Archive for December, 2017

Chris Jericho Reveals Why He Recently Contacted IMPACT Wrestling

As we’ve noted, Scott D’Amore and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) color commentator Don Callis were recently hired by IMPACT Wrestling as Executive Vice President. They will each now be reporting to President Ed Nordholm. Callis and D’Amore recently joined Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho, to discuss their hiring, the future of the company, and so much more.

During the podcast “Y2J” actually revealed that he personally called IMPACT Wrestling to suggest they bring Callis aboard. Jericho claimed that IMPACT needs new people at the helm who hadn’t run the company before. He also said that the hiring of Billy Corgan was an upgrade over Dixie Carter, however, it didn’t present a new direction for fans to get excited about, thus the reason why they should hire Callis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQX174uKXGU&t=318s

“My thought process was, and this is not a slight on anyone that has ran that company or been part of that company, working with that company, that has been around for so long, through so many incarnations and through all its ups and downs, and now I found with the last incarnation with TNA/Global Force is that it was a dead company.

“There was nothing exciting about it or sparking it, so to me, the only way to get it rolling would be to completely change directions and go with somebody new and different,” Jericho said. “When Billy Corgan was up for it I would have much rather him run it over Dixie Carter because it was somebody new, and I just really felt that it was my place to call the guys and say, listen, if you guys really want to lose money go for it, or use it as a tax write off then you have the right place.

“But if you really want to do something and role with it and be at a place where people are excited about then you have to go in this direction, and these guys [Callis and D’Amore] are the guys to do it with. So that was basically the jist of the conversation and it worked because here you guys are, but this is really the only way the company to grow is by doing something completely different and new.”

You can listen to Callis and D’Amore on Talk Is Jericho by clicking this link here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Carmella Comments On MITB Cash-In Tease, Royal Rumble Promo (Video)

– During last night’s SmackDown Live Women’s Championship Lumberjack match between Charlotte Flair and Natalya, Ms. Money In The Bank Carmella teased cashing-in her briefcase. Carmella was attacked by the other lumberjacks, however, and was unable to cash-in. Carmella took to Twitter to comment on the tease after the show:

– The WWE has released the following promo for next month’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) event on January 28th from Philadelphia:

Charlotte Flair Says She Wants To Be Like AJ Styles (Video), Big E Reflects On WWE Debut Five Years Ago

– On last night’s episode of Talking Smack following WWE’s Clash Of Champions pay-per-view (PPV) event, Charlotte Flair was asked by Renee Young about what’s next for her in her title reign. Flair noted that she wants to continue to improve but she also wants to be irreplaceable. She wants to be a feature attraction and the reason people are buying tickets to shows – much like WWE Champion AJ Styles. You can check out the video here:

– Last night also marked five years since former NXT Champion Big E made his main roster debut in WWE at the 2012 Slammys episode of Monday Night RAW. E took to Twitter to comment on the anniversary:

WWE Set To Air In Mongolia For First Time Ever

The WWE is set to air in Mongolia for the first time ever. WWE issued out the following press release:

“SPS HD to Air WWE® Programming for the First Time in Mongolia

“ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia & STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE (NYSE: WWE) and SPS HD, Mongolia’s premier sports broadcaster, today announced an agreement to broadcast WWE’s flagship programs Raw® and SmackDown® on SPS Sports for the first time in Mongolia.

“Beginning this week, SPS Sports will air a two-hour version of Raw on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and SmackDown at 11 a.m. on Sundays, both available in English with Mongolian subtitles.

“”We are proud to bring WWE programming to Mongolia for the first time,” said Naranbat Nasanbat, CEO of SPS HD. “Our fans across the country will enjoy WWE’s highly entertaining storytelling.”

“”We are thrilled to complete our first-ever broadcast deal in Mongolia,” said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. “This partnership to televise WWE programming allows us to expand our reach and deliver our unique blend of action-packed, family friendly entertainment to WWE fans throughout the country.”

“Raw and SmackDown will also be available on SPS HD’s TV Everywhere platform for authenticated subscribers, and on its 14-day VOD catchup window.”

Goldberg Reveals The Original Finish To His Survivor Series Match With Brock Lesnar

Former WWE Universal Champion Goldberg recently did an interview with WSVN-TV Entertainment Reporter Chris Van Vliet over the weekend in Miramar, Florida at the “Homeland for the Holidays” event. The former WCW Champ discussed a variety of topics including the comparison between his spear and Roman Reigns’, the original finish to his Survivor Series match with Brock Lesnar, a possible WWE return, and so much more. You can check out the highlights here:

How he compares his Spear to Roman Reigns’:

“I’m just saying that he went to Georgia Tech and I went to Georgia. They teach you how to tackle people at Georgia, hence them maybe playing for the National Championship this year. At the end of the day, the football tackle is something for me that you can alter it a bit, but people come to see me run people over. And if that’s my true trademark move, then I’m going to do it better than anybody and I’m sorry but I played pro football for a little while and I think I know how to tackle somebody. So if I can’t do that move, then there’s a lot wrong with my background. I try to accelerate in the last couple of steps.”

The terms of his contract with WWE from his recent run:

“I only agreed to come back for one match originally. And I was actually going to lose that match to Brock. The night before they came to the conclusion that it might be good for me to stick around for a little while for a couple of reasons and the rest is kind of history.”

A possible WWE return:

“You never know. You really don’t. I ain’t dead yet and I ain’t even close. So as long as I’ve got two arms and two legs and I can still do my thing, never say never.”

If he’d let his son train to be a professional wrestler:

“Next question.”

He and Brock Lesnar getting booed heavily at WrestleMania 20:

“The fans turned on us and as well they should have because why are they going to cheer for two guys who are out the door the next day. So there was something in the back of our minds but redeeming ourselves was not something that we ever spoke about. We knew as monsters that we did not get the reaction that we would have wanted to. The reality is if you look at the match, it was a good match. But it could have been the best match in the world that went on for an hour and people still would have hated it because of the circumstances.”

Finn Balor & The Hardys Set For ‘Table For 3’ Tonight, Mick Foley Praises AJ Styles & The Usos

– A brand new ‘Table For 3’ episode will air on the WWE Network tonight following Monday Night RAW. Tonight’s participants will be former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor and former RAW Tag Team Champions The Hardys. Here’s WWE’s official description for the episode:

“Finn Balor and The Hardys discuss the motivations behind their most extreme personas and share personal tales of their paths to WWE.”

– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley took to Twitter to praise WWE Champion AJ Styles and SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos for their performances at Clash Of Champions last night:

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/942602162286284801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/942604527047503872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Wrestling Reporter Calls Out Samoa Joe On Twitter, Joe Responds

Samoa Joe recently took to Twitter to comment on the upcoming Mixed Match Challenge and made a remark that some considered to be sexist. Joe stated that due to the “impending #WWEMMC” he will now have a full-time towel attendant ringside for him:

James McKenna of Pro Wrestling Sheet took issue with this comment, calling it ‘lame’ and urged the former NXT Champion to re-think his words:

Joe responded by defending his initial comments, refusing to apologize for how McKenna interpreted the Tweet:

Rich Swann Update; Legal Representative Comments

Rich Swann was arrested for domestic battery and false imprisonment last week. He was suspended indefinitely by WWE as a result.

WWE has a zero-tolerance policy regarding domestic abuse and if Swann is found guilty he will likely be released from the company. Swann has retained legal counsel, however, and they are claiming he never touched the alleged victim during the altercation. This is in contrast to witness statements that allege he put her in a headlock.

