Browsing: Mark

Mark Briscoe (photo by Jared Walsh @jjwalsh22)

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Mark Briscoe is someone that is impervious to being booked poorly given his charisma and connection with the crowd. Mark and his brother Jay were relegated to only appearing only in Ring of Honor under Tony Khan after he purchased the company in 2022 due to Jay posting anti-LGBTQ tweets on Twitter while he was a member of the original ROH roster. The tweets upset a Warner executive and Mark and his brother were banned from AEW TV and PPV.

Not long after Jayâ€s death, Mark was allowed to appear on AEW TV for the first time. He got a shot at the ROH World TV Championship held by Samoa Joe. The match took place at the ROH Supercard of Honor PPV on March 31. Mark had a ton of momentum heading into the match and the storyline for the match even revolved around the spirit of Jay Briscoe being in the ring with Mark as he challenged Samoa Joe for the title, but somehow the call was made for Mark to lose the

This isnâ€t meant to be an exhaustive look at how Mark Briscoe has been booked in AEW, but he hasnâ€t been allowed to succeed at his maximum potential by AEW COO and booker Tony Khan. Mark appears on AEW TV frequently and every time he cuts a promo backstage or makes an appearance in a singles match, he lights up the TV screen with his charisma and connection to the crowd.

Markâ€s connection with the fans may dwindle a bit from time-to-time when Mark is put on the backburner by AEW, but since wrestling is a fan service first, why is someone so beloved by fans as Mark is not put in the position to succeed in AEW whether it be for a major title or secondary championship.

Anyone that watched Mark Briscoeâ€s appearances on social media following his brotherâ€s death saw the grace with which he handled the terrible tragedy. Mark handled the situation with a grace that I would not expect from anyone that had lost their brother. Mark almost seemed to be comforting the fans in one video that was shown on social media following Jayâ€s death that I remember fondly talking about how Jay was in a better place now and he was going to move forward with his wrestling career knowing that Jay was always with him.

It is impossible not to feel a connection with Mark if you see him cut a promo on TV with his enthusiastic delivery tinged with his signature southern accent. Mark recently got a huge victory over MJF in a Tables & Thumbtacks match at the All Out: Toronto PPV in September. He beat MJF clean and sent him packing from the company from a storyline standpoint.

A win over MJF should be huge for anyone that beats him in AEW. Mark seemed primed for big things, but before All Out: Toronto ended, Mark tipped his hand at what was to come next for him. It wasnâ€t a shot at Hangman Page and the AEW World Hvt. Championship. It wasnâ€t even a shot at Kyle Fletcher and the TNT Championship, it was hyping up the return of Orange Cassidy and his Conglomeration stablemates.

Mark teased the return of Orange Cassidy backstage on the same night he beat MJF and heâ€s been a hype man for The Conglomeration ever since then on TV. Orange Cassidy, who had been out for months with injury, even got a shot at Kyle Fletcher and the TNT Championship before Mark was rewarded from a storyline standpoint for his win over MJF.

Mark is so popular that Tony Khan can easily build him back up and give him his big moment as a singles wrestler if he wants to, but why keep teasing the fans. A win over MJF is about as big as can get in terms of a launching point for a wrestler, so why have him beat MJF and then fade to the undercard with The Conglomeration? Only Khan knows the answer.

Mark leaning heavily into comedy and being goofy on TV after beating MJF in a serious match to end a serious feud is a disappointment because it felt like it was time for Khan to pull the trigger on something bigger for Mark as a singles wrestler. He is a wrestler that would almost certainly draw interest from the AEW fanbase on TV and PPV. Unfortunately it feels like AEW is not going to deliver that big moment for Mark anytime soon.

You can contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on X @SR_Torch and on Bluesky @SeanRadican.

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Perry Tole, the 69-year-old truck driver who was allegedly involved in an altercation with former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez in Indianapolis this past weekend, has been released from the hospital.

Attorneys Erik May and Eddie Reichert spoke to TMZ on Monday to provide an update on Tole’s recovery:

“He’s released from the hospital, recovering, and hopeful that he’ll regain function to, you know, his ability to speak,” May said. “Right now he’s having a real difficult time communicating because of the large gash on his face that affected his jaw, tongue and mouth. He’s just at home resting, but we expect further medical treatment and ongoing treatment well into the future.”

Tole’s son’s wedding is scheduled for this weekend, and his lawyers said he will now have to miss the celebration following the incident with Sanchez, who was hospitalized after being stabbed during the altercation.

