Roman Reigns has been WWE’s marquee star for over half a decade now and in the time he has main evented WrestleMania for not one but four times against opponents like Triple H and The Undertaker.

The current Universal Champion recently had a detailed interview with Bleacher Report where he shared thoughts on a wide variety of topics.

During the interview, Reigns also revealed his favorite match of the Grandest Stage Of Them All and he picked up his WrestleMania 31 match with Brock Lesnar as the one:

“I’d probably not want to do it again because it was brutal; I was a much younger man back then. But that match, to me, was an instant classic unlike, really, any other sports-entertainment match.”

• Roman Reigns Believes It Makes Sense For Him To Face The Rock At WrestleMania 39 In Hollywood

Reigns explained that the bout had a bit of something for everybody and while his other WrestleMania matches have all been great, there was something special about his fight with The Beast Incarnate:

“The matches we had as The Shield, and then the match I had coming back against Drew McIntyre after some time off to handle my health, that was very special, too. But there’s something very special about WrestleMania 31 in Santa Clara. And I was in the 49ers stadium, so that was kind of the cherry on top.”

Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble to earn a shot at Brock Lesnar’s WWE championship. However, he wasn’t able to win the title at WrestleMania. Seth Rollins cashed in his Money In The Bank contract in the middle of the bout and went on to win the championship.

Chad Gable has been helping Otis in training under his Alpha Academy and former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan has also seemingly joined this storyline to train for the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV.

The former American Alpha member recently appeared on WWE’s The Bump where he talked about things like being friends with Otis since 2010 and more.

During the interview, he also talked about how he has watched Daniel Bryan wrestle since 2002 and Gable said that competing against the former world champion is a dream match for him.

“That’s a dream of mine. That’s the dream match of mine, I haven’t gotten to the point yet in WWE where I’ve had a chance at singles championships. I want stakes to be there when I finally get that chance to wrestle Daniel.

I want something to be at stake. I want a championship to be at stake.” said Chad Gable, “I want time and to make this a technical classic. If we get that chance, I, without a shadow of a doubt, it’s going to be a legendary classic that you look back on.”

The former NXT star mentioned how many people have talked about this match and he claimed it will live up to the expectations when it finally happens because he will make sure of it.

Apart from this, Chad Gable also provided some interesting update on his former partner Jason Jordan and revealed that Jordan is actually working towards an in ring return. You can check out his comments on the matter at this link.

• Hall Of Famer Alundra Blayze Asks For Retirement Match From WWE

AEW Star Anna Jay hasn’t been wrestling for very long but the young star has impressed everyone with the improvement in her in-ring performance since her debut in September 2019.

The Dark Order member recently appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast where she talked about things like the story behind her AEW debut and more.

During the interview, the female star discussed being a WWE fan from a young age and she revealed the Bella Twins as her favorite WWE stars growing up:

“I love The Bella Twins, always say that, of course, people are like, ‘Oh, of course you do,’ but that is what got me into it because I see them and think, if they can do it, I can do it. They were good at branding themselves, and you could see that. And I feel like it started a whole different era.”

• Drew McIntyre Reacts To News Of Having Fans At WrestleMania

Anna Jay also recalled attending a WWE Live event in Jacksonville during her freshman year of high school where she got to see Nikki Bella.

Apart from this, the 22-year-old star discussed how her debut match for All Elite Wrestling was only her fifth or sixth bout and how she got offered a contract after only her second match with the company.

Madusa (WWE Hall Of Famer Alundra Blayze) wants the company to give her a retirement match and she has decided to go public with her request.

WWE’s official twitter account recently made a post asking fans who is the one superstar they would like to show up at this year’s Royal Rumble PPV.

Madusa interestingly replied to this tweet from the company and the former champion asked the promotion when are they gonna give their golden era Hall Of Famer a retirement match.

The former WWE star’s tweet suggested that she has been lobbying for one final opportunity for a while and the former WCW star indicated that she is done asking for it after her latest post:

Well you know what? One can only scream on top of the mountain for so long and so loud… When are you going to give one of your golden era Hall of Famer‘s a freaking retirement match? Just putting it out there. After this I’m done. I mean really I’m not getting any younger ?? https://t.co/TQIR3bqlb0

— Madusa/AlundraBlayze (@Madusa_rocks) January 22, 2021

Madusa made her wrestling debut back in 1984. She competed for promotions such as AWA, All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling and WCW during her career.

• New Topic For Third Season Of Dark Side Of The Ring

She had a stint with WWE from 1993 to 1995 but she was blacklisted by the promotion after the former champion jumped ships to WCW following her release from the company.

Madusa finally returned to WWE in 2015 when she was announced as an inductee of the company’s Hall Of Fame class of the year and she has made some sporadic appearances for the promotion since then.

WWE’s chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon recently confirmed plans for having fans in attendance for WrestleMania 37 and now the WWE champion Drew McIntyre has reacted to the news.

The Scottish psychopath recently had an interview with WFLA where he talked about the COVID-19 pandemic and how he headlined WrestleMania 36 without any fans in attendance.

When asked about the news of fans’ return, the WWE Champion said that it’s the one thing they have been missing all year and McIntyre called the WWE Universe their number one superstar:

“It’s the one thing we’ve been missing all year. It’s our number one Superstar, our secret sauce, what makes WWE special is how passionate and loud, and knowledgeable our fanbase are.

They can change the pace of a match. They can make an average match good, a good match great, or if an interview is going on in the ring that they don’t like, they’ll crap all over it,”

Drew McIntyre continued by saying that while they do see the reaction of people on social media among other places they still miss the live interaction:

“And we miss them. We miss the live interaction. We see everything on social media. We hear the reactions live in the ThunderDome. But to have the fans there in person, that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”

The WWE Champion Drew McIntyre is currently set to defend his title against Goldberg at next Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV on January 31.

The upcoming third season of the Dark Side Of The Ring has been making headlines recently and a new topic for the newest season has just been revealed. VICE is also working on an episode covering the life and career of Chris Kanyon.

Kanyon made his wrestling debut back in 1992. He had stints with both WCW and WWE during the Attitude Era in the late 90s. Following his WWE release in 2004, Chris Kanyon started using the gimmick of being an openly gay wrestler and he later admitted to being gay in real life.

The former WWE United States Champion passed away in April 2010 and the cause of his death was suicide by antidepressant overdose. The former champion was 40 years old at the time of his passing.

