Several fans took to social media to voice their displeasure with the WWE.

The reason for this is due to fans realizing that there was no women’s match at Friday’s (June 15, 2018) live event on Friday in Peoria, IL at the Peoria Civic Center. Braun Strowman was also advertised but did not appear.

There were a total of 8 matches on the card but the women’s division was not represented despite the sports entertainment company advertising Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss.

It’s possible that WWE officials wanted the women competing in the upcoming Money in the Bank Ladder Match at Sunday’s pay-per-view event to practice the layout of the match as Lana has been training at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida for weeks now learning how to take ladder bumps.

No women’s match at #WWEPeoria ? What the heck? @WWE @AlexaBliss_WWE @SashaBanksWWE @TripleH @VinceMcMahon #WWE

— Ryan Softcheck (@ryansoftcheck) June 16, 2018

@WWE no women’s match and no @BraunStrowman tonight people are pissed ??? #WWEpeoria

— Miguel (@Miggy33Miguel) June 16, 2018

Anyone have any idea or answer on why there were no women's matches at last night's #WWELive event in Peoria, IL. Had a couple very disappointed little girls. #WWEPeoria @WWE

— Luke Norris (@THElukenorris) June 16, 2018

@WWE I was at the #WWEPeoria show last night. And I've gotta say how disappointing it was to not have any women's matches. You talk about the women's evolution and we don't even get 1 match. I saw kids with tears because they didn't see their idols. Truly sad. Fans deserve better

— Chris Meyer (@cmeyer_32) June 16, 2018

If you’re talking about not bringing the Women’s Revolution to #WWEPeoria, then, yes… I was fooled.

— Jane Olson (@jelizo28) June 16, 2018

Here are the results from this event:

RAW Tag Team Champions Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt retained over The Revival

Zack Ryder, Chad Gable and Goldust defeated Mojo Rawley, Curt Hawkins and Mike Kanellis

WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins retained over Elias

The Authors of Pain defeated Rhyno and Heath Slater

Bobby Roode defeated Baron Corbin

Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler defeated Breezango

Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley and Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Jinder Mahal

What are your thoughts on this situation? Sound off in the comment section.

UFC President Dana White was involved in a pro-wrestling show.

The UFC boss alongside former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra was at an independent show on Friday night in Memphis, TN to film content for White’s Lookin’ for a Fight show that airs on the UFC’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, and their YouTube channel.

Video from the event shows White, Serra and WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler helping Derrick King pick up a win at the Beale Street Brawl event.

After the match, there was a female performer who jumped on White’s back and attempted to choke him. This is when Lawler comes in as made his way out to the ring to make the save.

To keep up with the latest MMA news, make sure to check out our affiliate site, MMANews.com.

So awesome to have UFC's @danawhite and 2 of his fighters putting on a show at my club on Beale Street yesterday!!! pic.twitter.com/SGDkG148qP

— Jerry Lawler (@JerryLawler) June 16, 2018

Aleister Black has opened up on his journey to the WWE.

The WWE NXT Champion spoke with Iain Chambers about various topics while working NXT live events at the Download Festival in the UK last weekend. During this interview, he was asked if the sports entertainment company was his end game when he first started wrestling.

“No. When I started back in 2000 – which is now 18 years ago – WWE was the land of the giants and I am no shape or size, a giant. I’m 6-feet, 250 lbs. now, back in the day I was barely 140 lbs. and I wanted to do what was obtainable. Was I a fan of WWE?

Yeah, of course, but I knew it was not going to be a thing for me, until NXT came to the foreground and a lot of my friends who I was competing against on the independent scene were getting signed. And I was like, ‘Wait a minute? Something’s changed.’ The landscape of professional wrestling really changed when NXT was brought in.”

Blast is slated to make his next title defense at Saturday’s (June 16, 2018) WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena on the WWE Network against Lars Sullivan.

In this interview, he talked about the pressure of holding the NXT Championship.

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure because the people who have held this belt, you look at Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Roode, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe and even traveling back to Seth Rollins and Big E, the heritage that this belt has is endless. And it’s heavy, so I have a big responsibility to do right by this belt and do right by NXT.”

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcript

What are your thoughts on Black’s comments? Sound off in the comment section.

Nikki Bella has reflected on how WWE has changed their ways when it comes to female performers.