“We’re just all really thankful that he’s still with us,” May said. “Anytime a 69-year-old gets into any kind of scrum, you worry about what the health consequences of something like that is gonna be. It’s not every day you get in a scrum with a 6’2″, 230-pound, ex-professional athlete.”

On Monday, Tole filed a lawsuit against Sanchez alleging assault and battery. He also filed a lawsuit against Fox alleging negligent hiring, retention and supervision. He asserted that he suffered injuries to his head, jaw and neck, and he’s seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears announced Monday that a felony battery charge has been filed against Sanchez for his alleged role in the incident. The charge carries a potential penalty of one to six years in prison.

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One of the most legendary moments of Mark Henry’s career was the fake retirement speech he conducted on “WWE Raw” in 2013, where he turned heel and delivered the World’s Strongest Slam on John Cena. Henry’s actions would lead to a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Cena at Money In The Bank later that year, but he would fail to defeat the “Never Seen 17” on the night, a decision that was heavily criticized by the WWE Universe. To this day, many believe that Money In The Bank should’ve been the beginning of Henry’s second run with the championship, and during an interview with “Isiah Madrigal,” the “The World’s Strongest Man” reflected on not emerging victorious at the event, and revealed when Cena learned about the fake retirement.

“A lot of people were mad at the WWE,” Henry stated. “I did not take the opportunity to win the title and to run with it. At that time, I was very injured and I told them, I was like look man, I really did want to retire and Vince McMahon talked me out of retiring … He’s like, let’s just keep it going and then you retire and let it be a real retirement. I want you to really get into it and that’s what happened. That’s how it all came about and I really was retiring. That was my real retirement speech. When I went in the Hall Of Fame, I added to it, but I never did another retirement speech because the one that I did was impossible to top … John Cena didn’t know until I went out to the ring and they were talking to him behind in the back.”

Henry explained that almost nobody was aware of his fake retirement speech, with most of WWE and even his wife discovering that he would continue wrestling when the segment aired live on “Raw.”

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

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Bas Rutten is very impressed with how committed The Rock was to playing Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine.

Rutten spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about his role in The Smashing Machine.Rutten, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, appears in the movie inspired by Mark Kerrâ€s life. He spoke about working with Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson on the film, and said although they just met, it felt like he was around the real-life Kerr again.

“I just met him on the film for the first time. Weâ€ve been in contact quite a bit online, always interacting, [but the film set is] where I met him the first time,†Rutten said. “He grabbed me and he gave me a big kiss on my head and I go, ‘Okay.†And then I realized, ‘Oh, that was Kerr.†Kerr was always doing that to me.

“Him coming in with all the fight scenes, whatever it was, he was just glued to me, and he says, ‘I want you to do everything. All the directions, I want come from you because you were there. You were actually doing it.†That was the same with Benny Safdie, the director. He also said, ‘Read the script. The script is just to give you a guideline. You say whatever you want to say because itâ€s you. Just be Bas again from 25 years ago.â€

Photo Credit: Eric Zachanowich / A24

Bas Rutten says The Rock made working on The Smashing Machine very easy

Rutten joked that it took “an extra few cups of coffee†to do that because he was younger at the time the film takes place. He explained that working on set went really well, even saying it was pretty easy since Johnson nailed the role.

“People go like “Easy?†Yeah, but the only reason it was easy [was] because DJ was Kerr from the moment he walked in and started speaking. The way he walked, the way heâ€s fighting, if you see him fight in the ring in the movie, pull up a fight from Kerr and [look at] the way he stands. He always had this weird stance, more straight. I always told [Kerr to] stand more over, but he would always stand like this [straight up]. The way he moves his mouth, the way he speaks and cries in the movie, even the movements of the mouth when he cries, it was Kerr.â€

Rutten said this made the set very relaxed and calm, and he just got to teach Johnson just like he taught Kerr, his student, 25 years ago. Rutten didnâ€t agree that Johnson went as far as method acting, but said when he was on the set, he was Mark Kerr.

The 2015 UFC Hall of Famer said Johnson is a busy guy and has the spotlight on him constantly. He noted that itâ€s probably hard to commit to method acting like that, let alone pump his own gas or go to the grocery store without being recognized. After seeing the film on an IMAX screen, Rutten picked up on more traits that highlighted just how much effort Johnson put in to accurately portray Kerr in the film.

