AEW: Blood & Guts 2024 comes to Nashville, TN on Wednesday, July 24 at the Bridgestone Arena. The event will air live on TBS as part of a special edition of AEW Dynamite. This year, the dreaded 5-on-5 double cage match will pit Team Elite against Team AEW.
Team Elite will be The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry and one more partner TBA.
ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe is the first member to declare his participation on Team AEW. The four remaining spots will be announced in the week ahead.
#ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe the first member of Team AEW for #BloodAndGuts!
Blood & Guts is an annual TV special produced by All Elite Wrestling since 2021.
The Blood and Guts match is AEW’s version of the classic WarGames match. This involves two teams fighting inside a roofed cell structure surrounding two rings.
The event was originally scheduled for March 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually debuting in May 2021. It has since become an annual mid-year event, with subsequent shows held in June 2022 and July 2023.
TNA is experiencing significant staff changes, with the multiple key figures departing the company.
Lou D’Angeli, remembered as “Sign Guy Dudley” in ECW, and later a marketing director in WWE, has left TNA Wrestling. He served as the Vice President of Marketing for Anthem Entertainment. According to PWInsider, his departure was mutually agreed upon after a meeting with Anthem executives last week.
RD Evans, a member of the creative team, and David Sahadi, head of production, also exited the company recently. These changes come after Scott D’Amore was let go in February.
The wave of departures at TNA suggests a major internal restructuring or a shift in company strategy. This could impact several aspects of TNA’s business in the short term, including creative direction, production quality and ability to attract and retain talent.
The trend seems ominous and interestingly comes at a time when TNA is starting to work with WWE again. Following TNA champion Jordynne Grace’s recent crossover to NXT, there have been several other wrestlers from each company talking about working together.
TNA Wrestling has been through it all since launching in May 2002. They are a survivor brand that will always find a way to keep bringing fans their unique brand of wrestling, but it’s been a rocky year to say the least after things started off so promising with the return to the ‘TNA’ name back in January.
The Quarterfinals of WWE’s King and Queen of the Ring tournaments continue tonight on WWE SmackDown from Jacksonville, Florida. Just 8 days out from next Saturday’s PLE, tonight’s show will be focused almost entirely on the event.
WWE SmackDown Preview (5/17)
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes is actually happening
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and United States Champion Logan Paul will officially sign the contract for their ‘winner takes all’ clash at the Jeddah Dome. Don’t be surprised to see a table flipped or someone struck with a chair, as these contract signings rarely go off without a hitch.
Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches
Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax
Bianca Belair vs. Tiffany Stratton
King of the Ring Quarterfinals Matches
Randy Orton vs. Carmelo Hayes
Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight
Tickets for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville are still available at Ticketmaster.
A WWE Backlash France Kickoff event was held on Friday just 24 hours before this weekend’s WWE Backlash France premium live event from Lyon-Décines, France.
Thousands of wrestling fans gathered to see Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles and more wrestlers WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque to promote the company’s first-ever PLE from France.
Last week’s 4/25 AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place finished with a a controversial angle that fans are still talking about. Jack Perry made a surprise return and attacked AEW President Tony Khan. The Elite joined in, Perry is now part of the heel faction and there are immediate parallels with the early days of the nWo. After Shad Khan’s son took a microphone shot to the gut followed by a Tony Khan Driver, The Elite stood over their boss in victory. The Young Bucks’ new alliance with Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry has nWo vibes and the memes have been plentiful on social media.
On this week’s Kliq This podcast, Nash and co-host Sean Oliver reviewed AEW Dynasty and AEW Dynamite, including the controversial angle that led Tony Khan to wear a neck brace for the 2024 NFL Draft. While giving Khan grief for selling a padded microphone shot, Nash compared the segment to WCW’s infamous Finger Poke of Doom (Wikipedia) angle. During a match against Hollywood Hogan on WCW Nitro (January 4, 1999), Nash laid down for Hogan, handing over the WCW title in what’s seen as a low-point for the declining company.
Dynamite viewership was under 700,000, down from the previous week and the lowest since October 2023. Nash fired, back, “Thank God, because they missed the finger poke of doom at the end of this motherf****r.
Neck Brace
Tony Khan went on to sell that attack during both nights of the NFL Draft by wearing a neck brace. He appeared on the NFL Network, where he compared WWE to Harvey Weinstein. Nash didn’t love everything he saw on AEW television this week, but he credited Khan for selling the injury and keeping kayfabe alive with the neck brace.
“The neck brace. The neck brace the following day at the Jaguars. I got to give a little respect to this because I don’t think the NFL or anyone that watches the NFL and not wrestling is going to give a sh*t, but the attempt to do some crossover, respecting the product where he wore the neck brace the next day, it’s a commitment.”
Tony Khan discusses taking the TK Driver from the Bucks and compares WWE to Harvey Weinstein pic.twitter.com/borodQ1GiF
Nash took issue with the fact that CM Punk got fired for roughing up his boss, so how is he going to handle The Elite?
“I just don’t see what it does unless Tony comes back and fires the Executive Vice Presidents for attacking him. He fired.. he got rid of Punk. You can’t have a storyline that shows, a couple weeks earlier, they showed the Punk/Perry altercation, which was nothing.”
Tony Khan and AEW are influenced by pro wrestling history. This new incarnation of The Elite (just one week in) is already drawing comparisons to the nWo, so it was an attention-grabbing segment. Hopefully The Elite sparks a similar level of excitement as Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall and podcast host Kevin Nash did in 1996.
Many fans wanted to see Cameron Grimes leave the show as the champion, but LA Knight is the perfect choice for the revival of the prestigious title Ted DiBiase made famous. Saying that a wrestler looks “like a million dollars” is a tired compliment at this point, but it applies to Knight more than anyone else in recent memory. He walks, talks, and acts like a movie star, and he’s got the looks, too. So when Knight entered the storyline between Grimes and DiBiase, even before WWE officially reintroduced the title, it was easy to connect the dots and hope that the man formerly known as Eli Drake would hold the gold sooner rather than later.
