Jim Ross recently discussed IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay on the Grilling Jr podcast. JR discussed that while Ospreay is a ‘very good hand’ he still has a long way to go before he can be classed as one of the best in wrestling history.

“He’s now the greatest champion in the history of wrestling and nobody’s been better, are you sh*tting me?” Ross began on Grilling Jr. “Come on. He’s a very good hand. I called some of his matches back in the day, he’s very good and very unique, he creates his own style with a lot of British stuff.”

Jim Ross then discussed the former top Champions of New Japan, questioning whether Will Ospreay even ranks up to them at present.

“I think Will Ospreay is a great talent, but all of a sudden, because he did have a fantastic NJPW experience, is he the greatest ever?” Ross asked. “Is he even the greatest NJPW champion? It’s hard to say he’s better than [Hiroshi] Tanahashi, it’s hard to say he’s better than [Kazuchika] Okada or the list of all luminaries that held that title. I do think he’s very good, it might be a little early a week after his win to consider him the greatest ever.”

Jim Ross on Will Ospreay

JR finished by saying that he wants to see Ospreay appear for AEW at some point in the future. “I wish he wrestled in AEW, he’d do great here,” Ross noted. “He’s not from here you know, I don’t know if that means a lot to him or not. I know he could probably make more money than he’s making where he is, that’s my guess.”

“We know he’d have more creative freedom if he wrestled for Tony Khan than if he wrestled for Vince McMahon” Jim Ross added. “I think that’s one of the attractive things about our company that’s ever growing, you get to have a bigger influence on your creative. I know guys here in AEW that outline their whole program, I think that’s cool as hell. It gives them some creative release and wrestlers are creative by nature.”

Would you like to see Will Ospreay appear in AEW? Let us know in the comments

This past weekend, a new WWE show premiered on A&E titled, “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures.” Hosts Triple H and Stephanie McMahon scour the globe for lost pieces of pro wrestling memorabilia, such as Ric Flair’s iconic robes, Kane’s mask, etc. The recovered items are being brought back to a WWE warehouse, but they might eventually be part of a physical WWE Hall of Fame building.

WWE has considered a physical Hall of Fame at different times over the years, but it’s never come to fruition. The Most Wanted Treasures show has revived interest in the topic, which led to some commentary by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

According to Meltzer, the reason WWE never pulled the trigger on a physical Hall of Fame is because Vince McMahon has always felt it’s a waste of money. Triple H has reportedly been pushing for a Hall of Fame building for nearly a decade, but McMahon has always vetoed the idea.

The company has a spotty track record when it comes to real estate. The WWF New York restaurant in Times Square was short-lived. The company’s Las Vegas hotel and casino concept never got off the ground.

There were talks about bringing the WWE Hall of Fame to Universal City Walk in Orlando, Florida, but that fell apart in 2016. For now, the best place for wrestling fans to see WWE memorabilia is the Axxess Fan Fest that is held during WrestleMania weekends.

Samoa Joe was perhaps the biggest name to be released by WWE last week as part of the company’s latest round of cost-cutting.

Whilst many fans and critics were completely shocked about the former TNA and ROH World Champion being released; WWE would’ve had fair reason.

Well hopefully they would’ve had fair reason and not just the petty usual stuff.

• Edge Reveals Why He Chose To Adopt ‘Tweener’ Character for WrestleMania 37
• Jim Ross Can’t Understand Why This Superstar Never Turned Heel

Check out the video below and let us know if you agree or disagree with my reasoning for defending WWE somewhat in their decision to release Samoa Joe.

What would you like to see us produce for video content on YouTube going forward? Let us know in the comments

Chris Jericho remains at the forefront of AEW storylines. His Inner Circle faction is embroiled in a heated feud with MJF’s new group, Pinnacle. The two factions will soon clash at Blood and Guts, AEW’s version of the War Games double-catch “match beyond.”

Le Champion recently spoke with Hollywood Life and discussed celebrity involvement in professional wrestling. Jericho has worked closely with Mike Tyson in AEW and says celebrities are doing better with wrestling than in previous years.

