Archive for January, 2018

4 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (1/30)

The January 30th episode of WWE SmackDown Live aired live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. It was the first episode of SmackDown following WWE Royal Rumble 2018. Here are 4 takeaways from this week’s episode of SmackDown:

A Big Main Event Was Announced For Next Week

The winner of the 2018 Royal Rumble made his way down to the ring as the crowd sang along to his theme. Shinsuke Nakamura grabbed a microphone as the crowd chanted “Nakamura!”. Shinsuke went over the Superstars he eliminated with a knee to the face at Royal Rumble. Nakamura added “at WrestleMania, AJ Styles knee to the face and new WWE Champion”.

Shinsuke posed in the ring and pointed at the WrestleMania sign. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp. Owens mockingly asked the crowd to give it up for Nakamura. Owens claimed that they were screwed out of their title on Sunday and then rolled footage of the controversial finish in the WWE Championship Handicap match at the Royal Rumble. Kevin Owens was pinned by AJ Styles, but Owens wasn’t the legal man in the match.

Owens stated that they were once again victims of the “vendetta machine” Shane McMahon trying to hold them down. Zayn called the referee incompetent for not realizing that AJ Styles pinned the wrong man. Nakamura called AJ Styles a winner and Owens & Zayn losers.

WWE Champion AJ Styles came down to the entrance ramp as the crowd chanted his name. Styles said that Zayn and Owens can cry and complain all they want but there will be a dream match between him and Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania 34. Styles got into the ring and proposed a tag match tonight. Owens and Zayn got out of the ring and then decided to hop back on the ring apron. Owens and Zayn shouted “nope” and then got punched in the face by Nakamura and Styles.

SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan informed Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn that will face Nakamura & AJ Styles later tonight. Bryan added that the referee’s decision was final and that he made a mistake.

Daniel Bryan then added that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will face off next on SmackDown to determine who will face AJ Styles at WWE Fastlane. Owens and Zayn weren’t too happy with Bryan’s decision.

It would be shocking if AJ Styles lost the title before WrestleMania 34. That isn’t going to happen, but we are guaranteed a solid main event for WWE Fastlane now. It is either going to be Styles versus Owens or Styles versus Zayn. Owens and Zayn facing each other could turn the now best friends into bitter enemies once again.

Rusev Earned A Shot At The United States Championship

Rusev, Zack Ryder, Kofi Kingston and Jinder Mahal faced off to determine the #1 contender for the United States Championship. Bobby Roode joined commentary for the match. Big E & Woods were ringside and kept launching pancakes Corey Graves.

Kofi connected with a Dropkick to Rusev as Ryder leveled Mahal with a Clothesline. Mahal got back up and started beating down Ryder. Zack battled back and Clotheslined Ryder out of the ring. Ryder hit a Dropkick to Mahal through the ropes. Kofi then leaped onto everyone outside the ring. Rusev was about to do the same but Sunil Singh grabbed his foot as he bounced off the ropes.

Aiden English got in Sunil’s face and pushed him into the New Day, which caused Big E to drop the tray of pancakes. Sunil, Big E, Woods and English all started shouting at each other and the referee decided to kick them all out from ringside.

When SmackDown returned from a break, Jinder Mahal was beating down Zack Ryder in the ring as Rusev and Kofi were on the floor. Rusev got back into the ring and leveled Mahal with a kick. The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as Rusev knocked Jinder out of the ring. Ryder connected with the Broski Boot to Rusev but Mahal got back in the ring and booted Zack out of the ring.

Kofi got back in the ring and connected with an SOS. Rusev launched Mahal out of the ring and then went for the Accolade on both Ryder and Kofi. Jinder hopped back in the ring and walked into a Rough Ryder. Rusev knocked Ryder out of the ring and then locked Kofi in the Accolade for the submission victory. Rusev will face Bobby Roode next week for the US Title. After the match, Rusev walked up to the announce table and pointed at Roode’s title and said that he was going to take it from him.

I’m looking forward to this match next week. The crowd might even be more behind Rusev than Roode at this point. Bobby Roode has been saying that it is his goal to become the greatest United States Champion of all-time. He has a big challenge next week going up against Rusev.

Carmella Did Not Have A Fabulous Night

Photo Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair came down to the ring with for an interview with Renee Young. Flair stated that she was proud to see the other women make history at the Royal Rumble and added that it was the first time in her career that she wished she wasn’t champion so that she could have been a part of it.

Charlotte brought up Ronda Rousey showing up after the women’s Royal Rumble match but quickly interrupted by the Riott Squad. Ruby Riott told Charlotte to forget about Ronda Rousey and Asuka. Riott added that Charlotte’s ego was as big as her father’s and stated that Charlotte was a cheap imitation of Ric. Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan then entered the ring.

Flair asked if Ruby was done yet and shouted “woo!”. The Riott Squad tried to attack Charlotte but Flair was able to fight them off and send them out of the ring. Ruby, Liv and Sarah quickly got back into the ring and this time they were able to beat her down. Ruby connected with the Riott Kick and then the trio posed to the dismay of the crowd.

Carmella’s music hit as the Riott Squad was on the entrance ramp. Carmella sprinted to the ring with her MITB briefcase. Carmella tried to cash in but accidentally kicked the referee before he could make the match official. Carmella spent a minute shouting at the referee to get up and that allowed Charlotte to regroup. Charlotte got up and stared Carmella down. Carmella then backed away with her briefcase and exited the ring. Carmella technically didn’t cash in so she still has the MITB briefcase.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Carmella winds up joining the exclusive club of MITB winners that failed to cash in. Time will tell, but everything seems to go wrong when she tries to cash in.

Sami Zayn Abandoned Kevin Owens

Owens and Styles started off the match and the two Superstars locked up. AJ got the upperhand and that caused Owens to quickly tag out. Zayn and Nakamura were now in the ring and they locked up. Nakamura knocked Zayn to the corner and stomped on him with Good Vibrations. AJ tagged back in and planted Sami with a Dropkick.

AJ trapped Sami in the corner and tagged Nakamura back in. Sami battled back and knocked Shinsuke to the opposite corner. Kevin Owens tagged back in. Owens stomped on Nakamura in the corner and the referee broke it up. While the referee wasn’t looking, Sami Zayn connected with a cheap shot on Nakamura.

Owens was knocked to the mat by knees from Nakamura. Zayn got into the ring but was quickly knocked to the floor outside the ring by Shinsuke. Owens capitalized on Nakamura being distracted by Zayn and took back control of the match. Owens started shouting at Zayn and asked what the hell he was doing. Owens connected with a Clothesline for a two count. Nakamura then knocked Owens out of the ring next to Sami. Owens and Zayn started arguing ringside. Zayn starts to back up the entrance ramp and appears to be leaving Owens to fight for himself in the match as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Owens was back in control of the match but Sami was still on the entrance ramp. AJ battled back and connected with a forearm. AJ went for a cover but Zayn sprinted back into the ring to break it up at two. Sami tagged back in and connected with a Back Body Drop for a two count.

Owens was getting pissed off on the ring apron and started shouting at Sami to tag him back in. Sami finally obliged but certainly wasn’t happy about it. Owens connected with a Senton to Styles for a two count. Zayn was tagged back in but Owens did so by slapping Sami in the chest. Owens began barking instructions from the entrance ramp for Sami to take it to AJ. Sami opted to tag Owens back in with a slap across the chest.

