Last week, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the return of Bone Soldier, a former member of Bullet Club. The role had previously been performed by Mitsuhide Hirasawa, who had been performing as Captain New Japan.
According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Bone Soldier will not be played by Hirasawa when the character returns. It also noted that Hirasawa was released over a year ago due to gambling issues. The report continued to say there have been rumors that Taiji Ishimori might be the new Bone Soldier and also enter the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in May.
Taiji Ishimori As Bone Soldier
Ishimori, who has been a regular for Impact Wrestling as of late, recently left Pro Wrestling NOAH. If Ishimori has signed with NJPW, it would seemingly contradict statements he made in March. Ishimori told Tokyo Sports he was leaving NOAH to wrestle more internationally.
“Lots of Japanese wrestlers are active internationally right now,” Ishimori said in an interview to Toky Sports (translated by author Chris Charlton). “I want to be among them, for Taiji Ishimori to appeal on a global scale. I’m open to offers at home and abroad.”
It would seem odd for Ishimori to leave on Japanese-based promotion in March in order to pursue international opportunities only to sign with another Japanese based promotion the next month. Still, Ishimori might feel NJPW will offer him more freedom outside of the promotion than Pro Wrestling NOAH would.
Ishimori wrestled for 12 years in NOAH, winning the promotion’s junior heavyweight championship on 3 occasions. He’s also won the Impact Wrestling X-Division championship as well. After defeating Tyson Dux to earn a title shot, Ishimori defeated Trevor Lee for the X-Division title last November.
Ishimori was a young lion in NJPW’s dojo but left the company to join NOAH in 2006.
Vince Russo is no longer with the upstart Lucha Libre company, Aro Lucha. The company (owned by former TNA producers, AroLuxe) is asking fans to invest in a crowdfunding campaign to get the promotion off the ground. Rey Mysterio and Konnan are also linked to the promotion.
Last December, the promotion announced they had hired Vince Russo as a “script consultant”. As Russo is one of the most polarizing figures in the industry, his hiring caused a stir amongst fans. Konnan took to Twitter to defend the decision.
Russo worked the December 10th, 2017 AroLucha event and there has been little mention of his involvement with the company since. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Vine Russo is no longer with the promotion. No details were given regarding which party instigated the end of their working relationship, only that the two sides were no longer working together.
As for Russo, he is one of the latest people to sign a deal with TwitchTV. Fans of his can follow him on the channel as he watches wrestling shows in real-time and reacts to them. Russo also has his own podcast, “Vince Russo’s the Brand” which covers wrestling related topics.
Konnan gave an interview to Sports Illustrated in February to speak on his plans with AroLucha.
“I’ve always wanted to bring Lucha to the United States, but I haven’t been able to yet,” said Konnan. “I was in Lucha Underground, but they weren’t able to do what I thought they could have done. We can do it with Aro Lucha. It’s pure excitement and a lot of fun.”
Konnan continued to say they believe AroLucha should have a TV deal by the end of 2018.
“I listen to the people,” Konnan continued. “Promotions think they’re smarter than the fans, but that’s when they get in trouble. This is for the fans. If you’re not listening to them, you’re not doing your job.”
The Undertaker is probably the biggest name who will be making a rare wrestling appearance at the upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event this Friday.
The Dead Man arrived in Jeddah for the Mega Live Event yesterday and a fan posted the photos of his arrival from his twitter account which can be seen below:
Undertaker is currently scheduled to wrestle Rusev in a Casket match at the upcoming show. Other announced matches for the event include the 50 Men Greatest Royal Rumble and more. Click here to check out our staff predictions for the event.
Former Impact Star Backstage At SmackDown
Former WWE Star Elijah Burke, better known to TNA fans for his stint with the company under the ring name Da Pope” D’Angelo Dinero was backstage at SmackDown this week.
Kofi Kingston posted the photo of him and Burke, who last wrestled for WWE in 2008, from the backstage of the show on his Twitter account as seen below:
Burke ended his run with the company now known as Impact Wrestling back in August last year where he worked as a part-time wrestler and announcer.
No word yet on if his presence backstage had a significant meaning or he was just visiting his friends but the later appears to be a more likely scenario.
Chris Jericho had seemingly left the gate for a return open with an unfinished rivalry when his run with NJPW ended earlier this year, though it appears that Y2J isn’t happy with the way things culminated.
Jericho recently had an interview with ESPN where he talked about his Raw 25 segment with Elias and his upcoming appearance at the Greatest Royal Rumble event.
Though when asked about the ending of his NJPW run, he surprisingly answered that sometimes you realize things will not work out the way you want them to when you look at it a little bit deeper:
“Things change. That’s how it goes. Sometimes things seem like a good idea at the time, and then when you look at it a little bit deeper and a little bit further, you realize it’s not gonna go the way you want it to go.”
The former World Champion Chris Jericho wrestled a five-star match with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 earlier this year, proving that he is not past his prime just yet.
The next night on New Year Dash!! 2018, Jericho attacked Tetsuya Naito. This was seen by many as a set up for a future match and at that time it was believed that Jericho will work with the promotion longer than anticipated.
However, they never followed on this storyline and for the surprise of the fans Jericho later revealed on Twitter that his dates with the company ended with his appearance at New Year Dash.
While it’s unknown what Chris’s means, a possible explanation would be that there were plans for him to stay with the company for longer but things didn’t work out the way they expected.
Discussion – What do you think of the ending of Chris Jericho’s NJPW run and his latest comment on the matter? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
Ronda Rousey was announced to have signed a fulltime contract with WWE. So it wouldn’t make sense for her to miss the first WWE PPV after her wrestling debut and if some recent reports are to be believed, then we may see her singles debut at the upcoming Backlash PPV.