• Stone Cold Steve Austin Joining The Third Season Of Dark Side Of The Ring

Dark Side of the Ring Season 3

This is not the only topic for the third season of Dark Side Of The Ring and previous reports have revealed details of some more upcoming episodes. The topics which have been revealed so far include:

• Brian Pillman
• FMW
• XPW
• WCW/NJPW Collision In Korea
• The Smith Family
• Ion Croitoru aka Bruiser Bedlam.

All Elite Wrestling has announced the first match for AEW Revolution and it’s a biggie. Sting will make his debut alongside AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin. They will face Brian Cage and Ricky Starks in a Street Fight.

Darby Allin commented on the news that he will be Sting’s tag team partner at AEW Revolution. He posted the black and white match graphic on Instagram with the caption, “Legendary”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKUu4IUpTmw/

Sting & Darby Allin

Sting and Darby have been at Odds with Team Taz in recent weeks. On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Sting and Darby talked about “taking it to the streets” against Taz’s henchmen. You can see video of that exchange in the player embedded below.

Darby Allin will be Sting’s first tag team partner in AEW, but he recently commented on the possibility of wrestling against him. “I don’t know what his health’s like, I don’t know what he wants to do,” Allin told Sportskeeda. “If he wants to get in the ring with me, good luck, that’s what I would say, I’m ready. If he’s ready, I’m ready. I have no clue if he’s actually going to be ready. Everything’s up in the air.

Darby has also addressed comparisons to the WCW legend:

• Darby Allin Comments On Comparisons To Sting

AEW Revolution takes place Saturday, February 27th from Jacksonville, FL.

Order AEW Revolution at BR Live (US)

WWE Backstage is returning for one night.

The WWE Backstage Royal Rumble Special will air premiere Saturday, January 30th at 8pm (Eastern) on FS1. It will be hosted by Renee Paquette, Paige and Booker T.

The Backstage Rumble special will replay at midnight and then at 5pm the following day.

Naturally, this will be a Royal Rumble preview show. You can bet there will special guest appearances.

Renee Paquette and Paige both posted videos on Twitter reacting to the news.

Sheeee's baaaacck! @RealPaigeWWE joins @ReneePaquette & @BookerT5x on Jan. 30 for the return of #WWEBackstage on @FS1. pic.twitter.com/etC3jvH8hl

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 21, 2021

Triple H appeared on ESPN’s The Michael Kay Show this week. The Game spoke with Michael Kay, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg about his status for competing at WrestleMania, if he plans to take over WWE one day and much more.

WWE recently announced the dates and locations for the next three WrestleMania events. Triple H said that WWE usually has these events planned years in advance. Cities submit bids to host WrestleMania like they do with the Super Bowl. They initially had different plans for the next three WrestleManias. WWE worked closely with city officials in Tampa Bay, Dallas and Los Angeles and everyone is happy with how things ended up.

WWE is hopeful that they can have fans in attendance at WrestleMania this coming April. The NFL is bringing the Super Bowl to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay just a couple months before WrestleMania 37. Triple H says they will monitor how things go with the Super Bowl and evaluate from there.

WWE Wants Fans at WrestleMania

“I think the hopes are high, there will be some people there,” said Triple H. “Anything can happen, if this year has shown us anything. Anything can happen in this timeframe. Things move relatively quickly. The Super Bowl will be there in a few weeks, we think there will be a lot of learnings from Raymond James Stadium hosting the Super Bowl, to see what capacity they’re allowed to do, to see how they handle that capacity and see what comes out of that and how safely they can do it.”

He continued, “It all comes down to the safety of our fans and our performers and our staff. So, whatever we feel we can do working with state and local officials, working with health organizations to do it safely, then we’re all for it. WWE is different from any sport. The fans are our lifeblood. Everything we do is for their reaction. The more we can have [fans], the better, but it still has to be safety first.

Triple H repeatedly said, “It’s not the same” running shows without fans in attendance. He believes WWE has done a great job helping people take their minds off what’s going on in the world. Last year’s WrestleMania was not the spectacle fans have become accustomed to. Hopefully this year’s will be a little different and we can return to a stadium.

Will He Compete at WrestleMania?

Triple H recently returned to action on WWE Raw. This prompted a question about that match being a precursor to getting in the ring at WrestleMania.

“[Laughs] I said it a few weeks earlier, ironically, not thinking it was going to happen so quickly.. but I said I’m like that little box on the wall that says ‘in case of emergency, break glass.’ To be honest, I got the call the night before, and was like, hey we’re gonna write you into the show tomorrow, and that was it.”

He continued, “Its not the same, as a performer. My hat is off to all the men and women right now that are doing this week in week out, that did it all this time during Covid and the pandemic, and did it in front of no one, did it front of a few, did it front of video walls with fans cheering and booing.. it’s not the same. It’s difficult when you gear your whole life and your whole career towards getting that reaction and working towards it, and now you have to work towards the reaction that you believe that you will get, but it’s not the same.”

• AJ Styles Says He Wants To Wrestle Triple H At WrestleMania

Does Triple H Want To Run WWE One Day?

Finally, Triple H was asked if he intends to take over WWE one day when Vince McMahon steps aside.

“Look, for me, all of this comes down to the success of WWE. I never started doing this from any standpoint. When I first got into this, I just wanted to do it because I thought it was the greatest form of entertainment in the world and you just want to be great at it and whatever comes along with it. As my career wound down, I realized that I was just as fascinated with the behind-the-scenes of it.”

“It’s irrelevant to me who is steering the ship, who is doing what, there is plenty of work for everybody here. For me, it’s just about ensuring that like the tagline says, ‘Then, Now and Forever,’ that this brand of entertainment that I personally consider the greatest blended form of entertainment in the world, that it continues. So to me, it’s irrelevant, any of it, just as long as it continues.”

You can listen to the full Triple H appearance on the The Michael Kay Show at ESPN.

The Undertaker was recently on Joe Rogan’s podcast. During the conversation, he made some comments about today’s roster being soft. Today, Xavier Woods put out a Tweet that many are taking as a reaction to these comments.

Taker had the following to say regarding today’s WWE roster being soft.

“It’s tough right now for me [to enjoy the product]. Cause the product has changed so much and it’s kind of soft. I’ll probably piss a lot of people off but they need to hear it. It is what it is.”

Taker also specifically mentioned guys playing video games backstage in WWE.

“You go into a dressing room nowadays and it’s a lot different. I remember walking into my first real dressing room and all I saw were some crusty f***ing men. Half of them had guns and knives in their bags. S**t got handled back then. Now you walk in, there’s guys playing video games and making sure they look pretty. It’s evolution, I guess. I don’t know what it is, but I just like those eras, man. I liked when men were men.”