Sami was on the apron and was still arguing with Kevin Owens. AJ Styles came up from behind and shoved Owens into Sami and Zayn fell off the apron. Owens leveled Styles but Sami Zayn walked up the entrance ramp and said that this was all on Owens now.

Owens connected with a Gutbuster and followed it up by dropping an elbow for a two count. Owens went for the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Styles countered into a Pele Kick. Shinsuke tagged in and connected with a flurry of kicks. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa and Owens tried to run away but AJ got in the way. Nakamura then hit the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE.

How WWE Will Determine Fastlane Main Event, US Title Match Set For Next Week

Next week’s WWE SmackDown in Kansas City will feature Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens to crown a new #1 contender to the WWE Title. The winner will go on to face WWE Champion AJ Styles in the main event of the March 11th WWE Fastlane pay-per-view from Columbus, Ohio, which will be the final pay-per-view before WrestleMania 34.

Sami vs. Owens was made after SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan acknowledged the referee made a bad call in AJ’s 2-on-1 Handicap Match win over Sami and Owens at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Sunday.

Next Tuesday’s SmackDown will also feature WWE United States Champion Bobby Roode defending his title against Rusev. Rusev earned the title shot by winning a Fatal 4 Way over Kofi Kingston, Jinder Mahal and Zack Ryder on tonight’s SmackDown.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , , .

WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/30)

The January 30th edition of WWE SmackDown Live was the first episode after Sunday’s Royal Rumble 2018, and took place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.

– Shinsuke Nakamura comes down to the ring first to kick off the show. Tom Phillips welcomes us on commentary, and he’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. Nakamura steps in the ring and gets on the mic, then runs down the list of names he kneed in the face at Royal Rumble. Nakamura says at WrestleMania, AJ Styles will be getting kneed in the face and Nakamura will be the new WWE Champion. Nakamura points at the WrestleMania sign, and then is interrupted by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayn walk down to the ring and complain on the mic about being screwed by the referee and Shane McMahon at the Royal Rumble. Owens and Zayn say they were screwed, and they should be co-WWE Champions right now. They say they will get a rematch and beat AJ before WrestleMania, so Nakamura will have to face them at WrestleMania. Nakamura says AJ is a winner, and Owens & Zayn are losers. AJ Styles is out to interrupt next. AJ says Owens and Zayn can whine and complain all they want, but the AJ vs. Nakamura dream match will happen at WrestleMania in New Orleans. AJ walks down to the ring and proposes that he and Nakamura team up tonight to take on Owens and Zayn in a tag match. Owens and Zayn say “nope” and leave the ring. AJ and Nakamura knock Owens and Zayn off the apron down to the floor, and the heels retreat up the ramp.

– Up next is a four-way match featuring Jinder vs. Kofi vs. Rusev vs. Ryder to determine the #1 contender for Bobby Roode’s U.S. Title.

– We see some still shots from Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

– We go backstage where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are confronting SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan. Bryan books the tag match for tonight, while Sami complains about their match on Sunday. Bryan says the referee made a mistake, but the ref’s decision is final. Bryan thinks they deserve another shot, so next week, Sami and Owens will face each other, and the winner will get AJ at Fastlane in February. Sami and Owens are not pleased with this decision.

– Fatal 4 Way: Rusev vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Zach Ryder vs. Kofi Kingston: The winner of this one will get a shot at U.S. Champion Bobby Roode, who is on commentary for this match. The opening bell sounds and Jinder takes Kofi, while Rusev takes Ryder. Rusev and Ryder spill out to ringside, while Jinder beats on Kofi in the ring. Ryder drops Rusev on the ringside floor, then slides in the ring and knocks Jinder outside. Big E is throwing pancakes around and he gets confronted by Aiden English at ringside. The referee ends up throwing Big E, Xavier, and Aiden English out of ringside and orders them to go backstage. Jinder and Kofi are now going at it at ringside, and Jinder knocks Kofi out of mid-air after he jumps off the ring steps. Jinder then decks Rusev, and then rolls back in the ring to work on Ryder. Jinder drops some knees on Ryder, then Rusev gets back in the ring. Jinder and Rusev start brawling back and forth, then Rusev drops Jinder with a kick. Rusev hits a splash on Jinder in the corner, then Ryder drops Rusev with a missile dropkick. Ryder hits a series of elbows to the face, then the Broski Boot. Jinder then hits a big boot on Ryder and covers for a two count. Kofi comes flying off the top rope with a shot on Jinder, then he hits the Boom Drop on the former WWE Champion. Ryder runs up on Kofi, but Kofi catches him with the SOS. Kofi pins, but Jinder breaks it up. Jinder hits a big lariat on Kofi, then Rusev throws Jinder outside. Rusev stacks up Kofi and Ryder for the double Accolade, but Jinder runs in and breaks it up. Jinder hits a flying knee to the face on Rusev, then attempts the Khalas but Rusev escapes. Rusev then throws Ryder into Jinder, then kicks Ryder in the face. Rusev drops Kofi next, then locks in the Accolade. Kofi taps out, and Rusev has won via submission. Rusev celebrates and eyes Roode from the ring.

Winner & new #1 contender for the U.S. Title: Rusev

– We see a pre-taped promo from The Usos, who are up next.

– Breezango is backstage with The Ascension for the Fashion Files, but then Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin interrupt. Gable and Benjamin make fun of them, and say they’re making a mockery of their tag team division. Gable and Benjamin flip over Breezango’s table and leave.

– Tag Team Champions the Usos are down to the ring next with microphones. They say they’re getting silly in Philly, and then they run down a list of all the teams they’ve beaten. After each team name, they say “locked down,” and then a jail cell door graphic slams on the screen. They say “day one ish” means being true and being 100 and being you. They talk about struggles and getting stronger, and say they’re the best tag team in WWE. Before they can leave, the Bludgeon Brothers come out to interrupt. Harper and Rowan don’t acknowledge the Usos, and just step into the ring. The Usos stare at them and then leave. The Bludgeon Brothers are in action next.

– The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Enhancement talent: The jobbers don’t get names in this one. Harper and Rowan use frequent tags and take turns clotheslining down the first jobber. Rowan stares down the other jobber on the apron and he starts to back down, but Harper is already behind him. Rowan bumps the other jobber off the apron, and Harper boots him down. Meanwhile in the ring, Rowan slams the legal jobber down. Rowan hits a splash on both jobbers in the corner, then they hit their double team finisher on each jobber separately for the win.

Winners: The Budegeon Brothers

– We see a selfie video from Daniel Bryan, who talks about a new top 10 list. He says the list will be voted on by the other wrestlers, and it will rank the top ten talents on the roster as voted by their peers. He says that he and Shane will use the list to book matches.

– Shane McMahon is in his office on the phone talking about the Rumble. Tye Dillinger walks in and complains about his opportunity taken from him last night. Baron Corbin walks in next and complains about Owens and Zayn being handed opportunities. Corbin says he thought Shane was in charge, and asks if he changed his last name or if he’s still a real McMahon. Tye gets in Corbin’s face, and Shane separates them. Shane books them in a match tonight, and Corbin walks off.

