery on her knee. The injury had been bothering Asuka since about March 15th.
Tegan Nox Talks About Rhea’s Help
The Daily Mail interviewed Tegan Nox. “My knee just exploded,” Nox said. “It was so weird. It was just a freak accident where my toes were ever so slightly, like an inch on the ramp, and because it was unstable, it just went.” She also said:
“I was supposed to go really far in that tournament [Mae Young Classic]. It was supposed to be me and Toni Storm in the final, and we have so much history wrestling all over the world together.
“Rhea would always come over to my house. She’d bring the dog over, because, at the time, I didn’t have a dog, and we’d just hang out. She did go hard on the internet, and I was all for it at one point. But then there was one point where I really dipped into, like, mental health issues and stuff, and as soon as I said that, she just she stopped. That shows the type of person that Rhea is.”
Tegan Nox to the Daily Mail
Under the Ring Interview with Lola Vice
Lola Vice spoke with Under the Ring ahead of June 9th WWE NXT Battleground PLE.
The Smackdown LowDown
Naomi, Nia Jax, Grayson Waller and Austin Theory were interviewed on The Smackdown LowDown.
AEW News: CMLL’s Fantasticamania Mexico Show
NJPW Strong Women’s Championship Stephanie Vaquer will take on La Catalina at Fantasticamania Mexico show on Friday, June 21st. AEW Owner and President Tony Khan announced that if Vaquer loses the championship. Then the Vaquer versus Mercedes Mone at AEW Forbidden Door will only be for the AEW TBS Championship. Right now, it is scheduled as title versus title.
Bryan Danielson on The Hull Show
On The Hull Show this week, Bryan Danielson said he’s going to be “a little bit sad” if he never gets into another legitimate fight. He also said:
“I said this to somebody not too long ago—if I die and I don’t get in another legitimate fight, I think I’m going to be a little bit sad.
“I don’t want to go out and fight all the time or anything like that. But, like, if I die and don’t get in another fight, I think there is going to be a part of me that’s a little bit sad by that. So there’s just something innate in humanity that’s like—we like to wrestle. Wrestle for play or whatever it is. That’s part of who we are as humans.”
Bryan Danielson on The Hull Show
“Filthy” Tom Lawlor Responds to Bryan Danielson
Taking to Twitter/X, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor responded to Bryan Danielson’s comment by challenging him to a MMA fight. He said, “As another man willing to get into a legitmate fight, I hereby challenge Bryan Danielson to a mixed martial arts fight. Let’s have some fun!”
Tay Melo Calls Out Becky Lynch
Tay Melo who is not back wrestling yet from maternity leave. She tweeted out that she would love to wrestle Becky Lynch if Lynch comes to AEW. Melo stated, “She is such an inspiration, go back after pregnancy, and showed everyone you can be a mom and have a successful career…and I would LOVE to wrestle her.”
News: Hulk Hogan Passing on a Move
DDT Pro Wrestling shared a Hulk Hogan video passing on his Axe Bomber move to Shinichiro Kawamatsu.
NWA Coming to New York
PWInsider reports that NWA is going to hold a live event in Queens, NY this fall. It will be the company’s first New York City show of the Billy Corgan era.
Black Label Pro Debut of Trevor Lee
Trevor Lee (formerly WWE Cameron Grimes) will make his Black Label Pro debut at Old Habits Die Screaming. The show will be in Chicago, IL on Friday, July 26th. Jordan Oliver has called Lee for a match at the event.
Mark Henry on Why He Never Had a Retirement Match
On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Mark detailed why he never got to have a retirement match:
Yeah, my body said, ‘Man, f*ck your plan.’ My back said, ‘Listen, we going to your house, right? Yeah I guess we’re going to go into the house. Like, my back gave out. It just never allowed me—and I can probably have a surgery. I keep putting it off, because I just want to keep moving around. But eventually I’m going have to just go get it fixed.”
Mark Henry on Insight with Chris Van Vliet
