Archive for February, 2018

WWE NXT Recap & Results (2/28)

NXT opened this week with a recap of the last week’s bout between Johnny Gargano and Andrade “Cien” Almas. Gargano lost the match due to Tommaso Ciampa hitting him with a crutch from behind. After losing the match, Gargano was forced to leave NXT.

Velveteen Dream vs. Tyler Bate

Bate applied a Wrist Lock to start off the match and followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked Dream out of the ring. Dream flipped out on the outside of the ring as NXT went to a commercial break.

When NXT returned, Dream went for a Suplex but Bate escaped. Dream slid under the ropes and out of the ring as Bate approached him. Dream got back in the ring and leveled Tyler with a shoulder tackle.

Dream booted Tyler in the back and then dropped a few knees on his midsection. Dream connected with a Backbreaker for a two count. Velveteen Dream took a break to grind in the ring and then slapped Bate across the face. Dream planted Bate with a Body Slam and dropped an elbow for a two count.

Velveteen Dream applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as the crowd cheered for Bate to get back in the match. Dream broke the hold and dropped three elbows to Bate’s back. Dream climbed to the second rope and delivered a double axehandle to Bate’s back for another two count. Dream locked in a Camel Clutch in the middle of the ring as the crowd continued to pump Bate up.

Tyler fed off their energy and broke the hold. Bate headbutted Dream in the ribs and then booted him in the face. Bate hit an uppercut in the corner and followed it up with a Fisherman’s Suplex for two. Bate lifted Dream up onto his shoulders and spun around a few times before Dream clocked him in the face to break it up.

Dream kicked Bate in the head and launched him towards the ropes but Bate bounced off the top rope with his head and connected with a Clothesline to Dream for a two count. Bate went for the Tyler Driver 97 but Velveteen countered into a Back Body Drop. Bate hit an uppercut but Dream responded with a Spinebuster for another two count.

Bate and Dream traded shots while battling on their knees in the ring. Both Superstars got back to their feet and Bate hit a flurry of uppercuts. Both Superstars connected with a headbutt at the same time and they both crashed to the canvas. Dream made his way to the top rope but Bate hit him with a Dropkick. Bate joined Dream on the top rope but Dream shoved him and Bate fell crotch-first to the top rope. Dream then hit the Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop for the pinfall victory.

Winner: Velveteen Dream

Paul Ellering cut a promo on a staircase about the upcoming Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Ellering stated that the tournament represented the road back to the NXT Tag Team Championships. Akam and Rezar showed up next to Ellering and said that all the other teams will suffer and war is their peace.

Cezar Bononi vs. Adam Cole

NXT Tag Team Champions Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly accompanied Adam Cole to the ring.

The crowd chanted “Adam Cole!” as the match started. Cole backed into the corner and grabbed a microphone. Cole told Cezar to relax for a minute and noted that Bononi was the 2017 NXT Future Star of the year and asked the crowd to give him an applause. Cole stated that there is only one place that the Future Star of the Year belongs and that is in the Undisputed Era. Fish and O’Reilly hopped up on the ring apron and tossed him an Undisputed shirt. Cole used the distraction to his advantage and punched Bononi in the face.

Cole posed in the ring and Bononi got back up and decked him. Bononi knocked Fish and O’Reilly off the apron and connected with a Michinoku Driver to Cole. Fish and O’Reaily got back on the apron and Cezar became distracted. Cole hit Bononi with a Superkick and followed it up with a knee to the back of his head for the pinfall victory. After the match, Cole beat Cezar down some more and the Undisputed Era stood over Bononi and taunted him.

Winner: Adam Cole

Street Profits interviewed each other about who they thought were going to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They both picked the Street Profits to win the tournament. The Dusty Rhodes Classic will kick off next week with Authors of Pain versus TM61.

Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler

Baszler shoved Sane in the face to start off the match. Sane got pissed off and hit a couple of jabs before Shayna knocked her to the mat with a shoulder tackle. The crowd chanted “Kairi!” as Baszler applied a Headlock.

Sane battled free and threw Shayna into the corner. Sane climbed to the top and leaped over Baszler. Sane rolled up Shanya for two and then Baszler beat the hell out of Sane with a series of kicks. Baszler went for the cover but Sane kicked out at two as NXT went to a commercial break.

When NXT returned, Baszler was still in control and was focusing her attack on Sane’s left arm. Baszler connected with a running knee and then booted her in the back for a two count. Baszler locked in a Wrist Lock as Sane screamed in pain. Kairi countered into a roll-up for a two count.

Shayna missed with a knee and Sane unloaded a couple of chops in the corner. Sane connected with a Spear and both Superstars fell to the canvas. Sane geared herself up in the corner and hit a sliding forearm. Sane quickly climbed to the top and delivered an elbow to Shayna’s face for two.

Baszler clubbed Sane across the back and went for a Suplex but Sane broke free and dropped Shayna with a spinning punch. Sane climbed to the top but Baszler caught her and locked in the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission victory. After the match, Baszler approached the announce table and called Ember Moon out. Baszler stated that she is either leaving their next match with Ember’s title or a limb.

Winner: Shayna Baszler

NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas and his business associate Zelina Vega came down to the ring. Vega introduced Almas as “the greatest champion in NXT history”. Vega poked fun at Gargano bringing his family to TakeOver only to watch him lose. Vega boasted about Almas being 4-0 against Gargano.

The crowd chanted “clean sweep!” as Vega said that Andrade doesn’t care about their respect. Vega stated that she doesn’t feed off of her man’s success, she creates it. Almas grabbed the mic and laughed at Gargano losing to him again last week. Almas joked about making Johnny Wrestling become Johnny Jobless. Almas raised the title and circled the ring as the crowd booed.