Ronda is set to face Mickie James at an upcoming WWE Live Event in May and this bout was originally seen as something which wouldn’t have an impact on the main WWE Programming. However, the company seemingly started building a feud between the two during the main event of this week’s episode of Raw.
The main event of this week’s Raw was a 10 Women Tag match involving Mickie James and others and the closing moments of the bout saw James attacking Natalya. Ronda then came to aid of the former SmackDown Women’s Champion and attacked Mickie.
During the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez talked about these events and speculated that Rousey could make her singles debut at the upcoming PPV against the former SmackDown Star Mickie James
It would make sense for Ronda Rousey to face a seasoned veteran like Mickie James in her singles debut as she would be able to produce a good match despite the UFC Star’s limited experience and also help in hiding her flaws
Whether or not this match actually takes place at the upcoming PPV will be revealed in future. For now, it’s only safe to say that the programming is pointing towards this rivalry for Ronda Rousey in near future.
Zack Ryder had an injury scare on Monday night – but thankfully, the situation won’t require surgery.
Ryder wrestled Mike Kanellis in a match taped for Main Event prior to Monday’s RAW. The following day, he revealed on Twitter that he injured his knee during the contest, was scheduled for an MRI and would miss the Greatest Royal Rumble as a result.
The former Intercontinental and United States Champion provided an update on Wednesday evening and it’s the best news Ryder fans could have hoped for.
Got some good news this morning…MCL/ACL/Calf muscle strains…nothing completely torn…no surgery will be needed. Thanks to everyone who reached out. It’s time for #Raw to get #Zacked!
Undisputed Era kicked off this week’s show. Cole, Fish, O’Reilly and Roderick Strong came down to the ring. Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly had the NXT Tag Team Championship belts around their waists as Adam Cole post with the NXT North American Championship on the ring apron.
Strong said that he is not the type of guy to pat himself on the back, which led to Cole, Fish and O’Reilly patting Strong on his back. Roderick said that he made the decision to join Undisputed Era because Pete Dunne only cares about his United Kingdom Championship. Kyle O’Reilly said times are changing and that they are leaving everyone in the dust.
Adam Cole grabbed the microphone and said that he is going to defent the NXT North American Championship against Oney Lorcan right now. Cole said that he wanted to do this on his own and then chuckled while saying “lets be real, I don’t really need any help beating Oney Lorcan”.
Roderick Strong Helped Adam Cole Retain The NXT North American Championship
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Adam Cole defended his NXT North American Championship against Oney Lorcan tonight. Lorcan controlled the match early and targeted Cole’s taped up ribs. Lorcan applied the Abdominal Stretch for a moment, but Cole was able to escape and roll out of the ring to regroup.
Cole blocked a Suplex attempt by Lorcan on the ring apron and then booted him in the side of the head. Cole brought Lorcan to the corner and stomped on him several times. Cole connected with a flurry of punches and then got up and held his injured ribs. Cole drove his knee into Lorcan’s back and applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring.
Lorcan broke free and connected with a couple of jabs to Cole’s midsection. Oney delivered a chop to Cole’s chest and then kneed him in the ribs. Oney followed it up with a running Blockbuster for a two count. Oney dropped Cole’s midsection across the top rope and Cole fell to the floor outside the ring.
Oney Lorcan climbed up the turnbuckle and Undisputed Era rushed the ring with a medical trainer. The referee was distracted as the trainer attended to Adam Cole. Roderick Strong connected with a Back Body Drop to Lorcan on the ring apron and then threw him in the ring. Adam Cole was then magically healed and got into the ring and hit the Last Shot on Lorcan for the victory.
After the match, Undisputed Era continued to beatdown Oney Lorcan. Danny Burch came down to the ring to save his tag partner, but Undisputed Era took him out as well.
Sabbatelli Turned His Back On Moss, Heavy Machinery Challenged War Raiders
Heavy Machinery battled Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss tonight on NXT. Tucker Knight and Riddick Moss started off the match. Knight leveled Moss with a shoulder tackle. Sabbatelli ran into the ring, but he was greeted with a shoulder tackle from Otis Dozovic.
Dozovic threw Tino out of the ring as Tucker Knight connected with a Back Body Drop to Moss in the ring. Otis tagged in and connected with the Compacter on Moss & Sabbatelli. Heavy Machinery then stood on Moss and Sabbatelli’s chests and posed as the crowd cheered.
Moss battled back and slammed Otis to the canvas. Moss connected with a punch to the face and Sabbatelli tagged in. Moss connected with a Splash in the corner before heading to the ring apron. Tinp connected with a couple of jabs in the corner and then Moss tagged back in.
Moss charged at Dozovic in the corner, but Otis got out of the way and Moss slammed into Tino on the apron. Tucker Knight tagged in and delivered a boot to Moss’ face in the corner. Riddick Moss tried to tag in Tino Sabbatelli, but Tino leaped off the apron and turned his back on his tag partner. Heavy Machinery then connected with the Compacter on Riddick Moss for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Heavy Machinery grabbed a couple microphones and challenged War Raiders to a match.
Dakota Kai Didn’t Want To Talk About Shayna Baszler
Dakota Kai was asked about the incident last week where Shayna Baszler bullied her backstage. Kai refused to answer and said that she would prefer to not talk about it. Baszler interrupted and shouted at Kai to look at her. Shayna said that a women’s division run by Baszler is Kai’s worst nightmare and walked away. Dakota Kai looked petrified as the segment ended.