Xavier Woods posted the following Tweet today:

I wouldn’t be the person that I am without the guidance and lessons of a few key people from the previous generation of wrestling. They taught me about the business, to save my money, & that having video games in the locker room is healthier than having [redacted]. Thank you guys

— Austin Creed (@AustinCreedWins) January 21, 2021

Woods also recently posted the below video of his match from RAW this week with a “Grand Theft Auto” themed edit.

Flight got delayed ten minutes so I decided to amuse myself and made this ? pic.twitter.com/jlBZLKKjmd

— Austin Creed (@AustinCreedWins) January 17, 2021

The matches and the storylines booked for the female wrestlers of AEW have attracted their fair share of praises as well as criticisms. However, the role of Kenny Omega in the changing scenario of AEW’s women’s division cannot be denied.

In a recent interview with Scott Fishman of TVInsider, the AEW World Champion discussed working the creative side of the business behind the scenes, including charting the course for the AEW women’s division.

“I think we are taking baby steps,” Kenny Omega said. “We have hungry performers who are passionate about getting a chance to do their best. Passion speaks to me more than the performance of a maneuver, and right now, our women are really chomping at the bit to get these TV spots.”

Kenny Omega Praises the Women of AEW

Kenny Omega did not miss out on heaping praise on the women of AEW, and he is confident that the company will soon reach the place where the female roster gets as much screen time and opportunities as their male counterpart.

“They’re all training hard. Our roster keeps getting better. [No one has] lost their passion. They are still striving for that big goal, which is for the women’s division to get more time. I’ll have the biggest smile on my face the day we get it. I know we will.”

For a long time the AEW women’s division has been subject to criticism due to poor booking and minuscule screen time. However, wrestlers like Britt Baker, Serena Deeb, Thunder Rosa, Hikaru Shida, and others have proven time and again that they are more than capable of putting on entertaining matches and storylines if given the opportunity.

Kenny Omega also talked about his experience of working with IMPACT Wrestling and how exciting it is to have ‘blown open the doors’ between pro wrestling competitors.

• AEW Announces Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament

You can read the full Kenny Omega interview at TVInsider.

Will Hobbs debuted for AEW this summer. He turned heel and aligned with Team Taz this November. He was the guest this week on the AEW Unrestricted podcast. Hobbs spoke about trying out for WWE earlier in his career as well as earning a full-time contract with AEW.

“The tryout was good. That’s a long story but I’ll give you the short story,” Hobbs said about trying out for WWE. “They said we didn’t have anything for you right now.”

Hobbs continued to say that WWE contacted him again after he had appeared on AEW television.

“Years later, (I was) getting the carrot dangled in front of me, then I pretty much told them F-you.”

“The way I was raised, I don’t have time for that s**t. I’m not ‘Boo Boo the Fool’ as my grandmother used to say,” he continued.

Aubrey Edwards then noted others in Team Taz have similar stories.

“Yeah I think Ricky (Starks) had the same thing happen. Both the Team Taz guys. It was like (they) appear on AEW, ‘hey, remember us, we would like to talk you.'”

“I’d rather you tell me ‘100% no’ than try and BS me,” Hobbs continued.

Will Hobbs On Getting A Full-Time AEW Contract

Hobbs also spoke about signing a full-time deal with AEW in September.

“I started off as a Tier 0,” Hobbs said about his first deal with AEW. “And then I believe I got that offer, I want to say right after my Darby match on the Saturday Night Dynamite.”

“Then I believe the PPV was maybe 3 weeks after that. Right after I did my whole thing with Mox, saving him, I got to the back and had another contract waiting for me. I got on the phone, I called a few people back home. When I got back to the hotel, I’m not a real emotional person, but I had to shed a few tears.”

Today on #AEWUnrestricted, @tonyschiavone24 and I are joined by @TrueWillieHobbs! We discuss growing up watching wrestling at the legendary Cow Palace, joining Team Taz, comic books, daytime soap operas, + more!

Check it out and be sure to subscribe!

?? https://t.co/cJfEyWfo2u pic.twitter.com/JtSNV1HoYe

— Aubrey Edwards – AEW Referee (@RefAubrey) January 21, 2021

Private Party defeated Chris Sabin and James Storm this week on Impact to claim the #1 Contenders spot for the promotion’s tag-team championships.

Impact has announced that the match between current champions, The Good Brothers, and Private Party will take place on February 13th at No Surrender. The event will stream on Impact Plus.

BREAKING: @MachineGunKA and @The_BigLG will defend the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles against @IsiahKassidy and @Marq_Quen w/ @MATTHARDYBRAND on Saturday February 13th at #NoSurrender on @IMPACTPlusApp!

Subscribe HERE: https://t.co/G70KvYMxLH pic.twitter.com/sUl9i2siB6

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 21, 2021

Private Party in Impact

Matt Hardy brought Private Party to Impact this week. Tony Khan would later say that he sent Hardy to the promotion as revenge for Impact stars showing up on his show. Jerry Lynn and Tony Khan were ringside for Private Party’s match on Impact this week. Lynn even got involved in the match, holding onto Sabin’s foot so he was unable to escape from the Gin and Juice.

The Good Brothers have two other big matches upcoming. On next week’s AEW Dynamite, they will team with the Young Bucks against the Dark Order. The following week at Beach Blast, Gallows and Anderson will team with Kenny Omega to take on PAC, Fenix, and Jon Moxley.

Wrong promo to bust pal #IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/in6PSHQHO1

— The Machine Gun (@MachineGunKA) January 20, 2021

Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen seem to be warming up to Matt Hardy’s coaching, even if they aren’t happy with the financial side of their agreement. Last night on Dynamite, Kassidy used a steel chair to give his team the advantage, perhaps suggesting they have turned heel along with their mentor.

3-0 this week.

& since you’re all probably wondering…… yes, I wrestled in $1200 sneakers. #ThankYouMattHardy #Trifecta pic.twitter.com/2iECB8jGjL

— Private Party (@ZayKassidy) January 21, 2021

Joseph Meenan, better known to wrestling fans as Joey Ryan, has been awarded a default judgement against one of his accusers. Ryan was the subject of numerous allegations from multiple parties as part of the Speaking Out movement this summer. In the aftermath, he has launched multiple lawsuits against some of his accusers as well as Impact Wrestling.

As first reported by the SoCal Uncensored website, Ryan was awarded a default judgement after one of his accusers failed to respond in time.