“The shoulders that he developed, the ‘Kerr shoulders,â€â€ Rutten noted. “That took a lot of work. I didnâ€t [initially] talk to him about it. It was the first thing I said, though [when I noticed]. When I saw him, I go, ‘Did you work to get the Kerr shoulders?†I know that his coach was there and he said, ‘Yeah, we worked really hard on that.†I can only imagine. So having a guy walk in that like that, walking up straight the way he normally walks, the way he fights, walks when he fights, heâ€s Kerr. He did his homework, 100% in every little detail.â€

Bas Rutten shares what he hopes viewers take from The Smashing Machine

Rutten said The Smashing Machineshows people that everything is not all “nice and dandy†in the spotlight. You never know what people on TV are going through, and the film shows what really goes on behind the scenes. Rutten highlighted how like Johnson as Kerr, Emily Blunt nailed the part of his ex-wife, Dawn Staples.

“When I saw her, boom, thatâ€s Dawn. It was the first time on the set, we made a picture for a release of the thing. I met her first in regular clothing, but then suddenly I heard something behind me,†he said. “She was standing there in a dress like Dawn, and her hair like Dawn. I said to a friend, ‘Iâ€m getting goosebumps.†Itâ€s amazing. The whole aura, everything, [Emily] was her.â€

He pointed out that the movie shows that a toxic relationship or home life can also impact your professional life. Rutten considers himself lucky to have a wife who understands what kind of balance and dedication heâ€s looking for. Some people might believe fighters will settle things in the ring and at home by fighting more, but most times, Rutten noted, they want the opposite.

“We donâ€t. We want peace and quiet. The more quiet your mind is, the better you fight. If you can come completely relaxed, mindful to a fight, thatâ€s the only thing you need, pretty much,†Rutten said. “Now we find out thatâ€s not always the case. There could be some struggles. When I read the script the first time, I was like, ‘Oh boy.†I knew [Mark and Dawn] had some trouble at home, but I didnâ€t know that. You will see it. Thereâ€s some scenes when Emily had like a smirk on her face before a big fight starts. I go, ‘Whoa.†Itâ€s like thatâ€s completely psychopathic. Itâ€s impressive.â€

The Smashing Machineopens in theatres worldwide on October 3.

Read More: The Smashing Machine: Ryan Bader On Working With The Rock, Making Fights Look Real

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Jasprit Bumrah celebrates with Yashasvi Jaiswal after taking a wicket. (Pic credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Ace Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah etched his name into the record books on Thursday, becoming the fastest Indian bowler to claim 50 Test wickets at home in terms of balls bowled. Playing against the West Indies in the opening Test at Ahmedabad, Bumrah achieved the milestone in just 1,747 deliveries.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Bumrah returned impressive figures of 3 for 42 as India bowled out the visitors for 162 in their first innings. His scalps included the prized wicket of Justin Greaves, who top-scored with 32, while also dismissing opener John Campbell with the help of DRS after the on-field umpire had initially ruled in favour of the batter.In terms of innings taken by Indian pacers to reach 50 wickets on home soil, Bumrah equalled Javagal Srinathâ€s mark of 24 innings. Both now share the record, ahead of Kapil Dev who required 25 innings, while Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami reached the milestone in 27 innings each.Fastest Indian pacers to 50home wickets (by innings):

• Jasprit Bumrah – 24
• Javagal Srinath – 24
• Kapil Dev – 25
• Ishant Sharma – 27
• Mohammed Shami – 27

Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj continued his red-hot form, leading the charge with 4 for 40 to extend his wicket tally in 2025 to 27. Siraj rattled the West Indies top order with a fiery opening burst, dismissing Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and later cleaning up Brandon King.Kuldeep Yadav also chipped in with two wickets, including Shai Hope for 26, to break a steady fifth-wicket stand with skipper Roston Chase.West Indies, already weakened by injuries to Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, crumbled in just 44.1 overs. Their struggles reflect the decline of a team once feared worldwide, bowled out cheaply once again after their historic collapse for 27 against Australia earlier this year.With Bumrah creating history and Siraj continuing his purple patch, India look in commanding position to take the lead in the two-match series.

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Mark Henry made a major statement about the newcomers in the pro wrestling world and shared his reaction to Jazmyn Nyxâ€s boyfriendâ€s latest statement. Jazmyn Nyx is a former NXT star and recently decided not to re-sign with WWE.

After this, a video went viral from Jazmynâ€s boyfriend in which he called wrestling fake. In response to this, Mark Henry made a bold statement during an interview with TMZ and said that the world of wrestling needs to stop letting ‘random schmucks†into the business.

“I didnâ€t like it at all. But itâ€s our fault, because weâ€re the ones that let them in the business. Let her in the business, let him in the business. Henry said (H/T WrestleTalk) “Just because you can doesnâ€t mean you should. Thereâ€s a lot of people that you shouldnâ€t bring in the businessâ€.

