Archive for October, 2016

WWE RAW Viewership Falls Headed Into Hell In A Cell

Monday’s WWE RAW from Minneapolis dew 2.819 million viewers, down from last week’s 3.130 million for Goldberg’s return.

The show featured appearances by Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman, the HIAC RAW Women’s Championship contract signing and a triple threat main event.

Here’s the hourly breakdown:

  • Hour 1: 2.983 million viewers
  • Hour 2: 2.806 million viewers
  • Hour 3: 2.669 million viewers

RAW was #3 for the night on cable in viewership and #4 in the 18-49 demographic.

Viewership For WWE RAW Decreases This Week

The October 24th, 2016 edition of WWE RAW averaged 2.819 million viewers on the USA Network. This is down from last week’s show, which pulled 3.130 million viewers for Goldberg’s return. Monday’s RAW aired head-to-head against The Denver Broncos vs. Houston Texas on ESPN, which averaged 11.168 million viewers.

This week’s show started off with 2.983 million viewers for the first hour. Viewers decreased to 2.806 million for the second hour, and again to 2.669 million viewers for the third hour.

Monday’s show aired live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, and was the go-home episode for Sunday’s Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.

Daughters Of Wrestling Legends Launching New Women’s Promotion

A new women’s wrestling promotion is in the works involving the daughters of several legends of the business.

Brittany Page (daughter of DDP) broke the news to TMZ Sports this week, revealing the other names on board include Brooke Hogan, Lacey Von Erich, Ariel Toombs, “Bianca Jean Claude Van Damme” and Christie Hemme.

Curiously, Page says their plan is to compete with TNA Impact Wrestling, with no mention of WWE. She gave a mixed answer as to whether her father will be involved, responding, “No, well, he will be, of course, because people want to see the first generation vs. the second.” Right?

She admitted that she’s never been in a physical fight, but would probably bust out some of her dad’s moves if she had to.

Report: WWE ‘Not Happy’ That Value of Indie Shows ‘Skyrocketed’ Thanks To FloSlam

On Monday, as word leaked about the FloSlam announcement and after FloSports officially announced the launch of said new streaming service, Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer was fielding questions about the story on his website’s subscribers-only message board. As sometimes happens, he broke a bit of news in the forum discussion, and these are the key takeaways:

  • Pro Wrestling Guerrilla refused to even talk to Flo and “turned them down flat without a conversation.” (PWG is one of the few promotions that still does strong DVD sales, and not doing streaming allows them more flexibility in matchmaking, like booking Evolve and ROH wrestlers in the same matches)
  • WWE is a silent partner in FloSports with “zero influence” per the deal the company agreed to when signing on as an investor.
  • “WWE is not happy that the price value has just skyrocketed (and that word is not exaggerated) if they want to get into the indie content game, and they obviously did based on their surveys.”

Analysis: It appears that WWE had no idea that this was coming, which is fascinating because there had been whispers about this for months. It had even come up publicly on the forum for the popular Voices of Wrestling podcast, where noted Twitter troublemaker/news breaker “rovert” brought it up a few weeks ago:

If WWE didn’t know and has no direct involvement, then that also means that the company didn’t steer WWN/Evolve towards Flo, which you might think at first glance. Until WWE put out that survey about indie wrestling on a new tier of WWE Network, it there was no real buzz about WWE doing it themselves on the Network, so Flo most likely didn’t know about those plans, either. That’s not nearly as strange as WWE not knowing, though.

It’s a very good time to be an indie promoter with buzz right now, even if the underlying politics of any potential bidding war are very strange, to say the least.

Rey Mysterio Talks About Lucha Underground Season 3, The Temple vs. ECW Arena

Lucha Underground’s Rey Mysterio Jr. spoke with the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast during last month’s New York Comic Con event to promote the show’s third season.

Going Back To His Roots In Lucha Underground:

“If you really think about it with anybody that goes back to their roots one of the things that you get out of that is that it brings back good memories. It brings back the smiles so that really puts me back in the early days of my career and it just makes me want to keep going. It is only positive. It is positive thinking, positive vibes and just going out there and having a good match. The only thing I haven’t done yet and my son is the one who told me to do this is to go back to my old wrestling attire, which I am really thinking about doing.”

The Energy Of “The Temple” & Comparisons To The ECW Arena:

“It is very similar to that old ECW vibe. I don’t mention this enough publicly like I should but I am very thankful to Paul Heyman and Konnan. For Konnan it was for introducing me to Paul Heyman and for Paul it was giving me the opportunity and to all of the boys that were a part of that roster back then like Shane Douglas, Tommy Dreamer and even Stone Cold Steve Austin who was back there. The energy of “the temple” is so similar to the vibe in ECW but it is just a bit more intimate and more personal at the temple. It is more eye contact with the fans and if you like you can make that personal connection so it is that good vibe that I always forget to relate to.”

What Fans Can Look Forward To From Him This Season:

“It just gets crazier and crazier as we move on with the episodes in Season 3. Without giving anything away there is just so much talent that I still haven’t faced that I am looking forward to getting to face off with in Season 3 or Season 4 or the next season after that. There is definitely such a wide variety on the roster that we can put out five star matches every night that we step into that temple.”

The full episode can be downloaded at Podomatic.com.

Paul Heyman Talks About The Art Of The Wrestling Promo [ESPN]

ESPN is currently featuring an interview with Paul Heyman, conducted by Brian Campbell of ESPN.com and the Cheap Heat Podcast. In an article titled, “Paul Heyman defines the art of the wrestling promo,” Campbell looks back on Heyman’s 35+ year career and the elements that comprise a captivating wrestling promo that engages viewers and draws money.

“Credibility. Authenticity. Believing in everything that you are saying,” Heyman said. “It’s something that some people are born with and don’t know how to tap into. And it’s something some people are not born with, but once they feel the affirmation of the crowd … [they] get that rush.”

“It’s sex. It’s music,” Heyman added. “And there’s a rhythm to it, and there’s an interaction to it. There’s something very deeply personal about it as well. So once you tap into that you’re hooked, and you seek that every time you dare open your mouth in a public forum.”

There’s much more to the article, including WWE’s reliance on scripts, the level of creative freedom he’s afforded with his own promos and what it’s like working with Vince McMahon. Check out the full interview over at ESPN.com.

