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By Ella Jay

Oct. 12, 2025 4:02 pm EST

Earlier this weekend, WWE released a number of talents from the “WWE NXT,” “WWE EVOLVE,” and WWE ID brands, including Jin Tala. Tala, real name Leigh Laurel, signed with WWE last year and later competed in season one of “WWE LFG,” which rewards the winners with “NXT” contracts.

Tala says she has long been a “jack of all trades” with multiple hobbies. Still, she admittedly couldn’t find her one true passion, until she signed with WWE that is. Tala expanded upon this sentiment in a departing statement posted to X.

“I found my passion, and I was all-in,” she wrote. “I wasn’t just fascinated by the physical aspects of pro wrestling, what hooked me was the psychology…the emotions that can be expressed by wrestlers & felt by the audience. So for those questioning my commitment, dedication…I can say with a hand on my heart that I didn’t falter. I knew I had weak points, so I put 110%, fed myself with knowledge from my coaches & main roster talent who came through the PC. And in the past month, I saw it & I think everyone saw it. I broke down some of those big walls I had failed to break during LFG.”

“My promos were showing range because I finally let go,” Tala continued. “My move set I recently developed in the ring showed aggression, everything the Legends were looking for. And I was able to showcase that in recent matches. And for me…that was a win.”

While uncertain of what exactly led to her being released from WWE, Tala remains proud of the progress she made in season one of “WWE LFG” as well as “WWE EVOLVE,” where she even vied for the EVOLVE Women’s Championship. Looking ahead, Tala plans to continue her professional wrestling journey as Leigh Laurel. Her next destination, wherever it may be, is currently unknown.

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Tony Khan has commented on Kota Ibushiâ€s injury.

On Saturday, AEW ended up airing the Kota Ibushi vs. Josh Alexander match that was taped on Wednesday at Daly’s Place that ended after Ibushi broke his femur, landing badly on his leg after losing his balance off the top rope. Ibushi will require surgery as a result of the accident.

“We are all very grateful for The Golden Star @ibushi_kota,†he wrote. “In my opinion, heâ€s one of the greatest wrestlers that Iâ€ve ever seen. He is adored by the AEW locker room + fans worldwide. We wish him the best as he recovers from the leg injury he suffered on #AEWCollision tonight!â€

The injury took place when Alexander had Ibushi on his shoulders as he went to the top rope, but Ibushi appeared to lose his balance and both ended up falling out of the ring. Ibushi was unable to move as Alexander re-entered the ring. Ibushi ended up losing the match via count-out.Â

The injury spot where Josh Alexander/Kota Ibushi fell with an awkward landing.

Ibushi was immediately counted out.
Speedy recovery to Kota. ðŸ
pic.twitter.com/rH6J91OBr0

— Drainmaker (@DrainBamager) October 12, 2025

After the match was called, Mark Davis made his return and attacked Ibushi briefly before he was stopped by Kenny Omega, who attacked both Alexander and Davis.

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In assessing Jade Cargill’s recent performance and injury in a triple threat main event on “WWE SmackDown,” WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently asserted that she needed to better protect herself. He also stated that Cargill is still “fresh off” her run in All Elite Wrestling, where likely she wasn’t given a chance to learn about professional wrestling in depth. A report from Fightful Select later indicated that talents within WWE, AEW, and TNA were “baffled” by the latter remark –something Booker himself has since addressed on the “The Hall of Fame” podcast.

“I want to know who those baffled WWE, TNA and AEW wrestlers are,” Booker said. “I’m willing to talk and challenge and debate with any of those guys. I don’t look at myself above or below any of the guys that’s in the business today, guys in the past or future, none of that. I’m serious. I feel like we’re all on the same level. My thing is I respect the young guys. Say, for instance, a company like AEW, and I don’t see anybody over there that’s working in the main event, that’s been in the business two years or three years. The Young Bucks, those guys got time in. The Kenny Omegas, Edge, Christian, most of the guys over there on that roster got years of experience in this business. So when someone questions me, I’m going to look for your credentials first and foremost.