– Charlotte is out to the ring next. She joins Renee Young for an interview, and they discuss Asuka’s Royal Rumble win last night. She talks about being proud of the women making history last night, and says Ronda Rousey’s arrival broke the internet. Charlotte says all she knows is that she’s going to WrestleMania 34 as Champion no matter what. The Riott Squad comes out to interrupt, and Ruby tells Charlotte to forget about Asuka and Rousey. Ruby says Charlotte’s ego is as big as her father’s, and continues trashing Charlotte on the way to the ring. Ruby throws a punch at Charlotte, but Charlotte blocks it and fires back. Flair fights off Liv and Loga, then goes back to working on Ruby. Charlotte clears the ring, but they hit the ring again. This time they successfully triple team Charlotte, and Ruby hits the Riott Kick. The Riott Squad is leaving, when Carmella’s music hits and she runs down with her Money In The Bank briefcase. Carmella hands the case to the ref, but the bell never rings as Charlotte shoves Carmella into the ref, bumping the ref down to the floor. Charlotte gets up and stares down Carmella. Carmella leaves with her briefcase.

– WWE Champion AJ Styles is backstage trying to talk strategy with Nakamura for their match tonight. Nakamura keeps bringing up WrerstleMania, and tells AJ to listen to him out there tonight.

– Carmella is backstage for an interview with Renee Young. Carmella says the attempted cash-in didn’t go as planned, but she’s still the most dangerous woman in WWE. She complains about breaking a nail in the run-in, and leaves.

– Tye Dillinger vs. Baron Corbin: Tye starts off strong and unloads with offense on Corbin. The fight spills outside and Tye whips Corbin into the barricade. Tye springboards off the ring steps and drops Corbin again. Back in the ring, Corbin hits a hard knee to Tye and then pummels on him. Corbin hits a splash in the corner. Tye tries to fight back, but Corbin shuts him down and then throws him out to ringside. Back in the ring, Corbin stomps on Tye and keeps him grounded. Tye dodges a lariat and fires back with kicks. Tye lays into Corbin with chops and then goes for the Tye Breaker, but Corbin escapes. Corbin bashes Tye in the back of the head, then hits the chokeslam backbreaker. Corbin picks up Tye and hits the End of Days for the win.

Winner: Baron Corbin

– We see Rusev and Aiden English backstage, with Aiden singing about Rusev winning the U.S. Title next week. We cut to Roode, who says he’s looking forward to his appointment with Rusev next week.

– Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are backstage warming up for their match tonight. Sami tries to look on the bright sided and says at least one of them will get a WWE Title shot. Sami and Owens briefly argue about who was to blame for their loss on Sunday, then walk off

– The announcers promote tonight’s 205 Live episode.

– Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable vs. Breezango:Benjamin and Fandango start off, and Benjamin takes control with a spinebuster early on. The Ascension is backstage watching on a monitor. Shelton continues to beat on Fandango, then tags in Gable for a double team. Fandango starts mounting a comeback until Gable rolls outside for a breather. Gable drops Breeze off the apron, then slides back in the ring. Fandango starts working over Gable’s arm, then Breeze tags in for a dropkick. Shelton runs in but Breeze dropkicks him too. Breeze goes back to work on Gable, and Shelton tags in but Breeze doesn’t see it. Gable takes out Fandago with a cross body off the top, and both men land outside. Breeze hits a kick on Shelton, but Shelton comes right back and ends up hitting a double team powerbomb on him with Gable. Shelton covers for the three count.

Winners: Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable

– Gable and Benjamin celebrate their win together after the match.

– AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn: AJ and Owens start this one off, with AJ getting the upper hand and sending Owens to go tag in Zayn. Zayn and Nakamura both tag in and Nakamura unloads with offense. Nakamura hits the Good Vibrations on Zayn in the corner, then tags in AJ who dropkicks Zayn back down. Nakamura tags back in, but Sami hits a cheap shot behind the ref’s back and takes over. Sami pummels on Nakamura in the corner, then tags in Owens. Owens chops Nakamura, but Nakamura fights back and drops Oens with a forearm shot. Nakamura follows up with knees to the body, and then Sami runs in but gets thrown outside. The distraction allows Owens to hit Nakamura and drop him. Owens and Zayn seem to argue briefly. Nakamura fights his way back up, then throws Owens outside. Owens and Zayn argue more at ringside, and Zayn appears to be backing up the ramp and backing out of the match. Owens asks Zayn what the hell he’s doing, then Owens gets back in the ring. AJ and Owens go at it in the ring while Zayn watches from the ramp. AJ hits a series of strikes and pins, but Sami runs in to break the pin. Sami tags in and fires up on AJ now, stunning him with a big back body drop. Owens yells at Sami to tag him back in, and he tags in then hits a senton on AJ for a two count. Sami now yells that he wants back in, and Owens slams him on the chest to tag him in. They continue arguing , and AJ capitlizes by shoving them into each other and knocks Sami off the apron. AJ rolls up Owens for a two count, while Sami starts walking out again at ringside. Zayn backs up the ramp as AJ beats on Owens in the ring. Owens comes back with a gutbuster and an elbow drop for a two count. AJ escapes the Pop UP Powerbomb attempt, and answers with a Pele kick. Nakamura comes in now and puts the boots to Owens. Nakamura hits some knees, then hits the Kinshasa on Owens for the three count.

Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles

– After the match, we see Sami watching on a monitor backstage as Owens recovers, and AJ and Nakamura celebrate. Renee Young walks up to Sami and asks if this means his friendship with Owens is over. Sami says nope, and this is all about opportunity, and he’s tired of being overlooked. He says next week he will beat Kevin Owens, and then beat AJ for the WWE Title at Fastlane. Back to the ring, Nakamura points at the WrestleMania 34 sign as SmackDown goes off the air.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in WWE.

Viewership For Monday’s Post-Rumble Edition of RAW

Monday’s 1/29 edition of WWE RAW averaged 3.395 million viewers.

Last week’s RAW 25th Anniversary special popped a huge number with 4.497 million viewers. A more apples-to-apples comparison, RAW the week before that did 3.250 million.

RAW featured post-Royal Rumble fallout, including the news of Ronda Rousey joining WWE and several big qualifying matches for next month’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

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

  • Hour 1: 3.662
  • Hour 2: 3.461
  • Hour 3: 3.061

In addition to Braun Strowman destroying the RAW announcer’s stage in his latest feat of strength, WWE kept viewers tuned in by two high-profile first-time matchups – including John Cena vs. Finn Balor and Asuka vs. Sasha Banks.

RAW was the most-watched show on cable with the coveted 18-49 demographic, but fell behind Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingram’s shows on Fox News in overall viewers (which skew older).

Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last night’s show:

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Zack Ryder Comments On Being Left Out of Rumble Match

Former Intercontinental champion, Zack Ryder, was left out of the Royal Rumble match on Sunday night. It’s a position the 32-year-old has been in before.

Ryder put the situation into perspective with this post earlier:

Zack Ryder in 2018

Ryder was originally signed to WWE in 2005. He spent two years working in the company’s developmental territories before graduating to the main roster in 2007.

While maintaining a position on WWE’s main roster for over a decade is no small feat, many feel Ryder’s talent has been overlooked during that time and WWE has failed to give him the opportunities they have given to others.

Ryder is scheduled to face Jinder Mahal, Kofi Kingston, and Rusev tonight in a fatal 4-way match for a shot at Bobby Roode’s United States championship.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Daniel Bryan Announces New #SmackdownTop10 Rankings System

Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon have been butting heads in storyline recently. This might be what has led Daniel Bryan to introduce a change earlier today regarding how Smackdown will be booked.

