Archive for December, 2016

WWE Releasing Retro Action Figures Featuring Current Superstars & Legends (Photos)

The WWE is releasing Hasbro-style retro action figures for the current roster. According to Reddit user @KAY-FABE, these will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Series 1 includes: John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, The Undertaker, Roman Reigns and Ultimate Warrior, while Series 2 features Kane, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Sting and Mankind.

Here are some photos of the Series 1 figures:

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE.

Triple H Comments On The Possibility Of Signing Will Ospreay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSKlB82c4lg

Triple H was recently interviewed by ESPN and he was asked about the chances of Will Ospreay winding up in the WWE. Here is a part of his response:

“Will Ospreay is an amazing talent,” he said. “There’s a lot of amazing talent out there. When they’re available, when it’s the right time for them, I wanna work with all of them.”

Triple H also discussed how the WWE wants to hold a lot more events in the United Kingdom in the next few years. You can check out the full interview on ESPN by clicking here.

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Rich Swann Gets Championship Plates, What Happened After SmackDown, New NXT Ring Name

– American Alpha and Dean Ambrose defeated The Miz, Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton in the dark main event after last night’s WWE SmackDown in Detroit. Ambrose hit Miz with Dirty Deeds for the pin. Fans in attendance noted that more than half of the crowd left during 205 Live, leaving a very small crowd for this 6-man.

– NXT Superstar Kenneth Crawford is now using the ring name Montez Ford. The former US Marine has been teaming with Angelo Dawkins at house shows. Below is a photo of his current look:

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/810186711393271808

– Rich Swann gets his custom side-plates for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in this backstage video from 205 Live:

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

TNA Announces 2017 Tapings, TNA Best Of 2016 Special, Broken Hardys DVD Coming Soon

– There will be no new matches on this week’s TNA Impact on POP TV as TNA has announced a “Best of 2016” special for the normal Impact timeslot. Next Thursday’s show will feature the fallout from Total Nonstop Deletion.

– TNA will be releasing a “House Hardy” DVD some time in 2017, according to Matt Hardy and Jeremy Borash on Twitter. The set will presumably include Total Nonstop Deletion and the other Hardy specials from this year. PWInsider reports that extras and deleted scenes from those episodes will be included. Matt wrote:

– TNA has officially announced their first set of TV and PPV tapings for 2017 from Universal Studios in Orlando. Below are full details:

IMPACT WRESTLING RETURNS TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JANUARY 5-8 & 10-12 for LIVE TV and PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS

WHAT:
Be part of the adrenaline-pumping action January 5-8 & 10-12 as the Stars and Knockouts of IMPACT WRESTLING return to Soundstage 20 on the backlot at Universal Studios, Florida for seven days of televised events, including the LIVE broadcast of IMPACT WRESTLING on Thursday, January 5, airing at 8/7c on Pop AND the LIVE broadcast of January One Night Only Pay-Per-View!

WHEN:
January 5 – 8
January 10-12

Thursday, January 5
Event starts at 7 p.m. ET
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET

Friday, January 6
Event starts at 7 p.m. ET
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, January 7
Matinee
Event starts at 1 p.m. ET
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. ET

Evening show
Event starts at 7 p.m. ET
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, January 8
Matinee
Event starts at 1 p.m. ET
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. ET

Evening show
Event starts at 7 p.m. ET
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET

Tuesday, January 1o
Event starts at 6 p.m. ET
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET

Wednesday, January 11
Event starts at 6 p.m. ET
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET

Thursday, January 12
Event starts at 6 p.m. ET
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET

*Times are subject to change. Updates on any changes can be found at impactwrestling.com and on all of IMPACT’s social media channels @IMPACTWRESTLING

WHERE:
Soundstage 20, located on the backlot at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando.

TICKETS:
Admission to the event is complimentary.

VIP EXPERIENCE:
A limited number of VIP Experiences are available for $129 at ShopTNA.com

The ultimate VIP Experience includes:

-Priority seating to the LIVE IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast and all other TNA events inside Soundstage 20 at Universal Studios, Florida.
-A special VIP credential
-A commemorative event poster
-A nightly meet-and-greet photo and autograph session with a select IMPACT WRESTLING Star or Knockout

Questions about our VIP experience?
Contact: Amy Zack (azack@tnawrestling.com)

WHO:
IMPACT WRESTLING features a diverse roster of professional athletes and entertainers including Jeff and Matt Hardy, Ethan Carter III (EC3), Bobby Lashley, Drew Galloway, James Storm, The Miracle Mike Bennett, Moose, the best female wrestlers in the world – the TNA Knocknouts – featuring Gail Kim, Maria Kanellis Bennett, and Brandi Rhodes! You’ll also see the likes of TNA’s no limits high-flying X-Division Stars like DJZ.

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, TNA. Tagged: .

Renee Young Slaps The Miz, Backstage Reaction Video, Later Apologizes

Renee Young was trending on social media last night after slapping The Miz during an in-ring interview on SmackDown. Renee asked Miz about his obsession with Dean Ambrose and Miz replied with a comment about Renee sleeping with Ambrose. Renee appears in this backstage video and says everyone knows about her relationship with Ambrose but Miz crossed the line with the way he called her out, and she had to stand up for herself.

Renee later appeared on Talking Smack and apologized for what happened. She says she knows it was the wrong thing to do but Miz crossed a line, so she crossed one too. Video from that segment is below:

For those who missed the slap, check it out here:

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

NXT Preview For Tonight, Birthdays, Apollo Crews Receives Miz Award

– Primo turns 34 years old today while Otis Dozovic turns 25 and Oney Lorcan turns 31.