Nikki alongside her sister, Brie, recent guests on Sophia Amoruso’s Girlboss Radio podcast to talk about various topics including the ongoing season of Total Bellas, their brand and more.

During this interview, Nikki spoke about a lack of respect for female Superstars during the Divas Era.

“Brie and I have been there for almost 12 years and the old perception of us women wrestlers; they called us Divas. They really wanted us to promote the sex appeal of it all. I totally feel like it opened doors for men and other people to treat us that way. That’s what has been so amazing about the women’s revolution at WWE. We’re finally demanding respect, showing the world we’re equal to the men. I’ve noticed in the past few years of them recognizing, dropping the name Diva and now we’re Superstars like the men. A lot of that has gone away. It rarely happens now.”

During this interview, Nikki also spoke about her struggles with becoming known as John Cena’s girlfriend.

“Brie and I have been there for almost 12 years and the old perception of us women wrestlers; they called us Divas. They really wanted us to promote the sex appeal of it all. I totally feel like it opened doors for men and other people to treat us that way. That’s what has been so amazing about the women’s revolution at WWE. We’re finally demanding respect, showing the world we’re equal to the men. I’ve noticed in the past few years of them recognizing, dropping the name Diva and now we’re Superstars like the men. A lot of that has gone away. It rarely happens now.”

The couple announced their separation earlier this year after dating since 2012 and being engaged for a year. Cena and Bella teamed up together for the first time back at WrestleMania 33 in 2017 where they defeated The Miz and Maryse.

After the match, Cena proposed to Bella. It’s been reported that they were scheduled to get married on May 5, 2018, before separating and are currently working things out.

H/T to WrestleZone.com for the transcribed quotes.

What are your thoughts on Bella’s comments? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE returns to Tokyo, Japan this summer.

The sports entertainment company has released the lineups for both events that will be taking place on June 29th and 30th.

Originally, WWE advertised former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey for these events. However, she does not have any matches lined up. It should also be noted that these are SmackDown branded events. Thus, it appears that she won’t be working the shows.

The first night of the tour will be headlined by WWE Champion AJ Styles defending the title against Shinsuke Nakamura in a No DQ Match while the second night will feature Styles defending the strap against Nakamura, Daniel Bryan and Samoa in a Fatal 4-Way Match.

The Cards

June 29th

– No DQ Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles

– The Usos vs. Rusev & Aiden English vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers

– Asuka and Naomi vs. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce with Lana

– The New Day vs. The Bar

– Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

– Sin Cara vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas with Zelina Vega

– Samoa Joe vs. Tye Dillinger

– Hideo Itami vs. The Miz

June 30th

– Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles

– The New Day vs. The Bar vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers

– Asuka vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella

– Hideo Itami vs. Big Cass

– The Miz vs. Sin Cara

– Tye Dillinger vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas with Zelina Vega

– Becky Lynch and Naomi vs. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce with Lana

– The Usos vs. Rusev and Aiden English

What are your thoughts on these cards? Sound off in the comment section.

The card for tonight’s (Saturday, June 16, 2018 ) WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event has been finalized.

The sports entertainment company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network.

There is speculation that this special will be headlined by either Aleister Black defending the NXT Title against Lars Sullivan or Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano in a Street Fight.

As a reminder, WWE will be taping matches for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network before this special event goes live on their streaming service. We will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight. 

The Card

– NXT Title Match: Aleister Black © vs. Lars Sullivan

– NXT Women’s Title Match: Shayna Baszler © vs. Nikki Cross

– NXT Tag Team Title Match: Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly © vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch

– Street Fight: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

– Singles Match: Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream

What are your thoughts on this card? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE UK Title Tournament

The WWE is closing in on the UK Title Tournament. The opening round matches are already in the books. The sports entertainment company will now present two events. 6/18 will feature the tournament finals to determine who will challenge face UK Champion Pete Dunne for the strap on 6/19 from Royal Albert Hall. These events will air on the WWE Network on June 25th and 26th

WWE has announced that Mauro Ranallo and Nigel McGuinness will be calling the upcoming WWE UK Title tournament events.

It is going to be a THRILL for @mauroranallo and @McGuinnessNigel to be on the call for the @WWEUK Championship Tournament! #WWEUKCT pic.twitter.com/8XvKVRK5sA

— WWE (@WWE) June 15, 2018

Survivor Series Sales

Tickets are selling well for the upcoming WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view event that takes place on Sunday, November 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center and will air on the WWE Network.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter the event is close to being sold out as 13,000 tickets have already been sold for the event. Also, about 3,500 seats are available on the secondary market.

