WWE legend Batista (Dave Bautista) will appear in a commercial that airs during this year’s NFL Super Bowl.
Bautista is part of a commercial spot titled “Thrill Driver” to promote the all-new Nissan Z car. He wrote on Twitter, “With this crew it’s sure to be one helluva drive!”
The star-studded cast also includes cameos from Brie Larson (“Captain Marvel”), Eugene Levy and Katherine O’hara (“Schitt’s Creek”) and Danai Gurira (“Black Panther”).
Nissan presents “Thrill Driver”
You can see Dave Bautista’s Nissan “Thrill Driver” Super Bowl ad here:
https://youtu.be/Bu56KAaIcac
Super Bowl LVI takes place this Sunday, February 13th. The Cincinnati Bengals will battle the Los Angeles Rams to determine which team wins the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy.
In another pro wrestling tie-in, the game takes place from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California – site of next year’s WrestleMania 39 event.
Dave Bautista is not the only WWE personality who will have a presence at the Super Bowl. On Monday, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced he’ll make a “special pregame appearance” ahead of the big game. More on that here:
Bryan Danielson has been announced as the next member of Ring of Honor Hall of Fame’s inaugural Class of 2022.
Danielson is considered a “founding father” of Ring of Honor. He wrestled for the promotion from its inception. He competed in the main event of the first ROH event, Era of Honor Begins. He defeated Low Ki and Christopher Daniels, setting the stage for what would be a very memorable run.
Danielson held the ROH World Championship from September 2005 to December 2006. He defended the title a record 38 times and had one of the longest ROH World title reigns in history.
Ring of Honor has referred to Danielson as “the embodiment of fighting spirit and technical wrestling excellence.”
ROH Hall of Fame
Ring of Honor recently announced the establishment of the ROH Hall of Fame.
The promotion has always emphasized excellence in professional wrestling. Many of pro wrestling’s top stars honed their skills in Ring of Honor before moving on to the bright lights of WWE, AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Ring of Honor Hall of Fame
The first inductees into the inaugural ROH Hall of Fame class are Jay and Mark, The Briscoe Brothers.
Ring of Honor Is Proud To Welcome Jay & Mark Briscoe Into The Inaugural Class Of The ROH Hall Of Fame. https://t.co/CE7AQu6SbP
Don’t Miss The Briscoe’s HOF Special Episode This Weekend On ROH TV!
The ROH HOF Special Featuring All Inductees Will Air The Weekend Of 3/5 On ROH TV pic.twitter.com/OmGvZDhuVc
As announced on February 4th, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson is also part of the ROH Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.
Additional inductees will be announced on February 14th and 21st.
Ring of Honor will be rolling out new content to highlight the ROH Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. Each episode of ROH TV in February will be devoted to a Hall of Fame inductee.
There will also be weekly YouTube specials focusing on these talented athletes.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is headed to Atlantic City this week. The company will hold a live AEW Dynamite and Rampage taping on Wednesday, February 9th at Boardwalk Hall. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 17th at AEWTIX.com.
Opened in 1929, Boardwalk Hall has hosted countless sporting events, including WWE WrestleMania’s IV and V in 1988 and 1989.
The historic venue was also the site of several Mike Tyson boxing fights in the late 1980’s, UFC cards and several WWE Raw and SmackDown shows.
AEW has done strong business in the north east, with impressive gates at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ and Long Island’s UBS Arena.
According to Wrestletix, AEW has sold approximately 5,000 tickets for the Atlantic City show as of February 3rd. The venue will be set up to accommodate approximately 7,000 fans.
AEW Presents "Dynamite/Rampage" Wed • Feb 09 • 7:00 PM Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
Available Tickets => 1,992 Current Setup/Capacity => 6,945 Tickets Distributed => 4,953 (71.3%)
Paige’s WWE contract runs through June 2022. It will be very interesting to see if she sticks with WWE, or takes her talents elsewhere. Over the past several months, Paige and AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker have been expressing mutual admiration for each other on Twitter.
