Body Slam Brigade # 64 – Guess Who’s Available

By Ryan Joy
Updated: August 6, 2021
Featured

Body Slam Brigade # 64 – Guess Who’s Available

July 16, 2021

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Who’s available you ask? Bray Wyatt and Ric Flair were both released from WWE this week to join the long list of available wrestlers on the open market.

In this week’s issue, we’re talking about these releases along with the debut of Malakai Black and the rumored debut of Ruby Soho!

Hope you enjoy!

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1. Bray Wyatt Released From WWE!
On July 31, WWE announced that they came to terms on the release of Bray Wyatt. This follows an enormous list of wrestlers released by WWE this year. As has been the case with most of the other releases, WWE’s loss will be someone else’s gain.

As I reflect on Bray’s Fiend character in WWE, I want to recommend that people go back and rewatch the Firefly Fun House Match. As an advertised match for WrestleMania, it’s underwhelming, BUT when you look back at it now, it’s an extremely creative vignette that traces the career of John Cena. I get a very Twin Peaks vibe from it.

Here’s the link to Night 2 of WrestleMania 36 on Peacock. You can advance the stream to 2:43:19.

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2. Ric Flair Released from WWE!
Whenever WWE releases someone from their contract, they typically post a news article on their website that ends with “We wish them the best in all their future endeavors.”

That wasn’t the case when they released Ric Flair earlier this week, and we don’t really know why. Based on Flair’s public comments, it appears WWE and Ric had different opinions about Ric’s future.

Ric Flair responded to the news on social media with “I want to make it really clear with everyone that I’m not upset with WWE at all. They solely are responsible for putting me in the position of life that I am right now, where I’m seen in the brightest light ever. We have a different vision for my future. I wish them nothing but continued success.”

In the days since Flair’s release, I’ve found myself thinking that Flair gave WWE the “Future Endeavor” treatment.

We all sit back now and wonder what Ric Flair will do next. Does he start a podcast with Conrad? Does he jump ship over to AEW? Will he appear in St. Louis for the NWA? Time will tell what he does next, but I’ll always remember Flair’s promo from the 1992 Royal Rumble as the greatest moment of his life.

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3. Ruby Riott Heading to AEW?
Fightful reported earlier this week that Ruby Soho (formerly known as Ruby Riott) is headed to All Elite Wrestling.

I never thought Ruby was able to show her full potential in WWE, and I hope she has the opportunity in AEW.

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4. The Former Aleister Black Debuts on AEW!

Well that was short and convincing. Malakai Black (Formerly known as Aleister Black) made short work of Cody Rhodes on Dynamite this week. The match didn’t go 5 minutes before Black hit his signature Black Mass finisher for the win. Black made the pin by draping a single boot over Cody’s chest.

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5. Max Caster . . .
Ok. I’ll admit that topic number 5 is a bit off topic for this week’s “Guess Who’s Available” subject line, but it’s too important a topic to skip over.

On the 8/2 episode of AEW Dark, Max Caster did his standard rap promo on the way to the ring. His chosen lyrics this week garnered him and AEW some unwanted attention as Caster rapped lines pertaining to Simone Biles’ mental health while also insinuating that he would rape his opponents (by invoking the Duke Lacrosse team).

There are some saying that Max Caster was just doing his job by angering the crowd, but it’s clear that he crossed the line. AEW took down the episode, removed the promo, and reposted the episode.

Tony Khan has now assumed the responsibility of editing Dark.

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Before I let. you go for the week, I’m super sad to hear about the death of Bobby Eaton.

Mike Johnson of PW Insider wrote, “he’ll be forever known as the nucleus of The Midnight Express tag team, initially teaming with Dennis Condrey and managed by Jim Cornette for Mid-South Wrestling. Their feud with The Rock N’ Roll Express helped revive the territory and continued on, in some capacity, through multiple promotions all the way through different legends conventions and gatherings that saw the teams reprise their rivalry.”

Rest In Peace Bobby.

Have A Great Weekend!

Ryan

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