What are your thoughts on this announce team? Sound off in the comment section.

Former WWE Champion Sheamus has given some insight into his future with the sports entertainment company.

During a recent interview with The Telegraph Herald to promote Saturday’s WWE live event in Dubuque, Iowa, Sheamus was asked about his future and if he looks back at what he’s done in the past.

“Certain things happen in your career that bring you to your next point and then to your next point. My next great moment is not behind me, it’s in front of me. You keep moving forward.”

“I really don’t think about it to be honest. I’m always looking for the next challenge or looking for the next thing. Maybe when I’m retired in 30 years I can look back, but I’m looking for the next thing to achieve now. I still have a long way to go in this career.”

A few years ago, Sheamus reinvented himself by going from a singles star to a tag team performer by forming a partnership with Cesaro that has led to multiple Tag Team Title reigns.

Sheamus talked about teaming with Cesaro and how he handled being in new waters in his career.

“It was new waters as I’d never been in a tag team before. It was an opportunity to do something different and prove to the fans what we could do. I feel like we did give the tag division on RAW a huge boost. We’ve had some epic feuds. We’re just always ready to go and no matter what happens, Cesaro is the best in the world. He’s the real G-O-A-T and one day he will be world champion.”

What are your thoughts on Sheamus’ comments? Sound off in the comment section.

Bret Hart is adamant about wanting to see Owen Hart and British Bulldog be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke with TalkSPORT to talk about various topics while recently over in the UK.

In this interview, he was asked about his tweet on the Anniversary of Owen’s death when he stated that, ”I vow to keep your memory alive despite the efforts to let you fade away.”

Hart, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the sports entertainment company back in 2006, went on record by stating that he’s embarrassed that both Owen and Bulldog are not in the Hall of Fame at this point.

“Like a lot of people, if he’s not in the WWE hall of fame, then what kind of Hall of fame is it? I’m embarrassed on their part they can take so many great wrestlers and not include them in the Hall of Fame.

“I don’t have any problem with anyone who is in there, but I think Demolition should be in there, that Dynamite Kid should be in there, that Davey Boy should be in there. I’m embarrassed Owen isn’t in there. Owen was one of the most respected and admired in the business for his integrity alone. Why they won’t acknowledge him is beyond me?”

What are your thoughts on Hart’s comments? Sound off in the comment section.

Roman Reigns has addressed fans wanting WWE to turn him heel.

ESPN published an article with an interview that was conducted with Reigns during a recent media scrum while on the WWE tour in Europe where he was asked if the sports entertainment company should finally pull the plug on his babyface run and turn him heel.

According to Eeigns, he feels that he is already somewhat a heel due to the reactions he gets from fans.

“It’s a weird question because aren’t I already a heel? If I garner that reaction, what’s the point? It’s already happening. If I’m already being booed, then why try to get booed?

“I have a great opportunity — because I’m a gray-area guy — to do a little bit of everything. I’m in a good place to do whatever I want and just play with this character and not just be a heel or a face — I feel my character can be so much more than that.”

Two stars that were babyfaces for the majority of their time with the WWE are The Usos, who are cousins with Reigns. However, they got a fresh slate once they turned heel and reinvented themselves.

“They were tired of everything. They were ready for a change, they wanted more responsibility, and they wanted a bigger role,” Reigns said. “What you’ve seen over the past few years, I’ve been seeing all my life. They really do have each other’s back in every regard.

“I’m super proud of them. I’m excited to not only see where they go, but also where I go — you never know. The story’s there, it’s easy. We all represent the same bloodline, we all represent the same family. It’d be pretty cool if, maybe one day, there was a Samoan ‘Shield.'”

What are your thoughts on Reigns’ comments? Sound off in the comment section.

Finn Balor has two NXT stars that he believes fans should keep an eye on.

The former WWE Universal Champion recently spoke to Mike Jones of DC 101 about this Sunday’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view. 

Balor is slated to compete in the Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match alongside Braun Strowman, The Miz, Rusev, Kevin Owens, Bobby Roode, and Samoa Joe. In this interview, he was asked about preparing for such a dangerous match.

“I’m gonna have to have eyes in the back of my head because you can’t trust Kevin Owens, you can’t trust Miz, Samoa Joe is just gonna come straight for ya. There’s a lot of tricky fellas in that match and anything could rally happen.