“You now have guys that have a large amount of respect for pro wrestling,” Jericho began. “You can throw Jay Leno’s name in there and I will raise you a Karl Malone, a Dennis Rodman or a Lawrence Taylor way back in the day.”

He continued, “There are athletes and guys like Bad Bunny who have been lifelong fans of wrestling and really respect what we do and want to be involved. Those are the ones that always work the best. If you take a guy who doesn’t want to do the training and do the things to put on a good match, you will not get one. Then it becomes more of just a stunt casting.”

Chris Jericho on Shaq and Bad Bunny

Over the past several months, mainstream celebrities Shaquille O’Neal, “Iron” Mike Tyson and Bad Bunny have all gotten involved with professional wrestling.

Jericho praised Shaq in particular for his match on AEW Dynamite against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet, alongside Jade Cargill.

“Shaq took it very seriously” Jericho stated. “He worked very hard to put on the match he did. The same thing with Bad Bunny. You can tell the training was there because what he did was very much like the match we had with Shaq.”

Head over to Hollywood Life to read their full interview with Chris Jericho.

Controversial wrestling star Ivelisse has broken her silence about her recent release from All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

The veteran performer from Puerto Rico says she was blindsided when AEW let her go. Despite her in-ring talent, Ivelisse has a reputation for being difficult to work with behind the scenes.

“I was in shock, definitely, but not as much because I had already recalled everything that went on in the past, so I had an idea,” Ivelisse told Hugo Savinovich for Lucha Libre Online. “I noticed too late just how much damage was made to my name, and I only realized after analyzing the chain of events from everything that went on and it made a lot more sense, because this and this happened because of this and whether it was fair or not.”

As she reflects on what transpired in AEW, she understands how everything transpired. After AEW stopped booking her for matches, people reached out to ask about her role with the company. She decided to focus on her mental and physical health.

Ivelisse on AEW Release

Ivelisse has wresteld for WWE, NXT, Shine, TNA, Lucha Underground. She was hopeful about her AEW run, but it seems that run met a similar fate.

“I did not expect it to turn into a positive reaction, so when they gave me the notice, I was still in shock,” she admitted. “Again, I understand wrestling and it’s politics, but the fact that someone was brought in as strongly, that is what shocked me the most, especially during a pandemic.”

Ivelisse then mentioned how she came to AEW during the pandemic to try and elevate herself and her wrestling career in the United States.

“I came from Puerto Rico on my own” Ivelisse stated. “With my clothes on my back in a suitcase, and I came here to kill myself from ground zero with many against me; so when I lost everything on the fire, literally the little that I achieve because, as you mentioned, if I was a man, I would have had a lot more wealth and success than I would as a woman in my career, I lost it.”

“I had my hopes very elevated, but I lost everything,” Ivelisse concluded. “Everything that happened there, plus everything else on top of it, and I still did everything I was asked to do. I gave it my all to my work, and I lost a lot of weight due to the stress of what was going on and personal issues that I was going through, I was suffering. So I lost the person that was with me when everything would go South, everything was gone, so that’s why I put everything in my work. I will be super honest, I was in that wave of depression trying to hold on, specially.”

Watch Ivelisse’s interview with Lucha Libre Online:

2021 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Edge recently took part in a WWE media call. The Rated R Superstar discussed a number of topics during the call, including his ‘tweener’ character he portrayed heading into WrestleMania 37.

Main eventing Night 2 of WrestleMania 37, Edge and Daniel Bryan both lost in a Triple Threat match with Roman Reigns defending his Universal Championship.

“When you find out it’s a triple threat, you go, okay, we both can’t play the underdog hero” Edge began during the call, discussing how Daniel Bryan was added to the match. “[You can’t have] that Rocky vibe and both pull that off. If you look at the both of us, well, that’s Bryan. That’s his thing. No one does that better than him.”

“I’d like to think if I could come at it with that little ‘Rated R’ vibe back, that gives me an edge that I think our audience was ready to see” The ‘Ultimate Opportunist’ continued.

Edge on Character Development

“I think we’re past, and here’s what’s difficult because we don’t have the audience to really know, but I think they were past this veteran who’s coming back” Edge added.