Tommaso Ciampa Attacked Gargano, Aleister Black Dismantled SAnitY
Johnny Gargano was set to face Aleister Black for the NXT Championship tonight. During Gargano’s entrance, Tommaso Ciampa attacked him from behind. Ciampa tried to slam Gargano through a table, but Gargano fought back and knocked him to the floor. Gargano leaped off the table and landed on Ciampa. Johnny slammed Ciampa’s face off the entrance ramp and the battle continued up the ramp. Ciampa hit Johnny with a low-blow as the crowd mocked Tommaso by chanting “you tapped out!”. Ciampa then hit a running knee to the face as Gargano was up against a screen on the ramp.
Tommaso refused to stop his attack and then slammed Gargano through a table next to the ramp. Ciampa sat next to Gargano for a moment before finally climbing back onto the stage. Candice LeRae showed up as referees shouted that Gargano needs medical help. Ciampa stood over Gargano on the entrance ramp as the crowd booed. Johnny was loaded onto a stretcher as the crowd chanted “Johnny Wrestling!”.
Gargano was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled backstage. Johnny was shown being stretchered towards an ambulance. Aleister Black appeared and took a look at Gargano before walking away. Ciampa was then shown on top of a truck watching Gargano being taken away in an ambulance.
Aleister Black came down to the ring and grabbed a microphone. Black said that Ciampa eliminated his competition… but was quickly interrupted by SAnitY.
Young, Dain and Wolfe came down the entrance ramp and joined Black in the ring. Young said that Gargano provided hope, but chaos took away that hope tonight. Young added that out of the chaos, they will find SAnitY. Black cut him off and asked Young if he was looking for the NXT Championship. Young shook his head and Black said “lets do this!”.
Eric Young elbowed Black in the face and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Aleister battled back and knocked Young out of the ring. Eric got back into the ring and elbowed Black in the face. Black responded with a couple of knee strikes and then a boot to the side of the head. Wolfe hopped up on the ring apron and distracted Black. Young started choking Black by the turnbuckle and then slammed him to the canvas for a two count.
Young connected with a Back Body Drop for another two count. Young quickly applied a Chin Lock as the crowd clapped to get behind Aleister Black. Aleister powered to his feet and broke the hold. Black connected with a kick to the face and went for a roll-up for a two count. Aleister followed it up with a knee strike to the face and both Superstars fell to the mat.
Black connected with a springboard Moonsault for a two count. Young slung Black to the corner and charged at him. Black dodged him and locked in an Octopus Hold in the middle of the ring. Young countered and planted Black with a Death Valley Bomb for a two count. Young climbed up the turnbuckle but Black blasted him in the face. Both Superstars battled on the top rope. Young knocked Black to the canvas and then walked into a Black Mass for the victory.
After the amtch, Black connected with a Black Mass to Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe. Black raised the title in the ring as SAnitY was on the mat. It was announced during WWE’s Superstar Shake-Up that SAnitY will be joining SmackDown’s roster.
Alexa Bliss hasn’t wrestled a full match since her WrestleMania 34 RAW Women’s Title loss to Nia Jax in New Orleans earlier this month at WrestleMania 34. Little Miss Bliss reportedly underwent an ‘enhancement procedure’ – per Dave Meltzer.
A ton of speculation begun to run rampant as to why Bliss hasn’t been wrestling, especially after she missed WWE’s recent tour of South Africa. Since WrestleMania Bliss has participated on commentary and backstage segments, however, she has not wrestled. She did appear in the 10-Woman Tag Team main event match this past Monday, but she didn’t take any bumps.
She is currently scheduled to rematch Jax at Backlash on May 6th on pay-per-view (PPV) in attempt to get back the RAW Women’s Title. Here’s a recent post from Bliss on Twitter yesterday, in which she posts a video of herself poolside with her dog:
WWE Superstar Braun Strowman recently did an interview on Hall Of Famer Booker T’s radio show, Heated Conversations, to talk about several professional wrestling topics. The Monster Among Men discussed how hard he has worked to get to the position he is in now:
“My whole life, from everything that I have ever gotten in my life I have worked hard for it, and have earned it,” Strowman said. “I have taken it, I believe that anything in life when you work hard for it and you achieve it there’s no greater feeling, but when someone gives you something you don’t appreciate it as much, and you take it for granted, but when you put your heart and soul into it and it pays back to you, there is nothing more gratifying in this world.”
Strowman then commented on the fact that he is the top big man in the company right now, following in the footsteps of those such as The Big Show – who Strowman calls his “Wrestling Dad”:
“It’s humbling, it really is. The big matches I had against The Big Show last year in an almost passing of the torch with that, and him taking me under my wing. We have a joke where I call The Big Show my ‘Wrestling Dad,’ because he treats me like a son. When I do something dumb he whacks me over the head and tells me not to do it again,” Strowman said.
“Same thing with Undertaker and Kane; where, with Kane I have been almost working with him for an entire year on the house shows and just listening to these guys stories and things they have done. These guys have done everything there is to do within this industry, and they are a fountain of knowledge, so anything I can do to pick their brains and talk, and put a match together with, they are special because I know there will come a day when it’ll be my job to do the same with other talents coming in.”
As for how his character has grown over the years, Strowman enjoys the fact that he’s breaking the mold for what a typical big man is considered to be in WWE:
“It was a little bit to get used to. I have always kind of wanted to be the center of attention, and now WWE has kind of given me the platform to basically be a peacock and spread my feathers and have the world see what I am capable of doing that I am not just some big, clumsy guy stumbling over a wall [Shockmaster]. I am intelligent, and I want to show the world that I want to represent big guys all around the world that we are more than just ‘big guys.'”
You can listen to Strowman’s interview on Heated Conversations with Booker T by clicking this link here.
Cody Rhodes On Bruno Sammartino’s WWE Network Special
Ring Of Honor (ROH) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Cody Rhodes took to Twitter to comment on the WWE Network special on WWE Hall Of Famer Bruno Sammartino.
