Velvet Sky recently spoke to Press Slamto talk about her professional wrestling career. Sky announced her retirement from professional wrestling last summer. She noted she wanted to focus more on her academic career and return to college.
Sky earned her claim to fame in the professional wrestling world as one-half of The Beautiful People with Angelina Love in TNA. She is a former TNA Knockouts Champion and two-time Women’s Knockout Champion.
As for her run with The Beautiful People, Sky discussed why they never made it to WWE. She explained that WWE wanted to make their own version of the team and go away from Sky and Love’s version of it:
“This is like the million dollar question: How come The Beautiful People were never in the WWE. Well, it’s because [WWE] wanted to create their own version of what is already out there that they see that works.
“And, The Beautiful People, Angelina and I, we would never want The Beautiful People to be tainted or twisted or anything that I feel WWE would try to do to us if we were ever there. We would never be allowed to be The Beautiful People.
“The entrance? Forget it. We’d never be able to let the pigeons loose there. It wouldn’t work there. And like I said, they’ve created their own version of The Beautiful People, so they even knew that we worked.”
Furthermore, Sky explained what she means by WWE already created their own version of the duo. She said WWE’s creation of LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla) and now The IIconics is essentially a ripoff of The Beautiful People:
“Back when we were still in TNA, it was LayCool, and now it’s the IIconics. It’s the same kind of mean, ‘I’m better than you’, the whispering, the pointing, the laughing, the humiliating.
“I mean, especially in the middle of our Beautiful People peak is when they created LayCool. They were kinda doing the similar antics, the humiliating the girls, the heel role. I mean, it’s very flattering, I must say it’s flattering that what we have is such high demand that they tried to take the ball and gave it to the girls that are there now.”
It looks like Ring Of Honor (ROH) has scooped up a former WWE Superstar and producer.
PWInsider reports that ROH has signed former WWE Tag Team Champion Joey Mercury to a deal. Mercury will be used as a behind-the-scenes producer and trainer for the promotion. Mercury had already been training young stars at ROH’s Baltimore Dojo since May.
Mercury’s Run With WWE
Mercury signed with WWE as an in-ring talent back in 2004. He quickly formed a faction with Johnny Nitro and Melina which they called “MNM.” The trio wrestled for Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) and were called up to the main roster in 2005.
Nitro and Mercury won the WWE Tag Team Titles three times during their run. He suffered a high-profile injury in December of 2006 when he was struck in the face with a ladder. He broke his nose and orbital bone. Mercury was released soon after in March of 2007.
Mercury worked the independent circuit for a year before deciding to retire. In 2010 Mercury returned to WWE and worked as an in-ring talent, trainer and backstage producer for several years before being released in January of last year.
It looks like some old Tweets from WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander and SmackDown Live star Tye Dillinger are coming back to haunt them.
Some fans dug up some old Tweets from the pair which are pretty insensitive to rape. Both Tweets are several years old, as Alexander’s was allegedly from 2012 while Dillinger’s is from 2011.
— HK of Mark Out Mania (@RealMarkoutHK) July 31, 2018
Both men have since deleted the Tweets. Dillinger actually issued out an apology for them, while Alexander deleted all Tweets that he has ever made from his account:
I have no excuse for my old tweets. I was a different person six years ago, and I’m beyond ashamed at what I considered “humor” . I’m so damn embarrassed and I’m truly sorry to anyone I’ve offended.
Alexander, a former Ring Of Honor (ROH) star, signed with WWE back in 2016 after competing in the Cruiserweight Classic Tournament. After a small run on NXT, Alexander debuted on 205 Live. At WrestleMania 34 Alexander won the Cruiserweight Title when he defeated Mustafa Ali. Alexander defeated four men, including Ali, to capture the then-vacant title.
Dillinger’s initial run with WWE started back in 2006. He was sent to the company’s then-developmental territory of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). When WWE decided to relaunch ECW, Dillinger was one of the Superstars called up from Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) for the project.
