Archive for January, 2022

WWE RAW Results (1/31): Ronda Rousey Returns, Matches Set For Elimination Chamber

WWE RAW aired live from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, OH. Ronda Rousey celebrated her Royal Rumble victory and Brock Lesnar picked his WrestleMania 38 opponent after winning the men’s Royal Rumble match. There were three Elimination Chamber Qualifier matches tonight on RAW.

RAW Results

  1. Rhea Ripley def. Nikki A.S.H.
  2. The Miz def. Dominik Mysterio
  3. Austin Theory def. Kevin Owens to qualify for the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match
  4. Angelo Dawkins def. Dolph Ziggler
  5. Riddle def. Otis to qualify for the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match
  6. Bianca Belair def. Carmella
  7. AJ Styles def. Rey Mysterio to qualify for the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Brock Lesnar Will Face Roman Reigns At WrestleMania & Will Be In The Elimination Chamber Match

Adam Pearce kicked off the show and announced that we are on the Road to WrestleMania. Pearce noted that Lashley will defend the WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber next month. WWE Champion Lashley interrupted and came to the ring with MVP.

Lashley claimed that he was a better mixed martial artist than Brock and a better WWE Champion. Bobby boasted about pinning Lesnar but left out the interference from Roman Reigns. Brock Lesnar then interrupted in his wrestling gear and strutted to the ring while laughing.

Brock grabbed a microphone and told MVP he will stick the cane right up his ass if he doesn’t shut up. Lesnar wondered what the pride in winning the title was for Lashley when he only won because of Reigns & Heyman. Brock told Lashley that he isn’t mad at him and it is all good. Lesnar added that it was a good contest and gave Lashley kudos. Brock spoke in 3rd person and said he now gets to choose his opponent at WrestleMania because he won the rumble.

Lesnar announced that he is going to face Roman Reigns but it is going to be title versus title and challenged Lashley to a WWE Championship match tonight. MVP tried to talk Lashley out of it as Lesnar taunted him. Lesnar called Lashley a chicken shit and Lashley stared at Brock but still left the ring. Brock continued to shout at him and call him a chicken shit again. Adam Pearce announced that Lesnar will be in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match.

Rhea Ripley def. Nikki A.S.H.

Rhea Ripley faced Nikki A. S.H. in the first match of the night. Nikki charged but Rhea showed off her power and launched Nikki across the ring. Ripley held Nikki up for a bit before planting her with a Suplex. Nikki rolled out of the ring to regroup and held her lower back in pain. Ripley chased Nikki out of the ring and she ran back inside. Nikki trapped Rhea in the ring apron and stomped her down as RAW went to a break.

Ripley battled back when RAW returned and leveled Nikki with a Clothesline. Rhea followed it up with a Dropkick and went for a Splash in the corner but Nikki got out of the way. Ripley crashed into the turnbuckle but shrugged it off and hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.

Rhea perched Nikki up on the top turnbuckle but Nikki caught her with a punch. Nikki followed it up with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Rhea kicked out at two. Rhea took back control and quickly put Nikki away with the Riptide for the pinfall victory.

Alexa Bliss’ Journey Back To RAW Continued

Alexa Bliss had another therapy session this week. Bliss said Lilly loved watching scary movies and we always had so much fun. The therapist gave Alexa a Lilly replica doll and told Alexa that this shouldn’t mean anything to her.

Another therapy segment aired in the third hour of the show. The therapist told Bliss that this was a replica Lilly doll bought on WWE Shop. Alexa held the doll and started getting emotional.

The Miz Outsmarted The Mysterios

The Miz faced Dominik Mysterio tonight. Rey Mysterio accompanied Dominik to the ring for the match. Miz taunted Dominik and didn’t take him seriously. Dominik responded by knocking Miz on his ass with a punch to the face. Miz went for a Clothesline but Dominik countered and sent him to the ropes.

Dominik went for the 619 but Miz rolled out of the ring. Miz shoved Rey to the floor and hit Dominik with a knee to the face. Miz pretended that Rey tripped him up and the referee kicked him out from ringside. Dominik was distracted and Miz capitalized with the Skull Crushing Finale for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins & Austin Theory Will Be In The Elimination Chamber Match

Kevin Owens came to the ring for an episode of the KO Show. Owens said we are on the road for the most “stupendous two nights of WrestleMania”. Kevin vowed to beat the “protected, wannabe superstar Austin Theory” tonight and qualify for the Elimination Chamber. Owens introduced Seth Rollins as his guest.

Rollins complimented Cincinnati and a “who dey!” chant broke out for the Super Bowl bound Bengals. Owens rolled footage of Roman Reigns getting himself disqualified and beating Rollins down at Royal Rumble. Kevin told Seth that he was “the Universal Champion of his heart” and Rollins thanked him. Seth turned his attention to Bobby Lashley and said he will be in the Elimination Chamber match.

Owens and Theory competed in an Elimination Chamber Qualifier match. Kevin Owens dominated the match early and lit up Theory’s chest with some chops. Theory battled back with a beautiful Dropkick and went for the cover but Owens kicked out at two. Owens set Theory up for a Cannonball but he rolled out of the ring. Owens chased after him and launched Austin into the barricade. Owens then hit the Cannonball and brought Theory into the ring.

Austin rolled back outside and regrouped against the barricade. Owens followed him again but Theory caught him with a boot to the face. Theory smashed Owens’ head into the steel steps and Owens screamed in agony as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Owens hit an Enziguri and followed it up with a DDT. Owens climbed to the top turnbuckle but Theory hit him with a forearm to the face. Owens hit a headbutt and went for a springboard Moonsault but Theory got out of the way. Austin connected with an awesome standing Blockbuster for a near fall.

