Archive for November, 2017

5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (11/21)

The November 21st episode of WWE SmackDown took place in Houston, TX. It was the first episode of SmackDown following WWE Survivor Series. Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s episode of SmackDown:

Owens & Zayn Were Almost Fired By Shane McMahon

This week’s episode of SmackDown kicked off with SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon coming down to the ring. The crowd cheered for Shane and McMahon thanked them. Shane said SmackDown was so close but came up short at Survivor Series. Shane added that SmackDown proved even in defeat that SmackDown is “the show” in WWE. Shane stated that he was proud of everyone on the SmackDown roster for their performances at Survivor Series this past Sunday.

Shane then called out Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Zayn and Owens attacked Shane McMahon at Survivor Series during the 5-on-5 Elimination match. Zayn and Owens made their way to the ring. Zayn had. a ridiculous grin on his face and danced down the entrance ramp.

Owens and Zayn said that it was a mistake for Shane to leave them off the SmackDown roster and that they would have defeated anyone on the RAW roster. Owens told Shane to be a man and tell them that he is sorry. Shane told Owens to shut his mouth and stated that the two of them have zero respect no respect for anyone on the WWE roster.

Owens and Zayn claimed that they are the top two Superstars in WWE and Shane called them delusional. Shane added that the SmackDown locker room hates Owens and Zayn. Shane McMahon was about to fire Owens and Zayn when SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan interrupted.

Daniel Bryan came down to the ring and told Shane to put his personal feelings aside. Bryan announced that he had to send Randy Orton because Orton didn’t want to be held responsible for what he would do to Zayn and Owens tonight. Bryan announced that Zayn and Owens will face New Day in a Lumberjack match tonight.

Shane McMahon didn’t seem too pleased with Daniel Bryan’s decision during this promo. It appeared that Shane was hell-bent on firing both Owens and Zayn tonight. Shane and Bryan still aren’t on the same page and Daniel Bryan stated last week on SmackDown that he was going to have to talk to Shane following Survivor Series.

Gable & Benjamin Are Ready For Another Shot At The Titles

Jey Uso battled Shelton Benjamin tonight on SmackDown. Chad Gable kept trying to get involved in the match. Jimmy Uso slammed Gable into the barricade and Jey connected with a Superkick to Benjamin in the ring. Jey went for the cover but Benjamin was able to kick out at two.

Jey then climbed up to the top rope and went for a Splash. Benjamin rolled out of the way and Jey crashed to the canvas. Benjamin then planted Jey with the Paydirt for the pinfall victory. Gable and Benjamin are now at the front of the line for another opportunity for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

The Usos proved at Survivor Series that they are the best tag team in WWE when they defeated The Bar. The Usos are also fresh off of a victory in their rivalry against the New Day. Gable and Benjamin failed to capitalize on their opportunity for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships recently on an episode of SmackDown. After tonight’s win by Benjamin over Jey Uso, they proved that they are ready to challenge The Usos once again for the titles.

The Bludgeon Brothers & NXT Talent Made Their SmackDown Debuts

Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan made their SmackDown debuts tonight. They appeared backstage and approached Naomi. The trio beatdown Naomi and then Becky Lynch arrived to try and help Naomi. That didn’t work out too well for Becky as she also was beaten down.

Charlotte defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship tonight against Natalya. Charlotte started off the match in control and connected with a series of chops as the crowd chanted “woo!”. Natalya knocked Charlotte to the canvas and went for the Sharpshooter but Charlotte blocked it. Natalya then bounced Charlotte’s head off the second turnbuckle as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Natalya remained in control of the match during the commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Natalya planted Charlotte with a Powerbomb for a two count. “Lets go Charlotte!” chants echoed throughout the crowd as Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Charlotte screamed in pain but was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold.

Natalya charged at Charlotte in the corner but Charlotte avoided her and smashed Natalya’s face into the top turnbuckle. Charlotte climbed up to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Natalya got her knees up. Charlotte connected with a Spear that knocked Natalya out of the ring.

Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan came down to the ring through the crowd and attacked Natalya. Riot booted Natalya in the face as the crowd chanted “NXT!”. The trio then attacked Charlotte in the ring and beat her down. Sarah Logan booted Charlotte in the midsection and knocked her to the canvas. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riot also slammed Charlotte to the canvas and then posed in the ring as the crowd booed.

The Bludgeon Brothers (Luke Harper and Erick Rowan) also made their SmackDown debut tonight. They faced the Hype Bros in a tag match. Harper launched Zack Ryder into the steel steps right when the match started. The Bludgeon Brothers surrounded Mojo Rawley. Rowan slammed Rawley to the mat and tagged in Harper. Harper connected with a big boot and tagged in Rowan. Harper and Rowan slammed Mojo to the mat (Crucifix Bomb) and pinned him for the victory.

I’m glad that new female Superstars are joining the main roster. Last night on RAW, Paige made her WWE return alongside Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. I thought there were better options to join Paige’s entourage (Peyton Royce and Billie Kay), but RAW’s women’s division got a much needed shake-up. In general, I feel the same way about this trio as I did last night on RAW. I think that other Superstars were ready to join the main roster, but we’ll see how this plays out.

As for The Bludgeon Brothers, I thought that their vignettes were cringeworthy. I wasn’t looking forward to their debut at all, but I actually found them entertaining. I’ve always thought that Harper was one of the most undervalued Superstars in WWE. Hopefully this team works out for Harper and Rowan because both RAW and SmackDown could use some more legitimate tag teams.