He was released after only a few months. Dillinger returned to the independent circuit for four years before once again getting the call from WWE. He joined NXT, where he remained for four years and was then finally called up to the main roster.
Dillinger made his SmackDown Live debut on April 4th of 2017. He has yet to win a title under the WWE’s banner.
IMPACT Wrestling star and creative team member Abyss spoke to WrestleZone Radio recently. The former TNA X Division Champion was asked about the current momentum within the company.
Abyss said he credits Scott D’Amore, Sonjay Dutt and Don Callis for the current upswing within IMPACT and also noted that the roster is one of the strongest ones in the world:
“I’ll credit Scott D’Amore, Sonjay Dutt and Don Callis. They have really hunkered down and you can see it in the production, you can see it in our commitment to moving the show around and you can see it in the talent.
“Those guys really, really, really hunkered down and I think that our roster right now is as strong as any roster in the world. Guys like Pentagon, Fenix, Sami Callihan, Austin Aries, Moose and Eddie Edwards.
“I think our roster has really started to take shape in 2018 and I think it’s really starting to come together as a top notch roster. The women as well with Tessa, Su Yung and Allie. We’ve got them in good places.”
Abyss has been in the professional wrestling business since the mid-’90s. He signed on with TNA back in 2002. Abyss has remained with the company for over 15 years. He has won several titles over the course of his career with the promotion; such as the NWA World Title, X Division Title, World Tag Team Titles, and more.
He has also feuded with names such as Matt Morgan, Dr. Stevie and also won the NWA World Tag Team Championships with AJ Styles. Now, Abyss finds himself as a member of IMPACT’s creative team as well.
Posted August 1st, 2018 in TNA, News. Tagged: Abyss.
Earlier this month WWE reinstated Hulk Hogan back into their Hall Of Fame.
Hopgan had his contract with WWE terminated after a leaked sex tape revealed some racist comments from the former WWE Champion. WWE essentially black-listed Hogan from the company up until earlier this month.
WWE made the decision to reinstate Hogan into the HOF before the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV). He was also backstage at the PPV and delivered an apology to the entire roster.
Yesterday RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss joined AM 790 The Ticketto promote Monday Night RAW in Miami. She offered her thoughts on Hogan being reinstated into the Hall Of Fame:
“I think it’s great. You know he has built such an empire for himself in WWE and is such an icon in WWE. And, you know, I feel like it’s great that he’s back in WWE family – because that’s what we are, we’re a family.
“Everyone loves everyone, we’re just this big dysfunctional family, so when someone leaves it’s obviously upsetting. But you know, time heals all and people are very happy when people come back and I think with such an icon I think it’s a good thing.”
Roman Reigns will challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Title – again.
The pair met back at WrestleMania 31 for the WWE World Title. That bout ended with Seth Rollins cashing in his Money In The Bank (MITB) briefcase and winning the strap. Three years later they’d main event WrestleMania 34 for the Universal Title.
Lesnar picked up a clean victory over “The Big Dog” to retain his title. They rematched the same month at the Greatest Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia inside a Steel Cage. Reigns hit Lesnar with a Spear that sent both men flying outside the cage.
Although Reigns’ feet were the first to touch the ground, Lesnar’s back hit the floor first and he was declared the winner. Now Reigns has again earned the shot at the Universal Title and will fight Lesnar at SummerSlam next month.
WWE Hall Of Famer Bully Ray recently shared his thoughts on how WWE can make Lesnar and Reigns’ fourth match stand out at “The Biggest Party Of The Summer.” Here’s what he had to say:
“Even if you put the match on first, it’s still just a straight up match and if you still get a straight up finish, it’s really – I don’t know – I think that Money In The Bank briefcase might come into play. Early and late,” Ray said.
“This is completely in the opposite direction – what if Kevin Owens walks out of SummerSlam as your champion? If Owens walks out of SummerSlam as the champion, does Roman beat him the next night on RAW? I don’t think so. I think it makes Roman look weak. If Roman doesn’t beat Brock he looks weak.”