– Tonight’s NXT will see a new #1 contender crowned as Bobby Roode, Tye Dillinger, Andrade Almas and Roderick Strong compete in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match. Other matches taped for tonight include Billie Kay vs Daria, The Authors of Pain vs. two local wrestlers and The Revival vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DIY with the titles on the line.

– As seen on SmackDown last night, The Miz retained the WWE Intercontinental Championship over Apollo Crews after an assist from Maryse. In the backstage video below, Crews receives a “Miz Participation Award” and tells Dasha Fuentes that this is just motivating him to get back at The Miz.

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Everything That Happened Last Night On Talking Smack

Rhyno was dressed as Santa Claus last night for the entire episode of Talking Smack. He creepily hit on Renee Young the entire show and it was glorious.

Natalya was also a guest on Talking Smack and she continued to take shots at Nikki Bella. Natalya stated that she is wrestling royalty and Nikki Bella was handed everything because she was pretty. Daniel Bryan took exception to this given the fact that he is married to Brie Bella. Natalya claimed that the Bella twins were not in her class because she is a member of the Hart family.

Becky Lynch appeared on Talking Smack and she was still dressed as La Luchadore. Becky stated that she was ashamed that the Women’s division was represented by Alexa Bliss on Smackdown. Rhyno Claus started acting naughty again and rubbed a chocolate chip cookie on his chest in an effort to impress Becky Lynch.

Baron Corbin went on Talking Smack and claimed that he was the biggest threat in the Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship next week on Smackdown. Corbin went on to say that Styles would pay for the four chair shots he gave to Corbin last night on Smackdown. Corbin didn’t seem to worried about Dolph Ziggler or AJ Styles. Corbin was also frustrated that Daniel Bryan made a match to determine the #1 contender to the WWE Championship while Corbin was away accepting his award for Most Metal Athlete of 2016.

It would be shocking if Baron Corbin won the WWE Championship next week but there is no denying that he will be in the main event picture in 2017. Corbin has been on Talking Smack several times and he has done well every time he has appeared on the show. On Smackdown, Corbin’s promos sometimes feel forced. I’m not sure if it is because the promos are scripted or if Corbin simply tries too hard during Smackdown. Either way, Corbin has the potential to be great once he puts everything together. He is well on his way to becoming WWE Champion and one of the biggest stars on Smackdown.

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

WWE Smackdown & 205 Live Reaction (12/20)

WWE Smackdown (12/20)

WWE Championship Match: AJ Styles (c) vs James Ellsworth

Ellsworth went for No Chin Music early but Styles blocked and connected with several punches to Ellsworth’s ridiculous face. Styles then quickly pinned Ellsworth and the match was over. After the match, Styles launched Ellsworth into the announce table and the crowd broke out in a “yes!” chant. Styles then drove Ellsworth head into the steel steps outside the ring. Styles then smashed Ellsworth’s head into a support beam under the ring. Styles walked away for a moment but returned to Suplex Ellsworth into the barricade surrounding the ring.

Styles grabbed a microphone and stated that he had been waiting a long time to do that Ellsworth. Styles claimed that he didn’t have to ask for anything for Christmas because he has it all. Dolph Ziggler then interrupted and poked fun at Styles because it took four tries for him to defeat James Ellsworth. Styles called Ziggler a loser and stated that their match would be an easy victory. Ziggler stated that he would do absolutely anything to get his hands on the WWE Championship. While this conversation was happening, Ellsworth was stretchered out of the arena.

Baron Corbin came down to the ring and joined the party. AJ Styles and left the ring as Corbin stared at Ziggler. Corbin claimed that it should be him fighting Styles for the title and not Ziggler. Corbin went on to say that Ziggler doesn’t steal the show, he steals opportunities and he wastes them. Corbin then attacked Ziggler and planted him with the End of Days. The segment ended with Baron Corbin and AJ Styles staring at each other.

Winner & Still WWE Champion: AJ Styles

Reaction: Thankfully, the Styles and Ellsworth match was quick. I was happy to see Corbin show up and confront Ziggler. Corbin will face Ziggler late on tonight and if he defeats him, he will be the one fighting for the WWE Championship next week. I’m much more interested in that match rather than Ziggler getting another shot at the title. Styles and Ziggler can put on a terrific match, but there is no way in hell Ziggler will win that match. If Corbin wins tonight he most likely will lose to Styles next week as well. However, it is someone new in the main event picture and I’m all for that.

Dolph Ziggler was shown backstage with Daniel Bryan. Ziggler demanded a match with Baron Corbin tonight. Bryan agreed but stated that if Dolph Ziggler loses, Baron Corbin will take Ziggler’s place in the WWE Championship match next week on Smackdown.

Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs Apollo Crews

Apollo Crews started out the match on the offensive and tried to end it early with a couple of roll ups. Crews then connected with a Dropkick and went for another pinfall but Miz kicked out. The Miz rolled out of the ring but Crews followed him and continued the attack. Crews landed a Moonsault from the ring apron onto The Miz outside the ring. Back in the ring, Crews hit a Crossbody off of the top rope. The Miz once again rolled out of the ring and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

When Smackdown returned, Apollo Crews was still in control of the match. Maryse tried to interfere in the match but referee Mike Chioda and threw her out. Maryse freaked out and walked backstage. Chioda accidentally got kicked by Crews and that allowed The Miz to poke Crews in the eye. The Miz followed it up with the Skull Crushing Finale for the victory.