Owens battled back with a Superkick and then a Swanton off the top rope for a near fall. Both superstars battled on the turnbuckle once again. Theory went for a Superplex but Owens countered into one of his own. Owens went for the cover but Austin Theory got his boot on the bottom rope at two.

Owens brought Austin out of the ring and went for a Powerbomb. Austin escaped into the ring and booted Owens in the face while he was in the ropes. Theory followed it up with the ATL for the pinfall victory. Austin Theory has qualified for the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship and took a selfie to celebrate.

Angelo Dawkins def. Dolph Ziggler

Angelo Dawkins faced Dolph Ziggler tonight. Ziggler connected with a Superkick to start off the action and went for the cover but Dawkins kicked out. Angelo connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Splash. Ziggler connected with a DDT for a two count. Dawkins ducked under a Superkick and connected with Drill Bit for the pinfall victory.

Bianca Belair def. Carmella

Carmella faced Bianca Belair this week on RAW. Carmella rolled out of the ring right away to put on her mask. Bianca chased Carmella around the outside of the ring. Carmella stomped on Belair on the ring apron and beat her down for a bit. Carmella applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Bianca battled to her feet.

Bianca broke free and went for a Body Slam but Carmella escaped and slammed Belair to the mat before going back to the Headlock. Belair escaped again and connected with a Suplex. Bianca followed it up with the KOD for the pinfall victory.

Riddle Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match

Riddle and Chad Gable had a scooter race tonight. Before the race, Riddle and Gable argued and Chad said it was a joke that a scooter race has been included in this competition. They then had a 50 lap race throughout the evening. Otis knocked Riddle over at the finish line and Gable won the race.

Otis battled Riddle following the scooter race. Adam Pearce announced that it will be an Elimination Chamber Qualifier. Otis sent Riddle to the corner and hit him with a flurry of punches. Otis followed it up with a Splash for a near fall. Otis beat Riddle down some more and knocked him out of the ring. Riddle got back in the ring but Otis hit him with a shoulder tackle and Riddle flew across the ring. Otis connected with a Body Slam and an Elbow Drop. Riddle battled back and unloaded some forearm strikes to the face.

Otis shrugged them off and dropped Riddle with a Clothesline. Riddle got in some kicks but Otis sent him across the ring with a Fallaway Slam. Riddle ducked under a Clothesline and connected with the Ripcord Knee. Riddle hit another knee strike and made his way to the top turnbuckle. Riddle hit a Floating Bro that landed on Otis’ knee and geared up for an RKO. Otis blocked it but Riddle hit another Floating Bro on Otis for the pinfall victory. Riddle has qualified for the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match.

The third competition will be a Quiz Bowl next week when RAW airs on SyFy Network.

AJ Styles Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match

AJ Styles battled Rey Mysterio in an Elimination Chamber Qualifier match. The winner will join Lashley, Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Austin Theory, and Riddle in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. Styles and Rey locked up to start off the action. Rey rolled up Styles for a near fall and AJ applied a Headlock.

Rey escaped but Styles hit him with a shoulder tackle. Rey responded with a Hurricanrana that sent AJ to the corner. Mysterio hit another Hurricanrana off the middle turnbuckle but Styles responded with a Backbreaker. AJ went to throw Mysterio out of the ring but Mysterio landed on his stomach on the ring and on his feet on the floor. Styles couldn’t believe it and chased after him. Mysterio set AJ up for the sliding Splash but Styles got his knees up. AJ’s momentum was short-lived and Mysterio sent Styles into the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Styles was back in control and had Mysterio in a Headlock in the center of the ring. Mysterio escaped and connected with a Tornado DDT that sent both superstars to the mat. Rey hit another Hurricanrana and followed it up with a springboard Splash for a two count. Rey went for a Dropkick but AJ held onto the ropes and Mysterio crashed to the canvas. AJ quickly hit a Michinoku Driver and went for the cover but Mysterio kicked out.

Rey went for the 619 but Styles dodged it. Mysterio ducked the Phenomenal Forearm and connected with a kick to AJ’s face. Rey took a bit to go for the cover and Styles kicked out at two. Mysterio perched AJ up on the top turnbuckle and went for a Hurricanrana but AJ blocked it. AJ went for a Styles Clash off the top rope but Mysterio escaped. Rey hit the 619 and made his way back up to the top turnbuckle. Rey went for a Splash but AJ got out of the way. Mysterio still rolled up Styles but AJ kicked out at two and leveled Rey with a Pele Kick.

Mysterio countered a Powerbomb into a Senton and went back up to the top rope. Rey went for another Senton but AJ rolled through and connected with the Styles Clash for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles has qualified for the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match on Saturday, February 19th.

Ronda Rousey Will Pick WrestleMania Opponent On SmackDown, Lita Will Face Becky Lynch At Elimination Chamber

Ronda Rousey made her way to the ring in the final segment of the show and got a great reaction from the crowd. Rousey took a look at the WrestleMania sign and wondered if she should face Charlotte or “Rebecca”. Ronda said the biggest fight with any woman is always with her and that Rebecca is on her undercard.

RAW women’s Champion Becky Lynch said it was funny that Ronda said that she is on her undercard when she is only one that has been able to beat Rousey. Lynch joked that she wouldn’t blame Ronda for starting with an appetizer like Charlotte Flair in her first WrestleMania back. Lynch said she wanted to know who she is going to beat next and wanted an answer from Rousey. Ronda took Becky down and didn’t apply an Armbar, instead told Becky that she will get her answer this Friday on SmackDown.

Lynch got back on the microphone and started claiming Rousey was running away. Lita showed up and joked about how rude Ronda Rousey was before getting in the ring with Big Time Becks. Lita told Becky that she knew right when she met her that she would be right here in the main event. Lynch joked that she might have gotten in trouble a time or two for wearing her thong outside her pants like Lita and that she idolized her growing up. Lita then challenged Becky to a match at Elimination Chamber and Lynch declined.

