The son of late former WWE Superstar Brian Pillman, Brian Pillman Jr., made his professional wrestling debut over the weekend in Indianapolis. He defeated Jonathan Wolf in the match, and Wolf took to Twitter to offer some kind words to Pillman afterwards:
I? just wanted to say @FlyinBrianJr is the real deal and I?m honored to be your first match
Thank you for taking care of me tonight! Wrestling is such a beautiful and exhilarating thing when the 2 people in the ring have a special bond like we had as soon as we met. You are so young yet so wise…
Pillman was just three-years-old when his father passed away back on October 5th of 1997. He suffered from a heart attack caused by undetected arteriosclerotic heart disease. Interesting enough, Pillman died from the same disease that took his father’s life as well. He was in the middle of a feud with Goldust and Marlena. Pillman was scheduled to face Dude Love at Badd Blood: In Your House but was a no-show for the event as bell time approached.
Jim Cornette was tasked with finding Pillman’s whereabouts and called the hotel that he was staying at, and the receptionist informed him that the maids had found him dead in his room earlier that day.
Pillman Jr. seems set on following in his father’s footsteps and one day making it to the WWE, as he explained in an interview with Wrestle:List:
“I will tell you right now that I think the company that will benefit the most from me becoming a wrestler would be the federation [WWE], just because they have the trademarks, they have the name and they have the merchandising of my father,” Pillman Jr. said. “So I think it would be wise for me to go there. Obviously at the end of the day we want to make a good living for ourselves and we want to make it as big as we can.
“I think it might be smart for me to perform on the indies for while to get experience in the event that I might not make it, that way I’d still make a living for myself. I will say that making it to the big leagues, making it to WWE would be a dream come true. It would be the ultimate goal to follow in my father’s footsteps. One guy I look to, to compare what my possibilities would be is Cody Rhodes. Obviously he had the father and the whole legacy going for him and he went to the WWE and it wasn’t a good fit for him. He didn’t want to go with their plans and he had bigger plans for himself. Just seeing him thrive and doing so well on the independent scene has given me more options.”
Chris Jericho recently did an interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) to talk about his upcoming match with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 next weekend. Here are the highlights:
The connection he feels to Kenny Omega and Japan:
“I’ve never wrestled Kenny Omega before. I understand how great Kenny Omega is – everybody’s talking about Kenny Omega and that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to have this match. Because the timing for this match is perfect. It probably couldn’t have happened last year – it couldn’t have happened last year, it probably won’t happen next year, this is the time for “Alpha vs. Omega.”
“This is the time for Kenny vs. Jericho. And he’s from the same home city as I am; from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – and to me, there’s a special connection there. He basically grew up in Japan, so did I, this is my 52nd tour of Japan in January. I think – we’re not just typical foreigners, we’re not just typical guys – we’re almost honorary Japanese.
His style compared to Omega’s:
“Well, once again, Kenny Omega has a great style – very good New Japan style, but I have New Japan style, I have WAR style, I have Mexico style, I have European style, I have ECW style, I have Smokey Mountain Wrestling style, I have WCW style, and more importantly, I have WWE style. Six-time World Heavyweight Champion. Kenny has never been even close to that. It’s a completely different world. Kenny Omega is a planet, Chris Jericho is the whole universe. I’m the Alpha. Alpha vs. Omega, it’s not just a catchphrase, it’s the truth.
“And it’s typical for someone like Kenny to think “Jericho can’t handle my style,” because he’s been so big here in New Japan. But he’s big with Okada, and Naito, and that’s great. Those four guys, five guys, six guys. I’ve been great against 50 guys! Against 100. Hall Of Famers. Some of the greatest of all time. Kenny Omega can’t even lace my boots up when it comes to that kind of respect, that kind of experience, that kind of knowledge that I have.”
Wanting to end Omega’s NJPW career:
“You don’t see blood on a New Japan ring, you don’t see blood in a WWE ring – the business has changed, it’s not about that anymore. Which I think is what made it so much more shocking when I hit Kenny over the head with the United States Championship and cut him open, bleeding everywhere- I liked it. It made me happy. It gave me energy. Made me feel alive. And it also change the entire concept of what this match is gonna be for me. At first, I thought, “Well, sure, if Kenny can have a seven star match I can have an eight star match, nine star match, the first-ever ten star match: “Alpha vs. Omega.”” Make Okada vs. Omega look like an opening match between a couple of young lions.
“But then, after Fukuoka, and then after the press conference in Tokyo the next day – it’s so violent, and intense, and vicious. This is gonna be a match like you’re not gonna see in New Japan again. It’s gonna be like a match – it’s gonna be a different type of match than any type of match at the Tokyo Dome. End of the match at Wrestle Kingdom 12. And once again, I like that, because to me it’s gonna stand out. You’re going to see the last match of Kenny Omega’s New Japan career happen at Wrestle Kingdom 12, because of me.
“Can you imagine all the New Japan Pro Wrestling fans? The women, crying. The little kids, crying. The longtime 20-year fans, crying when their hero, Kenny Omega’s career is over. Can you imagine how that’s going to make me feel? I’m gonna feel like the fu*king king of the world. Because I am. The best in the world. The greatest of all time. The Alpha. that’s who Chris Jericho is. And all the New Japan people, all the New Japan fans, and any wrestler in the New Japan locker room is going to learn a lesson. And it’s going to be a sad day for Kenny Omega and all of his fans at Wrestle Kingdom 12. I guarantee it.”
– Last week Matt Hardy was using Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata at a live event to make his entrance for his match with Bray Wyatt. Fans believed that this would be Hardy’s new theme song for his “Woken” character on WWE TV. Plans may have changed, however, as Hardy went back to using the Hardy Boyz them at Friday’s live event in Albany. Check it out:
– We’ve noted that WWE has been teasing a Tye Dillinger heel turn soon as he has been working live events as a heel against Kalisto. At a recent live event in Hershey Dillinger was telling fans that they can’t chant “10” because none of them are perfect 10’s except himself.
NWA Champ Nick Aldis recently appeared on the Arm Drag Takedown with Pollo Del Mar to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Aldis discussed big spots being used too much in wrestling today, reusing an older style of promotion in professional wrestling (similar to what the UFC is doing today) to get fans interested, and more. Here are the highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kzvvrepGiA
Big spots being used too much in wrestling today:
“[Wrestling] got hoodwinked into thinking the most important thing in our business was the match in the ring. I got into this to tell stories and to get people invested into characters and emotion. I wanted to be an entertainer! I wanted to be able to indulge in all the things pro wrestling provides which ‘real sports’ don’t.”
Reusing an older promotion model in pro wrestling (similar to what the UFC does today) to get fans interested:
“Essentially, if you changed the final outcome of the UFC builds with an NWA World Championship match from the 1980s, the whole lot of it leading up to that is very much the same. The reality was, if you wanted to see these two guys go at it, without interference or in the full match, you either had to buy a ticket or you had to tune into this pay-per-view or this special. That’s essentially what UFC’s model is. They put out [UFC Embedded], they put out smaller cards on free TV, but everything else they put out is press conferences, interviews, profile pieces, all of which is leading to the fight. The fight is the attraction.”