Sammartino recently passed away last week at the age of 82-years-old. Rhodes seemed to enjoy the special and said he would’ve loved to see Cesaro work with Sammartino in Madison Square Garden back in the 70s:
WWE posted the following video of SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Carmella signing her contract to defend her title against Charlotte Flair at Backlash early next month. The official contract signing was supposed to happen last night on SmackDown – but after Flair signed the contract she attacked Carmella before she could. Carmella signed the contract in the following video backstage with Renee Young:
After SmackDown Live and 205 Live tapings wrapped up last night, a dark match between United States Champion Jeff Hardy and The Miz took place with the title on the line. Hardy successfully retained his strap and you can check out some photos here below:
This past Monday on RAW Bayley had an awkward interaction with a fan as she made her entrance. Bayley gave a hug to a young girl in the audience, and a young man next to her also tried to get in on the hug – but Bayley left looking a bit uncomfortable.
Bayley recently addressed this on Twitter, saying she didn’t realize he was there and was focused on the young girl:
?????????My bad dude, I was caught up in da moment between me and that little girl. Next time! https://t.co/mZv0BR3wFu
A recent report suggested that WWE could be looking to make a change to its commentary tables, adding women to color commentary on both RAW and SmackDown Live. There are a few candidates who have been mentioned by speculative fans such as Lita and Beth Phoenix.
Another possible name is Renee Young, who actually has some experience at the commentary booth. Young recently took to Twitter to address the possibility, saying she’d be open to doing color commentary but doesn’t seem interested in play-by-play:
Thanks for the love guys! I feel like the more I get asked about this the more I feel like I’d be open to trying it again. In the right circumstance. But honestly, any woman that could step up and fill that role would be huge for WWE. ???? https://t.co/vQc6VBKT57
This Friday, WWE presents the Greatest Royal Rumble event from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City stadium. The event is a part of a 10-year strategic multi-platform partnership between WWE and the Saudi General Sports Authority. In addition to the historic 50-man Royal Rumble match, all 7 men’s championships will be on the line.
Ahead of Friday’s WWE Network special (airing Friday at 12pm ET), several of our top staff members have come together for a new ’roundtable predictions’ feature we’ll be doing for big shows moving forward. For this inaugural installment, Brad Davis, Jon Fuentes and Ian Carey give their expert analysis and predictions for the Greatest Royal Rumble.
As always, hit up the Comments section of this article and share your own predictions.
Greatest Royal Rumble Card
Cedric Alexander vs. Kalisto (Cruiserweight Title)
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos (SD! Live Tag Titles)
Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy (RAW Tag Titles)
Jeff Hardy vs. Jinder Mahal (U.S. Title)
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe (Ladder Match For I-C Title)
A.J. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Title)
The Undertaker vs. Rusev (Casket Match)
John Cena vs. Triple H
Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (Steel Cage Match For Universal Title)
50-Man Royal Rumble
WWE GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE STAFF PREDICTIONS
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander vs. Kalisto
Brad Davis: This one really could go either way and I could see WWE wanting to open the show with an exciting title change. That said, I’ve really enjoyed Cedric’s work over the past few months and he’s a good champion to lead the cruiserweight division in this new era. I’m picking Cedric to retain. (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
Jon Fuentes: Cedric has been doing some amazing work inside the ring lately. His match against Ali was phenomenal and he has been a good champion for 205 Live thus far. I think he retains after opening up the show with a great match against Kalisto. (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
Ian Carey: Cedric Alexander should take this one. On 205 Live lately, Buddy Murphy is being built up as the top contender for Alexander. The story that Murphy missed weight is being given to push the match back, however. I just don’t see it likely WWE pulls the plug on Murphy vs Alexander by giving Kalisto the title win here. (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
CONSENSUS: Cedric Alexander (3-0)
SmackDown Live Tag-Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos
Brad: I could see either team winning, but the Bludgeon Bro’s are still being solidified as a top team on SmackDown, so I pick them to retain. (Prediction: The Bludgeon Brothers)
Jon: WWE likely wants to give the Saudi Arabian crowd an exciting show, and several title changes will do exactly that. The Usos have a tough mountain to climb if they want to overcome The Bludgeon Brothers, but I see them pulling it off and recapturing the SDL Tag Team Titles. (Prediction: The Usos)
Ian: I’m taking the Bludgeon Brothers here as it feels as though Harper and Rowan finally have the confidence of WWE’s creative team. A mildly interesting tidbit to this match is that Naomi has been involved in this storyline the last couple of weeks but won’t be in Jeddah. Harper and Rowan have been taunting Naomi and the Usos on social media as well. (Prediction: The Bludgeon Brothers)
CONSENSUS: The Bludgeon Brothers (2-1)
RAW Tag-Team Championship Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy
Brad: Woken Matt and Bray are one of the hot new acts on the RAW brand. Sheamus and Cesaro have proven themselves to be worthy champions, but I expect Matt and Bray to capture the gold and solidify their new DELIGHTFUL union with two gilded leather accessories. WONDERFUL! (Prediction: Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy)
Jon: Sheamus and Cesaro are over on SmackDown Live and I think that’s a good spot for them. Matt and Bray are just hitting their stride and having some titles around their waist will certainly help. I’m picking Matt and Bray to start their title reign here, and it will be DELIGHTFUL! (Prediction: Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy)
Ian: Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy should win this match and take the titles with them to the Woken Universe. Something tells me the Raw tag-team championships might be defended sometime soon in a Final Deletion style match. Perhaps a sequel to “Tag Team Apocalypto” could be upcoming. Also, the Bar just got drafted to Smackdown, so its not clear what would happen to the Raw tag titles if they won in Jeddah. (Prediction: Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy)
CONSENSUS: Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy (3-0)
WWE United States Championship Jeff Hardy vs. Jinder Mahal
Brad: Ever since Jinder Mahal’s WWE Championship reign, I’ve been part of the camp that believes he was much better suited for a US Championship reign. He was a good heel champion, but the top title in the company just wasn’t believable. I predict Jinder captures the gold, setting up potential feuds with RAW’s top mid-card babyfaces. (Prediction: Jinder Mahal)
Jon: Again, expecting some title changes to occur heavily and Mahal getting the United States Title back would definitely be a big shocker. I’m picking Mahal to get the cheap win thanks to some assistance from Sunil Singh at ringside. (Prediction: Jinder Mahal)