Lita noted that Becky claims to never backdown from a challenge and Lynch started to make excuses as the crowd booed. Lita told Becky to just say she is scared and Becky accepted the challenge out of anger. Lita exited the ring as Becky was distraught that she just accepted a match with Lita.

Posted January 31st, 2022 in Results.

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns Confirmed For WWE WrestleMania 38

As expected, WWE will have Brock Lesnar challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Title at WrestleMania 38 in April. It’s unclear which night the match will take place on – April 2nd or 3rd. 

Lesnar ended up winning the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble match to earn the right to this bout. Earlier in the night of the Royal Rumble event, Lesnar dropped the WWE Title to Bobby Lashley after Paul Heyman turned on his former client and helped Reigns’ attack on Lesnar when the referee was down as “The Tribal Chief” grabbed the title from Heyman to hit Lesnar with it. 

During the opening segment of Monday Night Raw, Lesnar interrupted the newly crowned WWE Champion. He announced the match with Reigns since it was his choice. However, since he was dressed to fight, he wanted a rematch with Lashley. He said the match with Reigns should be title vs. title. 

After MVP declined the challenge, Lesnar called Lashley a “chicken sh*t.” As a result, WWE on-screen authority figure Adam Pearce announced that Lesnar would be one of those 5 Superstars to be in the Elimination Chamber match where Lashley will defend his title on February 19th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

There will be qualifying matches including Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles and Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory taking place on Raw to fill out the remaining spots in the match. 

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Matt Hardy Confirms WWE Reached Out To Jeff About Returning for HOF Induction

Matt Hardy has confirmed a report that WWE recently reached out to his brother Jeff about returning for a Hall of Fame induction.

Late in 2021, WWE released Jeff Hardy following a situation that occurred at a house show event. Jeff had competed alongside Drew McIntyre and Xavier Woods in the main event of a show in Edinburg, Texas.

Speculation ran rampant as Jeff appeared to be lethargic and exited into the crowd after giving McIntyre the hot tag. Jeff took pictures with fans and made his exit before the match finished. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful broke the news that Jeff was let go after turning down WWE’s offer to enter a rehabilitation program. Last week, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that John Laurinaitis called Jeff about being part of this year’s Hall of Fame class.

According to Matt Hardy, the Observer report about Hardy hearing from WWE is true. During his latest Twitch stream, Matt says WWE calling Jeff about returning is a “real thing” that actually happened. Jeff wasn’t interested, but did request the results of the drug test he took around his WWE release. Lawyers had to get involved before Jeff got his hands on the results – but they came back clean.

Jeff Hardy & WWE

“He got a call, which this has been reported online, from John Laurinaitis and they had offered to induct him into the Hall of Fame and they said they wanted to do this. I know people have seen this online and that’s not made up.

“That’s a real thing that happened and he [Jeff] just asked for his drug test at the very end of the conversation and said, ‘No, I just want my drug test. I want the clean result,’ kind of the clearest thing if that makes sense and I think it should, especially given his history.

“So, after my brother and his wife dealt with WWE and the drug testing company quite a bit they actually spoke with a lawyer and kinda had them help them out a little bit. Just a couple of days ago he got the drug test back and the drug test is compliant. Everything was a negative, it passed on all levels.”

Matt later revealed that Jeff told him he simply knew his run in WWE had reached its end by the time he entered the crowd.

“I feel like Jeff was just kinda stressed out in many different ways about several different things. He just told me, confessed to me, said whenever he went over that guardrail he said he just knew he was done there.”

Reby, Matt’s wife, played devil’s advocate on behalf of some fans asking and brought up the theory that Jeff tried to get himself fired intentionally. Matt doesn’t believe that is the case.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Jeff Hardy Released By WWE

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Velveteen Dream Says “Bullsh*t Allegations” Cost Him His WWE Career

Following The Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) getting released from WWE NXT in May 2021, there were several reports regarding the decision to let him go ranging from allegations to behavioral issues to problems with fellow wrestlers. 

Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Dream’s firing had nothing to do with the accusations or anything that was made public about him. Instead, it was due to an incident that one of the top stars reported to management.

Dream previously stated in his statement that the accusations against him from April 2020 were the reason why he was fired. He backed up that belief while speaking on Dishing Drama with Dana Wilkey. Regarding the allegations, he called them “100% bullshit.” 

This is when he opened up on the firing and cited Josh Fuller as the person who started the #FireVelveteenDream: 

“I’d like to throw this in there as well, Josh Fuller was the one that when he decided to show up on social media with his bullshit allegations, he started the hashtag Fire Velveteen Dream. That’s what it cost me. An investigation was done by WWE, our COO Paul Levesque, better known as Triple H, went on record and said there was nothing that WWE found that would incriminate me or cause any concern for the company, a company who sells to children, and I’m being accused of soliciting sex for minors. Come on. WWE found nothing. They even tried to put me back in a program with one of their top stars and then after the Fire Velveteen Dream hashtag blew up, they were doing the digital audience and someone showed up, in their place instead of a person it hashtag Fire Velveteen Dream.”

Dream continued by recalling how WWE tried to give him time and distance himself from it, but the hashtag was continuing to trend every time that he would appear on TV. 

“WWE, in the middle of cancel culture, found itself at a loss. Money talks and they have shareholders. Even if they found me to be innocent, now, I’m affecting the bottom line, at least the bottom line they have with me, the money they can make with me, the way they can utilize me on TV. That’s what it cost me. It cost me my career. It cost me a chance to not only continue a dream, but almost have guaranteed support for my family. It was horrible. As soon as I got fired, the air cleared. Everyone deleted their messages, everyone deleted their vlogs. No one had nasty, rude hateful messages to send. It all stopped. It was as if the job got done and now we can all live our lives, except for the guy playing Velveteen Dream, me.”