Aleister Black’s music hit as Vega and Almas were at the top of the entrance ramp. Black walked up the stairs in the crowd through a cloud of smoke and entered the ring. Aleister got in the ring with a microphone and stared at Almas for a moment. The crowd chanted “Aleister!” and Killian Dain’s music hit. Dain got into the ring with Black and stared him down. Dain shouted “you’re in my path!” at Black and a brawl broke out. Aleister missed with Black Mass and Dain leveled him with a Crossbody. Almas and Vega left the entrance ramp with smiles on their faces as Dain posed over Black as NXT went off the air.

It was then announced on social media that Aleister Black will face Killian Dain next week on NXT.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, NXT. Tagged: .

Booker T ‘Fights’ Corey Graves Action Figure (Video), X-Pac At SmackDown, NXT In DC

– Over the weekend, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke to Ringside Collectibles at the 2018 Las Vegas Toy Con about what would happen if his Mattel WWE action figure crossed paths with Corey Graves’ Mattel WWE action figure. Booker took shots at the Graves figure and noted that at their age, they would fight, not wrestle.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f82fWJGjgqo&w=620&h=349]

The two played up their feud backstage at WWE Elimination Chamber on Sunday with this photo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfo1UbDH-bT/

– Former WWE star Sean “X-Pac” Waltman was backstage at SmackDown LIVE last night at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Here are photos of him backstage with his dog Lula, Lilly Singh, and Sasha Banks, among others.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfwaEXNnBb-/

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

– It was announced on Monday that on Thursday, April 19, NXT makes its debut in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., at The Anthem. According to an email sent out today by WWE, there will be a presale on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Ticketfly.com with the passcode ‘NXT LIVE’.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Update On Big Show’s Future With WWE

While this hasn’t been made official, it is believed that Big Show’s current contract with WWE is up and his in-ring career is over.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated last year, Big Show mentioned his contract is up at the end of February 2018. At the time, Show said he had no plans to continue wrestling after. He hasn’t made any comments since then indicating his plans have changed.

Big Show Retirement Plans

“No last matches, no fanfare, just ride off into the sunset and disappear,” said Big Show said. “That’s more my style. I’ll find something else to do that is inspiring—and let these new kids take the business and the reigns and let them build the future. I wish them all luck. Everything changes. We’ve got a great group of talent that deserves the spotlight.”

With today being the last day of February, unless something has changed which has not been talked about, today is the last day of Big Show’s in-ring career.

Big Show continued to mention what may be next in his career. “I may work in some sort of ambassador capacity for WWE. I’m going to try to pursue a course with this Jetsons cartoon. I’ve pestered Seth Green, who is like the cartoon king, to get me some more cartoons. I’ll try to do some more films, and that’s my transition. I’ve had a great career and I’m really thankful for everyone I’ve worked with, but everything comes to an end.”

His last match was September 4th, 2017, a loss to the Braun Strowman inside a steel cage on Raw. He mentioned in a later interview he had hip surgery not long after.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Street Fight Officially Announced For ROH 16th Anniversary PPV

Ring of Honor has announced another match for their next pay-per-view event.

The Baltimore based promotion revealed on Wednesday morning (February 28, 2018) that Adam Page and The Young Bucks would defend the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Titles against Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky in a Vegas Street Fight.

ROH will hold their 16 Anniversary show on Friday, March 9, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall. The event will air on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app. Here is the updated card:

-Dalton Castle vs. Jay Lethal for the ROH Championship.

-The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Briscoes for the ROH Tag Titles.

-Marty Scurll vs. Punishment Martinez.

-Cody vs. Matt Taven.

-Adam Page and The Young Bucks vs. Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky in a Vegas Street Fight for the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, ROH. Tagged: , .

AJ Styles Reacts To Fastlane Main Event Change (Video), Bayley On Possible Sasha Banks Feud, Jinder Mahal

– In the main event of last night’s episode of SmackDown Live, WWE Champion AJ Styles lost a non-title match to John Cena. Per the stipulation, Cena has now earned himself into the WWE Championship match on the Fastlane pay-per-view (PPV) next month. The match will now be a Six Pack Challenge between AJ Styles, John Cena, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, and Dolph Ziggler. WWE posted the following video of Dasha Fuentes interviewing the WWE Champ after his loss. Check it out:

– RAW Superstar Bayley was recently interviewed by The Mirror following WWE’s Elimination Chamber PPV this past weekend. “The Hugger” was asked about a possible feud with her former NXT rival and friend Sasha Banks. Here’s what she had to say:

“I would love for that to happen and I really do think that we have such a great chemistry and it’s just a natural bond, that it doesn’t matter when it happens, we can pick it up anywhere,” Bayley said. “Not to sound cocky or anything, but I just think we have a really good connection. Whenever we have the time to tell that story, we would be able to. And last night after what she did, I think now is a good time! So I would love to start that up and get some payback.”

Read Bayley’s full interview with The Mirror by clicking this link here.