“…I’ve been cleaning the gutters at my house, painting the roof, trying to get as much experience on a ladder as I can. (laughs). You know, there is no way of training… practicing for this. This is all potluck in my opinion. It’s seven other guys in the ring to bring ladders. I’m sure someone will introduce a table and a chair. There’s no rules at all. We’ll see what’s gonna happen.”

Balor had a lot of success in the NXT brand including a run as NXT Champion before being called up to the main roster. When asked which stars fans should keep an eye on, Balor named Velveteen Dream and Adam Cole.

“NXT is something that is very close to my heart, I’ve spent my fondest years there, and something I keep an eye on still. Since I’ve left there, Velveteen Dream is doing amazing. Adam Cole is one to watch as well. He is doing some amazing stuff down there.”

What are your thoughts on Balor’s comments?

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

There is one WWE SmackDown Live star who is interested in wrestling in NXT and that’s Mike Kanellis.

Back in May, the sports entertainment company decided to send some main roster talents down to NXT to work live events. Those talents include Tyler Breeze and The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder).

Former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks has expressed her interest in returning to her roots to work another match in NXT after these surprise appearances.

Now, we can add Kanellis to that list of those who would be open to working in the developmental system.

During a recent Q&A with fans on his official Twitter account, one fan sugged that he would be better served if he went to NXT rather than being on the main roster right now.

The fan tweeted, “I think you’d have a great stage to define yourself to the WWE audience + great feuds w/ EC3, Aleister, & more.”

This led to Kanellis being open to the idea by stating that he’d love to work in NXT.

https://twitter.com/RealMikeBennett/status/1007295052207575040

What are your thoughts on this possibility? Sound off in the comment section.

There are new matches being advertised for the upcoming WWE Extreme Rules PPV.

The pay-per-view event takes place on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena and will air on the WWE Network and some traditional PPV outlets. Both Raw and SmackDown brands will be featured.

Several weeks ago it was revealed that the PPG Paints was advertising Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass in a singles match as well as Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley vs. Jinder Mahal, Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn in a six-man tag team match.

However, Dave Meltzer and Justin LaBar have noted that fans have sent in word that the local ads going around for this upcoming event are now pushing AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Reigns vs. Mahal, and Bryan vs. The Miz as well as the Pittsburgh debut of Ronda Rousey.

It should be noted that plans change all the time and that the sports entertainment company will start announcing matches for Extreme Rules next week on television.

Bryan is slated to wrestle Big Cass at Money in the Bank. Also booked for this weekend’s pay-per-view event are Reigns vs. Mahal and Rousey challenging Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Title.

Styles is also slated to defend the WWE Title against Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match this Sunday night. 

What are your thoughts on these matches? Sound off in the comment section.

The WWE is in for a big weekend as they hold their Money In The Bank pay-per-view event as well as NXT TakeOver: Chicago II.

Both events will be held by the sports entertainment company in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena that will air on the WWE Network.

WWE will hold NXT TakeOver: Chicago II on Saturday while Money in the Bank will take place the next day.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that ticket sales for Money in The Bank are going well as it’s sold out with more than 3,000 tickets going to ticket brokers. There are only 470 remaining and it costs $133 to get in.

On the flip side, NXT has about 9,000 tickets sold and it doesn’t look like it will sell out.

What are your thoughts on these shows? Sound off in the comment section.

Ring of Honor returns this weekend with two new events in the Texas region.

The Baltimore-based promotion has released the lineups for their events that are titled “State of the Art.”

These shows will take place on Friday, June 15 in San Antonio, Texas at the Aztec Theater and Saturday, June 16 Dallas, TX at the Gilley’s Dallas.

These will be final shows before the promotion’s next pay-per-view event, which is the Best in the World event that takes place on Friday June 29, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland at the UMBC Event Center. The event will air on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app.

The Cards

June 15th in San Antonio

– Jay Lethal vs. TK O’Ryan

– SoCal Uncensored (Daniels, Kaz, & Sky) vs. Atlantis, Stuka Jr., & Guerrero Maya Jr.

