Archive for July, 2016

Backstage Fight At SmackDown, Nikki Bella Return Update, Triple H Reacts To NXT Call-Ups

– A fight broke out at Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown from Worcester, MA involving Sin Cara and Simon Gotch of The Vaudevillains. The two got physical near the catering area, but we are awaiting further details on what what precipitated the altercation. Neither man wrestled on the show. Fortunately, the two will not have to work together any time soon, as Sin Cara was drafted to RAW while The Vaudevillains will be on SmackDown.

– Nikki Bella will be undergoing an MRI this week to determine if she’s medically cleared to get back in the ring after undergoing major neck surgery back in January.

– Triple H tweeted the following about the NXT stars who got Drafted to RAW and SmackDown:

Cody Rhodes Announced For ROH Final Battle (12/2)

Ring of Honor have secured the services of ex-WWE star Cody Rhodes for Final Battle on Friday December 2nd, which takes place from the Hammerstein Ballrom in New York City. His opponent has not been announced as of this writing.

Also announced for the December supershow are ROH Champion Jay Lethal, ROH Television Champion Bobby Fish and ROH Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian.

Tickets are now available at Ticketmaster.com.

NJPW: Super J Cup First Round Results

Here are the results for the first round of New Japan’s Super J Cup tournament that aired today on NJPW World:

Matt Sydal b. Kaji Tomato – Sydal took the win after hitting Air Sydal

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755699025328869376

Kenoh b. Gurukun Mask   – Kenoh moves on to the second round after hitting his finisher the Rago

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755704919563403264

Taichi b. Yuma Aoyagi  – Taichi wins via pinfall following a Lariat

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755709167101480960

Jushin Thunder Liger b. Eita – Juniors legend JTL takes the win with a Brainbuster

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755711198205734912

Will Ospreay b. Titan – the UK sensation moves on to the second round after winning with the OsCutter

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755719667918962688

Yoshinobu Kanemaru b. BUSHI – Kanemaru wins via the Touch-Out (Swivel Brainbuster)

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755722286074920960

Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Daisuke Harada – Taguchi wins via pinfall 

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755728815679242240

KUSHIDA b. Taiji Ishimori – KUSHIDA wins via Submission with the Hoverboard lock

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/755733029566447616

The second round and finals of the Super J Cup tournament will be taking place on August 21 at the Ariake Colosseum.

Video: John Cena Comments On Brock Lesnar’s Failed Drug Tests

John Cena was the guest on Jonathan Coachman’s weekly ESPN segment last night and was asked directly about Brock Lesnar failing two USADA drug tests prior to UFC 200. Cena said:

“Well, there was certainly a lot of hype. I was actually on SportsCenter hyping that fight myself. My thoughts were in Brock Lesnar’s corner, as he was put as the underdog in that fight, and he ended up doing well.

Anytime something like that comes out, it certainly affects your perception of the event. There’s no way that people aren’t going to perceive Brock Lesnar differently, and when something like this happens, you set yourself a long, hard road ahead of you, and Brock’s got a long, hard road ahead of him.”

Here’s the video, which is only available on Desktop. If you’re on a mobile device and the video does not display, you can view it at ESPN.go.com.

Ryback Comments On When His WWE Contract Expires

After a contract dispute with WWE over the past several months, it’s looking pretty certain that Ryback will be leaving the company. Ahead of last night’s WWE Draft (in which he was not assigned to either RAW or SmackDown), the Big Guy addressed his fans on Twitter, providing an update on his ongoing health issues and when he will be officially gone from WWE.

New Commentary Teams For RAW & SmackDown, Jerry Lawler Out

Coming out of the WWE Draft, the new WWE announce teams look like this:

RAW: Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Michael Cole

SmackDown: Mauro Ranallo, JBL, David Otunga

Main Event: Otunga, Tom Phillips

Superstars: Graves, Phillips

No word if Corey Graves and Tom Phillips will continue to call the action for NXT, but one WWE announcer conspicuously absent from these new lineups is Jerry Lawler.

Brock Lesnar Reportedly Tested Positive For Estrogen Blocker

News broke on Tuesday afternoon that Brock Lesnar failed a second USADA drug test, this one “in competition” and conducted July 9th, the day of UFC 200.

Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times reports the drug Lesnar was flagged for is Clomiphene, an estrogen blocker used to increase testosterone production while cycling off steroids. USADA confirmed this week that Lesnar failed both tests for the same banned substance.

This is the same substance former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones tested positive for.

There’s a detailed post on Reddit/r/MMA about Clomiphene, which gets into further detail about what the drug does and why/when it’s used by bodybuilders and fighters.

What doesn’t bode well for his match at SummerSlam is the fact that use of Clomiphene violates WWE’s Wellness Policy. SummerSlam takes place Sunday, August 21st, so if he does get suspended for 30 days, WWE would have to act almost immediately in order for him to be back in time for his match against Randy Orton.

