Latest news with #MajorLeagueWrestling
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Released WWE Superstar Set For In-Ring Return
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former WWE Superstar Shotzi is returning to the squared circle, with Major League Wrestling (MLW) strongly hinting at her arrival for their upcoming "Summer of the Beasts" event. This comes shortly after news of Shotzi's confirmed departure from WWE became public earlier this month. The tease occurred during a recent MLW Azteca Lucha broadcast, where a compelling vignette aired to promote the "Summer of the Beasts" event. The show is scheduled for June 26, 2025, and will emanate from the Melrose Ballroom in New York City. The promotional video clearly indicated Shotzi's impending MLW debut. Alongside striking visuals that included a tank graphic synonymous with her persona, on-screen text declared: "June 26. Hearts Turn Black. The Warning SHOTZ Will Be Fired." This announcement aligns perfectly with Shotzi's recent statements to her fanbase. Following the news of her WWE contract not being renewed, she had assured her supporters that they would indeed "be seeing her soon." Shotzi's WWE tenure is set to conclude, with reports in early May 2025 confirming that the company would not renew her contract. Her full free agency is anticipated to commence in July 2025. Her scheduled MLW appearance on June 26 thus marks one of her first prominent announced bookings in the post-WWE landscape. This move signals Major League Wrestling's keen interest in quickly featuring the popular and energetic performer. Shotzi cultivated a strong connection with fans during her WWE run. Her unique presentation and fearless in-ring style made her a memorable standout. COLOGNE, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 07: A WWE Logo at the WWE Live Tryout at the Motorworld on November 7, 2018 in Cologne, Germany. COLOGNE, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 07: A WWE Logo at the WWE Live Tryout at the Motorworld on November 7, 2018 in Cologne, Germany. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation During her time with WWE, primarily in the NXT brand, Shotzi achieved notable success. She memorably held the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship alongside Ember Moon, showcasing her tag team prowess. She later transitioned to the main roster, appearing on SmackDown, where she was involved in several storylines, including a notable feud with Damage CTRL. Her unique character always promised an element of unpredictability. Wrestling enthusiasts will undoubtedly be eager to see Shotzi "ride again" and unleash her distinctive style within the MLW environment. The prospect of new matchups and creative directions is sure to generate excitement. This MLW debut offers Shotzi a significant platform to embark on a new chapter and make an immediate statement. For MLW, her arrival brings added star power and considerable buzz to their women's division and the "Summer of the Beasts" supercard. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Banged up Matt Riddle ready to defend MLW world title against Donovan Dijak at Azteca Lucha
Matt Riddle will walk into Major League Wrestling's (MLW) Azteca Lucha pay-per-view Saturday night banged up when he takes on Donovan Dijak for the world title. Riddle has held the MLW world heavyweight championship belt for nearly four months after he defeated Satoshi Kojima at Kings of Colosseum. Since then, he's defeated Kojima and Alex Kane at SuperFight 6 and won the Battle Riot match last month to hold onto the title. Dijak may be Riddle's toughest challenge yet. He's yet to be pinned or submitted since he made his MLW debut last year. He lost to Riddle at MLW's One Shot in December via disqualification. He made quick friends with manager Saint Laurent and found a new ally in Bishop Dyer when he made his debut at Battle Riot last month. Riddle told Fox News Digital he's aware of the challenges he faces, but it's part of the burden of being the top guy in the company. "At the end of the day, it's kind of like motivation. Sometimes, when you're just one-on-one with somebody, you kind of drop your guard," Riddle said. "Unfortunately for me, it's never a one-on-one situation, even when it's supposed to be. It's just another day for the bro. It's just another day for the MLW heavyweight champion of the world. "I think I'm ready. After winning the Battle Riot and having 39 other competitors, including (Rob Van Dam) there and still walking away … MLW world heavyweight champion, I'm confident, but not too confident, that I know what I have to do to get the job done." Riddle will enter the match with some busted ribs he sustained in a steel chair assault from Dijak. Riddle still vowed to defend the title. "The ribs are a little banged up," Riddle said. "But that's bound to happen in this line of work. I think the important part is that Dijak is the one responsible for injuring my ribs. He'll probably be trying to target them in this world title match in Chicago. "I'm looking out for that, but, at the same time, I've been doing some sit-ups. I've been trying to keep the abs tight." Austin Aries is expected to be on the call for the event. He returned to MLW on the mic at Battle Riot. He shared his thoughts on the match with Fox News Digital. "I know as good as anybody to win the championship is difficult, but to keep the championship is even more difficult because now you're a marked man, everyone's coming for you, everyone's gunning for you," Aries said. "And, on top of that, you're being asked to do media, you're getting asked to be the face of the company. It's a heavy burden to carry, and Riddle's been carrying for a while. "If there's anyone that's going to take the championship off of them and if at any point it's gonna happen, Chicago coming up here on May 10 very well could be that day." Azteca Lucha is set for Saturday at Cicero Stadium in Chicago. The event can be seen on YouTube. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
MLW star Donovan Dijak eyes world title at Battle Riot VII, sets high expectations for company's growth