Bryan has introduced a top-10 system based on votes from Smackdown Superstars. This ranking system, Bryan states, will play a key role in how the Smackdown brand is booked moving forward.

https://twitter.com/wwedanielbryan/status/958402452126142465

The #SmackdownTop10

Bryan explained that neither he or Shane are allowed to vote in the top 10. Superstars aren’t allowed to vote for themselves either.

While this is a kayfabe ranking which will most likely involve writers deciding how Superstars vote, it still seems as though this announcement could play a key role in how Smackdown is booked leading into WrestleMania.

Smackdown emanates from the Wells Fargo Center tonight in Philadelphia. The fourth straight night WWE has run an event in the building.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Triple H: “Large Team” Used To Sneak Rousey Into The US For Rumble Appearance

WWE sent shockwaves throughout the sports world on Sunday night with Ronda Rousey’s surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble and the subsequent news that she’s signed a “full time” deal with the promotion.

Prior to the Royal Rumble appearance, Rousey was in Colombia working on a new movie, Mile 22. As you can imagine, both WWE and Rousey went to great length in an effort to keep fans in the dark about her Sunday night plans. In fact, Rousey (and several members of the Mile 22 production team) were posting photos of her in Colombia on social media throughout the weekend.

WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative, Paul “Triple H” Levesque spoke to USA Today about the steps that were taken to keep the big secret.

“It was a monumental task, it took a large team.”

Due to the widespread use of social media, Ronda Rousey’s worldwide fame and speculation that she would be at the Royal Rumble, Triple H says WWE had to use a “large team” to extract Rousey from Colombia and smuggle her into the United States unnoticed.

“It’s harder than you think in this world of social media. As it was coming down to making the decision we wanted to do this, there were a lot of last-minute things. She was in Colombia doing the movie. Trying to get somebody on a flight that is as famous as Ronda is, and as visible as she is – and internationally she’s almost bigger than she is in he U.S. – on a flight, into the country, through customs, clear security, on another flight to Philly, shuttle to a hotel, into the service entry, brought to a bus, hidden in the arena the whole day, and not until right before she walks out there does anybody see her.”

Triple H it was a “monumental task” and “it took a large team” to create that unbelievable moment for the WWE fans. The entire ‘operation’ was kept very, very quiet on all fronts and only a handful of people knew what was being done.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Smackdown, Mixed Match Challenge, & 205 Live Preview

For the 4th night in a row, WWE will present a show from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia tonight.

The city and venue have hosted TakeOver: Philadelphia, the 2018 Royal Rumble event, and last night’s Monday Night Raw over the last few days.

Smackdown Preview

  • Tonight will be the first Smackdown since AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was made official on Sunday night. The two previously met in singles action for NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom 10. Nakamura defeated AJ that night to retain his IWGP Intercontinental Championship. There should be some segment involving the WWE champion and the 2018 men’s Royal Rumble winner tonight.
  • A Fatal Four-way match with the winner receiving a shot at Bobby Roode has been announced:
    • Rusev vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Zack Ryder vs. Jinder Mahal
  • The Usos won 2 straight falls over Gable and Benjamin at the Rumble. WWE.com is teasing we could find out the team’s next challengers tonight.
  • Expect Ronda Rousey highlights.

Mixed Match Challenge

  • The MMC match tonight is:
    • Braun Strowman & Alexa Bliss vs. Sami Zayn & Becky Lynch

205 Live Preview

  • Tonight the new 205 Live General Manager will be unveiled

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News.

Nia Jax and Nikki Bella Take Shots at Ronda Rousey

Heading into the Royal Rumble, some had Nia Jax pegged as a dark horse who could win the match. It would take the famous Andre “the Giant” battle royal spot for her to be eliminated.

Jax was in the Rumble match for just under 18 minutes. She eliminated 4 participants, tying her for 2nd in the match with Asuka, with only Michelle McCool having eliminated 5 competitors.

Nia Jax and Nikki Bella Comment on Ronda Rousey’s Debut

Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut following the Rumble’s conclusion. Nia Jax seems to be taking issue with the attention Rousey is receiving.

Nia’s comments come not long after Nikki Bella voiced similar sentiment.

Luckily, “Rowdy” Ronda will have plenty of time to win over the likes of Nia Jax, Nikki Bella and the rest of WWE’s locker room. During her post-Rumble media rounds, Rousey revealed that WWE is her full-time gig for the next few years – making it clear the next few months are not a publicity stunt or cash grab.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Jeremy Borash Signs with WWE

WWE has hired Jeremy Borash, according to a PWInsider.com. Borash had been with Impact Wrestling in various roles since the company’s inception back in 2002.

Of all the departures from Impact over the past several years, this one is striking, as Borash held a multitude of roles both on camera and behind the scenes. Jeremy Borash is arguably as identifiable with the Impact Wrestling brand as anybody in the company’s history.

Borash was in Philadelphia over the weekend helping Jim Ross with his live show during Royal Rumble weekend.

https://twitter.com/jeremyborash/status/957710766131630080

However, that wasn’t the only thing Borash was in town for. He was reportedly guest behind the scenes for various WWE events during Royal Rumble weekend, including Saturday night’s NXT Takeover special.

Last year, it was rumored that he was negotiating with WWE at the same time that Matt and Jeff Hardy were, prior to last year’s WrestleMania. He was a key creative force involved in the “Broken Universe” project.

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Mick Foley Discourages WWE Superstar Over Dangerous Move

If there is one person to listen to about something being dangerous or not, it’s Mick Foley.  Whether it’s as Mankind, Cactus Jack, or Dude Love, the WWE legend is known for putting his body on the line and sacrificing everything in, and out of the ring.

After seeing what happened on the latest episode of RAW, where Sasha Banks took on Asuka, Mick Foley took to twitter to discourage The Boss from using a move that didn’t quite go to plan during the match.

Earlier in the evening, Asuka was set to choose her WrestleMania opponent, however Sasha Banks interrupted and claimed that she was ready to face the first winner of the women’s Royal Rumble.  Being undefeated in WWE, The Empress of Tomorrow gladly accepted the challenge which was to feature later in the night.

During the showdown, which could only have one winner, Banks appeared to try everything in the book to defeat Asuka, including a suicide dive that didn’t go to plan.  The dive itself can be seen at 1:33 in the clip below.

It appeared as though Banks didn’t get the momentum required to launch herself to the outside of the ring, with her legs being caught by the middle rope, forcing her head to take a sharp and sudden diversion directly to the apron before she fell to the floor.  It was clear at the time that this wasn’t planned, but thankfully there were no immediate injuries following the mistake.

Mick Foley tweeted in response to the move:

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/958178931500290048

Opinion:

With Asuka being such a dominant competitor, I am slightly concerned over the likes of Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax, and Alexa Bliss to a certain extent, who won’t be able to justify a win against some as good as Asuka.  So who is in a position to legitimately challenge The Empress of Tomorrow?

Posted January 30th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

6 Takeaways From WWE RAW (1/29)

The January 29th episode of WWE RAW aired live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. It was the first episode of RAW after WWE Royal Rumble 2018. Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s RAW:

The First-Ever Women’s Elimination Chamber Match Was Announced

RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon kicked off this week’s episode of RAW. Stephanie welcomed everyone to RAW and discussed the historic week WWE just had. Stephanie stated that tonight was about the woman that is undefeated and won the first ever women’s Royal Rumble match last night.