As soon as Drake arrived in NXT, many fans pictured his bright future on the black-and-gold brand. With his background as a former world champion in IMPACT Wrestling, Drake was one of the brand’s most buzzworthy signings in recent memory. Even though his run in the NWA was cut short, Drake’s remarkable character work during his time with the promotion solidified his status as a major player once he hit free agency. Needless to say, when he debuted on the WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day pre-show, it seemed like the sky was the limit for the newly named LA Knight.
Unfortunately, while his promo skills remained exemplary, the beginning of Knight’s run on NXT was a mixed bag. An uneventful program with future North American Champion Bronson Reed and a transitional feud with Dexter Lumis gave Knight a spot on the show, but the former IMPACT star was floating around aimlessly, searching for a defined place in NXT. Thankfully, DiBiase’s rivalry with Grimes set the stage for Knight’s breakout moment.
Whereas Grimes’ new character has been defined by his love of money, Knight’s gimmick had been relatively vague; he was clearly wealthy, but this trait wasn’t the heart of his persona. At least, it hadn’t been until Knight made his case to be the man who carried on DiBiase’s legacy. Then he cut a classic heel promo from his mansion, where he was lavishly partying with women and living the high life. Suddenly, the path forward was clear — Knight needed to win the Million Dollar Championship.
Knight is the modern-day DiBiase; with his great look, his renowned mic skills and his outstanding presence, he truly is a million-dollar star. At NXT TakeOver: In Your House, it would have been disappointing to see Knight lose because there’s a lot of money to be made with a potential pairing between the former Eli Drake and DiBiase. Following Knight’s victory, even if he doesn’t wind up working alongside the WWE Hall of Famer, the fact that he now carries such a legendary title cements his place as a power player in NXT.
It remains to be seen what his short-term future holds; he could continue his feud with Grimes, work alongside DiBiase, or possibly face another competitor who wants to represent DiBiase’s legacy. He could also defend the Million Dollar Championship as a legitimate title. Each one of these options could be compelling. But now that Knight has a signature win under his belt, his future looks brighter than ever. He could avenge his previous loss to Reed by taking the North American Championship, and he could even contend for the NXT Championship in a matter of months.
No matter what, Knight’s path forward is an open road that should be full of prosperity, and as he would say, that’s just a fact of life.
Former WWE star Andrade has returned to action, but he still hasn’t made his in-ring debut for All Elite Wrestling. At an RGR Lucha Libre show in Los Angeles, Andrade teamed up with V.I.P. and Piloto Suicida to face El Hijo del Santo, Rey Leon, and Misterioso.
In the end of a chaotic, violent bout that included chair shots and high-flying wrestling, Andrade pinned El Hijo del Santo to earn his first victory since he left WWE. “El Idolo” also donned some new ring gear. Highlights of the match can be seen in the video below.
With the completion of this bout, it’s fair to say that Andrade has fully put his WWE career behind him. “El Idolo” already has at least two more matches lined up; he’ll compete at Federacion Wrestling‘s first pay-per-view on June 19, and he’ll face Alberto Del Rio on July 31.
Beyond these two bouts, the former WWE United States Champion has a major match on the horizon. He’ll challenge AEW World Champion Kenny Omega for his AAA Mega Championship at TripleMania XXIX in a clash between two renowned stars.
Andrade also moved on from WWE by signing with AEW. He has already debuted for the company, and he will speak with Jim Ross on this week’s episode of Dynamite. Given “El Idolo’s” upcoming match with Omega, it’ll be interesting to see how the opening stretch of his AEW run turns out.
In a tweet after he arrived in AEW, Andrade emphasized that he wasn’t made in WWE; he has experience all over the world.
I was not born in WWE,I’m ex WWE, yes! but EX CMLL EX NJPW, Now I’m the Superstar of @AEW and @luchalibreaaa What’s next? Yo no nací en WWE,trabajé con ellos que es diferente, pero si soy ex WWE, ex CMLL, ex NJPW,ex independent.Hoy Soy SUPERSTAR AEW Y AAA 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/WDzg3WuPkF
— “EL IDOLO” ANDRADE (@AndradeElIdolo) June 10, 2021
It’s important to remember that as he enters this next chapter of his career.
WWE SummerSlam is going to be a remarkable show, without even considering the potential matches on the card. “The biggest party of the summer” will mark WWE’s second pay-per-view with live fans since its return to a touring schedule. It’s fair to expect the company to pull out all stops for the show, and a new report indicates that WWE intends to do so.
According to a new tweet from WrestleVotes, WWE hopes to make SummerSlam as big as WrestleMania this year. The report notes that the company is intends to tap into any and all “resources” for the show.
After speaking to a few sources on the topic, I’ve learned that WWE is 100% attempting to make SummerSlam this year’s WrestleMania. “All resources will be tapped into” is how it was explained to me. I do believe they want Reigns v Cena to headline. Not sure if they’ve decided.
WrestleVotes’ tweet also notes that WWE wants the marquee match to be a clash between Roman Reigns and John Cena, but it clarifies that this bout isn’t set in stone. Presumably, Cena, seeking his record-breaking 17th world title win, would challenge Reigns for his WWE Universal Championship in this match.
Jon Alba of Spectrum Sports 360 offered additional information. He confirmed that Reigns vs. Cena is the planned main event for the show. Alba stated that Cena’s filming schedule “opens up” in July, so he could be available for at least a few appearances on WWE SmackDown.