“I understand when someone who comments who’s never been in the business and they can look at two years in the business and think that’s a really, really long time. But one of my peers that’s been in the business, I think they know what two years is.”Â

In September 2023, Cargill left AEW after a 500-plus day reign as TBS Champion and making her professional wrestling debut in the company 2.5 years earlier. Later in the same month, WWE confirmed that Cargill had inked a deal with it, leading to her WWE in-ring debut at the 2024 Royal Rumble.

Booker Says He Knew ‘Very Little’ In First Two Years Of His Own Career

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Two years out from signing with WWE, Cargill is now a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion and a top star on the “WWE SmackDown” brand. She’s also competed in two WrestleManias, earning wins in both appearances. Still, in the grand scheme of things, Booker believes Cargill remains a work in progress.

Based on his prior in-ring experiences, Booker argues that two years is not a long time in the wrestling industry, hence his previous remark about Cargill still being “fresh” out of AEW. “I know at two years in the business what I knew, which was very, very little,” he said

Early in his career, Booker recalled wrestling in-ring veteran Dusty Wolfe, who had several years of television experience under his belt. Though Wolfe had actually rarely emerged victorious in his own matches on television, Booker found Wolfe’s insight valuable, so much so that he personally asked Wolfe to guide him through their forthcoming bout, which Booker was slated to win.

“I learned so much in that match listening to Dusty Wolfe,” Booker said. “I appreciate Dusty Wolfe. Wherever you are out there, Dusty, I appreciate the knowledge that you gave me to actually hopefully give to some other young guy one day, which I know I did. That’s what being in the business is at that stage. If you ain’t got your ears open learning from someone like a Dusty Wolfe, you’re going to be swimming upstream. I can almost guarantee you that in Jade’s first two years, she didn’t work with anyone like Dusty Wolfe.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Hall of Fame” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Collin Morikawa admits the behaviour of American fans at the Ryder Cup “crossed the line†but he denies he was partly to blame for inflaming the atmosphere.

Two days before the event started at Bethpage in New York, the two-time major winner said he hoped the opening day was “absolute chaosâ€.

Once the tournament started, Europe’s players were subjected to abuse from the galleries and Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica, had beer thrown at her. PGA of America chief executive Derek Sprague said he would apologise to McIlroy and the rest of the European team for the behaviour of the home fans.

Morikawa, who lost two and halved one of his three matches at the tournament, agreed USA fans had gone too far but denied any personal responsibility.

“I think we’ve taken what I said a little out of context. I think Ryder Cups are meant to have a lot of energy, right, and I think me saying the word ‘chaos’, I didn’t mean for them to be rude, right?,†he said. “So like that’s not on me, I believe, for me to take credit for people being rude. I think what I meant was like I wanted energy, right?

“You wanted people to be proud of the country, the countries they’re rooting for. I don’t think me saying one word, everyone listened – I don’t think I have the power to do that amongst people. I think fans can do and say what they want sometimes. It probably crossed a line out there so I would say there’s a line that needs to be drawn.

“But what’s so different and unique about golf is that we hear nearly everything what people say because people have access to be so close to us. I think you have to learn how to find that division of what’s appropriate and what’s not.â€

Morikawa was speaking before the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic – which he won in 2023 – being hosted in Yokohama, Japan.

The tournament is already being affected by warnings about the incoming Typhoon Halong, with Thursday’s tee times brought forward by two hours.

“You just have to adjust a lot tomorrow and be ready really to hit any club off the tee because it’s going to play very different than what we’ve seen the first couple days,†added Morikawa.

Gail Kim isnâ€t backing down. The former TNA star stood firm on her recent remarks about AEWâ€s presentation of Riho, saying she refuses to apologize for simply expressing an opinion.

During her appearance on Heat Wrestling Podcast, Kim explained how online outrage spiraled out of control and led her to step away from Twitter for her own peace of mind.