Paige was rumored to be involved in the recent Women’s Royal Rumble, but that never materialized. Fans were so hopeful that Paige would be in the Rumble that she was trending on social media for several days.
During her time away from wrestling, Paige has been focused on several other projects. Last year, she Paige was featured in a music video for the band Falling In Reverse.
If her in-ring career is over, Paige won’t have any trouble raking in huge money. She has a very popular Twitch channel under the handle, @SarayaOfficial. A recent Twitch data leak revealed she’s making a fortune doing live streams for her fans.
Paul Heyman is opening up about his decision to side with Roman Reigns over Brock Lesnar. The evil genius of WWE has guided the careers of both men, but recently realigned himself with with Reigns ahead of their upcoming clash at WrestleMania 38.
Heyman appeared on WWE After the Bell podcast with Corey Graves and explained why he chose the Tribal Chief over the Beast Incarnate.
“He’s driven and he’s ambitious and he pushes himself past his limits,” Heyman said of Reigns. “He understands and acknowledges (no pun intended) his own limitations and he’s willing to fight against them. And he has no fear of Brock Lesnar either on camera or behind the scenes. Roman Reigns is every bit the Tribal Chief that he presents himself to be on television.”
Brock Lesnar recently lost the WWE Championship to Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble. It took interference from Reigns and Heyman to topple Lesnar, but a win is a win. Heyman says Lashley should be commended for his win, but he’s no Roman Reigns.
“Not to minimize what Bobby Lashley has accomplished, one victory over the Beast is one thing. Domination over the beast, countering the beast, a consistent record of being able to replace Brock Lesnar as the top star, the top attraction, the WrestleMania main event, the go-to guy, the unbeatable, the unthinkable, the unfathomable… there’s only one person that I think really carries that credentials right now and that’s Roman Reigns.”
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar is the top rivalry in WWE and Paul Heyman is arguably the best talker in all of professional wrestling. The match itself is worthy of the WrestleMania main event, but the buildup should also make for some must-see television.
There’s a lot more to Heyman’s discussion with Corey Graves. We encourage you check out below. Watch Paul Heyman on WWE After the Bell:
Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you quotes from this article
Tony Khan says some new faces will be appearing on AEW programming in the very near future.
The President of All Elite Wrestling appeared on Busted Open Radio Friday morning and addressed pro wresting’s hot free agent market. Khan says he plans to be “very active” with talent acquisitions in the short-term future.
“Just in the last several weeks, we’ve some big [signings] and I plan to make some more big signings. And not in the longterm future, I mean in the short-term future. I’ll still be very active in the free agent market and the Forbidden Door shall be opening again very soon.”
Khan guarantees there will be some news coming out of tonight’s AEW Rampage and also “next week.” He touted that AEW’s roster keeps getting better and Rampage allows for more opportunities to feature people.
Tony Khan prides himself on being a wrestling fan who listens to his audience. Looking at the free agent market, he knows there are wrestlers out there who can bring new fans to AEW.
“I have to say, I really really love listening to the wrestling fans. I love wrestling myself and I’m a fan. I believe that the fans give us the direction and it’s up to us to give great shows that the people want to see.
“Any time we can sign somebody that’s going to make the fans excited, that’s gonna come in here and give the fans big matches that they’re excited to watch, and somebody that’s going to bring new fans to AEW, it’s a great opportunity for us, so i will continue to explore the free agent market and the Forbidden Door will be opening again soon.”
The current free agent market is stacked with talent, including Jeff Hardy (available next month), Windham Rotunda, Johnny Gargano, Keith Lee, Adam Scherr, Karrion Kross, Athena, Toni Storm, Shane Strickland, Nixon Newell and The Briscoe Brothers.
Former WWE & Impact star Ken Anderson has responded to allegations that he scammed the students Minneapolis-based wrestling school, The Academy: School of Professional Wrestling.
According to Anderson, “nobody has been conned or scammed.” He intends to reopen his school once they can find a new location. He also vows that the students who paid to attend the school years ago will get what they paid for.
