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Bleacher Report catches you up on the newest information from the WWE Universe.
Kittle Talks Potential Tag Staff with McAfee
San Francisco 49ers tight finish George Kittle is a lifelong professional wrestling fan, and he advised this week that he can be open to stepping contained in the ring sooner or later with a former NFL star by his facet.
Talking to Justin Barrasso of Sports activities Illustrated, Kittle was requested about the opportunity of forming a tag group with Indianapolis Colts All-Professional punter turned WWE commentator and Celebrity Pat McAfee, to which he responded: “I really feel like Pat and myself can be an exquisite tag group duo. It will take some fairly nice competitors to upset us.”
Kittle has by no means had an official match, however he attends WWE exhibits frequently, and he performed a serious position in McAfee’s match at WrestleMania 39 in April.
McAfee had an impromptu bout with The Miz on the Grandest Stage of Them All, and Kittle hopped out of the gang to lend a serving to hand at one level, which allowed McAfee to choose up the victory.
Fairly a number of athletes from different sports activities have proved to be naturals on the earth of professional wrestling, and McAfee is one among them, which maybe bodes properly for Kittle having a future within the business.
Kittle, who’s a four-time Professional Bowler, one-time first-team All-Professional and among the finest tight ends in soccer, brings some professional wrestling aptitude with him to the gridiron primarily each recreation he performs.
When Kittle makes a primary down, his signature celebration is the “Cero Miedo” hand gesture accomplished by AEW star Penta El Zero Miedo.
Whereas it stands to motive that each AEW and WWE would like to have Kittle wrestle a match sooner or later, a tag group with McAfee can solely occur with WWE as of now, and WWE has the built-in monitor report of success with regards to working with athletes and celebrities over the previous a number of many years.
Affect Reportedly Open to Signing CM Punk
After his launch from AEW, CM Punk reportedly has an possibility at his disposal if he needs to proceed his professional wrestling profession.
In line with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Affect Wrestling “would welcome” Punk if he needs to hitch the corporate due partly to the truth that he was “actually nice” backstage when he visited whereas below contract with AEW.
Punk stayed out of professional wrestling for over seven years after leaving WWE in January 2014, however he made his return in 2021 when he signed with AEW.
There was a substantial amount of pleasure surrounding Punk’s return to professional wrestling, and followers have been handled to Punk successful the AEW World Championship twice, along with have a number of entertaining matches and feuds.
Behind-the-scenes points led to Punk’s demise in AEW, although, as he reportedly obtained right into a backstage altercation with “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry in August at All In, which led to his launch.
As soon as Punk was let go from AEW, rumors and hypothesis instantly began swirling concerning him presumably returning to WWE.
Nonetheless, Sapp tempered expectations by reporting that WWE higher-ups knowledgeable him that they don’t seem to be in talks with Punk and usually are not at the moment pursuing him.
Whereas WWE may all the time reverse course, that report suggests Punk should wrestle someplace aside from WWE or AEW if he needs to get again within the ring within the close to future.
Affect is a distant third behind WWE and AEW when it comes to North American wrestling promotions, however the firm has had vital success prior to now, and signing Punk would undoubtedly generate a ton of recent curiosity within the product.
Riddle Reportedly Producing Curiosity After WWE Launch
WWE parted methods with Matt Riddle as a part of wide-ranging expertise cuts final month, however he reportedly might not be out of labor for lengthy.
In line with Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer E-newsletter (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside Information), Riddle has already been in talks with a number of professional wrestling, MMA and boxing promotions since his WWE launch.
Meltzer famous that whereas it is not recognized particularly which wrestling corporations Riddle has spoken with, he has spoken with two shoot combating leagues within the PFL and Naked Knuckle Boxing.
No matter whether or not he decides to make wrestling, MMA combating or boxing his subsequent transfer, Riddle has a non-compete clause, which means he cannot formally make a transfer till late December, per Meltzer.
The 37-year-old Riddle signed with WWE in 2018, however he was a extremely profitable MMA fighter earlier than that, combating a number of instances for UFC and posting an expert report of 8-3 with two no contests.
Riddle was a pure on the earth of professional wrestling, rapidly rising up the ranks on the unbiased scene earlier than signing with WWE.
The Unique Bro was a embellished performer in WWE, holding america Championship as soon as and the Uncooked Tag Staff Championships twice with future WWE Corridor of Famer Randy Orton as his associate.
Riddle is a supremely gifted in-ring performer with a novel persona, so he ought to catch on elsewhere rapidly if he needs to proceed wrestling.
AEW, Affect Wrestling and New Japan Professional-Wrestling all make sense as potential touchdown spots for Riddle as soon as his non-compete clause involves an finish.
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