Weekend Roundup: SummerSlam Host, WWE & AEW Tickets Update, New AEW Signings, Stadium Stampede 2, Josh Matthews, Indies

WWE

• The Mat Men’s Podcast’s Andrew Zarian reported that his sources within WWE stated that musician Cardi B is currently scheduled to be the host of this year’s SummerSlam event. “Up” by Cardi B reportedly will also be this year’s official theme song, according to Fightful.
• WWE filed trademarks for “Carmelo Hayes” and “Trey Baxter” on May 26th for wrestling and entertainment-related purposes to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• Fightful Select reported that among those let go from the company this week also included Josiah Williams. Prior to his release, Williams had worked as an on-air digital talent for the NXT brand and was the creator of Cameron Grimes’ current entrance theme in NXT.
• Fightful’s Gisberto Guzzo reported that Giancarlo Dittamo was also among those let go this week in the company. Prior to his release, Dittamo had been with the company since November of 2018 and was the director of several documentary specials for the WWE Network. Prior to his hiring in WWE, Dittamo had worked in Game Changer Wrestling as a producer and as the creator of Joey Janela’s videos for his Spring Break series of events.
• Fightful Select reported that many talent spoken to stated that they preferred the two day format for WrestleMania events due to them feeling that crowds were more energetic during WrestleMania 37 and a lot less exhausted from the shorter run-times for both nights. It was also reported that several talent had also been vocal backstage towards management about wanting two day WrestleMania events to become the new standard going forward for the company.
• Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE has sold around 9,300 tickets for their Money in the Bank 2021 event on July 18th in Fort Worth, Texas and around 6,500 tickets for their RAW tapings on July 19th in Dallas, Texas as of this past Friday. Meltzer reported that the amount of tickets sold for WWE’s July 16th SmackDown tapings in Houston, Texas are currently not known but it is expected to have done a strong number due to it being one of WWE’s stronger markets for events.
• Dave Meltzer also reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE officials recently changed their priority for tryouts at the Performance Center and are now favoring going after younger and bigger sized talents for potential contracts.
• PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the reason for the lack of follow up to the Aleister Black attack on Big E storyline on this past Friday’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown was due to WWE officials wanting the new storyline to hang for a week before progressing and did not want to rush things for it. Johnson also reported that both Black and Big E were in attendance backstage during the tapings and the decision was made to simply not use them for this past Friday’s episode.
• PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that prior to his release, Tom Phillips had been working behind the scenes managing and producing other announcers in the company as their Senior Manager of On-Air Talent. Johnson also reported that Phillips had also worked at this past Wednesday’s tapings of NXT as a producer for the show.
• During a recent interview with Tokyo Sports (English translation via PWInsider), Meiko Satomura stated that she will be moving to the United Kingdom to work full-time for WWE’s NXT UK brand following Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling’s event on June 27th in Niigata, Japan.
• Both Edge and Sasha Banks are currently being advertised to be making an appearance at the July 16th episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Houtson, Texas. This will be Edge’s first appearance for WWE since Night 2 of WrestleMania 37 on April 11th. This will be Banks’ first appearance for the SmackDown brand since the April 16th episode of Friday Night SmackDown.