Taking the “unknown champion” (then-NWA Champion, Tim Storm) from a less popular promotion and turning it into an angle:
“Dave [Lagana] and Billy [Corgan], as the Managing Editor and Executive Producer, took that story and instead of [pretending] certain elements [that] some people might look at as ‘negative’ didn’t exist, they, in fact, embraced that and made it a compelling part of the story. In fact, that’s the part people have been most interested in. … You can find the elements of people’s real lives and make them into a compelling story, if you know how to do it right.”
Listen to Aldis’ interview on The Arm Dram Takedown by clicking this link here.
You can check out the full highlights from Aldis’ appearance on the Arm Drag Takedown podcast via The Huffington Post here.
On last week’s episode of SmackDown Live Kevin Owens picked up a win over WWE Champion AJ Styles after a distraction from Sami Zayn. As a result, WWE has announced that AJ Styles will be taking on Sami Zayn on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live – the first of 2018:
Styles vs. Zayn becomes the third confirmed match for Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown Live. Also on deck is a SmackDown Live Tag Team Title match between The Usos vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, as well as a first round United States Title Tournament match between Xavier Woods and Aiden English.
On the latest episode of Neal Pruitt’s Secrets of WCW Nitro podcast, Pruitt welcomed the director of ESPN’s “30 for 30” on two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair, Rory Karpf. Karpf discussed Ric’s relationship with David Flair, ESPN’s reaction to the original version of the documentary, Shawn Michaels’ reaction to a quote from Flair in the film, and Flair’s relationship with Hulk Hogan. Here are the highlights:
Ric’s relationship with David Flair:
“I think it’s probably a strained relationship. Things change every time I talk to Ric [about it]. I don’t think they have very much in common, but I know Ric loves his son. I know [David] came to the hospital to see [Ric], so that was pretty big…but I think Ric is definitely closer to Megan and Ashley for sure.”
ESPN’s reaction to the first version of the film:
“We did three completely different rough cuts…the first one was a very linear progression of Ric’s story. [For] cut two, we really made the film all about 1980’s wrestling, so much so that some other people were featured as well. It was really about 1980s culture and kind of the boom of ’80s wrestling. ESPN hated that cut. They thought it was terrible.”
Shawn Michaels’ reaction to a Flair quote in the documentary:
“I said to [Shawn], ‘Ric said he wants to be remembered as the greatest wrestler’. Shawn just kind of nodded his head and he goes, ‘that’s really somethin’, huh?’ [Shawn] started talking about the wrestling business, and he said that ‘wrestling is really a business…it doesn’t love you back, nor should it’. I thought he had a lot of insight [in that way]. I don’t think this part made the film…but he said ‘y’know, wrestling, it’s a pretty silly thing’. He said he loves it, and it’s fun, but he can’t imagine it taking precedence over [his] family. He said [that] seems ridiculous to him.”
Flair’s relationship with Hulk Hogan:
“Those two have really become pretty good friends over the last couple of years. Ric said he wasn’t surprised to hear [Hulk] put him over like that [in the movie]. From what I understand, they had maybe a little bit of a strained relationship going back to WCW, but then Hogan brought him to TNA, Hogan loaned him some money, they went on a tour together. In fact… when Ric was in hospital, from what I was told, Hogan visited him twice – and was the first person to visit him – whereas a lot of wrestlers you might think [would] visit him didn’t even reach out.
“[Hogan] sent me a really nice email that I thought was really kind. Mainly again – even in the email – Hogan put over Ric. I’m hoping that Hogan will get to come back into wrestling, because that’s where he belongs, and I think that’s his number one love as well as [Flair].”
You can listen to Karpf’s interview on Secrets of WCW Nitro by clicking this link here.
– Sasha Banks’ hair ended up for sale on Ebay after a fan purchased a Conor’s Cure shirt she wore and found two strands of purple hair on it. The fan said that after discovering the hairs he decided to put them up for sale on Ebay and ended up getting $39.99. Here’s the description of the item and the posting can be found at this link:
“*This auction is for the Sasha Banks 2 hair strands only, does not include signed tshirt these hair pieces were found enbedded in.
“This auction includes two stands of purple hair from WWE superstar Sasha Banks. I found these strands weaved into the connors cure tshirt I purchased on WWE auction. I pulled them out and placed in a bag. These are from the 9/18/17 Raw episode when Sasha comes out to block Alexa Bliss from leaving the match against Nia Jacks.
“This auction is for the hair strands only, not the signed ring worn tshirt.
“I promise all pieces were pulled from shirt after inspection upon opening. I assure the strands belonged to Sasha Banks on raw 9/18 when she worn this shirt which can be proven by watching or viewing the authenticity of the ring worn tshirt by WWE.
“Any questions feel free to ask. ”
– Big E posted a video of himself and his fellow New Day members trying to recruit “Ms. Money In The Bank” Carmella for the Mixed Match Challenge. The trio ordered a referee over to Carmella to deliver some pancakes that read “Will you be our partner?” Carmella was flattered by the gesture but noted that it’s up to the WWE Universe to vote on the teams for the tournament:
Like every year, there were a ton of interesting stories in regards to professional wrestling in 2017. Here are the 15 biggest stories of the year:
NJPW Entered The United States Market
NJPW made headway into the United States market in 2017. Earlier this year, NJPW launched an English YouTube channel.
NJPW will continue to grow in the US with Superstars like Chris Jericho joining the promotion to battle Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 4th.
On July 1st and 2nd, NJPW held it’s G1 Special in Long Beach, CA. It was announced in November that NJPW will be returning to Long Beach for Strong Style Evolved on March 25, 2018.
NJPW’s President Takaaki Kidani stated that NJPW will have an office and dojo in Los Angeles soon and hope to start touring the US. NJPW made several strides in 2017 to gain popularity in the United States and will look to become even more popular in 2018.
The Shield Returned To Dominance
The Shield (Photo Credit: WWE.com)
It started with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins on RAW. Rollins attempted to get Dean Ambrose to trust him again for weeks, but Ambrose couldn’t let go of the past. It was hard to blame him, it was Rollins who ended The Shield when he attacked Reigns and Ambrose with a chair from behind three years prior. Rollins then aligned himself with The Authority and went on to become WWE Champion.
On the August 14th edition of RAW, Ambrose and Rollins were finally able to put their differences aside and bump fists in the ring. The crowd erupted as the duo was together once again.
However, there was still one member missing. Roman Reigns didn’t officially reunited with the group until the October 9th edition of RAW. The Shield rushed The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro and Curtis Axel during a Miz TV segment. The Shield beatdown everyone in sight and posed in the ring. Rollins and Ambrose would go on to become the RAW Tag Team Champions and Roman Reigns captured his first Intercontinental Championship.