Ian: This is a tough one. Jinder and the United States championship seem like a good fit. Foreign Menaces and the patriotic US title tend to work well, as was the case with Rusev. While I’m not that confident in this pick, I’m going to say Jinder Mahal regains the US title at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Also, I think the remaining Singh brother might get involved. (Prediction: Jinder Mahal)
CONSENSUS: Jinder Mahal (3-0)
(Ladder Match) WWE Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe
Brad: This is the match I’m most looking forward to on the entire card. With the United States Championship on RAW and two SmackDown Live stars competing in this match, it seems obvious that either The Miz or Samoa Joe will be walking out with the gold. The Miz will be working with Daniel Bryan on SmackDown (and probably aligning himself with Big Cass) – and that program doesn’t need a championship. Samoa Joe as the badass IC champion on SmackDown seems right – I’ve got Joe winning his first championship on the main roster here. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)
Jon: If Jinder Mahal is taking the United States Title back to Monday Night RAW, then the Intercontinental Title needs to go back to SmackDown Live. With that being said, Samoa Joe seems like the perfect candidate to capture the gold, and win the first singles title of his WWE career on the main card. This is going to be a tremendous match, and could likely steal the show. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)
Ian: My money is on the Miz here. Miz is only 20 days away from breaking Pedro Morales’ record as most days spent as IC champion, though he needs to win the belt back first. It seems likely that the IC title will end up on Smackdown when all is said and done so that the Miz can either hold it or chase it. That means either Joe or Miz are winning it in Jeddah. Joe is scheduled to face Roman Reigns at Backlash which makes it seem less likely he’ll have the IC title come then. (Prediction: The Miz)
CONSENSUS: Samoa Joe (2-1)
WWE Championship A.J. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Brad: It was surprising that Nakamura came up short against Styles at WrestleMania, but his post-match heel turn refreshed his character and added a new dimension to this feud. I predict Nakamura captures the championship here. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Jon: To some, Styles and Nakamura’s initial clash at WrestleMania was underwhelming, but expect these two to blow the roof off the place this time around after hearing the criticism. Nakamura is now a heel and has been doing a great job of getting heat on himself these past few weeks. I expect Nakamura to win the WWE Title here and continue his great feud with The Phenomenal One for a few more weeks. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Ian: Shinsuke Nakamura will leave Saudi Arabia as the new WWE Champion. It seems likely that the turning point in this match will be Nakamura using his newly adopted heelish tactics. His CHAOS stablemate, Toru Yano, will be proud. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
CONSENSUS: Shinsuke Nakamura (3-0)
Casket Match The Undertaker vs. Rusev
Brad: Perhaps the most obvious outcome on the show, this one is all about the Saudi Arabian fans getting a chance to witness The Undertaker in person. The casket match stipulation allows for The Undertaker to compete in a match with enough smoke and mirrors to not overtax his body. Expect Rusev to rest.. in.. peace. (Prediction: The Undertaker)
Jon: This match will likely be a short one as WWE simply wants to give the Saudi Arabian crowd a taste of The Deadman. Undertaker will certainly be going over on Rusev here. (Prediction: The Undertaker)
Ian: The Undertaker will bury Rusev at the Greatest Royal Rumble but this will be fun. Perhaps Chris Jericho will decide to get involved seeing as he was at one time scheduled to be in the match. Rusev could go with the tactics Yokozuna used in his casket match with Taker at Royal Rumble in 1994, that seemed to work well. (Prediction: The Undertaker)
CONSENSUS: The Undertaker (3-0)
John Cena vs. Triple H
Brad: It’s still amazing to me that WWE booked this match and has done virtually nothing to build it up or add backstory. Triple H wrestling a singles match is a big deal and this one was rumored for WrestleMania 34 before Ronda Rousey came into the fold. John Cena gets the feel-good win. (Prediction: John Cena)
Jon: A bit of a random pairing, however, it gives fans in Saudi Arabia a match from the past that they never had the opportunity to see live when these two were in their prime. Cena has been losing a lot lately, and maybe that will have a big payoff down the road. If that’s the case, I see Triple H getting the win here and Cena continues his difficult losing streak. (Prediction: Triple H)
Ian: I completely forgot this match was taking place. Has either Cena or Triple H cut a promo regarding it? John Cena should win this as there’s little reason to put Triple H over and Cena has lost a lot of matches lately. (Prediction: John Cena)
CONSENSUS: John Cena (2-1)
(Steel Cage Match) WWE Universal Championship Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
Brad: In the days leading up to WrestleMania, Vince McMahon made the call that New Orleans’ Superdome was not the time or place to put the title on Reigns. While it’s not guaranteed – the 75,000 fans at King Abdullah Sports City should be a lot more forgiving of a Reigns title win. Roman Reigns slaying the beast and being crowned Universal Champion over Brock Lesnar has been in the works for years. I’m not convinced that the concept has been scrapped all together, I think this is where it goes down. Roman Reigns gets the win. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Jon: I have lost all hope for this feud. If WWE truly wanted to put the Universal Championship on Roman Reigns, WrestleMania was the place to do it – regardless of the crowd’s reaction. Everyone is expecting Reigns to win here thanks to the dirt sheets and speculation, and Vince has likely heard the rumblings. I think Lesnar retains here and we remain confused and scratching our heads as to who the hell is gonna take the title off this man – and when? (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Ian: While many of us want to believe WWE has pulled the plug on Roman, it’s unlikely that has happened. Roman will win here and go on to have a lengthy run with the title. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
CONSENSUS: Roman Reigns (2-1)
50-Man Royal Rumble Match
Brad: The Greatest Royal Rumble will almost certainly have a winner that the crowd can be excited about. If there’s one man who encompasses pure joy and excitement, it’s Daniel Bryan. The visual of 75,000 fans going nuts with a Yes! chant to close the show is too good to pass up. Bryan gets the win and takes home the prestigious Greatest Royal Rumble trophy. (Prediction: Daniel Bryan)
Jon: This is going to be a fun match to watch, especially if they’re following the traditional Royal Rumble format of a Superstar coming out every few minutes rather than starting the match with 50 men in the ring. Daniel Bryan is one of the biggest stars in the world, and having a huge YES! chant in Saudi Arabia will certainly be something for the highlight reel. Bryan gets the win here and gets some major hype heading into his feud with Big Cass as we approach Backlash. (Prediction: Daniel Bryan)
Ian: To me, I think this match comes down to Daniel Bryan and Braun Strowman. I’m going to give the edge to Strowman as I think Vince McMahon will want to showcase one of his larger-than-life superstars at this spectacle of an event. WWE must know they owe the fans a Daniel Bryan Royal Rumble win at some point, however, I just think its more likely they save that for the 2019 Rumble in Phoenix. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
CONSENSUS: Daniel Bryan (2-1)
What do you think of our Greatest Royal Rumble predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section.
