00:00The WWE Bloodline story grows to another company, and Sola Sokoa gets called out, AEW drama
00:07going to get ugly and more. I'm Luke Owen and this was the WrestleTalk News.
00:15But first we want to send our congratulations out to AEW's Lexi Nair and Big Bill who
00:20tied the knot over the weekend. The pair announced their engagement on Christmas Eve 2022, and
00:25now the big day has been, and it has gone. Nair shared a photo of their wedding on our
00:30Instagram stories, and it all looks very lovely. Congratulations to both of them. At least
00:35someone is happy in AEW right now.
00:38When All Elite Wrestling launched in late 2018, it was going to be the alternative.
00:43Throughout 2019 there were lots of interviews from people behind the company talking about
00:47how it would be different from WWE. A small example, but in 2019 there were reports that
00:53WWE were asking attendees of their shows wearing AEW merch to change and wear WWE merch.
01:00AEW responded by saying anyone could wear whatever they liked at their shows. WWE brought
01:06back Hulk Hogan despite all of his controversies. AEW banned him from attending their shows.
01:13And in 2019, WWE came under fire from fans for adding time to the contracts of talents
01:18because of injuries despite them wanting to leave. Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood, then
01:23The Revival and Brodie Lee then Luke Harper had time added to their contracts because
01:29they wanted to go to AEW. But if you live long enough, you can see yourself become the
01:36villain. Because in 2024 it was reported that both Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix of the Lucha
01:42Brothers had time added to their AEW contracts which prevented them from leaving for WWE.
01:50WrestleVotes had reported that WWE's merchandise department had been given the go-ahead to
01:54make new merch for the pair, and reports said they were coming in as a package deal straight
02:00to the main roster. However it was then reported that Pentagon Jr. had been quite vocal about
02:06these plans in the AEW locker room, and that is when Tony Khan stepped in and took action
02:12by adding time to Penta's contract, around 6 weeks, and 6-9 months to Rey Fenix's deal.
02:17Ibu WrestlePurist at the time said Tony always liked and respected Rey Fenix, he just felt
02:22if he let this slide that other people would start taking advantage of him and it was going
02:27to lead to a down-breaking.
02:30Supposedly the Motor City Machine Guns debut on Smackdown was in place of the Lucha Bros
02:35not getting out of their AEW deals, as Alex Shelley and Chris Saban were reportedly factored
02:40into NXT plans for their debut on the CW. From what I've heard, there were creative
02:46pitches for Penta and Fenix to have matches with Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, including
02:50a world title program for Penta and Cody. That one could just be hearsay.
02:55What is more concrete though is last week it was confirmed that Pentagon Jr. was now
03:01a free agent from All Elite Wrestling as his extended time had come to an end. He immediately
03:07showed up in AAA, where he ran down their champion Alberto El Patron, the former Alberto
03:12Del Rio in WWE, and told fans that he would be taking some time away but would be back
03:17in due course with his brother.
03:20And there is apparently more to this story, and it's only going to get uglier, which
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05:58Rey Fenix has also spoken out about his current AEW situation on Twitter, replying to one
06:03user that I will have my chance to speak the truth, and putting out a post saying no one
06:08stays in a place where they received inhumane treatment.
06:12And now Chris Featherstone is reporting that the alleged excuse that Tony Khan found out
06:17about Lucha Brothers being in talk with WWE is fake news, and the real reason will be
06:22revealed.
06:24He also adds onto Rey Fenix's previous tweet saying that it was a huge injustice, and that
06:29expect the Lucha Brothers to go more in depth about their time in AEW when they are free
06:35and clear to do so, and when they do, it's going to be ugly.
06:40Fenix himself replied to this report calling it, so far, the most accurate comment, and
06:45adding, unfortunately due to contractual issues I cannot speak now, but I will have my time.
06:52For what it's worth, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select in reference to the inhumane treatment
06:56of Rey Fenix said on Twitter, I've personally never heard anything resembling that, and
07:02added on Blue Sky, seemingly in reference to this story, knowing where some of these
07:07stories emanate from is double cringe face.
07:10Whatever the case, it looks like we're going to get some mad shoot interviews next year
07:14when Fenix does finish up with All Elite Wrestling.
07:18Probably not on talk is Jericho though.
07:20But speaking of Jericho, Jake Hager is also someone else who felt disgruntled by his All
07:25Elite Wrestling run which came to an end earlier this year.
07:28He recently posted on Twitter in a series of now deleted tweets that Tony Khan silenced
07:32him and was a communist.
07:34Tony Khan, the old classic billionaire communist.
07:38He revealed in an interview with Going Ringside over the weekend that it wasn't all that
07:42bad in AEW, as he liked working with the Inner Circle and doing the Stadium Stampede, but
07:48also revealed that it wasn't Tony Khan who brought him into AEW, and instead it was Chris
07:54Jericho.
07:55He said, Chris Jericho is the greatest of all time, one of my favorites.
07:59For him to bring me in and say I'm his guy, what a compliment.