Cena's schedule clears up in the beginning of July, which would allow him to return to #WWE in time for the return of fans. I believe it was @AndrewZarian who first mentioned this possibility a few weeks ago. #WWE
Otherwise, many fans continue to predict that the company will try to bring Brock Lesnar back for this buzzworthy show. “The Beast Incarnate” hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since WrestleMania 36, but the former champion could add a lot of star power to SummerSlam.
At this point, the possibilities are endless because WWE will likely do everything it can to make the show as special as possible.
Sure, it wasn’t great. But after weeks upon weeks where the show has been defined by repetitive, uninspired booking, it was so refreshing to see something different. That’s exactly what fans received in the controversial main event angle with Alexa Bliss, Shayna Baszler and Lilly. This show-closing segment has garnered plenty of negativity, but for the first time in weeks, there’s a sense of intrigue surrounding what happens next.
Was the Baszler and Lilly segment weird, if not downright questionable? Most certainly, but it was a breath of fresh air. As a main event, it wasn’t the same old match that WWE usuall runs back the following week. This approach often leads to 50/50 booking and the sense that none of the in-ring results really matter. By doing something unexpected with Baszler and Lilly in this spot on the card, WWE left the fans guessing. After all, it’s fair to say that nobody saw that coming.
In a (seemingly) post-Fiend world, WWE brought some elements of the horror genre back to the red brand; this scene with Baszler and Lilly was right out of a scary movie, from the flickering lights to the doll’s unsettling appearance in the mirror. The show’s cliffhanger could have been executed better, as the ending itself was fairly abrupt. But anyone who is remotely interested in this storyline practically has to tune in next week, and that feeling has been absent from WWE RAW for far too long.
Aside from this divisive chapter of the Baszler and Lilly saga, this week’s episode should be considered a step in the right direction because it showcased the depth of the brand. WWE RAW has felt painfully stale lately, as it often uses the same cast of characters in the same matches in the same ways over and over again. But on Monday, WWE tried some new things.
In a way, it felt like the show utilized the majority of its roster; from Drew Gulak and Mansoor to Jeff Hardy and Nikki Cross, Monday night’s show felt deeper than the program has in weeks. But it wasn’t just the fact that these individuals were on the show; several of them were used in fresh, compelling ways.
Mansoor’s budding alliance (or rivalry, potentially) with Mustafa Ali is turning into a recurring portion of the program, and it’s allowing both men to showcase their personalities, as Ali might corrupt the naive newcomer with his lessons. It wasn’t long ago that both men were sitting in catering, so this prominence is a welcome change.
Likewise, one of the highlights of Monday’s show came in a heated exchange between Kofi Kingston and MVP. The mastermind behind the Hurt Business grilled Kingston about the downfall of KofiMania in an interaction that was filled with actual history and emotion. This segment left many fans wondering whether Kingston could align with MVP and enjoy a successful run as a heel. Again, even this hint of something different was so encouraging that it was hard not to leave this episode of WWE RAW with at least a little hope for the future.
While this week’s episode of WWE RAW wasn’t perfect by any means, it was different. And for a show that, far too often, has been plagued by monotony, that’s a welcome change.
With the report that the WWE Draft is coming this summer, many fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. Both WWE RAW and SmackDown need some fresh faces; the red brand, in particular, has felt stale for months. Thankfully, the draft is an easy way to shake things up heading into the fall.
With that in mind, here’s a look at a few moves that could benefit WWE by placing some of its top-stars in new places.
Street Profits to RAW
WWE RAW often feels like a chore these days. The show doesn’t tend to feel fun anymore; repetitive matches and head-scratching booking continue to derail WWE’s flagship show. The red brand needs some electricity, and though moving the Street Profits to the program wouldn’t fix the aforementioned problems, they could at least add some levity.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins can effortlessly add some buzz to any segment on any given day; in hindsight, though their initial role as the hypemen for RAW wasn’t ideal, at least the duo made various matches and developments feel actually important. That’d be a big step up from the current state of the show. Plus, Ford and Dawkins could boost RAW’s tag team division; on paper, they could put on some dynamic matches with AJ Styles & Omos and R-K-Bro.
Asuka to SmackDown
Like some other names on this list, Asuka needs a change of scenery. Though she held the WWE RAW Women’s Championship for a year across two reigns, her run with the title was fairly lackluster. That’s not a knock on Asuka; she rarely got the chance to face credible opponents who had been built up as legitimate threats to her titles.
Since Rhea Ripley’s call-up and Charlotte Flair’s returned, Asuka has gotten lost in the shuffle. It’s unclear exactly how she would fit in SmackDown, but given the blue brand’s need for another big-name star in the women’s division, she should be better off on the blue brand.
Kevin Owens to RAW
If Kevin Owens stays on WWE SmackDown, he could get trapped in a potentially dull time loop. The former Universal Champion has already engaged in lengthy feuds with SmackDown’s top heels, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Plus, he’s currently locked into a program with Apollo Crews and a continuation of his never-ending feud with Sami Zayn. Beyond these opponents, the options on SmackDown seem fairly slim.
By switching brands, Owens would gain access to several fresh adversaries. Clashes with AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, Riddle and Sheamus, among others, could reinvigorate Owens’ career and add more star power to the red brand.
Shayna Baszler to SmackDown
Shayna Baszler needs to leave WWE RAW, plain and simple. For months, her booking on the red brand has been questionable, if not downright disappointing. From getting pinned by Reginald to suffering bizarre leg cramps mid-match, these creative decisions have essentially neutered the former NXT Women’s Champion who had initially been built up as a dominant player on WWE RAW.
It’s not too late to salvage Baszler’s run on the main roster. But she desperately needs a fresh coat of paint because it would give her the chance to start over. Moving to WWE SmackDown would give Baszler the chance to face stars like Bianca Belair, Bayley and, at some point, Sasha Banks. These match-ups could easily remind fans that Baszler is still a force to be reckoned with.