Mark Henry is coming out of retirement from in-ring competition for one special WWE event.
Henry has been with the sports entertainment company since 1996. He was just 24-years of age when he decided to get into the pro wrestling business. During his time with the company, he held the WWE World Heavyweight Title, ECW Title, and European Title.
If you recall, Henry hinted that he would be wrapping up his career as an in-ring performer in WWE when the WWE Network aired an episode of “Table For 3.” He would later officially announce that his 21-year in-ring career was coming to an end.
He has gone on record in previous interviews by stating that he wants to help all of the up-and-coming male and female talent develop and become successful in the company.
WWE has released this video of the WWE Hall of Famer talking about working the upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event. As for the reason he’s coming out of retirement, Henry stated, “I’ve been retired now for 10 months and I’m only coming out of retirement this one time for you.”
What are your thoughts on Henry coming out of retirement for this show? Sound off in the comment section below.
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels has had a storied career in the professional industry and will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
Michaels headlined major pay-per-view events between 1989 and 2010, closing the sports entertainment company’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, five times.
He has held every big championship that WWE had to offer and had some classic matches as well as a feud with the biggest names in pro wrestling. Those names would include The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Triple H, and Ric Flair.
Although he turned his life around when he returned from hiatus in 2002, his final match before taking time away from the WWE was interesting, to say the least as he was dealing with some issues that have been well documented.
During the first episode of WWE Network’s Something Else To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard, the long-time WWE producer reflected on the issues that Michaels had leading into his WWE Title Match against Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14 in 1998.
Prichard talked about whether people believed Michaels back injury was real and how difficult Michaels was to work with at the time (transcript courtesy of Wrestling Inc).
“There were definitely grumblings and I would venture to say that there were far more skeptics than there were sympathetic ears at this point because of the timing and the fact that a year [before], his knee was injured and while talking about dropping the title due to a knee injury, he brings up losing his smile.” Prichard continued, “so I guess it was ‘suspect at best’ as my friend, J.R., would say. People doubted it. People didn’t know if it was legitimate, which, by the way, it was a legitimate injury and it was a very bad injury. The timing of it though, didn’t help. And it certainly didn’t help that, Shawn being Shawn, wasn’t talking to a lot of people and I think that he didn’t allow anyone to feel sorry for him, really.”
“At this time, during this whole run, earlier, you could deal with people who were assholes and people who were difficult because you knew what you got and how to deal with them. You can figure all that out. That’s not that difficult. Shawn, at this point, going into WrestleMania, and probably from January on, the injury on, he was a good 9.5 to deal with. Yeah, he was there.” Prichard recalled, “Shawn had made a lot of demands. Shawn wanted security when he arrived in Boston. And he felt that the unruliness of the fans at the [public] workout [where Michaels was struck by a battery] and in general he had a lot of heat on him in general. Steve [Austin] was so red-hot as a babyface that Shawn wanted protection 24/7, and he got it, and we got it for him. We had the police escort him everywhere that he went leading up to WrestleMania and all the way till WrestleMania and after, so that’s the reality and that’s something that we did do.”
What are your thoughts on Prichard’s recalling comments about Michaels at this time? Sound off in the comment section below.
WWE is slowly but surely making changes to the way that they portray Shinsuke Nakamura on television.
It all started at WrestleMania 34 earlier this month in New Orleans when he turned heel after losing to AJ Styles for the WWE Title.
As seen on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live in Louisville, KY at the KFC Yum Center on the USA Network, Nakamura received a new entrance song and video to go along with his new character.
While building up to the Styles vs. Nakamura match at this Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble event on the WWE Network, Nakamura has been taking cheap shots at the WWE Champion by connecting with several low blows over the past few weeks on SmackDown Live.
This leads us to former TNA World Heavyweight Champion and current WWE NXT Superstar Ethan Carter III pitching the idea of a new name for Nakamura’s finisher to go along with his new heel tactic. He sent out the following tweet:
With the amount of low blows @ShinsukeN is dishing out, he may as well change the name of his finisher to the Peenshasa.#sdlive
Jay Lethal and Britt Baker are officially “All In” for the upcoming independent wrestling super-show scheduled for September 1st at the Sears Center outside Chicago, Illinois.