“Can he do it? He’s questioning” Edge continued. “They saw that with Randy [Orton], and that worked there. I thought it could continue to work, but I saw that it wasn’t, and then you throw Bryan into the mix, okay, he’s going to corner that market. Roman [Reigns] is cornering his market.”

“I have to find a direction to come from here, and to me, it’s neither heel nor babyface” The Rated R Superstar stated. “It’s not hero. It’s not a villain it’s Edge. And he wants back what he never lost, and the character of Edge was always driven by the championship. Nothing else.”

“It was so simple. Edge wants the title” the former World Champion concluded. “That’s it. Doesn’t matter who has it. It could have been Batista. It could have been JBL. That’s what Edge wants.”

Do you think that Edge should keep this character going forward in WWE? Let us know in the comments

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks have been working hard on their recent heel turn on All Elite programming. The duo have been utilizing their social media, specifically Twitter, to advance their NJPW Bullet Club-esque characters over the past few weeks.

One way that Matt and Nick Jackson have used Twitter is by posting ‘New bio!!’ every few days to get fans to click on their profile and check out the latest musings from AEW’s top tag team.

In the latest update, The Young Bucks have said that they plan to ‘retire’ from professional wrestling at the age of 40.

The Young Bucks on Retirement

“Wrestling’s sweethearts. Needle movers. Goalpost chasers” The Young Bucks write. “Polarizing, self-made millionaires. Could’ve retired years ago so this is all extra credit. Done by 40.”

It’s worth noting that Matt Jackson is 36, and his brother Nick will be turning 32 in July.

It’s not uncommon for professional wrestlers to still be performing well into their 40s or even 50s. Arguably the biggest mainstream name in AEW is Chris Jericho, and he turned 50 last year.

• The Young Bucks Comment On “Babyfaces & Heels” In AEW

Do you think that The Young Bucks/Matt Jackson will be retiring in the next 4 years? Let us know in the comments

WWE commentator Corey Graves recently discussed Michael Cole and the botched call from the WrestleMania 37 Night 1 main event. The match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair ended when Belair hit a KOD on the reigning Champion; however Cole incorrectly called that Banks had kicked out.

This came after a number of WWE Superstars praised Cole for saying that this was the first ever WrestleMania main event featuring two black women.

“If there’s anybody that’s truly unshakable, it’s [Michael] Cole,” Graves stated on the WWE After the Bell podcast. “Cole felt bad, he felt terrible but I can relate. I almost thought the same thing, from our vantage point, it was not crystal clear.”

Corey Graves on Michael Cole

“I’m not making excuses cause it was what it is, it didn’t take anything away from the amazing moment, it was reality” Corey Graves continued. “It was a very genuine real reaction. Take into consideration, yes we have the monitor, yes we have audio in our headphones, but we’re also in a stadium full of 20,000 people.”

“Any wrestler’s book that you have ever read says being in a stadium is very different than an arena” Corey added. “Because it takes a second, the sound has to leave and come back before anybody can truly register. I myself, wasn’t sure.”

Graves finished by defending the call from Michael Cole, saying that there are always a number of instances of finishers being kicked out of during a WrestleMania match.

• News On The Backstage Reaction To Bianca Belair vs Sasha Banks

“Hey, it’s the main event of WrestleMania, people have kicked out of each others finishers 35 times already tonight” Graves concluded. “Why wouldn’t this be any different? It was a genuine shock after that so everyone, leave Michael Cole alone.”

credit WWE After the Bell and a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

ROH star and former WWE Superstar Mike Bennett recently spoke to The Shining Wizards Podcast. The former WWE 24/7 Champion discussed a number of topics during the interview, including his release from WWE and subsequent lack of contact from All Elite Wrestling.

“You know, they didn’t reach out to me,” Bennett began, talking about AEW. “Wrestling is very like ‘brother, brother.’ You talk to some people, you put out feelers.  Everything was always put out there, but nothing was ever like attacked.”