Meanwhile, the timing of ESPN’s article about his unparalleled ability on the microphone was not lost on Mr. Heyman. His promo on last night’s WWE RAW from Minneapolis did not go exactly as planned. Heyman did his best to get the crowd to support Goldberg, but it just wasn’t happening in Lesnar’s hometown. There were some brief “Goldberg” chants, but they were drowned out by chants of Suplex City and Goldberg Sucks. Heyman tweeted on Tuesday evening:

WWE Signs Roderick Strong, Tommy End & 7 More Superstars

On Tuesday, WWE announced the signing of 9 new NXT Superstars:

  • Tom Budgen (Tommy End)
  • Chris Lindsey (Roderick Strong)
  • Sarah Bridges (Crazy Mary Dobson)
  • Damian Mackle (Big Damo.)
  • Victoria Gonzalez, daughter of Rudy Boy Gonzalez. Trained with Bryan Danielson and Brian Kenrick.
  • Alvin Abitz, a US Army vet with a kickboxing and rugbybackground,.
  • Theophilus Agbi, an NCWA All-American collegiate wrestler from Brooklyn.
  • Demitrius Bronson, a former NFL running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins.
  • Taynara Melo de Carvalho, a Brazilian female with a black belt in Judo.

This new class will now begin training at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL.

Curtis Axel Signs Allegedly Confiscated At RAW, Axel Wants Answers

Fans of Curtis Axel are claiming WWE confiscated signs supporting him last night at RAW and the Axe Man wants answers. The Minneapolis native finds the situation”bizarre” and wants to know why WWE would object to Curtis Axel signs being visible at ringside. He tweeted late Monday night:

https://twitter.com/RealCurtisAxel/status/790777854019665920

https://twitter.com/RealCurtisAxel/status/790769543870160896

https://twitter.com/RealCurtisAxel/status/790769504095641600

https://twitter.com/RealCurtisAxel/status/790769444846915584

Latest On The Hell In A Cell Main Event, Backstage Look At Brock Lesnar At RAW

– The official Snapchat account of Paul Heyman’s Heyman Hustle media outlet has exclusive backstage photos of Brock Lesnar from last night’s WWE RAW form Minneapolis. Follow @HeymanHustle on Snapchat to see the photos or scan the following:

heymanhustle

– With Hell in a Cell just days away, WWE has still not decided which match will close the show. Over the weekend, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon tweeted overthat all 3 cage matches will be part of a “triple main event” – a sign that RAW General Manager Mick Foley might not deliver on his retracted announcement that Sasha Banks and Charlotte’s HIAC match will be the true main event. According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Radio, the RAW Women’s Championship cage match will either open the show or close the show. There’s some concern behind the scenes that the crowd will either be flat or even leave the building after the women’s match, a sign that they probably should go on last.

Jim Ross Says AJ Styles vs. Shawn Michaels Is A Long Shot, But Could Happen

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with some thoughts on a potential AJ Styles vs. Shawn Michaels dream match. It’s important to clarify that there are zero credible reports of this match actually happening or Michaels ever wrestling again.

With the 2017 Royal Rumble taking place from the Alamo Dome in Michaels’ home town of San Antonio and WWE looking to pack over 60,000 fans in the stadium – some fans have speculated that a Styles vs. Michaels dream match could help make the show a success. That said, time for the speculation. JR thinks the odds of this match happening are a “definite long shot,” but expressed optimism that anything could happen if WWE reached out to Michaels looking for help selling out the Rumble.

“The odds of Shawn Michaels wrestling at the Royal Rumble vs AJ Styles is a definite long shot as HBK has stressed to me on multiple occasions including the Ross Report podcast that he’s done with in ring activities in the wrestling biz. However, Shawn is a ‘company man’ and if WWE really needed a main event that could move a large amount of tickets in San Antonio at the Alamo Dome, I think that HBK would consider the company’s request. Without question, a Michaels vs Styles match in San Antonio at the Royal Rumble would be coveted by all involved if it were to occur. I’d realistically put the odds of this main event happening at less than 50-50 but I’d love to be wrong on this one.”

Styles himself recently commented on the hypothetical dream match. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, the WWE World Champion said he’d love to work with Michaels, but there’s no concrete evidence to get excited just yet.

“I’d love to learn from him, but who’s to say if that’s going to happen,” AJ explained. “Right now, it’s all speculation and rumors that I’m finding out like everyone else is, but man, what a match that would be.”

He also tweeted this fan-created image hyping the dream match:

WWE Still Gauging Fan Interest In Indy Promotions

WWE recently issued a new Fan Council Survey asking their fanbase which indy promotions they watch, fueling speculation the company looking to bolster the content offered on the WWE Network. The options were:

  • ROH
  • EVOLVE
  • Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
  • CHIKARA
  • Shimmer
  • Squared Circle Wrestling
  • Ohio Valley Wrestling
  • All American Wrestling
  • Dragon Gate USA
  • Combat Zone Wrestling
  • FIP

The survey is even more newsworthy after the announcement that FloSports has launched a new streaming service featuring WWNLive shows. Starting next month, Flo will be the exclusive streaming partner of WWNLive and its affiliated promotions, including EVOLVE, SHINE, Full Impact Pro and WWN Supershow. Flo and WWN will stream approximately 60 shows per year.

Asuka Storyline Plans & News On Her Takeover Match Against Mickie James

It will be interesting to see if NXT Women’s Champion Asuka goes full heel on Mickie James at the 11/18 TakeOver: Toronto event as WWE originally wanted to use the match to turn up the Asuka heel heat for her next challenger, Ember Moon.

As we’ve reported, WWE originally wanted Asuka vs. Trish Stratus in Toronto but Trish is now pregnant with her second child. The idea was to use Trish in Toronto to make Asuka into a bigger heel. No word yet if that’s still the plan for Mickie vs. Asuka, which will be for the NXT Women’s Championship.

Regarding Ember challenging Asuka for the title, the plan is to have Ember be a stronger babyface against Asuka instead of the athletic competition feel that Asuka vs. Bayley had.