Renee Young interviewed The Miz after the match. Renee suggested that The Miz was obsessed with Dean Ambrose. The Miz found that funny and stated that Renee was the one sleeping with him. The crowd then loudly applauded and Renee slapped The Miz in the face.

Winner & Still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz

Reaction: The Miz continues to be the best heel in the WWE. The match with Crews was solid but his insult to Renee Young was epic. Dean Ambrose and The Miz have the potential to have an incredibly entertaining feud. After seeing Ambrose’s title reign earlier this year, I think he might be better off holding the IC Title and eventually working his way back up the WWE Championship.

Natalya, Nikki Bella and Carmella were all in the ring. Carmella once again called Natalya a liar and wondered if some of that silicone had leaked into Nikki’s brain. Carmella stated that Natalya claimed that the only reason the Bella Twins were in the WWE was because nobody cared about them when they tried to make it on their own. Nikki Bella asked Natalya is she did say those things and Natalya admitted it. Nataltya then chased Carmella up the entrance ramp and launched her into the Christmas tree. Natalya then admitted that she attacked Nikki at Survivor Series. Natalya went on the call Nikki a bitch and stated that she got everything handed to her because she is beautiful. Natalya then stated that Nikki Bella is nothing and that John Cena will never marry her.

Reaction: The first hour of Smackdown has been very good. I was hoping Natalya would not be the one who attacked Nikki at Survivor Series. However, if she is going to continue to cut promos like the one tonight then I’m fine with it.

Daniel Bryan and Alexa Bliss had a conversation backstage. Alexa Bliss was still pretending to be injured. Daniel Bryan announced that Becky Lynch will be facing Alexa Bliss for the Smackdown Women’s Championship next week.

Luke Harper vs Dean Ambrose

Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt were ringside for this match. Harper controlled the contest early and had Ambrose locked in the Torture Rack. Ambrose fought his way out of it but was immediately launched into the second turnbuckle. Harper then booted Dean in the face and Ambrose tumbled out of the ring. Dean Ambrose battled back and hit an Elbow Drop onto both Orton and Wyatt outside the ring. Ambrose then got back into the ring and Luke Harper greeted him with a Powerbomb. Dean Ambrose wound up stealing the match with a roll up.

After the match, Orton and Wyatt attacked Ambrose in the ring. Wyatt had Ambrose set up for the Sister Abigail but he threw Ambrose towards Orton and he hit the RKO. The new Wyatt family then posed in the ring as Ambrose was knocked out. The lights turned off and the Wyatts disappeared. Ambrose struggled to get to his feet and The Miz stormed down to the ring. The Miz then hit the Skull Crushing Finale on Ambrose and shared a kiss with Maryse. The segment ended with The Miz raising the Intercontinental title over his head as Ambrose laid on the mat.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Reaction: Even though Harper lost the match, he controlled it throughout. The Wyatts are relevant again and that is a good thing. For far too long, Bray Wyatt has been the most underutilized Superstar on the roster. Randy Orton has been an awesome addition to the Wyatt family and has made them a dominant force once again.

 

Alexa Bliss vs La Luchadora

The great La Luchadora controlled the match early. Alexa Bliss got in some offense but La Luchadora applied the Dis-Arm-Her for the submission victory. Of course, La Luchadora took off her mask and it was Becky Lynch. Becky now has all the momentum heading into their Women’s Championship match next week.

Winner: La Luchadora (Becky Lynch)

Mojo Rawley vs Curt Hawkins

Ryan Phillippe was on commentary for this match to promote his show “Shooter” that airs on the USA Network. This was a quick match with Mojo Rawley picking up the victory. After the match, Rawley and Phillippe celebrated in the ring.

Winner: Mojo Rawley

Reaction: This was a random match. The only thing I can think of that Hawkins and Rawley may wind up being a tag team due to Zack Ryder’s injury. It could have also been a completely meaningless match so that Ryan Phillippe could talk about Shooter for a few minutes.

Baron Corbin vs Dolph Ziggler 

AJ Styles joined commentary for this match. Ziggler hit a Dropkick in the beginning of the match and Corbin rolled out of the ring. Corbin then took control of the match and dominated Ziggler for the next several minutes. Baron Corbin smashed Ziggler’s head into the LED ring post and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

Dolph Ziggler landed a Fameasser on Corbin and went for the pinfall but Corbin kicked out. Corbin then regained control of the match. Corbin took a break from beating Ziggler down to shout at AJ Styles who was sitting at the announcer’s table. Ziggler once again battled back and landed the Zig Zag. Ziggler went for the pinfall but Corbin kicked out. David Otunga spent the entire match mocking AJ Styles because Styles appeared to be afraid of facing Baron Corbin next week. Styles cheered Ziggler on throughout the match.

Corbin hit a Deep Six on Ziggler but once again Dolph kicked out. Corbin launched Ziggler into the barricade outside the ring. Corbin then threw Dolph Ziggler into AJ Styles at the announce table. Ziggler connected with a Superkick but the referee counted both Superstars out. AJ Styles then got back up and hit both Ziggler and Corbin with a chair several times. Daniel Bryan then came down to the entrance ramp and announced that Styles will defend the WWE Championship against Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler in a Triple Threat match next week.

Reaction: The first hour of this week’s Smackdown was excellent. The show slowed down a bit in the second hour. The Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins match was not entertaining at all. Having said that, the main event was solid and next week’s episode of Smackdown is shaping up to be an awesome show. In fact, next week’s Smackdown kind of feels like a PPV with all of the title matches taking place.