Joey Ryan won one of his court cases today with a default judgement against Allie Kat. pic.twitter.com/kqQYcqZqwm

— SoCal UNCENSORED (@socaluncensored) January 21, 2021

According to a report from HeelByNature, the defendant was served with legal papers on October 26th, 2020 but never responded. The report states that the documents were left at the person’s residence but not served to them directly. It is still possible for the judgment here to be set aside, however.

Ryan’s legal team also asked for a default judgment to be awarded against Impact Wrestling after the company failed to respond in time. Impact did eventually respond to Ryan’s lawsuit and the case is still ongoing.

Recently, Joey Ryan posted to Twitter that he is not a criminal and has not committed any crimes.

 “I have not committed any crimes. I have never been investigated for a crime. There has never been any evidence connecting me to a crime. I have never even been a person of interest in a crime. It is bizarre that some would expect me to live my life like a criminal,” Ryan posted.

MLW Fusion on 1/20 featured a World Championship match between Jacob Fatu and ACH. Two other members of Contra Unit were also in action last night as Simon Gotch took on Jordan Oliver and Daivari faced Zenshi.

The full show can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion 1/20 Quick Results:

1. Daivari (Contra Unit) defeated Zenshi
2. Simon Gotch (Contra Unit) defeated Jordan Oliver (Injustice)
3. MLW World Championship
   Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit) (c) defeated ACH

Here are 6 key takeaways from MLW Fusion 1/20:

Daivari Picks Up First Win For Contra Unit

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352046500646277123

While Josef Samael isn’t able to physically be in the venue for recent MLW events, he’s added new troops since the restart. In addition to “The Black Hand of Contra” Mads Krugger, the faction has added Daivari to its ranks as well.

The finish of this match came when Zenshi missed a 450 splash and Daivari hit a hammerlock short-arm clothesline for the win.

Caribbean Strap Match Scheduled

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352047507438649345

Savio Vega is finally going to get his hands on Richard Holliday. He might even get his Caribbean Championship belt back. Holliday has been proclaiming himself as the title-holder for months, despite not officially defeating Vega for it. This week, Savio Vega sent in a promo and promised to use the very same strap that he and Steve Austin beat each other with on Holliday. Later in the show, Holliday said he would accept the terms in the contract he was sent for the match.

This long-running feud will reach a boiling point next week when Richard Holliday faces Savio Vega in a Caribbean Strap Match.

Simon Gotch Picks Up 2nd Win For Contra Unit

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352049017304322056

We were supposed to get this match at Kings of the Colosseum but Gotch went MIA for the event, only returning to aid in a Contra Unit assault on Injustice. While Jordan Oliver provided significant competition for Gotch, it would be the Contra member’s submission skills that would earn him the victory here. The finish of the match came when Oliver springboarded off the ropes but was caught in a sleeper by Gotch. The ref called for the bell but Gotch wasn’t done. He held onto the submission after the bell and then gave Oliver a Gotch-driver.

Jacob Fatu Retains Title Over ACH

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352056315380703236

ACH went into his title match against Jacob Fatu with taped up ribs. This was due to an attack that took place outside his gym. It’s not clear who attacked ACH, but he would say he thought he heard the voice of Dominic Garrini from Team Filthy. Is Tom Lawlor upset that ACH is getting a title shot before him? Lawlor denied these allegations when confronted with them by Alicia Atout earlier.

ACH took a beating in the early parts of the match. He mounted a comeback despite his injuries, however. He hit a springboard cutter, a hurricanrana, and an enziguri but Fatu countered with a hard kick and followed that up with a pop-up Samoan Drop and then his springboard moonsault finish for the win.

Injustice Spoils Contra Unit’s Clean Sweep

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352056566984241158

It seemed as though nothing could go wrong for Contra Unit on this night. They’d won all 3 matches on the card including Jacob Fatu defending the World Championship. As Daivari and Fatu were cutting a promo on the stage at the end of the night, they were suddenly attacked by two flag-bearing members of the Sentai Death Squad. As the two members unmasked, they were revealed to be Jordan Oliver and Myron Reed of Injustice. Contra Unit may have won all 3 matches this night, but it would be Injustice who would close the show getting the last laugh.

Also this week in MLW

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1352051534004043776

• Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy denied allegations that they attacked ACH before his match with Jacob Fatu. His faction found a creative way to pronounce “ACH” but said they aren’t worried about him and are focussing on the coming debut of “Filthy Island.”
• Salina de la Renta blew off Alicia Atout’s questions about the change of ownership regarding Promociones Dorado. Salina says the only thing anyone should be worried about is what Mil Muertes is going to do next.
• Mads Krugger cut a promo directed at Alexander Hammerstone. The two wrestlers fought to a draw at Kings of the Colosseum but now they will square off in 2 weeks in a Baklei Brawl.

The AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament is coming soon to All Elite Wrestling. The announcement was made on Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite. A 16-woman single-elimination competition will determine the #1 contender to Hikaru Shida’s AEW Women’s World Championship.

Notably, the tournament brackets feature an American flag on one side and a Japanese flag on the other. This implies half of the tournament will take place in the United States and the other half will be held in Japan. This could be due to some notable names in AEW’s women’s division being impacted by travel restrictions due to the global pandemic.

COMING SOON!#AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament!
Who will be the number one contender? pic.twitter.com/oM4I3OGrRn

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

AEW advertises the tournament as “Coming Soon” with no start date announced as of this writing.

In terms of what wrestlers could be competing in the Japanese side of the bracket, there are a few options. Former AEW Women’s Champion, Riho, could likely take part, as is Yuka Sakazaki.

Emi Sakura seems likely to be in the tournament. She sent out the below Tweet in response:

Time for Emi Sakura to have another Title Match, #AEW Women’s Champions is coming to home with me this time. #chocopro https://t.co/ofRvNL2CiD

— Emi Sakura? (@EmiSakura_gtmv) January 21, 2021

There is also a possibility we will see women from the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Division in the tournmanet.

AEW’s Top Female Competitors

The current Top 5 rankings in AEW’s Women’s Division are as follows:

1. Serena Deeb (2-0) (7-2) (+1)
2. Big Swole (1-0) (18-9) (-1)
3. Nyla Rose (1-0) (22-7)
4. Penelope Ford (0-0) (14-9)
5. Anna Jay (0-0) (9-5) (Previously unranked)

Britt Baker and Abadon are outside the top-5 now but they’ve been ranked previously.

WWE Superstar and Intercontinental Champion Big E recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The New Day member discussed a number of topics during the show, including how the wrestling world has been affected by the passing of Jon Huber/Brodie Lee/Luke Harper.