He hasn’t worked a match since December 23, 2020. Last July, he did have his first post-WWE booking lined up until it got canceled. 

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Jim Ross: Bret Hart Was One Of The First Guys To Text Me During Skin Cancer Ordeal

Jim Ross got a ton of support from Bret Hart during his battle with skin cancer.

Hart is recognized as one of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots. He is a WWE Hall of Famer and his name is forever etched in history.

JR and Bret have developed a bond over the years from their days working together. The two remain in contact.

From One Legend To Another

During an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross said that Bret Hart was one of the first people to reach out to him both when he was diagnosed with skin cancer and when he announced he stomped a mudhole in the damn thing and walked it dry.

“One thing I do understand is Bret Hart cause I still keep in contact with him. He was one of the first to step up when I had skin cancer and encouraged me to not give up the fight.

“One of the highlights of my day, this may sound really childish, was when I [got] a text from Bret. ‘How ya feeling? Hanging in there?’

“When I [announced being] cancer-free, he was one of the first guys to text me and congratulate me and that meant a lot to me. So, like I said that’s the respect that he has earned and deservedly so.

“It’s been a blessing in my life in a lot of ways is Bret.”

Episode 145 of Grilling JR focuses on Bret’s heel turn back in 1997. As one would expect, JR gave Bret a ton of credit for helping get the wheels in motion for Stone Cold Steve Austin’s mega push.

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Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Mojo Rawley Reveals Life-Threatening Battle with COIVD-19

Former WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley (Dean Muhtadi) is opening up about his long-term battle with COVID-19.

According to Rawley, he almost died due to complications from the virus. Fortunately, he’s recovering. Get hyped because he plans to wrestle again in the near future.

Rawley posted a video to Instagram on Monday and detailed how bad things got for him. During the Summer 2020, his lungs were in such bad shape that he couldn’t speak for days.

“Maybe the scariest part of the whole thing was the fact that the doctors had no idea what to say because it was so new,” he recalls. “Fast forward 19 months later, and I’m not quite 100 percent, but I’m getting pretty close. My training has been kicked up and I’m feeling good enough to announce officially that I’m coming back to wrestling, baby.”

“COVID thought it got me, but it must have forgot — I stay hyped!”

– Mojo Rawley

Watch Mojo Rawley’s full statement about his battle with COVID-19 here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZ3CLdhlSP/

WWE released Mojo Rawley on April 15th, 2021 while he was battling these serious COVID-related health issues.

Shortly after getting let go by WWE, he expressed frustration about the lack of creative direction for his character. Fans may remember he turned heel and painted his face towards the end of his run. During a July 2021 interview, he told Chris Van Vliet, “I Painted My Face Like An Idiot For Nothing.”

According to IMDB.com, he appeared in the 2021 movie Snake Eyes, a spinoff of the G.I. Joe franchise.

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE.

Melina Gets Emotional About WWE Royal Rumble Return

Melina was a surprise entrant in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. The legendary Diva got emotional recapping the experience in a backstage interview shortly after the match.

WWE announced several legends would be appearing in the Women’s Rumble, but Melina was a total surprise. It was her first time back in a WWE ring in over a decade.

Melina was moved to tears recalling her return.

“Oh my goodness, you’re going to make me cry,” she began. “It’s beautiful because I haven’t been in a WWE ring in 11 years. So, I’ve been waiting for this moment and I’m telling you, the fans are so amazing. You have no idea. I feel people’s energy, so when I hear that crowd and everybody cheering, the love.. I hear it, I feel it, with all of my heart. It was so beautiful, so I thank each and every one of you guys.”

She added, “This is a blessing. I’m grateful for every opportunity I have.”

Melina & Sasha Banks

Melina Sasha Banks
Melina & Sasha Banks at the WWE Royal Rumble (2022)

Melina was the second entrant in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. She shared the ring with Sasha Banks, who drew #1.

Melina was eliminated by Sasha Banks and admits her Royal Rumble game plan went out the window when she found herself caught up in the moment.

“It’s my first Rumble, my game plan wasn’t right, I was having a moment,” said Melina. “To face Sasha after all these years and everything, I never got to be in the ring with her. So that was a moment for me. I was thrown off, forgetting about the Rumble. That moment with Sasha, I was so invested in that, I totally forgot about the Rumble and that’s on me. That’s on me and I blame myself. Good for her, I’m glad she was smart about it. Good for her.”

Melina on the WWE Locker Room

Melina WWE Divas Champion

Melina is a true legend of the Divas era and paved the way for today’s robust WWE Women’s division. She said it was “beautiful” to be back in the women’s locker room and still feels that WWE is her home.

“Tears and hugs, reminiscing and stuff, everybody’s been awesome,” she said. “It’s beautiful to be back. This is my home, so it’s beautiful to come back and be able to be a part of it with all these women.”

Women’s wrestling has come a long way since Melina’s WWE run ended in 2011. She is proud of today’s Superstars who took women’s wrestling to where it is today.

“When I was here, never in my wildest dreams did I think women would have a Rumble. I never thought I’dre live to see the day. To be able to see it happen and to finally be a part of it, I’m so proud. I’m so proud, not of myself, but of the girls who are carrying this on and making history happen for the women who are the future of wrestling.”

Watch Melina’s emotional post-Royal Rumble interview here:

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE.

Chris Jericho on Meeting Eddie Kingston: “That’s a Superstar, He’s Gonna Be a Huge Babyface”

Chris Jericho saw ‘money’ in Eddie Kingston the moment he set eyes on him.