Asuka came down to the ring and pointed to the WrestleMania sign. Stephanie announced that Alexa Bliss will be defending her RAW Women’s Championship in the first ever women’s Elimination Champion match. Asuka vowed to become champion at WrestleMania.

Sasha Banks interrupted and came down to the ring. Banks congratulated Asuka on her victory. Sasha got in Asuka’s face and said that she is ready for Asuka tonight. Stephanie McMahon then made the match official. Sasha Banks will face Asuka later tonight.

Braun Strowman Dismantled Kane & Qualified For The Men’s Elimination Chamber Match

Photo Credit: WWE.com

There were a few Elimination Chamber qualifying matches tonight on RAW. The first one was Braun Strowman vs. Kane in a Last Man Standing match.

The match started while RAW was in a commercial break. When RAW return, Kane and Strowman were already battling in the crowd. Strowman hit Kane across the back as the two Superstars made their way to the announce table. Strowman beat Kane down near the table and then flipped the entire set on top of him. The referee then rang the bell and Strowman advanced.

A stretcher was brought out after the match for Kane. Corey Graves approached Strowman on the entrance ramp and said that Kane was a human being and asked Strowman about what he just did. Braun replied “I did my job. Kurt Angle said Last Man Standing, well that is what I did”. Strowman then raised his fists in the air.

It was announced that Kane was taken to a local medical facility and was having trouble breathing.

Strowman was shown marching around backstage when RAW GM Kurt Angle interrupted. Angle was pissed off and said that he was sick of having this conversation with Braun about putting other Superstars in danger. Strowman then went on a rant and vowed to win the Elimination Chamber and go to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. The situation was updated later that Kane was sent to a medical facility but he sat up and left the building under his own power.

I thought that this was going to be a way to write Kane off of television. The update that Kane sat up in the hospital, left the building and has not been seen since changed my mind. I’m expecting Kane to come up from under the ring during an episode of RAW or at Elimination Chamber and cost Braun Strowman.

Elias Qualified For The Men’s Elimination Chamber Match

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Elias faced Woken Matt Hardy in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Elias performed a song in which is he sang that is was Elias’ night over and over again.

Matt Hardy controlled the match early as WWE employees were should putting a new announce table ringside. Elias battled back and connected with a Clothesline. Elias beatdown Hardy in the corner of the ring and then slammed his shoulder into the ring post as RAW went to a commercial.

When RAW returned, Hardy was in control and planted Elias with a Side Effect. Bray Wyatt’s face appeared on the screen and the lights went out in the arena. When the lights came back on, Wyatt wasn’t in the ring but Matt Hardy was distracted. Elias booted Matt in the face and then hit the Drift Away for the pinfall victory.

Bray Wyatt appeared on the jumbotron and psychotically laughed as Hardy stared at him.

Elias now joins Braun Strowman in the Elimination Chamber in four weeks. I’m still waiting for the feud between Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt to become interesting. Becoming “Woken” hasn’t made much of a difference for Hardy as he still routinely loses matches. This feud has devolved into the battle of the laughing guys that cant win.

The Miz Is Still Intercontinental Champion

The Miz defended his Intercontinental Championship against Roman Reigns tonight on RAW. Reigns dominated early and connected with a massive right hand that knocked Miz to the mat. Reigns then casually threw The Miz over the top rope and to the floor outside the ring. Reigns followed him out there and slammed The Miz into the steel steps. The Miz slowly got back into the ring and Reigns immediately Clotheslined him to the outside.

Reigns got a steel stair and chased The Miztourage away. Reigns lifted the chair above his head and was about to hit The Miz with it. Roman came to his senses and dropped the chair. Reigns rolled into the ring to break up the referee’s count. The Miz launched Roman into the ring post as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, The Miz was still in control and had Reigns in a Chin Lock in the ring. Reigns broke free and planted Miz with a Samoan Drop. The Miz connected with a couple of punches but Reigns caught him and knocked him to the canvas with a Clothesline. Reigns followed it up with a big boot to the face and then geared up in the corner. Reigns went for the Superman Punch but The Miz ducked and connected with a chop block to Reigns’ knee.

The Miz locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Reigns battled through the pain and used his strength to pick up The Miz and Powerbombed him to the mat. Reigns went for the cover but The Miz kicked out at two. The Miz tried to take off the padding on the middle turnbuckle like last week but the referee caught him. The Miz poked Reigns in the eye while the referee wasn’t looking and then hit the Skull Crushing Finale for a two count.

Reigns elbowed The Miz in the face and charged at him in the corner but The Miz got out of the way. Reigns crashed into the ring post but shrugged it off and connected with a Superman Punch for a two count. The Miztourage came back down to the ring. Axel hopped up on the ring apron and Reigns punched him in the face. Bo Dallas got in some cheap shots but Reigns leveled him with a Spear. The Miz rolled up Reigns from behind and used his tights for leverage for the pinfall victory.

Reigns and The Miz put on another solid match tonight. Reigns has had a rough week in WWE. He lost his IC Title last week at RAW 25. He was the last Superstar eliminated in the men’s Royal Rumble last night and then he lost his rematch for the IC Title tonight. I’m guessing Reigns will find his way into the Elimination Chamber match to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34.

Asuka & Sasha Banks Had A Great Match

Sasha Banks was interviewed backstage before her match Asuka. Banks stated that Asuka made history last night and that tonight it was her turn.

Banks controlled the match early but Asuka battled back and knocked Banks off the ring apron with the Hip Attack. Asuka brought Banks back in the ring and applied an Arm Bar. Banks broke free and booted Asuka in the face and followed it up with Double Knees as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Banks planted Asuka with a Suplex for a two count. Sasha locked in the Bank Statement but Asuka quickly countered into a roll-up for two. Sasha once again got Asuka in the Bank Statement in the middle of the ring. Asuka reached the ropes to break the hold. Sasha threw Asuka out of the ring and then went for a Suicide Dive but her feet got caught in the ropes and Sasha’s body swung into the LED screen ring apron. When it happened live I thought she landed directly on her head. It looks like she was able to get her hands down at the last second to prevent that.

https://twitter.com/20MinTimeLimit/status/958174401169522689

Asuka took advantage and brought Banks back into the ring and connected with a big time knee to the face. Asuka locked in the Arm Bar but Banks countered into a roll-up. Asuka kicked out and Sasha rolled to the ring apron. Asuka charged at her but Banks got out of the way and Asuka tumbled to the floor.

Banks hit Double Knees off the ring apron and brought Asuka back into the ring. Banks climbed to the top rope and connected with a Double Knees off the top rope. Sasha hit a Backstabber and transitioned into the Bank Statement in the middle of the ring. Asuka was able to counter into the Asuka Lock for the submission victory.

This match was great. It started off slow but the last few minutes had everyone on the edge of their seat. Sasha Banks might want to think about calling it a day with the dives to the outside of the ring through the ropes. That could have been a lot worse than it turned out to be.

John Cena Qualified For Men’s Elimination Chamber Match

Finn Balor faced John Cena in the main event of RAW in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match. The crowd was behind Balor as Finn connected with an Arm Drag and then transitioned into an Arm Bar. Cena battled to his feet as dueling “lets go Cena!” and “Cena sucks!” broke out in the crowd.

The match slowed down as the two locked up in the ring. The crowd became distracted by some kind of disturbance in the audience and everyone started chanting “a**hole!”. Cena connected with a big right hand as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Balor was back in control and connected with a Double Stomp to Cena’s chest.