Brodie Lee of course passed away late last year. AEW and WWE have been paying tribute to Lee over the past few weeks, with his son Brodie Lee Jr being well looked after by All Elite, especially during this extremely difficult time in his family’s life.

Big E Talks Outpouring of Love for Brodie Lee

“It’s a very, very strange time for me” Big E began on Busted Open. “For all of us actually. I think the hardest thing is…I’ve really been touched by the outpouring of love for Brodie, for John Huber. He was a very, very good, dear friend of mine. I’m still kind of, you know, dealing with him not being here and his passing.”

“He was a regular part of my life” Big E continued. “He lived like 15 to 20 minutes from me, and I got to see him all the time. And you know he’s, he’s someone…I’ve never, it’s my first time losing someone who meant so much to me, and was really close to. So, the one thing that’s been really rewarding is man, you know, a lot of times I think we talked about wrestling being a family, that can be cliche, but there is a real brotherhood.”

• Clarification On WWE Superstars Declaring Entry Into The Royal Rumble

Big E then finished by saying how the ‘brotherhood’ of wrestling came together to mourn the loss of their dear friend. “I feel a real Brotherhood. In that I have so many guys that I’ve worked with, who hit me up, who cried with me, who reached out to me, and that’s beautiful. It really made me think ‘man, we have something special in our industry.'”

Our thoughts go out to Jon Huber’s family and all that have been affected by his passing

While Nikki Cross is a former two times women’s tag team champion, the female star hasn’t been featured much on WWE programming since her partnership with Alexa Bliss ended.

The former NXT star recently vented about her current position in WWE and she cut a promo about her struggles in a video posted on her Twitter account.

Cross told the interviewer who tried to talk to her that he will not get the fake smile from her because she is angry and annoyed at not having any momentum heading into the Royal Rumble PPV:

“I’m angry and I’m annoyed and I don’t want to talk about new year’s resolutions or feign happiness. The Royal Rumble is right around the corner and I have zero momentum going into it! I have no momentum to even want to!”

Nikki Cross then explained that the only thing that is stopping her from getting angry is focusing on the ring before saying that one day people will realise her potential and the reason behind the success she has achieved so far:

“I swore that I wasn’t going to be like my mom and dad; struggling and working so hard and working 60-hour shifts, night shifts, just tryin’ to keep our bellies full. I swore that wouldn’t to be me. It’s not going to be me. It’s not. Because there is a reason why I was the first-ever Scottish woman to be signed by WWE!

It may not be now, it may not even be in the near future, but one day, you’re all going to realize what exactly it is about me that got me to this point. So let me finish with this. I’m gonna be around in this industry for a very long time and I’m gonna go down as one of the best. And I am so done and I am so finished with not realizing that myself!”

• Nikki Cross Talks Teaming With Alexa Bliss in WWE

Nikki Cross made her main roster debut back in 2018 and she started teaming with Alexa Bliss in May 2019. Though this team disbanded last year and the female star was drafted to Raw from SmackDown.

…@WWE pic.twitter.com/UZ9Wa3Ypqv

— Nikki Cross (@WWENikkiCross) January 19, 2021

AEW star Kenny Omega surprised everyone when he associated himself with Impact Wrestling’s Don Callis few weeks back and since then, this relationship has extended into a full blown partnership between the two promotions.

During a recent interview with TVInsider, the current AEW Champion talked about things like their struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

When asked how it has been working with Impact Wrestling, Omega claimed that it’s exciting that they have blown the doors opens for many new potential opponents:

“I went to Impact, AAA and back to AEW, so I have been able to see three different rosters—all incredibly talented, regardless of what fans say is the best. As a performer, I’d love to work with each and every one of them.

It’s exciting that we’ve blown the doors wide open and there are all these potential opponents.” said Kenny Omega, “I just hope as we present these new matches, the fans enjoy watching them as [much as] we enjoy performing them.”

The former IWGP World Champion also talked about his partnership with Callis and said that for a long time he thought Don was one of the most psychologically gifted professional wrestlers.

According to Omega, for him joining forces with the Impact official meant that they weren’t going to take failure as an answer.

You can check out his full interview at TV Insider.

WWE has been heavily criticised in the recent times for putting part timers in the main event spot for big shows including WrestleMania while ignoring the full time stars people want to see getting a push such as Big E.

The former New Day member recently appeared on Busted Open Radio where he discussed a number of things and also talked about WWE’s booking decisions for their marquee shows.

Big E was speaking about his recent transition to singles competition and people’s high expectations for him. He opened up about how the management prioritizes ‘big money guys’ while booking shows such as WrestleMania.

Big E on Part-Time Stars

“You also know how it is man, they’re going to go through a list of part-timers, the big names the big money guys who work once a year, and they’re gonna go through that list and if they if they can’t get all those guys booked for that Roman spot for WrestleMania.

Then it’s kind of like now, who do we look to that works here on a weekly basis,” said Big E, “Who’s actually been grinding. And now maybe we give them an opportunity.” Apart from this, the IC Champion also discussed how it does not make sense for NXT call-ups to be given title shot right after their main roster debut.

Big E went on to explain how losing to Sheamus was the best thing that happened to Daniel Bryan as it made people realise his potential.

Other Stars Comment on Part-Timers

Many other WWE Superstars have spoken about part-time legends taking top spots:

• Finn Balor Defends WWE Using Part-Time Legends In Top Roles
• Roman Reigns Explains How Part-Timers Hold Full-Timers’ Potential Back
• Sheamus On Being Skeptical About Part-Time Champions
• AJ Styles On Brock Lesnar Being Part-Time WWE Champion
• Seth Rollins Explains Disadvantage Of Having Part-Time Stars As Champions
• Ryback Shoots On Steroids & Brock Lesnar: Part-Timers Need To Be Tested

One of the main complains people have about the current WWE product is that the programming has lost its edge compared to the Attitude Era and it appears that the Undertaker who has lived through this change believes the same.

The Dead Man recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience where he talked about a wide variety of topics such as his retirement from competition and more.

During the interview, Taker was asked if still follows the WWE product and whether he enjoys the current programming. Replying to it, The Phenom said that it’s tough for him to enjoy it because the product has changed:

“I try. It’s tough right now for me [to enjoy the product]. Cause the product has changed so much and it’s kind of soft. I’ll probably piss a lot of people off but they need to hear it. It is what it is.

To the young guys [who think] ‘he’s a bitter old guy.’ I am not bitter. I did my time. I am good. I walked away when I wanted to walk away.”