AJ Styles Will Defend His WWE Championship Against Jinder Mahal At Clash Of Champions

WWE Champion AJ Styles came down to the ring to a great ovation. Styles complimented Brock Lesnar on his victory at Survivor Series. Styles stated that he got congratulatory messages following Survivor Series for holding his own against Lesnar. AJ said that this is the WWE and you don’t get trophies for second place. AJ hinted at having a rematch with Brock Lesnar in the future.

Styles then turned his attention to Jinder Mahal. AJ challenged Mahal to come down to the ring and try to take the title from him. Mahal appeared on the jumbotron and said that he was watching Styles’ loss to Lesnar on the WWE Network over and over again. Mahal added that he would have defeated Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series and he would have been known as “The Beast Master”.

AJ once again challenged Jinder to come down to the ring and face him for the WWE Championship. Styles stated that Mahal should be rested since he did nothing at Survivor Series. Mahal said that he wants his rematch at Clash of Champions. The Singh Brothers tried to attack AJ from behind but Styles fought them off. AJ planted one of the Singh Brothers with the Styles Clash and then stared at Jinder Mahal on the screen.

AJ Styles versus The Singh Brothers in a Handicap match was announced for next week’s SmackDown.

This match was originally supposed to happen tonight on SmackDown but WWE changed their plans. I wish the match would have happened tonight. I’m tired of Jinder Mahal in the main event scene and I’m not looking forward to a four week build for their match at Clash of Champions. I still have a bad feeling that WWE is going to put the title right back on Mahal for some reason. Hopefully that doesn’t happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all.

Daniel Bryan Let Owens & Zayn Off The Hook

Owens and Zayn approached Baron Corbin backstage during the first hour of SmackDown. They asked if Corbin was willing to stick up for them during the Lumberjack match later tonight. Corbin said that he couldn’t stand them both and told Owens and Zayn to find someone more weak-minded to be in their corner. Owens and Zayn then approached Bobby Roode and Roode began shouting at them. Roode stated that he wanted nothing to do with them and he owes them a receipt for costing SmackDown the match last night.

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan had a conversation backstage. Shane said that he agreed with Daniel’s decision to put Owens and Zayn in a Lumberjack match against the New Day because he expected Bryan to fire Owens and Zayn after the match. Shane added that he was going to head back to the hotel and sit back and watch the rest of the show.

Zayn and Owens approached Aiden English and Rusev backstage to try and befriend them before the Lumberjack match. Owens and Zayn claimed that New Day was jealous of “Rusev Day” and added that Shane McMahon screwed Rusev out of a chance of joining Team SmackDown at Survivor Series.

Owens and Zayn approached Daniel Bryan backstage. Zayn said that if Bryan fired Owens and Zayn after the match, it would be the biggest mistake he ever made. Daniel Bryan wished Owens and Zayn luck and walked away.

Big E and Kevin Owens started off the match in the ring. Big E knocked Owens to the canvas and then swayed his hips in Owens’ face. Owens applied a Chin Lock but Big E quickly broke free and leveled Owens with an elbow to the face. Kofi Kingston was then tagged in and he continued the beatdown on Owens. Kevin Owens threw Kingston out of the ring and the lumberjacks didn’t force Kingston to get back into the ring at all.

Kofi took his sweet time getting back into the ring as Owens shouted at the lumberjacks. Zayn was tagged in and he once again threw Kofi out of the ring. Kofi fist-bumped with The Ascension and Zayn got out of the ring to grab Kingston. The lumberjacks then pounced on Sami and beat him down. Zayn tried to escape up the entrance ramp but the lumberjacks carried back to the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Big E and Kofi were taking their turns stomping on Owens in the corner of the ring. Zayn distracted Kingston for a second and Owens connected with a Superkick. Zayn was tagged in and he connected with a series of punches in the corner. Zayn mocked the New Day by dancing in the ring and then leveled Kingston with a Clothesline for a two count.

Owens got back into the match and slammed Kingston to the canvas for a two count. Owens went for a Senton but Kofi got his knees up. Big E and Sami Zayn were then tagged in. Big E hit Zayn with three Belly to Belly Suplexes in a row. Big E followed it up with a Splash and then Kofi was tagged in. Kofi hit a Crossbody off the top rope but Owens broke up the pinfall.

Big E ran after Owens and the two Superstars connected with a Clothesline at the same time. Zayn was launched into the lumberjacks outside the ring. Corbin went to hit Zayn but Sami ducked and Corbin cracked Bobby Roode in the face. A brawl then broke out between the lumberjacks outside the ring. Sami Zayn then rolled up Kofi Kingston from behind for the victory.

Owens and Zayn tried to escape but Big E got in their way. Rusev and Aiden English attacked Big E. Kofi leaped off the top rope onto Aiden English and Rusev. Owens escaped through the crowd but Woods grabbed Zayn and brought him back to the ring. New Day beatdown Sami Zayn in the middle of the ring. Big E and Woods planted Zayn with the Midnight Hour.

Kevin Owens was shown backstage with Daniel Bryan. Owens asked Daniel Bryan not to fire them. Owens got on his knees and begged Bryan not to fire them. Bryan stated that he was never going to fire them and announced that Kevin Owens will face Randy Orton next week. Owens thanked Bryan as SmackDown went off the air.