What Happened After RAW, Halloween Special & Goldberg Next Week

– WWE has announced Goldberg and a special Halloween theme for next Monday’s RAW:

– While they did not appear in the ring during tonight’s RAW from Minneapolis, Rusev and WWE US Champion Roman Reigns worked the post-show dark main event. Reigns won the match. The two will face off at Sunday’s Hell In a Cell PPV inside the Cell.

https://twitter.com/gwood0101/status/790754570532102144

WWE Monday Night Raw Reaction / Rant (10/24)

Chris Jericho started off the show by stating that he had some terrible news. He said that the triple threat match between Rollins, Owens and himself was canceled because someone stole the list of Jericho. Kevin Owens then came down to the ring and told Jericho that he didn’t care about the list. Owens then stated that he will help Jericho find the list but only after they get on the same page and take care of Rollins. Stephanie McMahon then came down to the ring and claimed that no WWE Superstar was allowed to leave the arena until the list of Jericho is returned.

Seth Rollins interrupted and walked to the entrance ramp holding the list. Rollins claimed that Jericho has added both Kevin Owens and Stephanie McMahon to the list. Jericho denied it and Owens stated that Rollins was just trying to tear them apart. Rollins said that he was going to start his own list. The list would contain all the body parts on Kevin Owens that will never be the same after their match at Hell in a Cell. Rollins then walked away with the list and told Jericho that if he wanted it back he would have to come and get it.

https://twitter.com/MankyMedia/status/790708866128474112

Stephanie McMahon confronted Seth Rollins backstage and asked where the list was. Rollins answered by going on a tirade about how is going to win the Universal Championship at Hell in a Cell on Sunday. Rollins then revealed that he no longer had the list and that he left it in the locker room.

Enzo and Big Cass came down to the ring and were trying to do their promo but their microphones were turned off. Gallows and Anderson came down to the ring and cut a promo on Enzo and Cass. Enzo then stated that he didn’t need a microphone and cut the promo anyway. The entire crowd did the promo along with Enzo and Cass in a really cool moment.

https://twitter.com/MankyMedia/status/790711881006714880

Karl Anderson vs Enzo 

This was a very quick match. Big Cass and Gallows both got onto the ring apron and the referee had to tell them to both get down. As the referee was yelling at Gallows, Cass hit Anderson with a kick to the face and Enzo pinned him for the win.

Winner: Enzo Amore

A pre-taped promo with Rusev was aired. Rusev promised that he will leave Hell in a Cell with the United States Championship. Rusev also claimed that Roman Reigns will be leaving Hell in a Cell crushed.

The New Day cut a promo and once again poked fun at Sheamus. The entire crowd chanted “Shame!” at Sheamus as soon as the match started.

Sheamus & Cesaro vs Big E & Kofi Kingston

Cesaro started out the match by attacking Kofi Kingston. Cesaro then reluctantly tagged in Sheamus and he continued the beatdown on Kofi. Kingston battled back and hit a Crossbody on Sheamus. Big E was then tagged in and he laid out Sheamus as Raw went to a commercial break.

When Raw returned, Cesaro and Sheamus had taken control of the match. However, they weren’t working well together. They kept tagging each other in and out of the match. Sheamus wound up staying in the ring and applied a Chin Lock to Kingston. Sheamus then tagged in Cesaro and he missed a Spear in the corner and went flying into the ring post. Sheamus looked disgusted and tagged himself in, Big E was tagged in and he hit Sheamus with three Belly to Belly Suplexes.

Kofi Kingston and Cesaro were then tagged in and Cesaro hit a massive Suplex. Cesaro followed it up with a few uppercuts but Kofi reversed one into an SOS. Big E launched Kofi onto Cesaro outside the ring but he caught Kingston with an uppercut. Sheamus then hit the Brogue Kick on Big E for the victory.

Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro

Reaction: The first hour of Monday Night Raw was decent. The opening promo was very goofy. It appears the overall theme for tonight’s episode will be Jericho searching for his list. Enzo and Cass cutting a promo without a microphone was very impressive. Having said that, Gallows and Anderson continued their losing ways and I don’t think the promos they are doing cater to their strengths. I still believe that they should be booked as a dominant tag team that will win at any cost. Instead, they add “ski” to every other word and lose every match they are involved in. Rusev’s promo was solid and didn’t resemble the whiny promos with Lana we’ve all had to sit through for the past few weeks. I don’t really understand the point of having Sheamus and Cesaro face the New Day six days before their title match.

Dana Brooke vs Bayley in an Arm Wrestling Match

Dana Brooke demanded that Bayley use her injured arm. Brooke won the first arm wrestling match easily. Dana Brooke then said that Bayley could use her good arm. Bayley was about to win but Dana hit her with a cheap shot. Bayley then fought back and tossed Dana out of the ring. The crowd absolutely hated this segment. They chanted “we want wrestling” and “this is stupid” during this dreadful segment.

https://twitter.com/lolwhyamihere/status/790723677717422080

Jericho and Stephanie McMahon had a conversation backstage. Jericho was adamant that he would not wrestle until he found his list. Stephanie McMahon stated that if he doesn’t wrestle in the triple threat match tonight, she would have to make an example out of him. Stephanie then threatened to suspend Jericho if he didn’t compete in the triple threat match later in the evening.

Curtis Axel cut a promo and stated that he really did Bolieve in Bo. However, that all changed when Bo Dallas attacked him last week. Axel claimed that it was time to go back to his roots.

Curtis Axel vs Bo Dallas

Axel was wrestling in his hometown of Minneapolis so the crowd was behind him. Axel hit the Perfect-Plex on Bo Dallas but Bo kicked out at two. Bo Dallas then took over the match and applied a Chin Lock. Axel fought back and hit Bo with a couple of Clotheslines. Axel had Bo hung up on the second rope and went for a kick to the face. Bo Dallas reversed this into a roll-up and picked up the victory.

Winner: Bo Dallas

Jericho was once again shown backstage looking for his list. A backstage worker informed him that he saw someone with the list around the corner. Jericho then kissed the man on top of his head and went to go find it. When Jericho turned the corner, Brawn Strowman was looking at the list. Jericho asked for the list back and Strowman demanded that Jericho say please. Jericho obliged and Strowman stated that he didn’t see Sami Zayn’s name on the list. Strowman then gave Jericho his list back and walked away. Jericho shouted that Zayn’s name was on page four and then he added Strowman’s name to the list.

A pre-taped Roman Reigns promo was shown. Reigns claimed that he takes the United States Championship personally and that he will see Rusev in hell.

Golden Truth vs Shining Stars

Mark Henry and Titus O’Neil were ringside for this match. R-Truth did his best to try and get the crowd into this match from the ring apron but it wasn’t happening. The Golden Truth got the victory in this match and Mark Henry launched Titus O’Neil into the LED post outside the ring.