The reunion was short-lived, as Dean Ambrose suffered an injury and will be on the sideline for 9 months. While it didn’t last long, The Shield reunion got one of the biggest pops from the WWE Universe all year. I’m sure we will see Reigns, Rollins and Ambrose together again in the years to come.
Kevin Owens Battled The McMahons
Owens joined SmackDown during WWE’s Superstar Shake-Up. The former Universal Champion didn’t seem to think SmackDown was the land of opportunity that Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan claimed it was. Owens crossed the line on the September 5th episode of SmackDown and started insulting the McMahon family. Shane McMahon finally lost it and attacked Owens.
The following week, Owens threatened to sue WWE and this led to Vince McMahon confronting Owens in the ring. Vince stated that Owens will face Shane McMahon inside Hell in a Cell. Owens accepted the match but then did the unthinkable and attacked the 72-year-old WWE Chairman.
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon went on to face Kevin Owens at WWE Hell in a Cell on October 8, 2017. Owens emerged victorious thanks to interference from Sami Zayn. Sami pulled Owens off of the announce table as Shane McMahon was trying to hit an Elbow Drop from off the top of the structure. Shane crashed through the table and Zayn rolled Owens on top of him for the pinfall victory.
Shane still hasn’t gotten over this and has spent the last few months of 2017 trying to get Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn out of WWE. Zayn and Owens have overcome every obstacle that Shane has put in their way so far. At WWE Clash of Champions 2017, Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were special referees for a match between Owens & Zayn versus Nakamura & Orton. If Owens and Zayn lost, they would have been fired from all of WWE. Shane refused to count to three when Sami Zayn had the match won, which led to Daniel Bryan delivering a fast count to ensure Owens and Zayn got the victory.
Owens’ attack on Vince McMahon and the events at Hell in a Cell have caused Shane McMahon to become obsessed with making Zayn and Owens’ life a living hell. Unfortunately for Shane, his actions continue to backfire and he now has issues with SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan. The storyline is still evolving, as Shane inadvertently cost WWE Champion AJ Styles a match against Owens on this past week’s episode of SmackDown. The rivalry between Owens and McMahon is poised to continue in 2018.
John Cena Passed The Torch To Roman Reigns
John Cena on RAW Talk following his loss to Roman Reigns at WWE No Mercy 2017
John Cena made his RAW return with one goal in mind, face off against Roman Reigns. Cena and Reigns spent a few weeks hurling insults at each other during promos on RAW. Cena didn’t think Reigns was anything special and set out to prove it at WWE No Mercy 2017.
Roman Reigns faced John Cena in the Staples Center in Los Angeles on September 24th. It was billed as a dream match and Reigns prevailed in the end. After the PPV went off the air, Cena was a guest on RAW Talk with Jerry “The King” Lawler and Renee Young. Cena praised Reigns and claimed that WWE’s future was in good hands with Roman at the top. Cena added that he felt like a burden had been lifted off of his shoulders after his loss to Reigns.
Since his loss to Reigns, Cena has appeared less and less on WWE television. He is pursuing opportunities outside of WWE, but returned to WWE once again on this past week’s episode of RAW. Reigns has remained the top guy in WWE and will most likely be in the Universal Championship picture heading into WrestleMania 34 next year.
The Hardys Returned To WWE & Matt Hardy Became Woken
Matt and Jeff Hardy made their long-awaited return to WWE at WrestleMania 33. It was originally scheduled to be a Triple Threat Ladder match between Enzo & Cass, Gallows & Anderson and Sheamus & Cesaro for the RAW Tag Team Championships. WrestleMania 33 hosts New Day then came down to the entrance ramp and announced that the match had become a Fatal 4-Way. Matt and Jeff then came down to the ring and wound up becoming the new RAW Tag Team Champions.
Jeff Hardy went down with an injury and Matt Hardy spent some time losing on RAW every week. Matt finally snapped and became “Woken”. Fans have been waiting to see Matt Hardy bring his Broken Universe to WWE and it finally happened. Everyone was unsure if Hardy would ever be able to bring the “Broken” character to WWE due to a bitter dispute with Impact Wrestling.
Matt is now in a feud with Bray Wyatt that is being referred to as the Great War. Hardy has promised to delete Bray Wyatt and the two have had a series of video promos together over the past few weeks. On this past week’s episode of RAW, Hardy attacked Wyatt from behind and then psychotically laughed.
Adam Cole Joined WWE
Three time ROH World Champion and longest reigning PWG Champion Adam Cole made his WWE debut in 2017. Cole was one of the most popular independent wrestling stars out there and was rumored to be coming to NXT for months. Cole finally made his debut at NXT TakeOver: Brookyln III, when he Superkicked newly crowned NXT Champion Drew McIntyre. Cole was joined by Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly in the ring as he posed with the NXT Championship.
Cole, Fish and O’Reilly would then form the Undisputed Era in NXT. The trio has claimed that they were going to take over NXT and they have started to back it up. Undisputed Era won the WarGames match and now Fish & O’Reilly are NXT Tag Team Champions. Cole is now becoming a star in NXT and will look to do the same when he eventually joins WWE’s main roster.
“I would want to [start in NXT] because, first of all, I’m a fan of NXT. I think the brand is cool. I think the TakeOver shows are awesome. I think the fans are great. I love the roster of guys. I think it’s something that’s going to be looked at as a very special time in pro wrestling, so I want to be a part of it. Secondly, of course in a perfect world if I went to NXT, I wouldn’t want to be there forever; but I like the idea of going there and performing there and getting accustomed to the WWE audience and them getting accustomed to me and then eventually making the move to Raw or SmackDown. I think it’d be a lot of fun, and I think I would really enjoy working in front of that audience.”
In a little over four months, Cole has already connected with the NXT audience. He is now in a feud with another rising star in Aleister Black. Cole has already made an impact in WWE in 2017, but his future in WWE is even brighter.
Goldberg Won The Universal Championship
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Goldberg made his return to WWE on October 17th, 2016. He accepted a challenge to face Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series 2016. The WCW legend went on to absolutely dominate Lesnar at the PPV, connecting with two Spears and finishing him off with a massive Jackhammer.
The rivalry spilled into 2017 when Brock Lesnar and Goldberg met again in the Royal Rumble match. Goldberg once again got the best of Lesnar and eliminated him. Goldberg was then eliminated by The Undertaker, but that didn’t stop him from being in one of the marquee matches of WrestleMania 33.
On March 5th, Goldberg got a shot at the Universal Championship when he faced Kevin Owens at WWE Fastlane 2017. Owens had recently betrayed Chris Jericho during the Festival of Friendship. Owens brutally attacked Jericho and beat him senseless. Jericho returned just as the Universal Championship match started and Kevin Owens became distracted. Goldberg quickly connected with a Spear and became the Universal Champion.
At WrestleMania 33, Goldberg defended his Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar. The result was different this time, as Brock Lesnar withstood Goldberg’s early attack and defeated him with an F-5. Still, Goldberg showed that he could still go in the ring after being away from WWE for 12 years. More importantly, Goldberg got to perform in front of his son on the biggest stage wrestling has to offer.