Rich Swann Lawyer Statement

On December 15th, Swann’s lawyers made the following statement:

“At this point, no criminal charges have been filed officially against him so depending on how that process plays out will determine our scope of representation,” Swann’s lawyer, Ian Pickens, said Friday morning in a telephone interview.

“We’re hopeful for a fair and quick resolution on behalf of Mr. Swann, but ultimately the state attorney will make their decision (on potential charges) when they deem it appropriate.

“We’re working on the case now and things we may do to assist Mr. Swann. But as far as specifics, I can’t comment on that.”

The incident took place following a FEST wrestling event where Swann’s girlfriend, Vannarah Riggs (aka Su Yung), was performing. The couple got into an argument on their commute home which resulted in Riggs fleeing the car and Swann allegedly forcing her back in.

Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt Added to 205 Live Tour

Neither performer is expected to make weight…

205 Live goes on a 3-day tour this January but WWE recently announced they won’t be going alone. In what could be a response to slow ticket sales, Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy have both been added to the shows.

205 Live Tour

WWE.com announced their inclusion on the tour recently:

“The war between Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt reaches new heights, as these two bitter rivals will do battle during the WWE 205 Live Tour! Don’t miss the chance to see epic confrontations between The Woken Superstar and The Eater of Worlds, as well as all the action-packed excitement of the WWE Cruiserweight division, featuring WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore, Kalisto, Gentleman Jack Gallagher, Hideo Itami and more.

  • Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 – Kingston, RI – The Ryan Center
  • Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 – Lowell, MA – Lowell Auditorium
  • Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Mid Hudson Civic Center”

Stipulation Added to Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho

New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced there will be a No DQ stipulation in the Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho match on January 4th, 2018.

Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho

The new stipulation comes on the heels of multiple incidents during the World Tag League final. Jericho attacked Omega at the event, drawing blood in the process, something NJPW is reluctant to use. Omega then attacked Jericho at the WK12 press conference the next day.

Stipulation matches in NJPW are rare but becoming more common with stables such as Suzuki-Gun and Bullet Club having utilized them in recent years.

Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho is expected to be the semi-main event for the show, with Kazuchika Okada defending his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Tetsuya Naito in the main event.

Tom Zenk Passes Away at 58

Former WCW and WWE performer, Tom Zenk, has died at the age of 58. As of this writing, details regarding the cause of Zenk’s death are unknown. He passed away at the North Memorial Medical Center in his hometown of Robbinsdale, Minnesota.

Robbinsdale, Minnesota Legacy of Wrestling

Tom Zenk, Nikita Koloff, Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Brady Boone (Battle Cat), John Nord (Berzerker) and Barry Darsow (Smash/Repo Man) all came from Robbinsdale, MN and were born in either 1958 or 1959. Most went to the same high school and all became wrestlers.

Sadly, despite all being under 60, 4 of the 7 of them have died.

Zenk was perhaps best known for his tag-team with Rick Martel in the 1980s, the Can-Am Connection as well as his time in Jim Crockett Productions as “the Z Man”.

Daniel Cormier & Jim Cornette Take Shot at the Young Bucks

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier, recently reacted to a clip of the Hung Bucks vs. Flip Gordon, Titan, & Dragon Lee from ROH’s Final Battle 2017 on Friday.

https://twitter.com/briantheguppie/status/942054673451835392

Flips vs. Old School Wrestling

Cormier’s comments are similar to those expressed recently by Vader (in response to the Best of the Super Juniors tournament last year), Randy Orton (…dive), and in storyline by Drew Gulak.

Jim Cornette has made his objection to such wrestling known for some time. He recently responded to a post the UFC’s Chase Sherman made in reference to the flippy dropkick spot from Friday:

This got the most hated MMA fighter in Brazil, Colby Covington, to take sides with the Young Bucks.

https://twitter.com/TheFlipGordon/status/942560021665239041

Cornette versus the Young Bucks

https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/942518890579595268

5 Takeaways From WWE Clash Of Champions 2017

WWE Clash of Champions 2017 aired live from the TD Garden in Boston. Mojo Rawley destroyed his former tag partner, Zack Ryder, during the Kickoff Show. The Bludgeon Brothers easily defeated Breezango on the show as well. Every title on the SmackDown brand was on the line during the PPV. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens’ WWE careers were also on the line as they battled Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura. Both SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon and SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan served as referees for the match.

Here are 5 takeaways from WWE Clash of Champions 2017:

Dolph Ziggler Is The New United States Champion

Clash of Champions kicked off with Baron Corbin defending his United States Championship against Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode in a Triple Threat match. Ziggler and Roode backed Corbin into the corner and teamed up to beat him down in the beginning of the match. Ziggler and Roode knocked Corbin out of the ring and then Clotheslined him over the barricade.

Back in the ring, Roode hit an Atomic Drop and followed it up with a Russian Leg Sweep for a two count. Dolph knocked Roode out of the ring and Corbin exploded out of nowhere and connected with a Clothesline that knocked Roode to the floor. Corbin took out Ziggler on the ring apron and then slammed Roode into the barricade surrounding the ring.

The action returned to the ring and Corbin was still beating the hell out of Roode. Corbin taunted the crowd and posed over Roode in the middle of the ring. Corbin exited the ring and slammed Ziggler into the barricade. Roode connected with a kick but Corbin responded with a Side Slam and went for the cover but Dolph leaped back into the ring to break it up.

Baron remained in control though and stomped on Ziggler in the corner. Corbin followed it up with a Clothesline but turned around into a right hand from Roode. Bobby leveled Corbin with a massive Clothesline and then hit a Blockbuster off the second rope for a two count. Ziggler went for the Zig Zag but Roode blocked it and booted Dolph in the face. Ziggler hit the Fameasser out of nowhere and went for the cover but Corbin leaped across the ring break it up at a two count.

Dolph hit a Dropkick to Corbin but Roode planted him with a slam. Corbin then grabbed Roode and hit a Deep Six for a two count. Ziggler Suplexed Roode off the top rope as Corbin Powerbombed Ziggler at the same time. Corbin unsuccessfully tried to pin both Superstars as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.

Dolph went for a Superkick to Roode but Bobby ducked out of the way and planted Ziggler with a Spinebuster. Ziggler blocked Roode’s Glorious DDT and connected with a DDT of his own for a two count. Corbin launched Ziggler to the ring apron and charged at Roode but Roode got out of the way and Baron flew out of the ring. Roode Slingshotted Ziggler into the ring post and then hit the Glorious DDT on Dolph. Roode went for the cover but Corbin pulled him out of the ring at the last second. Corbin then grabbed Roode by the throat and planted him with a Backbreaker outside the ring..

Corbin brought Roode back into the ring and went for the End of Days but Dolph Ziggler hit the Zig Zag on Corbin from behind for the victory. Dolph Ziggler is now the new United States Champion. Corbin was interviewed after the match backstage and was asked if he was squandering his opportunity in WWE. Corbin said that Ziggler didn’t belong in that match and he was cheated. Corbin vowed to get his title back and then threw a trash can and stormed away.

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong about this one. First of all, it was a very entertaining match and I didn’t expect that at all. I was also completely confident that Ziggler would eat the pinfall, instead he walked out of the TD Garden as the new United States Champion. If Corbin wins the title back in the near future, I don’t really understand what the point of this was. I think Ziggler is an incredible talent in the ring, so hopefully he gets a decent run with the title.

The Usos Have The SmackDown Tag Team Division On Lock

Photo Credit: WWE.com

The Usos defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Gable & Benjamin, Aiden English & Rusev and New Day in a Fatal 4-Way match tonight at Clash of Champions. Aiden English performed a song in the ring with Rusev by his side. The Boston crowd loved it and cheered for an encore. Gable and Benjamin ruined the fun and made their way to the ring. New Day and The Usos then joined them and the match started.