“I think always in my head, with Taven, it was always Ring of Honor” Bennett continued. ” I never really wanted to go anywhere else. You obviously, if you’re a businessman, and a smart businessman, you put everything out to everybody because you never want to put all your eggs in one basket.”

“But you know, when I got fired, one of the first people to reach out to me was Delirious” Bennett added. “He just sent me a winky emoji on Twitter.  It was just one of those ‘Hey I got ya,” you know?’ That always meant a lot to me because Delirious took over the book when I first started in ROH.”

“We have always had a very good relationship, and it’s always meant a lot to me” the former WWE Superstar noted. “So when I got that, it was just kind of like ‘I got you pal.’ It was one of these things where I was going to put out these feelers, but I know where I’m going and I know where I want to go. So it wasn’t really like attacking anything head on.”

Do you think that AEW will be contacting any of the talent released this week? Let us know in the comments

WWE RAW Superstar Rhea Ripley won the red brand’s top Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37 by defeating Asuka. Both Ripley and Asuka are two women who are aguably synonymous with NXT, with both having sat atop the roster in Full Sail University.

NXT’s run as one of the hottest brands in the world was put to the test when AEW started running on Wednesday nights. With both shows going head-to-head, fans dubbed the new competition as the ‘Wednesday Night Wars.’

The Gold brand of WWE moved to Tuesday this past week and gained viewers in the 800,000 range, with the show no longer having direct pro wrestling competition. AEW in comparison did 1.2 million in the ratings, signalling that the move of NXT and the end of the Wednesday Night Wars was best for both shows.

Rhea Ripley on Wednesday Night War

Speaking to talkSPORT, Rhea Ripley would discuss what it was like being ‘in the trenches’ during the Wednesday night shows.

“I think the internet definitely blew it up a lot more than we thought,” Ripley said. “We didn’t really think about it, at least I didn’t really think about it too much when we were on NXT. I just went there, did my job. I totally forgot there was a ‘war’ going on.”

“I just wanted to do the best that I could do and I think everyone was in the same boat as that” Ripley continued. “I think everyone in NXT just loves what they do so much and we just wanted to do the best that we could. And if that meant we were in a ‘war’ with someone, I guess we’re going to fight. But I think the internet blew that up a lot more than it was.”

Nita Strauss recently spoke to the UnSKripted podcast. The Guitarist discussed a number of topics on the show, including how she wants to wrestle for WWE.

Strauss has been on WWE programming a number of different times, including WrestleMania week’s NXT Stand & Deliver shows and playing Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance theme at WrestleMania 34.

“I’m pretty athletic already, so I imagine being a pretty athletic wrestler,” Strauss began on the podcast. “If I was to ever get in the ring, hopefully someday and get to do a couple of spots, I’d like to have an interesting match.”

Nita Strauss on Wrestling in WWE

“I don’t know if I can ever be as accomplished as the real Lucha Libre guys, but [I’ll] get some high-flying spots in” Nita Strauss continued. “Get some interesting move sets in. That’s what I want to do.”

Strauss finished by saying that she would love to team with her ‘favorite’ performer in WWE, Becky Lynch. “Exactly, Becky. Come on. I’m ready. Let’s go” Strauss noted. “I just got done working out at the gym. Let’s do it. (Claps).”

Would you like to see Nita Strauss appear in a WWE ring? Let us know in the comments

WWE NXT commentator and former Superstar Wade Barrett recently appeared on the WWE After the Bell podcast with fellow NXT Commentator Vic Joseph. Barrett discussed a number of topics during the interview, including teasing a potential return to in-ring action for the Brit.

After an impressive wrestling career, Barrett reveals he always had sights on being a broadcaster.

“It was always a career goal of mine from way back to be an announcer,” Barrett began on the podcast. “I always thought I’d do it one day after I retired. I was lucky enough in 2008 under the tutelage of Dusty Rhodes, who was one of my mentors for Florida Championship Wrestling.”

“I did the commentary for the FCW TV show, the developmental version of WWE back then” Wade Barrett continued. “I always knew I wanted to be an announcer one day, fortunately this opportunity came up for me at the right time, got a call from Michael Cole, invited me along and it’s been a lot of fun ever since.”