I actually find this storyline interesting. Daniel Bryan clearly has a grudge against Shane McMahon and the way he handled the RAW invasion before Survivor Series. He is still placing Owens and Zayn in difficult situations after they betrayed their team at Survivor Series, but he’s not going to fire them. It will be interesting to see Shane’s response next week and how this power struggle will develop between Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

The Bludgeon Brothers Debut (Video), Pete Dunne Wrestles Before SmackDown, The Usos

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi57mX9-2_I?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

– Above is the new WWE Shop Black Friday/Christmas ad with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. Below is the WWE Shop ad that premiered on last night’s RAW with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsTJkCTNmLs?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

– The dark match before tonight’s WWE SmackDown tapings in Houston saw WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews defeat Tyler Bate and Trent Seven in a battle of WWE UK Superstars.

– Erick Rowan and Luke Harper returned to WWE TV on tonight’s SmackDown as The Bludgeon Brothers. They easily defeated The Hype Bros, Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley. Below are photos and videos from the match:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gwPYQbq7eU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

VIDEO: WWE Clash Of Champions Main Event Now Official

Jinder Mahal confirmed on tonight’s WWE SmackDown that he will get his rematch from WWE Champion AJ Styles at the upcoming Clash of Champions pay-per-view.

Clash of Champions takes place on December 17th from the TD Garden in Boston.

Below are photos and video from tonight’s segment, which ended with AJ taking out The Singh Brothers after they sneak attacked him:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

NXT Superstars Debut On Tonight’s SmackDown (Video)

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown saw the main roster debuts of Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan from WWE NXT.

The debuts happened during a backstage segment that saw Naomi getting her makeup done. Ruby appeared first and introduced her two friends to Naomi, Liv and Sarah. They then triple teamed Naomi and beat her down. Becky Lynch tried to make the save for Naomi but she was also destroyed and left laying.

This was similar to the angle done on last night’s RAW, which saw Paige return to TV by bringing Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose up from NXT. They took out Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James and RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss.

Below are videos from tonight’s debut:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (11/21)

The November 21st edition of WWE SmackDown Live was the first episode after Survivor Series 2017, and took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX.

– We see some still images from Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, and then SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon comes out to the ring to kick off tonight’s show. Shane says even in defeat, he’s still proud of how the SmackDown team worked and says no one will ever consider SmackDown the B-show again. He says he’s proud of everyone on the roster, except for two people, and he wants them to come out right now. With that, out comes Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, They hit the ring and Owens gets on the mic, and he demands that Shane apologizes to them. Shane tells him to shut his mouth, and says the two of them have no respect for anyone in WWE letalone on SmackDown, and no respect for him. Owens agrees with both of those things. Shane says they also have no respect for anyone in the crowd, and they agree with that too. Shane tells them about how hated they are in the SmackDown locker room, and says he has two words for them. He tells them to come in close, and begins “YOU’RE….” — but then, Daniel Bryan interrupts. Bryan comes out to the ring and asks for Shane to remove his personal feelings from the situation. Sami starts thanking Daniel but Daniel tells him to shut it. Daniel says everyone in the locker room does hate Owens and Zayn, but he has a better solution than firing them. Bryan says The New Day are particularly furious with them, so they’ll be facing them tonight. Sami says it’s unfair because it’s 3 vs 2. Bryan tells Sami to shut up again, and informs them that the rest of the SmackDown roster will be around the ring tonight to ensure that Owens and Zayn don’t run away from the fight. Bryan’s music hits and the fans chant “Yes” as he and Shane leave. Sami and Owens are not happy about this.

– Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable are backstage getting ready to head to the gorilla position.

– Jey Uso vs. Shelton Benjamin: Gable and Jimmy Uso are at ringside for this one. Benjamin and Jey lock up off the opening bell and they end up throwing blows in the corner. Shelton drops Uso with a shoulder tackle. Uso puts up a fight, but Shelton decks him again, this time with a flying knee to the face. Shelton controls the next few moments of the match until Jey fires back with a Samoan Drop. Gable and Jimmy now get into it at ringside, while Shelton and Jey go at it in the ring. Jey hits a superkick for a two count. More distraction from Gable and Jimmy leads to Uso staying in control, but Shelton counters a shot off the top rope and comes back with the Paydirt for the three count.

Winner: Shelton Benjamin

– We go backstage where Owens and Zayn are trying to befriend Baron Corbin. Corbin asks what’s in it for him, and Owens talks about how good it’ll be to stick it to Shane. Corbin says he can’t stand either of them, so they should go try to befriend someone more weak-minded. Owens and Zayn find Bobby Roode next, and ask him to stand with them and be different from the rest of the pack. Roode asks if their out of their minds — he was in the match they ruined on Sunday. Roode says he owes them both a receipt tonight.

– We see a teaser video for The Bludgeon Brothers – Luke Haper and Eric Rowan. They return next.

– Naomi is backstage getting her makeup done when Ruby Riot from NXT interrupts. She says she wants to introduce Naomi to two of her fiends – Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. They all gang up on Naomi and beat her down. Becky Lynch tries to make the save, but they beat her down too. Refs call for a doctor to help Becky.

– Shane McMahon approaches Daniel Bryan backstage and tells him he thinks it was an awesome call to sign the women from NXT, and a genius idea to make the Lumberjack Match tonight. Shane says now that he’s cooled down he realizes Bryan’s way is best. Shane says he’s going to go back to his hotel and relax, leaving Bryan in charge.

– The Hype Bros vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: Rowan and Mojo start off and Rowan takes control early on. Meanwhile on the outside, Harper takes out Ryder on the floor and throws him into the ring steps. Mojo tries to mount a comeback, but Rowan and Harper double team him for the finish after a short squash match.

Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

– Dasha Fuentes is backstage to interview Natalya. Natalya trashes Ric Flair’s appearance last week, and talks about how she plans to beat Charlotte later tonight.