Kim said the situation started after she clarified her stance in a follow-up interview with Jimmy Korderas and Donnie. But rather than calm the outrage, her clarification only fueled more online attacks, with critics accusing her of “backtracking.â€

“Iâ€ve actually stayed off Twitter. Iâ€ve stayed off Twitter X for the last little while just for my sanity because people — I mean, you never please, you can never please anyone. I mean, even if you, you know, I did an interview about it following with Jimmy Corderas and Donnie… and so, um, we talked about it and then itâ€s like they put up a little tweet about it and theyâ€re like, ‘Oh, now Gailâ€s backtracking.†And Iâ€m just like, ‘Okay, guys, I have never changed my position on this. If I explain myself, youâ€re not happy.â€â€

The former Knockouts Champion said the backlash felt less like debate and more like coordinated pressure to silence her. She described the environment on social media as toxic, where users demand submission rather than conversation.

“Itâ€s just, they just want you to bend the knee and apologize. And itâ€s like, no, Iâ€m not going to apologize for an opinion where I was not bashing her or bullying her or anything at all. At all. At all.â€

Kim said sheâ€s come to terms with the fact that no amount of clarification will satisfy some people. Instead, sheâ€s prioritizing her mental health and choosing to focus on things that actually matter to her rather than feeding into online negativity.

Gail Kimâ€s refusal to back down reminds everyone that not every disagreement deserves an apology—and that social media outrage isnâ€t worth losing your peace over.

What do you think about Gail Kim standing her ground? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:ÂThis installment of the PWTorch VIP Vault jumps back to three episodes of the Real Deal with Pat McNeill from Sept 13, 20, and 27, 2007.

Sept. 13: This week on the Real Deal, Pat McNeill gloats about being right about Hornswoggle being Vince McMahon’s “son,” Pat’s prediction on when the next boom period will be for pro wrestling, WWE statement about Chris Benoit’s concussion history, Sandman’s WWE release, the Indy Lineup of the Week, and more.

Sept. 20: This week on the Real Deal, Pat McNeill explains how wrestling promotions can create new stars, using small words. Plus all the latest semi-important wrestling stories of the day including Rey Mysterio’s homecoming, TNA hiring more ex-WWE wrestlers, a Zach Gowen sighting, and how NOT to book the long-awaited reunion of a well-known tag team. Speaking of how not to book, one of the worst indy promoters of our generation is spotlighted in our Indy Lineup of the Week. Pat answers Listener Mail questions on Triple H and Tito Santana.

Sept. 27: This week on the Real Deal, Pat McNeill offers his services to WWE. No, really. Plus all the latest semi-important wrestling stories of the day including the scoop on next month’s big WWE DVD release, a poorly timed injury causes problems for TNA, a couple of former Shimmer wrestlers hit the big time, and ECW’s rating bottoms out at TNA levels. ROH talent and a former WWE Diva go back to Ohio in our Indy Lineup of the Week. Pat answers Listener Mail questions on Mike Modest and the mysterious Raw promo.

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Roman Reigns forced former WWE star Matt Riddle to apologize after the latter’s comments went viral.

Roman Reigns is the top star in WWE without a shadow of doubt. The star is not only one of the best performers in the world, but also has a commanding presence with his aura. The longest-reigning Universal Champion of all time has also been accused of several different things in his career. One of the things that got Reigns really mad came from Matt Riddle, who stated a few weeks ago that Reigns may be able to beat Bro in a WWE ring, but outside the ring, in a street fight, or inside a cage, The OTC did not stand a chance against the former United States Champion.

Now, Riddle has revealed that Roman Reigns “flipped out” because of the comments and sent him a text message.

Former WWE Star Matt Riddle Reveals What Roman Reigns Texted Him After The Comments

In an interview with TMZ, the former United States Champion revealed that Roman Reigns texted him after the comments and was not pleased with what was said in public. Riddle also doubled down on his comments and stated that what he said was true.

They asked me to talk crap about Roman. I told everybody, ‘Hey, he might beat me in the ring, but if we were in a cage or in the street, Iâ€d beat the hell out of him.†And he knows that, and I know that and everybody else knows that.â€

The former RK-Bro member stated that The OTC “flipped out.”

Dude, he flipped out. He texted me… ‘Not cool, dude.†And I was like, ‘Oh [__]!†Like, I apologized.â€

Matt Riddle apparently wrote a lengthy apology and showed it to Randy Orton for approval, with The Viper coming to his aid.