Wade Barrett’s In-Ring Future

Barrett finished by telling Vic Joseph that there’s a chance he may return to the ring for WWE. He’s enjoying his current role, but he believes he’s still got what it takes to compete with today’s top Superstars.

“Hey, I’m all about the big paydays Mr. Joseph,” Barrett said. “It will not take much to remove me from the seat next to you and get back in the ring. I will say, very much enjoying my job with NXT but I have always made sure there’s at least a little bit left in the tank.”

• Backstage News On WrestleMania 37 Universal Title Triple Threat Match

WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley recently spoke to TV Insider. The Australian Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including what happened backstage at WrestleMania 37.

“It was crazy walking through the curtain and seeing the crowd and how excited they were,” Ripley began, discussing what it was like to walk out at the start of ‘Mania Night 1. “All my dreams were coming true. It was something I worked toward for a long time. I was trying to hold it all together, telling myself, ‘Don’t cry.’”

She continued, “Then I looked over to Edge near me, and he had tears in his eyes” Rhea Ripley continued. “He nodded at me and winked. I just lost it. I could not hold it together.”

Ripley was also one of the notable talents shown on-screen during the opening segment of the show. She was clearly emotional to be back in front of a live crowd in a stadium.

“Then I saw this fan in the front saying, ‘Hey Rhea! You got this. You’re going to kill it’ — giving me this pep talk. Next thing I know, I’m being shown on the big screen.”

• The Undertaker Explains Why He Kept His Retirement Speech Short

Rhea Ripley went on to dethrone Asuka to win the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. Head over to TV Insider to check out the complete interview.

Former WWE Superstar and current IMPACT performer Heath/Heath Slater recently spoke to The Angle Podcast. The One Man Band discussed a number of topics during the interview, including how he was offered a new WWE contract following his firing in April 2020.

Heath was one of the talents released back in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; that was at least the reasoning given publicly by talents who were let go, ‘desperately needed’ budget cuts.

Slater would however return for an episode of Monday Night RAW in July 2020 as part of the Drew McIntyre/Dolph Ziggler angle.

Heath Slater on WWE Return

The former Heath Slater noted how Drew McIntyre convinced him to return for the one-off angle in July 2020. “He’s (Drew McIntyre) like ‘man I need you there, I want you there, for me and my storyline and it will help you out too. Imagine if they offer you a contract. Imagine even if you leave after this you’ll be talked about. The eyes will be on you.”

“I talked to my wife about it and she said ‘what do you have to lose? You’re already fired’” Heath continued. “I went down there and they tried to give me a script and I gave it back to them and said I got what I want to say. They asked me to mention the last time I spoke to Drew was on The Bump.”

The former WWE Superstar revealed that following the July 2020 appearance he was in fact offered a deal to return to the company. “They offered me a contract back and it was like half of what I was making,” Heath noted. “I was like no; I need to go and find myself and do other things.”

• Charlotte Flair Returns On WWE Raw

“I never burned any bridges there, they all know me” Heath added. “I still talk to more than half of the people up there. There’s no hard feelings at all. I told them I said I just want to go and do my thing for a little bit and they didn’t blame me. They got it.”

credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription

WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley recently spoke to TV Insider. The Australian Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including her RAW Women’s Championship victory at WrestleMania 37.

Ripley defeated Asuka on Night 2 of WrestleMania 37, using her Riptide finishing move to get the win and cement her place on the Red brand of WWE going forward on Monday nights.

Rhea Ripley Talks Vince McMahon

“One of the big ones was talking to Vince McMahon afterward” Rhea Ripley said during the interview, discussing what it was like backstage after her big win. “Hearing him say ‘well done’ and that I did great. It was so surreal.”

“It’s a dream, and I’m living it” Ripley added. “To have the big boss man say well done was pretty insane to me.”

Rhea Ripley also revealed some advice that Paul Heyman gave her. “It was Paul Heyman who said to me, ‘You can stay humble, but don’t stay silent’” Ripley revealed. “That really hit me because I’m a very humble person.”