Ray then noted that Owens would get a pop if he won the title just for the sheer fact that neither Brock or Roman will be Universal Champion:
“He’s getting the pop because the belt is coming away from guys that they can’t stand. They can’t stand Brock because he’s a part-timer and they can’t stand Roman just for the sake that they can’t stand Roman. So the pop is not going to be for genuine emotion. They’re going to be popping for a title change and because the belt is away from these guys.”
Velasquez is one of the greatest heavyweights in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. Pro wrestling fans will remember him for his starching of Brock Lesnar for the heavyweight throne back at UFC 121 in 2010.
Dave Meltzer discussed Velasquez’s training session at the WWE PC in a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. He revealed Velasquez is currently negotiating a new UFC deal. The Mexican star is using his WWE trip as a power move against the UFC.
He wants the MMA promotional juggernaut to know he has other options. During his time at the PC Velasquez trained professional wrestling techniques with coach Norman Smiley. He also took part in a DDP Yoga session led by Hall Of Famer Diamond Dallas Page himself. He also attended an NXT TV taping at Full Sail University.
“My experience has been amazing,” Velasquez said. “I’m just looking forward to being here and learning as much as I can. I’ve been a fan of the sport since I was a little kid, and now I get to participate in it.”
Velasquez has a 14-2 professional MMA record. One of those 14 victories was over reigning WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. Velasquez defeated Lesnar back in October 2010 via first round KO/TKO.
Its been a while since we’ve seen Nia Jax on WWE TV.
Jax’s last appearance came at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV). She lost her RAW Women’s Title rematch against Alexa Bliss. The RAW women’s division has since been dominated by a feud between Bliss and Ronda Rousey.
Next month at SummerSlam Rousey will challenge Bliss for the RAW Women’s Title. During last night’s episode of RAW, Jax Tweeted out the following – likely in response to being left off the show again:
Jax worked with Rousey at the Money In The Bank (MITB) PPV earlier this year. It was Rousey’s first WWE Title match of her career. Just when it looked like Rousey was on the verge of winning the title, Bliss attacked both women and cashed in her MITB briefcase.
She left Chicago as the new RAW Women’s Champion, setting up her current feud with the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
Last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW ended after Brock Lesnar attacked both Kurt Angle and Paul Heyman.
Baron Corbin was also involved in the segment but retreated from the ring. After RAW went off-air Corbin decided to call out Roman Reigns. Instead of Reigns, Finn Balor came out to confront RAW’s constable.
He attacked Corbin before Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre hit the ring. The pair jumped Balor until Seth Rollins came out to make the save. Rollins and Balor cleaned house to end the segment and send the crowd home happy.
Check out some fan footage from the dark segment here below:
Corbin and Balor have been feuding with one another for the past several weeks. Rollins has also had his issues with Ziggler and McIntyre over the Intercontinental Title in recent weeks as well.
It looks like their respective feuds will continue into next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) in Brooklyn.
2K games has announced that they will have a new game mode in WWE 2K19 entitled “Towers Mode.”
It features three new legends such as Eddie Guerrero, Andre The Giant and Vader. In the game mode you can select a WWE Superstar or your MyCareer player to contest against a string of opponents.
Each tower will features unique themes, Superstars, challenges, matches, win conditions and stipulations. WWE 2K19 releases on October 5, 2018. Some information on the new game mode can be found below. For the full list of details click here:
Debuting in WWE 2K19 is a new feature called Towers. In this new mode, players choose WWE Superstars or their MyPLAYERs to compete against a string of WWE Superstar opponents. Each Tower features its own unique theme and is populated by a roster of WWE Superstars across a variety of challenging matches, including different win conditions and fun stipulations.
Opponents
Expect to battle dozens of opponents across the entire WWE roster, from NXT Superstars to current champions … and let’s not forget about the WWE Legends!
Tower Types
There are two types of Towers in WWE 2K19 that play differently from one another:
Gauntlet – In a Gauntlet Tower, players need to complete the Gauntlet entirely in one session. Quitting early or losing a match resets progress back to zero;
Steps – In a Steps Tower, players climb their way through a Tower – one match at a time and at their own pace.