Lethal is a former Ring of Honor World Champion. Baker is the Monster Factory Pro Wrestling Girls Champion and is dating NXT star Adam Cole.
NXT will air a taped show from Full Sail University tonight.
The featured segment for the episode is advertised to be a face-to-face showdown between NXT Champion, Aleister Black, and Johnny Gargano. Adam Cole will also look to defend his newly won North American Championship tonight as well.
Matches and Segments for Tonight’s NXT
Johnny Gargano and Aleister Black Face-to-Face Segment
Last week, Gargano said now that his rivalry with Tommaso Ciampa has been settled, he is free to once again pursue the NXT Championship.
Aleister Black accepted Gargano’s challenge for a title match last week. Gargano will be Black’s first challenger since winning the title at Takeover: New Orleans.
North American Championship Adam Cole (c) vs Oney Lorgan
Adam Cole won the North American Championship in an epic ladder match at Takeover: New Orleans. Now, his first title defence will be against the gritty European, Oney Lorcan.
It’s possible we see a bit of a North America vs Europe thing start to play out regarding the two continental themed titles in NXT.
Undisputed Era Segment
In addition to Adam Cole defending his North American title tonight, the other members of the Undisputed Era are expected to make an appearance.
Roderick Strong recently became the newest member of the group. Strong turned on his partner, Pete Dunne, during the Dusty Rhodes Classic, allowing the Undisputed Era to retain the titles (using the Freebird rule to cover for Bobby Fish’s injury).
Now that they are a 4-person unit, Undisputed Era’s rise to the top of NXT might be unstoppable. Future storylines involving this faction should move forward tonight.
Heavy Machinery vs Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli
These two teams have met 3x so far in 2018. Each team has won once and the 3rd match went to a no-contest.
The NXT tag division has been thrown for a loop a bit recently. The departure of the Authors of Pain was followed by the debut of the War Raiders.
If either of these two teams want to stay in the mix of the NXT tag division, they will have to win tonight.
Impact Wrestling held another round of television tapings on Tuesday night from Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios. Tuesday’s tapings featured matches for multiple episodes of Impact shows with some of the matches taped out of order.
– The show opened with Impact Wrestling champion Pentagon Jr. vs. Austin Aries. The match ends in double count out, but Aries demanded it be restarted. Pentagon agreed and it lead to another double count out. Pentagon then called for it to be restarted, which Aries agreed to. Aries hit Pentagon with a low blow while the referee’s back was turned to capture the Impact Wrestling world championship.
– Fantasma defeated Drago, Aerostar and Ishimori in a Lucha rules match.
– Z&E (DJZ and Andrew Everett) defeated LAX. Ortiz and Santa argued after their loss.
– Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan ended in a no contest when Tessa Blanchard came out and attacked Hogan.
– Kong defeated Grado. Kong was attacking Grado after the match but Moose ran down to make the save.
– Su Yung defeated Allie in a Last Rites Match to become the knew Impact Wrestling Knockouts champion. Su Young won by closing Allie in a casket, which was brought out by the Undead Brides.
Update 16: Su Yung puts Allie in the casket and closed the lid to become the new KO Champ pic.twitter.com/RlC0BwvdRN
– OVE (w/Sami Callihan) vs. Drago & Aerostar ended in a no contest when Eddie Edwards came out and attacks OVE and Sami. Eddie went nuts and attacked security with a kendo stick.
– Cult of Lee defeated LAX. Ortiz and Santana argued again after their loss.
– Z&E captured the Impact Wrestling tag team championships after Scott Steiner accidentally hit Eli Drake with a chair.
Scoop #22: Z & E defeat Eli Drake & Scott Steiner to win the Impact Tag Titles pic.twitter.com/lh6zFzDwaa
– Tessa Blanchard defeated Kiera Hogan. Blanchard attacked Hogan after the match, but Madison Rayne comes down to make the save.
– In the main event, Fantasma and Pentagon Jr. (who had the Impact World Championship and was announced as champion) defeated Austin Aries and Matt Sydal when Fantasma pinned Sydal.
WWE confirmed the participants in the Cruiserweight Championship match at the Greatest Royal Rumble last night. The promotion also officially added the names of several superstars into the 50-person Royal Rumble match scheduled for the event.
New additions officially unveiled recently include:
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Kevin Owens
Shane McMahon
the Great Khali
Superstars previously announced include:
Daniel Bryan
Braun Strowman
Kurt Angle
Chris Jericho
Elias
Bobby Roode
Baron Corbin
Big E
Kofi Kingston
Xavier Woods
Apollo Crews
Shelton Benjamin
Sin Cara
Chad Gable
Goldust
Titus O’Neil
Mojo Rawley
Dolph Ziggler
Other matches scheduled for Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble include:
John Cena vs Triple H
Casket Match: the Undertaker vs Rusev
Universal Championship Match (Steel Cage): Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns
WWE Championship Match: AJ Styles (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Match (Ladder Match): Seth Rollins (c) vs Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe vs The Miz
United States Championship Match: Jeff Hardy (c) vs Jinder Mahal
Raw Tag Team Championships: The Bar vs Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Smackdown Tag Team Championships: the Bludgeon Brothers vs the Usos
205 Live Results
Last night on 205 Live, a gauntlet match was held to determine a new number 1 contender for the Cruiserweight Championship.
Buddy Murphy had previously earned a title shot but later failed to make weight. 205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, then ordered a gauntlet match to determine who will challenge Cedric Alexander at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
The first two competitors in the match were Mustafa Ali, who lost to Alexander in the Cruiserweight Championship match at WrestleMania, and TJ Perkins, the winner of the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic, TJP.