• CM Punk Comments On Potentially Wrestling Kenny Omega or Triple H

“I do my job and do what I’m told” Ripley added. “Sometimes that isn’t the best way to do things. I will take that advice with me as I keep working.”

WWE SmackDown Superstar Bianca Belair won the SmackDown Women’s Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 37 Night 1. The ‘EST of WWE’ had a historic match against Sasha Banks that saw her win with her KOD finisher.

Following the match Belair appeared backstage during the WWE Watch Along taping. Bianca Belair took some time to speak about her massive win before the show went off air.

“I feel like we just felt the moment” Bianca Belair began speaking to Watch Along. “We just wanted to extent that moment and we wanted that image to be in the world. Being there, I can honestly say the beginning was one of my favourite parts of the match.”

Bianca Belair on Title Win

“That moment in the beginning, that’s what I’m going to remember for the rest of my life” Belair continued. “My mind is blown, I’m just so full of joy.”

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” Belair added. “I knew I had to give it my all, Sasha Banks is amazing and I can’t thank her enough. I love competition and she brought it.”

• What Happened After WrestleMania Went Off The Air?

“I wanted to face the best Sasha Banks and I had to bring my best” Belair concluded. “I will say I am ready for a rematch because I want to prove that tonight… I want to cement it, that I am the EST of WWE.”

WrestleMania 37 is halfway through, with Night 2 taking place tonight from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The promo for WrestleMania 38, which takes place in Dallas, Texas next year has been released and features Stone Cold Steve Austin.

“They say everything’s bigger here, and not to mess with us,” Austin begins the video. “Cause this place runs deep in our hearts.”

“Here’s the bottom line” Steve Austin continues. “This is where the jaws will drop, the feet will stomp, the crowd will roar, and the Superstars will soar.”

Steve Austin on WrestleMania 38

“When the roofs are blown off, asses get handed, and moments are made in the only way we know how” Austin concluded. “What?! WrestleMania calls and Dallas says, ‘Oh, hell yeah!’”

As of writing, WrestleMania 38 is scheduled to take place on April 3, 2022 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which itself is in the Dallas area.

• What Happened After WrestleMania Went Off The Air?

It’s worth noting that the video itself only says April 2022; but this might be innocuous and not a conscious decision to leave out.

Check out the full promo from Stone Cold below:

Even though Becky Lynch already teased appearing at WrestleMania 37 Night 1, she appears to be at it again for Night 2.

Sending out a congratulatory tweet for Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, Lynch wrote “Nothing Is Guaranteed Here Tonight Tomorrow What’s next Over.” Much like yesterday’s seemingly innocuous post; this seems like nothing until you realise that the words spell out ‘N.I.G.H.T.T.W.O.’

After this, Lynch wrote “just kidding! Congratulations @SashaBanksWWE and @BiancaBelairWWE. Way to make history.”

Now Becky Lynch could be trolling, or just getting fans off of the scent. There’s still a chance that she makes a shock appearance tonight.

It’s only a rumor, but it was reportedly by Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE were looking at a potential ‘Ding Dong, Hello’ segment with Bayley and Lynch herself. This was apparently being looked at for Night 1 but never came to fruition.

• What Happened After WrestleMania Went Off The Air?

Bayley did appear during Night 1, but she didn’t host her talk segment. There’s a chance that WWE decided to move the segment to Night 2, as the rain delay (WrestleRania, thanks Cole) meant the company couldn’t fully begin proceedings until around 35 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Do you think that Becky Lynch will appear tonight? Let us know in the comments

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins recently spoke to WWE India. The ‘Messiah’ discussed a number of topics during the interview, including a potential return date for his fiancé Becky Lynch.

Lynch of course left the company last year due to her pregnancy. Becky has made a major tease as to when she till return, recently writing on Twitter:“nothing is guaranteed here tonight, only now eternally.”

This appears to be a rather generic inspirational quote, until you realize the first letter of each word spells out, “N-I-G-H-T-O-N-E.”