Asuaka, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe & Shinsuke Nakamura Joined The Main Roster
Roode, Joe and Nakamura all made a name for themselves outside of the WWE before arriving in NXT. In 2017, all three joined WWE’s main roster and made an impact. Samoa Joe joined RAW and originally debuted as Triple H’s henchman on the January 30th episode of RAW. He attacked Seth Rollins, which led to Rollins missing time due to a knee injury.
It didn’t take long before Samoa Joe established himself as one of the most talented performers on RAW’s roster. He is a force on Monday nights and is making Roman Reigns’ life a living hell right now. Joe’s biggest match so far on the main roster was his Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar at WWE Great Balls of Fire. Joe came up short but was able to prove he belongs in the main event scene in WWE.
Bobby Roode arrived on SmackDown during the August 22nd episode. Roode got a great reaction from the crowd and easily defeated Aiden English. Roode’s time on the main roster has been up and down so far. He was terrific in NXT as heel and many feel that Roode would connect more with the audience on the main roster as that character. Having said that, Roode recently advanced past the first round of the United States Championship tournament and has been featured on SmackDown’s midcard on a weekly basis.
Shinsuke Nakamura debuted on SmackDown on April 4th. His run on the main roster has been a roller coaster so far. WWE seemingly was unsure of what to do with Nakamura when he first arrived. They implemented random explosion sounds during his entrance and constantly referred to him as “the artist known as Shinsuke Nakamura”.
Shinsuke picked up a massive victory against John Cena to earn a shot at the WWE Championship. Nakamura failed to defeat Jinder Mahal twice and was unable to capture the title.
Shinsuke Nakamura’s talent is undeniable and hopefully gets to showcase it even more in 2018. Nakamura was incredibly popular in NJPW but decided that he wanted to better his career in WWE. After a great stint in NXT, Nakamura’s main roster run has been hot and cold so far. The best moment so far was the stare down Nakamura had with AJ Styles at WWE Money In The Bank 2017. WWE hinted that there might be great things to come for Nakamura and hopefully that comes to fruition in 2018.
Asuka went undefeated on NXT and also broke Goldberg’s record after accumulating 174 wins without a loss. At NXT TakeOver: Brookyln III, Asuka defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Ember Moon. Asuka was once again victorious, but suffered a collarbone injury during the match. Asuka relinquished her NXT Women’s Championship and then joined the RAW roster after healing from her injury. She made her debut at WWE TLC 2017 and defeated former WWE Superstar Emma. Asuka remains undefeated and will surely be a huge part of the RAW women’s division moving forward.
Jinder Mahal Was WWE Champion For 170 Days
Jinder Mahal is your new WWE ChampionThe former 3MB member won a Six-Pack Challenge on the April 18th edition of WWE SmackDown to become the #1 contender for the WWE Championship. Mahal went on to defeat Randy Orton at WWE Backlash 2017 to become the new WWE Champion. Two nights later, Mahal held a Punjabi celebration on SmackDown.
Jinder Mahal relied on help from the Singh Brothers throughout his reign to hold onto the titles. Samir and Sunil Singh were constantly causing chaos during his matches to ensure that the Modern Day Maharaja would remain WWE Champion. At WWE Battleground 2017, Randy Orton faced Jinder Mahal in a Punjabi Prison match. Orton successfully disposed of the Singh Brothers during the match, but a giant made his WWE return to help out Mahal.
Mahal continued to escape with the WWE Championship over the next several months. Baron Corbin attempted to cash in his MITB contract but became distracted by John Cena. Mahal capitalized and rolled Corbin up to remain WWE Champion. Mahal then defeated Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE SummerSlam 2017 and WWE Hell in a Cell 2017. AJ Styles finally dethroned Mahal at during the November 7th episode of SmackDown. Mahal had a shot to recapture the title at Clash of Champions earlier this month but once again came up short.
Mahal advanced in the United States Championship tournament on this past week’s episode of SmackDown. Time will tell if Mahal finds himself back in the WWE Championship picture, but his unbelievable rise to the top of WWE was certainly one of the biggest stories of 2017.
Kurt Angle Returned To WWE
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Kurt Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 33 weekend. On the RAW after WrestleMania, Vince McMahon announced that Kurt Angle was the new RAW GM.
Kurt Angle made it known that he wanted to have another match in WWE, but it came out of nowhere. Several WWE Superstars became ill and one of them was Roman Reigns. Roman was scheduled to team with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins versus The Miz, Braun Strowman, Kane, Cesaro and Sheamus. Reigns was unable to compete and Kurt Angle replaced him at the last moment. Angle dressed in full Shield attire for the match.
Angle went on to wrestle again at WWE Survivor Series 2017 for Team RAW. Triple H Pedigreed Angle during the match even though they were on the same team. Triple H also Pedigreed Angle’s son storyline son, Jason Jordan, on an episode of RAW leading up to the Survivor Series PPV. It has been rumored for some time that Triple H will face Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 34 next year. We will see if that winds up being the case when WrestleMania season rolls around. As for 2017, Angle was a part of some major storylines in WWE, returned to the ring and took his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Paige Returned To WWE
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Paige underwent neck surgery in October of 2016. In a year full of incidents and scandals, many were concerned that Paige would never find her way back to WWE. Fortunately she did and Paige returned to WWE RAW on November 20th. Paige returned alongside NXT call-ups Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. The trio is now known as Absolution and has caused chaos throughout RAW’s women’s division in recent weeks.
WWE announced that there will be the first ever women’s Royal Rumble match on January 28, 2018. Absolution will certainly be a big part of that and it would be tremendous story if Paige emerged victorious after all she had been through in 2017. Paige also had an injury scare at a WWE live event recently but it fortunately wasn’t serious. Absolution has become a force on RAW and Paige is poised to become a champion once again in 2018.
Roman Reigns Retired The Undertaker
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Roman Reigns eliminated The Undertaker during last year’s Royal Rumble match and that pissed The Undertaker off. Roman Reigns was determined to prove that WWE was his yard now and at WrestleMania 33, Reigns did just that. Reigns defeated The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33 and The Undertaker left his hat, gloves and jacket in the ring after the match. The Undertaker raised his fist in the air on the entrance ramp and disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
The following night on RAW was one of the most fascinating promos you will ever see. Roman Reigns took several minutes to utter five words as the crowd refused to let him speak. Finally, Reigns stated “this is my yard now” and walked away.
Time will tell if The Undertaker is officially retired or not. WrestleMania season is just around the corner and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if The Undertaker shows up again. Reigns handed The Undertaker only his second WrestleMania loss of his historic career and has continued to be at the top of WWE ever since.
Ric Flair Defied The Odds
Photo Credit: WWE.comRic Flair spent 10 days in a medically induced coma after complications from emergency bowel surgery and was given just a 20% percent chance to live. His fiancee, Wendy Barlow, slept at the hospital every night as Flair made his miraculous recovery.