The match began in pure chaos as every Superstar in the match battled in the ring. It was down to Big E and Kofi in the ring. Big E launched his tag partner onto a few Superstars outside the ring. Shelton slammed Jimmy Uso off the top rope to the canvas and went for the cover but Big E broke it up.

Big E then launched Kofi into Jimmy and Benjamin in the corner. Rusev powered out of the corner and booted Kofi in the face. Rusev then launched Big E out of the ring as the TD Garden chanted “Rusev Day!”. Gable and English then applied submission holds to Kofi and Jimmy Uso. Shelton Benjamin was tagged in and then English tagged in Rusev.

The matched slowed down for the next few minutes. Kofi attempted to tag out of the match but Benjamin dragged Big E off the ring apron. English and Gable started shoving each other in the ring. Gable got booted in the face by Jimmy Uso and then English leveled Uso with a Clothesline. Jey Uso and Big E were then tagged into the match.

Big E hit a big time Belly to Belly to Gable and then Jey connected with a Samoan Drop to Jey Uso. Jey and Big E then both attempted a cover at the same time but Gable and English kicked out. Big E and Jey then had a stare down and started trash talking each other. The Usos then took out Big E, Kofi and Aiden English with Superkicks. Gable and Benjamin blocked The Usos Superkick attempts and Gable locked Jey Uso in the Texas Cloverleaf in the center of the ring.

Kofi leaped onto Benjamin off the top rope but Shelton caught him and connected with a Powerbomb. English and Rusev broke up the Cloverleaf and English slammed Gable to the mat for a two count. Rusev was then tagged in and Gable was the only Superstar in the ring. Rusev locked in the Accolade in the middle of the ring. Big E leaped into the ring and broke it up. Rusev connected with a big kick for a two count. Rusev then locked in the Accolade onto Big E in the middle of the ring.

Big E used his ridiculous strength to try and lift Rusev up but he couldn’t do it and fell back into the Accolade. Gable then came up behind Rusev and planted him with a German Suplex. Gable then connected with an absurd German Suplex on Aiden English and then hit another one on Big E.

Jimmy Uso tagged himself in and Superkicked Gable in the face. The Usos then hit the Splash off the top rope and pinned Chad Gable to retain their titles.

The first two matches of Clash of Champions have been great. This match started out clunky due to the Fatal 4-Way rules. However, it turned out to be a great match and every team got their moment to shine. Aiden English and Rusev were the fan favorites on this night but they came up short. Gable is an excellent performer and he showed up his skills when he hit the series of German Suplexes during the match. Hopefully English & Rusev and Gable & Benjamin can maintain this momentum going into SmackDown on Tuesday night.

I’m a huge fan of tag team wrestling and I’d like to see it featured more prominently on both shows because there are some very talented teams in WWE. The Usos escaped tonight with the victory, but there are now a few teams that should be in line to get a shot at their titles in the near future.

Charlotte Escaped A Chaotic Lumberjack Match

Charlotte defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Natalya in a Lumberjack match tonight at Clash of Champions. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan), Naomi, Carmella, Tamina and Lana surrounded the ring throughout the contest.

The lumberjacks beatdown Charlotte in the beginning of the match as Natalya threw her out of the ring. The action returned to the ring and Charlotte connected with a kick for a two count. Natalya took control of the match and slammed Charlotte’s face into the second turnbuckle. Natalya then beatdown Charlotte in the corner after failing to Clothesline her out of the ring. Natalya then booted Charlotte out of the ring and she got beatdown Charlotte again. It then happened a third time and Natalya Dropkicked Charlotte out of the ring. Naomi stood on the opposite of the ring and cheered on Charlotte.

Natalya shouted “you like Charlotte?!” to the Boston crowd and then applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Natalya went for a Dropkick but Charlotte got out of the way and Natalya fell out of the ring. The lumberjacks did not attack Natalya and simply threw her back in the ring. Charlotte connected with a series of chops and then strutted across the ring.

Charlotte started climbing up the turnbuckle but Natalya dragged her back to the canvas. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter but Charlotte reversed it into a roll-up for a two count. Charlotte hit a big boot and went for the Figure Four but Natalya booted her out of the ring. The lumberjacks started beating down Charlotte again and Naomi leaped off the ring apron onto all of them.

Natalya got back into the ring and Charlotte tried to follow but Ruby Riott grabbed her. Natalya took advantage and beatdown Charlotte in the ring. Natalya then locked in the Sharpshooter in the center of the ring. Charlotte battled through the pain and made her way to the bottom rope to break the hold. Tamina then hauled Charlotte out of the ring and started beating her down. A brawl then broke out between the lumberjacks and Charlotte was rolled back into the ring.

Carmella grabbed the MITB contract and rolled into the ring but Ruby Riott attacked her. The lumberjacks then continued to brawl outside the ring. Charlotte threw Natalya out of the ring and then she climbed up to the top rope and Moonsaulted onto everyone. Natayla somehow was able to avoid most of the Moonsault and got up and launched Charlotte into the ring post.

The action returned to the ring with Natalya in control. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter again but Charlotte quickly countered it into the Figure Eight for the submission victory.

After the match, Natalya was interviewed and stated that she has given the women’s division some of the best matches they have ever seen. Natalya shed a tear and shouted that if the women in WWE and the WWE Universe want to turn their back on her then she is turning her back on all of them. Natalya then rolled out of the ring and started crying as she slowly made her way up the entrance ramp.

This match was a mess and predictable. Carmella hinted at cashing in her MITB contract but tonight wasn’t the time. The lumberjacks predictably brawled with each other and I thought it took away from the match. Natalya’s promo was bizarre and it will be interesting to see if this leads to Natalya taking a break or just altering her character moving forward. She has been a heel on SmackDown for some time now, so I’m not sure how she would now be turning her back on the WWE Universe.

Daniel Bryan Saved The Yep Movement

Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon had a conversation backstage earlier in the night. Shane McMahon still didn’t understand why Daniel Bryan made himself the second referee. Bryan claimed the he only did it to protect Shane McMahon from himself.

Owens and Zayn were interviewed later on in the evening and claimed that Daniel Bryan knows that he and Zayn are A+ talent and that all Bryan is doing is making sure tonight is a fair fight. They were then asked about the possibility of getting fired tonight and Owens and Zayn shook their heads in disgust before walking away.

Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon were the first down to the ring and the two shook hands before the Superstars made their entrances. The Boston crowd sang along to Shinsuke’s theme as he posed in the ring. The crowd then erupted when Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn made their way to the ring.

Sami Zayn and Owens immediately started arguing with Shane McMahon in the ring. Zayn and Owens poked fun at Shane’s referee shirt which had his name written on it. Orton and Zayn started off the match and locked up in the middle of the ring. Zayn drove Orton to the corner and Shane started counting and told Zayn to break it up.

Orton then applied a Chin Lock as the crowd chanted “ole!”. Zayn broke free and Orton connected with a shoulder tackle and went for the cover. Both Bryan and McMahon went for the cover at the same time and their counts were at different speeds as Zayn kicked out.

Sami drove Orton back into the corner and Shane once again started barking at him. Shane and Sami stared at each other and Orton took back control of the match. Nakamura was tagged in and Sami drove Nakamura to the ropes. Shane shouted “watch the hair” as Sami apparently had a grip of Shinsuke’s hair. Sami backed off and Nakamura applied a Wrist Lock. Sami grabbed the ropes and Shane didn’t break the hold but Daniel Bryan did.