Seth Rollins on Becky Lynch

“I can’t say when obviously, I can’t divulge my wife’s secrets,” Rollins began, speaking to WWE India. “That’s bad for me. I gotta be home with her every day, so I wouldn’t wanna upset her. But now, she’s doing great. Obviously, four months postpartum and she’s making incredible strides in her recovery.”

• Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair Will Headline WrestleMania Night 1

“And I suggest you’ll have some sorta update from her sooner than later about when she may return” Rollins continued. “But she may not. She just surprises. Because she’s full of surprises. So, who knows? But either way, she’s doing great She’s healthy, baby’s healthy. She will be back sooner or later.”

h/t ITNWWE for the transcription

WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre has commented on the news that he versus Bobby Lashley will be opening the first night of WrestleMania 37 this year.

For a long time, McIntyre has said how he wanted to be the first person to appear in front of a live in-attendance audience when WWE were able to do so.

Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley

“I’ve said for the last year I want to be the first person out when crowds return” McIntyre re-iterated on Twitter earlier today. “I can’t wait for that noise to hit. I just feel bad for everyone having to follow me and Bobby, we’ll set the standard, you all try and keep up #WrestleMania.”

Bobby Lashley has not as of yet commented publicly on being part of the opening match at ‘Mania.

Here’s the full card for WrestleMania 37 Night 1:

• WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair – Main Event
• WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre
• The Miz and John Morrison vs. Damian Priest and Bad Bunny
• Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins
• WWE Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. AJ Styles and Omos
• Carmella & Billie Kay vs. Lana & Naomi vs. Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose vs. Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Tamina – Tag Team Turmoil Match (Winners Get Women’s Tag Match on Night 2)
• Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon – Steel Cage Match

WWE Hall of Famer and one of the biggest names in company history Stone Cold Steve Austin recently hyped up the WWE Championship match between Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre.

Lashley vs McInytre will be opening WrestleMania 37 Night 1, with the Scottish Superstar looking to regain the gold he lost back at Fastlane, due mainly to Bobby Lashley.

“Just as far as a matchup goes, Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre could be an instant classic,” Austin recently said to WrestlingINC’s Nick Hausman. “Drew McIntyre has been amazing as champion. Bobby Lashley, man, I was watching his work a couple of months ago, and him as a champion as well, he’s doing his best work right now.”

Steve Austin on Lashley vs McIntyre

“His intensity is off the charts” Austin continued. “And he’s been around for such a long time and he’s always done good work, but now, it’s at another level. So that could be a very exciting match between two really big strong guys.”

“Both guys are body guys” Steve Austin added. “But both guys are workers as well, and you don’t always have that. So you got these two tremendous physiques that are also badass workers. So that could be a killer match.”

• Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair Will Headline WrestleMania Night 1

Do you think that Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley could steal the show tonight? Let us know in the comments

The WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver event is taking place over the course of two nights. Night 1 took place yesterday, Wednesday April 7th (airing on USA Network).

Tonight’s show, Thursday, April 8th will be available to watch via Peacock and WWE Network for International fans.

WWE had already announced the main events of both nights that take place in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Raquel Gonzalez headlined the first night, with Gonzalez winning the Championship for the first time in her career.

WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Karrion Kross will main event tonight, with Balor putting his Championship on the line.

This show marks the second special for the yellow brand in 2021, which features a stacked lineup. As a reminder, we will be providing ongoing coverage of tonight’s show throughout.

Here’s the full card for Night 2 of the event:

NXT Takeover Stand & Deliver: Night 2

• Unsanctioned Match – Kyle O’Reilly vs Adam Cole
• NXT Championship Match – Finn Balor (c) vs Karrion Kross
• Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Championship Ladder Match – Jordan Devlin vs Santos Escobar
• NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs The Way
• NXT North American Championship Match – Johnny Gargano (c) vs Bronson Reed

Here are Jake’s predictions for the second night of WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver:

What would you like to see us produce for video content on YouTube going forward? Let us know in the comments

The WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver event will take place over the course of two nights, tonight Wednesday, April 7th (airing on USA Network) and Thursday, April 8th (Peacock broadcast). 

The company has already officially announced the main events of both nights that take place in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Raquel Gonzalez will headline the first night while WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Karrion Kross will go down the following night. 