– As we’ve previously reported, Jinder Mahal lost a dark match to Randy Orton after last night’s SmackDown Live and 205 Live tapings in just five seconds. YouTube star Lilly Singh was sitting at ringside and gave “The Modern Day Maharaja” a special introduction:

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Randy Orton Wins Five-Second Dark Match (Video), Several Wrestlers Offer To Be John Cena’s WrestleMania Opponent

– Randy Orton appeared in a backstage segment with Bobby Roode on last night’s episode of SmackDown Live to promote their match for the United States Title at Fastlane next month on pay-per-view (PPV). Orton then wrestled in the night’s dark match after the SmackDown Live and 205 Live tapings wrapped up. The match lasted only five seconds as Orton hit Jinder Mahal with an RKO for the quick pin. Check it out here:

– One of the biggest storylines going on WWE TV right now is John Cena’s journey to WrestleMania 34. He was recently added to the Fastlane WWE Championship match, making it a Six Pack Challenge match now. If Cena is unsuccessful, however, he has no shortage of challengers (both WWE Superstars from past and present) who would be more than willing to share the ring with him at “The Showcase Of The Immortals”:

https://twitter.com/LanceStorm/status/968356624380432389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwnerd.com%2Fwrestlers-offer-john-cenas-opponent-wrestlemania-34-weekend%2F

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley Reportedly Being Built Up For WrestleMania

This past Monday on RAW an interesting angle took place in which Bayley refused to aid Sasha Banks during their Six-Woman Tag Team match to open the show. Bayley hopped off the ring apron before Banks could tag her into the match. In a RAW Fallout video after the show Bayley said that she had her reasons for doing what she did.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that WWE is finally building up to a feud between Banks and Bayley at WrestleMania 34. The feud has been in the making for quite some time and Meltzer says its been put on the back burner several times. Banks and Bayley have had a rivalry stretching back all the way to their days in NXT. In August of 2015 Banks dropped her then-NXT Women’s Championship to Bayley. The two remained good friends despite their in-ring rivalry and Banks also lost her NXT Women’s Championship rematch in a 30-Minute Iron Man match at NXT TakeOver: Respect with a score of 3 Falls to 2.

Banks was called up to the main roster after that match and Bayley would follow the next year in July of 2016. Each woman has had their respective runs with the RAW Women’s Championship since coming to the main roster. If Banks and Bayley are able to repeat the magic they performed in NXT on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All” it would do wonders for their stock on the main roster.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

More Information On Jeff Hardy’s Return From Injury, Match Official For Next Week’s SDL

– Back in August Jeff Hardy won a 15-Man Battle Royal on Monday Night RAW to become the No. 1-contender for the Intercontinental Championship. He failed to win the title the following week on Monday Night RAW. In September he was shelved due to a torn rotator cuff and shoulder labrum. He was given a recovery time of four to six months.

Jeff visited Birmingham, Alabama last Tuesday to have his shoulder examined and is now back to training for his in-ring return. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that Hardy could be back “anytime soon”:

“Jeff is back training, he should be back anytime soon,” Meltzer revealed.

It was speculated that when Jeff does return he could realign with his brother Matt in the “Woken” character and challenge for the RAW Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 34.

– Following a backstage segment on SmackDown Live last night, “Ms. Money In The Bank” Carmella will go one-on-one with Becky Lynch on next Tuesday’s episode. Check out the segment here:

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Rosemary On Why She Still Believes In IMPACT Wrestling

IMPACT Wrestling Knockout Rosemary recently did an interview with Sportskeeda to talk about several professional wrestling topics. You can check out the highlights here:

How difficult will it be to compete without Laurel Van Ness in the division? How difficult will her departure make things?

“Laurel’s an amazing character and an incredible friend of mine. I know that she simply wants to go and expand and grow. She’s still very very young in the business, she has so much more to offer and she’s already this good at doing a character which is amazing. And I love her so much. She’s so talented.

“Wrestling is fluid. It never stops moving and it’s circular. There’s never an end. There’s no reason that down the road Laurel might not return to the Impact Zone. It’s that right now her part of the story is over and she might show up at a chapter down the road. It’s wrestling. Never say never.

“It’s definitely a loss not to have her as such a strong character in the division. But there are strong characters waiting to debut and waiting to come up as well. And we will fill the void as we always have with every departure. Same as we did with Maria’s departure. And we’ll keep doing so.”

Having known Scott D’Amore for so long, do you see the company going to the next level under the new Impact management?

“To anyone who’s concerned about it, these past tapings that we just did in January, were possibly the most positive feeling in the sense that it felt very fresh and it felt like we had a direction, which I can honestly say was the first time in a year.

“This new direction under Scott D’Amore and Don Callis…I know that Impact and TNA have constantly, through the years, asked fans to give them a chance. As a personal feeling, I honestly believe that if you were going to give Impact another chance, now’s the time.

“I felt the difference backstage in one taping block. And I think there’s really something there, going forward. And I’m excited about it. So, I hope other people can feel excited about it as well.”

So, what has made you stay with Impact for such a long time? What has made you believe in the company?

“I have a lot more of Rosemary’s story to tell for one thing, and I look forward to telling those chapters. I look forward to see what’s in store for her. I have a lot of fun doing my character and seeing what Rosemary’s going to do next. Learning about her and learning about myself in playing her.

“I really love the amount of trust creative has in me, to bring this character to life since they don’t really tell me what to say. They tell me what point needs to come across in the promo. They tell me to say it like I would. They don’t give me any lines.

“And that kind of trust is huge in that they know that I know my character best and how it will come across organically. If you try to force the way Rosemary talks, it’s going to come across as very fake.”

So, you script all your own lines?

“I would say 95%. I definitely ask for advice and ask for help, if there’s something maybe I can’t figure out how to say. I never feel like I can’t approach somebody in Creative for a suggestion. That’s the openness of communication. You can ask for advice but they trust you to do it the way you would.”

What do you hope to achieve in Impact Wrestling?

“I’ve been there for only two years now. It’s been a crazy ride so far and it’s only been two years. I’m like what can we do next, what’s still to come? I’m excited to see because there’s still a lot more and I think that with the minds that we have right now…not just Scott and Don but also Jimmy Jacobs there. Jimmy is so good at like, small things.

“Just little tweaks he made. At the last tapings, he was like try this, and I was like – ‘Oh my God! Why didn’t I think of that?’ (Laughs) And that kind of creative mind at this stage, it’s very exciting to have a fresh pair of eyes on the product. And I want to be a part of that.”