205 Live (12/20)

Ariya Daivari vs Lince Dorado

Daivari dominated Dorado early and connected with a massive Clothesline. Daivari followed it up with a Chinlock. Dorado battled back and hit a Stunner onto Daivari. Lince Dorado then connected with a Suicide Dive onto Daivari outside the ring. Daivari saved a bad botch here because Dorado came up short and was falling head first. Daivari was able to catch him and prevent him from hitting his head on the floor. That could have been really ugly if Daivari didn’t catch him at the last second. Back in the ring, Daivari hit a Frog Splash and won the match. After the match, Daivari called Jack Gallagher a scoundrel.

Winner: Ariya Daivari

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/811409191080341504

Neville and Brian Kendrick had a conversation backstage. Neville informed Kendrick that while he is partner tonight in their match, he does not consider Kendrick his friend.

Cedric Alexander vs Drew Gulak

The match started out back and forth but Gulak eventually took control. Alicia Fox was ringside for the match and she was cheering Alexander on. Alexander connected with a Springboard Clothesline off of the top rope. Alicia Fox started slamming on the mat and the remaining audience started cheering Alexander on. Alexander then Suplexed Gulak and himself out of the ring. Drew Gulak then shoved Alexander into Alicia Fox.

Gulak started to beatdown Alexander in the corner as Alicia Fox held her ankle ringside. Noam Dar then came down to the ring and carried Alicia Fox backstage. Alexander hit the Lumbar Check on Gulak for the victory. Alexander then sprinted backstage after Dar and Alicia Fox. After the match, Drew Gulak was interviewed and he blamed the loss on Alicia Fox. Gulak stated that women do not belong on 205 Live and angrily walked backstage.

Winner: Cedric Alexander

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/811412520309096448

Noam Dar was backstage with Alicia Fox and he was holding an ice pack on her ankle. Alexander showed up and thanked Dar for helping Alica but informed him that he has got things from her. Dar then put his hand on Alicia’s back and stated that if she ever needed anything he would be there.

Brian Kendrick & Neville vs Rich Swann & TJ Perkins

Neville dominated Swann for the first few minutes of the match. Perkins got in the match and went on the offensive on Neville. Brian Kendrick tagged himself in and continued the assault on Perkins. Neville was annoyed that Kendrick tagged himself in the match. Perkins hit a Senton on Kendrick as Swann was still recovering from the beating he took in the beginning of the match.

Swann tagged himself in and he was immediately beaten down again by Kendrick. Swann fought back and connected with a few kicks. Kendrick caught Swann and hit slammed his head into the mat. Kendrick then tagged in Neville and Neville landed a massive German Suplex. Swann landed a Superkick on Neville and went for the pinfall but Neville kicked out at two.

Kendrick once again tagged himself in and Swann tagged in Perkins. TJ beat down Kendrick and landed a Detonation Kick on Kendrick. Perkins then applied the Knee Bar to Kendrick but Neville broke up the hold with a Dropkick. Swann then tagged himself in and connected with a kick to the head of Neville. Swann and Perkins connected with a Superkick to Brian Kendrick. Swann went for the pinfall but Kendrick got his foot on the bottom rope.

Back in the ring, Kendrick hit Sliced Bread and followed it up with the Captain’s Hook. Perkins was able to dive into the ring and break the hold. Neville then launched Perkins out of the ring and then was tagged into the match. Neville then taunted Swann but Swann responded by landing a right hand. Swann then tagged in Perkins but Neville landed a massive kick to TJ’s head. Kendrick then hit a Suicide Dive onto Swann outside the ring. Neville hit the Red Arrow on Perkins in the ring for the victory.

Winners: Brian Kendrick & Neville

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/811418114688622592

Reaction: 205 Live was solid once again this week. Corey Graves, Mauro Ranallo and Austin Aries do a great job calling the action on this show. I am enjoying the Noam Dar, Cedric Alexander and Alicia Fox storyline. It is a simple storyline but I find it entertaining. Drew Gulak’s promo after his loss was also entertaining. It was completely random and I never thought we would see a sexist character on 205 Live. The main event was also a good match. Neville adds a lot to the show and the crowd reacts when he is in the ring. If Austin Aries also joins the Cruiserweight division, I think the division will be in good shape. Having said all of that, the crowd is still a major issue for this show. 205 Live has typically runs 45 minutes or so and it is nothing but solid wrestling. It should be a great show but the lack of energy from the crowd is really holding it back. I don’t know what the solution to this is but I do know that the crowd was exhausted from sitting through an entire episode of Smackdown. The WWE is asking too much from their audience. You can’t go from a Ziggler/Corbin match to a Daivari/Dorado match and expect the audience to be excited. It is just never going to happen.

What did you think of this week’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News.

WWE Championship Triple Threat Announced For Final SmackDown Of 2016

The final SmackDown of 2016 will now feature AJ Styles defending the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin. The match was previously announced as Ziggler vs. Styles but Ziggler put his shot up against Corbin on tonight’s SmackDown and that match ended in a double countout.

WWE has also announced a Four Corners Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships to take place on next Tuesday’s show in Chicago.

Here’s the updated line-up for next week:

-John Cena returns to SmackDown

-WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler

-SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch

-Four Corners Match: SmackDown Tag Team Champions Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton vs. The Usos vs. American Alpha vs. Rhyno & Heath Slater

Posted December 21st, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

WWE SmackDown Results & Discusion (12/20)

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown aired live on the USA Network from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI.