Le Champion spoke with Freddie Prinze Jr. this week on the popular Wrestling with Freddie podcast. When asked about who he wants to work with AEW, Jericho heaped praise on the Mad King.

“That’s a guy from day one, the moment he walked in, I said ‘that’s a superstar, he’s gonna be a huge babyface I like his style, it’s very hard-hitting,” Jericho said of Eddie Kingston.

“He doesn’t look like a typical wrestler, he just looks like a tough guy at the bar, but his promos are above and beyond. That’s why I kind of pick and choose who I’m going to be working with.”

Jericho continued, “It has to fit in with plans that Tony Khan has and what the guys have. But the Eddie one was really something cool to me. I also deal in long-term stories, so nothing is set in stone, but that is one I’m really looking forward to that will happen.”

Kingston and Jericho seem destined for a match with one another. Kingston recently told Santana and Ortiz on AEW programming that Jericho is the reason they are not the AEW World Tag Team Champions. Last week on Dynamite, Jericho teamed with Santana and Ortiz but his Inner Circle stablemates refused to tag him in and seemed to want to handle things without him.

Eddie Kingston is currently out of action with a broken orbital bone. He is expected to return mid-February, however.

Listen to Chris Jericho’s appearance on the Wrestling With Freddie podcast:

H/T to WrestlingInc for the above transcriptions.

Posted January 31st, 2022 in AEW, News. Tagged: , .

Matt Cardona Comments On ECW ONS References On GCW PPV

Matt Cardona recently commented on the ECW One Night Stand 2006 references in his match against Joey Janela on The WRLD On GCW PPV. Both shows emanated from New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. Cardona was on Busted Open Radio recently and talked about his match with Janela.

“There were times in that match where I just had to turn away from the camera because I felt like I was smiling because I was having so much fun in there. I said it last time, Mikey Whipwreck brought me to ECW One Night Stand 2005, and I’ve always wanted to wrestle in that building. I never thought I would have that opportunity,” Cardona said. “To be there it was everything I hoped it would be and more.”

During the GCW show, Cardona wore a t-shirt that had a “If Cardona Wins We Riot” sign printed on it similar to the “If Cena Wins We Riot” sign from ONS 2006. A fan also had the “If Cardona Wins We Riot” sign in the stands during the GCW PPV.

“I had made a t-shirt, ‘If Cardona wins we riot,’ and then someone had the sign,” Cardona said. “People thought I planted that sign, like no. Fans really brought that.” he continued.

Cardona and Janela re-created several spots from the Rob Van Dam vs. John Cena match at One Night Stand. Cardona tossed his t-shirt into the crowd, much like Cena did in 2006. At the ECW ONS show, the fans tossed Cena’s shirt back at him several times. At The WRLD On GCW, one fan ripped up Cardona’s shirt before tossing it back.

At ECW ONS 2006, Edge speared Cena into a table while wearing a motorcycle helmet leading to the finish. At the WRLD on GCW, Brian Myers speared Janela into a door while wearing a similar looking motorcycle helmet, again leading to the finish of the match.

“Because I am such a diehard ECW fan, so that building meant so much to me. I never got to go there for the real ECW shows, but like I said, I saw One Night Stand. I feel like that was the final ECW show. That night was just incredible, but for me, this show at the Hammerstein was even more incredible. Because I got the little tease in 2005, just being a fan hoping one day I get to wrestle there. And then I finally did it and it was everything I thought it would be.”

H/T To WrestlingInc for the above transcriptions.

Posted January 31st, 2022 in GCW, News.

Kurt Angle Says He’s Returning To WWE TV Soon

Kurt Angle is set to become part of WWE programming once again in the near future. Angle revealed on his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show” that WWE reached out to him recently about playing a role on television.

“They want me to be involved in the show for the next month or so. I’m really excited about it, so we’ll see what’s in store for me,” Angle said on the show.

Angle was backstage during the Rumble Saturday night in St. Louis. He was not used on the show, however.

Angle didn’t reveal what he might be doing in WWE soon. Although this is just speculation, Angle could potentially be aligned with the new RAW tag team champions, the Alpha Academy Otis and Chad Gable. If the Steveson brothers are ready to appear on WWE programming, Angle could also be paired with them.

Back in November, Angle said on the Pancakes and Powerslams podcast that Gable Steveson is someone he would like to manage.

“Which superstar today would I like to be the manager of? Gable Steveson!” Angle said. “I think Gable will be very important to WWE in the future.”

“He has all the credentials to succeed in this business, I can assure you. His charisma, his personality and his character are suitable to make a bang in perspective. If he finds the right confidence and surrounds himself with trusted people, the sky is really the only limit for this guy,” Angle continued.

Angle spoke about Chad Gable during a recent Q&A session on AdFreeShows.com.

“Chad is still underrated. That poor kid, because of him being undersized, he hasn’t gotten much of a chance that he should. And I really believe that if they gave him that shot, he would be another great athlete like AJ Styles. AJ was undersized too, and I think that Chad Gable would have the same effect.”

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Lio Rush Injured At PWG Battle of Los Angeles (Updated)

Lio Rush had to be taken to the ER following a match at PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles event last night. Rush had defeated Buddy Matthews via disqualification when Matthews kept up the attack after the match and delivered a curb stomp to Rush. Later in the show, it was revealed to the live crowd that Rush was injured and would be replaced in the semi-finals.

“Just being honest with you guys here. I’m not good. But i will be good. And when I’m back, I’ll be dangerous,” Rush wrote on Twitter.

It is believed the injury occurred during the Curb Stomp. Some on social media have suggested that fans throwing drinks into the ring may have led to the injury.

https://twitter.com/IamLioRush/status/1488028578063085571

The injury comes at a time when Rush is expected to become a free agent next month. His AEW contract expires on February 14th and he’ll be a free agent after that.