You can ready Rosemary’s full interview with Sportskeeda by clicking this link here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHe636yFJc0

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, TNA. Tagged: .

FOX Sports President & On-Air Talent Attend WWE SmackDown Live

There may be smoke to the fire when it comes to FOX potentially becoming the home of WWE Raw and SmackDown Live.

While the USA Network has been the home of WWE Raw for over a decade, that relationship isn’t guaranteed to last. The WWE’s contract with USA Network and NBCUniversal expires in 2019. Facebook, Amazon, and FOX have been considered the lead candidates to engage in a bidding war with NBCUniversal.

Now there is fuel to the fire regarding FOX speculation. Reporter Richard Deitsch noted on Twitter that top FOX Sports executives and a high-level on-air talent attended WWE SmackDown Live last night:

https://twitter.com/richarddeitsch/status/968864415281025026

Colin Cowherd’s attendance is particularly interesting. Cowherd’s disrespect for pro wrestling is well documented. Back in 2005, ESPN had to apologize for Cowherd’s comments on Eddie Guerrero. “Latino Heat” had just passed away and Cowherd questioned who cares about Eddie’s death.

FOX currently has a deal in place with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), but it’s also set to expire next year. There has been talks that FOX isn’t willing to give the UFC their desired $450 million deal due to tanking ratings on their major network. A saving grace in that relationship could be the strong FOX Sports 1 shows.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE.

NXT Matches and Segments Announced for Tonight’s Show

Tonight’s episode of NXT is a taped show from Center Stage in Atlanta, GA. The company held a set of TV tapings in the location on February 1st, 2018.

2 matches and 1 segment have been announced for the show thus far.

NXT Announced Matches and Segments

  1. Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler
    • This is a rematch from the finals of the Mae Young Classic.
    • Baszler had attacked Sane during an NXT appearance in December, taking her out of action for awhile.
    • Sane returned 2 weeks ago and attacked Baszler during her title rematch with Ember Moon.
  2. Tyler Bate vs. the Velveteen Dream
    • Velveteen Dream has been critical of independent wrestlers on social media recently. It’s not clear if this angle will work its way onto NXT programming or not, however.
    • Dream most recently defeated Kasius Ohno at Takeover and No Way Jose in single’s action last week.
    • Bate has dropped his last 3 televised matches to Pete Dunne, Roderick Strong, and TJP.
  3. Andrade “Cien” Almas Segment
    • Now that Almas has twice beaten former #1 contender, Johnny Gargano, and ended his NXT career, it’s time to find out what is next for the NXT champion.
    • WWE.com is advertising a segment involving Almas tonight could bring us closer to answering that question.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Matt Hardy Teases “Final Deletion” Style Match In WWE

In the days of Broken Matt Hardy, followers of his Broken Brilliance would find themselves watching online videos like The Final Deletion:

The match and production was terrible yet mesmerizing; it shouldn’t work, but it does.  It genuinely can be find as broken yet brilliant.

Since returning to WWE, fans waited for Matt Hardy to become Broken, and after a lengthy legal battle, a new Woken being was able to free itself and take over the mortal vessel that is Matt Hardy.

Slowly but surely pieces have been put in place, both inside and outside WWE.  While promotional videos are shown on RAW and at PPVs, Hardy’s YouTube channel has been busy putting together pieces of the puzzle independently from WWE.

Now Matt Hardy has used twitter to officially reveal his intention to create a WWE Final Deletion style match, called The Ultimate Deletion:

It’s not clear whether The Ultimate Deletion is going to have Bray Wyatt attached, but maybe it’d be good to show WWE and other superstars how they could do a better job than “House of Horrors” which featured Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt.

For those who want to remember… here’s a reminder:

Opinion:

Is Woken Matt Hardy working?  And will The Ultimate Deletion work, or is it heading for a house of horrors burial?

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Rusev and Lana Comment on Being Left Off Smackdown Again

Rusev has not wrestled on Smackdown since Shane McMahon “duly noted” the live crowd’s “Rusev Day” chants on the February 6th show. Later that night, Rusev lost a United States Championship match to Bobby Roode.

While Rusev did appear on Smackdown last night, he did not wrestle a match and is not currently in a program which could lead to WrestleMania.

Both Rusev and Lana chimed in on Rusev not having a match last night:

Rusev and Lana are a team in the Mixed Match Challenge. They won their 1st round match against Bayley and Elias on February 13th.

https://twitter.com/LanaWWE/status/968675871602065408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cagesideseats.com%2Fwwe%2F2018%2F2%2F27%2F17061024%2Frusev-lana-not-happy-smackdown-live-wwe

Rusev and Lana

Rusev and Lana’s win in the Mixed Match Challenge 2 weeks ago was the 1st win for Lana on the WWE main roster. The real-life couple wore matching outfits for their match as well. It could be WWE is looking at finally pairing the two of them back up together on Smackdown as well.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Dana White: “Very Good Chance” Brock Lesnar Returns To UFC

UFC President Dana White says chances are “very, very, very good” that Brock Lesnar returns to UFC later this year.

Brock Lesnar is scheduled to defend his WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania on April 8th. His WWE contract expires shortly thereafter and there’s been a lot of speculation that Lesnar has his sights set on another return to the Octagon later this year.

While Reigns was earning the right to face Lesnar on Sunday night at Elimination Chamber, Dana White tweeted a photo with the former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Lesnar was scheduled to confront his WrestleMania opponent the following night on RAW, but did not appear as advertised. Whether the no-show was a hardball-negotiating tactic by Lesnar or entirely part of the WrestleMania storyline, it’s not a secret that The Beast Incarnate is weighing his options.

Lensar has earned the reputation as an astute negotiator, getting the best possible deal for himself by pitting WWE and UFC against each other.