John hit a shoulder tackle and went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but Balor got out of the way. Cena took his sweet time going for the move and got distracted by the crowd booing him. The two Superstars traded punches and Cena hit Balor with a big boot. Balor responded with an overhead kick for a two count.

Finn hit the Slingblade and went for a Dropkick but Cena leveled him with a Clothesline. Cena used his ridiculous strength to lift Balor up onto his shoulders and planted Balor with an Attitude Adjustment. Cena went for the cover but Balor kicked out at two. Cena got on the ring apron and shrugged his shoulders and said “I’m just trying to go to WrestleMania”.

Balor regrouped as Cena was taking his time and knocked John to the mat. Balor went for the Coup de Grace but Cena got out of the way and locked in the STF in the middle of the ring. Balor was able to make his way to the bottom rope to break the hold. Balor connected with a kick and started climbing the turnbuckle. Cena caught Finn and hit him with an Attitude Adjustment for the pinfall victory.

Finn Balor lasted almost an hour in the Royal Rumble match last night and made it to the final four. He was then eliminated by Cena, but had another chance tonight to make it to the main event of WrestleMania. Unfortunately for Finn, he came up short once again and lost to John Cena. It seems like Balor is just stuck in the midcard now, despite his great performance at the Royal Rumble. I’m hoping Balor gets to do something special at WrestleMania now that he is not a part of the Universal Championship picture.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE.

WWE Announces First-Ever Women’s Elimination Chamber Match

Stephanie McMahon kicked off this week’s week’s edition of Monday Night Raw with a major announcement. Next month, the RAW Women’s Championship will be on the line in the first-ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Alexa Bliss will defend her title against 5 other competitors still to be determined.

The men’s Elimination Chamber match to determine Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania opponent will also feature 6 competitors. Qualifying matches for that match will take place over the next two weeks.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 takes place on Sunday, February 25th from Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

WWE RAW Getting A New Look & Theme Song Tonight

Jonathan Coachman on commentary won’t be the only “new” aspect of WWE RAW tonight.

According to fans in attendance, there have been some aesthetic upgrades to the RAW logo, ring apron and graphics.

https://twitter.com/guyingreenwwe/status/958119136739065857

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/958142280715685888

https://twitter.com/notmythic/status/958138600272678912

Metal band Papa Roach is also teasing that we could be getting new theme music as well. The current theme, Enemies by Shinedown, has been the theme song since 2016.

Papa Roach’s song “To Be Loved” was the RAW theme song from 2006 – 2009.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE.

WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/29)

The January 29th edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, and was the first episode after Royal Rumble 2018.

– Michael Cole and Corey Graves are joined by Jonathan Coachman at the broadcast table, who is replacing Booker T on the commentary team.

– Stephanie McMahon comes out to the ring to kick off the show. She talks about the history-making women’s Royal Rumble match last night, and then introduces Asuka. Asuka comes down to the ring, and Stephanie announces a women’s Elimination Chamber match. Asuka speaks briefly and says nobody is ready for her at WrestleMania. Sasha Banks comes out to interrupt, and says she proved she’s ready to beat Asuka. Sasha and Asuka come face to face and talk trash. Stephanie books Sasha Banks vs. Asuka for tonight, and they both seem happy about that decision.

– Braun Strowman is out to the ring next, and we go to commercial break.

– Last Man Standing: Kane vs. Braun Strowman: This one is a qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber. Back from the break, Braun Strowman and Kane are brawling all over ringside. They fight through the arena with pipes and chairs as weapons. Strowman beats Kane over to the commentary table area, then Strowman flips over the platform the table is on ontop of Kane. Kane is buried under the announce table and other rubble, and Strowman looks happy with the result. Strowman walks off and taunts the crowd before leaving. There’s no sign of motion from Kane. Referees and trainers yell for paramedics to come get Kane. Corey Graves approaches Strowman on the ramp, and asks him why he just did that to Kane. Strowman says he just did his job, and walks off.

Winner: Braun Strowman

– After the break, Kurt Angle confronts Braun Strowman backstage. Angle yells at Strowman for continuing to do things like this. Strowman says he was the last man standing tonight, and he’ll be the last man standing in his war with Brock Lesnar too. Strowman storms off and Angle looks frustrated.

– Elias is in the ring for a song. Elias wants to claim his spot in the Elimination Chamber, and asks who is walking with him. Elias will face Matt Hardy up next in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.

– Matt Hardy vs. Elias: The winner of this one will go on to the Elimination Chamber. Hardy starts off strong off the opening bell and works over Elias in the corner. Elias comes back and wraps Hardy’s shoulder around the ring post several times. Elias starts working over Matt’s shoulder and trying to keep the Woken one grounded. Matt tries to fight his way back up but Elias drops him and keeps working on the shoulder. Hardy finally hulks up with a series of headbutts, then an elbow. He drops Elias for a two count. Matt repeatedly slams Elias’ head on the middle turnbuckle, then hits a running clothesline on him. Elias starts fighting back, but Matt stuns him with an elbow to the face, then Matt hits a flying elbow off the middle rope. Hardy follows up with the Side Effect for a two count. Bray Wyatt flashes on the Titantron and distracts Hardy. Elias capitalizes with a big boot on Hardy, then the Drift Away for the three count.

Winner: Elias

– After the match, Wyatt appears on the big screen and laughs at Matt Hardy, who is still recovering in the ring.

– We see a selfie video from The Miz, who talks about facing Roman Reigns, and makes a prediction that Tom Brady will crush the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

– We see promo videos for the Mixed Match Challenge from Strowman & Alexa Bliss, and Becky Lynch & Sami Zayn.

– A new announce table has just now been assembled at ringside for Cole, Graves and Coach.

– Intercontinental Champion The Miz is out to the ring next, and he’s joined by Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel.

– The Miz (c) vs. Roman Reigns: The IC Title is on the line in this one. Reigns starts with an uppercut right off the opening bell on the Champion. Reigns takes Miz into the corner with a headbutt and pummels on him. The Miz starts trying to come back with chops, but Reigns no-sells them and drops him with an uppercut. Reigns clotheslines Miz outside, and Axel and Dallas check on the Champion. Reigns steps outside and whips Miz into the ring steps, then stares down Axel and Dallas. Reigns takes Miz back in the ring, then clotheslines him right back outside. Reigns gets a steel chair and chases off Axel and Dallas. Reigns almost hits Miz with the chair, but decides against it when the ref tells him not to. Miz grabs Reigns by the tights and pulls him face-first into the ring post. Back in the ring, Miz continues beating on Reigns and tries to keep The Big Dog grounded. Reigns comes back with a Samoan Drop and both men are down. They get up and start trading punches, but then Reigns fires up with a series of clotheslines. Reigns drops the Champion with flying clothesline, then goes for a Superman punch but misses. Miz takes out Reigns’ knee, then grabs him and puts him in the Figure Four. Reigns finally breaks the hold, then fights his way up and hits a sit-out powerbomb on Miz for a two count. Miz starts untying the middle turnbuckle in a corner, then Reigns comes up and grabs him. The ref tries to separate them, and Miz hits a cheap shot thumb to Reigns’ eye behind the ref’s back. Miz follows up with a Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. Reigns follows up with a Superman punch shortly after. Reigns gets up and looks like he wants the spear, but Axel distracts the ref and Dallas pulls Miz outside for a breather. Reigns comes around the ring and starts dropping everyone. Reigns throws Miz back in the ring and the ref checks on him. Dallas hits a cheap shot on Reigns, so Reigns throws him in the ring. Reigns punches Axel off the apron, then hits a spear on Dallas. Miz gets up and rolls up Reigns from behind with a fist full of tights for the three count.