Winners: Golden Truth

strong>Contract Signing For The Raw Women’s Championship Match

It was lecture time with Mick Foley on Monday Night Raw. Foley was hesitant to hand either Charlotte or Sasha Banks the contract. Foley went into full shakey-face mode and shouted that Sasha and Charlotte had no idea what they were getting into. Charlotte then went on a rant and stated that she was going to take her title back at Hell in a Cell. Sasha Banks disagreed and claimed that she will do down as the greatest Women’s Champion of all time. Foley then reiterated that the Hell in a Cell is a dangerous structure by screaming it into the microphone. Sasha and Charlotte finally signed the contract and made the match official.

Reaction: In my opinion, the entire second hour of Monday Night Raw was awful. There was a painfully stupid arm wrestling segment and two short matches that nobody in the crowd cared about. The WWE seems to be building towards a match between Mark Henry and Titus O’Neil at some point. Why they are doing that? I have no idea.

A lot of people seemed to enjoy the contract signing between Charlotte and Sasha Banks. Personally, I thought it was terrible. On social media, many were praising Mick Foley for his passionate promo. I would have preferred Charlotte and Sasha Banks to just have a promo themselves. I get that Foley has been in many Hell in a Cell matches. When someone thinks of Hell in a Cell, it is Foley’s name that comes to mind first. Having said that, if I had a nickel for every time Foley cut one of these promos where he explained the repercussions of something, I’d have a bunch of nickels.

Yes, the first ever Hell in a Cell match featuring female Superstars will happen this Sunday. That is awesome and I’m looking forward to it. However, tonight on a Raw we witnessed an arm wrestling segment and a promo where most people are talking about Foley’s performance, rather than the two women that will actually be in the match on Sunday. What a revolution.

Rich Swann vs Brian Kendrick

TJ Perkins joined commentary for this match. Swann controlled the match early. When Raw returned from a commercial break, Swann was still in control. Swann hit a big Hurricanrana on Kendrick. Swann wound up outlasting Kendrick and won the match via a roll-up.

Winner: Rich Swann

Kevin Owens cut a promo backstage and stated that on Sunday he is going to destroy Seth Rollins. Owens claimed that he was going to take Rollins to hell this Sunday and that he will be the only one coming back.

Braun Strowman vs Sami Zayn

Strowman grabbed the microphone before the match and stated that Zayn was no competition for him. Zayn slapped Strowman across the face. Strowman then chased Sami around the ring but he couldn’t catch Zayn. Sami hit Strowman with a couple of Dropkicks. Zayn then attempted to dive onto Strowman outside the ring but that didn’t work out too well. Strowman caught Zayn and launched him into the barricade surrounding the ring. Strowman then walked away and left Zayn begging for a fight in the ring.

Kendrick and TJ Perkins had a discussion backstage. Kendrick was crying and stated that he needed Perkins to let him win the Cruiserweight Championship on Sunday. Kendrick claimed that he needed to win the title to remain employed and feed his family. Perkins grabbed his title and walked away.

Kendrick and TJ Perkins had a discussion backstage. Kendrick was crying and stated that he needed Perkins to let him win the Cruiserweight Championship on Sunday. Kendrick claimed that he needed to win the title to remain employed and feed his family. Perkins grabbed his title and walked away.

Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar came out to the ring and cut a promo. Heyman desperately tried to get the crowd to chant “Goldberg” but it wasn’t happening. Lesnar was in his home state and the crowd constantly chanted Suplex City. There was a smattering of people chanting Goldberg and Paul Heyman stated that it was half of the arena. The entire crowd then chanted “Goldberg sucks!” and that pretty much ended the promo.

https://twitter.com/MankyMedia/status/790747288767430656

Triple Threat Match: Seth Rollins vs Chris Jericho vs Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens rolled out of the ring in the beginning of the match. Jericho then followed out of the ring and was confused as to what the hell Owens was doing. Owens claimed that he thought Jericho was going at him first. Owens and Jericho then chased Rollins around the ring but couldn’t catch him. The action spilled back into the ring and Rollins took out both Owens and Jericho.

The numbers game finally caught up to Rollins and Owens slammed Seth into the barricade. Rollins fought back and slammed Owens into the barricade and followed it up with a Dropkick. Jericho attacked Rollins from behind and flipped him over the barricade and into the crowd. Jericho and Owens had a huddle to figure out their strategy and Rollins capitalized by hitting a Crossbody onto both of them. Rollins then tossed Jericho over the barricade.

Owens hit Rollins with a Clothesline when he tried to get back into the ring. Owens went for the Cannonball on Rollins in the corner but Seth rolled out of the way. Rollins went for a Pedigree on Owens but Jericho distracted him. Jericho went for the Walls of Jericho but Rollins countered. Rollins then also blocked a Lionsault from Jericho. Owens and Jericho then beatdown Rollins. Owens hit a Senton on Rollins from the second rope.

The crowd started to chant for Rollins as Jericho and Owens continued to beat him down. Rollins finally gained some momentum but it was short-lived as he missed a Frog Splash on Jericho. Rollins then fell victim to a Codebreaker but Seth kicked out at two. Owens then hit a Cannonball on Rollins and slapped him several times in the corner. Owens and Jericho went for a double Superplex in the corner but Rollins reversed it into a double roll-up for the win.

After the match, Owens and Jericho attacked Rollins. The referee called for help from backstage. Owens and Jericho launched Rollins into the steel steps before officials broke up the attack. Rollins got up and ran after Owens on the entrance ramp. Rollins caught him and beat him down. Owens then slammed Rollins into the ring post. Owens then Powerbombed Rollins onto the ring apron.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Reaction: The ending of this week’s episode of Raw was good. The odds are already stacked against Seth Rollins and now it seems even more unlikely that he can emerge victorious at Hell in a Cell. Rollins picked up the victory tonight but Kevin Owens hit a devastating Powerbomb on him to close the show. Now, Rollins has to deal with an injured back due to the Powerbomb and the possibility that someone will try to interfere in his Universal Championship match Sunday at Hell in a Cell.