Henry compared the situation when a father finds a perfect partner for their daughter. Similar to this, wrestling only needs to welcome those who are actually candidates to trust.

“Itâ€s like whoâ€s gonna marry your daughter. You gonna let some random schmuck marry your daughter? Thatâ€s what we do in wrestling. We let random schmucks in wrestling, female and male, because they look good or they accomplished something. “Just because you accomplished something doesnâ€t make you a candidate for the trust of our industry.

Mark Henry blasted Jazmyneâ€s boyfriend

After this, Henry slammed Jazmynâ€s boyfriend for his remarks and threatened to expose him for who he really is.

“That girl didnâ€t love wrestling. And her boyfriend, heâ€s just gonna go wherever she is because sheâ€s helping him get notoriety – that motherf***er ainâ€t famous. Donâ€t nobody care about him. Who did he ever beat? What did he ever do? “He is a nothing.

Mark Henry also added that: “He is a nobody. Why would you get mad at somebody that is a flea, thatâ€s a tick, thatâ€s a parasite, theyâ€re one of those sucking things that stick to fish. What value do I care? Youâ€re trying to make dollar off of gambling apps because you donâ€t have no real talent and no job. Iâ€ll expose you. Donâ€t do it.â€

Read More: Mark Henry Pitches Surprising Name As John Cenaâ€s Final Opponent in WWE

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WWE Hall of Famer “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry believes that if Randy Orton is to have another run as WWE Champion, it must be as a heel. In a recent interview, Henry made a passionate case for Orton to return to his heel roots, arguing that “The Viper” is one of the few superstars in history who is definitively better as a heel than a babyface.

Orton has been a beloved fan favorite since his return from a career-threatening back injury, but Henry feels that a return to the heel persona that defined much of his career is the “tailor-made” story for his next main event run. Speaking with TMZ, the former World Heavyweight Champion explained exactly what he wants to see from a future Randy Orton championship reign.

“I wouldn’t want Randy to be champion as good guy Randy. I want Randy… the story is tailor made. Have Randy come in now and start punting people again, RKO’ing people’s grandmothers and children. Have him stomping people. Let Randy be Randy.â€

He emphasized that Orton’s greatest strength has always been his ability to be a compelling and hated villain.

“I don’t know if you can say more definitively that a guy’s a better heel than he was a babyface.â€

Henry also compared Orton’s current situation to that of John Cena, who is in the midst of his farewell tour.

“I think Randy wants to be in the same regard as Cena. He deserves it too. But while Cena is doing that, you can’t actively have two people doing the same story.â€

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Chris Woakes (L) and Rishabh Pant NEW DELHI: Indiaâ€s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, sidelined with a fractured foot, shared a light-hearted message for England all-rounder Chris Woakes, who announced his international retirement on September 29. Pantâ€s post, blending humour and heartfelt wishes, paid tribute to the man who had inadvertently caused his injury during the fifth Test in Manchester.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Happy Retirement Woakesy. You have been amazing on the field. Lots of discipline, a big smile and always good vibes. Now you can finally give that bowling arm a rest and my foot too. You definitely left a mark on me before retirement. Wishing you a fantastic journey ahead in whatever you choose,†Pant wrote on social media.

Prince Yadav Exclusive: First IPL wicket, Rishabh Pantâ€s guidance & journey to LSG

Pant suffered a fractured foot while attempting a reverse sweep against Woakes, yet he returned to the crease to add crucial runs for India. Woakes, meanwhile, injured his shoulder while saving a boundary and later walked out to bat one-handed, highlighting his commitment in Englandâ€s narrow six-run loss that sealed India a 2-2 series draw.Revealing their private exchange, Woakes had earlier told The Guardian: “I saw Rishabh Pant put an image of me on Instagram with a salute emoji, so I replied thanking him: ‘Appreciate the love and hope the foot is OK.†He then sent me a voice note saying: ‘I hope all is OK, good luck with the recovery and I hope we meet again out there some day.†I obviously said sorry for the broken foot.â€Pant, who was ruled out of the T20 Asia Cup 2025, will also miss the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies and is replaced by Dhruv Jurel in the Team India squad, with Narayan Jagadeesan remaining as backup wicketkeeper.

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How do you feel about Rishabh Pant’s humorous message to Chris Woakes on his retirement?

Woakes, 36, concluded a distinguished England career spanning 15 years, featuring in 62 Tests, 122 ODIs, and 33 T20Is. He claimed 192 Test wickets, scored over 2,000 runs, and played a key role in Englandâ€s 2019 World Cup triumph. Reflecting on his career, Woakes wrote on Instagram, “Representing England, wearing the Three Lions and sharing the field with teammates… are things Iâ€ll look back on with the greatest pride.â€The Warwickshire pacer will continue in county and franchise cricket, while England gear up for the Ashes against Australia starting November 21 in Perth.