Winner & still IC Champion: The Miz

– The broadcast team shows us a replay of Strowman flipping the broadcast table stage onto Kane. Finn Balor vs. John Cena is coming up soon in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.

– The Revival vs. Heath Slater vs. Rhyno: Slater fires up on Dawson early on and sends him outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Dawson comes back with a cross armbreaker. Dash comes in and starts working over Slater’s shoulder. Rhyno finally gets the tag and starts cleaning house. Rhyno hits a flying shoulder block off the middle rope, then a belly to belly suplex on Dawson. Slater takes out Dash, but then Dawson takes out Rhyno’s knee from behind. Dash comes back in now and they hit the Shatter Machine on Rhyno for the three count.

Winners: The Revival

– The Revival does an interview after the match where they grill Charly Caruso for not knowing her wrestling history. They taunt the fans for chanting ECW and “trying to get themselves over.”

– We see a video package looking at The Dudley Boyz’s careers, and announcing their Hall of Fame induction this year.

– We see a selfie video from Finn Balor, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Balor talks about being in the Rumble last night for over 57 minutes before he was eliminated by Cena. He says now if he wants a shot in the Elimination Chamber, he has to beat Cena tonight, and he’s ready.

– Sasha Banks does an interview in the back where she says she’s ready to beat Asuka. Asuka might have made history last night, but Sasha says tonight she’ll be the one making history. Sasha starts heading towards the gorilla position, her match is up next.

– Sasha Banks vs. Asuka: Asuka takes control of this one early on and works over Sasha with kicks to the body. Asuka starts working over Sasha’s left shoulder. Asuka whips Sasha in the corner but Sasha stops her with a boot to the face. Sasha follows up with the double knees to the face. Sasha beats on Asuka in the corner and hits her with some knee strikes. Down on the mat, Sasha drives more knees into Asuka. Sasha slaps Asuka across the face, and Asuka isn’t happy. They trade slaps to the face, but Sasha grabs her and puts her in the Banks Statement. Asuka gets out, but Banks locks her right back in. Asuka fights out again, then Banks throws her outside. Sasha goes for a suicide dive, but Asuka kicks her in the face and drops her out of mid air. Sasha hits the apron and floor hard. Back in the ring, Asuka and Banks trade blows to the face. Asuka hits a knee to the face then some elbows. Asuka kicks out Sasha legs, then hits a running knee to the face. Running hip attack by Asuka in the corner, but then she misses the follow-up attack and Sasha sends Asuka crashing out to ringside. Sasha follows up with flying double knees off the apron onto Asuka on the floor. Back in the ring, Sasha hits a flying knee off the top rope onto Asuka. Asuka tries to come back with an Asuka Lock, but Sasha escapes. Sasha locks in the Banks Statement, but Asuka reverses right into an Asuka Lock. Sasha taps out, and Asuka wins via submission.

Winner: Asuka

– It’s John Cena selfie video time. Cena talks about last night’s Rumble, and says he won’t let opportunity slip through his fingers again tonight. Cena says he will beat Balor tonight to earn his spot in the Elimination Chamber, and then will go on to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.

– Titus O’Neil and Apollo Crews are backstage with Dana Brooke getting ready for their match against The Bar.

– We see a shot of the Rocky Balboa statue in Philadelphia.

– The Bar vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews: Dana Brooke is at ringside for this one. Crews starts off strong on Sheamus with a couple of near-falls, and Sheamus rolls outside to regroup. Titus tags in and continues the offense on Sheamus, working him over in the corner. Cesaro tags in now and hits a kick to the midsection of Titus, then a series of uppercuts. Titus comes back with some loud chops. Sheamus is back in now and he levels Titus and works on keeping him grounded. Sheamus dumps Titus outside and Cesaro tries to get a cheap shot in on him, but Titus boots Cesaro down on the floor. Titus fights his way back into the ring and clotheslines Sheamus down. Cesaro and Crews tag in and Crews cleans house. Crews hits a moonsault on Cesaro then hits a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Sheamus tags in now but Crews evades the double team. Sheamus hits a powerbomb on Crews but doesn’t get the pin. Crews fires back with a kick and a standing moonsault. He pins but Cesaro breaks it up and drops Crews. Titus dumps Cesaro outside, then Sheamus boots down Titus. Cesaro tags in now and ends up sending Crews into the ring post. Sheamus comes back in and they hit the double team White Noise for the three count.

Winners: The Bar

– The Bar takes their Tag Title belts and celebrate up the ramp.

– We see a look back at last night’s Royal Rumble, with Asuka winning nad Ronda Rousey coming out to confront her after.

– Michael Cole gives us an update on Kane as we see a replay of Strowmans beat down on him earlier tonight. Cole says Kane sat up in the ER and crawled out of the medical facility, and he hasn’t been heard from since.

– John Cena vs. Finn Balor: This one is a qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber. They lock up off the opening bell and trade holds. Balor seems to get the upper hand early on as he has Cena down in an arm lock. He whips Cena off the ropes and hits an arm drag into an arm bar. Cena fights out and get Balor down with a side headlock now. There are several more takedowns by Cena before Balor rolls him up for a one count. Cena rolls out of the ring now and looks frustrated. Cena and Balor do the test of strength, which Cena wins. There’s something in the crowd which seems to be distracting the crowd and Cena, and the crowd is now chanting “asshole” at something off screen. Cena drops Balor with a right hand and has taken over the match. Cena hits the series of shoulder blocks and a back suplex. He goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but misses, and Balor says “you can’t see me.” Balor drops Cena for a two count, and Cena looks like the crowd is getting to him. Cena goes for an AA out of nowhere, but Balor escapes. They trade punches in the middle of the ring until Cena decks Balor with a boot to the face. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle then goes for the AA. Balor escapes again, and this time fires back with a Pele kick for a two count. Balor hits the sling blade, then goes for a running knee, but Cena stops him with a clothesline. Balor comes back with a kick, but Cena catches him and goes for the AA. Cena hits it and pins, but Balor kicks out at two. Cena gets on the apron and looks disgruntled. He says over to the announce table “I’m just trying to go to WrestleMania.” Cena goes up top, but he took too long and Balor drops him down. Balor goes up top now and goes for the Coup De Grace, but Cena moves. Cena drops Balor and puts him in the STF, but Balor reaches the ropes to break it. Balor is selling a knee injury. Balor hits a kick to the face of Cena, then goes up top. Cena gets up and runs over, then gives Balor an AA off the middle rope for the three count.

Winner: John Cena

– Cena doesn’t look happy after winning, but he does point at the WrestleMania sign. Cena gets up on the corner and stands tall as Balor is helped out of the ring.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in WWE.