Kevin Owens was then tagged in and he beatdown Nakamura in the corner. Shane physically grabbed Owens and told him to break it up. Daniel Bryan didn’t react as Owens shouted in protest. Nakamura beatdown Owens in the corner and this time Daniel Bryan broke it up.

Nakamura went for the cover and once again both Shane and Daniel counted at different speeds and stared at each other in confusion. Orton was then tagged in and he knocked Owens to the mat. Shane and Daniel agreed to officiate a side of the ring and drew an imaginary line across the middle of the ring.

Owens connected with a Superkick on Shane’s side and went for the cover but Orton kicked out at two. Owens shouted at Shane to count faster and then tagged Sami back in. Zayn brought Orton to Shane’s side of the ring and hit a chop in the corner. Sami hit another chop and taunted Orton. Randy powered out of the corner and knocked Sami to the canvas.

Owens was tagged back in and he continued the assault on Randy Orton. Owens brought Orton to Bryan’s side of the ring and stomped on him. Owens then taunted Shane McMahon and complained to Daniel Bryan that Shane was counting slow. Sami applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as Owens started a “yep!” chant.

Orton broke free and bounced Sami Zayn off the top rope and both Superstars fell to the mat. Owens was tagged in and he booted Orton in the face and then punched Nakamura on the ring apron. Owens hit a Senton for a two count and then applied another Chin Lock. Orton powered to his feet and connected with a punch to Owens’ head. Owens hit a knee to the midsection and then tagged in Sami.

Zayn applied yet another Chin Lock and Orton broke free and hit a Belly to Back Suplex on Zayn. Owens and Nakamura were then tagged in and Shinsuke delivered a kick to Owens’ face. Nakamura hit another kick and then connected with a series of knees. Nakamura then clocked Sami in the face on the ring apron and then stomped on Owens in the corner.

Nakamura draped Owens across the top rope and then kneed him in the ribs for a two count. Shane slid across the imaginary line in the middle of the ring to make the count and Bryan reminded him to stay on his side. Nakamura connected with another strike for a two count.

Shinsuke locked in a Triangle submission in the middle of the ring. Owens’ shoulders were down and Bryan counted and Owens kicked out. Shane was pissed off because it broke the hold. Owens connected with a Superkick for another two count and then tagged in Sami. Zayn sprinted across the ring and blasted Orton off the ring apron. Nakamura blocked the Helluva Kick but Zayn planted Shinsuke with the Blue Thunder Bomb on Bryan’s side of the ring for a two count. Shane did a little dance out of joy when Nakamura kicked out.

All four Superstars started battling in the ring as Shane and Daniel tried to get control. Sami threw Orton out of the ring and Shane told Sami to get out of the ring. Owens went for a Senton onto Nakamura but Shinsuke got his knees up. Orton was tagged back and so was Zayn. Orton planted Sami with a Powerslam that sent him to the ring apron.

Zayn bounced Orton’s neck off the top rope and then climbed to the top turnbuckle but Orton took out his legs and Sami fell crotch-first on the top rope. Daniel got in Orton’s face and reminded him that was not legal. Orton then planted Zayn with a Superplex but Owens dragged Orton out of the ring and slammed him into the steel steps. Shinsuke then attacked Owens and threw him into the barricade. Shinsuke hit a couple of kicks but Sami bashed Nakamura in the back of the head.

Shane and Daniel demanded that the Superstars return to the ring but they didn’t oblige. Sami bounced Nakamura’s face off the table. Owens and Zayn started clearing off the tables and Shane McMahon inadvertently poked Bryn in the eye. Owens hit a Frog Splash off of one announce table and landed on Nakamura threw the other and the table collapsed as the two Superstars slammed to the floor.

Back in the ring, Orton delivered another Powerslam to Zayn and then hit the DDT while Sami was hung up in between the second and third ropes. Orton posed in the ring and geared up for the RKO as Shane cheered him on. Orton planted Zayn with the RKO and Shane went for the cover but Owens shoved Daniel Bryan on top of Shane McMahon.

Shane started shouting at Daniel Bryan and Orton got in Bryan’s face. Owens grabbed Orton from behind but Randy was ready and delivered another RKO to Owens. Sami and Orton traded roll ups and Sami had the match won but Shane didn’t count to three. Daniel and Shane started shoving each other as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Orton then went for another RKO but Sami revered it into a roll up and Daniel Bryan quickly counted to three as Shane leaped across the ring to stop Bryan’s count. Orton was distraught in the ring as Shane sat in the middle of the ring with a pissed off look on his face. Owens and Zayn started another “yep!” chant and the crowd joined in.

The build up to this match was very entertaining. The match itself was a total cluster for the majority of it. Shane and Bryan’s bickering over which side of the ring was their side was annoying but it wound up paying off in the end. Daniel Bryan helped Zayn and Owens win the match, but only after Shane McMahon deliberately avoided counting to three when Sami had the match won. I’m looking forward to seeing where this storyline goes on SmackDown this Tuesday night. It appears that the power struggle between Bryan and McMahon has only just begun.

Jinder Mahal Could Not Escape The Calf Crusher 

AJ Styles defended his WWE Championship against former champion Jinder Mahal tonight at Clash of Champions. The Singh Brothers accompanied Mahal to the ring and were ringside for the match.

The Singh Brothers whispered words of wisdom into Mahal’s ear as the bell rang. Mahal elbowed AJ in the face to start off the match and then posed in the ring. Styles knocked Mahal out of the ring and then followed him out there and booted Jinder in the back of the leg. Styles then slammed Mahal’s leg into the barricade and then rolled him back into the ring.

Styles knocked Mahal to the canvas and once again focused his attack on Jinder’s legs. Mahal took control and lift AJ over his shoulders and threw him onto the top ropes. Styles landed ribs-first and then tumbled out of the ring. Mahal followed him and AJ connected with a kick. Mahal grabbed AJ by his head and threw Styles into the barricade. AJ removed part of the barricade padding while Jinder was dragging him.

The crowd started chanting “Jinder sucks!” as Mahal launched AJ into the exposed part of the steel barricade. The action returned to the ring and Mahal connected with a knee to Styles’ injured ribs. Mahal was still favoring his injured leg from AJ’s offense earlier in the match.

Mahal dropped AJ rib-first on top of one the announce tables and then taunted the crowd. Mahal brought AJ back into the ring and continued the assault. Jinder applied a Crossface in the middle of the ring and extended Styles’ ribs. Jinder then wrapped his legs around AJ’s midsection and applied pressure to his ribs.

AJ broke free and connected with a couple of kicks to Mahal’s injured leg. Jinder responded by launching AJ into the corner and Styles’ ribs slammed into the turnbuckle. Mahal then applied the Abdominal Stretch to Styles in the middle of the ring as the Singh Brothers cheered him on from ringside.

Styles broke free but Mahal sent him to the corner and Speared him in the ribs. Jinder hopped up to the second rope and connected with a Clothesline. Mahal went for another Clothesline off the second rope but AJ was ready and connected with a Dropkick that knocked Jinder out of the ring.

Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Mahal hit the ropes and Styles fell onto the top rope ribs-first. Mahal once again attacked AJ’s ribs and stomped on him in the corner. Jinder perched AJ up on the top turnbuckle and delivered a couple of massive right hands. AJ lifted Mahal onto his shoulders and delivered an Electric Chair Drop as both Superstars fell to the canvas.

Mahal missed with a right and AJ connected with a couple of strikes and then leveled him with a Clothesline. AJ then hit a forearm and both Superstars were back on the mat again. AJ hit a Splash in the corner and Styles tried to lift him up but his ribs prevented him. Styles connected with a Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker while using Mahal’s momentum to lift up. Mahal responded by lifting AJ over his shoulders and dropping him ribs-first for a two count.