• The Undertaker On Watching WWE: It’s Hard To Be Just A Straight Fan

The Undertaker Believes The Current Product Is A Bit Soft

The Undertaker admitted that while there are some guys who have an edge to them, the product is ultimately a little too soft for his taste:

“I just think the product is a little soft. There is obviously guys here and there that have an edge to them but there’s too much pretty and not enough substance I think right now.”

The Undertaker was also asked if he has something left in the tank and the former World Champion said that while he still has the passion for wrestling, the reality is that he is physically not able to perform at the level he wants to.

What do you think about the wrestling veteran’s assessment of the current WWE product? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0q5HPUQ774

One-half of the current SmackDown tag team champions Dolph Ziggler recently appeared on WWE’s The Bump where he talked about things like winning the tag titles with Robert Roode and more.

With the Royal Rumble event being less than two weeks away, everybody is talking about the event and sharing their predictions and memories of the show.

During the interview, Ziggler also revealed his own favorite Royal Rumble moment and he recalled the time he challenged Edge for the world title at the event in 2011:

“There was a Royal Rumble where I fought against Edge for the World Heavyweight title once; we went one-on-one to open up the Royal Rumble. I went in knowing and the entire audience knowing that I had no chance of winning.

Because Edge is so awesome at what he does because that rivalry became so great because I learned so much in the past from traveling with him,” said Dolph Ziggler, “[I knew] I was a formable opponent to him at the time.”

• The Rock Thinks Dolph Ziggler Should Become WWE Champion

The former world champion continued by saying that the entire crowd started realising that there was a star in the making in that match, 10 minutes into the bout.

According to Dolph Ziggler, they stole the show with the opening match and he doesn’t even remember who won the Royal Rumble afterwards. You can check out his full interview in the video below:

Former SmackDown women’s champion Bayley recently posted a picture on Twitter revealing that she was backstage for this week’s episode of NXT.

This week’s episode of the show saw the first-ever women’s edition of Dusty Rhodes tag team classic tournament kicking off with a match between Team Ninja and the team of Mercedes Martinez & Toni Storm.

Bayley interestingly took a selfie with the trophy for the tournament before the show went on air and she later posted the photo on Twitter as seen below.

WWE announced the first-ever women’s Dusty Rhodes tag team classic earlier this year and they revealed the brackets for the same recently.

Bayley had interestingly asked Triple H to let her compete in the NXT tournament but as the brackets revealed, she is not a part of the competition.

• Bayley Reveals Her Mount Rushmore Of Women’s Wrestling

There is no word yet on if the former women’s champion had any special reason to be in the Capitol Wrestling Center but it’s most likely that she was just visiting the arena to interact with the tag team classic competitors.

Bayley was engaged in a feud with Sasha Banks for the most part of 2020 and it would be interesting to see what the company is planning for her in 2021.

pic.twitter.com/F72fyTff0g

— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) January 20, 2021

.@TripleH put me in the women’s Dusty tournament

— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) January 15, 2021

AEW Dynamite aired from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. Santana & Ortiz, Hager & Guevara, and Jericho & MJF competed to determine which team from Inner Circle will go for the AEW Tag Team Championships in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, AEW announced a Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament. The winner will become the #1 contender for the AEW Women’s Championship.

COMING SOON!
AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament!
Who will be the number one contender? pic.twitter.com/uaGHUIdZIl

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Dynamite Results (1/20)

1. Dark Order def. Chaos Project & TH2
2. Cody def. Peter Avalon
3. Jon Moxley def. Nick Comoroto
4. Private Party & Matt Hardy def. Top Flight & Matt Sydal
5. Penelope Ford def. Leyla Hirsch
6. Chris Jericho & MJF def. Sammy Guevara & Jake Hager, Santana & Ortiz

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Hangman Page Declined To Join Dark Order

Dark Order came to the entrance ramp with Brodie Jr. to celebrate his birthday. The Huber family was in the crowd as John Silver grabbed a microphone. Silver said that the Dark Order was about to get a new recruit (Hangman Adam Page) and shouted that it was somebody’s birthday. John asked the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to Brodie Jr.

Happy Birthday, Brodie Lee Jr!
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/6Ch1KJi0KS

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Luther and Serpentico interrupted and said that AEW has become a day care center. A “you look stupid!” chant broke out in Daily’s Place as Luther boasted about his face being perfectly symmetrical. Luther called -1 stupid and a doofus and added that the Chaos Project does not like children. Luther shouted that they were going to ruin -1’s birthday and a brawl broke out. Hangman Page joined the party and leaped off the stage for a Crossbody onto Chaos Project and TH2.

Silver hit Angelico with an uppercut and went for the cover but Jack Evans broke it up at two. Hangman tagged in and connected with a Spinebuster. Hangman planted Serpentico with a Fallaway Slam for a near fall. Silver hit Evans with a Cannonball off the apron and then Reynolds flipped onto them. Hangman followed it up with a Moonsault off the top rope as Dark Order completely took control of the match.

Back in the ring, Colt Cabana tagged in and planted Serpentico with a Body Slam. Luther shoved Colt Cabana out of the ring as Serpentico rolled up Reynolds for a two count. Jack Evans hit a 450 Splash and went for the cover but Page broke it up at two. Hangman Powerbombed Jack Evans onto the crowd as Luther and Cabana battled on the entrance ramp. -1 hit Luther with a kendo stick and Colt slammed Luther’s face into the cake. Back in the ring, Hangman hit the Buckshot Lariat and Reynolds hit Serpentico with a German Suplex for the pinfall victory.

After the match, -1 said that you cannot ruin my birthday and hit Serpentico with the kendo stick. -1 then threw the papers at Serpentico and said his birthday was three days ago and called Chaos Project idiots. John Silver told Hangman that he is really handsome and asked him to join the Dark Order. Hangman Page said he can’t join and a band came out as “he said yes!” flashed on the screen. Dark Order shuffled the band and shirtless cowboys away as Hangman Page stated the last time he did a group thing it did not end well for him. Page left the ring and made his way backstage after grabbing a bottle of whiskey out of Stu Grayson’s hand.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1352062295308951552?s=20

Well…that didn't go according to plan.
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/X4uUSYX9Xj

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Team Taz Challenged Sting & Darby Allin

Sting and TNT Champion Darby Allin joined Tony Schiavone in the ring tonight on Dynamite. Sting noted that Darby reminds him of himself and he kind of likes it. Allin said Darby is a phenomenal wrestler and congratulated him on being TNT Champion. Sting said he wasn’t here to interrupt the match last week but Team Taz quickly interrupted. Taz shouted that it wasn’t fair and that they fight street style. Taz suggested that they take it to the streets to settle this. Allin said “be careful what you wish for because it just might happen”.