Overall, this episode of Raw was even weaker than usual. Like always, there were a couple of good segments but this week there was even more filler than usual. I’m not sure if tonight’s episode convinced many people to invest in the WWE Network to see Hell in a Cell this Sunday. I’ve seen Roman Reigns and Rusev fight each other far too much. I’ve seen Charlotte and Sasha Banks wrestle time and time again. The only thing that makes these matches unique is that they will in the cell. Still, the Hell in a Cell match doesn’t mean as much as it used to. It used to be a special event and must-see television. Now, there are three of these matches happening this Sunday in Boston. Having said that, sometimes the shows with the weakest builds wind up being surprising everyone and turning out great. On the other hand, they can also turn out to be a disaster like this year’s Summerslam.

Wrestling fans are extremely loyal and passionate about the product. There are casual fans that fade in and out when the big shows come around. If you are a person that watches Monday Night Raw every week, I don’t understand how you can be anything but annoyed at what this show has become. Tonight’s episode focused more on Chris Jericho’s list than the Universal Championship. Brock Lesnar was a major selling point on this show. How was Brock Lesnar going to respond to Goldberg? His response was to just stand there while Paul Heyman cut a promo, in which Heyman essentially said nothing. Were they expecting people the chant “Goldberg” tonight? I don’t know what the hell that promo was supposed to accomplish.

The only positive I can take from tonight was that Kevin Owens was able to get the crowd to boo him at the end of the show. Sure, Enzo and Cass had an entertaining promo but it was immediately followed by a meaningless match. This show was supposed to get fans excited for Sunday’s Hell in a Cell PPV. WWE certainly didn’t do that tonight. They couldn’t even manage to get the audience in attendance to pretend they were interested in what was going on in front of them. I don’t know what the ratings will be for this episode. Maybe they will turn out to be solid due to Brock Lesnar being on the show. If people tuned in to see Lesnar, who could blame them for turning the channel in the two hours they had to wait to see him? Also, if they did wait it out, why would they tune in next week to see Goldberg after tonight’s terrible Lesnar promo? What is Goldberg going to say next week, “Hey Brock, you are still next!”?

The WWE still hasn’t bothered to develop a character for any of the Cruiserweights besides Perkins and Kendrick. Nobody cares about any of the other Cruiserweights unless you watched the Cruiserweight Classic. What is the percentage of Raw viewers that tuned in for that? It certainly isn’t high enough to justify not spending any time on a three hour program to explain who these wrestlers are. Is Nia Jax alive? The Raw Women’s Division is apparently Dana Brooke, Bayley, Charlotte and Sasha Banks. Apparently Emmalina is going to debut on Raw sometime in the next decade, so we all have that to look forward to. Even though nobody was asking for Emma to change her gimmick. If Bayley is too injured right now to compete, did tonight’s arm wrestling segment help anything? All it did was bore everyone to tears and show that Dana Brooke isn’t all that good on the mic yet. I cannot imagine someone watching tonight’s Raw and scrambling to find their debit card to sign up for the WWE Network. Maybe some 8 year old kid in Boring, Oregon begged their parents to sign up for the network tonight. Meanwhile, folks with developed brains are fighting off the urge to fall asleep weekly during this “wrestling” show. Either that or they are reaching for the clicker to change the channel or are fast forwarding with their DVR to find the 10 minutes of quality content on this almost 200 minute show. There are countless things people could be watching besides Raw. It seems like the WWE is actively encouraging people to look for something else to entertain them.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw? What matches are you looking forward to at Hell in a Cell? Let us know in the comments below.

James Ellsworth – WWE Update, Charlotte On ESPN, The Dudleyz vs. The Hardyz?

– Charlotte will be Jonathan Coachman’s guest for this week’s Off The Top Rope on ESPN Sportscenter.

– James Ellsworth is booked for Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown in Green Bay, according to PWInsider. As reported earlier today, there’s been an internal push for the company to sign Ellsworth to a full-time contract due to his popularity and merchandise sales. Tomorrow’s SmackDown will feature Dean Ambrose vs. WWE World Champion AJ Styles in a match that will see Ambrose become the new #1 contender if he wins.

– The Dudleyz vs. The Hardyz in 2016? House of Glory in NYC has announced both teams for their 12/17 6th anniversary show in Jamaica, New York. Bubba Ray Dudley tweeted on the event:

WWE RAW Results & Discussion (10/24)

The October 24, 2016 edition of WWE RAW aired live on the USA Network from Minneapolis, MN at the Target Center.

– RAW kicks off with former World Champion Chris Jericho making his way out to the ring, and he has some bad news for us. He says tonight’s triple threat main event between him, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins has been called off. He reveals that someone has stolen the List of Jericho, and he will not leave the ring or have another match until his list is returned. Owens comes out next with his Universal Championship belt. Owens says he doesn’t care about the list but he knows Jericho does, so he’ll help him find it once they take care of Seth Rollins tonight. Stephanie McMahon comes out next, and guarantees Jericho will get his list as long as he stays focused and wrestles tonight. Rollins is out next, and reveals that he is the one who stole The List. He says that even Stephanie McMahon is on the list, and claims that Owens is on the list too as Jericho’s “former best-friend.” Jericho says Owens would never be on the list, because the list is only for mutton-heads and stupid idiots like Rollins. Jericho also says that Stephanie isn’t on the list, and says he wants it back from Rollins immediately. Rollins says he’ll give the list back, but gets serious first about his plans to hit he Pedigree on Owens this Sunday at Hell In A Cell. Rollins tells Jericho to come get the list, and returns backstage.

– Stephanie McMahon found Rollins backstage before Jericho could, and demands that Rollins gives Jericho the list because she wants the triple thread match to happen. Rollins says he knows the triple threat will be more like a handicap match, and that Stephanie only wants it to happen so Rollins will be hurt heading into Hell In A Cell. He tells her that he left the list in the locker room and Jericho can pick it up there.

– Enzo and Cass come out to the ring and start cutting a promo, but Enzo’s mic cuts out, and Gallows and Anderson interrupt very quickly. Gallows says he paid off someone in the production truck to cut off Enzo’s mic. Enzo goes ahead and cuts his promo without a microphone, and the crowd sings along. Enzo Amore takes on Karl Anderson in singles action next.

Enzo Amore def. Karl Anderson: Enzo gets some offense in early on, but Anderson comes back with a spinebuster after a distraction from Gallows. Anderson hits a couple flying kicks to the head of Enzo, then drops him with a flying knee for a two count. The finish comes when Cass hits Anderson with a big boot from ringside and Enzo rolls him up from behind for the win.

– We see Rusev standing in front of a blank black screen cutting a promo on Roman Reigns about their match this Sunday at Hell In A Cell. He recaps their history, saying Reigns has done despicable things. Rusev says at Hell In A Cell, it’s his turn to do despicable things to Reigns.