Update: Lio Rush has provided an update on his condition. Rush says he suffered “clean dislocation” to his left shoulder. He’ll be undergoing an MRI in 2-3 weeks and is hoping doctors don’t find a tear or any severe ligament damage.

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Posted January 31st, 2022 in News. Tagged: .

Toni Storm Announced For First Post WWE Booking Alongside Bray Wyatt

Former WWE star Toni Storm has been announced for her first post-WWE appearance at the WrestleCon convention in Dallas, Texas during the WrestleMania 38 weekend.

The former NXT UK women’s champion will be joined by a number of fellow WWE alumni, including names such as Windham Rotunda aka Bray Wyatt, Kurt Angle, Paul Wight, Killer Kross and more.

The WrestleCon convention this year will take place from March 31 to April 2. Aside from wrestling shows featuring talents from various companies, it will also host live podcasts, Q&A sessions, and more.

After a 4 year long run with WWE, Toni Storm asked for her release from the promotion on December 29 last year. Her request was immediately granted.

In an interview days prior to her release, the former champion had opened up about the lack of opportunity after her main roster debut on SmackDown in July.

Storm wasn’t mentioned on WWE TV for weeks at a time after her call-up. She had admitted that sitting in the catering was not a good feeling.

While there aren’t a lot of details surrounding the circumstances leading to her release, reports suggest that burnout was essentially the reason why the female star decided to quit the company.

Potential Reason Behind Toni Storm’s WWE Departure

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Backstage Royal Rumble Notes

The Royal Rumble PPV brought in a lot of surprises but there were also some names who were brought in but never used.

According to PWinsider, Aksana, Kaitlyn and Jillian Hall were all brought in as security precautions in case some talents didn’t pass the medical protocols. They were obviously not used.

Stars such as The Undertaker and Kurt Angle were backstage for the show. They were photographed with other names who appeared at the event

One name that was long-rumored but wasn’t at the show was Paige. She has been teasing potential feuds but there is no word on if it’s leading to anything.

Nikki Bella and Brie Bella ‘The Bella Twins’ made their return at the Royal Rumble. The belief backstage is that we will see more of them for WrestleMania 38.

WWE Hall Of Famer Ivory was among the names who filmed a Table For 3 episode during the weekend. She also entered the women’s Royal Rumble at #18.

Previous reports have revealed that the plans for both the Rumble matches changed numerous times over the course of Saturday.

One of the changes was the return of Molly Holly who was a late addition to the show. The idea was for her to interact with Nikki A.S.H. to help build Nikki up.

Though it doesn’t appear that the changes were for good. The PPV has been slammed by the fans online and backstage morale is also said to be down after the show.

News On Future Of Bad Bunny After Royal Rumble Appearance

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Becky Lynch Recalls Being Crowned The Inaugural SmackDown Women’s Champion

A lot of the career accomplishments of Becky Lynch has been the result of fans pushing for her to be in the position rather than the office wanting her in the spot. One big example of it was when the outpouring fan support forced WWE to make her the inaugural SmackDown women’s champion back in 2016.

The Man discussed this moment on her recent appearance on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions. Becky first mentioned how she had been scared of getting fired during her early WWE career because she wasn’t as athletic as some other girls. Lynch then discussed how the fan support leading to her title win made things even more special:

“When they first debuted the Women’s Championship, everybody in the arena started chanting Becky. When they heard everybody chatting, all the fans chanting. [They were like] ‘Oh, okay, well, we gotta put it on her’, and so, that meant the world [to me]” said Becky Lynch, “Because it wasn’t necessarily the office saying ‘This is our girl.’ It was the audience saying ‘This is our girl.”

The SmackDown Women’s Championship was Lynch’s first title in WWE. She won a six-pack elimination challenge by last eliminating Carmella at Backlash 2016 to win the title. She held the championship for 84 days before dropping it to Alexa Bliss during the TLC PPV later that year.

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Finn Balor Update After Missing the Royal Rumble

A number of big names were visibly missing from the Royal Rumble PPV and one of them was the former Universal champion, Finn Balor.

WrestleVotes provided some updates on the former NXT champion. They confirmed that he is not out of action due to any injury:

“Confirmed with a source that Finn Balor is not injured in anyway, he is out of the country however. WWE expects him back in plenty of time for WrestleMania.”

Balor confirmed he was in fact out of the country at the time of the Royal Rumble. He posted the following photo Sunday morning in front of the famous Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland:

Finn Balor Was Tired Of Office Politics

The former NJPW star returned to NXT in 2019. During a recent interview he admitted that he was tired of the politics and has had enough in the main roster before his run at the developmental brand:

“I was kind of like worn out by dealing with the politics and the office and the writers and all the everything that goes with it and I just had enough and when I returned to NXT,” said Finn Balor, “I really feel like that rejuvenated me in the ring.”

The former champion has since returned to the main roster. According to him, he had pitched the idea of going to NXT UK but officials told him that he was needed on SmackDown at the time.

Finn Balor On Potential WrestleMania Match With John Cena

Posted January 31st, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

WWE Tried To Bring In Lana For Royal Rumble

WWE apparently tried to bring in CJ Perry better known to fans as Lana for last night’s Royal Rumble PPV but failed.

According to PWinsider, the officials had reached out to the former WWE star. There were some in the company who believed as late as the Rumble week that she would be coming back.

However, Lana’s name stopped being mentioned as the PPV got closer and the expected appearance obviously never took place.

The female star wasn’t the only released star WWE had tried to bring in for the Rumble. They had also contacted Jeff Hardy for a potential appearance.