John Morrison To SmackDown
Maybe more than anything else, WWE needs change. Breaking up The Miz and John Morrison could be an easy way to shake things up. While USA Network might want to keep “The A-Lister” on WWE RAW for promotional purposes, Morrison could easily slide over to SmackDown and get an overdue singles run.
When he returned to WWE, many fans wanted to see what today’s version of Morrison could offer as an individual star, but he didn’t get the chance to prove himself. Shortly after he came back to the company, he quickly reunited with The Miz. Even after the former WWE Champion got eaten by zombies, Morrison still couldn’t escape this team. But the draft is an easy way to send Morrison on his own way, and he could easily thrive on the blue brand, either as a heel or as a face.
Mandy Rose to SmackDown
The latest round of releases depleted the women’s division, particularly on the WWE SmackDown side of the equation. The blue brand is down to seven active female competitors, and two of them split time with WWE RAW because they hold the tag titles. There’s not a perfect way to fix this issue, as the depth across both brands is lacking. But SmackDown needs help, and Mandy Rose could be the answer.
Rose’s return to SmackDown could open the door for another chapter in her romance with Otis, which never got the ending it deserved. The draft could also pair Rose and her partner, Dana Brooke together in order to prevent another loss in the tag team division.
AEW President Tony Khan knows a thing or two about what it takes to create a successful television product. Under his leadership, AEW Dynamite has enjoyed a steadily growing audience in recent months.
In an interview with Variety, Khan, who is also the co-owner of both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC, discussed televised sports. During the interview, he described the importance of unpredictability as a motivation for viewers to tune in across all sports.
“Unpredictable matches help viewership,” said Khan. “You definitely want unpredictability in whatever you’re offering, and that’s one of the key strengths of the NFL.”
He continued by using NCAA March Madness as an example. Khan pointed to the tournament’s inherent unpredictability and stated that this component is a factor in the games’ impressive viewership. Every year, March Madness is filled with thrilling upsets at any given turn, and this pattern creates must-see TV.
Likewise, with Khan at the helm, AEW continues to create appointment viewing with fresh matches. Specifically, working with IMPACT Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling has helped AEW present buzzworthy dream matches, such as Jon Moxley’s bout with Yuji Nagata.
This contest was particularly remarkable, as Moxley defended another promotion’s title on AEW programming. Khan explained that allowing fans to see AEW stars hold other titles is an easy way to showcase how far the company’s reach extends.
“A lot of AEW wrestlers hold belts in other companies,” Khan continued. “It’s great for us, it expands our reach, and it shows what great wrestlers we have.”
The company’s working relationship with the National Wrestling Alliance allows Khan’s promotion to feature the prestigious NWA World Women’s Championship. Plus, AEW’s own world champion, Kenny Omega currently holds both the IMPACT World Championship and the AAA Mega Championship. Clearly, the “Forbidden Door” is wide open, and AEW continues to reap the benefits.
Now that WWE Championship and Universal Championship matches are set for WrestleMania 37, I wanted to break down the prospects of both and how I believe they should go down. Let’s begin with Bobby Lashley, current WWE Champion, up against Drew McIntyre.
To begin with, I wouldn’t have taken the strap off of Drew for a meaningless cash-in by The Miz. Drew taking the title into WrestleMania would’ve billed him as a dominant champion and Lashley beating him would’ve asserted him as a monster. The Money in the Bank opportunity has become something of a joke in WWE lately and is progressively losing prestige.
Drew also dropped the title to Randy for a meaningless two weeks and had that not happened, he would be walking into WrestleMania as a calendar-year Champion, which isn’t achieved as much these days.
As for the match itself, I believe Drew will win so that he can have his WrestleMania moment in front 25,000 fans in attendance. Personally, I would rather see Lashley retain. As much as Drew deserved to become WWE Champion last year, Lashley deserves it as much this year. Both of them rebranded themselves outside of WWE after leaving the company and have come back in better shape. Lashley, paired with MVP and the Hurt Business, has asserted himself as a dominant powerhouse on Raw and to have him lose the title in less than 6 weeks would be unfair to his efforts.
I sympathise with Drew, for not having his moment in front of the fans and for being a WWE Champion during a difficult time. Though I feel as if he doesn’t NEED to win more than Lashley SHOULD win. Drew can still come off strong in defeat and the fans will still appreciate him. To make sense of booking and storylines, I would have Lashley win this match.
Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan
Now let’s take a look at the match that will inevitably be the main event of WrestleMania Night 2. Roman Reigns (C) Vs Edge, Vs Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship. For the longest time we thought this match would just be Reigns Vs Edge, but an unexpected twist at Fastlane has thrown Daniel Bryan into the mix. The reason I believe this has happened is so Bryan can take the fall from Edge, preserving Reigns’ status of not losing the title, but still dropping it to Edge.
It’s how this is executed that will make the difference. I think it’s preconceived that Edge will become champion once again and with WrestleMania being in front of 25,000 fans, it’s the perfect opportunity. The year Roman Reigns has had is the best work he’s produced since being with the company and with that in mind, protecting him in defeat will be important to that reputation. With Bryan taking the fall for the loss, Reigns and Edge can still continue their rivalry with the self-proclaimed Head of the Table regaining the Universal Championship further down the line.
Hulk Hogan predicts the winners for the #WWE & Universal Championship matches at #WrestleMania:
– Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – Roman Reigns (c) vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryanhttps://t.co/DfFkuTkrNn
Daniel Bryan being involved in another WrestleMania main event is great for him and I’m sure he’ll have no qualms with being the fall-guy in this match. Adding Bryan into the mix gives the match that extra wrestling factor, with Reigns and Edge being excellent storytellers, it’s the perfect combination for a triple threat. This match has the potential of being an all-time WrestleMania classic.