Ric Flair posted the following video in September while wearing a “i ain’t dead yet mother f***ers” t-shirt:
Charlotte Flair captured the SmackDown Women’s Championship after defeating Natalya on the November 14th edition of WWE SmackDown. After the match, Charlotte was surprised by her father on the entrance ramp. Ric and Charlotte shared a hug and celebrated her championship victory.
AJ Styles Became One Of WWE’s Biggest Stars
AJ Styles made his WWE debut at last year’s Royal Rumble. It was rumored for a long time and it finally happened. The Phenomenal One arrived in WWE.
The WWE Universe voted AJ Styles the breakout star of 2016 and deservingly so. His 2017 may have been even better than last year and AJ continued to prove why he is one of, if not the best wrestler on the planet.
AJ Styles started off 2017 with an instant classic with John Cena at the Royal Rumble PPV. He then went on to have one of the matches of the night at WrestleMania 33 with Shane McMahon. Styles had a series of great matches with Kevin Owens as they feuded over the United States Championship.
At WWE No Mercy 2017, Styles wrestled Finn Balor. It was originally supposed to be Balor versus Wyatt, but Bray was ill and Styles served as a last minute replacement. The crowd was on the edge of their seat for the entire match and Balor picked up the victory. AJ Styles went on to have another excellent match at Survivor Series 2017 when he lost to Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. AJ is now once again WWE Champion after defeating Jinder Mahal on the November 7th edition of SmackDown. Styles once again defeated Mahal at Clash of Champions to retain his title.
AJ Styles introduced himself to the WWE Universe in 2016. In 2017, AJ Styles has become one of the faces of WWE. His work in the ring is impeccable and fans know they are in for something special whenever he is on the card. It took far too long for Styles to make it to WWE. In the short period of time he has been there, Styles has become one of the biggest stars in WWE.
Bobby Heenan Passed Away
RIP Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Bobby Heenan passed away on September 17th. He was one of wrestling’s most iconic performers and personalities.
Heenan joined WWF in 1984 and instantly became one of the more entertaining personalities in the comany. His work on Primetime Wrestling with Gorilla Monsoon was excellent.
During his career, Heenan managed Superstars including Andre The Giant, Nick Bockwinkel, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, King Kong Bundy, Big John Studd, Harley Race, Jesse Ventura the Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) and more.
Heenan joined WCW in 1994 and can be heard on commentary during WCW’s most memorable moments. In 2004, Heenan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Bobby Heenan is the reason that countless people are wrestling fans. He was always entertaining and is regarded as the best manager of all-time.
The news of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's passing today gutted me.
Tonight’s WWE live event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada abruptly ended after Samoa Joe bled profusely during the main event match against Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns.
After getting busted open above his eye, Joe continued brawling at ringside as he threw Reigns into the barricade. WWE personnel then began checking on Joe and despite him telling them that he was OK to continue, the referee decided to call off the match seconds later, ending the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpE930eTzCE
They will battle again this Monday on Raw as Reigns defends the Intercontinental Championship against Joe. Raw General Manager Kurt Angle made the announcement on Twitter on Friday, with an added stipulation being that Reigns will lose the title if he gets disqualified.
Angle wrote, “On the first #Raw of 2018 @WWERomanReigns will defend his #ICTitle against @SamoaJoe; if Roman is DQ’ed, he’ll lose the match AND his title.”
After Sid Vicious no-showed last night’s Absolute Intense Wrestling event in Cleveland, Ohio, the independent promotion tried to make things up to fans in attendance by having Impact Wrestling’s Ethan Carter III (EC3) dress up as the former WWE and WCW star.
Appearing under the name “EC Justice,” he took on Gregory Iron in a comedy match. Iron himself came out dressed as Sid and wrestled as “Greg Justice.”
AIW advertised Vicious to wrestle on the show, but he didn’t board his scheduled flight according to a post on the promotion’s Facebook page. After multiple phone calls to Vicious went unanswered, the promotion reached him through former WWE star Hornswoggle’s number. Vicious claimed Donald Trump’s travel ban prevented him from flying to Cleveland due to an unpaid speeding ticket and that he didn’t have his passport with him (even though he was traveling within the United States and is a United States citizen).
AIW explained, “Sid claimed Donald Trump’s travel ban prevented him from boarding his flight to Cleveland this morning because of an unpaid speeding ticket and he claimed this is new government policy since he didn’t have his passport even though he was traveling within the United States and is a United States Citizen. We recorded his cancelation call just so there is proof of all this and we we will do our best to play the audio tonight or on a future episode of our podcast.
“We apologize to all of the fans who were excited to meet Sid tonight and unfortunately this is something 100% out of our control. We invested quite a bit of money in this appearance and we have now lost out on close to $1,000 we will never get back on airline tickets, hotels, and merchandise we had made for Sid.”
– On the latest edition of “Fan Questions With The Nature Boy,” Ric Flair addressed his relationship with girlfriend Wendy Barlow (aka Fifi the Maid in WCW) and whether wedding bells are in their future
“Oh, most certainly, yeah,” said Flair, who’s been married four times. “It’s just a question of, you know. her children are in school … it’s a long story.”
Flair married his first wife, Leslie Goodman, on August 28, 1971. They had two children, daughter Megan and son David, before divorcing in 1983 after twelve years of marriage. On August 27, 1983, he married his second wife, Elizabeth Harrell. They had two children, daughter Ashley and son Reid. Flair and Beth divorced in 2006 after nearly 23 years of marriage. On May 27, 2006, Flair married his third wife Tiffany VanDemark, a fitness competitor. In 2008, Tiffany filed for divorce from Flair, which was finalized in 2009. On November 11, 2009, Flair married his fourth wife, Jacqueline Beems, in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2012, Flair filed for divorce from Beems, which was finalized in 2014. Flair began dating Barlow in 2012 and they got engaged last year.
Flair also reveals that he cried when the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in this year’s NBA Finals and that it contributed to his health issues in August.
– Goldust is clamoring to team with Asuka in WWE Mixed Match Challenge, airing exclusively on Facebook Watch beginning Tuesday, January 16, at 10 ET/7 PT. In this video from backstage at today’s WWE live event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Goldust says they should team since he competed in a Mixed Tag Team Match before, with Luna Vachon at WrestleMania 14 (against Marc Mero and Sable). However, “The Empress of Tomorrow” says he’s not ready for Asuka.
– Braun Strowman got ill during WWE’s ongoing holiday tour and returned home on Thursday, according to PWInsider.com.
On the first two nights of the live event tour, Strowman had a brief brawl with Kane before powerslamming him through a table, which you can see below when WWE stopped at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12mNIihLJRY
– On WWE Superstar Superfan, Bayley sits down with Peter Rosenberg to talk about being a WWE superfan ever since she was a kid and reveals who her favorite WWE stars are. During the interview, Bayley reveals how Matt Hardy ruined a relationship she had.
– Former WWE star Jean-Pierre LaFitte (Carl Ouellet) celebrates a milestone birthday on Saturday as he turns 50 years old.