Should Lesnar decide that he wants to test his skills inside the Octagon once more, he’ll need to re-enter the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) testing pool for at least six months. The remaining five months on his suspension (stemming from a summer 2016 failed drug test) would run concurrently, so he could be fighting for UFC again in the fall.

Are you a UFC fan? Make our affiliate site MMANews.com your destination for MMA news!

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

Billy Corgan’s NWA Files New Trademark

Since October, Billy Corgan’s National Wrestling Alliance has been developing their own characters and storylines. Much of what the company has been doing in 2018 has centered around new NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis, and his crusade to defend the title 20x in a 60 day period.

The events surrounding the NWA are documented weekly through the promotion’s “10 Pounds of Gold” YouTube series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt250SjxGb4

New NWA Trademarks Filed

According to a report from PWInsider, Billy Corgan’s production company, Lightning One, has applied for a new trademark. The trademarked name is “the Dumont Network”, sometimes referred to as “the Forgotten Network”.

From 1946-1956, the Dumont Network was the 3rd network on the air along with NBC and CBS. It was also the first network to air professional wrestling. The filing of this particular trademark fits with Corgan’s interest in returning to the glory years of the NWA.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, NWA. Tagged: .

More Big Names Announced for PROGRESS in New Orleans

PROGRESS will be making their return to the United States on April 7th/8th and will be hosting shows in New Orleans to coincide with Wrestlemania weekend. This will be the second time that the UK company has ventured over to the states following last year’s extremely successful Wrestlemania weekend shows. The Pontchartrain Convention Center will be hosting these two massive events will will feature the first ever non-UK ‘Thunderb*stard’ match as well as seeing the first ever ‘Chapter’ event outside of the United Kingdom.

Two more names have been announced for the WrestleMania weekend event and they are former UFC competitor Matt Riddle and #CCK member Chris Brookes. They join these already announced stars:

  • Travis Banks
  • Will Ospreay
  • Toni Storm
  • Mark Haskins
  • Jimmy Havoc
  • ‘Flash’ Morgan Webster
  • WALTER
  • Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake)
  • Jinny

Tickets for the two days are still available to purchase via TicketFly and are priced from $25.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

First Match Announced for DEFIANT ‘Lights Out’ PPV

DEFIANT Wrestling has announced the first bout for their upcoming ‘Lights Out’ pay per view event on March 19th. The show will be taking place at Leeds’ O2 Academy and tickets are available to purchase via DEFIANT’s Official Site.

The already announced names for this well hyped event were Rampage, Jimmy Havoc, Martin Kirby, Joe Hendry, Primate, Mark Haskins, Aussie Open, Kay Lee Ray and Millie Mckenzie…and the first bout announced is:

DEFIANT Internet Title Match – Travis Banks (c) vs WALTER vs David Starr

This will be the first time that new Internet Champion Travis Banks defends his title on PPV and it is against two of the top names on the UK circuit. Both WALTER and David Starr have become PROGRESS and wXw stalwarts and WALTER is currently the ATLAS Champion in the company (interestingly Banks is the PROGRESS World Champion), this will be a hard hitting strong style bout and is not one to be missed.

The Magnificent Seven briefcase Match will also be making a return at the ‘Lights Out’ event, with Rampage confirming his place in the bout on this past Friday’s episode of Loaded on YouTube.

https://twitter.com/DEFIANTwres/status/968083515295313923

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

WWE Raw Viewership Dips Post-Elimination Chamber

Viewership numbers for the Feb. 26 edition of Monday Night Raw are in and there is a slight decrease.

Raw this past Monday was able to bring in an average of 3.180 million viewers. This is down from the previous week, which took in 3.282 million. Last week’s show was praised for having the seven-man gauntlet match.

Hour-By-Hour

In the first hour of this week’s show, Raw was able to draw 3.407 million viewers. This too was down from last week’s hour one, which managed to attract 3.518 million. Hour two of the Feb. 26 edition did 3.249 million, while the third hour took in 2.884 million.

This week’s episode featured the Raw debut of Ronda Rousey. She was involved in a segment for the fallout of her Elimination Chamber contract signing. At the event, Rousey slammed Triple H onto a table. She was then slapped by Stephanie McMahon, who made a quick exit. Stephanie apologized to Rousey, but Triple H decked Kurt Angle with a sucker punch before it was all set and done.

Brock Lesnar was advertised for the show, but WWE ran an angle where the Universal champion “no-showed.” This allowed Roman Reigns to cut a shoot style promo that has been praised by fans and critics.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Stephanie McMahon Highlights Burden Of Growing Up With Vince As A Father

While Stephanie McMahon may appear to have a hard-skin, no nonsense attitude in the ring, a recent interview on the Lilian Garcia podcast, Chasing Glory, gave her the opportunity to open up about her experience of bullying as a child.

Stephanie’s most recent onscreen appearance has been alongside Triple H, Kurt Angle and the newly signed Ronda Rousey.

And although she is no-longer living under her father’s shadow, Stephanie admits that it wasn’t always easy being Vince’s daughter.

“I was bullied for being Vince McMahon’s daughter, you know. People either loved me just because I was Vince McMahon’s daughter, or they hated me just because I was Vince McMahon’s daughter. It used to bother me a lot that people would treat me a certain way without knowing who I was, you know. I always felt like, if you got to know me and you don’t like me, that’s fine, but at least get to know me, you know?”

When Stephanie talked to her dad about what she was experiencing, Vince said:

‘Steph, look. It’s a fact of life. Not everybody’s going to like you, but as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror, and look yourself in the eyes and know that you’re a good person, that’s all that matters.’

The RAW commissioner explained that it could be even more tough for her children who will grow up with social media, but she hopes the same advice will see them through.