Bianca Belair battled in the Women’s Royal Rumble for almost an hour, entering at number 3 and winning the match. At the same time Sasha Banks fought of Carmella, ending the storyline she was involved in leading up to the Rumble. Since then, it had been rumored that Bianca would choose Sasha as her opponent at WrestleMania.
The two have been involved in tag-team action up until last Friday and are now set to enter their own feud leading up to the big showdown. The only previous time a women’s match headlined WrestleMania was in 2019, but this matchup has all the makings to be a lot better and holds the potential to be a main event that lives long in the memory.
Bianca Belair & Sasha Banks
With the benefit of WrestleMania being spread of two nights again, there is more opportunity for exposure and appreciation. Edge and Roman Reigns will deservedly be the main event for night 2 of WrestleMania, but Bianca and Sasha have just as much claim to also close out the show.
Bianca has only been a part of the main roster since last year’s WrestleMaina, where she was put with the Street Profits, but her meteoric rise since has been admirable. After being transferred to the blue brand of WWE, Bianca has been involved in exciting feuds with Billie Kay and Natalya as well as representing SmackDown at Survivor Series. She then went on to become the second-ever African American Superstar to win the Royal Rumble, lasting a total 57 minutes in the match.
On the other hand, we have Sasha Banks, who has finally been given the opportunity to hold on to the Women’s Championship belt for a sustained period of time. After a lengthy back-and-forth with the company, Sasha stayed with WWE despite there being rumours she was set to leave the promotion. The Boss entered a memorable feud with long-time best friend Bayley, from whom she captured the SmackDown Women’s Championship from at the 2020 Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
Prior to this defence, Sasha had lost all of her title matches where she held the belt going into the match. After beating Bayley in the rematch, she ended a drought of unsuccessful defences with a main roster singles title, finally opening up a new chapter in her era of being champion.
With the match now made official, we have just over a month until WrestleMania where both women have the opportunity to prove why they should be headlining one of the nights.
Both Sasha and Bianca’s promo-cutting skills are only bettered by their in-ring abilities, providing us with a plethora of entertainment. May the best woman win.
Kevin Owens is one of the big names on the SmackDown roster at the moment. Even though some have felt he was being sidelined by WWE, his current rivalry with Roman Reigns has put him back in the limelight.
They have been going back and forth ever since. Some fans are complaining about the monotony of the feud, but it has produced some of the best matches of KO in his entire career. The two started feuding when Kevin Owens stood up to the ‘Head of the Table’ back in December. He then challenged him for the Universal Championship at TLC.
Following that, the two had a cage match and then another brutal ‘Last Man Standing’ match at the Royal Rumble. KO failed to secure a win on any of the occasions, thanks to help from Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. But the matches meant a great deal to him for a different reason.
Kevin Owens on Proving Your Worth
Kevin Owens spoke to FOX Sports about the significance of his rivalry with Roman Reigns. Owens says it’s been necessary to “prove his worth” to the WWE Universe as well as management.
“In a way, I never really felt like I had to show it to people, because I feel people know by now.” said KO. “But the nature of our industry and the way things work, and the amount of very talented people we have on the roster, just makes for an environment where you constantly have to prove your worth. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, right?”
Kevin Owens claims it is hard to impress WWE backstage
Kevin Owens continued, “People within the industry or the company take things for granted. I think after all the years I have put in, and I am one of many… I am not just saying this about myself… but when the shows go on, the people in charge just go ‘Oh, they are gonna have a good match’. They take it for granted. They know it’s gonna be a good match, or they’re gonna be able to tell the story great, or they’re gonna be able to deliver this promo great.”
“It becomes almost as if it is expected of us, because that’s what we do. So then, it’s like… ‘Of course they had a good match’, so it’s not special. So, once in a while you have to have these special performances, that are a bit above than what you usually deliver, even if what you usually deliver is good.”
“Obviously, this story with Roman, was a big opportunity for me to do that again. And I think we accomplished it.”
WWE is finally starting to make inroads into one of the largest untapped market they have for their product, India. Known for being the second most populous country in the world with 1.4 Billion people, India has long been one of the markets many companies have tried to enter. Given the large population, capturing even a tiny percentage of the market enables the company to reach another level.
With the WWE Superstar Spectacle, WWE hosted one of their first televised events directed completely towards their Indian audience.
What WWE knows, and what not too many viewers know, is that WWE already has a large ready-made market in India. When it comes to viewership, WWE is second only to cricket, a sport that has been compared to a religion for many Indians. The large portion of the WWE audience in India is young and it’s a burgeoning audience. However, the biggest challenge that WWE will face in the country is breaking down societal and cultural barriers.
WWE is not widely accepted in Indian culture because the violence in the genre lends it a taboo quality that’s difficult to overcome. Thus, while large portions of the Indian audience are watching WWE, the same audience are not discussing it openly among themselves as the do cricket in fear of being judged. Getting acceptance among Indian audience will be the first and biggest step for the company.
The Indian WWE fanbase, however, can be divided into two broad categories – casual fans and smart fans.
WWE’s Indian Fanbase
Much like the rest of the world, India has a diehard smart fanbase for WWE, who not only follow RAW and SmackDown, but NXT as well, while also seeing the documentaries released by the company on their network.
With a massive broadcast partner in the form of Sony Sports Network, WWE is broadcast live, as well as repeated throughout the day at prime times, given the interest the product has garnered.
The second more casual fan may not regularly watch the shows religiously, but they tune in t times and add to the viewership tremendously, simply because of how many of them there are.
For example, according to reports by Economic Times, WrestleMania 33 had a massive reach across all their channels with repeats included of 67.3 million viewers. When it comes to consumption of WWE on YouTube, India ranks first as well. According to another report from The Bridge last year, WWE weekly shows attract a total of 335 million unique viewers over a whole week.