The head of WWE talent relations John Laurinaitis personally reached out to Hardy for a return and Hall Of Fame induction but Jeff turned down the offer and instead asked for his drug test result.

Lana originally worked as a manager for Rusev in WWE when she signed with the company in 2013. She later had an in-ring career before being released in June 2021.

Jeff Hardy on the other hand was released from his contract in December. It happened after an incident at a Live Event where Hardy walked out of a 6 men tag team match.

Lana Got A Call From Vince McMahon After Dying Her Hair Blue

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Shane McMahon Has More WWE Matches Booked

If you were happy to see Shane McMahon return to WWE action on Saturday night at the Royal Rumble, you’re going to be happy with this latest news. If you weren’t a fan, buckle up.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, McMahon’s WWE comeback is going to last at least a few months. McMahon is reportedly booked for the next two WWE premium live events, Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia and WrestleMania 38.

Meltzer reports that Shane McMahon is specifically booked for a match at WrestleMania as of right now, though those plans could change.

“He has a match on the books, but it was said to have not been finalized a few days ago, which is evidently why they did no angle with him (at the Rumble),” Meltzer said.

The company has apparently not even decided on the direction for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania as of right now, so the idea that McMahon’s match could change isn’t out of the question.

Shane McMahon Surprise Return

Shane McMahon during the 2022 WWE Royal Rumble

McMahon’s return was one of the few surprises during Saturday night’s men’s Rumble match. He entered the ring at #28 and even eliminated Kevin Owens while he was out there in the match. McMahon was eliminated by the eventual Royal Rumble winner, Brock Lesnar, shortly thereafter.

Shane McMahon had been out of in-ring action since WrestleMania 37 last year. At that show, he lost a steel cage match to Braun Strowman. Prior to that, he had lost a ladder match to Kevin Owens in October of 2019 which was supposed to end his career.

Elimination Chamber takes place in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 19th. It is the only premium live event scheduled between now and WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas at AT&T Stadium on April 2nd and 3rd.

McMahon competed at WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia back in 2019. He defeated Roman Reigns on that show. He also competed on two shows in Saudi Arabia in 2018.

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

News On Future Of Bad Bunny After Royal Rumble Appearance

Bad Bunny made his surprise return at the Royal Rumble PPV and the rap artist once again impressed everyone with his performance on the show.

This surprise appearance made many wonder if we will be seeing more of the music star in coming times and if his Rumble spot will lead to another WrestleMania match.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider recently provided some update on this situation. He revealed that Bunny will not be a part of the Show of Shows this year.

The commentary team mentioned that the Grammy-winning artist has two different tours sold out. He will actually be performing in Miami Florida on April 2 and 3.

Though this doesn’t mean we have seen the last of the Puerto Rican star. Per the report, Bad Bunny ‘is pretty much considered a part of the company’ at this point.

This means that the pop star can drop in at any time and be involved in an angle whenever he likes and when his schedule allows it to happen.

The music star has been a lifelong fan and he is very passionate about the business. He was thrilled to be at Royal Rumble last night.

Speaking of Rumble, it’s said that Bunny had been quietly training the week before the PPV. So his appearance was locked at least a week in advance.

Bad Bunny Tells LeBron James & Jay-Z: Wrestling is “100% Real”

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Backstage WWE Morale Reportedly Down Following Royal Rumble

Brock Lesnar ended up winning the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble match and he will announce which title he will challenge for at WrestleMania 38 on Monday’s Raw while Ronda Rousey made her return to win the Women’s Royal Rumble match.

The morale behind the scenes in WWE was down following the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, according to PWinsider.com. It comes down to frustration among talent because of the constant changes made over the past week to both Rumble matches. 

The feeling among talent is the changes made were the reason why the quality of the Rumble matches was down from previous years and 20 changes were made to the men’s bout including spots that were nixed or changed in addition to the eliminations and order of entrances.

WWE made changes to the Women’s Rumble match as well and people felt frustrated throughout the day because there were so many move parts to keep up with.  The overall description given was a “confusing hodgepodge of things”

Vince McMahon was deeply involved in every aspect of the show. One talent said, “We were all in a whirlwind. Just as you had your role and spots down, everything started over and over and now most of us were back to square one. It changed again and again and again. It wasn’t an easy night even before we hit the ring.”

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Watch: Hook Appears On Stage at Action Bronson Concert

AEW star Hook appeared on stage with rapper Action Bronson Saturday night in San Diego, California.

Hook uses Bronson’s song “The Chairman’s Intent” as his entrance theme music. Mid-way through his concert, Action Bronson brought out Hook for a special live performance of the song.

For Lyrics to The Chairman’s Intent, visit Genius.

Bronson “sent Hook” a big compliment by announcing him as the #1 prospect in wrestling.

Watch Hook join Action Bronson on stage for “The Chairman’s Intent”:

Here is the official music video for The Chairman’s Intent:

Posted January 30th, 2022 in AEW, News.

Brock Lesnar to Make Major WrestleMania Announcement on Raw

Brock Lesnar is scheduled to make a major announcement related to WrestleMania Monday night during Raw.

WWE announced Sunday afternoon that this year’s men’s Royal Rumble match winner will announce who he intends to face at WrestleMania 38 during this week’s Raw show. It would be a total shock if he didn’t announce a match with Roman Reigns, which has been planned for several months now.

Lesnar lost the WWE Championship to Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble after Reigns interfered in the match, laying the ground work for Lesnar’s Rumble win later in the show and eventual match with Reigns at WrestleMania.

During his title match at Saturday’s Royal Rumble, Lesnar lifted Lashley up for a F5 and inadvertently knocked out the referee in the process. Right after that, Reigns appeared. He directed Paul Heyman to hand over the WWE title belt, which he did, aligning himself once again with Reigns. Roman then took out Lesnar with the belt, left, and Lashley covered for the pinfall and championship victory.