205 Live Gauntlet Results:
Mustafa Ali defeated TJP
Drew Gulak defeated Mustafa Ali
Drew Gulak defeated Tony Nese
Kalisto defeated Drew Gulak
As a result of winning the gauntlet match, Kalisto will face Cruiserweight Champion, Cedric Alexander, this Friday at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
ITV sent out a press release on Wednesday confirming that the World of Sport pro wrestling series is officially being revived as a 10-part series.
Click here for our previous report on the WoS reboot, with details on the tapings and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross confirming his status for the project.
ITV commissions new 10-part wrestling series
ITV has commissioned a new 10-part wrestling series from ITV Studios Entertainment.
WOS Wrestling will be jam-packed with the UK’s top names in the sport, competing in a fun-filled evening of family sports entertainment.
Recorded in front of a live audience at studios in Norwich, fans will get to see some of the finest pro wrestlers compete in various, intense bouts. At the end of each show, only one will get to take home the coveted WOS Wrestling Championship belt.
Plus, backstage interviews between rounds will deliver news on what the wrestling stars are thinking – be it elation or frustration.
Tom McLennan, Creative Director, ITV Studios Entertainment said, “There is a massive indie wrestling scene in the UK and a strong nostalgia for the wrestling shows of our youth. WOS Wrestling will combine the best of the past with incredible talent available today to make a fun, exciting and thrilling show that the whole family can enjoy.”
WOS Wrestling is an ITV Studios Entertainment commission for ITV. It was commissioned by Jane Beacon and Clare Ely.
Shinsuke Nakamura has new theme music. “Shadows of a Setting Sun” by Shadows of The Sun is a remix of his previous theme, “The Rising Sun.”
Nakamura challenges AJ Styles for the WWE Championship this Friday at the Greatest Royal Rumble from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Nakamura, Rusev & Aiden English scored a victory over Styles, Gallows & Anderson in the main event of this week’s SmackDown Live.
This week’s Something Else To Wrestle with Bruce Prichard on the WWE Network will feature Bruce and Conrad Thompson talking about Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage’s Mega Powers alliance from the WrestleMania IV-V era. The show drops at 8pm ET each week.
Bruce and Conrad covered the Mega Powers in Episode 2 of their Something To Wrestle podcast, which you can listen to here.
A recent social media post by Bray Wyatt has some wondering if Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel will join the “Woken” world of Matt Hardy’s. Dallas and Axel had previously been working as the Miz-tourage but their mentor was sent to Smackdown during the Superstar Shakeup.
Since that time, Axel and Dallas have approached both Seth Rollins and Finn Balor in the hopes of becoming their entourage. Now, Dallas’ real-life brother is reaching out to the pair with an offer to help.
Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy and Raw’s Tag-Team Division
Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy will have a chance to win the Raw tag-team championships on Friday in Saudi Arabia. The “Woken Warriors” will meet former champions, the Bar, for the vacant titles. The titles were vacated when Braun Strowman’s tag-team partner, Nicholas, had to return to school.
Considering the Bar have been drafted to Smackdown, it’s not clear what will happen to the Raw tag-team titles if they are won by a team from another brand.
The last 3 weeks on Raw, Wyatt & Hardy have defeated Titus Worldwide, the Revival, and the Ascension. Other teams in the division now also include the Authors of Pain and Breezeango.
Bo Dallas turns 28 next month and has been signed to WWE since he was a teenager. He wrestled his first match in WWE’s developmental system as an 18-year-old. During his time on the main roster, he has worked a motivational speaker gimmick, been a part of the Social Outcasts, and most recently as a member of the Miz’s Miz-tourage.
38-year-old Curtis Axel first signed with WWE in 2007. He’s worked several gimmicks during his time on the main roster. Axel had a run as a “Paul Heyman Guy” and won the Intercontinental Championship. He also teamed with Ryback and imitated Hulk Hogan for awhile as well. Most recently, Axel has been a part of the Social Outcasts and the Miz-tourage.
One of the most exciting things about the upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble is the announced 50 Men Battle Royal which will feature stars such as Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and more.
However, the fact that so far there was no news on the potential winner of this bout was a little surprising, given that the Battle Royal was the first match made official for the show.
Though now betting odds might have given us an idea about the possible winner of this match and it reveals a not-so-surprising name which can end up winning the whole thing.
According to odds at Betdsi.eu, the former SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan is currently favored to win the 50 Men Greatest Royal Rumble at the upcoming event.
While there are few days left for the event and odds can still change, it would make sense for Bryan to win the Greatest Rumble considering that he is one of the most over babyfaces in the current roster.
Chances are that the Battle Royal will close the show and Daniel’s victory would be a perfect way to send off the crowd home happy.
Whether or not Daniel Bryan actually comes out victorious in the Greatest Royal Rumble will be revealed on Friday, but for now, it looks to be a very likely possibility.
The Greatest Royal Rumble will take place from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this Friday on April 27th.
WWE hinted at this match last week and after the events on Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live, the company has confirmed that Daniel Bryan will be facing Big Cass at the Backlash PPV.
Tonight’s episode of the Blue Branded Show was expected to feature a Miz TV segment with the former SmackDown General Manager being the special guest of the talk show.
However, Daniel didn’t come out during the segment when the A-Lister called him out and Big Cass made his way to the ring instead. Cass then proceeded to talk about his own road to recovery and ended the segment by mocking the Yes chants.
Shortly after this, we saw Bryan lying on the ground backstage and it was revealed that the former NXT Star had attacked him from behind before the show started.
Later in the episode, these events were followed by a backstage interview of Daniel Bryan who revealed that he asked for a match against Big Cass at Backlash and his wish was granted by the new GM Paige:
