AEW Dynamite News, Grand Slam, MJF-Jarrett, Hornswoggle, Missa Kate (Patreon)

• For everyone still asking about Wardlow, the word has long been that they're injured.

• As one would expect, the vibe was very good after the hot opening segment for AEW Dynamite.

• The internal claim was that Hurt Syndicate as tag team champions was not the plan a couple of months ago.

• As indicated on last night's show, the working plan for Grand Slam is Mercedes Mone vs. Harley Cameron.

• A number of segments were adjusted for AEW Dynamite throughout the day.

• We're told "a lot changed" with the plans of MJF and Jeff Jarrett.

• TNA veteran Crazzy Steve worked a dark match at the AEW tapings.

• PWInsider noted that Will Ospreay's gear got lost yesterday during travel.

Hornswoggle

Fightful caught up with Hornswoggle at WrestleCade in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp spoke with the former WWE Superstar and Wisconsin-based Indy promotion ACW owner for nearly 10 minutes.

The interview started with Sean mentioning they were both in Black Label Pro’s Squared Circle Expo Rumble. Sean says he got to see him first-hand produce part of the match and asks if he is interested in being a producer/agent. Swoggle said, “1,000,000%, man. Working under Fit for so long, I got to learn first-hand and then running these ACW Wisconsin shows that we do. I love producing. I love doing that. My time in the ring, the good stuff, is behind me. So being able to still have an impact in the ring in a different way makes me really happy.”

Sean mentions that he knows Hornswoggle is an action figure collector and will soon have a new WWE Action Figure. The recently-signed WWE Legend tells Sean, “[It] made me very happy, man. I was just talking to Brian Myers last night. I said, ‘Man, if things go even farther and another release comes, it's like, now the dad in me is going, ‘I would love for my son to be able to go into Walmart,’ because my son's a collector and I would love for him to be able to find my figure for the first time in store.’ It would be a really cool moment.” [Writer’s Note: The Hornswoggle figure will be a part of Mattel's WWE Vault Series 5 Elite Collection. The figure will be a vendor exclusive.] It's the coolest thing, man. At four years old, I never thought I would do this. I always wanted to. Then, when I debuted, it was amazing. Now, 20 years into doing this, eight years out of WWE, they're re-releasing a figure. It's awesome.

Since the two were talking action figures, it was only appropriate to bring up Hornswoggle’s close friend, NXT Superstar Ethan Page. Hornswoggle said, “Yeah, man, he's still my best friend. I love that man.”

Hornswoggle would go on to say, “He is the most self-believer human I have ever met, and he has literally made this on his own. I'm happy for him as a friend and as a fan. I'm just happy for him.”

Hornswoggle talks about going viral. Then, he mentions the interactions that he has had with fans. He told Sean, “I don't believe in me. The biggest thing about my life is I don't believe in me. So when other people still believe in me and think I did something pretty cool, it makes me feel pretty happy about myself.”

Sean mentions how Hornswoggle’s former stablemate in 3MB (Three Man Band), Drew McIntyre takes pride in 3MB. Hornswoggle said it makes him happy how much Drew valued 3MB

Sean asked if there were any spots in his career he wished he had not done. Hornswoggle said, “Not really, but when they dressed me up as a cow, that was pretty shitty.” However, he said he looks at it from the perspective that he was on TV and others weren’t

In closing, Sean asked him what was the hardest he’s ever been hit. He didn’t even have to think about it; he said The Great Khali's slap. He added, “That one still pops up every year  (social media)  about this time because it was on Armageddon. But he just whaled the shit out of me, and it's like, man, he is a giant. -- Every time I see him—I worked with him for years—every time I see him to this day I still go, ‘Holy shit is he big.’

Missa Kate

Fightful caught up with Missa Kate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at WrestleCade for an interview. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp spoke with a former NWA Women’s Tag Team Champion, Missa Kate.

Sean starts the interview by telling Missa he knows she is a sports fan and discusses her devotion to the Chicago Cubs and Bears. They talk about the Thanksgiving game in which the Bears lost to the Detroit Lions, which was heartbreaking for Bears fans. (Writer’s Note: I’m a Vikings fan and think it was hilarious. However, I have no room to talk because I am a Vikings fan.) 

She remains optimistic despite the team’s struggles, jokingly hoping to inspire a turnaround. She also shares her love for soccer, reminiscing about her 20-year involvement in the sport. "Soccer is a different kind of cardio," she notes, recounting her experiences as a midfielder and defender. She mentioned wanting to play Football in High School, but her parents would not sign the permission slip.

Missa discusses her wrestling career, highlighting her joy in the industry and her excitement about new opportunities, including potentially wrestling internationally. She recently spoke about wrestling in TNA and said it was surreal to interact with people like Tommy Dreamer and Gail Kim. Missa describes her experience with TNA as overwhelmingly positive. “They are such a family,” she explains, highlighting the welcoming atmosphere. Collaborating with legends like Gail Kim has been invaluable.

Beyond wrestling, Miss Akate reveals her love for animals, particularly dogs. She dreams of starting an animal rescue in Chicago after retiring from wrestling.

The future of Indie Wrestling and opportunities with the WWE. The landscape of wrestling is evolving. Sean mentions WWE ID has introduced initiatives to scout indie talent and provide them with financial support that could transition them from part-time wrestlers to full-time stars. Sean mentions that he heard they signed a person from Chicago. It turned out to be Kylie Rae.

Sean asked if she had any bad travel issues. She mentioned driving from Chicago to Minneapolis.  Missa said she was driving to an AEW show, only to discover her car was out of oil. Despite the freezing winter conditions, Missa made it to the show and later to a mechanic who marveled at how their car was still running.

In closing, they discussed how social media plays a crucial role in a wrestler’s career. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter allow wrestlers to connect with fans.