In 2018, WWE made the brave and controversial decision of deciding to push Jinder Mahal, someone who had only been treated as a jobber before. The move was an obvious one to pander to Indian fans, but it was not as successful as WWE hoped. While Mahal did appeal to the fans, the fact that he was a heel, that he had a stereotypical Indian gimmick, and that he was made Champion out of nowhere and with no apparent build all worked against him.
What WWE had failed to note, is that back in the day, they had already cracked the Indian equation with a giant. Mahal found success and pushed the WWE market in India more, but he himself did not find the same popularity that his predecessor had.
The Role of Indian Pro Wrestlers
When The Great Khali first came to WWE, he was fierce and known for his huge height. The fact that he used those attributes to run over his opponents, including the likes of Batista, The Undertaker, and Triple H, made him a convincing character. He was someone the fans could understand and get behind and they did in force. His popularity sky rocketed until he was a household name and every Indian knew of him, in the same manner they know of The Rock, John Cena, or Hulk Hogan.
Even more interestingly, when his weaknesses and slowness became more apparent and his push disappeared, his popularity in the Indian market didn’t. He is still famous and an extremely beloved figure among Indian fans. As a result, the natural push he got could be a lesson to WWE, as it was clear that much like the rest of the world, Indians like representation on the biggest stage, but only when it’s not forced.
That’s exactly the chance WWE has with their newest crop of stars at the WWE Superstar Spectacle.
WWE Superstar Spectacle
The recent Superstar Spectacle was huge for India and quite a lot of people tuned in, as it was the first time that WWE was shown taking active and real interest in the Indian wrestling scene. There was a lot of support there, but at the same time, people were worried the Idian show might be nothing more than another Saudi Arabia, where WWE panders to the fans and leaves and the Indian stars find no standing outside India.
However, those following the product know this is not the whole case as WWE is actively trying to make India their base of operations in Asia and that’s something that is appreciated. Superstar Spectacle allowed a lot of young stars to shine through, with Guru Raaj, Jeet Rama, Sareena Sandhu, Indus Sher, Dilsher Shanky, and Giant Zanjeer, all being appreciated by the fans for their performances. If WWE can continue to book them so strongly, and find others like them, then they might have found a huge launchpad for their product in India.
At this time, they have everything in their control, and it depends on how they plan to develop. Given the proper push, they could find themselves sitting with a massive market share in the country.
Roman Reigns says he still keeps in touch with former Shield partners Seth Rollins and Jon Moxley.
The Shield was undoubtedly one of the biggest forces in WWE over the past decade. The iconic trio created memorable moments right up until their split. Even after they went their separate ways, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Jon Moxley crossed paths many times.
All three men are now huge singles stars. They are also at different stages of their careers. They are not traveling the world together anymore, but Roman Reigns tells Bleacher Report that they are still friendly and keep in touch.
Especially with both Seth Rollins recently becoming a father and Jon Moxley’s wife due later this year, they have a lot in common to talk about. Rollins and Becky Lynch recently became proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, Roux.
Roman Reigns says the Shield brothers keep in touch via text messaging. They bond about family life and fatherhood.
“We talk here and there,” said Reigns. “Especially with Seth having a new baby and stuff, and I have so many kids. It’s funny because they’re just getting their first one. I have five kids, so I have a legitimate household here… Me and Seth were texting back and forth a few weeks ago. Me and Jon text a little more sporadically.”
Jon Moxley and Renee Paquette are expecting their first child together. Roman Reigns messaged to congratulate them when he learnt the news, and Moxley, in return, asked him for tips on being a father.
Roman Reigns and Jon Moxley were close friends on WWE
“It’s pretty out there anyways that me and Mox were super-tight,” he said. “We traveled together even when we split up. We were drinking buddies, the whole nine. I got a lot of cool moments with Mox. But actually I talk to Seth a little more than I talk to Mox right now. He’s off doing his thing.”
“Probably when I found out he was having a baby was when I texted him, when I found out they were pregnant. He’s funny. He goes, ‘What the heck am I supposed to do?’ ‘It’s simple, man. You feed them, you change them, you love them. That’s it.’ He texts back, ‘You make it sound so simple.’ We’re all still good, dude.”
Visit Bleacher Report to check out the full interview with Roman Reigns.
Roman Reigns had been wanting to use his guillotine submission maneuver for a long time. However, the “process of the creative” did not allow him to implement the move up until recently.
Reigns added another layer to his new ‘Tribal Chief’ persona when he used a new guillotine submission maneuver to sleep Braun Strowman on the October 16 episode of SmackDown. He has used the move several times ever since, including on his latest rival, Kevin Owens.
Speaking with Bleacher Report for an exclusive interview, Roman Reigns revealed that the UFC has been a huge inspiration behind the finisher. He admitted to being an MMA fan and finding the guillotine choke to be one of the simplest mixed martial arts moves that one could bring over to pro wrestling.
“I thoroughly enjoy watching MMA, especially over the pandemic, I feel like UFC has been on TV far more for whatever reason. I’ve gotten into it the last couple of years and it just seems like every single card, somebody wins with the guillotine. It’s the simplest move. It’s the simplest submission ever. You just crank it in there and squeeze and wrench back.”
Roman Reigns: I’ve Been Wanting To Use That For Years
Roman Reigns was surprised that not many people in were using the move. He revealed that he tried to discuss a submission finisher for himself in the past. He got turned down and wound up using the spear instead.
“I’ve been wanting to use that for years,” he said. “No one’s to blame, it’s just the process of the creative. It’s like, ‘What if I just pulled out a submission?’ I’ve been saying that for years. Everybody knows the Spear. The producers that I work with all the way up to [Vince] said, ‘I think the finish would be better with a Spear.’ That’s great because for years we built that spear up and up.”
Roman Reigns defeats Braun Strowman with a new guillotine finisher
This time, he decided to ‘pull the trigger’ on it and do it anyway.