– We see a look back at Sunday night’s Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles match.

– AJ Styles comes out to the ring to a loud ovation from the crowd. AJ says the match against Lesnar at Survivor Series didn’t go as planned. He appreciates everyone congratulating him on surviving against “The Beast,” but this is the WWE and you don’t get trophies for second place. He moves on to the topic of tonight, and calls out Jinder Mahal. AJ takes his shirt off and tells Jinder to come on out. Jinder appears on the big screen and says that if he was facing Lesnar on Sunday, he would have beaten him and would be called “the beast master.” AJ tells Jinder he sounds stupid, and tells him to come out and try to take the WWE Title from him now. Jinder says the rematch will be on his terms, when he says, and he says it’ll happen at the Clash of Champions PPV. Jinder does his belt supervillain laugh into the camera, then the Singh Brothers attack AJ from behind. AJ fires up and starts beating them down. AJ hits the Styles Clash on one of them, and holds up the WWE Title. Jinder is still on the big screen and tells AJ he’ll see him at the Clash of Champions.

– Kevin OWens and Sami Zayn are backstage, still looking for people to help them. They hear Aiden English singing, and enter his locker room. They find English and Rusev, and they do their best to appeal to them and recruit them. They start talking trash about The New Day to Rusev and English, and they walk off. Rusev and English seem to be considering their appeal.

– Charlotte (c) vs. Natalya: Charlotte’s Women’s Title is on the line in this one. Natalya is fired up right out of the gate and takes down Charlotte. Charlotte fires back with some chops to the chest and Natalya answers with a clothesline. Natalya goes for the Sharpshooter early on, but Charlotte escapes. Natalya slams Charlotte face-first into the turnbuckle and works on keeping her grounded. Charlotte starts to fire up, but Natalya shuts her down with a sit down powerbomb for a two count. Natalya locks in the Sharpshooter but Charlotte reaches the ropes to break the hold. Charlotte comes back with a backbreaker and a shot face-first into the turnbuckle. The Champion goes up top for a moonsault, but Natalya gets her knees up to block it. Charlotte hits a spear and Natalya rolls outside for a breather. Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan run in through the crowd and beat down Natalya at ringside. The ref calls for the bell.

Winner via DQ: Natalya

– They turn their attention to Charlotte now, and the three of them hit the ring to beat down the Champion. They stand tall in the ring and raise each others’ hands as we go to commercial.

– Daniel Bryan is backstage when an interviewer asks him for his reaction to what just happened to Natalya and Charlotte. Bryan says it was an interesting situation, and he has no comment. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn walk up to him, and tell him that if he fires them, it would be the biggest mistake he ever made. Bryan wishes them good luck and walks off.

– Members of the SmackDown roster including Nakamura, Corbin, and The Usos among others come out to surround the ring for our Lumberjack Match main event.

– The New Day vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn: The New Day hand out pancakes to fans on the way to the ring. Owens starts off and sends Kofi to the outside early on. The lumberjacks leave Kofi alone and let him go back in the ring on his own. Zayn tags in now and goes at it with Kofi. Zayn gets dumbed outside and the lumberjacks start beating on him. Sami tries to run away up the ramp, but the lumberjacks grab him and physically put him back in the ring. Owens tags in and The New Day uses frequent tags to control the match. They do the Unicorn Stomp on Owens in the corner. Owens connects with a shot on Kofi, then tags in Sami. Sami stomps on Kofi in the corner, then he pulls him out for a short-arm clothesline for a two count. Owens comes back in now and headbutts Kofi down, then stomps on his hand. Owens goes for a senton bomb but Kofi blocks it with his knees. Big E gets the hot tag and Sami tags in too. Big E hits a series of belly to belly overhead suplexes, then runs the ropes and hits the splash. Big E goes for a running powerslam but Sami escapes. Sami drops Big E in the turnbuckle, but Big E fires back with an elbow to the face. Kofi tags in and hits a flying cross body. Owens breaks up the tag, then Big E runs in and they collide with a double clothesline. All four competitors are down. Kofi dumps Sami outside and he crashes into a couple of lumberjacks. Corbin misses a shot on Sami, and he accidentally cracks Roode in the face. Now the lumberjacks start fighting each other at ringside. The lumberjack fight spills into the ring and all Hell breaks loose. The dust settles and Kofi knocks Owens outside, then Zayn runs up behind Kofi and rolls him up for the three count. As Owens and Zayn try to escape, Big E confronts them and blocks their way. Rusev runs in and decks Big E, allowing Owens to escape through the crowd. Kofi hits a splash off the top on Rusev and English at ringside. Zayn tries to escape through the crowd next, but Xavier grabs him and carries him back into the ring. Zayn is surrounded by Big E, Kofi, and Xavier. The New Day starts beating him down, with Kofi hitting the Trouble In Paradise, then Woods and Big E hitting the Midnight Hour. The New Day taunts Zayn on the mat

Winners: Kevin Owens & Sami Zyn

– The New Day dances and plays trombone in the ring to celebrate their win.

– We see Owens storming through the backstage area. He finds Daniel Bryan and begs him not to fire them. Bryan asks if he’s at all concerned about what just happened to his partner. Owens says he is, and that Sami wants to know too. Owens gets on his knees and begs, but Bryan says he was never going to fire them. Bryan says he recognizes their talent, and Owens better show up next week because he’s going to face to face Randy Orton. Owens starts to protest, but ends up just thanking Bryan and walking off. Bryan smiles as SmackDown goes off the air.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in WWE.