A comprehensive review of the top 10 professional wrestlers of 2017 has been released by Sports Illustrated. The detailed article, written by Justin Barrasso, features what qualifiers have been used, as well as explaining each entry.
Below is the final list, as well as a selection of highlights from the feature:
Barrasso begins by providing a description of what qualities are assessed when making the decisions, as well as highlighting notable omissions:
“For this top 10 list, the format was based on a combination of work rate, drawing ability, and overall impact on the business in 2017.”
“A wrestler’s skill at consistently elevating his opponent was also emphasized. Shawn Michaels is one of the greatest of all-time, and an integral part of his brilliance was his ability to make you believe in the man standing across from him in the ring.”
Superstars that don’t feature on the list include:
Finn Balor
Shinsuke Nakamura
Tetsuya Naito
Christopher Daniels
Trevor Lee
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Brock Lesnar
Barrasso explains that while Brock Lesnar can easily draw a crowd, his success was primarily down to his opponents.
“Lesnar shined in his Survivor Series encounter with AJ Styles, but that was courtesy of Styles.”
Top 10 Wrestlers of The Year 2017:
10: Keith Lee
“Keith Lee is a modern day mix of Samoa Joe and Bam Bam Bigelow. He transitioned in 2017 from an afterthought in Ring of Honor to a workhorse across the independent scene, delivering moves that most super heavyweights only dream of hitting.”
“A closer look at Lee’s work from this year showed a focus on his timing. He is a student of the game, moves exceptionally well, but also redefined his body from the beginning of the year to the end.”
9: Cody Rhodes
“Rhodes took a considerable risk, but he has successfully parlayed his family name and WWE credentials into far greater star magnitude than he ever achieved with the “WWE machine” behind him. He had memorable encounters with Christopher Daniels in Ring of Honor and even Kazuchika Okada in the main event of the AXS TV G1 Climax Special in July. The sky is the limit for Cody in 2018, starting with his date at Wrestle Kingdom 12 with Kota Ibushi.”
8: Matt Riddle
“Riddle is not selfish and does not eat people up in the ring, but he is also able to protect himself and his own aura. He is a phenomenal ambassador for independent wrestling, and there is a reason his merchandise lines were so long at shows in 2017.”
7: Kevin Owens
Photo Credit: WWE.com
“Owens was consistently overshadowed by various other storylines that WWE chose to highlight throughout the year, but he constantly delivered compelling work in the ring. That feat is nearly impossible to achieve in WWE, as the weekly television grind overexposes talent to the point where the extraordinary becomes ordinary.”
“Owens made everything he did meaningful, cementing himself as a top heel in the business during 2017.”
6: Kazuchika Okada
“Okada steered the ship during New Japan’s maiden voyage into the United States for its G1 Special in the USA on AXS TV in July, where he worked with Cody Rhodes. Okada’s work is so finely-tuned and compelling that the match was Rhodes’ best match of the year, where it fell somewhere closer to the tenth best match of Okada’s year.”
5: Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman delivering a Running Powerslam to Brock Lesnar at WWE No Mercy 2017. (Photo Credit: WWE.com)
“Outside of his No Mercy match with Brock Lesnar, which was a complete and utter failure, Strowman added intrigue with an ambulance match with Reigns, which took place after the spot on Raw where he flipped an ambulance, and even withstood a trip inside a garbage truck. WWE’s booking philosophy is built around delivering memorable moments to its fans, and Strowman created more than anyone else in 2017.”
4: John Cena
“Despite looking past-his-prime at the Survivor Series-which was largely the result of being surrounded by the likes of Finn Balor, Bobby Roode, and Braun Strowman-Cena has played a role in the most memorable matches of 2017, including his Royal Rumble win over AJ Styles, as well as a SmackDown loss to Shinsuke Nakamura and a compelling feud with Roman Reigns.”
3: Roman Reigns
“Reigns also succeeded in a variety of matches. The Fatal 5-Way at Extreme Rules, Fatal 4-Way at SummerSlam, and ambulance match are all part of his 2017 resume, and he even closed out the year with compelling television bouts with Cesaro and even Jason Jordan. To add to all of that, Reigns and Braun Strowman combined to deliver the feud of the year.”
2: AJ Styles
AJ Styles celebrating after winning the United States Championship at WWE Live Event
“Styles made every match entertaining, whether it was the Money in the Bank ladder match, a two-on-one affair against the Singh Brothers in November, or a match on SmackDown against The Miz in January. Styles started and ended 2017 as WWE champion, but was placed in lackluster feuds throughout the year with McMahon, Baron Corbin, and most recently Jinder Mahal.”
1: Kenny Omega
Photo Credit: SI.com
“Unlike Styles and Reigns, who have the WWE wagon entrenched firmly behind them, Omega has created his own buzz in America. Along with some of the best bouts of the year, an ability to enhance his opponent, and a must-see intangible, Kenny Omega is Sports Illustrated’s Wrestler of the Year for 2017.”
Check out the full feature by Justin Barrasso here at si.com with further details and explanations for each of the entries on this list.
Alongside their list of the top 25 matches of 2017, WWE have released another list that details a further 10 matches which could have also featured.
Some of the main highlights from the list include:
Johnny Gargano VS Andrade “Cien” Almas (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III)
Neville VS Gentleman Jack Gallagher for the Cruiserweight Championship (Fastlane)
Alexa Bliss VS Mickie James for the RAW Women’s Championship (TLC)
Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match (SmackDown Live 27th June)
Pete Dunne VS Mark Andrews (United Kingdom Championship Tournament Semi Finals)
Kairi Sane VS Bianca Belair (Mae Young Classic Second Round)
However, there are other matches that seem slightly more questionable:
Luke Harper VS Randy Orton (Elimination Chamber)
After breaking away from The Wyatt Family, Luke Harper found greater freedom and potential for success, before fading away and returning as a Bludgeon Brother later in the year. And although Harper’s match against Randy Orton was notable, the encounter with AJ Styles seems slightly more worthy of note:
Shinsuke Nakamura VS Dolph Ziggler (SmackDown Live 20th June)
This match between Nakamura and Ziggler seemed much more like a sigh of relief as the beginning of the feud failed to live up to expectations as Shinsuke made his main roster debut at Backlash. Thankfully they both managed to pull everything together on June 20th’s SmackDown Live.
Enzo Amore VS Kalisto for the Cruiserweight Championship (RAW 9th October)
This shoe-horned title match was put together after Neville walked out on the company, and it appears as though it only made this list out of respect to Kalisto and the unique circumstance surrounding the match, rather than the quality of wrestling on show from both competitors.
WWE supplemented this entry with a quote from Kalisto to mark the occasion:
“That was one of the first times I closed down Raw. It was breathtaking. When I get moments like that, I always try to take full advantage and give my all, everything I have, so I can make sure I can perform at my best. Being there, in that moment, was very surreal. It was one of the best days of my life. I feel like I opened the door for everybody to get an opportunity at the Cruiserweight Title. I closed down that clause. That moment when everybody started celebrating, it made me happy. It made me smile that everybody had an opportunity. Who knows? Maybe 205 Live can close down a pay-per-view. My dream is to have a Ladder Match at WrestleMania where all the Cruiserweights can display their true art.”