This show marks the second special for the yellow brand in 2021, which features a stacked lineup. As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of this special on both nights.

Here’s the full card for Night 1 of the event:

Stand & Deliver: Night 1

• WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Raquel Gonzalez
• MSK vs. Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Legado del Fantasma for the Vacant NXT Tag Team Titles
• WWE NXT UK Champion WALTER vs. Tommaso Ciampa
• Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, Cameron Grimes, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Leon Ruff, and LA Knight – Gauntlet Eliminator Match
• Pete Dunne vs KUSHIDA

Here are Jake’s predictions for the opening night of WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver – MINUS Pete Dunne vs KUSHIDA…because honestly someone forgot it was on the card tonight.

Pete Dunne to win by the way.

What would you like to see us produce for video content on YouTube going forward? Let us know in the comments

The dates for WWE’s Money In The Bank and Backlash PPV events have reportedly now been decided.

PWInsider recently noted that Money In the Bank will take place on Sunday, May 16. Backlash is currently scheduled for Sunday, June 20.

Money In The Bank and Backlash will be the first two PPV events to take place from the WWE ThunderDome in Yuengling Center. This will be new ‘home ground’ for WWE after ‘Mania at Raymond James Stadium. The new ThunderDome will be housed on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL.

WWE is expected to be at Yuengling Center until early August. It has not yet been confirmed if the company plans on having PPV events scattered around the country as everything begins to open up again following the year plus of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

No other PPV events have been confirmed at the time of writing. SummerSlam is still expected to take place in August, but the venue has not as of yet been finalised.

It’s WrestleMania week! Even with the COVID-19 pandemic stopping the ‘normal’ WrestleMania extravaganza; Axxess and the like, there will be a full week of WWE content to watch.

Here’s the full listing for what you can watch this week, including times in GMT and ET.

MONDAY APRIL 5

• The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 1990s (Peacock on Demand)
• WWE Monday Night RAW – 8 PM EST (USA Network), 1am GMT (BT Sport)
• RAW Talk – 11 p.m. ET (Peacock), 3am GMT (WWE Network)

TUESDAY, APRIL 6

• WWE Hall of Fame 2020/2021 – 8 PM EST (Peacock), 1am GMT (WWE Network)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

• WWE’s The Bump – 10 a.m. ET (Peacock), 3pm GMT (WWE Network)
• NXT TakeOver Night 1 Pre-Show – 7 p.m. ET (Peacock and USA Network), MIDNIGHT GMT (WWE Network)
• NXT TakeOver Night 1 – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock and USA Network), 1am GMT (BT Sport)

THURSDAY, APRIL 8

• NXT TakeOver Night 2 Pre-Show – 7 p.m. ET (Peacock and USA Network), MIDNIGHT GMT (WWE Network)
• NXT TakeOver Night 2 – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock and USA Network), 1am GMT (BT Sport)

FRIDAY, APRIL 9

• WWE Friday Night SmackDown – 8 PM EST (FOX), 1am GMT (BT Sport)
• 205 Live – 10 p.m. ET (Peacock), 3am GMT (WWE Network)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

• WWE’s The Bump – 1 p.m. ET (Peacock), 6pm GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania 37 Kickoff Night 1 – 7 p.m. ET (Peacock), MIDNIGHT GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania 37 Night 1 – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock), 1am GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania Night 1 Watch Along – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock), 1am GMT (WWE Network)

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

• WWE’s The Bump – 1 p.m. ET (Peacock), 6pm GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania 37 Kickoff Night 2 – 7 p.m. ET (Peacock), MIDNIGHT GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania 37 Night 2 – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock), 1am GMT (WWE Network)
• WrestleMania Night 2 Watch Along – 8 p.m. ET (Peacock), 1am GMT (WWE Network)

MONDAY APRIL 12

• WWE Monday Night RAW – 8 PM EST (USA Network), 1am GMT (BT Sport)

TUESDAY APRIL 13

• NXT – 8 p.m. ET (USA Network), 1am GMT (BT Sport)