MLW Returning To Orlando On January 11th For Zero Hour

MLW Never Say Never is just weeks away (12/7), but Major League Wrestling has already announced their next show. MLW Zero Hour is coming to Orlando on Thursday, January 11th. Here’s the official announcement:

MLW ANNOUNCES JANUARY 11TH WRESTLING EVENT FOR ORLANDO

ORLANDO – Mark it down on your calendar! Major League Wrestling® (“MLW”) will be back in the New Year!

This morning on the Steve Austin Show, MLW CEO Court Bauer broke the news that MLW will promote a January 11th event called MLW: Zero Hour in Orlando at Gilt Nightclub.

MLW can confirm that Matt Riddle will be back in action. More grapplers and matches will be announced in the coming weeks at www.MLW.com.

An exclusive arena only pre-sale for January 11th will be available to all ticket holders in attendance at MLW: Never Say Never on December 7th in Orlando.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public at www.MLWTickets.com Monday morning December 11th at 11am ET.

Ticket prices range from $15-$45 with a limited number of “Golden Ticket” VIP Packages also available.

MLW: Zero Hour is an all ages event.

MLW: Zero Hour will be available within 72 hours of the event occurring on December 7th with Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini calling the action.  Learn more about MLW.tv at: http://www.MLW.tv.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in MLW, News. Tagged: .

Wrestle Kingdom 12 to be Shown on US PPV?

As per the Wrestling Observer, there are several talents currently booked on the card for January 4th’s Wrestle Kingdom show that are actively pushing for the event to be shown on Pay Per View in the United States.

Chris Jericho is one of the proponents for a PPV option however there is some resistance within New Japan. NJPW World will be showing the event and company heads want the extra hype and press from Jericho’s involvement to boost subscribers for the on demand service. It’s also worth bearing in mind that January 4th will be a weeknight and the timezone difference would mean a start time of around 2am in the US, a potentially tough sell for Pay Per View companies…

Will you be watching on January 4th? Would you like a PPV option or will you be joining/using NJPW World for the event? Let us know in the comments

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, NJPW.

Clash Of Champions Main Event, Updated SmackDown Preview

With Survivor Series in the books, WWE’s next pay-per-view offering will be Clash of Champions on Sunday, December 17th. The main event for the show is rumored to be WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Jinder Mahal.

WWE has announced several more items for tonight’s SmackDown. In addition to the Bludgeon Brothers making their TV debuts/returns against the Hype Bros, new SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte will square off against former champion Natalya.

SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon will kick off tonight’s broadcast. In addition to addressing team blue coming up short at Survivor Series, there’s a good chance he’ll also confirm the Clash of Champions main event.

Join us here later tonight for our WWE SmackDown Live Coverage.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

RAW Viewership Up Again Following Survivor Series

Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 3,074,000 viewers, up from last week’s 3,031,000.

RAW featured fallout from Survivor Series, Kurt Angle confronting Triple H about turning on him the previous night, Paige returning along with NXT stars Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns capturing the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz in the main event.

Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

  • Hour 1: 3,244,000
  • Hour 2: 3,194,000
  • Hour 3: 2,785,000

Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from this week’s RAW:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

Cody Rhodes Responds to Fan Saying WWE Didn’t Treat Him Like a Star

Cody Rhodes is known to be fairly outspoken on Social Media with regards to his position on the independent wrestling scene and his role as ROH Champion & Member of the Bullet Club.

Since his departure from WWE Cody has been featured on a number of high profile PPV events such as New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom, Impact’s Bound for Glory, WCPW events across the UK and of course Ring of Honor’s numerous offerings.

When a fan tweeted Cody earlier today stating that WWE didn’t treat him as “the star he is”  the ‘Grandson of a Plumber’ had an interesting response:

Do you feel that Cody reached his full potential in WWE? Let us know in the comments.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Where Has Bray Wyatt Been?

Bray Wyatt hasn’t won a match in WWE for over 2 months. That includes house show and dark match results. In total, Wyatt has dropped his last 18 matches straight. His last win was over Goldust in September on Raw.

It should also be noted that Wyatt hasn’t been on any of WWE’s live events in over a week, including Survivor Series and last night’s Raw. His last appearance for WWE was 8 days ago when he lost a single’s match to Jason Jordan on last week’s Raw. The following day he posted two ominous Tweets and has since gone silent on social media.

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/930515086636089349

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/930515905330720769

So, Where is Bray Wyatt?

When a wrestler goes on a long losing streak and/or loses to someone considered to be lower ranked (i.e Jason Jordan) it can mean many things: upcoming gimmick change, heel/face turn, or Vince has soured on them, though this is strictly speculation.

There has also been no indication WWE will be picking the Sister Abigail storyline up again anytime soon. The rivalry between Wyatt and Balor seemed to end when their PPV match was canceled due to Wyatt’s viral infection last month.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News. Tagged: .

Nikki Bella Talks John Cena, Her Time On Dancing With The Stars, What She Never Wanted To Share On Camera

Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella recently appeared on Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory, to talk about various topics. Here are the highlights:

Dancing with the Stars and its effect on John Cena

Bella: “I fell in love with dance. I have not, in so many years – and this was hard on John because I was very honest with him – but I have not felt this young and, like, alive…And now I found this new passion, and I felt young and free.”

What she never wanted to share on camera:

Bella: “What was weird for me – and this was the crazy experience – since I was 15, I told myself, ‘I will never depend on a man. I will never need someone.’ And I joined this competition, and I have to depend on a man, and I have to need someone…I was feeling all these emotions, so I was bottling myself up, and I knew this could have made amazing tv for them…I didn’t want it to be forced. But I would go home at night, and there were times that I would cry.”