Sami Zayn VS Braun Strowman Last Man Standing Match (RAW 2nd January)
As the final entry, I want to make a pun using Strowman’s “I’m not finished with you” tag-line, but the whole Sami Zayn proving himself against Braun Strowman was a painful feud that dragged. The emphasis that WWE are pushing with this entry is Zayn’s ability to last 10 minutes before losing to Strowman, and it says a lot that this was Sami Zayn’s only highlight in 2017 that was pinpointed by WWE.
Opinion:
Personally, I would be much more interested in a list that was put together by viewer votes. Ratings and reviews will have made up a key part of the decision making process for both this and the previous list of Top 25 Matches In 2017. However, with the focus being on underrated matches, it may have been more interesting to seek out the direct views of the fans.
Roman Reigns first won the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz on 22nd November’s edition of RAW:
Fast forward a month, and Reigns found himself able to retain his title against Samoa Joe after he used his Champions advantage to full effect, being disqualified. He was later fined by WWE for pushing the referee official.
Kurt Angle has now arranged a rematch as Reigns is set to take on Samoa Joe during 2018’s first episode of RAW. Angle has also added the stipulation that Roman Reigns will lose his Intercontinental title if he loses the match via disqualification.
It’s also worth noting that The Miz has been cleared to return to the ring, after fulfilling his role in the next edition of The Marine franchise with Becky Lynch and Shawn Michaels. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him return and make the match a triple threat. as he never claimed his contractual rematch.
WWE have released a promotional video ahead of the 25th anniversary of their Monday night show, RAW. The video features the retro RAW intro with an updated roster to maximize nostalgia and open the door for younger fans to experience a part of what WWE was like 25 years ago.
Compare that to the current RAW intro video and, call me old fashioned, I think I prefer the old one!
The special edition of the show is set to take place on 22nd January at the location of the very first episode of RAW in Manhattan. The anniversary show will feature WWE Superstars past and present, but will be the third “historic” show in less than a month as RAW also aired on Christmas Day and New Years Day for the first time ever this year.
Add that to the Royal Rumble on 28th January, and it’s looking like a pretty full on month for the red brand; not to mention the following RAW ppv Elimination Chamber on the 25th of February. If you’re not a fan of the RAW roster or the longer slot that it holds, the first part of 2018 could be quite painful and slow.
However, WWE will be sure to cash in on the nostalgia kicks on the RAW anniversary, with potential implications for the Royal Rumble on the following Sunday. The upside of having so many RAW shows: WWE have to keep things fresh and entertaining to boost or maintain good numbers in case it becomes stale and repetitive. Surely?
Opinion:
Don’t forget, WWE announced that there wouldn’t be any Superstar Shakeups in 2017. If they wanted to set up any matches for WrestleMania, now is the time put things in place, otherwise there won’t be another draft until after the main event of 2018.
Bonus:
Here is a collection of intros from 2002-2006 for extra nostalgia, or just to make you cringe.
With Matt Hardy successfully bringing his Broken persona to WWE, the veteran sat down with his brother Jeff, and Finn Balor on Table for 3. The short clip below provides an introduction to the round-table interview which can be found the WWE Network.
The interview also contains Balor and Jeff Hardy discussing their use of face/body paint in the ring (transcribed by WrestlingInc.):
“It’s very hard to explain, but it’s almost like putting on a mask protects you from people’s judgments and lets you completely flow freely, like, with all your aggression and our animosity against anything. And I think everyone, deep down, has insecurities issues, especially in this business. And I find that maybe getting to hide behind the paint, so to speak, kind of protects you from those insecurities and helps me channel a different side of my personality that isn’t always available to me.”
Finn continued by describing how the mask surprised him in ways that he hadn’t previously thought about.
“I didn’t realize how much the paint was going to affect how I moved and how I walked. And it wasn’t something that consciously happened. It was because the first time I’d done it was a Tokyo Dome show, I want to say in 2013-14, and I walked out there and I was a completely different person. I hadn’t rehearsed anything, planned anything, but I remember walking to the ring almost in a limp and I was like, ‘why the hell am I limping?’ It was almost as though the paint took control and it changes the direction your mind moves in.”
Jeff also provides his own view on his use of body paint, agreeing with Finn about the freedom that it allows.
“Every time I paint my face, I’ve always thought of it as my alien skin, the reptilian inside me that makes me different. When I think of aliens, I think of the skin, like, the abstract piece I do on my face, it doesn’t matter. I’m just in such a free zone. I’m just so at peace with myself when I’m doing it. And then, when I do the deal when I close my eyes, and take a picture, I go, ‘tonight, that is my canvas. My face is my canvas.’ Then, I get that, man. You go out there and you’re just more somehow, like, because you’re not your normal self. And to me, it just feels artistically free to express yourself and don’t have a care in the world about what anybody else is thinking! And so, I would be, on purpose, I would be real messy, a lot of the time, with neon, glow-in-the-dark paint. Even after I’d paint my face, I’d go smear it all over my hands and give people confidence not to care at that point in time and just have faith and confidence in yourself and just roll with it.”
The golden nugget of this interview comes in the form of Finn’s aspirations for the future. Balor explains that he wants to evolve, much in the same way that the Hardys have, with the goal of a new alter ego in the next 5-10 years.
“Obviously, seeing [the Hardys] continue to evolve the last 25 years, that inspires me to keep evolving my character. And I’m quite happy with how I’m doing at the moment, but I’m always trying to push myself to create something new and I think my main goal going forward over the next 5, 10 years would be maybe create another alter ego like you guys have.”
As a bonus to an already eye opening interview, Jeff Hardy hinted at the “inevitable” match-up between The Enigma and The Demon:
“I’ve heard it a lot, man, and people are kind of waiting to see us, like, ‘I can’t wait to see ‘The Enigma’ and ‘The Demon’ in the ring at the same time’ with painted up faces. Hopefully, that’s inevitable, so we’ll see.”
WWE Champion AJ Styles recently did an interview with The Orlando Sentinel to discuss a variety of professional wrestling topics. “The Phenomenal One” talked about being recognized as one of the best in-ring performers in the business today, his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble, and bonding with his fellow WWE Superstars through video games. You can check out the highlights here below:
Being recognized as one of the best performers in the world today:
“I take a lot of pride in what I do. No matter who I’m in the ring with, I want it to look like what it’s supposed to be. We call it sports entertainment, but it’s supposed to be a contact sport. I want to make that in-ring contact as real as possible, and [also make it real] outside the ring.
“The magic is making the fans question whether these two guys really like each other or hate each other. That performance is what the business is all about … it’s the storylines that people remember.”
His WWE debut in the Royal Rumble:
“Everything pales in comparison to the Royal Rumble. The response I got that night from the fans, after a couple of years out of the U.S. mainstream, is something I’ll never forget. I was really worried about how much the people would actually remember me, but that response made it something really special.”