That’s one of the problems with kayfabe, some don’t know where the act ends and can take things too seriously, especially with the access given by social media and the internet.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

PROGRESS Wrestler Demands WWE United Kingdom Championship Match

Popular PROGRESS star and member of the South Pacific Power Trip stable TK Cooper has demanded a shot at Pete Dunne and his WWE United Kingdom title.

Cooper took part in this past Sunday’s ‘Thunderb*stard’ match and “eliminated” Dunne, in actuality Pete Dunne was disqualified from the match but none the less Cooper did cause Dunne’s elimination from the bout.

Whether PROGRESS decide to offer TK a shot at the WWE United Kingdom title remains to be seen, he has asked for a match at the company’s next event ‘Chapter 65’ and although he is not contracted to WWE he did perform for the company at last year’s WrestleMania Axxess event, so he is certainly on the WWE’s radar. The likelihood of a non-WWE contracted performer getting a shot at the UK title has risen exponentially, with Zack Gibson and BT Gunn both having matches for the title in FutureShock and ICW respectively, so there is more than a good chance that TK will get his wish and a future bout with the ‘Bruiserweight’ Pete Dunne.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

Cody Sends Warning to Kenny Omega, Jay Lethal Hypes ROH 16th Anniversary

Cody Says Kenny Omega’s Time Is Up

On April 7, Cody will finally meet Kenny Omega. The match is expected to headline Supercard of Honor XII. Last month at NJPW’s The New Beginning in Sapporo, Cody gave Omega a Crossroads and was going to hit him with a chair before Kota Ibushi made the save.

Since then, the Golden Lovers have reunited and Bullet Club is in shambles. Cody believes a victory over Omega would make the world view him as the true leader of Bullet Club. He fired a warning at “The Best Bout Machine” in a new ROH video:

“What a year for the Bullet Club, the most profitable in the faction’s history. Let’s think about it. Think about those records that Marty Scurll and The Young Bucks set. That watershed agreement that everybody seems to be benefiting off of doesn’t happen unless I sign on the dotted line … There was Marty over there, Hangman over there, The Bucks, the streamers but no Kenny. Leadership, it’s not a title. You have to live it! Go ahead and bring Kota Ibushi with you because I want to see the look when he sees you in pain and the rest of the world sees me as the leader of the Bullet Club.”

Jay Lethal Wants ROH Gold Again

Jay Lethal has sent out quite the statement to ROH World champion Dalton Castle. Next Friday night (March 9), Lethal will challenge Castle in the main event of ROH 16th Anniversary. In a new promo, Lethal says Castle’s reign is coming to an end:

“Dalton Castle I have waited, not patiently, but I have waited nonetheless for this exact moment. I stand the number one contender right now for the Ring of Honor World championship. Just saying it makes my hair stand up … One more time I will become the Ring of Honor World champion.”

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, ROH. Tagged: , .

Former WWE Superstar Critical Over Handling Of Ronda Rousey

Monday night’s RAW saw the first appearance of Ronda Rousey in a WWE ring since she signed her contract on Sunday’s Elimination Chamber PPV.

The contract signing did not go to plan as Stephanie McMahon slapped Rousey after her husband, Triple H, was thrown through a table.

The following night, Rousey confronted RAW’s commissioner and her husband to demand an apology.  Stephanie squared up to the newly signed WWE superstar and looked Rousey in the eyes as she apologised for Sunday’s actions.  Triple H however was not as sorry, as he showed Kurt Angle who’s in charge, leaving Kurt Angle on the mat after a surprise punch.  Ronda stayed in the ring to check on Angle while Stephanie and Triple H left.

However one former WWE superstar has given their own opinion and shared a critical view on the recent events and introduction of Ronda Rousey to the WWE Universe.

“They take the most credible female they have in the history of the WWE, and second impression of her, and they made her look bad already”

On his radio show, Taz stated that the way Stephanie reacted on RAW made Rousey look weak.  In a previous interview with ESPN Roman Reigns said that the savagery of Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey in UFC makes them more threatening and dangerous in WWE, but Taz thinks that WWE creative has missed its mark.

“She should have went after Stephanie like she wanted to kill her […] I’m talking about legitimate police officers there holding her back, two or three or them, something. A couple of the boys, somebody. Someone needed to stop her and [keep her away]. Stephanie should have been terrified of her. Absolutely freakin’ terrified of her. But instead, Stephanie got in her face and apologized. When the girl, Ronda, demanded an apology, Stephanie had to get the upper hand and look down at her and say: ‘I’m sorry.’ That sucked! That sucked. Build the girl and get her over. She’s legit! She’s legit. What [WWE] did, sucked. Sucked!”

Taz shared the same opinion of Kurt Angle’s work on RAW as well, repeating that the segment ‘sucked’.  Taz also said that he didn’t ‘give a sh*t’ if he wasn’t placed in the WWE Hall of Fame either.

The former WWE superstar and commentator explained that Ronda Rousey should have been introduced as ‘the killer that she is’ and that the segment needed to end with Stephanie in an armbar that only Triple H could stop.  Taz explained that Stephanie isn’t a good worker, in promos or in the ring, and that standing face-to-face with Rousey showed the height difference, making Rousey look submissive and weak; not the qualities you want in a heavily invested asset.

Opinion:

I understand what Taz is saying, but at the same time Ronda Rousey is being put in a face position, not following in Brock Lesnar’s shadow or being made out as the female Brock Lesnar.  WWE and Rousey will want her to be her own individual, not a copy of anyone that’s come before.

Posted February 28th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

John Cena vs. Rey Mysterio Reportedly Set For WrestleMania 34

It looks like Rey Mysterio may be returning to the ring for WWE at WrestleMania 34 in a huge match against John Cena.