– AJ Styles (c) def. James Ellsworth: ‘The Face That Runs The Place’ AJ Styles comes out first to open up SmackDown, followed by his opponent James Ellsworth. AJ Styles knocks out Ellsworth with a series of strikes early on, then pins Ellsworth nonchalantly for the win in a very short squash match. After the match, AJ Styles beats down Ellsworth and tosses him around ringside. Styles is about to head backstage, but halfway up the ramp he has a change of heart and returns to ringside. AJ grabs Ellsworth and suplexes him into the fan barricade at ringside. EMTs come and take Ellsworth away on a stretcher, as AJ cuts a promo in the ring saying that Ellsworth’s beating was a long time coming. AJ says he doesn’t have to ask Santa for anything, because he’s already got it all including the WWE Championship. Dolph Ziggler comes out to interrupt and remind AJ that he’s next in line for the WWE Title. Baron Corbin comes out next, and says he should have the next shot at AJ’s WWE Title. AJ leaves the ring, then Corbin hits Ziggler with a shot to the face then the End Of Days.

– We go backstage where Ziggler is asking Daniel Bryan for a match against Corbin tonight. Bryan says he’ll get his match tonight, but if he loses, Corbin takes his title shot against AJ.

– The Miz def. Apollo Crews: Crews takes control of the match early on with a big dropkick. The Miz rolls outside and Crews follows him out, then hits a moonsault off the apron onto him. Back in the ring, Crews hits a flying cross-body off the top for a two count. At one point Maryse tries to get involved, but the referee catches her and bans her from ringside. Crews hits a couple impressive suplexes, and one of them results in the ref getting knocked down. The Miz thumbs Crews in the eye while the ref is down, then hits the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.

– After the match, Renee Young asks The Miz about his “obsession” with Dean Ambrose. The Miz says Renee is the one obsessed with Ambrose, because “after all, you’re the one sleeping with him.” Renee slaps Miz across the face and leaves.

– Natalya comes out to the ring and calls out Nikki Bella because she wants to clear the air about the backstage assault Nikki suffered at Survivor Series. Carmella interrupts next. Carmella airs out some things that Natalya said to her about Nikki. Nikki asks Natalya if it’s true and she’s the one who attacked her. Natalya doesn’t answer Nikki, and just chases Carmella up the ramp. She throws Carmella into a Christmas tree and boxes, then Carmella runs to the back. Natalya picks up another mic and tells Nikki from the stage that she is the one who did the attack and calls her a bitch. Natalya says she’s from wrestling royalty, and Nikki and her sister got everything because of their looks. Natalya tells Nikki she has no charisma, and that John Cena will never marry her, then she heads to the back.

– Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper: Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton are at ringside for this one. Harper takes control of the match early on after a failed Dirty Deeds attempt by Ambrose. Ambrose rolls outside and Harper follows him out. Harper throws Ambrose into the ring steps, then back into the ring where he locks in a variation of the Crossface Crippler. Harper puts Ambrose in the Torture Rack, but Ambrose fights out and drops Harper with a clothesline. Ambrose hits a splash in the corner and goes for a bulldog, but Harper throws Ambrose into the turnbuckle then drops him with a superkick. Ambrose drops Harper’s throat across the ring rope then Harper rolls outside. Ambrose goes to the top rope and hits a splash onto Orton and Bray Wyatt on ringside, but Harper evaded it and rolled back in the ring. When Ambrose rolls back in, he’s greeted with a powerbomb from Harper. Ambrose kicks out at two, then rolls up Harper in a small package shortly after for the win. Immediately after the bell, Wyatt and Orton hit the ring and beat down Ambrose. Orton hit sthe RKO on Ambrose, then celebrates with Orton and Harper in the ring.

– The Wyatt Family leaves the ring, but before Ambrose can leave, The Miz and Maryse come out. The Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Ambrose then holds up his Intercontinental Championship and heads to the back.

– La Luchadora aka Becky Lynch def. Alexa Bliss: Alexa is in the ring against a woman in a blue outfit with a pink luchadore mask. La Luchadora gives Alexa a lot of trouble in the opening minutes and gets her in a cross armbar from the top for the win via submission. After celebrating her win, she removes the Luchadore mask to reveal her true identity – Becky Lynch.

– Backstage, actor Ryan Philippe is looking for Randy Orton, but instead he finds Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins. Mojo and Hawkins get in each others’ faces, and they’ve got a match tonight.

– Mojo Rawley def. Curt Hawkins: Ryan Phillipe is on commentary for this one, thanking WWE fans for watching his show Shooter which airs after SmackDown. Mojo takes control of the match with a big shoulder block that rocks Hawkins, then he follows up with a back body dro. After a series of shoulder blocks and clotheslines, Mojo hits a couple splashes in the corner then a pouncing shoulder block. Mojo follows up with a running forearm shot in the corner for the win after a short match.

– We go backstage where James Ellsworth is covered in bandaging, and has a cast and a neck brace on. Carmella walks in and grabs Ellsworth and says she’s going to take care of him, before walking off screen.

– Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin – Double count out: “The Champ That Runs The Camp,” AJ Styles is on commentary for this one. Ziggler kicks off the match with strikes on Corbin, but Corbin quickly uses his size advantage to drop Ziggler with knees and kicks. Corbin takes Ziggler out to rinside and drops him with a knee right in front of AJ Styles. Corbin continues the offense, hitting a running forearm then slamming Ziggler into the ring post. Ziggler comes back with a Fameasser for a two count. Corbin drops Ziggler with a right hand, but then gets distracted talking trash and Ziggler rolls him up for another two count. Ziggler comes back again with a neckbreaker and a Zig Zag for another near-fall. Corbin hits some elbows then the Deep Six for a near-fall of his own. They take the action out to ringside, where Corbin slams Ziggler into the fan barricade multiple times as the referee counts. Corbin launches Ziggler into Styles, but then Ziggler comes back with a dropkick on Corbin that drops him. Both men are down, and the referee reaches the ten count and calls for the bell. AJ Styles takes advantage of the opportunity to weaken both Ziggler and Corbin with a series of chair shots to each man. Daniel Bryan interrupts and books Styles in a triple threat match for the WWE Title next week against Corbin and Ziggler. AJ freaks out about Bryan’s decision as SmackDown goes off the air.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in WWE.

WWE & IC Championship Matches Announced For SmackDown

WWE Champion AJ Styles has been cleared for action as WWE just announced Styles vs. James Ellsworth for tonight’s SmackDown opener. WWE has also announced that The Miz will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Apollo Crews tonight.

With those matches set, here’s what’s on tap for tonight’s SmackDown Live:

  • WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Ellsworth
  • Intercontinental Champion The Miz vs. Apollo Crews
  • Luke Harper vs. Dean Ambrose
  • Wild Card Triple Threat To Determine #1 Contenders To The SmackDown Tag Team Titles: Konnor vs. Heath Slater vs. Tyler Breeze

Join us here later tonight for our SmackDown Live Results & Discussion.

Update: WWE posted this backstage video of James Ellsworth reacting to the news that he’ll be getting a shot at the WWE Championship later tonight.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Alexa Bliss Recalls WWE Previously Holding Women Back With Rules & Restrictions

SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss spoke with The Oakland Press ahead of tonight’s show from Detroit, MI at the Joe Louis Arena. After capturing the gold from Becky Lynch at this month’s Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view, Bliss says it was an amazing moment she got to enjoy with her parents looking on from the audience.

“It was amazing!” she said. “My parents were there. It was their first WWE event, so that was so cool to be able to have the opportunity to win a title with my family there. It was such an amazing moment, especially in this whole era of women empowering and making history.”

There truly has been a revolution in women’s wrestling over the past year, but Alexa remembers it was not too long ago that WWE had a lot of restrictions on what women were able to do.

“I remember even when I started with WWE, it was a different ball game. There were all these restrictions and things we couldn’t do, and now, it’s really empowering to know we can do anything that we want and what the guys can do. It gives women the opportunity to show why we’re more than divas and why we’re WWE superstars.”

Check out the complete interview at TheOaklandPress.com.

Speaking of Alexa Bliss, she recently spoke to Peter Rosenberg of ESPN, Hot 97 & the Cheap Heat Podcast about her time in NXT, wanting to wrestle Nikki Bella & Trish Stratus and much more. You can listen below:

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News. Tagged: .

WWE RAW Viewership For The Post-Roadblock Episode

This week’s WWE RAW drew 2.955 million viewers, up from last week’s 2.758 million.

The show featured the fallout from Roadblock, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns vs. Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens in the main event and more.

Here’s the hourly breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

  • Hour 1: 3.062 million
  • Hour 2: 2.971 million
  • Hour 3: 2.834 million

RAW was #8 on cable for the night in viewership and #4 in the 18-49 demographic. The NFL topped the night on cable with 11.2 million viewers.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE.

Zack Ryder Posts Photo Of His Surgically Repaired Patellar Tendon

On Tuesday, Zack Ryder provided an update on his health after undergoing surgery last week to repair his patellar tendon. Ryder was injured during the closing moments of the tag team #1 contender’s battle royal last week on SmackDown live.

The Hype Bro noted earlier this week that two doctors had given him estimated return timeframes of 4-6 months and 6-9 months, so it’s unlikely that he’ll be back in time for WrestleMania. In light of the setback, Ryder vows, “I will be back!”

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

John Cena Hypes WWE Return, The Rock’s Under Armour Success, More

– John Cena tweeted the following on his return to action for WWE, telling fans in NYC to DVR next week’s RAW and check him out at The Garden:

– Monday’s RAW from Columbus ranked #2 for the night in Nielsen’s social media TV ratings, behind Oprah’s Michelle Obama special on CBS. RAW had 92,000 Twitter interactions with 18,000 unique authors and 194,000 Facebook interactions with 136,000 unique authors.

– Speaking of last night’s RAW, below are the top 10 moments from WWE:

– The Rock has announced that his clothing collection with Under Armour was the company’s #1 selling collection of 2016. He wrote the following:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOM8va0DRQ9/

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

WWE Signs Former TNA Knockout, Another Indy Women’s Wrestler Reporting To Performance Center, More

– SquaredCircleSirens.com reports that WWE has signed indy women’s wrestler Andrea, who was formerly known as Rosie Lottalove in TNA. She retired in 2012, citing health concerns, but lost 125 pounds and returned to the indys using the name Andrea. She’s been a regular for SHINE and other promotions, and even worked a WWE tryout against Emma on NXT in a November 2015 episode. Video from that match can be seen above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGQEgSwSM58

– Big E indicated on Twitter that The New Day will be appearing on CBS show “Let’s Make a Deal” this week. He posted this screenshot from the episode:

– Women’s wrestler Heidi Lovelace is finishing up her indy commitments as she prepares to report to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando next month. Below is video from her farewell at Alpha 1 Wrestling in Canada this weekend:

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Roadblock Social Media Stats & Backstage Footage, New Day Shirt Sold Out, More

– The New Day’s new “Booty O’s Christmas” t-shirt is currently sold out at WWEShop.