Styles went for another forearm while Mahal was on his backside but Mahal got his legs up and Dropkicked him. Jinder then connected with a Samoan Drop for a two count. Mahal went for the Khallas but AJ blocked it and hit the Pele Kick. AJ went for a Tornado DDT but Mahal blocked it and launched Styles across the ring. Jinder then connected with a big boot for a two count.

Jinder went for another Khallas off the second rope but AJ escaped and delivered a second Pele Kick. Styles then dragged Mahal off the ropes and Jinder crashed to the canvas. Styles hit the springboard 450 Splash but AJ couldn’t make the cover right away because of his ribs. The Singh Brothers tried to drag Mahal out of the ring. AJ hit the Phenomenal Forearm onto one of the Singhs and then hit the Styles Clash on the other.

AJ slowly climbed up to the ring apron and bounced Mahal’s face off the top rope. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Mahal got out of the way and kneed AJ in the back of the head. Jinder then hit the Khallas and dragged AJ back to the middle of the ring. Mahal went for the cover but AJ was able to kick out at two. The crowd chanted “AJ Styles!” as Jinder got himself fired up in the ring.

Mahal taunted AJ and went for the Styles Clash but AJ rolled through and applied the Calf Crusher in the center of the ring. Mahal made his way towards the bottom rope but AJ was able to roll him back to the center of the ring and Mahal had no choice but to submit. AJ Styles is still your WWE Champion.

AJ Styles has a way of bring out the best in every Superstar he has a match with. This match was slow but still entertaining. Mahal put up a decent fight but AJ Styles prevailed in the end. WWE Clash of Champions 2017 wound up being a decent show. The first two matches were excellent and there is a lot to look forward to this Tuesday night on SmackDown. We will see the progression of the Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan storyline and maybe a new challenger will emerge for the WWE Championship.

WWE Clash of Champions 2017 Results & Live Discussion (12/17)

WWE Clash of Champions 2017 took place at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, MA on December 17th.

Clash Of Champions Kickoff Show results:

– Tonight’s Kickoff Show panel consists of Renee Young, Sam Roberts, and David Otunga. They welcome us to the TD Garden in Boston, and they begin running down the card for tonight’s show. We’ll have an interview with The New Day later, and fans can ask their questions with the #AskNewDay hashtag on Twitter.

– We see a video package hyping up tonight’s WWE Title match between AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal.

– AJ Styles does an interview in the back where he talks about how he’ll defy the odds tonight with both Jinder and the Singh Brothers to deal with. Back to the pre-show panel, Sam and Dave predict AJ will retain against Jinder. For the U.S. Title match later, Sam predicts Roode will while, while Otunga picks Baron Corbin. Both predict that the Bludgeon Brothers will beat Breezango.

– Naomi does an interview backstage where she warns the Riott Squad to stay far away from her tonight. Carmella, Lana, and Tamina interrupt the interview. Tamina warns Naomi not to cross them. Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan all appear next and start arguing. Refs pull them apart and we go to break.

– The New Day does an interview in the back where they joke that they have their own pancake mix coming soon. They crack some jokes and cut a promo about their Fatal 4 Way match tonight. Back to the panel, Renee and Otunga pick The Usos to win that match tonight, and Sam picks Rusev Day.

Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder: Mojo has new entrance music, and Ryder’s music sounded a little different. Ryder starts off fired up and levels Mojo with a dropkick. Ryder takes the fight out to ringside and they brawl on the floor. Mojo whips Ryder into the LED board on the side of the ring. Back in the ring, Ryder hits a spinebuster and Mojo taunts Ryder. Mojo beats on Ryder in the corner now, then hits a splash for a 2 count. Ryder comes back with a knee strike then goes up top, but Mojo knocks him off and Ryder lands on the floor. They fight around the ring some more, then back in the ring Mojo stays in control. Ryder starts firing up and hits some strikes, then follows up with the BRoski Boot. Mojo kicks out at two, and turns it around with a running right hand to the face for the three count.

Winner: Mojo Rawley

– After the match, Mojo continues to talk trash to Ryder as he leaves.

Clash of Champions 2017 Results:

– We open up with a video package running down the history between tonight’s combatants.

Baron Corbin (c) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler: Corbin’s U.S. Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Roode and Ziggler start double teaming Corbin. They knock Corbin to the outside, then Roode and Ziggler start going at it in the ring. Ziggler knocks Roode outside, and Corbin drops Roode with a clothesline. Ziggler starts to come outside, but Corbin knocks him back with an uppercut. Corbin takes Roode inside and hits a splash on Roode in the corner. Corbin knocks Ziggler outside and follows him out, then rams him into the barricade. Corbin comes back in the ring and Roode starts firing up on him. Roode stuns Corbin with strikes then hits a Blockbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Corbin rolls outside, then Ziggler jumps on Roode from behind. Roode shakes him off and they start trading strikes. Ziggler kicks to the knee and hits a Fameasser, but Corbin breaks up the pin attempt. Corbin hits running splashes on Roode and Ziggler in opposite corners. Roode blocks one with a knee, then Roode drops Ziggler. Corbin comes back and hits the Deep Six on Roode for a two count. Corbin and Roode start fighting on the corner until Roode knocks him down. Ziggler runs up and grabs Roode, then Corbin comes up and throws them both down to the mat. Corbin attempts to pin both of them and gets two counts for both. Corbin gets dropped, then Ziggler starts working over Roode. Roode comes back and drops Ziggler with the Glorious DDT, but Corbin breaks up the pin. Corbin pulls Roode outside and hits the chokeslam backbreaker on the floor. He throws Roode in the ring and goes for the Deep Six, and while he has Roode in the air, Ziggler runs up and hits the Zig-Zag on Corbin. Ziggler immediately pins Corbin for the three count, and we have a new U.S. Champ.

Winner & new United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler

– Daniel Bryan is backstage complaining that his referee shirt is too big. Shane McMahon walks in and asks Bryan what he’s thinking when it comes to Owens and Zayn. Shane says he respects Bryan and that’s why he’s here, but why haven’t they gotten rid of those two guys yet? Bryan says he’s protecting Shane from himself. Bryan says they’ll both be in the ring tonight, which confuses Shane since usually one ref is inside and one is outside. Shane says he’ll go try to find a shirt that fit’s Bryan, then they’ll discuss the plan later. Shane then says “I’ll see you out there,” and walks off.

– Aiden English is in the ring and he introduces his partner Rusev. They get a huge “Rusev day” chant from the fans, and they crowd pops huge for Aiden’s “12 Days Of Rusev Day” song.

The Usos (c) vs. The New Day vs. Rusev Day vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: This one devolves into an all-out brawl between all of the competitors early on as the ref struggles to restore order. The fight spills outside where Kofi hits a suicide dive, and then Jimmy Uso hits one. Jey goes up top next, but Shelton runs up and hits a huge superplex into the ring with some serious distance. Big E runs in and drops Shelton, which begins the Unicorn Stampede on Benjamin. Kofi drops Rusev with a spinning heel kick, then he and Big E take turns dropkicking the others. Rusev drops Kofi with a superkick then throws Big E into the ring post, and now Big E is cleaning house. Gable gets the tag, and he and Benjamin double team Kofi. Benjamin comes back in now, and he and Rusev seem to agree to focus their offense on Kofi and Jimmy. Aiden tags in and starts double teaming Jimmy with Rusev. Gable and Shelton take turns suplexing and working over Kofi and Big E. More run-ins from the apron, and when the dust settles its down to Rusev and Gable. Rusev locks Gable in the Accolade until Rusev breaks it up. Big E goes for the Big Ending, but Rusev gets out and hits the big boot. Rusev with another Accolade, but Gable breaks it up and hits a German suplex on Rusev. Gable hits a German suplex on Aiden English next, then hits his roll-through German on Big E. Gable goes for the German on Jey, but Jimmy gets the bling tag and superkicks Gable. Another superkick, then Jey tags and hits the big splash off the top for the three count to win.