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

NFL Star’s Cousin Claims He Turned Down A WWE Deal

Terron Beckham, who is the cousin of star NFL wide receiver for the New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr., recently held a live chat on his YouTube channel and explained why he turned down a deal from WWE. Beckham discussed why he turned the deal down, wanting to remain in the fitness world, claimed he’d be making less money if he signed with WWE, and so much more. Here are the highlights:

Turning down a WWE deal because he didn’t want to give up being a fitness personality:

“I did make it, but it is not what I expected it to be,” he said. “I was basically required to drop everything that I have going on, that’s YouTube, that’s fitness business, that’s being a fitness personality. Everything I want to do would be under their wing, and I wasn’t fully OK with that.

“After everything I’ve worked for, I can’t just drop that and let that go despite where the WWE could take me,” Beckham said. “So it didn’t make any sense for me to do so and just drop everything. And let’s say I get into it and I don’t like it, then I’d have to re-up from where I left off.”

Claiming he’d lose money signing with WWE and his warning to those who consider a career in professional wrestling:

“If I was to sign and continue on with the WWE, I would actually be losing a lot of money that I can’t afford to lose the amount that I was going to lose, to give it all up to go for the WWE,” he said. “I do things on my own time, so I couldn’t give that up on top of a lot less pay than what I get paid now.

“Even with sponsors, I couldn’t keep sponsors, that sort of thing. That being said, I kind of want this to be for those who are aspiring to go into wrestling, just make sure you are willing to give up everything for that.”

Believing he can achieve the same lever of success in the WWE on his own:

“I liked the training, I liked what we were doing and [thought I could] still keep on what I’m doing now, but that wasn’t the case. So I was misled on the journey I was hoping for,” Beckham said. “It’s tough, it was a tough decision because there are possibilities, making a million-whatever dollars and all this exposure in like four years.

“But I expect that nonetheless regardless, with or without it and I’d rather just keep doing what I’m doing and see the growth myself from doing my own thing. I think that makes more sense for me.”

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

Matt Hardy Teases Reaching His ‘Breaking Point’ (Video), WWE 2K18 NXT Special

– WWE posted a RAW Fallout video of Matt Hardy speaking to Mike Rome about his rivalry with Elias. Elias defeated Hardy on the Survivor Series preshow and Matt claims that he nearly had his shoulder separated. He also stated that now is not the time to push Matt Hardy because he’s reaching his breaking point. Check it out:

– 2K has made the following announcement:

“2K today announced the WWE 2K18 “NXT Generation Pack” is now available as downloadable content for PS4™ system, Xbox One and Windows PC, enabling access to playable NXT Superstars Aleister Black, Drew McIntyre, Elias, Lars Sullivan and Ruby Riot.

The pack will include:

NXT Generation Pack (PS4™ system, Xbox One and Windows PC)

* Playable NXT Superstars: Aleister Black, Drew McIntyre, Elias, Lars Sullivan and Ruby Riot;

* The NXT Generation Pack is available for $9.99.

For complete details on this WWE 2K18 announcement, see the blog post here: https://wwe.2k.com/news/entries/#wwe-2k18-nxt-generation-pack-is-live-today

For more information on WWE 2K18 and 2K, visit wwe.2k.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #WWE2K18 and #BLN1 or subscribe on YouTube.”

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

WWE Announces Details For Spring 2018 European Tour

WWE sent out a press release on Monday announcing full details for the annual post-WrestleMania European tour:

WWE and the Superstars from SmackDown LIVE and Raw return to Europe in May 2018, to embark on a tour that includes WWE Live Events in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland and Austria, from 10 May through 20 May. Tickets to WWE Live in Vienna, Austria, are available now, with all other European Tour Live Events – presented in partnership with Live Nation – available on Friday, 24 November, at the local times listed below.

See AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Charlotte Flair, The New Day, Naomi, Kevin Owens, Jinder Mahal and many more,* when the Superstars of SmackDown deliver unforgettable sports-entertainment action starting in Germany from 10 May through 12 May. Next, WWE Live makes its debut in the Czech Republic on 13 May before returning to Hungary for the first time in three years on 14 May. SmackDown’s Superstars then conclude their portion of the tour with a return to Germany on 20 May.

Fans attending WWE Live in Switzerland on Wednesday, 16 May, and Austria on Thursday, 17 May, will see their favorite Raw Superstars, including Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, Asuka, Cesaro, Sheamus and more.*

Be part of the WWE Live action this May. Get your tickets at the links below.

WWE LIVE EUROPEAN TOUR DATES FOR MAY 2018 (presented by Live Nation)

GERMANY | Watch: Raw Superstars’ Nov. 2017 tour through Germany

Tickets available starting 24 November, 10 a.m. local time, at www.eventim.de and www.ticketmaster.de

Thursday, 10 May: König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen

Friday, 11 May: Volkswagen Halle, Braunschweig

Saturday, 12 May: ÖVB Arena, Bremen

Sunday, 20 May: Olympiahalle, Munich

CZECH REPUBLIC:

Sunday, 13 May: O2 Arena, Prague | Tickets available starting 24 November, 9 a.m. local time, at www.ticketportal.vz

HUNGARY:

Monday, 14 May: Papp László Budapest Sportaréna, Budapest | Tickets available starting 24 November, 9 a.m. local time, atwww.ticketpro.hu and www.livenation.hu

SWITZERLAND:

Wednesday, 16 May: Geneva Arena, Geneva | Tickets available starting 24 November, 10 a.m. local time, at www.ticketcorner.ch

AUSTRIA:

Thursday, 17 May: Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna | Tickets available now at www.ticketmaster.at

*Talent referenced and depicted above are subject to change.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

The Reason The Miz Lost The IC Title To Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns defeated The Miz in the main event of Monday’s RAW from Houston to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion.