WWE Smackdown Reaction 7/19/2016

This week’s episode of Smackdown opened up with Shane, Stephanie, Daniel Bryan and Mick Foley at their respective podiums. Mick Foley was going to announce the first pick of the draft but Stephanie McMahon interrupted him and shouted that the first pick of the draft is Seth Rollins. Daniel Bryan then announced that Smackdown’s first pick is Dean Ambrose. Mick Foley then announced that the second pick for Monday Night Raw was the Women’s Champion Charlotte. Shane McMahon then announced Smackdown’s second pick was AJ Styles. Mick Foley then announced that Raw is drafting NXT superstar Finn Balor.

John Cena vs Luke Gallows

AJ Styles and Karl Anderson joined Gallows ringside. AJ Styles was already sporting a Smackdown shirt. Enzo and Big Cass came out before the match started to even the odds with Styles and Anderson also outside the ring. It didn’t take long for everybody to wind up in the ring. Enzo and Cass tossed Styles and Anderson outside the ring. John Cena then hit the Attitude Adjustment on Gallows for the victory.

Reaction: Finally, Finn Balor will make his debut on the main roster. Neither Cena or Roman Reigns were selected in the top 5.

Mick Foley announced that Roman Reigns was Raw’s next selection. The crowd booed loudly and Stephanie McMahon didn’t seem to a big fan of that selection either. Shane McMahon then announced that John Cena is Smackdown’s next selection. Stephanie McMahon then announced that Brock Lesnar is the next selection for Monday Night Raw. Daniel Bryan then announced that Smackdown’s selection was Randy Orton. The New Day was then drafted to Monday Night Raw.

Rusev & the Miz vs Zack Ryder & Darren Young

This was a short match with Rusev dominating early. However, Zack Ryder and Darren Young battled back. It came down to the Miz and Darren Young in the ring. Darren Young locked in the Crossface Chickenwing and the Miz tapped out. Bob Backlund was ringside and when Young secured the victory, he started jumping around like a madman.

Reaction: Lesnar and Reigns on Monday Night Raw immediately generated steroid jokes on social media. I like the fact that John Cena and Randy Orton are going to Smackdown. Both shows have a mix of young talent and veterans. Smackdown has yet make a selection from the NXT roster.

https://twitter.com/jctorch/status/755560583139696642

Xavier Woods vs Bray Wyatt

All of the members of the Wyatt Family and the New Day were ringside for this match. Xavier Woods had that hypnotized look on his face pretty much the entire match and Bray Wyatt took advantage of it. As soon as Xavier Woods started to build some momentum it was halted with a Sister Abigail from Bray Wyatt. Mauro Ranallo then remarked that Xavier Woods better get his head on straight before the 6 man tag team match this Sunday at Battleground.

Kevin Owens vs Kane

Sami Zayn attacked Kevin Owens while he was walking down to the ring. Kevin Owens then caught Zayn with a kick in the face and instructed Kane to Chokeslam Zayn. Kane decided to Chokeslam both Zayn and Owens.

Stephanie McMahon then announced that Sami Zayn is Raw’s next draft pick. Shane McMahon then selected Bray Wyatt to join Smackdown. Mick Foley announced that Sasha Banks was Raw’s next selection. Daniel Bryan then announced that Becky Lynch was Smackdown’s next selection. Mick Foley then selected Chris Jericho to join Monday Night Raw.

Reaction: Hopefully Smackdown eventually drafts Kevin Owens to separate him from Sami Zayn. I find it interesting that Shane McMahon didn’t draft the entire Wyatt Family, instead just Bray Wyatt.

2 on 1 Match: Charlotte & Dana Brooke vs Sasha Banks

There was no way Sasha Banks was going to win this match as the odds were greatly stacked against her. Sasha got in some offense on Dana Brooke, but wound up being pinned by Charlotte after she hit the Natural Selection.

Mick Foley announced that Raw’s selection was Rusev and Lana. Daniel Bryan then selected Intercontinental Champion the Miz and Maryse. Stephanie McMahon then announced that Kevin Owens will be joining Raw. Shane McMahon then announced that Baron Corbin is heading to Smackdown. Mick Foley then selected Enzo & Cass for Monday Night Raw.

Reaction: Kevin Owens was finally drafted and wound up on the same show as Sami Zayn. I thought it was a certainty that Owens and Zayn would wind up on different shows, as usual I was incorrect.

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/755459491685081088

Chris Jericho vs Cesaro

Jericho was mocking Cesaro before the match because he still hadn’t been drafted. This was a back and forth match with Cesaro getting in plenty of offense. Cesaro hit a bunch of uppercuts and also got Jericho in the Cesaro Swing. Cesaro spring-boarded himself off of the second rope and jumped right into a massive Codebreaker from Jericho. This led to Jericho pinning Cesaro for the victory.

Smackdown returned from a commercial break to Becky Lynch attacking Natalya. Last night on Monday Night Raw, Natalya attacked Lynch and tonight she got her revenge.

Stephanie McMahon then announced that they selected Gallows and Anderson. Daniel Bryan then announced that the tag team American Alpha from NXT will be heading to Smackdown. Mick Foley then selected the Big Show for Monday Night Raw. Shane McMahon then selected Dolph Ziggler for Smackdown. Stephanie McMahon then selected Nia Jax from NXT to join Raw’s roster.

Reaction: I cannot believe Cesaro hasn’t been yet. American Alpha heading to Smackdown is awesome. The crowd didn’t seem to excited when it was announced that the Big Show would be joining Monday Night Raw. Gallows and Anderson joining Fill Balor on Raw may finally allow us to see the long rumored “Balor Club”.

Stephanie McMahon announced that Neville will be heading to Monday Night Raw. Daniel Bryan then selected Natalya to join the Smackdown roster. Mick Foley then finally selected Cesaro to join the Raw roster. Shane McMahon announced that Alberto Del Rio is heading to Smackdown. Mick Foley then selected Sheamus for Monday Night Raw.

WWE Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins attacked Dean Ambrose before the match even started. This match quickly devolved into a brawl with a lot of the action taking place outside of the ring. Seth Rollins hit a gigantic Superplex on Dean Ambrose, but Ambrose popped right back up and hit the Dirty Deeds on Rollins. Ambrose then pinned Rollins and retained his WWE Championship. After the match, Ambrose put on his Smackdown shirt and celebrated in the ring with Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon.

Reaction: As of now, it seems like Monday Night Raw has the more star-studded roster. However, Smackdown has the WWE Champion Dean Ambrose, but that could change if either Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins wins this Sunday at Battleground.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Smackdown? Which show’s roster do you think is better? Let us know in the comments below.

WWE SmackDown Results & Discussion (7/19)

This week’s live episode of SmackDown on the USA Network featured the 2016 WWE roster draft. SmackDown aired from the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.

– SmackDown opens up with Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan on the stage to represent SD, and Stephanie and Mick Foley on stage to represent RAW in this year’s Draft. RAW gets the first pick, and Stephanie announces their #1 pick: Seth Rollins! SmackDown’s first pick is Dean Ambrose. RAW’s second pick is Charlotte, and SmackDown’s second pick is AJ Styles. RAW picks Finn Balor for their third pick, and then the draft is interrupted by John Cena who is out next for a match.

John Cena def. Luke Gallows: The Club is in Gallows’ corner, and Enzo and Amore are in Cena’s corner. Gallows controls most of the first half of the match, then Cena comes back with a shoulder block, a back drop, and the five-knuckle shuffle for 2. Both men are down when Enzo and Amore and The Club decide to enter in the ring. Enzo and Cass throw AJ and Anderson to the outside, then Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment on Gallows for the win.

– Foley announces that Roman Reigns is RAW’s next draft pick, and Shane announces that SmackDown’s next pick is John Cena. Stephanie announces RAW’s next pick Brock Lesnar, and Daniel Bryan announces SmackDown’s next pick Randy Orton. Stephanie’s next pick for RAW is The New Day.

Darren Young and Zack Ryder def. Rusev and The Miz: Bob Backlund is at ringside for Darren Young. Rusev and The Miz keep Ryder grounded in the opening moments while the crowd chants “We want Backlund.” Darren Young gets the tag and hits a belly to belly overhead suplex on The Miz followed by the Gut Check for 2. Rusev and Ryder run in, which leads to Ryder hitting a missile dropkick that sends Rusev to the outside. Backlund calls for the Crossface Chicken Wing and Young locks it in for the win.

Bray Wyatt def. Xavier Woods: Xavier acts scared of Bray in the opening minutes of the match. Bray gets in all of the offense early on. Woods tries to get back in the game with a series of right hands and a knee, but eventually falls victim to the Sister Abigail which gives Bray the pinfall victory.

Kevin Owens vs. Kane – No Contest: Before Owens can get to the ring, Sami Zayn jumps him from behind. They brawl all the way to the ring where Kane observes the fight. Owens throws Zayn at Kane, but Kane chokeslams both of them.

– Stephanie picks Sami Zayn for RAW next, and Shane picks Bray Wyatt for SmackDown. RAW’s next pick is Sasha Banks, and SmackDown’s next pick is Becky Lynch. RAW’s final pick for this round is Chris Jericho.

Dana Brooke & Charlotte def. Sasha Banks: This one is a handicap match. Sasha starts off in control against Dana but things go to ringside where Dana and Charlotte take control. Sasha gets Dana in the Banks Statement but Charlotte gets the tag and hits the Natural Selection for the win.

– Foley announces that Rusev is going to RAW, and Daniel Bryan announces that The Miz is going to SmackDown. RAW’s second pick in this round is Kevin Owens, and SmackDown’s next pick is Baron Corbin. RAW’s final pick this round is Enzo and Cass.

Chris Jericho def. Cesaro: Cesaro starts with a series of European uppercuts that sends Jericho to the floor outside, then follows up with a splash off the apron. We get a series of back and forth moves and near-falls before Jericho hits a Frankensteiner off the top rope. Cesaro blocks a Codebreaker attempt and a Lionsault attempt then swings Jericho. Cesaro goes for a springboard elbow off the middle rope, but Jericho catches him in mid-air with the Codebreaker for the win.

– Stephanie drafts Gallows and Anderson to RAW, and Daniel Bryan drafts American Alpha to SmackDown. Foley drafts The Big Show to RAW, and Shane drafts Dolph Ziggler to SmackDown. Stephanie drafts Nia Jax to RAW, and then Neville. SmackDown’s next pick is Natalya, and RAW’s next one is Cesaro. SmackDown picks Alberto Del Rio, and RAW picks Sheamus. These will be the last televised picks, with more being announced after SmackDown.

Dean Ambrose def. Seth Rollins: The World Heavyweight Title is on the line in this one. Rollins starts brawling with Ambrose at ringside before the opening bell rings. Rollins continues the offense after the bell rings to officially start the match. Rollins takes things back out to ringside, but Ambrose back body-drops him into the timekeeper area. Ambrose misses a splash and Rollins throws him back in the ring for a flying knee and a superkick for a near-fall. Rollins goes to work on Ambrose in the corner until the Champion comes back with a clothesline. Ambrose hits a swinging neckbreaker for a 2-count, then goes up top for a splash but Ambrose catches him. Rollins powerbombs Ambrose into the turnbuckle then goes for a frogsplash, but Ambrose moves out of the way. Ambrose throws Rollins outside then follows up with a splash off the top rope onto Rollins on the floor. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a superplex off the top, but Ambrose immediately comes back with the Dirty Deeds for the win. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan come out to celebrate with Ambrose to close out the show.

WWE Draft Results: Complete Rosters For RAW & SmackDown

Following the 2016 WWE Draft, here are the updated rosters for RAW and SmackDown:

RAW

Commissioner: Stephanie McMahon
General Manager: Mick Foley

#1. Seth Rollins
#3. WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte
#5. Finn Balor
#6. Roman Reigns
#8. Brock Lesnar
#10. Tag Team Champions The New Day
#11. Sami Zayn
#13. Sasha Banks
#15. Chris Jericho
#16. United States Champion Rusev with Lana
#18. Kevin Owens
#20. Enzo Amore and Big Cass
#21. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
#23. Big Show
#25. Nia Jax
#26. Neville
#28. Cesaro
#30. Sheamus
#31. Goldust and R-Truth
#33. Titus O’Neil
#35. Paige
#36. Darren Young with Bob Backlund
#38. Sin Cara
#40. Jack Swagger
#42. The Dudley Boyz
#44. Summer Rae
#46. Mark Henry
#48. Braun Strowman
#50. Bo Dallas
#52. The Shining Stars
#54. Alicia Fox
#56. Dana Brooke
#58. Curtis Axel

SmackDown

Commissioner: Shane McMahon
General Manager: Daniel Bryan

#2. WWE Champion Dean Ambrose
#4. AJ Styles
#7. John Cena
#9. Randy Orton
#12. Bray Wyatt
#14. Becky Lynch
#17. Intercontinental Champion The Miz with Maryse
#19. Baron Corbin
#22. Chad Gable and Jason Jordan
#24. Dolph Ziggler
#27. Natalya
#29. Alberto Del Rio
#32. The Usos
#34. Kane
#37. Kalisto
#39. Naomi
#41. The Ascension
#43. Zack Ryder
#45. Apollo Crews
#47. Alexa Bliss
#49. Tyler Breeze and Fandango
#51. Eva Marie
#53. The Vaudevillains
#55. Erick Rowan
#57. Mojo Rawley
#59. Carmella

Fandango Talks Backstage WWE Draft Excitement, Wanting To Go Higher In WWE

Fandango spoke with Maine’s Portland Press-Herald to hype tonight’s WWE Draft. Fandango is from Maine and had this to say about his current WWE run, the WWE Draft and more:

Wanting more out of his WWE run:

“It’s the only thing I’m really good at, and since I’ve dedicated this much time, I’m probably all in for the rest of my life. I’m definitely grateful for everything I’ve achieved, but I want to go higher up the food chain in the WWE.”

The Draft, teaming with Tyler Breeze:

“There’s a positive vibe in the locker room because it’s a change that’s creating more room and slots and TV time for guys who aren’t really getting it. Tyler and I are really excited to see where we fall.”

Head over to PressHerald.com to read the full interview.

John Cena On ESPN Tonight, New WWE PC Training Videos, Zeb At The RNC

– John Cena will be the ESPN Off The Top Rope guest for Jonathan Coachman this week. Due to the WWE Draft, the segment will air in the 10:15pm segment tonight. After tonight, the weekly segment will move to Wednesday nights, according to Coach on Twitter.

 

– Dolph Ziggler isn’t the only wrestling star at the Republican National Convention this year as former WWE star Zeb Colter is headed there Friday. He tweeted:

– WWE has released new videos of newcomers Bin Wang and Dan Matha training at the Performance Center:

WWE RAW Viewership Down For Pre-Draft Episode

Monday’s episode of WWE RAW averaged 3.133 million viewers on the USA Network, down from last week’s 3.170 million viewers.

The show featured the final hype for the WWE Draft and Battleground, plus Dean Ambrose defending the WWE Title against Seth Rollins. Here’s the hourly breakdown:

  • Hour 1: 3.204 million
  • Hour 2: 3.236 million
  • Hour 3: 2.960 million

RAW was ranked #10 for the night in viewership and #2 in the 18-49 demographic.

In Nielsen’s nightly Twitter TV ratings for series & specials, WWE RAW had 176,000 tweets with 45,000 unique authors. The show ranked #2 for the night, behind the Republican National Convention.

WWE Draft Announce Team Revealed

SmackDown Live premieres tonight on the USA Network and will feature thee 2016 WWE Draft.

We’re just hours away from finding out what the new RAW and SmackDown rosters will look like and Mauro Ranallo has checked in with an update on which WWE announcers will be on deck for this very special edition of SmackDown.

According to Mauro, he’ll be calling the Draft along with Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Byron Saxton. No word on why JBL is not part of the mix and we still don’t know if the announce teams will be shaken up during this brand extension.

https://twitter.com/mauroranallo/status/755435299774357505

Join us here tonight starting at 8pm EST for our Live Coverage of SmackDown and the WWE Draft.

Discussion: What are your ideal RAW and SmackDown announce teams moving forward?

Videos: John Cena’s First Hefty “Ultra Strong” Commercials

John Cena is the new spokesperson for Hefty brand’s new “Ultra Strong” trash bags. It was recently reported that Cena had signed a multi-million dollar endorsement deal with the company and the first campaign launched this week.

Hefty’s new Ultra Strong Drawstring Trash Bag commercials star wrestler, actor and strong man John Cena, who embodies Hefty’s strength and humor. His character infuses plenty of muscle and a few subtle jabs at his wimpy counterpart, played by actor and comedian Rob Schneider.

Here are the commercials which are already airing on television:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHFRUPx6DDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMBjOzf0i8w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFBADN4pDyc

Lucha Underground Preview For Ultima Lucha Dos Finale, Marathon Schedule

El Rey Network issued the following:

THE FINAL CHAPTER OF SEASON TWO CLOSES WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE, TWO-HOUR SUPERSIZED EPISODE OF ‘LUCHA UNDERGROUND’ WEDNESDAY, JULY 20th AT 8:00 PM ET/PT ON EL REY NETWORK

MISSED A MATCH OR WANT TO RELIVE THE ACTION? ENCORE PRESENTATIONS OF THE FULL SEASON CONTINUES WITH A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY REY MYSTERIO!

Check out sneak peeks of “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKX6ME0iX8o

In the conclusion of Lucha Underground’s electrifying second season, “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III,” an explosive match pits Fenix, Drago and Aerostar against Worldwide Underground hits the temple, while Rey Mysterio clashes with Prince Puma. Plus, Pentagon battles the Monster Matanza Cueto, and Ivelisse goes head-to -head with Taya. Last but certainly not least, El Dragon Azteca Jr. challenges the Black Lotus in an intense match that shouldn’t be missed! The final chapter of ‘Lucha Underground’ is sure to go out with a bang on Wednesday, July 20th at 8:00pm ET/PT on El Rey Network.

‘Lucha Underground’ Season Two Marathon Schedule Continues…

Monday, July 18th

·8:00pm ET – “Monster Meets Monster” (Ep 213)

·9:00pm ET – “Cage in a Cage” (Ep 214)

·10:00pm ET – “No Mas” (Ep 215)

·11:00pm ET – “Graver Consequences” (Ep 216)

·12:00am ET – “Crime & Punishment” (Ep 217)

·1:00am ET – “Enter the Mundo” (Ep 218)

Tuesday, July 19th

·8:00pm ET – “Judgment Day” (Ep 219)

·9:00pm ET – “The Contenders” (Ep 220)

·10:00pm ET – “Six to Survive” (Ep 221)

·11:00pm ET – “Fame and Fortune” (Ep 222)

·12:00am ET – “The Phoenix, the Dragon, and the Spaceman” (Ep 223)

Wednesday, July 20th

·6:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part 1” (Ep 224)

·7:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part II” (Ep 225)

·8:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” (Ep 226)

·10:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” (Ep 226) Encore presentation

Major SPOILER For Tonight’s WWE Draft

The WWE Draft is just hours away and we’ve got a major spoiler regarding one of the 6 NXT stars joining the main roster.

Fans sitting ringside tonight at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA will find something interesting on their seats – signs that read, “Hugger Section.” Of course, this is a dead giveaway that former NXT Women’s Champion Bayley, the biggest hugger in the company, is getting drafted.

Bayley has been part of NXT since January 2013 and is widely regarded as having huge upside potential on the larger stage of WWE.  Congrats to Bayley!

https://twitter.com/JoeCroninSHOW/status/755523575046664192

WWE Championship Rematch Announced For Tonight’s SmackDown Live

In light of the controversial finish to last night’s WWE Championship match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon has announced a rematch for tonight’s SmackDown Live premiere.

RAW went off the air with Rollins celebrating an apparent title win. Cameras kept rolling and fans who tuned into the WWE Network saw Lilian Garcia announce the referee reviewed footage of the finish, saw both men had their shoulders down and declared the match a draw. As a result, Dean Ambrose retained the WWE Championship.

With WWE now referring to Ambrose’s title as simply the WWE Championship and reports that WWE will be introducing another top championship for SmackDown, this appears to be the start of that process.

Tune in to SmackDown Live tonight on the USA Network at 8pm EST for the next chapter in this ongoing story.

Recent Photo Of The Undertaker, Samoa Joe Denies Injury Report, Aries Update

– Prior to Monday’s RAW, WWE taped The Dudleyz vs. The Usos and Summer Rae vs. Alicia Fox for this week’s Superstars.

– Samoa Joe has responded to a report from earlier this week about him working through a bad elbow injury. Joe denies that he’s hurt and says he is wearing medical tape as a preventative measure.

– We noted how Austin Aries was pulled from last week’s NXT TV tapings and then did not appear at a live event from Indianapolis, where he was advertised to wrestle Hideo Itami. Aries has dismissed speculation about his status:

– The Undertaker looks to be enjoying life. A user on Reddit posted this photo of Taker in Daytona Beach this weekend at a local golf club. He was in town for the LPGA International event.

A wild Undertaker appeared! Just enjoying some golf… (Via r/ EnzohGorlami)

A photo posted by With Spandex (@withspandex) on

More Details On WWE Bringing Back The Cruiserweight Division

WWE RAW commissioner Stephanie McMahon announced last night that the Cruiserweight division is returning and will be exclusive to the RAW brand.

The decision was inspired by the success of last week’s Cruiserweight Classic premiere, the 10-week series on the WWE Network culminating with a live finale on Wednesday, September 4th. In light of the Cruiserweight division being revived on WWE television, the word going around is that the tournament winner will be crowned the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

PWTorch.com broke the news last week that CWC standout competitors Kota Ibushi and Gran Metalik have signed with WWE. Several others, including Zack Sabre Jr., Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, Akira Tozawa, and Jack Gallagher are also on WWE’s radar for this new Cruiserweight division.

Some are already questioning the logic of the division being exclusive to the RAW brand when SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon has been talking about making his show new and innovative (not to mention SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan co-hosts the CWC with SmackDown announcer Mauro Ranallo), but it’s hard to complain about Cruiserweights getting prominent time on WWE TV and the incredible talent we’ll be seeing in this division.

https://twitter.com/NoamDar/status/755196594811797504

Discussion: What do you think about WWE reviving the Cruiserweight division on RAW?

Dean Ambrose Is Still WWE Champion After Controversial RAW Main Event

It was announced on the WWE Network after RAW that Dean Ambrose is still the WWE Champion and will go into the match with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Battleground with the title.

RAW ended with Rollins celebrating his title win after a screwy finish to their main event match. Lilian Garcia then announced on the WWE Network that after reviewing a tape, the referee ruled that both men had their shoulders down and the match ended in a draw.

With WWE dropping “World Heavyweight” from the official title of Ambrose’s WWE Championship and reports over the past several weeks that WWE will be introducing another top belt for SmackDown, this appears to be the start of that process.

WWE Monday Night Raw Reaction 7/18/2016

This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw kicked off with both Stephanie and Shane McMahon in the ring to announce their new general managers. Stephanie announced that Mick Foley is the new GM of Monday Night Raw. Mick Foley compared the new era in the WWE to the Monday Night Wars between WCW and WWE back in the day. Foley stated that he will bring that same competitiveness today in the battle between Raw and Smackdown. Shane McMahon then announced that Daniel Bryan will be the new GM of Smackdown. Bryan came out to a thunderous applause and an arena wide “Yes!” chant. Daniel Bryan said that he overcame all the obstacles as an underdog and that Smackdown will do the same. Stephanie McMahon then poked fun at Shane who was sweating bullets and Shane responded by stating that Stephanie had to marry a WWE Superstar to remain relevant. The segment ended with with Shane and Bryan doing the “Yes!” chant in the ring. During this segment it was also announced that a Cruiserweight division will be added exclusively to Monday Night Raw.

Reaction: It had been rumored that Daniel Bryan would be the new Smackdown GM and I’m very happy that rumor turned out to be true. I thought it was quite surprising that Stephanie McMahon selected Mick Foley as the Raw GM, I figured it would have been somebody the crowd hated. Both Bryan and Foley are entertaining and I don’t see why anyone would be disappointed in either choice for GM.

Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho vs Sami Zayn & Cesaro

https://twitter.com/JAYBONE5150/status/755199545038938112

Jericho and Cesaro started off this match. Cesaro had the momentum early on but everything changed when he tagged Sami Zayn in. Zayn was getting beatdown by both Jericho and Owens for a substantial period of time but was able to battle back and tag in Cesaro. Owens and Jericho then fell victim to the Uppercut Train by Cesaro. It came down to Jericho and Zayn in the ring. Jericho rolled up Sami Zayn and thought he had the victory, but Zayn kicked out at 2. Zayn then rolled up Jericho for the pinfall victory. Jericho was completely shocked that he had lost the match and even raised his hand as if he had won.

Reaction: Owens and Zayn did their throwing punches at the same time thing again, but I’m more interested in what happens after Battleground. Zayn and Owens will surely have a great match this Sunday, I just cannot wait to see what the future holds for both of them. The same could be said for Cesaro, who hasn’t been placed in an interesting storyline recently.

Darren Young vs Alberto Del Rio

The Miz and Maryse were on commentary for this match. This was a quick back and forth match with Darren Young getting the roll-up victory after the Miz’s plan to distract him backfired.

John Cena, Enzo and Cass take turns dissing the Club. Enzo Amore had himself one hell of a promo here, it was just punchline after punchline. The Club then comes out and Karl Anderson started talking about his hot Asian wife again. The New Day then joins the fun and starts making fun of the Club as well. Xavier Woods then mentioned that he is a level 21 trainer in Pokemon Go and began to list off all of the Pokemon in the game while the crowd chanted “how you doin’?” after each one. The Wyatts then interrupted and headed towards the ring, cuing a commercial break.

Reaction: I loved this promo. John Cena was essentially playing the old man shouting “get off my lawn!” the entire time because he had no idea what anyone was talking about. I’m also impressed that Xavier Woods is a level 21 trainer in Pokemon Go, I’m only at level 15 and that is with the game freezing every 10 seconds.

12 Man Tag Team Match: John Cena, Enzo Amore, Big Cass & the New Day vs the Club & the Wyatt Family

The match started off with total chaos. Big Cass and Brawn Strowman had a face off and exchanged a couple of massive shots. Big Cass hit Strowman with a couple of huge kicks but Strowman stayed on his feed. Cass was winding up for another big kick, but Kofi tagged himself and launched onto Strowman off the top rope. Strowman awkwardly caught Kofi and slammed him to the mat. There was a commercial break and Raw returned with Cena facing off with Bray Wyatt. Cena went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but Bray Wyatt popped up Excorsism-style and shocked Cena so much he fell down. Strowman and then Erick Rowan then dominated Cena. AJ Styles then entered the match and continued to dominate Cena. Karl Anderson then got tagged in and continued to beatdown Cena. Luke Gallows was then tagged in and you guessed it, continued to dominate Cena. Gallows went for a Splash on Cena, but finally John was able to roll out of the way and Gallows belly-flopped to the mat. However, after Raw returned from a commercial break, Cena was once again being dominated by Bray Wyatt. Cena then jumped across the ring and tagged Big Cass. All hell broke loose and culminated with Xavier Woods flipping onto the Wyatt Family outside the ring. The Wyatts and the New Day then fought all the way out of the match and to the backstage area. Enzo went to hit Styles, but accidentally hit Cena. Styles then hit the Styles Clash on Enzo for the pinfall victory.

Reaction: This match was wildly entertaining and was a great way to get fans excited for both the Wyatt/New Day and the Club/Enzo, Cena & Cass matches at Battleground in 6 days.

Seth Rollins is shown walking around in the empty Providence arena before Raw. Rollins claimed that his knee caved from the pressure of carrying the WWE and that Roman Reigns rose to become champion. Rollins then once again pointed out that Reigns was suspended and stated that when Reigns returns at Battleground, he wont be the same. Rollins walked down some stairs in the arena and claimed that he used to walk down those stairs with both Ambrose and Reigns. Rollins claimed that every once in a while, he wanted to push them in the back and watch them stumble down the stairs. Finally, Rollins reached the ring and stated that he will once again become champion because he is the man.

Shane McMahon and Mick Foley had an interesting encounter backstage. Shane stated that one of the reasons that Stephanie hired Mick was because she could easily manipulate him. Foley disregarded Shane’s comments and sarcastically thanked Shane for looking out for him.

Baron Corbin vs Sin Cara 

Total squash match. Corbin hit the End of Days for the victory within a couple of minutes. After the match, Corbin continued the assault on Sin Cara. This prompted Kalisto to come out and make the save. Corbin retreated once Kalisto got to the ring. However, as Kalisto was checking on his tag partner Sin Cara, Corbin returned to the ring and laid out Kalisto.

Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch vs Dana Brooke & Charlotte

Charlotte was supposed to start off this match but immediately tagged in Dana Brooke in order to avoid a confrontation with Sasha Banks. Becky Lynch and Banks then dominated Dana Brooke. However, the match ended with Natalya interfering and attacking Becky Lynch. Charlotte and Dana Brooke then beatdown Banks in the middle of the ring. Charlotte hit the Natural Selection on Banks and then celebrated with Dana Brooke in the ring.

Dean Amrose then cut a backstage promo similar to the classic Shield promos from a couple of years ago. Essentially, he just stated that after tonight and Battleground he still will be WWE Champion.

Rusev & Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler & Zack Ryder

Before the match, Michael Cole referred to Zack Ryder as an “upstart” as if he just joined the company. Sheamus dominated the beginning of the match, despite the crowd loudly chanting “You look stupid!” at him. Rusev was screaming for a tag but Sheamus ignored him. Finally, Sheamus tagged in Rusev, whom was promptly greeted with a flurry of offense from Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler’s momentum was short lived and he ultimately tapped out to the Accolade applied by Rusev.

https://twitter.com/RWGIFS/status/755225217287544841

Daniel Bryan and Mick Foley ran into each other backstage and had an entertaining exchange. Foley pointed out how much the two had in common, the most prominent being that they both overcame the odds. This segment ended with Foley saying “may the best brand win” and Daniel Bryan nodding in agreement.

WWE Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs Seth Rollins

Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan, Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley were ringside for this match. Dean Ambrose was destroying Seth Rollins in the beginning of this match. However, after Raw returned from a commercial break it was Rollins that had control of the match. During the match, Bryon Saxton pointed out to JBL that this could be their last broadcast together due to the draft being tomorrow night.

https://twitter.com/kevinsfight/status/755233200058748928

Seth Rollins Powerbombed Dean Ambrose onto the barricade outside the ring and then rolled Ambrose back into the ring. Rollins followed this up with a massive Frog Splash off of the top rope, but Ambrose was able to kick out at the last second.

Seth Rollins went for another Powerbomb, but this time into the turnbuckle but this time Ambrose countered with a Hurricanrana. Rollins recovered and beatdown Ambrose once again. Rollins then went for another Frog Splash, but this time Ambrose rolled out of the way. Seth Rollins once again recaptured the momentum and Powerbombed Ambrose into the turnbuckle, but Ambrose bounced off the rope and hit Dirty Deeds out of nowhere. Ambrose went for the pinfall, but Rollins got his foot on the bottom rope just before the referees hand hit the mat for the third time. Ambrose went for a Double Axe Handle off the top rope, but Rollins kicked him in the stomach and then hit a Pedigree. Ambrose kicked out at two and followed it up with a Clothesline shortly after. Rollins hit a Superplex on Ambrose off of the top rope which turned into both competitors rolling each other up at the same time. The referee counted to three but it wasn’t clear who won the match. Stephanie McMahon declared Seth Rollins as the winner. The show ended with Rollins celebrating with the WWE Championship, but after the match it was announced that Ambrose was still the WWE Champion. This may have been a way to introduce two title belts heading into the draft.

Reaction: Overall, this was a very good Raw. I thought the 12 man tag team match was the highlight of the show. The ending was pretty confusing, but I’m sure it will all be cleared up tomorrow night on Smackdown.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw? Let us know in the comments below.

WWE Sued By 50+ Former Wrestlers Over Brain Injuries

Dozens of former WWE wrestlers have filed a lawsuit via federal court in New Haven, CT, alleging that WWE failed to care for their repetitive head injuries and misrepresented & concealed the nature of long-term neurological injuries they suffered due to their careers, according to Bloomberg.

The suit contains a few more allegations against the company related to CTE, including that WWE “placed corporate gain over its wrestlers’ health, safety and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies.”

WWE remains confident about the suit and issued this statement to the media:

51 wrestlers are named in this tweet from Chris Harrington. Add Mantaur and Boris Zhukhov to the list to make 53 plaintiffs.

NJPW: G1 Climax Day 1 Results and Updated Standings

Manabu Nakanishi, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask IV & Katsuyori Shibata b. Captain New Japan, Ryusuke Taguchi, KUSHIDA & Tomoaki Honma – Nakanishi secured the win with a torture rack into a neckbreaker combination on Captain New Japan.

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/754922088071368705

Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toru Yano b. Juice Robinson & Satoshi Kojima – Nakajima defeated Robinson with a Penalty Kick into a delayed Brainbuster.

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/754928570800214016

Kenny Omega & Yujiro Takahashi b. Gedo & YOSHI-HASHI – Takahashi pinned Gedo following a Tokyo Pimps.

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/754932463395303424

BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito & EVIL b. David Finlay, Michael Elgin & Yuji Nagata – BUSHI pinned Finlay with a Codebreaker.

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/754937502708957184

G1 Climax Tournament Block A Matches

  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan b. Tomohiro Ishii
  • Togi Makabe b. Tama Tonga
  • Hirooki Goto b. Bad Luck Fale
  • SANADA b. Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Naomichi Marufuji b. Kazuchika Okada

Updated Tournament Standings:

Current standings
Block A Block B
  • Hirooki Goto
2
  • Michael Elgin
  0
  • Togi Makabe
2
  • Evil
0
  • Naomichi Marufuji
2
  • Tomoaki Honma
0
  • Sanada
2
  • Yuji Nagata
0
  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan
2
  • Tetsuya Naito
0
  • Kazuchika Okada
0
  • Katsuhiko Nakajima
0
  • Bad Luck Fale
0
  • Kenny Omega
0
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi
0
  • Katsuyori Shibata
0
  • Tomohiro Ishii
0
  • Toru Yano
0
  • Tama Tonga
0
  • Yoshi-Hashi
0

WWE Announces RAW & SmackDown General Managers

Mick Foley and Daniel Bryan are the new General Managers of RAW and SmackDown. Here are some video highlights from RAW, including Stephanie and Shane announcing their picks as well as the two new GM’s already showing their competitive sides.