Tower Goals
Some Towers feature their own set of goals, including such challenges as reaching a specific score and simply reaching the end of tower.
Stipulations
Some matches add an extra layer of depth in the form of Player and Opponent Buffs. A few examples include starting a match with a finisher or an event starting with health in the red.
Match Types
Towers Mode features many different match types. While there are plenty of normal one-on-one matches, there can be plenty of surprises from match to match. Here are a few match types that players will come across: Steel Cage, Table, Submission, Iron Man, Falls Count Anywhere and more!
Brock Lesnar’s current run with the WWE is beginning to wind down.
Before he takes off to challenge Daniel Cormier for the UFC heavyweight title, Lesnar needs to fulfill some obligations as WWE Universal Champion. He will do so when he defends his strap against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
As for “The Beast’s” current WWE schedule, he is being advertised for one more Monday Night RAW before SummerSlam. That would be the go-home edition of RAW before the pay-per-view (PPV) in Greensboro, North Carolina in two weeks.
There are also rumors going around that Paul Heyman helped put together some of Lesnar’s segments on last night’s RAW. Lesnar refused to come out of his locker room until the end of the show. Upon doing so, he attacked both RAW General Manager Kurt Angle and his own advocate Paul Heyman.
Hulk Hogan had professional wrestling fans on the edge of their seats again last night.
Several hours before Monday Night RAW, Hogan was spotted in Miami, Florida. This is the same location that last night’s show from the AmericanAirlines Arena went down. Fans speculated that Hogan could be making his official TV return for WWE at the event.
As we all know now, Hogan did not appear on last night’s episode of RAW. So why was Hogan in Miami? It turns out “The Hulkster” was filming a music video with DJ Cedric Gervais.
Hogan had his contract with WWE terminated several years ago after some racist comments of his came to light when his sex tape leaked out online. WWE essentially black-listed Hogan from the company up until earlier this month.
Hogan was officially reinstated into the WWE Hall Of Fame shortly before the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV). He was also was backstage at the PPV and delivered an apology to the entire WWE roster.
In regards to Hogan’s apology, the WWE locker room shares mixed feelings about it. In fact, some wrestlers have been very vocal on the issue lately. It should be interesting to see Hogan’s role with the WWE moving forward. Also, it should be interesting to see if Hogan is ever a part of a WWE TV event again.
Fans noticed that Brock Lesnar was looking a bit – different on last night’s RAW.
“The Beast” has agreed to return to the UFC soon. Lesnar will receive a heavyweight title shot against Daniel Cormier next year. This means that the former UFC champ will need to undergo several months of United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug testing.
Lesnar officially re-entered the USADA drug testing pool earlier this month. Since his return to the drug testing pool, fans took to Twitter and noticed a difference in Lesnar’s physique. Several comments suggested Lesnar looked smaller, but acknowledged he was still lean:
Something is different about Brock Lesnar. Can’t quite put my finger on it *cough USADA cough* #WWE#RAW
At UFC 226 earlier this month Daniel Cormier knocked out Stipe Miocic to win the UFC heavyweight title. Lesnar then entered the cage after the bout to face off with “DC.” Lesnar walked right up to Cormier and gave him a hard shove. The heavyweight champ shoved Lesnar right back and they were separated by security officials.
UFC President Dana White announced that Lesnar is the next challenger for Cormier’s heavyweight title. Pending Lesnar is able to deliver clean drug tests in the next few months, he is eligible to return in January.
“Well. @Zelina_VegaWWE and @LanaWWE have certainly been … ahem… vocal about their feelings this weekend. SO let’s take this off the internet and bring it into the ring. I am making it official. Zelina vs. Lana TOMORROW NIGHT on #SDLive”
Lana & Vega’s In-Ring Careers
Both women are primarily featured in managerial roles on WWE TV, so this is certainly an interesting pairing.