– The New Day comes out to make fun of Sheamus. “Shame on all of us for allowing Sheamus to come out to the ring every week,” Kofi says. They say that nobody actually wants to see Sheamus, and lead the crowd in a “shame” chant.

Sheamus & Cesaro def. Kofi Kingston & Big E: Both New Day members are dominant early on, taking turns hitting splashes on Sheamus before Big E drops him with a clothesline. The New Day members then take turns stomping on Sheamus in the corner until he rolls outside. Sheamus and Cesaro turn things around, then repeatedly tag themselves in to take turns hitting European Uppercuts on Kofi in the corner. Sheamus hits a series of clubbing blows to the chest of Kofi, then a boot to the face. Cesaro tags in and misses a spear in the corner, slamming shoulder-first into the ring post. Sheamus and Big E tag in and Big E hits a series of belly to belly suplexes. Cesaro and Sheamus tag back in, and Cesaro reverses a DDT attempt into a vertical suplex for a near-fall. He goes for the swing, but Kofi reverses into a roll-up for a two count. Cesaro hits a series of running European uppercuts, but Kofi is able to duck one and hit the SOS for a near-fall. Big E and Sheamus tag in, and Big E clotheslines the Irish superstar out of the ring to the floor. Big E launches Kofi into the air for a splash to the outside, but Sheamus moves and Cesaro catches Kofi in mid-air with a big European Uppercut. Back in the ring, Sheamus hits the big boot on Big E for the win.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke – No Contest: Before the match, Dana cuts a promo explaining that she requested a rematch tonight, but not for a wrestling match, for an arm-wrestling match. A table gets set up in the ring, and Bayley hesitates to start the arm-wrestling. The crowd chants “this is stupid” as they finally lock hands and Dana wins quickly. The crowd chants “boring” as they go for round 2, and Bayley starts winning so Dana drops Bayley with a right hand. Bayley comes back with a belly to belly suplex and Dana rolls out of the ring and heads to the back.

– Chris Jericho runs into Stephanie McMahon and complains that the list wasn’t in the locker room, where he questioned every wrestler he came across. Stephanie says that Jericho is going to have to wrestle in the main event tonight whether he finds the list or not, and they argue about whether Stephanie was on his list.

– Curtis Axel comes out to the ring in front of his hometown to say that Bo Dallas betrayed him last week. He says that every time he steps in the ring he represents his grandfather The Axe Hennig, and his father Mr. Perfect. Bo is out next, and we have a match.

Bo Dallas def. Curtis Axel: Bo starts off with a right hand, and Axel answers with a right hand of his own that drops Bo. Axel pummels on Bo on the mat, then stomps on him in the corner. Axel hits the Perfect-Plex for a two count, then Bo rolls outside to recover. Dallas trips Axel from the floor and starts pummeling on him. Axel comes back with a series of clotheslines and a flying elbow. He follows up with a running knee to the face of Bo for a two count. Axel hangs Dallas over the middle rope and hits a series of knees to the face. The referee breaks it up, and Dallas is able to roll up Axel out of nowhere for the win.

– Jericho is still backstage looking for his list. An unnamed employee tells Jericho that he saw the list, and points Jericho in the right direction. Jericho walks over and sees that Braun Strowman is holding the list. Strowman tells Jericho he has to say “please,” then gives him the list back. Strowman complains that Sami Zayn isn’t on it, and walks off. Jericho corrects him and says that Zayn is on page 4, then adds Strowman to the list for touching his personal property.

Goldust & R-Truth def. The Shining Stars: Mark Henry is at ringside in the Golden Truth’s corner, and Titus O’Neil is ringside in The Shining Stars’ corner. The heels get in lots of offense on Goldust in the opening minutes. They hit a double dropkick on Goldust for a two count, but Goldust is able to come back with his patented spinning powerslam. R-Truth gets the hot tag and cleans house. He hits a spinning heel kick, a splash, and a spinning shoulder block for a two count on Primo. R-Truth goes to bounce off the ropes, but Titus pulls the top rope down from ringside, causing Truth to fall outside. Mark Henry gets in Titus’ face at ringside and they scuffle into the ring post, knocking Primo off the turnbuckle. Goldust and R-Truth hit a double facebuster on Primo for the win.

– Mick Foley is in the ring to host the contract signing for Sunday’s Women’s Championship match between Sasha Banks and Charlotte in a Hell In A Cell. Foley cuts a promo about great wrestling knowing no gender, and says women can accomplish anything — like having a Hell In A Cell match. Charlotte yells at Foley to hand her the contract, but he doesn’t hand it to her just yet. He talks about the dangers of a Hell In A Cell match, and says they have no idea what they’re in for. Charlotte says she’s the only reason the Women’s Title means anything, and she’ll go to Hell and back on Sunday to become Champion again. All three of them yell at each other, and Foley goes off about the injuries he has from his Cell match against Undertaker still hurting him to this day. Charlotte and Sasha sign the contracts and Charlotte heads to the back first.

Rich Swan def. Brian Kendrick: TJ Perkins is on commentary for this one. Swan hits a couple dropkicks early on that drop Kendrick and send him rolling to the outside. Swan climbs the turnbuckle and somersaults onto Kendrick on the floor. Back in the ring, Kendrick blocks a splash in the corner with a big boot to the face of Swan. Kendrick climbs to the top turnbuckle, but Swan leaps up from the mat and hits a hurricanrana. Swan hits a powerbomb and rolls into a cover for a two count. Swan goes for a standing moonsault but Kendrick gets the knees up to block then pins for a two count. Kendrick hits a boot to the face of Swan, and Swan comes back with a right hand. Kendrick goes for The Hook, but Swan turns it around into a pin for the win.

– Kevin Owens does an interview in the back where he says tonight’s match won’t hurt his friendship with Chris Jericho. He says that he and Jericho will break Rollins tonight to soften him up for Hell In A Cell on Sunday. He says on Sunday he’s going to put Rollins through Hell, and it will scar both Rollins and anyone who watches.

Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman – No Contest: Before the match, Strowman gets on the mic and says he still wants real competition and Zayn isn’t it. He walks past Sami and addresses Mick Foley on the mic, but Sami attacks him form behind. Strowman turns around and Sami slaps him across the face. Sami rolls to the outside and Strowman chases him around the ring. Sami rolls back in the ring, and dropkicks Braun off the apron when he tries to get back in. Sami goes to follow up with a suicide dive, but Braun catches him and slams him into the fan barricade. Strowman walks to the back as Zayn climbs back in the ring and stares him down.

– Brian Kendrick approaches TJ Perkins in the locker room and says he needs his help. Kendrick says he needs to win on Sunday to feed his family, and he needs Perkins to let him win in their match. Kendrick cites the times that he helped Perkins and appears to be crying. Perkins walks off with his Cruiserweight Championship belt.

– Paul Heyman is backstage knocking on Brock Lesnar’s dressing room door. The Beast is up next.

– Brock Lesnar makes his way out to the ring accompanied by Paul Heyman. Heyman gets on the mic to address the situation involving Goldberg. Heyman says the Goldberg chants are starting to piss Brock Lesnar off, and the crowd duels “Suplex City” and “Goldberg” chants. Heyman warns the Goldberg fans that if they don’t stop, his client will take matters into his own hands. A “Goldberg sucks” chant can be heard on TV, which gets a smile from Lesnar. Lesnar’s music hits and Heyman makes his way to the back with the former UFC Heavyweight Champion.

– Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens meet up to talk before their upcoming triple threat match. Jericho tells Owens that he would never be on the list, and that no matter what happens tonight they’re still friends.

Seth Rollins def. Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho: Rollins tries to make Jericho and Owens fight each other early on, but they don’t do it. Rollins throws Owens outside and goes to work on Jericho. He hits a chop to the chest of Y2J and follows up with a blockbuster neckbreaker off the middle rope. Rollins hits a kick to the head of Jericho, but then Owens pulls him outside and throws Rollins into the fan barricade. Rollins and Owens brawl around ringside, and Rollins ends up throwing Owens back in the ring and throwing Jericho into the crowd. Back in the ring, Owens drops Rollins with a series of clotheslines in the corner. Rollins dodges a cannonball in the corner then throws Owens outside. Jericho hits the ring again and lays out Rollins. Jericho goes for the Lionsault, but Rollins blocks it with his knees. Rollins goes for the Pedigree on Jericho, but Owens breaks it up and the two heels take turns pummeling on Rollins. Owens yells at Rollins, “you don’t Pedigree him.” Owens hits a senton bomb on Rollins off the middle rope, and they continue to beat him down. Rollins is able to back body drop Owens to the outside, then he hits a superkick on Jericho. He hits a suicide dive on Owens to the outside then rolls back in the ring. Rollins goes for a splash off the top, but Jericho rolls out of the way and hits the Codebreaker for a near-fall. Jericho sets Rollins up in the corner, then Owens hits a cannonball on him. The heels sit Rollins up on the top turnbuckle and go for a double superplex. Rollins slides down between their legs and powerbombs the both of them off the middle rope. He rolls them both up immediately after powerbombing them down for the three count. After the match, Owens and Jericho beat down Rollins all over ringside. Security separates them and Jericho and Owens head up the ramp. Rollins fights through security and attacks Owens from behind on the ramp. They brawl on the ramp and around ringside until Owens powerbombs Rollins onto the corner of the ring apron. Referees check on Rollins on the ringside floor as RAW goes off the air.

Evolve/WWN Announces Subscription Streaming Deal With FloSports’ ‘FloSlam’ Service

FloSports and WWN Live issued the following press release late Monday afternoon:

FloSports Announces Five-Year Agreement With WWNLive To Live Stream All Events on FloSlam.tv

Exclusive Worldwide Partnership Includes EVOLVE, SHINE, Full Impact Pro, and WWN Supershow

Austin, TX (Oct. 24, 2016) – FloSports today announced a five-year partnership with World Wrestling Network Live (WWNLive) to make FloSlam.tv the exclusive worldwide streaming partner of all WWNLive properties, including EVOLVE, SHINE, Full Impact Pro and WWN Supershow.

The agreement begins Friday, Nov. 4, with live coverage of SHINE 38 from Ybor City, Fla. There will be live coverage of approximately 60 events annually on FloSlam as part of this deal.

“We’re excited to serve die-hard pro wrestling fans with live streams of some of the best independent promotions in the world,” FloSports co-founder and CEO Martin Floreani said. “This is a groundbreaking agreement that will take WWNLive to new heights.”

In addition to live coverage and replays of all future WWNLive promotions, FloSlam will host archives from all WWNLive events dating back to 2003 and will produce a series of original documentaries focusing on the lives and stories of the athletes who compete in pro wrestling events across the world.

“Everyone at WWN is excited to be partnering with such an innovative and groundbreaking company like FloSports,” said Sal Hamaoui, President of WWN, Inc. “I recently had the opportunity to meet and speak with their senior management and take a firsthand look at their operations in Austin, Texas. To say that I was impressed with the overall knowledge of their team, the quality of their live streams and their user-friendly platforms would be an understatement. This relationship will allow us to continue to serve and expand our loyal, passionate fan base who will have access to all WWN-branded events at a very affordable monthly or annual price.”

Top independent pro wrestling stars including Timothy Thatcher, Matt Riddle, Zack Sabre Jr., Tony Nese, and Drew Gulak will be featured in upcoming events.

FloSlam users can access all live streams and premium content on the site via monthly ($20/month introductory price) or annual ($150/year) FloPRO subscription. Annual subscribers to FloSlam receive a universal pass to all premium content across the FloSports network, including FloWrestling, FloGrappling, FloCombat, FloKO and others.

In addition, FloSlam content is available on all screens now with the recent launch of the FloSports’ Roku and Apple TV apps.

Analysis: If you’re already buying two or more WWN-branded shows a month, then you’re spending what the FloSlam new service costs. And if you’re a fan of any of Flo’s other programming, then the annual subscription to FloPRO gets you those, too. As for the value proposition, it’s an improvement over WWN’s current model, especially in light of this tweet from Evolve’s Gabe Sapolsky:

https://twitter.com/BookItGabe/status/790663745903165440

Obviously, if FloSlam adds more promotions, that becomes an even better value.

As for the hype for the announcement from PWTorch’s Wade Keller on both Twitter and his website, it appears that it’s based around the type of money Flo is willing to spend on shows. If it really is substantial enough to be a game changer, then you can understand the hype, since it changes the business model for “buzz-worthy” indies.