The controversy began when one of his students posted a thread on Reddit writing:
“Ken Anderson’s wrestling school has been closed for quite some time now and has not opened or resumed like other gyms and recreational sports.
He’s been taking in new recruits for over a year now during the pandemic with no facility or real date set in place. Not having a facility to train in was not disclosed during the signup process.
He’s gone silent and his only update every 2-3 months is that they’re in talks with a realtor for a new facility but no real progress comes out of it.
Students have now been enrolled for close to two years with no training in sight, not even remote homework like tape study, character development or promos. His official website for the school has since gone down, which doesn’t help the situation or convey a good message.”
Ken Anderson’s Statement
Anderson posted the following statement on Facebook giving his side of the story:
“I feel it necessary, given the nature of the original Reddit post and subsequent articles written about my character and my wrestling school, to address them publicly.
I personally have not been contacted by anyone from the Internet Wrestling Community wishing to ask for my comments on those statements about me. In 2016, my friend Shawn Daivari and I realized we had similar visions for how a wrestling school should be and could be operated. We decided to team up and open ‘The Academy: School of Professional Wrestling.’
Since day one, we were committed to giving everyone that came through our doors an opportunity to learn as much as they could about professional wrestling. From safety to etiquette, from basic holds to exciting high spots, from character development to interview skills, we either covered it or were able to connect our students to resources that did. We’ve hosted some of the biggest names in the wrestling industry as guest trainers. We’ve welcomed over 200 students from all walks of life, foreign and domestic, each with individual goals and aspirations.
Dozens of those students now appear weekly around the midwest independent wrestling scene, some have traveled nationally and even internationally, a handful of our graduates are “on the radar” of the big companies, and a few call AEW their current fulltime employer.
Unfortunately, Covid 19 closed our doors in 2020. I understand that not all will agree with our decision to not re-open and to play it safe (some re-opened almost immediately) as we were hit with variants and waves of infection. I don’t have control over what others choose to do with their bodies or businesses, but I felt it was the right thing to do for the health and safety of our students and their families as well as our own family. Pro -wrestling and social distancing do not pair well. If I had to do it again without the benefit of hindsight I would have handled those unsure times the same way.
As those dates got pushed forward, in the individual correspondence with our students, there was a natural sense of frustration. But each time we expressed our reasons and concerns, we were met with understanding every time, from every student. It was our understanding that everyone was on the same page. In hindsight we recognize that we could have and should have communicated more.
Nobody has been conned or scammed. We remain as dedicated to and excited about re-opening now as we were to initially open our doors in 2016.
We are currently working with a realtor to secure a new location that will meet our specific needs: high ceilings, zero noise restrictions, ample parking for our students, price and location. Two months ago, we had found a great building that met every single one of those criteria, but after discussing it with each student individually, and some expressing concerns over distance, we decided that it wasn’t a fit. We need to do this right the …second time. With minimum 3-5 yr lease terms we cannot get into a building that isn’t going to check those boxes.
We look forward to re-opening. The minute that we secure that building, we will be in touch with everyone including new students, returning students and graduates.In the meantime, our students are encouraged to contact us at any time, with any concerns.
Thank you, Ken Anderson The Academy: School of Professional Wrestling (507)722-2776″
Former WWE Superstar Athena (Ember Moon) will challenge for championship gold in her first match since leaving WWE.
Athena’s return match will take place next Saturday, February 12th for Warrior Wrestling. She’ll challenge Warrior Wrestling Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa at Warrior Wrestling 19 from Cicero Stadium outside Chicago, IL.
Thunder Rosa recently issued an open challenge to determine her next opponent. Now that she is a free agent, Athena stepped up.
Warrior Wrestling released the following promo hyping this contest:
Athena wrote on Twitter, “We back baybeee and we are gonna take titles!”
She also revealed her new theme song will be “Athena” by the band Plush.
Earlier this week, Athena held a stream on Twitch where she spoke about her WWE run. Despite being underutilized on the main roster, she said she’s grateful for the opportunities WWE gave her and feels bad for the other developmental talent who did not get the same breaks that she did.