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Barcelona secured a 2-1 comeback win over Real Sociedad on Sunday that sent them top of the LaLiga standings after they turned the match around with goals from Jules Koundé and Robert Lewandowski either side of half-time. Barcelonaâ€s sixth win in seven matches moved the champions on to 19 points, one point above Real Madrid, as Real Sociedad remained on five points after their fourth loss of the campaign.

“It was a team victory. They knew how to play and it was hard work, but we deserved it,†said the Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.

Mikel Oyarzabal headed wide from Gonçalo Guedesâ€s pass in the 10th minute as Sociedad looked to capitalise on the rare chances that came their way, while Barcelona controlled the game with 87% possession in the first half.

A minute later, the Sociedad keeper Ãlex Remiro made a diving save to deny Marcus Rashfordâ€s attempt from inside the box, and kept out Roony Bardghjiâ€s left-footed shot in the 24th minute. But Sociedad took the lead on the half-hour mark against the run of play through the former Real Madrid right-back Ãlvaro Odriozola, who was making his first start of the season after fellow defender Jon Aramburu got injured during the warmup. Ander Barrenetxea beat Koundé in the box and crossed to an unmarked Odriozola, who finished right-footed from the edge of the six-yard box.

Barcelona equalised in the 43rd minute as Rashfordâ€s corner found Koundé in the box and the French defender made no mistake with a header.

A confident Barcelona pushed for the winner in the second half, and Lamine Yamal made an impact less than a minute after coming on as a substitute. The 18-year-old, who was returning from a groin injury, dribbled past a defender and crossed to Lewandowski, whose header went in off the post in the 58th minute to put the hosts 2-1 up. Lewandowski could have scored again a minute later but shot over the bar from Dani Olmoâ€s back-heel.

Sociedad almost hit back when Aihen Muñoz found Oyarzabal with a through ball, but his shot was tipped over by the goalkeeper Wojciech SzczÄsny. The visitors went close to an equaliser in the 84th minute when Takefusa Kuboâ€s shot hit the crossbar and a minute later, Lewandowskiâ€s shot at the other end also came off the woodwork.

Barcelona, who are on a five-match winning streak in all competitions, host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, before continuing their LaLiga title defence at Sevilla next Sunday. “Itâ€s good, but itâ€s a long road ahead … tomorrow we will start focusing all our attention on PSG,†Flick said.

Milan held on for a 2-1 win over Napoli at San Siro to go top of the Serie A standings on goal difference, after Christian Pulisic scored one and created the other before the home side went down to 10 men and conceded a penalty. Napoli dropped their first points of the season in a game where Milan looked in control at half-time through goals from Alexis Saelemaekers and Pulisic but Pervis Estupiñánâ€s red card and Kevin De Bruyneâ€s penalty almost rescued the visitors.

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“There will be other games like this of suffering,†the Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri said. “But playing them with this spirit it will be easier to bring them home.â€

There is a three-way tie at the top with Milan, Napoli and Roma all on 12 points. Juventus sit one point behind after their 1-1 draw with Atalanta on Saturday.

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There’s an argument to be made that Dirk Nowitzki was the NBA’s original stretch-4 and one of the best power forwards in league history.

Mark Cuban doesn’t believe younger generations see him that way, however.

“I think while he was playing he was acknowledged because he was hitting all these milestones. The championship, 20,000 points, 30,000 points, the number of All-Star Game appearances. When he was playing, people truly appreciated him,” he told Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman (11:00 mark) on Thursday. “Now, he’s appreciated in Dallas because of all the things he does in the community, and true Mavs fans remember and love him, they see the statue in front of the arena.

“But outside of Dallas, it’s almost as if younger fans don’t really understand the impact he had on the game. His ability to come in a change a game, his ability to shoot and score and rebound and do all of the things he needed to do to win. Ten straight years of 50-plus wins. That’s unheard of in this day and age. And yet, kids—unless you’re in a highlight film or on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube videos, you’re not truly appreciated any longer. And that’s not just Dirk, that’s Patrick Ewing, guys we all really, truly loved and appreciated.”

Nowitzki, 47, is a Hall of Famer for a reason. He was a 14-time All-Star, one-time MVP and one-time champion. His 31,560 points are the sixth most in NBA history, and his 1,522 games played rank fifth.

His place in NBA history is secure, even if he hasn’t quite stuck in the collective consciousness among the younger generations like other players of the past.

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