Vega, of course, is a lot more decorated in the squared circle. She is a former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion and has competed in NXT. Lana has also had some in-ring experience, but not to the degree of Vega.
“The Ravishing Russian” was a part of the first ever Women’s Money In The Bank (MITB) Ladder match. She also competed in the Mixed Match Challenge with her husband, Rusev, and is a former SDL Women’s Title challenger.
Last week it was announced that the promotion would hold its first ever all-female pay-per-view (PPV) entitled Evolution. All of the women of RAW and SmackDown Live will compete, as well as some NXT competitors and Superstars of the past.
WWE Hall Of Famers Lita and Trish Stratus will compete at the event as well. Match-ups WWE fans didn’t think would ever happen will possibly become a reality.
Earlier today RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss was interviewed by WSVN-TV entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet. The interview took place before tonight’s RAW from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Bliss was asked who her dream opponent for the Evolution PPV would be. She named Lita and Trish Stratus:
“Trish and Lita because I was never able to work with them at the Royal Rumble because the curse of a champion, champions aren’t allowed in the Royal Rumble match. So I got to sit ringside which was really cool because it was the nostalgia of the entrances and everyone coming back.
“It was awesome getting to see it from a fan’s perspective but I would really like to get into the ring with the girls who were in the Royal Rumble match so hopefully that will be my opportunity at the Pay Per View.”
“Little Miss Bliss” talked about a lot more; including when she found out about Evolution, if she’ll ever turn babyface, crying during her first promo and more. Watch the full interview here:
Ring Of Honor (ROH) star Christopher Daniels has a tremendous amount of respect for what Cody Rhodes is doing.
Rhodes and The Young Bucks are self-funding an “All In” event from the Sears Centre in Illinois on September 1st. The arena, which holds over 10,000 fans, sold out very quickly for the show.
Not to mention the enormous amount of singles success Rhodes has seen since departing from WWE. Daniels spoke to GiveMeSport recently and credited Rhodes for “pioneering” through the professional wrestling industry lately:
“I’ve had nothing but good experiences working with Cody [Rhodes]. He’s pioneering, he’s making his own way in professional wrestling and he’s one of the best examples of going outside of the WWE and finding success.
“It’s great to see that happening for him. I was a big fan of his work when he was in the WWE and to see the change from the ‘Dashing’ Cody Rhodes, Stardust to what he is now, it’s pretty cool to know that he bet on himself and now is succeeding in a way a lot of people want in their own career – it’s cool to know that he is making it happen.”
IMPACT Wrestling star Moose has seen a fair amount of success since joining the professional wrestling world.
The former football player comes off an unsuccessful title bid against Austin Aries at last week’s IMPACT Slammiversary pay-per-view (PPV). Recently, Moose spoke with Wrestling Inc. to talk about the transition from football to wrestling.
Moose (real name Quinn Ojinnaka) is a former NFL offensive lineman that has played for teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts.
The lifelong professional wrestling fan admitted that the transition actually wasn’t that hard:
“Honestly it wasn’t hard at all,” Moose said. “When you have a passion to do something, everything that comes along that journey is easy. So I had a strong passion to become a professional wrestler so everything came easy.”
Moose also talks about hating his in-ring name at first and his favorite era of professional wrestling. Read the full interview here.
Prior to his passing, WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler wanted to get his son, Brian Christopher, a job with the WWE.
Christopher passed away yesterday after an apparent suicide attempt. He reportedly tried to hang himself in prison and later passed away at a nearby hospital. Doctors reportedly kept him alive long enough for Lawler to come and kiss him goodbye.
Dave Meltzer discussed the entire situation on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. Meltzer noted that Lawler told Christopher that if he was able to stay clean for a year he’d try and get him a job with WWE, likely something in the Performance Center.
Unfortunately he wasn’t able to stay sober for longer than a few months. Meltzer revealed Christopher attempted to take his own life several years ago as well.
Christopher was arrested this past week in Memphis and charged with a DUI and attempting to evade police. The 46-year-old was reportedly speeding and swerving around at 1 A.M. on July 7th.