– Bullet Club (The Young Bucks, Adam Page, & Marty Scurll) vs. The Briscoes & Killer Elite Squad

– Sumie Sakai & Tenille Dashwood vs. Kelly Klein & Thunder Rosa

– Flip Gordon vs. Rhett Titus

– Bully Ray, Shane Taylor, & Punishment Martinez vs. Delirious, Cheeseburger, & Hurricane Helms

– Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia vs. The Boys

– Cody vs. Jonathan Gresham

June 16th in Dallas

– ROH Six-Man Title Match: Champions The Kingdom vs. Atlantis, Stuka Jr., & Guerrero Maya Jr.

– ROH Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Briscoes vs. The Killer Elite Squad

– Proving Ground Six-Man Mayhem ROH TV Title Match: Champion Silas Young vs. Cheeseburger vs. Punishment Martinez vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Adam Page

– Tenille Dashwood vs. Thunder Rosa

– The Young Bucks vs. The Boys

– Cody vs. Shane Taylor

– Marty Scurll vs. Jay Lethal vs. Flip Gordon

– Hurricane Helms & Delirious vs. The Addiction

What are your thoughts on these shows? Sound off in the comment section.

As seen on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown Live in Memphis, TN at the FedEx Forum on the USA Network, the sports entertainment company loaded up the show.

This was the go-home edition for the blue brand for this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena on the WWE Network.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has released a report that shed some light on who produced the matches on this week’s episode.

It was noted in the report that Michael Hayes produced the Rusev vs. Samoa Joe match with The Miz serving as the special guest referee. Adam Pearce produced the match between Daniel Bryan and Shelton Benjamin.

Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was produced by Jamie Noble and finally, Tyson Kidd and Sarah Stock produced the main event tag team match that saw Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Becky Lynch, Lana and Naomi vs Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, and Carmella.

What are your thoughts on this show? Sound off in the comment section.

Mauro Ranallo has announced that he will be forced to miss this weekend’s WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II special.

The lead announcer for the NXT brand took to his official Twitter account on Thursday morning to reveal that due to a scheduling conflict, he will not be able to call the matches at this event.

Instead, 205 Live announce Vic Joseph will do the play-by-play duties. He wrote the following:

“I’m blessed to have more than one job. Unfortunately,dates may conflict. Off to Dallas for a @ShowtimeBoxing tripleheader . That means I won’t be in Chicago for #NXTTakeOver You’ll be in good hands with @VicJosephWWE @McGuinnessNigel & @WWEPercyWatson.”

https://twitter.com/mauroranallo/status/1007276521021587457

The NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event takes place on Saturday, June 16, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network.

The Card

– NXT Title Match: Aleister Black © vs. Lars Sullivan

– NXT Women’s Title Match: Shayna Baszler © vs. Nikki Cross

– NXT Tag Team Title Match: Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly © vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch

– Street Fight: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

– Singles Match: Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream

What are your thoughts on Ranallo missing this event? Sound off in the comment section.

Two matches have been officially announced for next week’s episode of WWE NXT.

The sports entertainment company has revealed that a singles match between Bianca Belair and Dakota Kai is slated to take place as well as a tag team clash that will see War Raiders (Rowe and Hanson) take on The Might (Shane Thorne and Nick Miller).

WWE is scheduled to tape matches for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network before the upcoming NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event that takes place on Saturday, June 16, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena.

The sports entertainment company will then hold TV tapings in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University on Thursday, June 21, 2018.

#TheMighty @ShaneThorneWWE & @WWENickMiller aim to continue their winning ways against #WarRaiders @RAYMONDxROWE & @WarBeardHanson NEXT WEEK on #WWENXT, only on @WWENetwork! pic.twitter.com/jbKB6E6vpM

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) June 14, 2018

NEXT WEEK: @BiancaBelairWWE looks to show @DakotaKai_WWE what it means to be the #ESTofNXT when they battle on #WWENXT, only on @WWENetwork! pic.twitter.com/2TgwjCCjkL

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) June 14, 2018

What are your thoughts on these announcements for next week’s show? Sound off in the comment section below.

The final card for the upcoming WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event has been set.

The show, which features the typical five matches lineup, is slated to have three title bouts, a street fight, and a singles match. The sports entertainment company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event.

The NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event takes place on Saturday, June 16, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network.

The Card

– NXT Title Match: Aleister Black © vs. Lars Sullivan

– NXT Women’s Title Match: Shayna Baszler © vs. Nikki Cross

– NXT Tag Team Title Match: Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly © vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch

– Street Fight: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

– Singles Match: Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream

WWE will be taping matches for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network before this special event goes live on their streaming service this weekend. They will then hold TV tapings in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University on Thursday, June 21, 2018.