Donovan Dijak will be one of the 40 men competing in Battle Riot VII on Saturday with the Major League Wrestling (MLW) World Heavyweight Championship on the line. It will be the fourth rumble-type event of Dijak's career, having competed in OTT Loco Rumble in February, NEW Over The Top 2017 and DREAMWAVE Good as Gold Rumble in 2016. He told Fox News Digital in a recent interview he was even more excited that Battle Riot had more stakes attached to it. "It's super exciting, especially now that it's for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship, which in my eyes is the most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling. I can't wait to get an opportunity and capitalize on obtaining that," he said. "Obviously, always a great event. You never quite know who's going to come out, but you know for sure that I'm going to be there. So, once the dust has settled, I think I'm going to be standing holding that MLW World Championship, and I'm super excited for that opportunity. I can't wait to put the company on my back, right on my shoulders, and carry us through the entire year. Dijak made his debut in August at Summer of the Beasts in New York City and, since then, he's made his presence felt in MLW. He defeated Tom Lawlor at SuperFight 6 and topped KENTA at Kings of Colosseum but lost to Matt Riddle at Eric Bischoff's One Shot in December via disqualification. Riddle is now in the precarious position of having to defend his title against 39 other men. For Dijak to win, "it would mean everything" to him. "I'm not a person who's had a lot of championships to my name," he told Fox News Digital. "I haven't had a ton of championship-sort-of-accolades attached to me. I've been very vocal in the fact that in terms of the grand scheme of professional wrestling, there's not really anybody, not just now, but pretty much ever, that has had the success that I've had in the professional wrestling industry without any sort of major championship accolades to go along with it. "I almost have a point of pride at this point because it's like I view myself as one of the – and not just myself, but I think most people would view me as one of the top talents in the world of professional wrestling. So, the fact that I'm able to do that without the flagship of a major championship attached really speaks as a testament to my own sacrifice and dedication and hard work to the professional wrestling industry." Dijak made clear that being with MLW for nearly eight months has been an "absolute pleasure." "They give me the time and the focus and the dedication that I reciprocate to them. So, it is very much a collaborative effort on both sides of that, and I'm truly appreciative for that level of investment and that level of dedication, because that's what I love about professional wrestling," he said. "I love that nobody's right, nobody's wrong. We all work together to figure out what we think is the best possible situation and presentation, and I love that we're all on the same page in terms of that. "I think that the fans, ultimately, are the ones who get the payoff for that because they get to experience the product of so many intelligent minds working together." MLW is one of the top wrestling promotions in the U.S. competing for time and space in the industry's landscape with the competition seemingly stiffening even more over the last year. Dijak said MLW has been on a "constant trajectory upward for a very long time" and expects the trend to go even higher over the next few months. "I'm the type of person who is never satiated or satisfied with what's currently happening," he told Fox News Digital. "I'm always looking two steps ahead, three steps ahead, four steps ahead. So I'm worried about next month, I'm worried about six months from now, next year or two years. I'm always looking forward and thinking about how can we improve and how can increase, and that's going to continue to be my goal. "And I know that if I'm given the opportunity to sort of spearhead that and lead that charge, that's going to create unprecedented growth and opportunity." MLW's Battle Riot VII takes place at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California, on Saturday night. The event can also be seen on YouTube at 10 p.m. ET. Bishop Dyer, Anthony Greene, Jesus Rodriguez, Paul London, Paul Walter Hauser and Brett Ryan Gosselin are just some of the other participants. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
MLW star Brett Ryan Gosselin looks to give Rogue Horsemen championship gold at Battle Riot VII
Brett Ryan Gosselin (BRG) burst onto the Major League Wrestling scene as the flashy up-and-comer who bore a stunning resemblance to Ryan Gosling's Ken in the film "Barbie." But over the last year, he's separated himself from that guy and has found a place in the Rogue Horsemen with Bobby Fish, C.J. and Brock Anderson. It's the newfound toughness he's hoping that carries into Battle Riot VII with the Major League Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on the line. Gosselin was one of the 40 men in a match last year, but he did not come out the winner. "Last year was a little different," he explained to Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I was running up by myself. I was pretty much a one-man show back then. This year, I have C.W. Anderson, Brock Anderson and Bobby Fish by my side. So, planning's been going on for months now for strategy going into the Battle Riot for this year. "When it comes to gold, BRG is the guy who is always searching for gold. I said at the beginning of 2025 that this is the year for the Rogue Horsemen to become a championship franchise and winning the MLW title would be the best first step into making that a reality." With his sights on championship gold, Gosselin made clear that all the "Barbie" business is in the rearview mirror, even as Battle Riot VII is set to take place at Thunder Studios Arena in Long Beach, California, for its Los Angeles County debut. "For people that don't know, they just assume that Brett Ryan Gosselin is my stage name, it's my real name. And with that said, a lot of what you see on TV is just naturally me," he explained. "That's just who I am as a person. I've always grown up with my father telling me that it doesn't matter how you win at the end of the day, as long as you win. History books are going to remember you as a winner and that's what I focus on. "When it comes to the 'Barbie' stuff, I played into it a little bit during the 'Barbie' movie when it was super popular, and obviously Ryan Gosling was Ken in that movie, so I had a little fun with that. But, you know, people can draw those comparisons now, but I think I very much surpassed Ryan Gosling's popularity from that 'Barbie' movie." Gosselin will be one of 40 men looking to walk out of Long Beach with championship gold. Matt Riddle is the current champion and looks to defend his title. Bishop Dyer, Donovan Dijak, Tom Lawlor, Jesus Rodriguez, Anthony Green and others will compete as well. Battle Riot VII takes place on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET.