“There’s going to be a lot of different ways to go in and out of it. It just makes sense and nobody’s really using it. Really, I’m at the point where it doesn’t matter who’s using it, I’ll just use it anyway. The submission was something I wanted to use for quite some time, and I finally pulled the trigger on it.”
Roman Reigns also revealed in the interview how his ‘Head of the Table’ moniker came to be. Turns out, it was an in-ring improvisation by Reigns himself during his confrontation with Jey Uso early on in heel run.
Visit Bleacher Report to read their full interview with WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.
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.”
AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida
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.
Eric Bischoff commented on the trend of ‘cinematic matches’ during a recent interview with Sportskeeda. The former WCW President thinks it’s possible to present them correctly, but he does not see them as “the future of the business.”
AEW star Matt Hardy is credited with being a pioneer of cinematic matches, stemming from his time with Impact Wrestling. Hardy’s “Broken Universe” produced several memorable short films, including the Final Deletion.
Other companies have utilized cinematic matches. WWE filmed mini-movies from the Wyatt Family Compound. The main event of last year’s WrestleMania saw The Undertaker defeat AJ Styles in the well-received Boneyard Match.
The most recent example of a cinematic match came this past weekend at Impact Wrestling: Hard to Kill when Ethan Page battled his alter ego, Karate Man.
Bischoff on Cinematic Matches
Eric Bischoff explains that cinematic can be a valuable part of a wrestling show. However, it’s important that companies use them sparingly, as special attractions.
“I don’t think it’s the future of the business,” said Bischoff. “I think it’s a valuable component, a special attraction. I think if it’s done too much, it will lose some of its value to the audience when everything becomes a cinematic style match. Then it’s no longer special. I think if the cinematic matches are presented as a special event, once a year, or twice a year, or in unique story-driven situations, I think it could become a very valuable part of the presentation. But I think to rely on that exclusively as a presentation would diminish their value.”
Cinematic matches have been generally well-received and the trend does not appear to be going away. Someone like Sting, for example, is somewhat limited with what he can do in the ring. However, he’d be the perfect candidate to utilize cinematic matches.
Don Callis has boldly compared himself to the one and only Advocate of pro wrestling, Paul Heyman. In fact, the Invisible Hand is so confident that he proclaims to be working at “a much higher level” than “characters” like Heyman. With all due respect.
Callis is the mastermind behind Kenny Omega, the reigning World champion of All Elite Wrestling. During a recent discussion with Chris Van Vliet, he was asked about people who have influenced his career. Among the names were [Kenny Omega’s uncle] The Golden Sheik, former WWE Superstar Bad News Allen and the esteemed Paul Heyman.
There are certain similarities between Callis and Heyman. Aside from guiding the careers of men at the very top of the sport, they both seem to play 4D chess while others are playing checkers. Callis didn’t just cite Paul Heyman as an influence, though. He thinks his current work with Kenny Omega is on a whole different level.
“I’ve been happy for Paul that he’s had the success that he’s had, because he’s a very talented and hard-working guy,” said Callis. “He did a lot for me. There have been people now that have been comparing us, and I think it’s an unfair comparison for Paul because Paul is a tremendous wrestling performer, a character on a television show. He does a wonderful job of that. I’m not a character. I am the essence of who I am and what I do is done at a much higher level than what characters like Paul, with all due respect, can do.”
You can watch Don Callis’ full interview with Chris Van Vliet below:
Don Callis & Kenny Omega
Don Callis and Kenny Omega will return to AEW Dynamite. The return follows Saturday’s Impact Hard to Kill pay-per-view, which saw Omega pin Impact Champion Rich Swann in the main event.
AEW is advertising that Omega will “reflect on his dominance.”
Luchador Blue Demon Jr. is running for political office. He seems to become mayor of the Mexico City municipality, Gustavo A. Madero.
During a recent interview with Mexican TV personality Gustavo Adolfo Infante, Blue Demon Jr. spoke about his candidacy.
“My party is called Redes Sociales Progresistas (Progressive Social Network). I am trying to become mayor of the GAM. There is Tinieblas for Venustiano Carranza and Carístico for Cuauhtémoc,” said Blue Demon Jr.
The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion also said that if elected as the mayor, he is going to focus on matters like education, security, and economics.
Blue Demon Jr. in Politics
It is forbidden in Lucha Libre culture to reveal one’s real name and face to the public under any circumstance. Honoring his heritage, Blue Demon Jr. hopes to run for mayor without taking off his mask or revealing his identity. He explained that he would only have to identify himself in front of the authorities and not to the public.
Blue Demon Jr. is not the first masked wrestler to run for office masked. Masanori Murakawa of Japan, better known as The Great Sasuke, became the first masked wrestler to serve in politics. He was elected as the legislator of Iwate Prefectural Assembly.
Blue Demon Jr. is the ‘adopted’ son of legendary Luchador Blue Demon. He was the first Mexican and only the second masked wrestler to win the NWA Championship. After an initial stint with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide from 1996 to 2001, he returned to the promotion in 2013. He still wrestles there on occasion.
He was asked if he’ll be able to balance politics with his wrestling career. “I will try to balance everything, in a way that does not affect,” said Blue Demon Jr. “I am independent and I own my time. I can schedule struggles and certain things, but I do believe that it gives me time.”
Gustavo A. Madero is one of 16 municipalities in Mexico City, with a population of over 1 million. Also h/t @miblogestublog for this story pic.twitter.com/aLQKriyXXZ
Even though Brie and Nikki Bella have not competed in the ring since 2018, they remain a fan of wrestling. They are often full of praises for other superstars, either on their own podcast on on someone else’s.
Recently speaking to Ashley Graham on Pretty Big Deal podcast, Nikki Bella heaped praise on the current SmackDown Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks.