This is Reigns’ first run with the WWE Intercontinental Title. Miz won the title back at the June 4th Extreme Rules pay-per-view with a win over Dean Ambrose.

The reason for The Miz dropping the IC title is that he’ll be taking time off soon to film another movie. No word yet on what movie he’ll be filming, but Miz has starred in the past 3 installments of WWE Studios’ The Marine franchise, so that’s certainly a possibility.

After Monday’s RAW went off the air, WWE filmed an angle that saw The Shield triple powerbomb Miz through the announcer’s table. This was done to write him off television for the foreseeable future.

The Miz is not expected back on television until after his new movie projects finishes shooting. During his time away from WWE, he’ll also be able to spend time with his pregnant wife, Maryse.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE.

Previously Advertised SmackDown Live Main Event Nixed?

It has been advertised for the past few days that WWE Champion AJ Styles would be rematching Jinder Mahal for the title in a Houston Street Fight. This comes just days after Styles’ epic clash with Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series on pay-per-view (PPV). It seems as though WWE has cancelled the plans to have Mahal and Styles rematch tonight.

WWE.com issued a preview for tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live and teased whether or not Styles and “The Maharaja” would “cross paths” – making no mention of a match between the two:

“Will AJ Styles cross paths with Jinder Mahal after tangling with The Beast?

“Although WWE Champion AJ Styles failed to conquer Universal Champion Brock Lesner at Survivor Series, he left WWE’s second-longest running pay-per-view looking phenomenal after a gutsy effort. Nevertheless, Styles may have no time to reflect on his hard-fought showdown against The Conqueror.

“Last week, former titleholder Jinder Mahal made no bones about his intentions to come after the WWE Champion once Lesnar was done with him. Will Styles and the former titleholder cross paths tonight? And if they do, considering the beatdown that the Phenomenal One has already endured this week, will he be in any condition to repel an assault from The Modern Day Maharaja?”

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Big Change To Planned Royal Rumble Title Match

The long-rumored Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor feud won’t be happening. For months, there have been reports that Balor was lined up to be Brock Lesnar’s next big challenger. The match was tentatively planned for January’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, but Dave Meltzer reports that Vince McMahon made the call on Monday morning to go in a different direction.

In the main event of Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, Balor was the first member of Team RAW to be eliminated. Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio,

“Vince McMahon felt that Finn Balor wasn’t over enough. I think obviously he decided even before, with how that match was laid out. Finn Balor wasn’t put in that match to shine.”

The following night on RAW, Balor lost clean to Samoa Joe, getting choked out by Joe’s Coquina Clutch. If it wasn’t clear after Survivor Series that Balor wasn’t being protected for a Universal title feud, it was pretty clear after RAW.

Balor is still one of the top stars on RAW and one of the best workers in the company. He was WWE’s first Universal Champion and has a built-in storyline to be a contender for that title. Balor was injured by Seth Rollins in the very match he won to become champion at SummerSlam 2016 and was forced to surrender the gold the following night on RAW. Unfortunately, the decision has been made that Balor is not a credible opponent for Lesnar at this time.

WWE has yet to decide who will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at the Rumble, which takes place on January 28th from Philadelphia.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

MLW Never Say Never: New Matches Announced, MLW Lands Big Sponsor

Major League Wrestling announced several more matches for the upcoming Never Say Never live event, scheduled for Thursday, December 7th from Orlando, FL.

Laurel Van Ness (aka Chelsea Green) of Impact Wrestling will make her MLW debut against the Santana Garrett. Also debuting on 12/7 is risking prospect Sammy Guevera vs. Jason Cade.

Here’s the updated card for the show:

  • Matt Riddle vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
  • No DQ: Shane Strickland & John Hennigan vs. Jimmy Havoc & Darby Allin
  • MVP vs. Brody King
  • Santana Garrett vs. Laurel Van Ness
  • Joey Ryan vs. MJF
  • Sammy Guevara vs. Jason Cade
  • Jimmy Yuta vs. Vandal Ortagun
  • Mike Parrow vs. Saieve Al Sabah

Seth Petruzelli, Barrington Hughes are also confirmed to appear. Tickets are still available for MLW Never Say Never at GILT Nightclub in Orlando over at Eventbrite.com.

Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini will be calling the action once again for MLW at Never Say Never. The show will be available for online streaming (within 72 hours of the event) over at MLW.tv.

On Monday, MLW announced they landed another big sponsorship for the upcoming show. Never Say Never will be presented by the “Flatout 4: Total Insanity” video game. More info available at the link below:

https://twitter.com/mlw/status/932683018464120833

Posted November 21st, 2017 in MLW, News. Tagged: .

Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose: Info on Paige’s New Run-In Buddies

Last night on Raw, Paige returned and brought some backup with her. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose made their Raw debut and made it clear they are working with Paige.

Here is some background info on Paige’s new run-in buddies:

Sonya Deville:

Contrary to popular belief, 24-year-old Sonya Deville actually does have an MMA background. She has a 2-1 amateur MMA record and trained out of the Systems Training Center in Hawthorne, CA.