.@OfficialTAZ and the rest of #TeamTAZ throws down the challenge! #AEWDynamite #AEWonTNT pic.twitter.com/cOBEhzYKcp

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) January 21, 2021

Don Callis Insulted The Young Bucks

Young Bucks showed up to meet with Kenny Omega at his house. Matt and Nick stumbled upon a ridiculous oil painting of Omega and Don Callis shirtless. Don said that Omega was unable to attend this meeting at his own house and that the Young Bucks must not have gotten Kenny’s new phone number. Callis told Marvez to leave and handed Young Bucks a check “for their investment in Kenny’s friendship”. Don claimed that Young Bucks were holding AEW Champion Kenny Omega back and it is time to cut the chord. Matt ripped up the check because he knows Impact Wrestling checks usually are not good anyway.

Da hell….
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/Z7vXsBS0d1

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Where is @KennyOmegamanX?!
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/BjbYRxrYsp

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Callis later spoke to Kenny Omega and Don revealed a black eye. Kenny wanted to know who was responsible for it and Callis revealed it was the Young Bucks. Omega and the Good Brothers later attacked Pentagon Jr. backstage.

The invisible hand? More like The Snitch @TheDonCallis.
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/6AFRDhXwkm

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

. @KennyOmegamanX & The Good Brothers @MachineGunKA & @The_BigLG take out @PENTAELZEROM backstage!
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/d8wW19UwuU

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Cody Picked Up A Win

Cody faced Peter Avalon tonight on Dynamite. Cody hit the Cross Rhodes right away but didn’t go for the cover. Jade Cargill’s music hit and she came to the entrance ramp. Peter Avalon hit Cody with a low blow but Cody quickly battled back. Cody climbed to the top rope but Avalon caught him with a couple punches to the face. Avalon connected with a Superplex as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

.@PAvalon takes full advantage of the interruption by @Jade_Cargill!
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/Ac0u0xlzXo

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

When Dynamite returned, Avalon went for a Moonsault but Cody was able to get out of the way. Peter went for a Headlock but Cody escaped. Cody went to leap frog Peter but it was botched and they awkwardly collided. Cody hit the Cutter and followed it up with a Powerslam. Cody applied the Figure Four but Avalon reversed it. Cody reversed it again for the submission victory.

THE CODY CUTTER #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/eC7DNLw5zo

— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) January 21, 2021

Jon Moxley Returned To Action

Jon Moxley faced Nick Comoroto tonight on Dynamite. Moxley headbutted Nick and hit him with a couple chops in the corner of the ring. Moxley hit Nick with a Clothesline and went for a Crossbody but Comoroto caught him. Nick connected with a Powerslam and beat Jon down in the corner of the ring. Comoroto hit a Backbreaker and then stretched Jon out across his knee. Nick connected with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Moxley kicked out at two. Moxley booted Nick in the chest several times and went for a Suplex but Comoroto escaped. Moxley hit a German Suplex and went for a Clothesline but Nick didn’t go down. Moxley applied a Sleeper Hold and brought Comoroto to the canvas. Moxley then choked Comoroto out for the victory.

After the match, Jon Moxley said that anything can happen on Dynamite. Moxley stated that things are getting crazy around here and he cannot keep track of everything. Jon said that his frat brothers from Nashville were brought here to watch Omega’s back but all it will do will cause more violence and he loves it. Jon added that the bigger the mountain is to climb the sweeter it is at the top. Moxley said that all roads in professional wrestling lead through him and did some pushups to end the promo.

Motivated & hungry! @JonMoxley is ready for whoever steps up to him.
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/c5qvBrTFyJ

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Private Party Cheated To Win

Private Party & Matt Hardy squared off against Top Flight & Matt Sydal tonight on Dynamite. They action was back and forth for several minutes before Isiah Kassidy used a steel chair as Matt Hardy was distracting the referee. Marq Quen then capitalized for the pinfall victory. After the match, Matt Hardy hit Top Flight and Matt Sydal with the Twist of Fate.

? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/qsl3yiCsOk

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Penelope Ford def. Leyla Hirsch

Leyla Hirsch squared off against Penelope Ford tonight on Dynamite. Chuck Taylor was dressed as a butler and Kip Sabian asked him to trip up Leyla. Chuck obliged and Penelope capitalized with a kick to the face. Penelope launched Leyla into the barricade as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

.@thePenelopeFord and @TheKipSabian are loving every second! #AEWDynamite #AEWonTNT pic.twitter.com/PBxLkMnJKr

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) January 21, 2021

When Dynamite returned, Penelope and Leyla traded punches in the middle of the ring. Leyla delivered a running knee to the face and followed it up with a German Suplex. Leyla connected with Double Knees and went for the cover but Ford kicked out at two. Hirsch dove onto Kip and Chuck outside the ring but Penelope caught her with a kick to the face. Sabian held Leyla’s leg down as Ford covered her for the win.

After the match, Miro got into the ring and told Charles the Butler (Chuck Taylor) to say that he is his best friend now and not Orange Cassidy. Charles reluctantly told Orange Cassidy that Miro is his best friend now.

"@tobemiro is my best friend now" – @SexyChuckieT
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/mjOX0HCmMF

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

MJF & Jericho Won The Inner Circle Tag Team Challenge

Jericho & MJF, Sammy Guevara & Hager, Santana & Ortiz battled in the Inner Circle challenge to determine which tag team will represent the stable and go for the AEW Tag Team Championships. Sammy Clotheslined Jericho out of the ring and posed with a smile on his face. Jericho got back in the ring and booted Sammy in the midsection.

'The Red Rocker' @sammyhagar is cheering for @sammyguevara & @realjakehager tonight in your main event!
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/FFSzFQldgO

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Guevara sent Jericho to the corner and Hager caught him with a right hand to the face. Hager and Santana then tagged into the match. Jake hit a shoulder tackle but Santana responded with a Dropkick. Ortiz tagged in and hit Hager with a Belly to Back Suplex.

Jericho tagged in and leveled Ortiz with a chop to the chest. Santana hit Jericho with a Crossbody and followed it up with a Moonsault for a two count. When Dynamite returned from a break, Jericho hit Sammy with a Suplex. Jericho went for the cover but Sammy was able to kick out at two.