Also, we have to keep in mind that  WWE was part of the group that invested in Flo Sports recently. While it appears that they have no direct involvement with decision making (after all, this competes with the planned new WWE Network tier), it’s still interesting that Flo’s first signing is a promotion that WWE has close ties to.

New Details on Chris Jericho’s Next Book Have Been Released

Da Capo Press, the publisher of Chris Jericho’s next book, “No Is a Four-Letter Word: How I Failed Spelling But Succeeded in Life,” has released this blurb about the title to various media outlets and via Google Books:

Six-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion and renaissance man Chris Jericho explains his secrets to success in his trademark writing styleridiculous stories, hilarious referencesshowing how a small-town Canadian kid made his seemingly impossible dreams come true, against all odds.

Organized around 22 principles, “No Is a Four-Letter Word” outlines Jericho’s guidelines to achieving your dreams and making it to the top, explaining how his encounters with legendary musicians, actors, and wrestlers influenced each principle. Whether it’s learning how to make any situation work to his benefit, spending money to make money, understanding to always sell himself, or letting go of losing the gig of a lifetime, Jericho takes you with him on his journey up success’s ladder and shows you how to apply these principles to your own life.”

As you can see, this is a self-help book and not the latest in his series of autobiographies. It’s listed as 224 pages with a release date of Feb 7, 2017, though it’s not available for pre-order as of this writing.

WCPW to Make American Debut on WrestleMania Weekend in Orlando

There’s a new promotion in the WrestleMania weekend indie show mix, and it’s a surprising one. WhatCulture Pro Wrestling, the new UK-based promotion, announced on Monday that it will be running a show in Orlando on the afternoon of April 1st.

That’s the day before WrestleMania 33, and if past years are any indication, WCPW will likely be running shows opposite WrestleCon, WWE Fan Axxess, Shimmer, possibly Evolve, and probably various local promotions. Announce so far are Joseph Conners, Joe Hendry, Martin Kirby, El Ligero, Grado, Primate, Drake and “Many more yet to be confirmed!” In other words, WCPW’s core wrestlers are committed but not any outside talent as of yet.

WCPW got a lot of attention for an internet pay-per-view a few weeks back that included very expensive fly-ins like Minoru Suzuki, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart as a surprise, and the commentary team of Jim Ross (during college football season, no less) and Jim Cornette (who never flies except for offers he can’t refuse). The response was mixed, in large part due to streaming issues on the WCPW side (FITE TV’s stream was unaffected).

Analysis: WrestleMania weekend is already a crowded space, to the point that this only makes sense if a lot oft he costs (staff flying in for WrestleMania weekend, the wrestlers working other shows and having promoters split the costs of flights, etc) are already taken care of in large part. Maybe this will have a unique appeal to the throng of British fans in town, but they also could decide they’d rather see different wrestling if they’re traveling abroad.

Match Added To Sunday’s WWE Hell In A Cell PPV

WWE has announced Enzo and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson for Sunday’s Hell In a Cell pay-per-view from Boston. With that match set, here’s the updated card:

Hell In a Cell: Seth Rollins vs. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens

Hell in a Cell: Charlotte vs. RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks

Hell In a Cell: Rusev vs. United States Champion Roman Reigns

– RAW Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Cesaro and Sheamus

– Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick

– Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

Join us here this Sunday for our WWE Hell in a Cell Results & Live Coverage.

Kalisto Returns To Action At WWE Live Event (Photos)

SmackDown Live Superstar Kalisto is back in action after being away for the ring for over two months.

The former Lucha Dragon wrestled at this weekend’s live events from Sioux City and Des Moines, Iowa, defeating Tyler Breeze at both shows. He suffered a back injury in August and was recently cleared to compete again.

As noted earlier, SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch also returned to the ring this weekend (Photos).

Here are some photos of Kalisto wrestling against Tyler Breeze on Sunday night:

https://twitter.com/wwe808/status/790369753466568704

James Ellsworth: Flash In The Pan Or Full-Time WWE Superstar?

James Ellsworth might be sticking around WWE longer than originally expected.

After becoming a cult favorite this summer after getting squashed by Braun Strowman, the lovable underdog has picked up two consecutive wins over WWE Champion AJ Styles. Ellsworth is very liked backstage and there’s been a push behind the scenes for WWE to sign him to a full-time deal. We’ve been hearing this over the past week and PWInsider picked up the story on Monday morning.

His online popularity and the strong sales of his first WWE t-shirt have also gotten the attention of management. There had been some speculation that Ellsworth would make a cameo in the Royal Rumble, but now it’s looking like he could be a regular character on SmackDown.

Show your support for James Ellsworth and buy his t-shirt at WWEShop.com. You can follow him on Twitter @RealEllsworth.

WWE Fastlane 2017 Date & Location Announced

WWE Fastlane 2017 will take place on Sunday, March 5th from Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Tickets go on sale December 9th. No word yet on which brand will host the PPV.

WWE Fastlane is the final stop on the road to WrestleMania 33 and the first time in history WWE has held a non-WrestleMania PPV in March.

https://twitter.com/BMOHBC/status/790028732106878976

WWE RAW Preview: Lesnar Responds To Goldberg, Hell In A Cell Hype

Following the return of Bill Goldberg last week, WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s RAW from Minneapolis, MN at the Target Center:

– Brock Lesnar responds to Goldberg accepting his challenge and Goldberg declaring, “You’re Last.”

-The main event will see Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho. Can Owens and Jericho remain on the same page, or will Rollins use mind games to put a wedge between them?

– Cesaro & Sheamus battle The New Day before WWE Hell in a Cell.

– Can Sami Zayn end Braun Strowman’s destruction?

– Who will gain key momentum before WWE’s first Women’s Hell in a Cell Match?

Join us here tonight for our WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion.

Another Company Suing TNA For Over $200,000

Yet another company has filed a lawsuit against TNA. According to the Wrestling Observer, Bankdirect Capital Finance, LLC sued TNA Entertainment, LLC back on 9/29 for late charges, interest and attorney fees.

BankDirect claims to have paid TNA $400,146.00 so the company could pay insurance premiums. TNA was supposed to make monthly payments of approximately $41,000 but still owes over $200,000.

TNA now has pending lawsuits from Audience Of One production company ($223,000 plus interest and post-judgement costs), Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment ($114,500.02), American Express’ travel services ($269,030.50) and Billy Corgan (most of the lawsuit details currently sealed).