The Hardy Boyz, Matt and Jeff, have signed to wrestle together at another upcoming show.
The Hardys will team up on March 19th for the Patriotic Wrestling Federation’s live event from Clover, South Carolina. The match is being promoted as “The Hardy Boyz Carolina’s Reunion: 3 Years in The Making!”
Other familiar names booked to appear PWF show Griff Garrison of the Varsity Blonds and Brock Anderson (accompanied by his father, Arn Anderson). Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Bill Eadie (Demolition Ax”) will also be on hand for meet & greets.
For more information and tickets, visit PWFLive.com.
Jeff Hardy is currently bound by a WWE 90-day non-compete clause. He will be free to wrestle again on March 9th.
The Hardy Boyz will be reuniting for several upcoming shows. They will team together on March 12th for Big Time Wrestling in Webster, Massachusetts.
The 12-time tag team champions will also be doing autograph signings at the following events:
Saturday, March 12: Zombie Hideout (Springfield, MA)
Former WWE Superstar Athena (Ember Moon) is speaking out about her time with the company.
Athena departed WWE on November 4th, 2021. 90+ days later, she is now a free agent and able to work for other promotions.
On Wednesday, she held a live stream on Twitch and said she harbors no bad feelings against the company. She is grateful for the opportunities WWE afforded her and believes the positives outweigh the negatives.
There is no use in being mad.
– Athena
“Without WWE, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today,” she said. “I got to travel the world, meet amazing people and make amazing friends that are going to be with me for a lifetime. At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s all bad.”
Athena Grateful for Opportunity
Athena says many of the people she worked and trained with did not get the opportunities that she did.
She held the NXT Women’s Championship (2017) and competed on the main roster. She still had a lot left to accomplish in WWE, but the Performance Center and NXT are full of talent who never get a chance in the spotlight.
“That’s part of the reason why I feel like it’s not fair for me to come on here and b*tch and moan and whine, she said. “It’s not fair.”
Several other former WWE Superstars became free agents this week, including Keith Lee and Karrion Kross. Check out the articles below to see their latest comments since the expiration of their non-compete clauses.
Keith Lee sounds hungry to get back in the ring, wherever “the force” takes him.
In the weeks following his WWE release, Keith Lee has assured fans that he will return in some capacity. He told his followers on social media, “patience is key.”
Killer Kross is now a free agent. He was one of nearly 20 people released by WWE on November 4th, 2022. His 90-day non-compete clause has expired, paving the way for whatever comes next.
To commemorate his freedom, Kross released a new vignette titled, Midnight. In the video, he makes a clear distinction between Killer Kross and Karrion Kross, the character he portrayed in WWE and NXT.
“When they called, they said, ‘We are releasing you.’ And how ironic, because they said that to the man who put me away. And at the same time they were releasing him, it was actually they who released me, which is exactly what I needed the entire time. And now, I have such sights to show you. Stay tuned. Tick-tock.”
Karrion Kross in WWE
Killer Kross joined WWE in February 2020. Over the next two years, he would wreak havoc on NXT, WWE’s developmental brand. He was booked as a maniacal killer and captured the NXT Championship on two separate occasions.
It seemed like Karrion Kross was destined for big things when he was called up to the main roster, but that was not the case. He made his WWE Raw debut on July 19th, 2021. Despite holding the NXT Championship at the time, he was pinned by Jeff Hardy in less than two minutes.
Kross officially joined the Raw brand a month later. His character received a complete overhaul, including a gladiator helmet and suspenders. His fiancée, Scarlett Bordeaux, was no longer part of his act. Kross didn’t do much on the Raw brand from there. He and Scarlett were both released a few months later.
In addition to Karrion Kross, other former WWE Superstars who are now free agents include Keith Lee, Nia Jax, Ember Moon, Scarlett Bordeaux and Eva Marie.
Over a dozen former WWE Superstars are now free agents.