Winners & still Tag Team Champs: The Usos

– We see a video going over the history between Charlotte and Natalya, and the Women’s Championship. The Lumberjack match is up next!

Charlotte (c) vs. Natalya: This one is a Lumberjack match for the Women’s Title, with Lana, and Tamina among the lumberjacks. Charlotte and Natalya are fairly evenly matched in the opening minutes. Flair hits some strikes followed by a neckbreaker and a big boot for a two count. Natalya counters a shot and drops Charlotte face-first into the turnbuckle. Lots of back and forth holds, but the fight spills out to ringside pretty early where the lumberjacks get involved. All of the lumberjacks now start brawling with each other, as the referee has given up on trying to keep order. Charlotte gets a beat-down by the lumberjacks at ringside until Naomi runs in the ring and hits a suicide dive onto everyone at ringside. Back in the ring, Natalya controls the next few moments and slows down the pace of the match. Natalya locks in the Sharpshooter but Flair gets a rope break. All hell breaks loose at ringside again with the lumberjacks, and everyone is brawling in front of the announce table. Natalya rolls Flair back into the ring during the commotion and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Charlotte kicks her down. Flair immediately goes into the Figure Eight for the win via submission.

Winner & still Women’s Champion: Charlotte

– We are introduced to all of WWE’s foreign language announcers as the Fashion Police make their entrance.

Tyler Breeze and Fandango vs. Eric Rowan & Luke Harper: The fight spills out to ringside early on where the Bludgeon Brothers dominate. Fandango tries to shove Rowan into the ring post but Rowan blocks it, and Harper turns Breeze inside out with a clothesline. They slam Breeze into the ring apron, then back in the ring they hit the double team chokeslam on Fandango for the win via three count. This one was short and one-sided.

Winners: Eric Rowan & Luke Harperr

– After the match, Harper and Rowan cut a promo in the ring saying they’re going to bring more pain and more fear. They repeat that they’re bringing the beginning of the end. Harper gives Rowan a friendly slap to the face, then they pose.

– Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn do an interview where Owens says The “Sami and Kevin Show” isn’t being cancelled any time soon. Sami brings up the “Yep movement.” The interviewer then asks what if they lose, and they’re fired from all of WWE. They silently stare at her and walk away after an awkward pause.

– Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan come down to the ring separately in their referee shirts.

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura: Both Daniel and Shane are in the ring to referee this one. Orton goes for a pin attempt on Sami early on, and both Shane and Daniel go down to count. They both count, not in-rhythm, and Zayn kicks out at two. Nakamura and Owens are in now and Nakamura takes control. Nakamura covers and the two refs once again count at different paces. Orton and Zayn are now back in and Owens hits a cheap shot on Orton. Zayn takes control and punishes Orton in the corner with elbows and chops. Zayn yells at Orton that he’s trying to take his job, and Orton shuts him up with a European uppercut. Owens tags in and drops Orton then hits some knees to the face. Zayn and Owens trade frequent tags now to control Orton. Orton finally hits a back suplex on Zayn and both men are down. Nakamura and Owens come in now and Nakamura drops him with a boot to the face. Nakamura tees off with more kicks on Owens, then some knees to him when he’s grounded. Nakamura takes a moment to knock Zayn off the apron, then hits a splash and some knees on Owens. Nakamura goes up top and Owens tries to powerbomb him off, but Nakamura latches on to him and puts him in a triangle choke. Shane and Daniel start arguing over a call, and Owens hits a superkick on Nakamura. Zayn tags in and charges at Nakamura, but Nakamura stops him with a boot to the face. Zayn comes back and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb on Nakamura. Owens tags back in and tehy double team Shinsuke. Owens goes for a Senton drop on Nakamura, but he puts the knees up to block it. Orton and Zayn tag in and Orton cleans house. Orton hits a fallaway slam on Zayn, then they fight up to the turnbuckle. Orton hits a superplex off the top, but then Owens pulls Orton outside and whips him into the steel steps. Nakamura comes outside and beats down Owens at ringside. Shane and Daniel try to restore order at ringside. Owens and Zayn put Nakamura on the announce table, and then Owens jumps off another table with a frog splash on Nakamura through the table. Back in the ring, Orton slams Zayn then hits the DDT off the middle rope. Orton waits for Zayn to get up, and then he hits the RKO. Shane starts counting, but then Owens shoves Daniel on top of Orton. Shane yells at Daniel, and Orton stares him down. Owens sneaks up but Orton hits the RKO on him. Sami and Orton trade rollup attempts, and Zayn eventually gets on top of Orton and Orton is down. Shane counts, but stops at two, and it’s unclear if Orton’s shoulders were up or not. Bryan and Shane start shoving each other. Sami rolls up Orton from behind again, and Daniel counts a very fast three count. Sami immediately rolls out of the ring and celebrates with Owens on the ramp, as they lead the crowd in a “yep” chant. Bryan rolls outside and has a stare-down with Shane in the ring. Orton and Nakamura are in the ring and they’re not happy.

Winners: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens

– We see a video package showing notable WWE Champions over the last 50+ years. We fast forward to AJ beating Jinder for the WWE Title overseas. We see interview footage from both AJ and Jinder. Jinder says AJ got lucky. AJ says he goes about things the right way, and Jinder goes about things the wrong way. Jinder says he’ll regain his crown and throne tonight.

AJ Styles (c) vs. Jinder Mahal: The Singh Brothers come out with Jinder saying that tonight Jinder will become a two-time Champion. The Singh Brothers whisper some strategy to Jinder after the opening bell, and the ref yells at them to get off the apron. Jinder and AJ lock up and Jinder repeatedly shoves AJ back into the corner. AJ comes back and starts working over Jinder’s knee. Jinder knocks AJ outside and starts beating the Champion all over ringside. Jinder throws AJ over the barricade, then takes him back in the ring for some knee drops. Jinder puts the boots to AJ and kicks him back out to ringside. Jinder picks up AJ and slams him on top of an announce table. Jinder controls the next few moments of the match. We’re told we’re going to see a replay of Jinder slamming AJ on the announce table, but we see a replace of him whipping him into the barricade instead. AJ gets in some shots on Jinder’s bad knee, but Jinder drops him and hits a running splash in the corner. Jinder goes to the middle rope and hits a flying karate chop to the top of AJ’s head. He goes for another one, but AJ dropkicks him out of the air. AJ starts firing up and goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Jinder knocks him off the rope and hits a gutbuster. Jinder takes AJ up top, but AJ fights him off and slams him. They trade strikes until AJ hits a splash in the corner. AJ hits a fireman’s carry neckbreaker for a two count. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Jinder gets out and slams him. Jinder picks up AJ, but AJ catches him and hits a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. AJ and Jinder trade kicks, then Jinder hits a version of the Samoan drop for a two count. Jinder continues the offense on AJ and attempts the Khallas, but AJ escapes and hits the Pele Kick. Jinder backs AJ into the corner and hits some shoulder strikes. Jinder throws AJ down and boots him in the face for a two count. Jinder takes AJ to the corner and tries to set up a top rope Khallas, but AJ gets out and hits another Pele Kick. AJ throws Jinder off the top rope, then he goes out to the apron. AJ hits the springboard 450 splash on Jinder. Before he can pin, the singh Brothers try pulling Jinder out to ringside. AJ nails the sings, and he hits a Styles Clash on one of them on the ringside floor. AJ gets back on the apron and goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Jinder dodges it. Jinder boots AJ in the back of the head, then hits the Khallas for a two count. Jinder goes to hit a Styles Clash of his own on AJ, but AJ escapes and locks the Calf Crusher on Jinder. Jinder struggles and taps out.