08:03Tony Khan didn't want me there, but Chris did.
08:07He wanted me there, and it was awesome.
08:10Hager was the surprise debut on the first episode of AEW Dynamite, but reports from
08:14the time said that originally it was supposed to be AJ Styles and The Good Brothers before
08:19all three of them re-signed with WWE, which would have been a very big Bullet Club reunion
08:25on AEW Dynamite.
08:26And speaking of groups getting back together, this feels slightly insane to me, and also
08:32makes me feel like I'm going to turn into dust at any given point, but next year will
08:36mark 15 years since the debut of The Nexus.
08:4215 years.
08:44Just like, let's put me in the grave now, man.
08:47And it's not just me who thinks putting them back together would be an awesome idea.
08:51Remember my great Fantasy Booking Warfare pitch from last year where they became part
08:54of the NWO, Michael Oakley and Nina Samuels liked it?
08:57As Heath Slater himself has been talking about the possibility of the group having one more
09:02run in WWE, especially with reports that Wade Barrett is currently in the process of getting
09:08medically cleared for an in-ring return.
09:11Slater told Muscle Man Malcolm, what really blows my mind about Nexus is that we were
09:15together for what, 8, 9 months?
09:17People still talk about it 14 years later.
09:20Come on man, listen WWE.
09:23Think about it baby, we're not boys no more, we're men.
09:27Imagine if we came back.
09:28Just imagine.
09:29I could definitely see it.
09:31Would you like to see The Nexus get another run in WWE?
09:34Does anyone still have Michael Tarver's number?
09:37What would you do with them if they did come back?
09:40Let me know in the comments down below.
09:42Maybe they could feud with The Bloodline, obvious answer sure, but their ranks appear
09:46to be growing and potentially splintering further, and are now in other companies.
09:52Next year will also mark the fifth year of The Bloodline family drama being a focal point
09:56of WWE, which is showing no signs of slowing down.
10:00What started as just Roman Reigns and The Usos soon saw Solo Sakoa join their ranks
10:05along with the honorary Us, Sami Zayn.
10:08But following this year's WrestleMania and Roman losing his WWE Championship, a new splinter
10:13faction of The Bloodline was formed, led by Solo Sakoa with new recruits Jacob Fatu
10:19and the Gorillas of Destiny.
10:21Not only that, but The Rock has also joined the fray in some capacity, but according to
10:25reports that, "...capacity is all dependent on whether or not The Rock is free to do anything,
10:30aka he'll be back when another one of his movies doesn't work at the box office."
10:34And throughout 2024, there have been reports that WWE has its eyes set on other members
10:40of the Bloodline family tree, most notably Hikaleo, brother of Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa,
10:46and Zilla Fatu, cousin of Jacob Fatu.
10:49Oli Davis broke down the entire Bloodline family tree, which you can check out in the
10:52video description down below.
10:54While Fightful Select reported a couple of months ago that Fatu was not signed with WWE
10:58â that's Zilla Fatu, not Jacob Fatu, I'm pretty sure he is signed â Zilla Fatu has
11:03been very vocal about his wishes to join the WWE ranks and get involved in the Bloodline
11:08story.
11:09As explained in an interview with Busted Open, Zilla Fatu has called out Solo Sokoa for using
11:15the Samoan Spike as his finishing move, as that was the finish of his father Umaga.
11:21He was asked who he would sign with in the Bloodline War, and he answered, "...I've
11:25been beefing with Solo since I was eight years old.
11:27I gave him his first rock bottom in the pool at his dad's house.
11:31For him to take my dad's move?
11:34I don't like that.
11:35I'm going to go with the OTC.
11:36I'm going to help Roman Reigns.
11:39Whatever he needs, I'm there."
11:41And at GLCW Blizzard Brawl over the weekend, where Zilla was flanked by Amado Estrada,
11:46the former manager of Umaga who himself signed a WWE Legends deal last month, Fatu defeated
11:51Joey Avalon with the Samoan Spike.
11:54But it was the actions after the match that really got people talking.
11:58Check out this clip shared by WrestleTalk's Twitter accounts.
12:29In some good news for All Elite Wrestling in this WrestleTalk News video, and Fightful
12:33Select are reporting that Commander has been getting positive reviews, not just for his
12:37performance in the Continental Classic, but also just in general.
12:41Commander was a sub in the tournament for an injured Juice Robinson, though is currently
12:45bottom of his Gold League with three losses to Will Ospreay, Darby Allin and Ricochet.
12:50As it currently stands, Fletcher is either going to top or come second in the Blue League
12:54after picking up a win over Kazuchika Okada on Collision, while Claudio Castagnoli tops
12:59the Gold League with two wins and six points.
13:02However, everyone else, bar Commander of course, has three points, which means it's currently
13:06all to play for.
13:07Fightful also add that Commander was among a few names that could have replaced Robinson
13:11in the C2, but they don't have those names as it currently stands.
13:16And speaking of positive notes to end on, and Fightful Select also report that Kevin
13:19Owens' cast segments with Michael Cole were well received in WWE.
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