– Sunday’s WWE Roadblock PPV ranked #1 for the night in Nielsen’s social media TV ratings. Roadblock had 162,000 Twitter interactions with 29,000 unique authors and 143,000 Facebook interactions with 77,000 unique authors.

– Speaking of Roadblock, WWE posted this video of Brian Kendrick, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and other Superstars walking through the “tunnel” backstage before their matches:

– Luke Gallows is hosting a big Christmas event at his Painted Gypsy Tattoo shop in Conyers, GA on Thursday to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This flyer from Gallows advertises art, music and food. People who being a donated gift for kids will receive 30% off any tattoo from the shop.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Sting Is The Dallas Cowboys’ New Intimidation Coach (Video)

WWE Hall of Famer Sting is the new “intimidation coach” of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, as seen in this comedy video released on Tuesday. Sting is shown interacting with employees of the Cowboys organization and helping out the players with their face paint. Check it out:

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Backstage News On RAW Women’s Storyline For WrestleMania 33

Sunday night’s WWE Roadblock pay-per-view saw the conclusion of Charlotte’s ongoing feud with Sasha Banks over the RAW Women’s Championship. The following night RAW, we saw the seeds planted for both women’s next feuds. After Nia Jax’s vicious attack on Sasha Banks, those two will be working together in the coming months. Bayley’s long-rumored title feud against Charlotte is also underway, with Bayley putting on an impressive showing against the 2nd generation Flair. Bayley is arguably more over as a babyface than Sasha Banks was and company officials are nothing short of thrilled with Charlotte’s heel work.

The first big PPV match between Charlotte and Bayley is expected to take place at next month’s Royal Rumble from San Antonio, according to a report by Dave Meltzer. The current plan is for that program to extend through WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 33 takes place on April 2nd, 2017, at the Camping World Stadium (formerly known as the Citrus Bowl) in Orlando, Florida.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

SmackDown Live Preview: Wild Card Triple Threat, Actor Appearing

WWE has announced a Wild Card Triple Threat for tonight’s SmackDown with Konnor vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Heath Slater. The winner will earn a SmackDown Tag Team Championship shot for his team.

As reported earlier, tonight’s main event will feature Dean Ambrose taking on Luke Harper. Tag Team Champions Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper will be at ringside.

WWE’s official Five Point Preview for tonight lists these highlights:

– Luke Harper targets The Lunatic Fringe

– Who will win a SmackDown Tag Team Title opportunity for his tandem?

– When will the WWE Universe finally learn who attacked Nikki Bella?

– Is SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss really injured?

– Special appearance from “Shooter” star Ryan Phillippe

Join us here tonight for WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Wade Barrett Talks About Losing His Passion For WWE, “Thoroughly Uninspiring” Storylines

Former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett (Stu Bennett) recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about his time with the company and what led him to walk away. Barrett is now pursuing a career in acting, which he says offers him much more freedom than he had in WWE.

“When you’re with WWE, you are operating within very fine boundaries that you cannot step outside of,” he said. “Now I have offers for movie roles that are completely out of what you would expect for me, and that’s really exciting. The opportunity to go away from WWE and be myself and become Stu again is exactly what I needed.”

Barrett had grown frustrated with his role in WWE. He’s had a lifelong obsession with pro wrestling, but came to the realization that he was putting his health at risk for something he was no longer in love with.

“Unfortunately, in 2015 and again in 2016, I was asked to play a character and perform storylines that I found thoroughly uninspiring,” he said. “After making repeated attempts to change my career trajectory and having those efforts turned down, my passion for playing the role of a WWE Superstar went away.”

It was an incident back in November 2015 that spelled the beginning of the end for “Wade Barrett.” During a match, one of his arms went completely numb for a minute or so.  “That’s when I came to the realization that I didn’t want to put my body on the line doing something that wasn’t inspiring me, and I decided to move my career in a different direction.”

Barrett’s new movie Eliminators was just released, and he’s got two more (Vengeance, Fanged Up) coming out next year.

As for a future in pro wrestling, he does expect to compete again and revealed he’s spoke with “quote a few wrestling companies” regarding an eventual return to the ring. “I’m very much open to acting, but also to wrestling. I’ve spoken with quite a few wrestling companies about some opportunities that might be coming up.”

Head over to Sports Illustrated to check out the full interview.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

SmackDown Main Event, Paige On Her Relationship With Alberto, Bayley Wants Gold

– Luke Harper vs. Dean Ambrose has been announced for tonight’s SmackDown main event. Ambrose will have to deal with The Wyatt Family at ringside. WWE posted this ad for tonight’s show:

– Bayley wants her RAW Women’s Championship shot after pinning Charlotte in a non-title match last night on RAW. She calls on Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley to grant her the shot in this backstage Fallout video:

– Paige is receiving all sorts of interesting comments from fans after she posted a sappy love tweet about her relationship with Alberto Del Rio last night. You can read the full tweet below, where she says she might “steal” Del Rio’s wrestling moves when he returns to the ring:

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/811030495773519872

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Discussion: How Would You Change Monday Night Raw?