The next NXT Takeover special is slated to take place during SummerSlam weekend on Saturday, August 18, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center and will air on the WWE Network.

What are your thoughts on this card? Sound off in the comment section below.

Triple H has discussed the potential plans that WWE has in store for the future of the Performance Center.

Earlier this week, WWE SmackDown Live star Bobby Roode went on record in a recent conversation with Allen Balint of KARK-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas by stating the sports entertainment company is looking to build a bigger Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

“From what I hear, it’s [Performance Center] going to continue to grow.  I heard that they’re looking to build a new facility — a larger facility,” Roode noted.

Triple H hosted a conference call to promote the upcoming WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event. He spoke with the wrestling media about various topics involving the NXT brand.

During this call, “The Game” was asked about Roode’s claims about WWE building a bigger Performance Center to train their talent. Triple H noted that Roode’s info is glorious but it’s not always accurate.

He stated that as of right now, there are no plans in place to build a new facility but did note that they are always looking to expand because the Performance Center is so important for the company. He ended up the answer by stating that he is always open to the concept of expanding but they haven’t started the journey to do it yet.

What are your thoughts on Triple H’s comments? Sound off in the comment section below.

Triple H has addresses the status of Ricochet heading into NXT’s next big special.

Earlier this week, there was speculation going around online that Ricochet suffered an injury during an NXT live event in Paris, France when he teamed with Johnny Gargano to defeat Tommaso Ciampa and The Velveteen Dream in a tag team match.

Near the end of the match, Ricochet hit a suicide dive on Dream while Gargano made Ciampa tap out. Fans in attendance noted that he landed awkwardly and was slow to get up as the referee threw up the “X” symbol.

Following the match, he was helped to the back but came back down to the ring to celebrate with Gargano. This led to him missing Tuesday’s NXT live event in Belgium after being advertised.

Triple H hosted a conference call to promote the upcoming WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event. He spoke with the wrestling media about various topics involving the NXT brand.

During this call, “The Game” was asked about the status of Ricochet for his upcoming match against The Velveteen Dream at the NXT TakeOver: Chicago II event on Saturday, June 16, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena.

Triple H stated that he tweaked his shoulders in Paris and he is not injured. He followed up by stating that they did not want to take a chance and thus the reason Ricochet did not work the next show. Ricochet is still scheduled to wrestle this weekend. 

What are your thoughts on this upcoming match? Sound off in the comment section below.

Karl Anderson Fires Back

WWE has already announced that the SmackDown Tag Team Title Match that will see Luke Harper and Erick Rowan defend the straps against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows will air on the Money in the Bank Pre-show this Sunday.

Harper recently hyped the match by bringing up Anderson’s wife and if she would be at the show for their match. Anderson responded by writing the following:

Is your hot Asian wife coming Karl? pic.twitter.com/9KsZdsbhk2

— Brodie Lee (@ThisBrodieLee) June 13, 2018

Sorry man my #HotAsianWife won’t be there.
But I’ll be at #MoneyInTheBank fighting you and your partner, who everyone, funny enough, still only sees as #BraysBitches , see you in a Chicago.. https://t.co/OB35l6oVir

— The Machine Gun (@MachineGunKA) June 13, 2018

Jerry Lawler’s Appearance

As seen on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live in Memphis, TN at the FedEx Forum on the USA Network, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler made an appearance.

He interviewed WWE Champion AJ Styles about his title defense against Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match at the upcoming WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view event. After the show, Lawler commented on the appearance by writing the following:

It was great being on @WWE #SmackDownLive last night and getting the opportunity to interview A.J. Styles. pic.twitter.com/friwfMNf7E

— Jerry Lawler (@JerryLawler) June 13, 2018

What are your thoughts on this upcoming title match and the words between Harper and Anderson? Sound off in the comment section below.

Bully Ray’s Advice

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray was recently asked by a fan on Twitter about how former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey can improve her promos while in the WWE.

He decided to give her some advice by stating that WWE needs to give her an advocate, which is what WWE did with Brock Lesnar by using Paul Heyman. He wrote the following:

Hire an Advocate. https://t.co/E3bcIEM7tS

— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) June 13, 2018

Rousey is slated to challenge Jax for the RAW Women’s Title at the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena, which will air on the WWE Network.