Per WWE.com: “After a wild turn of events, The Beast now has a decision to make on who he will challenge on The Grandest Stage of Them All. Will it be The All Mighty or The Head of the Table? The Superstar who took his WWE Title, or the man who handed it to him on a silver platter?

In addition to Brock Lesnar’s big announcement, WWE has also confirmed new WWE Champion Bobby Lashley and Women’s Royal Rumble winner Ronda Rousey will be on hand for Monday’s Raw from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Who do you think will win the assumed Reigns vs. Lesnar match at WrestleMania 38? Let us know in the comments section below!

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Plans For Ronda Rousey After WWE Return

Ronda Rousey has only returned to WWE programming but it appears that WWE already has planned the next big outings for her.

Dave Meltzer talked about the former UFC star on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio. He reiterated that the current plan is for her to challenge the SmackDown women’s champion Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38.

Just like the last time, Ronda is going to be a regular on SmackDown leading to this program. She is expected to wrestle on weekly shows as well.

Though this isn’t all as officials already have plans in place for her WrestleMania 39 opponent. The idea is for her to face Becky Lynch at the show of shows next year.

Ronda Rousey’s deal is for her to do the two Manias and Meltzer speculates that she will be gone from the company after that.

The former Raw women’s champion made her return to WWE TV during the Royal Rumble PPV last night. She entered the women’s rumble at #28 and won the match.

WWE has announced that the baddest woman on the planet will be making an appearance at this Monday’s episode of Raw. It’s likely that we will see a confrontation between her and Becky Lynch at the show.

Watch: What Happened After Royal Rumble Went Off Air

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Producers Revealed for WWE Royal Rumble 2022 Matches

WWE held their annual Royal Rumble event this weekend from The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and now the producers for all six of the matches on the card have been revealed.

The following people were responsible for putting together the matches at the Royal Rumble, per Fightful Select:

  • Michael Hayes and Petey Williams produced the Universal Championship match between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns
  • Finlay, Shane Helms, Molly Holly, Pat Buck, and Michael Hayes produced the Women’s Royal Rumble Match.

Royal Rumble 2022 Producers

  • Pat Buck and Shawn Daivari produced The Raw Women’s Championship match between Becky Lynch and Doudrop
  • Michael Hayes and Jason Jordan produced the WWE Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley
  • Adam Pearce and Kenny Dykstra produced Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz & Maryse
  • Abyss, Jamie Noble, Shawn Daivari, and Adam Pearce produced the Men’s Royal Rumble Match.

Many believe that the Women’s Rumble match outshone the Men’s match on the 4+ hour card, and it is interesting that there were completely different agents working on both.

Molly Holly would of course appear in the match itself as well as produce what happened on the night. Holly was attacked by Nikki A.S.H. shortly before he entered the ring, and would be eliminated by the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion shortly after.

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Mickie James Reacts to WWE Royal Rumble Appearance

IMPACT Knockouts Champion Mickie James made a historic appearance as part of the 30-woman Royal Rumble match on Saturday night.

James became the first woman in the contest’s history to appear whilst representing the top title of another promotion.

Following the contest, James spoke to Megan Morant about representing IMPACT Wrestling at the WWE Premium Live Event.

Mickie James Makes History at the Royal Rumble

“Unbelievable, unbelievable,” James began, explaining how it felt. “If you would’ve said to me that this moment would be happening right now, I would’ve said you’re insane. And here we are.

“We went out there and made history. I mean obviously, I wanted to win, I had my sights set high because obviously the winner goes on to WrestleMania, and I wanted that moment, but just to go out there as WWE family, as Mickie James – the legend, but also as Mickie James… ‘Hardcore Country’ Mickie James, something that the WWE Universe never saw, and to represent Impact as the Knockouts World Champion…

“I thought I did a great job, I had a heck of a showing and I’m sorry guys, I didn’t win, but in my heart the world won because we just broke down one of the biggest ceilings you’ve ever seen, and we did it for the ladies! You know what I mean?”

H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcription

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Becky Lynch Reacts To Ronda Rousey Winning The Royal Rumble

Ronda Rousey made her triumphant return at the Royal Rumble PPV. She went on to win the women’s battle royal at the show. The rowdy one can now pick her opponent for WrestleMania 38. The SmackDown women’s champion Becky Lynch is ready to face Rousey if she picks her, though she doesn’t think it will be a good idea.

Ariel Helwani caught up with Lynch after last night’s PPV and he asked her about the turn of events. Becky first congratulated Ronda on the birth of her baby. Although she didn’t forget to mention that she is the champion.

Becky Lynch is ready for Ronda Rousey

When asked if she thinks Rousey will pick her, The Man claimed that she is not sure about it:

“Here’s the thing, Ariel, she hasn’t done this in three years. I don’t know that she’s gonna want to go into the full meal. You know what I mean? Like, sometimes you have to warm up to these things, have a little bowl of gazpacho. You know, maybe a little melon ball appetizer. So maybe she’ll go for a little melon ball appetizer before getting into the main course. That’s what I would do if I was her, but we’ll see what she does.”

Becky Lynch was then questioned about the possibility of meeting with the former UFC star once again at the show of shows. The current champion mentioned how she has already beaten her before. Though she explained that it’s a match people want and she is ready for Ronda Rousey if she comes her way:

“I mean, I’ve already beaten her. Sure. Of course, that’s the match people want. That’s the match people have wanted for well, nearly four years now. I think that would get them excited and that will get me excited. But now it’s in her court. It’s up to her if she wants it. If she wants it, I’m ready to go. If she doesn’t, well, she can warm up with the gazpacho and I’ll give somebody else a shot.”

Posted January 30th, 2022 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

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