Winner & still WWE Champion: AJ Styles

– AJ celebrates with his WWE Title belt in the ring as Jinder sells the leg injury at ringside as Clash of Champions goes off the air.

John Cena Reveals His Favorite Soccer Player

WWE Superstar John Cena recently did an interview with a BBC talk show and talked about a variety of topics. Association football (soccer) expert Mark Lawrenson asked “The Leader Of The Cenation” who his favorite soccer player was. Cena named the only professional footballer he knows, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo:

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

“If I had to name some famous footballers, I would start and end with Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s it.”

Cena noted that when he worked a WWE live event in London he was able to visit the Spurs stadium and walked on the pitch. When asked which position he’d like to play if he was a soccer player, Cena claimed he’d like to remain on the bench because he isn’t much of a runner:

“If I were to play myself, I would be on the bench because I have watched a few games, and it is a lot of running – I don’t run very well, or very far. I think being an inspirational coach might be my best role.“

Rusev Jokes About Rumored XFL Return, Hideo Itami Says Goodbye To NXT

– There have been rumors circulating that an XFL-like relaunch could be in the works from Vince McMahon. Deadspin reached out to WWE, and although they didn’t confirm an XFL relaunch specifically, they did admit McMahon is venturing out to “explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including football.” WWE Superstar Rusev took to Twitter to joke about the rumored XFL return:

– During last night’s (Sat. December 16, 2017) NXT Live Event in Largo, Florida, Hideo Itami wrestled his final match for NXT before shipping out for 205 Live this Tuesday. Itami took to Twitter to say his final goodbye to the NXT brand:

WWE Now Selling Finn Balor ‘Over’ Shirt, John Cena Tests His Voice Acting Skills (Video)

– For the past several weeks jokes have been made from Finn Balor about being “over” after rumors of Vince McMahon canceling a planned Brock Lesnar vs. Balor match at the Royal Rumble because Vince doesn’t think Balor is “over” enough. Now WWE is selling a shirt that says “Balor Club – Forever,” with some letters highlighted in red in which they spell the word “over.” Check it out:

– triple j posted a video of WWE Superstar John Cena testing out his voice acting skills by trying to do the voices of various characters such as Shrek, Marge from The Simpsons, and many more. Check it out:

The Big Show Discusses Possibly Doing Commentary For WWE

The Big Show was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard to talk about a number of professional wrestling topics. The former WWE and WCW World Champ discussed the possibility of working on commentary for WWE in the future, if he’d go work on the independent circuit, WWE’s tendency to rush storylines, and Kane vs. Braun Strowman. You can check out the highlights here:

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

Possibly working as a commentator for WWE in the future:

“That’s definitely a possibility. That’s something I’ve discussed quite heavily with Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and JBL. I need to sit down with Vince and Hunter to see what’s next for the Big Show. Vince is all about giving opportunity, and Hunter is, too. Doing color commentary to help get the talent over is not something I’m opposed to doing. I could speak from my experience, but my number one goal would be to highlight why you should pay attention to what you are seeing in the ring.”

If he’d work on the indies:

“That’s never crossed my mind, and it’s something I’ve never been asked. But let’s be clear–I don’t have the talent that Cody Rhodes has. I think Cody is one of the most underrated and underused talents that we ever let go. I was a huge fan of Cody, his ideas, and what he could have brought to the table, and I’m so happy that his success outside of WWE has been so good. Sometimes in this business, you have to go away to come back. You have to find out who you are.

“For me, at this stage in the game, I’m enjoying helping the next generation. I did everything I could to pass the torch to Braun. I had a hip resurfaced a couple months ago, so Vince and Hunter want me to finish on my main goal, which is getting healthy. Then we’ll discuss my future. There are a lot of projects I want to do with producing and acting outside of wrestling. As far as an indie run, I don’t know, but you never say never.”

WWE’s tendency to rush storylines and Kane vs. Braun Strowman:

“Sometimes, when stories are rushed or put together too fast, people can’t enjoy them. That’s the only criticism I have with our industry right now, it’s really tough to build stories like we used to. The writing was on the wall for my fight with Braun Strowman, because he looked like my replacement as the next dominant giant. When I came out in ’95, even though it was part of the storyline, I was known as the next evolution of Andre, the next giant. I was that young, athletic, trash-talking monster.

“That was my introduction to the industry, and I was able to build on that. Braun Strowman is the next evolution of that monster. He’s athletic and explosive. I think Kane is fantastic, but I don’t think people were ready for the angle between Kane and Braun or their match. Technically, psychologically, mechanically, there is nothing wrong with the matches, but people don’t like the story of the two opponents in the match. The crowd hasn’t been able to get into it yet, but with social media and our business, criticism is going to be a lot more prevalent.”

You can read The Big Show’s full interview with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard by clicking here.

Ken Anderson On The Warning The Undertaker Once Gave Him Backstage

Former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling star Ken Anderson was recently a guest on WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast, The Steve Austin Show, to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Anderson discussed if politics were involved in his WWE release, what The Undertaker warned him about before he switched brands in WWE, and opened up about his Vicodin dependency in the past. You can check out the highlights here:

If politics was behind his WWE release:

“There was [a little bit of politics going on with his WWE departure], but anytime I sit and try to figure out… I want the students [at The Academy: School of Professional Wrestling] to learn from my mistakes as well as my successes and anytime I get a chance to open up and share stuff that I look [at] as missteps in the [pro wrestling] business, I try to share it with them,” Anderson said. “The big thing is that I was getting a really good push and I always tried to maintain that humility, try to be as humble as I possibly could, I know it all could be taken away from me tomorrow, but at the same time, you start to believe your own bulls–t a little bit.

“Chris Benoit, when Chris Benoit did what he did, for some reason, I felt like the entire world needed to know what Ken Anderson felt about that and I went on some news talkshows and things like that. And then, the whole steroids thing, which I felt was a huge misconception. People knew part of the story, but not the entire story and if you tell your side of the story, then you’re being defensive. But if you say nothing at all, you allow those people to fill in the spots.

“That’s what happens. It was that kind of stuff. When I went over to RAW, I sort of for some reason felt like, ‘oh, I’ve already earned that respect. That respect will just carry over with me [from SmackDown]’ and I didn’t take the time to humble myself again and start off as the new guy.”

The Undertaker’s warning to him backstage before flipping brands:

“And my style, I always tried to play it as a real fight as much as possible. If you watch UFC, nobody ever takes a crisp flatback bump. Guys fall into the ropes sometimes. You get punched [and] you land on your ass. You pop back up. I would also cover up a lot. Some of the guys striking me, I wouldn’t just give them the old school, clean punch. And they punch you and you put your head right back in the same spot or if someone chops you, I wouldn’t do that.

“And I remember Taker pulling me aside one day and he was like, ‘keep doing that stuff because it’s unique and it sets you apart,’ but he said, ‘I’m telling you now that you’re going to get over to RAW and there are people that you’re going to come into contact with that aren’t going to appreciate that. They’re going to think that you’re being difficult to work with,’ and instead of taking his advice, I just kept doing what Ken Kennedy was doing over on SmackDown and tried to open myself up. And I think that people, certain people, thought that I was difficult to work with, covering up and things like that.”