Bonding with his fellow Superstars through video games:
“These are a group of guys and girls I really enjoy going to work with. You walk in and you’ve got [the New Day’s] Xavier Woods and his video games – that’s right up my alley. So a bunch of us start playing UFC or Madden, and that’s fun. Because you know, idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”
You can read Styles’ full interview with The Orlando Sentinel by clicking this link here.
– It looks like WWE is experimenting with the possibility of turning Tye Dillinger heel soon. Several reports note that Dillinger has been working heel at this week’s WWE live events for the annual holiday tour, losing to Sin Cara. Fans said that Dillinger was playing the heel role down a bit.
– Former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman and his kids were at last night’s WWE live event in Hartford, Connecticut. WWE posted the following video:
Former WWE Superstar Eva Marie recently did an interview with GQ to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. “All Red Everything” discussed the similarities between acting and professional wrestling, how her workout routine has changed since leaving the WWE, and cheat meals. Here are the highlights:
The similarities between acting and professional wrestling:
“Honestly, they are very similar. In the ring, you’re constantly working out and honing your craft, and you’re doing the same thing with acting, too—taking classes and working with vocal coaches. I think the thing that stands out for me is that in the WWE, we were in a new city every night. When you go to a movie set, though, you get to be at the same location for awhile. I had become very used to not even bothering to unpack my suitcase. Suddenly, it was like, ‘Oh wow, I get to stay in one place!'”
How her workout routine has changed since leaving WWE:
“Oh, my workouts have definitely changed. In WWE, I focused more on Olympic lifting. I had to make sure that I was physically able to lift another human being at all times. Now, I’m going for a different, leaner look. High-intensity interval training and Tabata workouts are really good for me, because they prevent me from getting bored, and don’t require me to be in the gym for two hours. I can get in, do what I need to do, and get out.”
Cheat meals:
“Oh my God, there are so many! I’m Mexican and Italian, so my mom is a fantastic cook. I s–t you not, every time I go back home, I gain, like, 10 pounds, just because her food is so hard for me to turn down. Plus, I’m not there all the time, so I give myself a little allowance to enjoy it more. I’m a sucker for bacon waffles—they’re to die for. And I love banana pancakes. I should just honestly film my cheat day because people would be impressed by how much food I can put down.
“When my husband and I first started dating, I had just started my WWE tryouts—I think I was in my third week. I went over to his place and he made banana pancakes. I really liked them, so he asked ‘Do you want another one?’ That kept going, and I swear I put down about 20 of them. I was training at the time, but also, they were that good. I do not play around when it comes to cheat days.”
You can read Marie’s full interview with GQ by clicking this link here.
Posted December 29th, 2017 in WWE. Tagged: Eva Marie.
– A hype video has been released for IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega’s clash with former WWE Champion Chris Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo, Japan next month:
– Giant Bomb has an article with Omega and WWE star Xavier Woods naming their top ten video games of the year. In the article Omega and Woods discuss gaming with one another as they’ve both run into each other at gaming conventions over the years, and have built up quite the friendly rivalry.
“Two men met on neutral ground (the rolling hills of The Netherlands) for their yearly meeting where they argue, eat, play video games, almost fight, and talk about their top 10 games of the year… This is their 2017 story.
Kenny: Another year and another top 10! Last year, my good friend Austin and I had so much fun working together, we thought we’d do it again in 2017. I anticipate our lists will be a little different from each other, so this should fuel some very fun and… friendly debate.
Austin: Yes, fun and friendly are the words that I would use for it. I’ll start off by saying that I am honored to be doing another top 10 list with one of the greatest, creative, and most charismatic performers that I have ever met in my life. The one, the only, KENNY OMEGA!
Kenny: And I am glad to introduce a man with the greatest YouTube gaming channel going today, one of the most versatile, intelligent, and talented humans on this Earth… AUSTIN CREED! And you know what…? I’ll say it. I thought you were all just trombones, pancakes, and shenanigans… but heck, you’ve been no slouch in the ring this year either!”
– On RAW this past Monday Hideo Itami hit a GTS on Brian Kendrick that caused the former Cruiserweight Champion to suffer a broken nose and orbital bone. WWE sent out a Tweet to update fans on Kendrick’s status, and Itami responded by issuing out a ‘get well soon’ Tweet to Kendrick:
– WWE posted a clip of Asuka commenting on her undefeated streak and the upcoming all-female Royal Rumble match next month. Asuka said she’s still undefeated and that’s not going to change at the Rumble:
WrestleMania 34 is set to feature in New Orleans during the city’s tricentennial celebration in 2018. However this was not always going to be the case. According to a source from PWInsider, the original venue was set to be the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The last time New Jersey hosted WrestleMania was in 2013:
With New Orleans hosting a year after in 2014:
Therefore, it seems like that the Metlife Stadium is in the running for hosting WrestleMania 35, much to the disappointment of all UK fans who pleaded for a London based venue, although nothing has been confirmed yet.
https://youtu.be/U4r26kTMakc?t=10s
Opinion:
From an unbiased logical point of view, it makes sense to have WrestleMania in the US, both logistically and financially. And if there were ever a venue for UK and European fans to visit, New Jersey is on the East coast which is one of more accessible points to those who can hop over the pond.
Newly crowned Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Champion Dalton Castle recently did an interview with ROH on a number of professional wrestling topics. Castle discussed the support he has received from ROH fans, if he could put into words how it felt being handed the ROH World Title at Final Battle, and not initially being seen as ROH World Championship material. Here are the highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Sih6Q9QN0
The support he has received from ROH fans:
“It has been nothing but amazing. I have always felt like a champion and I knew I could work hard to make it so. But, to also have the fans of ROH loudly accept me as their champion has made this whole experience beyond amazing.”
Putting into worlds how it felt to have the ROH World Title handed to him at Final Battle:
“No way. There was so much going on in my head it was crazy. The feelings I had at that exact moment would probably best be described with a dance.”
Not being considered Championship material earlier in his career and if it bothered him:
“No, I never doubted my abilities. I belong in a pro wrestling ring and knew if I just continued to be fearless I would be able to be myself and move up. It wasn’t a moment that I started to see ‘I have what it takes,’ it was more I noticed others started to see what I already knew.”
You can check out Castle’s full interview with ROH by clicking this link here.
– As most of you know, some WWE stars had to work on Christmas Day for an episode of Monday Night RAW in Chicago. PWInsider reports that WWE did something special for those Superstars who worked on RAW and SmackDown Live that week, as the company paid for their hotel rooms as a way to say thank you for being away from their families during the holidays.
– WWE is set to begin broadcasting their Mixed Match Challenge on Facebook Watch in January. Although he’s not one of the Superstars competing, John Cena took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on the challenge:
The @WWE continues to evolve and provide new ways for stars to be born. Excited to see #WWEMMC LIVE on Facebook Watch on January 16th. pic.twitter.com/O77FpWSbgm