So I wrote like this long apology. I go, ‘Randy, how does this look?†And Randy goes, ‘Nah, this isnâ€t right.†He rewrites it, and it was basically like: ‘My bad, bro. Maybe weâ€ll work again someday soon.â€â€ [H/T RSN]

Riddle later went on to attack the TMZ reporter in a crazy turn of events.

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TNA Wrestling

On Tuesday, October 7, “WWE NXT” and TNA will engage in cross-promotional warfare when the special episode Showdown takes place from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Although some wrestlers have been loyal to their respective brands throughout their entire career, one performer who’s caught in the middle of all the chaos is Jordynne Grace, who became arguably TNA’s most popular female star in 2024 and just signed with “WWE NXT” this year. Following this week’s episode of “NXT,” many fans have questioned which side Grace could lean towards next Tuesday, leading “The Juggernaut” to voice her thoughts on the show on social media.

“I just hope everyone has fun!”

I just hope everyone has fun!

— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) October 1, 2025

For the Women’s “NXT” vs. TNA Survivor Series Match, Jacy Jayne, Jaida Parker, Lola Vice and Sol Ruca will represent the developmental brand against Cassie Lee, Jessie McKay, Kelani Jordan and Mara Sade. Although Grace was lobbying to get herself selected for the match, she would not be chosen by Jordan, the team captain, as she felt the former TNA Knockouts World Champion was too much of a wild card due to her history with both brands and could not be trusted.

Elsewhere on the card, Je’Von Evans, Myles Borne, Ricky Saints and Trick Williams will battle Frankie Kazarian, Leon Slater, Mike Santana and Moose in the “NXT” Vs. TNA Men’s Survivor Series Match. Additionally, Ethan Page is set to defend the North American Title against Mustafa Ali, and The Hardys will compete against DarkState in a Winner Takes All Match for the “NXT” and TNA Tag Team Championships.

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When Karrion Kross’ WWE contract expired this past August, many fans believed that AEW would be interested in signing him following his growth in popularity over the summer. Although there’s been no indication that AEW is pursuing Kross just yet, a former WWE star who is currently signed with the Jacksonville-based promotion recently shared his thoughts on the idea of the 40-year-old being “All Elite.”

Speaking on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Ricochet touched on Kross becoming a member of AEW’s roster by listing opponents he could step in the ring with while complimenting the uniqueness of his character.

“Yeah, he’s great. I think again, you think Karrion versus Ospreay is a great match, versus Takeshita would be a great match, versus Fletcher, versus Swerve,” Ricochet said. “I feel like there would be a lot of great matches that he could have. He’s a great character. He would be great at any company because I think he brings something that the fans want to see. They were obviously showing that they want to see it … Him and Scarlet both, they got a great package.”

Since leaving WWE, Kross has easily become one of the hottest free agents in the industry and has main evented shows in promotion’s such as DEFY Wrestling and WrestlePro. On Friday, October 10, Kross is set to enter battle with Matt Cardona at House Of Glory’s With Glory Comes Pride event after the former NXT Champion attacked “The Indy God” at GCW Homecoming.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Ariel Helwani Show” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Tony Khan is making it work.

While talking to Going Ringside with Scott Johnson, AEWâ€s president said that despite WWE making moves to counterprogram their big shows this year, the company has been able to make everything work despite the competition.

“Well, weâ€ve been having a great year. Weâ€ve been able to stick and move and make it work really well for us. Thereâ€s always going to be tough competition and this sport, itâ€s very tough competition, the kind of competition that makes you work really hard 52 weeks a year,†he said.

Khan noted that the company has been having a great year, putting over their strong ratings. He noted that more people are watching Dynamite and Collision than last year, the opposite of what analysts predicted.

WWE has often run programming to go head-to-head with AEW, and in the last year has used NXT to run shows against AEWâ€s pay-per-views on the same day. WWEâ€s biggest move was running their first ESPN PLE, Wrestlepalooza, against AEWâ€s All Out event. AEW chose to move their event to the afternoon. The move seemed to be a success, as the show held up well in buys despite WWEâ€s aggressive move.Â

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