Columnist Rob Pasbani has tons of news on the new video game, plus a very busy week in the world of professional wrestling.
After much anticipation, AEW can finally announce that Fight Forever will be released on June 29, 2023. The game, which was originally teased three years ago, will be released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XS, PC and Nintendo Switch. It will be the first wrestling fighting game on the Switch since WWE2k18!
The game was developed by THQ Nordic GmbH and YUKE’s, the same developers that worked on the highly favored WWE No Mercy game for the N64. The developers tried to bring the same easy learning curve and arcade-like gameplay to the new game.
“When I first signed with AEW, Tony Khan gave me the opportunity to assemble the best gaming team that understands and respects professional wrestling, to make the best wrestling games ever,” said Kenny Omega, Executive Vice President and former AEW World Champion and World Tag Team Champion at AEW. “Thanks to our incredible collaboration with Geta, YUKE’s and THQ Nordic, a new era of professional wrestling gaming is quickly approaching. AEW: Fight Forever has exceeded my highest expectations, and I’m confident that June 29 will be a momentous day for wrestling fans and gamers alike.”
Omega made the official announcement via video yesterday:
Here’s what the official press release says about the gameplay. “Recognized for its retro approach to design including hand-crafted animations and nostalgic arcade feel, AEW: Fight Forever presents wrestling fans with their first chance to pull off wrestling moves only seen on the wildly popular AEW programming. Online co-op wrestling is going completely next level with Tag-Team matches that feature sequences of team maneuvers performed with simple commands. A long roster of the most popular AEW wrestlers, career mode, wrestler customization, signature AEW arenas, multiple match types and even some good ol’ fashioned unsanctioned fun await!
AEW: Fight Forever Features:
• Match Types
• Career Mode
• Wide Range of Customization Modes
• Online Multiplayer
• And more!”
Order the game here.
The big story on Raw was Brock Lesnar injuring Cody Rhodes’ arm, and possibly breaking it ahead of their match this Saturday at WWE Night of Champions. Cody refused medical attention at the end of the night, and he had a confrontation with Triple H, with some interesting glances possibly suggesting that Triple H may be behind this? The stare could also suggest that Triple H is proud of Cody? We’ll see in due time. I would rather not have Triple H be a heel authority figure again.
Meanwhile, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens seem to be establishing a feud with Imperium with Matt Riddle likely being the #1 contender for Gunther’s IC title after this weekend’s defense against Mustafa Ali.
Becky Lynch and Trish had a fun contract signing ahead of their match this Sunday:
After the show, Canadian hockey coach Bruce Boudreau recorded this great segment with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn:
You can read full results here.
It’s a big week of wrestling, with new shows literally every day of the week.
WWE NXT is tonight at 8pm on USA Network.
AEW Dynamite has their last show before the PPV tomorrow at 8pm on TBS:
Impact Wrestling airs at 8pm on Thursday with this lineup:
WWE Smackdown is the final show before Night of Champions this Friday at 8pm on Fox. The show was pre-taped, so you read the results here.
WWE Night of Champions is this Saturday on Peacock, we’ll have a full preview on Squared Circle Pit tomorrow:
AEW Double or Nothing is this Sunday on PPV, we’ll have a full preview on Squared Circle Pit tomorrow::
After the passing of legendary WWE Hall of Famer, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Sports Illustrated has an excellent tribute to him with great quotes from Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, both who shamelessly ripped off Graham (and readily admit it.) Read it here.
Steven Austin told Forbes that he recently spoke to CM Punk. “Man, I just sent Punk a message last night. I didn’t know he had torn his triceps. I haven’t been following anything. I don’t know what’s going on with that. Me and Phil trade messages every here and there. We rarely talk, probably once or twice a year. I love the guy, and I don’t even know if I mentored him because Punk’s probably a lot smarter than I am.” He continued “Great promo guy, great worker, he’s got his own thing going and we’re just friends. So I think I remember there’s a picture of myself and him from Chicago, my favorite town to work in, my favorite building. And I guess he had come down to where we were all hanging out. Maybe he looked up to me back in the day, but I don’t know if I so much mentored him because I think he paid his own dues. He learned it the way he did and he got over on his own merits. The fact that maybe I could have been somewhat of an influence would be flattering if that were the case. But he’s made his own career.”
During an interview with JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications Conference, WWE CEO Nick Khan let it be known that he is open to switching nights for WWE Raw and Smackdown if the deal is right. He said WWE officials have been talking about making the third of Raw more adult-oriented. Adding an extra hour to Smackdown is not off the table. He added once the TV rights are settled, they could begin creating more programming for other nights of the week, like an exclusive lucha-show.
Qualifiers for WWE Money in the Bank begin this Monday. My original guess was Cody was going to win, but I’m not sure with this arm injury.
Mercedes Moné suffered an injury to her ankle in the main event of NJPW Resurgence on Sunday, causing a change to the match finish with Willow Nightingale winning the NJPW Strong Women’s championship. It’s unknown how severe the injury is, but Mone had to be carried out of the arena.
Toni Storm was a surprise during the event, showing up to help her husband Juice Robinson in his street fight against Fred Rosser. She ended up using her finisher on Rosser leading to Robinson getting the win.
Meanwhile, Aussie Open who hold both the IWGP heavyweight tag team titles and the NJPW Strong open-weight tag titles have vacated both titles as Mark Davis is injured.
John Cena was on Sam Roberts on Notsam Wrestling, and revealed his infamous match with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2014 was the brainchild of Austin and Lesnar. “I think the reason I still had that perspective is…I’m using Brock as an example only because it fits the narrative,” Cena said. “Brock was taken from OVW and pushed into being champion immediately. I was given an opportunity at the beginning, and then became enhancement talent. Even when I reidentified myself as a hip-hop artist or a rapper, I was an enhancement talent. I had a two-year understudy of ‘This is your job. This is the story.’ Arn Anderson, I remember, [said] ‘It’s just not your night kid. The story is for this.’ So I have great equity in, my piece is to make this interesting. Brock is one of the most giving performers when it’s his time, and he will make anyone look great. But I remember Brock being like hey, you know, I had dinner with Steve Austin last night and we came up with this idea where I just start suplexing you and don’t stop, and then beat you.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, well, we both collectively agreed that you just beat The Streak. We ruin that if we have a 50-50 match. It’s not my night, kid. Arn Anderson, I’m the back of my head, I hope he understands the influence he had on my wisdom of this. It’s not my night. How do you showcase the enormity of that win? How do we not waste The Undertaker’s streak? It’s not just Brock winning a match. It’s all those match that he had to lead up to losing. If I go out and have a 50-50 match and he just sneaks over, we wasted all that. But if you take that unbelievable feat with another unbelievable feat, now we’ve passed the energy, and that is how you make someone, and then that someone can make others. That’s how the business works. You have to be able to work together. People, oftentimes in life, this is not just business, we gotta see life through our own lens. Self-preservation is a lot of what we do, but you can survive and thrive by also being generous and being giving and working with others.”
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