Ever since the brand split, Smackdown has been regarded as the better show by a lot of the WWE Universe. Like everything when it comes to wrestling, it is completely subjective. Everybody has their favorite show and wrestler. There are certainly those that feel Raw is the better show and that people are overrating Smackdown. I don’t feel that way and I’ve become frustrated with Monday Night Raw. Every week I’m left with the same complaints. Before we get into the negatives, here are some of the things Monday Night Raw has going for it over Smackdown.

The Roster

On paper, Raw’s roster is superior to the talent on Smackdown. That is not a knock on the Superstars that perform on Smackdown, I’m just pointing out that Raw has more wrestlers on their show. Raw is a three hour program so they have more Superstars on their roster. They also have bigger names on their show as well. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Bayley, Finn Balor, New Day, Cesaro, Sheamus, Sami Zayn etc. Raw has a ton of recognizable names on their roster. Raw has also done a great job of slowly building a new star in Braun Strowman. Smackdown will most likely be trying to do the same thing with Baron Corbin in the next few months. However, Braun Strowman is already becoming a star on Raw. Last night’s episode of Raw ended with Strowman destroying Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Baron Corbin has looked dominant on Smackdown at times but he has defeated Superstars like Apollo Crews and Kalisto. Crews and Kalisto are great performers but they aren’t at the level or Rollins and Reigns when it comes to name recognition.

More Time

It is easy to also consider this a negative but Raw is one hour longer than Smackdown. That means they have more time to showcase their talent. That extra time could be devoted to vignettes, promos and matches.

Those are the two main advantages Monday Night Raw has over Smackdown. Those are two pretty big advantages if you think about it. Raw has the bigger roster and has more time each week to showcase them. The problem is that Raw has not been doing that nearly enough. Here are a few of the problems I’ve noticed each week on Monday Night Raw.

Reliance On Humor

Smackdown suffers from this problem as well, but it is much more noticeable on Raw. Kevin Owens is the Universal Champion but his entire character is tied to Chris Jericho. Every single week there is at least one segment on Raw in which Jericho and Owens are talking about a list or cracking jokes. Gallows and Anderson came into the WWE along with AJ Styles and were billed as “The Club”. They were supposed to be this dominant team but have been relegated to a comedy team now. Instead of being dominant, Gallows and Anderson now call people nerds and consistently lose matches. Enzo and Cass are not even in the Tag Team Championship picture. Instead, Enzo is walking around nude backstage on Raw and essentially cutting the same promo every week. Everything is portrayed in such a goofy matter it feels out of place when things get serious. One week Seth Rollins is calling Jericho “sparkle crotch” and then the next week he is attacking Jericho in a parking lot and Pedigreeing him on the top of a car.

The Cruiserweight Division

This should be a positive for Raw but it hasn’t been. The Cruiserweight division has generated very little reaction from the WWE Universe on Raw. Even though Raw has an additional hour, they have not found a way to integrate the Cruiserweights on the show. Last night was a great example of that. Cedric Alexander and Noam Dar had a match but if you blinked you would have missed it. Before the match started, there was a commercial break. When Raw came back, the match was over within two minutes. It comes off as a chore for Raw to have a Cruiserweight match on the show. It was built up as this big thing that Raw was the place for Cruiserweight wrestling but it feels like an afterthought every Monday night.

Time Management

As stated above, the additional hour Raw has can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage. Raw has an extra hour to build up new stars and create more in depth storylines. Instead, the time is often allotted to overly long promos instead of actual wrestling matches. A good example of that would be the promo that kicked off last night’s Raw. It was obvious that Chris Jericho was going to wind up being locked in the shark cage. Instead of just getting to that moment, Mick Foley spent several minutes pulling random objects out of a fanny pack. The crowd wasn’t laughing during this segment. The vast majority of them were wondering why it was taking 15 minutes for Jericho to get stuck in the cage.

All of these issues are fixable but it doesn’t seem like Raw will change. In my opinion, Raw would be a substantially better show if just these few changes were made.

  • Add a few minutes to the matches.
  • Cut back on the scripted promos that are written to be humorous. Allow the performers to be themselves instead of relying on someone else to write everything for them.
  • Showcase more talent. Instead of having Sasha Banks wrestle Charlotte over and over again, why not mix it up? This is not just limited to the Women’s division. There are plenty of Superstars on Raw that are barely featured on television.

How would you change Monday Night Raw or do you believe that it is fine the way it is? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News.

Tag Team Main Event On 205 Live, Sheamus & Cesaro With New Belts, Main Event

– WWE taped Curtis Axel vs. Goldust and Lince Dorado vs. Tony Nese last night in Columbus for this week’s Main Event episode.

– The main event of tonight’s 205 Live episode will see Brian Kendrick team with Neville to take on Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann and TJ Perkins. The match was made after Kendrick and Neville beat down the two babyfaces on RAW last night.

– As reported earlier, WWE revealed new RAW Tag Team Championships with a red background last night. Below is video of Cesaro and Sheamus being photographed with the new-look titles backstage:

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

TNA Returning To Pay-Per-View In January

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnA34ZS0bRM

TNA is returning to pay-per-view next month. TNA will be taping the next round of Impact Wrestling tapings starting January 5th from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. A live pay-per-view event will take place Friday, January 6th.

No word yet on the name or the concept for the show, but it’s currently scheduled to be a “One Night Only” event. The One Night Only events typically do not air live.

The currently-unnamed show will air on traditional PPV providers, the Fite app, and on TNA’s overseas broadcast partners. This will be TNA’s first pay-per-view since Anthem Sports took over the company.

Posted December 20th, 2016 in News, TNA. Tagged: .

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