It's all breaking down in your main event tonight! Which team will represent the Inner Circle?
Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama pic.twitter.com/ZjDzy3dd4P

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 21, 2021

Sammy hit Jericho with a few chops before Guevara sent him into the turnbuckle. Jake Hager knocked Jericho out of the ring and planted MJF with a Spinebuster. Sammy tagged in and hit a springboard Cutter. Ortiz tagged in and walked into a Clothesline from Sammy. Guevara Clotheslined Jerihcho out of the ring and hit him with a Superkick.

Back in the ring, Santana booted Sammy in the face as Ortiz hit Jericho with a Suicide Dive. Sammy flipped onto MJF outside the ring and then rolled back into the ring. Sammy hit Ortiz with a Suplex but Santana caught him with a boot to the midsection. MJF lifted Sammy up in the Electric Chair but Guevara countered into a reverse Hurricanrana. Sammy followed it up with a Spanish Fly onto Ortiz for a two count.

Jericho brought Floyd the bat into the ring but Hager booted him in the face. MJF put on the Dynamite Diamond ring but Hager hit him with a punch to the face. Santana and Ortiz took out Hager with a Clothesline. Jericho tagged in and hit the Lionsault on Sammy for a two count. Jericho hit Ortiz with the Codebreaker and went for the cover but Ortiz was able to kick out at two. Ortiz hit a double DDT but Hager tagged himself in. Sammy hit MJF with a Senton but Ortiz broke it up. Sammy hit the GTH on Jericho but MJF rolled him up and grabbed the tights for the pinfall victory.

Opinion: This was one of the worst episodes of Dynamite I can remember. There were several matches that I don’t know how anyone could have cared about. Peter Avalon beat up Cody for several minutes tonight for whatever reason. I don’t think AEW is going to start pushing Peter Avalon any time soon. The women’s match was thrown in at it’s usually 9:30 PM time slot and Miro’s terrible storyline with Best Friends was the focal point of that segment anyway. I was hoping that Santana and Ortiz would win the main event because they the real tag team in Inner Circle.

https://twitter.com/FiteTV/status/1352088910793474048?s=20

The January 20, 2020 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

• Kushida and Leon Ruff def. Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory 
• Karrion Kross def. Ashante “Thee” Adonis
• Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik) def. Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner)
• Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro def. Toni Storm & Mercedes Martine
• Bronson Reed def. Tyler Rust
• Timothy Thatcher def. Tommaso Ciampa in the Fight Pit.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match

Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez vs. Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter in a Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match was booked. 

This was the first match of the tournament to take place. Unlike the men’s tournament, there are not as many teams in it, which means there won’t be as many matches. There is no second round so the winners of the first-round matches will move onto the semi-finals. 

Io Shirai came out and took out Martinez for revenge. Kacey hit a dive off the top rope for the win. 

As a result of this win, they will move onto face the winner of Aliyah & Jessi Kamea vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez.

.@shirai_io is BACK! ? ?#WWENXT #DustyClassic pic.twitter.com/0A7GUqjjMA

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

The veteran experience of @RealMMartinez cannot be matched! #WWENXT #DustyClassic @KacyCatanzaro pic.twitter.com/kHKYrfLsIT

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match

Kushida and Leon Ruff vs. NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory took place in a Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match.

This opened the show. The heels dominated most of the match. There was a spot where Ruff accidentally took out Kushida that led to a double team spot with Gargano and Theory. The baby faces made a comeback with the finish seeing Kushida pinning Gargano with a suplex. 

As a result of this win, they will move onto face the winner of Grizzled Young Veterans. It should be noted that WWE has recently teased Kushida coming after Gargano’s North American Title and with him pinning the champ, this sets up a future title match after the tournament. Something to keep an eye on. 

.@JohnnyGargano: Sneaky or smart?

Both. The answer is both. #WWENXT #DustyClassic @LEONRUFF_ @KUSHIDA_0904 @austintheory1 pic.twitter.com/WSNl6tOPfh

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

NeXT ROUND HERE THEY COME! #WWENXT #DustyClassic @LEONRUFF_ @KUSHIDA_0904 pic.twitter.com/v3Ol87IwFd

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

Imperium vs. Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado 

Imperium (Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner) vs. Gran Metalik and  Lince Dorado took place in a Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match.

The match had some fun moments with the babyfaces hitting some high spots. It felt like old school versus new school with the way that each team works, but they made it good. After a commercial break, the babyfaces made a comeback including Metalik hitting a springboard moonsault off the top rope for 2. Imperium hit a double team move to Dorado for a near fall. 

Dorado hit a shooting star press for the win. Many people would consider this was an upset as Imperium were one of the favorites to win the match. 

As a result of this win, they will move onto face the winner of Legado Del Fantasma. 

#LuchaHouseParty is in a world of hurt courtesy of #Imperium on #WWENXT. ?#DustyClassic @FabianAichner @Marcel_B_WWE @LuchadorLD @WWEGranMetalik pic.twitter.com/n1dgj9mxDB

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

PROTECT THE #WWENXT ANNOUNCE TEAM AT ALL COSTS! #DustyClassic @LuchadorLD @FabianAichner @TheBethPhoenix @StuBennett @VicJosephWWE pic.twitter.com/SLdLndXxUt

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

Fight Pit Match

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher took place in the fight pit, which is a fan favorite after the company booked this gimmick themed match earlier this year. Thatcher was also involved in the first match by defeating Matt Riddle this May. Kurt Angle was the special guest referee for it. 

The match featured them beating the heck out of each other. They brawled on top of the structure then into the cage. The finish saw Thatcher pin Ciampa’s leg in between the cage and Thatcher pulled on it until Ciampa tapped out. It was a brutal match. Now, Thatcher moves to a 2-0 record in the fight pit. 

Ciampa defeated Thatcher in their match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames earlier this month. On last week’s episode, Leon Ruff got a surprise win by pinning Thatcher with a cradle. Post-match, Thatcher beat down Ruff until Ciampa ran out to make the save. Ciampa laid out Thatcher with the Willow’s Bell DDT. This is when Ciampa laid out the challenge. 

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1352090118761443328

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1352088572346642437

If it wasn't obvious, Timothy Thatcher is ???????? to be back inside the #FightPit!

We're serious. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/wqizrrALtR

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

p a g i n g @PeteDunneYxB #WWENXT #FightPit @NXTCiampa pic.twitter.com/uAniGZFLgI

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

o n e m o r e t I m e#WWENXT #FightPit @PeteDunneYxB @NXTCiampa pic.twitter.com/CvNUQc4egF

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021