We noted before that Mysterio was backstage visiting at Monday’s SmackDown live event in San Diego, his hometown. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports that Mysterio was also backstage for tonight’s SmackDown TV tapings in Los Angeles to finalize details for the deal that will see him work WrestleMania in New Orleans. Barrasso added that Rey’s rumored opponent is Cena.

Cena returned to SmackDown on tonight’s show and earned a spot in the WWE Fastlane main event, making it a Six-Pack Challenge with WWE Champion AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and Cena. Rey made a surprise appearance for WWE at the Royal Rumble back in January and has been rumored to be in talks with the company about a return later this year or in early 2019.

The last Cena vs. Mysterio singles match came on the July 25th, 2011 RAW. That match saw Cena defeat Rey for the WWE Title. The two would then team up at a December 28th, 2013 WWE live event in Newark, NJ. They defeated Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio that night.

Posted February 27th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

WWE Mixed Match Challenge (2/27): The Miz & Asuka vs. Finn Balor & Sasha Banks

Finn Balor and Sasha Banks faced The Miz and Asuka in the second round of the Mixed Match Challenge tonight.

The Miz grabbed the microphone before the match started and told the crowd to shut up. Balor went for the quick win with a roll-up but Miz kicked out at two. The Miz took control with a knee to the ribs and followed it up with a knee to Balor’s face. The crowd wanted The Miz to tag in Asuka but The Miz ignored them. Asuka finally tagged herself in and that meant Banks had to get in the ring as well.

Asuka dominated right away and landed a flurry of kicks and followed it up with a Hip Attack. Asuka went for the It Kicks but Sasha blocked it. Banks then hit Double Knees and controlled the next couple of minutes of the match. Banks took a break to taunt The Miz and it cost her. Asuka connected with a big knee to the face and then tagged The Miz back in.

Balor and The Miz went back and forth for a minute. Balor got the upper-hand and connected with a Clothesline. Finn went for the cover but Asuka broke it up. Sasha sprinted into the ring and knocked Asuka to the floor outside the ring. Banks got onto the ring apron and leaped to connect with Double Knees to Asuka. Back in the ring, The Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale and Banks had to break up the cover at the last second. The Miz was pissed off and started bickering with the referee. Balor hit the Slingblade and followed it up with the Coup de Grace.

Finn went for the cover but once again Asuka broke it up. Sasha got back in the ring and locked in the Bank Statement on Asuka. Balor then locked The Miz in a submission hold. Asuka reversed the Bank Statement into an Arm Bar and Balor got distracted by it. The Miz capitalized and rolled Balor up for the victory.

The Miz and Asuka have advanced to the third round of the Mixed Match Challenge. Alexa Bliss & Braun Strowman will battle Naomi & Jimmy Uso next week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfubHHOnnTR/?hl=en&taken-by=wwe

You can check out this week’s episode of the Mixed Match Challenge by clicking here.

Posted February 27th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (2/27)

The February 27th episode of WWE SmackDown Live aired live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:

John Cena Was Given Another Chance To Make It To WrestleMania

John Cena kicked off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Cena brought up the Fatal 5-Way WWE Championship match at Fastlane and said that he wanted to be a part of that match. Cena added that he didn’t want to be handed a spot and will do whatever it takes to earn a spot in that match.

SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon came down to the ring. Shane broke down Cena’s idea and noted that if Cena won he would be walking into WrestleMania the 17-time champion. The crowd started to chant “Rusev Day!” and Cena stopped Shane from talking so the crowd could continue the chant. SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan then interrupted and made his way down to the ring.

Bryan got into the ring and shook John Cena’s hand. Bryan said that he actually thought that he and Shane were on the same page tonight. Daniel Bryan then said he will give Cena an opportunity to earn his way into the match. Bryan announced that Cena will face WWE Champion AJ Styles tonight in the SmackDown main event. If Cena defeats Styles, he will be added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane.

Shane McMahon Ate Popcorn As Dolph Ziggler Caused Chaos

Sami Zayn faced Baron Corbin tonight on SmackDown. Kevin Owens was on commentary for the match. Corbin controlled the match early as Kevin Owens poked fun at Baron’s hairline on commentary. Sami battled back and bounced Corbin’s head off the announce table. Corbin responded with a big right hand and slammed him into the barricade.

Corbin charged at Sami but Zayn was ready and knocked Baron over the barricade. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were shown arguing backstage. Shane was pissed off that Daniel Bryan was allowing Kevin Owens to be on commentary for the match. Bryan stated that Kevin Owens was very entertaining and provided insight from a Superstar’s perspective. SmackDown went to a break with Zayn in control of the match.

When SmackDown returned, Sami launched Corbin into the ring post. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were once again shown arguing. This time Shane had popcorn and stated that he knew Owens was going to get involved in the match. Sami planted Corbin with a Tornado DDT for two. Dolph Ziggler came out of nowhere and Superkicked Kevin Owens. Corbin then hit the End of Days on Dolph Ziggler for the pinfall victory. After the match, Dolph Ziggler hit a Zig Zag on Corbin in the ring.

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were shown for a third time backstage. Daniel Bryan said that it looks like Shane has everything under control around here and asked if he could go home to see his family. Shane thought that sounded like a great idea and threw another piece of popcorn in his mouth as SmackDown went to a break. Shane McMahon bumped into Sami and Owens and he was still eating popcorn. He informed them that Daniel Bryan just left and they should try to catch up to him so that they are not late for the family dinner.

This show has completely beaten me down at this point. It is absolutely terrible. Instead of watching a wrestling match, we now have to watch Shane McMahon watch a match while eating popcorn. I cannot wait until this storyline with Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon is over.

Carmella Looked At Her Phone & Ruby Riott Defeated Naomi

Ruby Riott faced Naomi tonight on SmackDown. Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan of the Riott Squad were ringside for the match. Charlotte and Becky Lynch also came down to the ring. The match went back and forth for a moment and then SmackDown went to a break.