Lio Rush Hypes

The sports entertainment company has teased the debut of Lio Rush on their cruiserweight show, 205 Live on the WWE Network. Although there’s no word yet on when he’ll make his debut, he did send out the following tweet to hype his debut:

https://twitter.com/itsLioRush/status/1006731271182176258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

What are your thoughts on Ray advice? Sound off in the comment section below.

EC3 has opened up on the career path that he has chosen to get him to the point that he is at this time in his life.

The current WWE NXT superstar was recently a guest on E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness to speak with WWE Hall of Famer Edge and former World Champion Christian to talk about various topics. (transcript via Wrestlinginc.com).

In this interview, he spoke about his decision to depart from Impact Wrestling and his time with the promotion where he became a top guy as World Heavyweight Champion.

“I became champ and had a run with it.” EC3 recalled, “then, lose it, win it back, run with the Hardys. It was kind of a weird time especially within the company. I think it was the closest to ‘nobody knows what the hell is going on’ because there [were] always rumors and speculation and we were never really abreast. It could be real or it could be facetious. You never knew and all we could do is do our jobs and did them well. Then, I go from a heel to a babyface for a while. Management changes once, twice, and then, finally, a third time. There was new ownership and at the same time, in my life, I don’t know, my life plan did not work out and I can just probably leave it at that as far as personal things. I thought I had it figured out. I obviously didn’t. And I’m looking at everything and I definitely needed a change and the time seemed right. I loved the company.

EC3 continued by stating, Impact was great to me. Management was nothing but wonderful and accommodating and I had a really sweet deal. But at the same time, I’ve done it. I don’t know what else I can do here besides this company becomes number one, which is not going to happen at all with me. I have unfinished business that I have to seek. Like Good Will Hunting, I had to see about a girl, but that girl was named Vince, Vincent Kennedy McMahon. And she is beautiful! She is so hot! She’s not crazy at all! A little bit [boxy], yep. Yeah, thick around the shoulders… In the back of my mind, there were other options. I was going to leave regardless, before my time just because I had to do something with my life to change it.”

Alongside Bobby Lashley, EC3 was able to get out of his contract early, which in turn allowed him to sign with WWE. The sports entertainment company placed him in NXT, where he made his first appearance on the WWE Network at NXT Takeover: Philly in January.

After his first stint in the WWE, he decided to sign with TNA. EC3 addressed his decision to return to the WWE.

“When I pop in the [WWE] Performance Center or if I’m doing a live event, the local shows that we’ll do in Florida, and you get critiqued.” EC3 continued, “when I first started getting critiqued again, because Impact is all, for better or worse, like, ‘good job! You filled the time. Good job.’ ‘Ah, that wasn’t a good job!’ Or if it was a good job, I know if it was a good job or not. One of the main reasons I wanted to come back too was you’ve got to go to grow. And you need people telling you, ‘you suck’ or ‘this sucks, this sucks, this sucks, this could be better’ and you didn’t get that as much over there.”

What are your thoughts on EC3’s comments? Sound off in the comment section below.

WWE has decided to move one match to the Money in the Bank Pre-show.

That match is the SmackDown Tag Team Title Match that will see Luke Harper and Erick Rowan defend the straps against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

The Money in the Bank pay-per-view event takes place on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network and some traditional pay-per-view outlets. Both Raw and SmackDown brands will be featured.

The Card

– Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Rusev vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Roode vs. Samoa Joe

– Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Ember Moon vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Lana vs. Naomi vs. Sasha Banks

– WWE Title Last Man Standing Match: AJ Styles © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

– WWE Raw Women’s Title Match: Nia Jax © vs. Ronda Rousey

– WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Seth Rollins © vs. Elias

– WWE SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Carmella © vs. Asuka

– Singles Match: Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal

– Singles Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

– WWE Raw Tag Team Title Match: Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt © vs. Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas

– Singles Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn

– WWE SmackDown Tag Team Title Match (Pre-Show): Luke Harper & Erick Rowan © vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows

THIS SUNDAY: The #BludgeonBrothers @LukeHarperWWE & @ERICKROWAN defend their #SDLive #TagTeamTitles against The #GoodBrothers @KarlAndersonWWE & @LukeGallowsWWE in the #MITB #Kickoff at 6e/3p on @WWENetwork! pic.twitter.com/6eciEYwhMs

— WWE (@WWE) June 13, 2018

What are your thoughts on WWE moving the match to the pre-show? Sound off in the comments section below.