AEW

• PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that AEW recently signed Bear Country (Bear Bronson & Bear Boulder) and Mark Sterling to official contracts with the company.
• During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Sting revealed that the reason why he decided to leave WWE was due to him believing the company was not interested in ever giving him a WrestleMania match against The Undertaker. Sting stated “I wanted that to happen. I was very clear publicly, and I was very clear with WWE, as well. I wanted my last hurrah against Taker. For whatever reason, it just never materialized. To this day, I don’t know why. Maybe Taker never wanted to work with me. I have no idea. I mean, I’ve had good conversations with Taker and we’ve always got along. I don’t know why the match never happened, but it should have happened. Because it wasn’t going to happen, and I knew it, and that wasn’t the only reason why I left WWE, but it’s one of the reasons why I left. I wanted that one last match.”
• Sting also discussed his current role in AEW stating “when I started in AEW, I remember getting asked if I planned on being a mentor or teaching. And of course I do, but after five or six years of not being involved on a heavy level, wrestling can pass you by. The wrestling industry has changed a lot. Most of the guys, these young guys, they’re teaching me. I’m learning a lot about the wrestling business, how it has evolved, and how the way to tell a story has evolved. Even the moves, everything is completely different. I really appreciate it for what it is now, and I’m still trying to figure out how to plug myself in, taking the old school and mixing it with the new school. So far, it’s been a good balance. Even though I was retired, I didn’t want to disappear,” said Sting. “And it was the way in which I departed WWE. I’d rather go out making some sort of statement. I just love to entertain and I love to learn, and I’m learning a lot from these young guys. I wish I could have ran up and down the road with some of these guys 20 years ago, especially Darby Allin. He is just so talented.”
• Griff Garrison filed a trademark for “Griff Garrison” on May 25th for wrestling and merchandise-related purposes to the USPTO.
• AEW reportedly has sold around 1,250 tickets for their Dynamite show on July 7th in Miami, Florida and have recently opened an additional 2,100 tickets for sale, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Dave Meltzer also reported that AEW sold around 3,500 tickets for their Dynamite show on July 14th in Cedar Rapids, Texas and over 3,300 tickets sold for their Dynamite show on July 21st in Garland, Texas as of this past Friday.
• Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that due to the current NBA Playoffs, AEW is currently planning on holding three weeks of television tapings on June 5th and June 6th at Daily’s Place. Meltzer reported that only the June 26th taping is currently planned to be live for that month. Meltzer also reported that should the NBA Playoffs continue with Wednesday games past June 2nd, the current plan would be for Dynamite to air on June 11th and June 18th, which are both Friday dates.
• Dave Meltzer reported in Friday’s Daily Update that AEW officials recently relaxed their COVID precautionary policies for events at Daily’s Place. Meltzer reported that starting with this past Friday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, fans are now only recommended and not required to wear masks for shows at the venue.
• During a recent interview with the AEW Unrestricted podcast, AEW CEO Tony Khan revealed that the company will be holding another Women’s Casino Battle Royale match at this year’s All Out event in September. Khan stated “Last year’s Casino Battle Royale, we had to do [it] at All Out but, it’s an important part of AEW and great to have it now back at Double Or Nothing and I look forward to the women’s Casino Battle Royale at All Out, which is also gonna be returning. Really excited about that.” (Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com)
• Fightful Select reported that their sources within the company stated that the Stadium Stampede 2 match at tonight’s Double or Nothing 2021 will have a “significant live element” compared to last year’s cinematic taped match. It was reported that the same sources spoken to also stated that this match will be a “unique live experience” for fans in attendance.

Other Wrestling

• New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced that their Dominion in Osaka 2021 event on June 5th in Osaka, Japan will be featuring Shingo Takagi vs. Kazuchika Okada for the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
• NJPW reportedly drew a paid attendance of 937 for their May 22nd Road to Grand Slam event in Aichi, 280 for their May 24th Road to Grand Slam event in Tokyo, 274 for their May 25th Road to Grand Slam event in Tokyo, and 329 for their May 26th Road to Grand Slam event in Tokyo, Japan, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Dave Meltzer reported that the May 25th event drew the lowest ever paid attendance for a show in NJPW history.
• The Japanese government reportedly has extended their State of Emergency for the coronavirus pandemic in the country until June 20th, according to the Washington Post. It was reported that both the Tokyo and Osaka prefectures are among the multiple prefectures affected by this new extension.
• This past Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling’s Impact! featured the return of Josh Matthews to the commentary booth. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Matt Striker is currently expected to miss the next several weeks of Impact shows due to him currently being busy with some outside commitments. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Newsletter that Striker was absent from Impact’s recent set of television tapings but Impact officials currently expect him to return for their next set of tapings.
• Ring of Honor reportedly is currently partnering with United Kingdom-based promotion Wrestle Carnival for an event called Carnival of Honor on September 12th in Nottingham, England, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
• Consejo Mundial De Lucha Libre reportedly drew a paid attendance of 500 for their May 21st event in Mexico City, Mexico, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
• During a Xperience Maker’s virtual beat conference on May 20th, Lucha Libre AAA’s Vice President of Marketing Alejandro Montes stated that the company is currently hoping to be able to have around 30% capacity at the Arena Ciudad de México for this year’s Triplemania event on August 14th. Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that would be around 6,000 fans for the event based on the venue’s capacity for wrestling events.
• L.A. Park recently stated on Twitter (English translations via Fightful) that reports of him missing his recent scheduled bookings due to pneumonia are incorrect and instead he had been battling COVID-19.