She also hosted the show “UFC AfterBuzz” show on AfterBuzz.tv which currently hosts Sean Waltman’s podcast.

Deville also has several acting credits to her name, including producing her own movie “the Honour” in 2013. The description of the movie is as follows:

“Christian Conservative Sarah discovers her daughter Judith is gay and in love with a Muslim Neighbor. Sarah will do anything to save the immoral soul of her daughter.”

Deville was discovered by WWE in 2015’s version of Tough Enough.

Mandy Rose:

Rose was also discovered in the 2015 edition of Tough Enough but her pre-WWE career was spent in the world of fitness modeling. This was also the route Rose’s idol, Trish Stratus, took to the WWE.

Earlier this year, a photo of Mandy Rose spread online which made many fans consider her Trish’s doppelganger. Even Trish commented the photo had her fooled:

The 26-year-old’s real name is Amanda Saccomanno and she is from Westchester County, New York though she has relocated near the Performance Center in Orlando.

Rose and Deville actually tagged together in their first NXT match. It was a 6-person match and their other partner was Alexa Bliss, whom they beat up last night in the back.

Rose has two official tour victories for the World Bodybuilding Fitness and Fashion organization from events in 2014.

Neither Rose nor Deville competed on the independents before being signed to WWE.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News. Tagged: , , .

Roman Reigns To Issue Open Challenges? (Video), The Bella Twins Celebrating, NXT Promo

– Below is video of new WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns talking to Mike Rome after the big win over The Miz on last night’s RAW. Reigns says he feels good about the win and was informed by Dean Ambrose that he’s now a Grand Slam Champion. Reigns says it’s no secret that he’s had a rough few months, he’s missed some time but this goes to show that if you’re passionate about something and you’re persistent about it, you can make it happen if you believe in it, no matter what gets in your way. Reigns thanks all of his supporters and says he wouldn’t have these opportunities if it weren’t for his team. Reigns indicates that he will be issuing Open Challenges soon.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cr9k6AlD3c?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

– The Bella Twins turn 34 years old today while former WCW star Jerry Flynn turns 58, WWE Hall of Famer Afa The Wild Samoan turns 75 and ECW Original Shane Douglas turns 54.

– Below is a promo for this week’s WWE NXT with the fallout from “Takeover: WarGames” and Johnny Gargano vs. WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Paige On Her WWE Return, Roman Reigns Joins Elite Company, Match For WWE 205 Live

– Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa has been announced for this week’s WWE 205 live episode. Gulak talks about the match in this post-RAW Fallout video, noting that WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore isn’t happy with The Zo Train losing on RAW.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STdrcenab64?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

– As noted, Paige returned to WWE TV on this week’s RAW and brought WWE NXT Superstars Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville with her to attack others in the women’s division, including RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss. Paige tweeted the following on her return:

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/932832930719830016

– New WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns is now a Grand Slam Champion after his win over The Miz in the main event of this week’s RAW. Reigns is the 17th Grand Slam Champion in company history. WWE Hall of Famer Booker T welcomed Reigns to the club with this tweet:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Fiery Backstage Promo From Samoa Joe, Matt Hardy On His New Feud, Kalisto

– Below is video of Samoa Joe talking to Mike Rome after his win over Finn Balor on this week’s WWE RAW from Houston. Joe says he does not feel better after the win because something keeps going around in his head – why do they all choose to live in ignorance, why will they not learn? Joe says it’s very simple – he will strike down with righteous vengeance if you trespass on him. He will torture you, beat you and punish you, and when you are at the apex of your pain threshold, he will grant you the mercy of putting you to sleep. Joe says Balor learned that he will always get his comeuppance and anyone else will suffer the same fate.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVfCSR8b-yY?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

– No word yet on why Kalisto did not appear on this week’s RAW in the cruiserweight segment that saw Mustafa Ali, Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa face off with WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore, Drew Gulak, Tony Nese, Noam Dar and Ariya Daivari, but Kalisto did do media appearances with Bayley on Monday morning. Kalisto lost a title match to Enzo on Sunday’s Survivor Series Kickoff pre-show.

– Matt Hardy’s feud with Elias continued on RAW as the two brawled around the ring, just one night after Hardy lost to Elias on the Survivor Series pre-show. Matt tweeted the following on Elias after the show:

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

House of Hardcore Announces Next Live Show on Twitch

Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion will be returning to Twitch for another live show on December 2nd. Production problems plagued last Saturday’s broadcast but the entire show has not been put up for viewing-on-demand.

House of Hardcore 36 will air from Austin Aries’ hometown of Waukesha, WI. Aries cut a promo at HOH35 which was greeted with some heckling from the live crowd in Philadelphia this weekend.

House of Hardcore 36

Only 3 matches are announced thus far for the show:

  1. Al Snow & Swoggle vs. the Squad
  2. Candace Michelle vs. Lisa Von Marie (Michelle’s last match)
  3. Austin Aries vs. Joey Mercury

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News. Tagged: , , .

Corey Graves Responds To Vince Russo’s Criticism

Vince Russo was evidently not a fan of how the commentary team treated Jason Jordan on Raw last night. He had this to say on Twitter regarding it:

Early this morning/late last night, Graves responded with the following:

Vince Russo in 2017

Since parting with Impact Wrestling in 2014, Russo has been busy working on podcasts and online content. Additionally, he writes for the wrestling show “Rocky Mountain Pro” which appears on the FITE App.

Earlier this summer, Russo filed a restraining order against Jim Cornette.

Posted November 21st, 2017 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

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