Carmella was shown on her phone backstage in the middle of the match because she is going to answer questions from the WWE Universe later tonight. The match then quickly ended as Ruby Riott won via pinfall after hitting the Riott Kick.

This match was really amazing. We got a commercial break right away, Carmella on her phone and WWE’s upcoming events scrolling on the bottom of the screen during it. It was almost as if the outcome didn’t really matter at all and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The Bludgeon Brothers Sent A Message To New Day & The Usos

New Day came down to the ring to a cut a promo about The Usos. New Day will once again be facing The Usos at WWE Fastlane for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Big E made a joke about his inner thighs being warm and repetitively asked Kofi to spritz him. Kofi sprayed water on Big E’s thighs as the crowd sat in silence. Hilarious stuff. New Day vowed to win the match at Fastlane and go on to WrestleMania

The Usos interrupted and came down to the ring. They bragged about winning at Hell in a Cell against New Day. They said that New Day is running around looking like a box of Skittles and it is annoying them. The Usos complained that they haven’t been on WrestleMania in a long time and that this year was their time. The Usos vowed to run through New Day at Fastlane like they always do and New Day will be on the sidelines at WrestleMania.

Big E interrupted and boasted about hosting WrestleMania while The Usos were in the back eating catering. Big E added that they didn’t get to WWE because of their daddies and said that they weren’t on the sidelines like The Usos at WrestleMania because they rushed the field and took what was theirs. Big E stated that they will become the 5-time Tag Team Champions at WWE Fastlane and there is nothing that The Usos can do about it.

The Bludgeon Brothers interrupted and slowly walked towards the ring. They brought their mallets into the ring and both The Usos and New Day retreated.

This promo started off painfully awkward but wound up being great. New Day was trying way too hard to be funny and they failed miserably. The Usos came down to the ring and rescued the promo. Big E’s response was also very good. As I’ve said before, I’ve just seen this match far too many times recently to get excited for it.

I thought the Bludgeon Brothers were doomed when SmackDown aired those terrible vignettes before they debuted. I actually find them entertaining and am looking forward to their ascent in SmackDown’s tag division.

It Is Now A Six-Pack Challenge For The WWE Championship At  Fastlane

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Aiden English tonight. John Cena’s music hit while Nakamura was on the entrance ramp. Cena stopped and pointed at the WrestleMania sign. Nakamura did the same as SmackDown went to a break.

Cena then faced AJ Styles in the main event of SmackDown. If Cena won he would be added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane. Dueling “lets go Cena” and “Cena sucks!” echoed throughout the arena as the match started. Cena connected with a Tornado DDT for two as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Cena was back in control and connected with the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena lifted AJ onto his shoulders but Styles escaped. AJ then hit an awesome Neckbreaker for a two count. Cena went for a super Attitude Adjustment off the second rope but AJ escaped and planted Cena with a Powerbomb for two.

Dolph Ziggler was shown watching the match backstage on a monitor. Cena slammed AJ to the mat as Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens were shown talking while watching the match on a monitor. I cannot wait to see who is watching the match backstage next!

Cena hit a Clothesline in the ring for a two count. AJ connected with an Enziguri as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment for a two count during the commercial break. When SmackDown returned, AJ connected with a Clothesline for two. AJ missed with a Moonsault and Cena locked in the STF in the middle of the ring.

AJ broke free and hit the Phenomenal Forearm for another two count. AJ went for the springboard 450 Splash but Cena got his knees up. Cena connected with an Attitude Adjustment and went for another one but Styles escaped out of the ring. Cena chased after him but AJ got out of the way and Cena crashed into the steel steps. AJ Styles stopped the referee from counting Cena out.

Cena slammed AJ Styles through the announce table with an Attitude Adjustment. Cena rolled back into the ring and the referee started counting. A fan reached out his hand and helped AJ Styles up and AJ got back into the ring at the count of 9. Cena went for another Attitude Adjustment but AJ countered into the Calf Crusher. Cena rolled through and lifted AJ Styles onto his shoulders and planted him with an Attitude Adjustment for the victory.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn’s music hit and they made their way to the entrance ramp. Baron Corbin attacked Cena from behind and they all started beating down Cena and Styles. Dolph Ziggler came down to the ring and took out Corbin, Zayn and Owens. Ziggler then punched Styles in the face and Cena planted Dolph with an Attitude Adjustment as SmackDown went off the air.

Tonight’s main event was a pretty good match. John Cena being added to the main event at Fastlane makes things more interesting. I’d be surprised if he won the title at Fastlane but anything is possible.

I used to really enjoy SmackDown. I thought it flowed better than RAW and it usually had basic storylines that allowed the focus to be on the action in the ring. Now, I find myself disliking this show more and more every week. The constant shots to Superstars watching a match backstage serve a purpose, but they are shown way too much throughout the show every week. It has become comical and would make for a great drinking game if you took a shot every time a Superstar is shown backstage standing awkwardly to the side of a monitor and watching it at a bizarre angle.

I would prefer them to promote a Carmella Q&A during an entrance or before a match, rather than right in the middle of a match. SmackDown has also fallen in love with on screen text and emojis. It is over the top and makes me feel like I’m watching a cartoon for toddlers.

Then there is the biggest issue with this show, Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan. I think they are both awesome and was pumped when it was announced that they were going to be the SmackDown GM and Commissioner. On their first episode, they said that the focus of SmackDown was going to be about the Superstars in the ring. Now the show is far too focused on the bitterness between Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon. It has become the exact opposite show that it was supposed to be and RAW is now consistently more entertaining.

Posted February 27th, 2018 in News, WWE.

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