The Rock Makes Major Boxing Announcement For HBO (Video), Jonathan Coachman Talks WWE Return (Video)

– If you’re also a fan of professional boxing then you’re going to enjoy this. The Rock took to Instagram, as a favor to HBO, to announce the highly-anticipated rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin on May 5, 2018:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bei_dKjFf-z/?utm_source=ig_embed

– WWE has uploaded a new video in which Mike Rome interviews the newest addition to the RAW commentary team – Jonathan Coachman. “The Coach” will be replacing WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T at the commentary booth. Coach said he is excited to be back and call action with Michael Cole and Corey Graves, and briefly touches on his time with ESPN as well:

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Two Former WWE World Champions Reportedly Being Inducted Into HOF

So far WWE has confirmed that former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg and former WWE Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz will be inducted into the 2018 WWE Hall Of Fame class. PWInsider now reports that there were rumblings last night at the Royal Rumble that both former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry and former three-time WWE Women’s Champion Ivory will also be inducted this year.

Names such as Henry, Ivory, Bam Bam Bigelow and Kid Rock (celebrity wing) have been rumored for this year’s Hall Of Fame, however, WWE has only confirmed The Dudley Boyz and Goldberg thus far. While Mark Henry and Ivory have yet to be confirmed by the company an announcement should be expected soon. Perhaps as early as tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

The 2018 Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 6th, two days before WrestleMania 34.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

An Evening With Paul Heyman Announced For WrestleMania Weekend

If you’re attending WrestleMania weekend from New Orleans this April, business just picked up.

Kenny McIntosh from Inside The Ropes announced on Monday that the one and only Paul Heyman will be hosting a one-man show on Thursday night, April 5th from the Joy Theater.

Brock Lesnar’s Advocate, the evil genius of WWE, will also be holding a rare meet and greet session before the show.

Tickets are on sale next Tuesday, February 5th at 12pm (Eastern) at InsideTheRopes.co.uk.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Video: Brock Lesnar Shoot Punches Braun Strowman At Royal Rumble

During last night’s Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble things got real between Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman. At one point in the match Strowman actually caught Lesnar with a stiff knee to the head.

Lesnar is probably the last person you want to let that happen against. “The Beast” gave “The Monster Amongst Men” a receipt in the form of a stiff right hand to Strowman’s jaw:

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/957807219084578817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

It then sounded like Lesnar said something along the lines of “slow the fu*k down.” Lesnar would go on to pin Kane for the finish and retained his Universal Championship.

It’s expected he’ll defend his Universal crown against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans this April.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

John Cena Going After Intercontinental Title At Live Event, Update On His WWE Schedule

WWE is advertised John Cena for several upcoming live events including the house show on March 17th in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the BOK Center where he will be challenging for the Intercontinental Title in a Triple Threat Match against Roman Reigns and champion The Miz.

Here is Cena’s updated schedule with the sports entertainment company:

* January 29th in Philadelphia (RAW)

* February 5th in Des Moines, IA (RAW)

* February 11th in Fresno, CA (RAW live event)

* February 12th in San Jose, CA (RAW)

* February 18th in Prescott, AZ (RAW live event)

* February 19th in Phoenix, AZ (RAW)

* February 26th in Anaheim, CA (RAW)

* March 3rd in Chicago, IL (RAW live event)

* March 5th in Milwaukee, WI (RAW)

* March 11th in Columbus, OH (Fastlane Pay-Per-View)

* March 12th in Detroit, MI (RAW)

* March 17th in Tulsa, OK (RAW live event)

* March 18th in Oklahoma City, OK (RAW live event)

* March 26th in Cleveland, OH (RAW)

* April 8th in New Orleans (WrestleMania 34)

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

WWE Notes: Reactions To Women’s Rumble, Booker T Congratulates Coach & More

As noted earlier, Jonathan Coachman has signed a new deal with WWE and will be replacing Booker T on the commentary team of Monday Night Raw starting tonight. Booker T will participate in WWE PPV Kickoff panels and will serve as an ambassador for the company. He tweeted this congratulating Coach:

Big Show is training for a #GiantReturn and posted this workout video:

WWE legend Mark Henry is joining the popular Busted Open radio show on Sirius XM. Henry will serve as a co-host with David LaGreca every Tuesday starting this week.

Reactions to the Women’s Royal Rumble

Here are some social media reactions to the historic Women’s Royal Rumble match:

https://twitter.com/realpaigewwe/status/957837787985793024

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeiM50cFNAD/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bei4WKohifG/

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

NJPW Strong Style Evolved Tickets Sell Out in Minutes

Tickets went on sale today for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s return to the United States. NJPW presents “Strong Style Evolved” on March 25th, from the Long Beach, Walter Pyramid.

After a major angle took place recently on the New Beginning in Sapporo shows, tickets sold out fast today with some reports from people being unable to order tickets just 10 minutes after they went on sale.

Cost of tickets ranged from $50 to $100.

NJPW Returns to Long Beach

It is believed 4500 tickets were put up for sale today, though that is not confirmed.

The fast rate at which the show sold out is a good sign for the planned All-In event in the fall. Cody, the Young Bucks, and others involved in “Being the Elite” are planning to run a 10,000 seat arena in the fall.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, NJPW.

Asuka Reacts To Her Historic Royal Rumble Win, WWE’s Four Reasons Ronda Rousey Is A Game Changer

– After making history and winning the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match last night, former NXT Women’s Champion Asuka took to Twitter to comment on the accolade:

– Shortly after the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match ex-UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut. Rousey signed a full-time deal with WWE and is expected to wrestle at WrestleMania in New Orleans later this year. WWE.com released their “4 reasons why Ronda Rousey is a complete game changer for the WWE Women’s division” list. Check it out here:

4. She has already proven she can hold her own in a WWE ring

3. She has an unparalleled competitive nature

2. She has a diverse set of skills and accomplishments in combat sports

1. She is on the shortlist of most iconic female athletes of all time

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Hulk Hogan Deletes Tonedeaf Tweet About Women’s Royal Rumble

As Hulk Hogan looks to mend his damaged relationship with WWE in hopes of an eventual return to the promotion, the disgraced wrestling icon isn’t doing himself any favors with his late night tweets.

WWE made a huge deal out of the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match – and rightfully so. The Women’s Rumble closed the show on Sunday night and managed to live up to the tremendous hype its received over the past several months.

Hogan, winner of two Royal Rumbles (1990, 1991), chimed in late Sunday night with this gem of a tweet, which was later deleted:

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Ronda Rousey WWE Merchandise Already Available

WWE Shop didn’t waste any time cashing in on Ronda Rousey’s big debut at the 2018 Royal Rumble. 2 different versions of the “Rowdy” Roddy Piper inspired T-shirt Rousey was wearing last night are already available on their website.

Ronda Rousey and Roddy Piper

Roddy Piper and Ronda Rousey share a connection with “Judo” Gene Lebell who is longtime friends with Ronda’s mother. Lebell has known Rousey ever since she was born. Lebell introduced Rousey to Piper and Piper granted permission for her to use his nickname.

They stayed in touch in the years that passed. Rousey had a chance to speak to Piper just weeks before his death. She was training for UFC 190 at the time. Here is what she told MMA Fighting, they spoke about.

“I actually got a chance to sit down and talk to him for a couple hours before this fight,” Rousey said. “I didn’t have time for anything, but I was like, ‘No, I have to go see Roddy. I have to go to Piper’s Pit.’ We talked for hours. I even told him, I promised I’m gonna do the name proud, ‘I’m gonna do you proud, I’m gonna go beat this chick.’ I told him that.”

At UFC 190 Rousey knocked Bethe Correia out in just 34 seconds.

Posted January 29th, 2018 in News, WWE.

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