Night of Champions, Kurt Angle & Latest WWE News & Rumors from Ring Rust Radio

Ring Rust Radio is the best wrestling show on the airwaves, and this week was no different. With strong opinions on Night of Champions, John Cena and more, this is where you need to go to get all of your weekly WWE nuggets.

Bleacher Report featured columnists Mike Chiari, Donald Wood and Brandon Galvin give the lowdown on everything going on in the wrestling world. TNA star Kurt Angle also joined the show to offer his inside perspective on the business.

With another unpredictable episode of Ring Rust Radio in the books, you can't afford to miss another second of the action. Catch us live every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (some language NSFW) or follow us on Twitter @RingRustRadio.

We may just read your questions and comments live on the air. Visit our new website at RingRustRadio.com. You can also email us here: [e-mail].

Some Language NSFW.

Paul Heyman Pokes and Prods John Cena

With WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar once again absent from Raw, Paul Heyman and John Cena were left to handle the build toward Night of Champions on Raw. Heyman cut yet another phenomenal promo as he preyed on Cena's fan reaction, while Cena refused to allow The Beast Incarnate's advocate to get under his skin.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is a Cena Character Change on the Horizon?

It is no secret that Cena's character has largely been the same for more than a decade, and that has certainly worked for both Cena and the company. He is one of the most popular and successful Superstars in the history of the business, so it is understandable why he and WWE may be reluctant to change. With that said, there is absolutely no doubt that Cena's gimmick is played out at this point, and he would most definitely benefit from adding a new dimension to his character.

Heyman claimed that Cena has no chance to beat Lesnar at Night of Champions unless he channels his inner darkness. Heyman wanted Cena to lash out against his detractors and even offered to make him a Heyman guy. In typical Cena fashion, he declined and proceeded to name all the reasons why he enjoys being himself. It made for an interesting dynamic and both men were certainly passionate, but it remains to be seen if anything will change.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

As much as most would like to believe that this segment was foreshadowing a future Cena heel turn or character change, that probably isn't the case. If anything, this felt like confirmation that Cena won't be adjusting at any point in the near future. Perhaps another loss to Lesnar at Night of Champions could change that, but nothing that has happened in recent weeks or months would suggest that Cena is going to do something different.

If anything, this is WWE's way of teasing the audience and keeping hopes of a heel turn alive. One can only assume that a Cena heel turn is going to happen one day, much like when Hulk Hogan became "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. It isn't guaranteed, but professional wrestling is cyclical in that way. Unfortunately, WWE probably can't afford to make that move right now with top face Daniel Bryan on the shelf and Roman Reigns not quite at an elite level yet. Even so, the segment involving Cena and Heyman was a compelling one, and it definitely added some heat to the upcoming pay-per-view match against Lesnar.

Rumor Mill

Possible feud for Brock Lesnar after Cena (WrestlingInc.com via F4WOnline)

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins and Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton Set for NoC

There has been a great deal of confusion regarding the part of the Night of Champions card below the Cena vs. Lesnar main event in recent weeks. Many questions were answered on the most recent episode of Main Event, however, when it was announced that Roman Reigns will face Seth Rollins, while Randy Orton will take on Chris Jericho in a pair of singles matches.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is This the Correct Route for NoC?

While the build toward Night of Champions has been somewhat scatterbrained in relation to the four aforementioned Superstars, the end result looks fairly promising. Reigns has been at odds with the Authority for quite some time, and he has been dealing with both Rollins and Kane in addition to his rivalry with Orton. The Orton vs. Jericho feud is a bit newer, but they exchanged words on Raw a couple weeks ago before the Viper decided to attack Y2J and his injured knee on Monday.

Regardless of the build, these two matches are fresh and make Night of Champions feel different from SummerSlam. Since the main event is already going to be a rematch, keeping rematches to a minimum was a smart idea. Fans can only see Reigns vs. Orton and Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt so many times on Raw, SmackDown and pay-per-view before they clamor to see something different.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

Aside from Cena and Lesnar, it can be argued that Reigns and Rollins garner bigger reactions than anyone in WWE right now. Also, their status as former Shield brethren clearly makes this a feud that resonates with the majority of the WWE fanbase.

The only issue is that both men should be getting built up and neither should be taking losses. With that in mind, perhaps Dean Ambrose will return and cause some type of no contest. In turn, that could set up an incredible Triple Threat match between the former Shield members that would be capable of headlining Hell in a Cell if Lesnar doesn't compete.

As for Orton and Jericho, this seems very much like Y2J's curtain call in relation to his current run. Both he and Orton are savvy veterans who should be able to work an awesome match together. Orton is on a long pay-per-view losing streak since WrestleMania, but it seems fairly obvious that Jericho will put him over here. That will help the Viper regain some credibility, and it could potentially be a springboard toward the No. 1 contender spot for Lesnar's WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Whether that leads to Orton turning face or going tweener, Orton vs. Lesnar would be a fresh match that many fans would like to see.

Rumor Mill

Update on Bray Wyatt's NoC status (WrestlingInc.com via F4WOnline)

RRR Interview with TNA's Kurt Angle

As an Olympic gold medalist and one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever, Kurt Angle has pretty much done it all. He is a TNA Hall of Famer, and it is essentially guaranteed that he will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame one day as well. It would be easy for him to rest on his laurels at 45 years of age, but he is far from done. Angle joined Ring Rust Radio this week to discuss what the future holds for him in the wrestling business.

Question on Everybody's Mind: What's Next for Angle?

With Angle's TNA contract set to expire on Sept. 21, he is on the verge of becoming perhaps the most coveted free agent in professional wrestling. Even though Angle will likely have to work a part-time schedule moving forward as he continues to recover from ACL surgery, it is easy to see why TNA, WWE or any other wrestling company would value his services.

Angle didn't reveal which direction he is currently leaning toward, but he did tell Ring Rust Radio that a decision will be made and announced prior to his TNA contract expiring in less than two weeks.

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Well right now I'm not at liberty to say where I'm going, but I will tell you I'm going to do the right thing for me and my family. I am in the process of structuring a deal, and I do have a company in mind. I haven't said 'yes' because I want to make it a public thing with the company and myself. 

I can't really say who it is or where I'm going, but I can tell you it's going to happen in the next two weeks before my contract is even up. I won't be wrestling until January, but there will be a signing in the next couple of weeks.

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Even though Angle is still playing things close to the vest to some degree, his comments already have wrestling fans speculating about what he'll announce in the coming days.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

There are plenty of assumptions that can be made based on Angle's comments, but only he, his family and the company he intends to sign with know the truth. His return timetable is quite interesting, since coming back in January would allow him to compete at WWE's Royal Rumble pay-per-view. That could just as easily be nothing more than a coincidence, though.

Also, the fact that Angle intends to make an announcement prior to the end of his contract may be a signal that he intends to stay with TNA. Only those close to the situation know Angle's limitations in terms of agreeing to sign elsewhere while under contract with TNA, but that is something that bears watching as well.

When push comes to shove, either WWE or TNA will be securing one of the all-time greats. He may not be the same as he was a decade ago, but he is still capable of putting on great matches with anyone. He is still a cornerstone guy, and his decision-making process will be one of the most intriguing things in wrestling over the next couple weeks.

Bleacher Report Article

Kurt Angle Talks TNA Impact Wrestling, Contract Status, WWE, Injury and More

Ring Rust Radio's Season 6 Fantasy WWE Standings

1. Donald Wood: 110

2. Mike Chiari: 82.5

3. Joe Arcidiacono: 45

4. Brandon Galvin: -50

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