Cops attempted to pull Christopher over, but he refused. Police say Lawler told them he initially refused to pull over because he was trying to get home.
One police pulled him over, they smelled alcohol in the vehicle and found an open container in the center console. Christopher was arrested immediately. He was booked for a DUI and evading police. Bail was set at $40,000. Last month, Christopher was arrested for [allegedly] attempting to run out on a hotel bill in Memphis.
Cody Rhodes Does Something Amazing For “All In” Ticket-Buyer
Ring Of Honor (ROH) star Cody Rhodes is an absolute class act. Rhodes and The Young Bucks’ self-funded “All In” event will go down from the Sears Centre in Illinois on September 1st.
The event sold out extremely quick and will hold over 10,000 fans. One fan, however, recently found themselves in quite a predicament. While they purchased a ticket, they didn’t have the financial means to travel to Illinois for the show.
He expressed his devastation on Twitter but noted that he’s still glad he bought the ticket because it helps out Rhodes and The Young Bucks. In response, Rhodes PayPaled the fan some money and covered their travel and hotel fees so they can attend the show:
@CodyRhodes I bought a ticket to All In. From the way things are looking, I'm not gonna have enough funds for travel or hotel. It's literally devastating. But I'm still glad I got the ticket, cause it helps you guys. Take it easy man and have 1 hell of a show.
Sent you a lil’ something. Enjoy yourself. Me & @MattJackson13@NickJacksonYB w/the whole crew involved intend to make this count. No wrestling fan should miss it.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Jado, who has been out-of-action since July 20th, will miss the remainder of the G1 Climax tour. An injury to his left foot has forced him out of the tournament.
Jado was scheduled for a Six-Man Tag Team match in which he’d partner with YOSHI-HASHI and Kazuchika Okada against the team of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. He will be replaced by Gedo in the match.
Charlotte Flair’s WWE return is right around the corner. The former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion has been out-of-action for the past several weeks. She underwent surgery recently to repair ruptured breast implants.
Flair hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since losing to Carmella at Backlash in her rematch for the SmackDown Live Women’s Title. Since the beginning of her layoff Flair was always expected to be back in time for a SummerSlam build.
Cageside Seats reports that Flair is expected to be cleared to return to WWE this week. Flair’s return may take place as soon as tomorrow’s episode of SmackDown Live.
Bray Wyatt’s Big New Chest Tattoo (Photo)
Yesterday Monday Night RAW star Bray Wyatt defeated Kevin Owens at a live event in Daytona, Florida. After his victory, Wyatt celebrated inside the ring with his shirt off.
It revealed a new tattoo on “The Eater Of Worlds'” chest. The tattoo looks to be a Baron Corbin-esk wolf. Check it out:
Yesterday (Sun. July 29, 2018) Brian Christopher (Grandmaster Sexay) sadly passed away. The son of WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler reportedly attempted to hang himself in prison.
He passed away in a local hospital several hours later. The news stunned the professional wrestling world. WWE COO Triple H broke his silence on the matter. “The Game” said he and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, are thinking of the Lawler family at this time:
Incredibly sad news about the passing of Brian Christopher. A tragic loss of life. Both @StephMcMahon and I are thinking of Jerry Lawler and the entire Lawler family this evening. https://t.co/Siqrx5Vt1c
Tyler Breeze Returns To Face Adam Cole In NXT (Video)
Over the weekend Tyler Breeze returned to NXT. He came face-to-face with NXT North American Champion Adam Cole. The pair exchanged some funny “Bay Bay” chants before Cole attacked Breeze once again.
Some video highlights can be seen below courtesy of WWE NXT’s Instagram account:
Ember Moon’s ultimate dream match is certainly an interesting one.
The former NXT Women’s Champion spoke to Post and Courier about her professional wrestling career and WWE run. During the interview Moon was asked who she still wants to share the ring with.
After naming several names such as Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Natalya, Moon named one woman who would be her “ultimate dream match.” None other than WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix:
“There are so many people I have yet had the opportunity to work with. I’d love to have a match with Charlotte, Sasha, Bayley — the women who were at the forefront of the women’s revolution.