“I’ve always called it about Sasha Banks. Since the day she debuted, even right before she debuted. She has it all, what you look at in a WWE superstar,” Nikki Bella said. “She’s an incredible wrestler and an entertaining superstar. The minute she hits the ramp and comes through the curtain, you’re just locked in on her. Bianca Belair, she’s beautiful, fun to watch, and the most athletic human-being I’ve ever seen in my life. She’s a show stopper.”
Nikki Bella: It’d be a lot of fun to be on creative
Nikki Bella also said that she would be interested in joining the backstage creative team in WWE. She would like to do for the women what Daniel Bryan does for the men, she added.
“Brie’s husband [Daniel Bryan] is part of the creative team and works a lot with Vince McMahon on the creative stuff. I’ve always thought, in the back of my head, ‘I would really like to do that for the women.’ I’ve lived it as a WWE superstar, but I’m also a fan. I know what the people and I know how to get the best out of each woman because I know them. It’d be a lot of fun to be on creative,” Nikki Bella commented.
Brie Bella also chipped with a few good words for NXT superstar Rhea Ripley. Brie said that she was surprised Rhea Ripley was not called up to main roster yet and praised her previous storyline with Charlotte Flair, which she felt should have been a headliner.
“Same with Rhea Ripley. I’m actually bummed she’s not on the main roster yet because she constantly puts out great matches. Her look is incredible, she’s presence going to the ring. She’s still in NXT, which is great for NXT, but she should have been on the main roster years ago. Especially her storyline with Charlotte. I was like, ‘That’s someone who should be headlining Raw,’ Brie Bella shared.
Other female superstars Brie and Nikki Bella thought highly of were Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, and Bianca Belair.
Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey is teasing a future with WWE.
The 51-year-old actor is among the veteran actors in Hollywood, having acted in critically acclaimed movies like Dallas Buyers Club, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Interstellar. Speaking to Maria Menounos on her Better Togetherpodcast, the Fool’s Gold actor said that he has plans of working with WWE in some capacity.
“I’ll say not too much ’cause as you know, can’t say too much about these things,” McConaughey said. “But it is something that interests me.”
Matthew McConaughey is known for being a huge wrestling fan. He has been among the virtual audience at WWE ThunderDome in October last year during the champion Drew McIntyre’s match with The Miz.
Not only McConaughey himself, but his children are into pro wrestling as well. His three kids, Levi, Vida, and Livingston are big fans and regularly tune into WWE television for the shows and pay-per-views.
“I love the suspension and disbelief, ’cause my kids and I watch it,” McConaughey revealed, “And they’re starting to get that when they go, ‘Oh this is fake.’ I’m going, ‘What are you talking about? No way!’ Because I won’t give them the wink yet, but they’re starting to get that in there, there’s a bit of one, ya know? Two of them are like, ‘this isn’t fake, it’s real!'”
The time Matthew McConaughey met The Rock
McConaughey also reminisced about a conversation he had in the past with Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson. He revealed that ‘The Rock’ shared with him his story of turning heel from face when they met.
“The Rock was telling me his story, about his storyline from good guy to bad guy, and how he felt it click in one night while he was there like, ‘Oh I just hooked him,’ ” McConaughey shared.
Matthew McConaughey has recently published his memoir Greenlights, which is a biography of the actor compiling his life stories chronologically since he was fourteen. He has described the book to be “a collection of stories, prayers, poems, people, and places and a whole bunch of bumper stickers.”
You can to Matthew McConaughey’s full conversation with Maria Menounos on the Better Together podcast.
It is a dream of Cody Rhodes to stand across the ring from Sting, his favorite wrestler and childhood hero.
Sting returned to wrestling at AEW Dynamite in December and has signed a multi-year deal with the company. At 61 years of age, he is not expected to perform as a full-time wrestler. However, he is expected to wrestle in some capacity. Among the wrestlers Sting has interacted with since joining AEW, Cody Rhodes is one.
Sting has a long and decorated history with the late Dusty Rhodes. It seems like he would share some storyline in the future with Cody as well.
In an interview with Daniel Trainer earlier this week to promote AEW Dynamite, Cody Rhodes talked about Sting and discussed the possibility of a singles match with Sting. Rhodes admitted that Sting was his favorite wrestler growing up, along with the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels.
“It’s no secret that Sting was my favorite wrestler,” Cody began. “I had Sting in WCW and Shawn [Michaels] in WWF. But really I wasn’t supposed to watch WWF. So, Sting was everything. I got to see him live so often and I got to see the connection he had. I honestly am scared to answer that. Obviously, as a wrestler, to stand across the ring from your hero is everyone’s dream, to share that field. So, yes, I would love and envision that.”
Sting & Dusty Rhodes
Cody Rhodes vs. Sting
In order for a match against Sting to occur, Cody Rhodes would have to put his fandom on hold and focus on Sting as a competitor. He understands this dynamic and responsibility that would come with sharing a ring with Sting.
“When you put yourself in that position, you’re no longer a fan. You’re now out to outperform them, out to beat them, however you look at wrestling. You are opposite of them. You are their dance partner, their competition. You’re all these things. That is a big responsibility and that is also just scary, especially if you’re somebody like me who loves the memory and the legacy of wrestlers. I never want them to feel like they have to carry on. Their memories carry on enough as they get older.”
He noted that Sting appears to be moving around quite well for a legend with over three decades in pro wrestling.
Cody Rhodes is waiting for Sting’s current storyline with Darby Allin to run its course and see how that unfolds. After that, the fans might get one or more matches between the two, if ‘Sting has his eyes on him as much as he does on Sting’.
Other topics discussed in the interview include Brodie Lee and AEW’s tribute, including Amanda Huber’s involvement with that show. To read a full transcript of the discussion, visit Daniel Trainer’s blog.