His Vicodin dependency issues in the past:

“Yeah, I would say when I was in WWE, I got into the pills a little too much. Yeah. I was really good at keeping it on the DL. Only a certain handful of people knew about it and I was able to keep that really quiet. It wasn’t public knowledge that Ken Anderson was a partier. But, yeah, I did. I regret it. Pain pills. All of it. Mostly the pain pill, Vicodin, was my vice just because I was able to function. You take a couple of ‘vikes’, especially when you’re running that hard that long, on the road five days a week. When it started becoming a problem, my ex-wife came to me with a piece of paper and she said, ‘you’ve spent $35,000 this year on Vicodin.’ No, I’m not kidding you. I’m not kidding you.

“I would order 1,000 ‘vikes’ at a time and I’d go through them in a couple of weeks. I was also giving them out to my friends. I was good at sharing. $35,000. How stupid is that? Do you know what? Interestingly enough, the WWE at one point, I remember I had surgery on my shoulder, I believe, and I was actually, when I came out of that surgery, I was in a lot of people. I could have done with some pain pills and Doc Andrews, he was very conservative.

“He gave me 20 or 30 10s and I went through those in a couple of days. And then, I called him back for a refill. Then he gave me like 10 more. I went through those right away. I went back. I was like, ‘I’ll get one more refill out of him’ and that ‘one more refill’ turned into Johnny Ace calling me. He said, ‘Kenny, they think you’ve got a pain pill problem and they’re sending you to rehab.'”

You can listen to Anderson and Austin’s full conversation on The Steve Austin Show by clicking here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Alexa Bliss Set To Break RAW Women’s Championship Record Soon

Alexa Bliss is steadily approaching a milestone as RAW Women’s Champion. “Little Miss Bliss” is currently in her second reign as RAW Women’s Champ, and that reign has lasted a total of 110 days thus far. If she can hold on to the title through Wednesday she’ll surpass former RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair’s record of 113 days and become the longest reigning RAW Women’s Champion of all time.

Bliss’ first run as champion lasted approximately 112 days, missing out on the record by just one day. If she were to lose the title on RAW for any reason she will have missed out on the record by a day or two for the second time in her career. Bliss also has a shot at making even more history in her current reign.

If she can hang on to the belt for the next three and a half weeks she will have the longest combined reigns of any other woman since the inception of the RAW Women’s Championship. This would be an incredible feat after holding the title only twice, as opposed to someone like Charlotte who has won it four times.

Chris Jericho Wrestling Multiple Matches For New Japan?

Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega are set to have one of, if not the biggest match in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s history on January 4th at Wrestle Kingdom 12. During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports in Japan Jericho alluded to not only potentially having multiple matches with ‘The Cleaner’ Kenny Omega but also not ruling out other matches for New Japan going forward.

Japanese wrestling writer Chris Charlton recently transcribed the interview with Jericho and the following statement speaks volumes: “Ive said maybe me and Kenny will never happen again. But I never said I’d only do one match. I never said this would be my last match with New Japan. Wait and see”

Whilst this could just be another promotional tactic from Jericho it is worth considering that with New Japan’s upcoming ‘United States Expansion’ and their ongoing growth with AXS TV he could be around for far longer than just the Tokyo Dome on January 4th.

War Machine Bid Farewell To ROH, Are They WWE Bound?

Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wresting tag team War Machine seem to have made their final appearance in ROH. During the company’s recent television tapings the team appeared to ‘bow to the crowd’ following a loss to Leon St. Giovanni and Shahdom Ali, signalling an imminent departure from Ring of Honor.

Rumors are now circulating as to where the team will be heading next, whilst NXT is certainly a possibility; Rowe is engaged to recently called up Sarah Logan and Hanson trained Sasha Banks, it is nowhere near confirmed and there is a good chance that the team are looking to establish themselves in New Japan full time or be readily available for the planned NJPW ‘American Expansion’ in the coming months.

https://twitter.com/mikeVSphilly/status/942240789559762944

If War Machine do end up in WWE/NXT who would you like to see them in the ring with?

RAW Superstar Wrestling for UK Independent Company in 2018

The UK has been at the forefront of the wrestling scene throughout 2017, some of the hottest names in the United Kingdom have been signed to the WWE both on the main roster and the dedicated UK division.

It’s interesting to note that some talents have also been making their way from the main roster to perform at special one off events on the UK independent scene, Kassius Ohno and Noam Dar both performed for Insane Championship Wrestling earlier this year and now another RAW main roster star is set to make his way to Preston City Wrestling (PCW).

Apollo Crews was once a mainstay on the UK independents as Uhaa Nation, he has now been confirmed for a place in PCW’s Road to Glory event on February 10th. The company sent out a tweet thanking the WWE, Triple H and William Regal specifically for making the deal happen.

https://twitter.com/PCW_UK/status/942140006747066370

5 Names For The 2018 Hall Of Fame Potentially Leaked?

With Wrestlemania season fast approaching WWE will be looking to finalise their inductees into the Hall of Fame in April 2018.

It looks as though 5 names have already been leaked for the 2018 ceremony, blogger Brad Sheppard (who is well regarded and broke the potential XFL revival story) has revealed that the following names will be confirmed for a New Orleans induction:

  • Goldberg – The biggest home grown talent in WCW will finally be making his way to the WWE Hall of Fame following his short Universal Title run earlier this year
  • Bam Bam Bigelow – Long overdue an induction, Bam Bam will be the posthumous inductee for 2018
  • Ivory – One of the most underrated talents from WWE’s Attitude Era Ivory will be making her way to the Hall in 2018
  • Dudley Boyz – Arguably the most decorated tag team in professional wrestling history, the Dudleys will finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018
  • Kid Rock – There’s always a celebrity

Are you happy with the potential class of 2018? Who would you like to see inducted?

Former WWE Women’s Champion Says She Felt Suicidal After Being Raped

In a post on social media on Saturday addressing sexual assault, former WWE Women’s Champion Melina Perez revealed that she felt suicidal after being raped.

In response to a tweet from comedian Josh Wolf on actor Matt Damon’s controversial comments about sexual misconduct (in which Damon said that not all allegations should be handled the same way), Perez shared that she got raped in the past.

A short while later, Perez posted a blog about her tweet on Instagram and Facebook saying that she felt suicidal after being raped.

“Granted being cornered to be harassed & being grabbed didnt lead me to want to commit suicide like rape did but all were life altering,” Perez wrote.

“All made me feel like I had no power, I wasn’t safe, I had no value and I wasn’t a human being. That I am simply a thing. My worth, my purpose, my existence altered. If I say anything I’m a liar, exaggerating or looking for attention. So many suffer this helplessness in silence. Which I did for years.”

Perez, however, declined to give specifics as she only wants to educate people on the subject of sexual assault.

“I’m not looking to point fingers, I want to educate people on the subject, be here for victims and get those suffering silence on the path to recovery. Sexual assault doesn’t just happen to women. Like @safehorizon posted on Twitter:

“Sexual assault doesn’t discriminate and neither should we. #MeToo has to include women of color, immigrants, LGBTQ, people living with disabilities, children and teenagers, the elderly, and yes, men and boys.”

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

This is not the first time in which Perez has addressed suicide and sexual assault as she touched on both subjects back in April during a podcast interview on how she dealt with online bullying. Perez said she watched the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and the drama tracing factors including online bullying and sexual assault which led to a teenage girl committing suicide brought back painful memories.

“That was my experience as an adult, that’s the sad thing,” Perez said. “Now that I’m reaching 40, I have better awareness and ways of coping. In my 20s, I couldn’t see things as clearly, be as articulate and process as much.

“I can only imagine what it would be like to go through that in my teens, how much more insane the emotions,” Perez said.