“I’d love to have another match with Asuka, I’d love to have a match with Natalya. But my ultimate dream match of all time would be versus Beth Phoenix.
“She has been such an inspiration for people who are different and were told that they would never be here. She kept that dream alive for me.”
With WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view (PPV) right around the corner a match between Moon and Phoenix isn’t too far out of the realm of possibilities.
Moon also discussed Ronda Rousey in WWE, training everywhere she possibly could and her experience with Booker T in the full interview. Check it out by clicking here.
Moon’s WWE Run
Moon began training at Hall Of Famer Booker T’s wrestling school, Reality Of Wrestling, back in 2007. After several years of working shows, Moon signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2015.
She quickly emerged as one of NXT’s most gifted women inside the ring before capturing the brand’s Women’s Title in 2017. Moon debuted on the main roster on April 9th of this year, the Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania 34.
WWE NXT tag team The Street Profits, Angleo Dawkins and Montez Ford, recently spoke to the The Miami Herald. Dawkins and Ford explained during the interview where their “Street Profits” name originated from, and how they feel they’re helping WWE advance:
Dawkins:
“That was definitely us. We were like, ‘Yo, what would be hot right now? What should we name ourselves?’
“We went down the list, and as soon as we both said Street Profits, we were like, ‘Oh man. That gotta nice little ring to it.'”
Ford:
“We’re profits – we’re advancing in life, we’re advancing the tag team division, we’re advancing the goal.
“We’re advancing the skill, we’re advancing the style, we’re advancing everything. The profit is an advance, and that’s what we do.”
Dawkins and Ford also discuss how they formed as a team and their experiences with fans at live events. Read the full interview by clicking here.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Rocky Romero believes there’s one big thing that sets NJPW apart from WWE.
Romero recently spoke to The Orlando Sentinel and discussed the different mindset between WWE and NJPW’s business models. Romero explained that NJPW isn’t about “selfishness,” as opposed to WWE.
NJPW strives to all work together to put on an excellent show. Romero notes WWE wants their talent to reach for the “brass ring” and compete with one another for top spots:
“We’re not about selfishness. It’s different with WWE. They’re telling wrestlers to reach for the brass ring and compete with each other for top spots.
“The Japanese mentality is to work together to make the ship run better. It’s been instilled in me for a long time and now I’m passing it on to Sho and Yoh [of Roppongi 3K] to guide them, let them learn from mistakes and make them the best.”
Romero’s Career
The 35-year-old Cuban vet has been in the business since 2003. He worked for several years in Mexico and also did work for Ring Of Honor (ROH). In 2010 Romero signed on with NJPW.
He has seen extraordinary success with the promotion; including and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title run, eight IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title wins, and won the 2016 Super Jr. Tag Team Tournament with Beretta.
Romero also had a one-off mixed martial arts (MMA) career. He was submitted in 2004 in 20 seconds of the first round via kneebar.
PJ Black (better known as Justin Gabriel) has had a ton of injury woes over the past year.
Last year Black broke his leg and lost a finger in a base jumping accident. It was the third base jumping injury Black had suffered. He previously had broken both his ankles the fall before the incident.
For those who don’t know, base jumping is when one jumps off a cliff or high surface while wearing either a wing-suit or a parachute.
Black recently spoke to Interactive Wrestling Radio about the injury he suffered last year. He was unable to wrestle the entire year and described it as “the hardest year of my life”:
“Oh, bro. It has literally been the hardest year of my life. I was out the whole year. Six months in the hospital… I had to re-learn how to walk. It was literally the toughest year of my life.
“But, this year has been the most rewarding year of my life! I’m back to 100%! I don’t think I’ll ever be back to a full range of motion in my leg but that hasn’t stopped me from doing anything.
“But, right now, I’m great! I’m super happy to be alive, I’m super happy to be working! I’m super happy for the new season of Lucha Underground to be airing!”