As part of WWE’s ongoing effort to aggressively cut costs, the company held another round of mass layoffs on November 4th, 2021. Talent from NXT had 30-day non-compete clauses, while the main roster stars were bound by 90-day restrictions.
We are 90 days removed from November 4th, which means all of the following stars are now free agents and able to work anywhere:
B-Fab
Davey Boy Smith Jr
Ember Moon
Eva Marie
Gran Metalik
Karrion Kross
Keith Lee
Lince Dorado
Mia Yim
Nia Jax
Scarlett Bordeaux
In two more weeks, another batch of wrestlers will join the free agency market from the releases that took place on November 18th:
John Morrison
Top Dolla
Ashante Adonis
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
Tegan Nox
Drake Maverick
Shane Thorne
Jaxson Ryker
It remains to be seen how many of these performers join the ranks of AEW, Impact, New Japan Pro Wrestling, MLW and the independent scene.
Ric Flair has announced he and Wendy Barlow are going their separate ways. On Monday, Flair issued a brief statement announcing their separation. He wrote on Twitter:
“After taking some time apart, Wendy and I have decided to go our separate ways. Please respect our privacy & our families during this time!
I will love & cherish all of our memories together forever, and I will forever be thankful for all she has done to make my life better!”
After Taking Some Time Apart, Wendy And I Have Decided To Go Our Separate Ways. Please Respect Our Privacy & Our Families During This Time! I Will Love & Cherish All Of Our Memories Together Forever, And I Will Forever Be Thankful For All She Has Done To Make My Life Better!
Was Ric Flair ever married to Wendy Barlow? News of their separation led to some confusion about their legal marital status.
They had a lavish wedding ceremony in September 2018 at the Pearl Hotel in Rosemary Beach, Florida. High-profile guests included The Undertaker, Dolph Ziggler and Dennis Rodman.
Flair regularly referred to Barlow as his wife. However, Flair now says they were never legally married In a statement to People on Monday, Flair set the record straight:
“It was just a ceremony. We were never married.”
– Ric Flair to People
Barlow told People they never applied for a marriage license.
The two have been living apart for the past six months.
Ric Flair’s Wives
Ric Flair was has been married four times. He married Leslie Goodman in August 1971. They had two children (Megan and David) before divorcing in 1983.
He married Elizabeth Harrell later that year. The marriage produced two children, Ashley (Charlotte Flair) and Reid. They divorced in 2006. He married Tiffany VanDemark in 2006. They divorced in in 2009.
Later tat year, he married Jacqueline Beems. They filed for divorce in 2012.
Former WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley (Dean Muhtadi) is opening up about his long-term battle with COVID-19.
According to Rawley, he almost died due to complications from the virus. Fortunately, he’s recovering. Get hyped because he plans to wrestle again in the near future.
Rawley posted a video to Instagram on Monday and detailed how bad things got for him. During the Summer 2020, his lungs were in such bad shape that he couldn’t speak for days.
“Maybe the scariest part of the whole thing was the fact that the doctors had no idea what to say because it was so new,” he recalls. “Fast forward 19 months later, and I’m not quite 100 percent, but I’m getting pretty close. My training has been kicked up and I’m feeling good enough to announce officially that I’m coming back to wrestling, baby.”
“COVID thought it got me, but it must have forgot — I stay hyped!”
– Mojo Rawley
Watch Mojo Rawley’s full statement about his battle with COVID-19 here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZ3CLdhlSP/
WWE released Mojo Rawley on April 15th, 2021 while he was battling these serious COVID-related health issues.
Shortly after getting let go by WWE, he expressed frustration about the lack of creative direction for his character. Fans may remember he turned heel and painted his face towards the end of his run. During a July 2021 interview, he told Chris Van Vliet, “I Painted My Face Like An Idiot For Nothing.”
According to IMDB.com, he appeared in the 2021 movie Snake Eyes, a spinoff of the G.I. Joe franchise.
Melina was a surprise entrant in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. The legendary Diva got emotional recapping the experience in a backstage interview shortly after the match.
WWE announced several legends would be appearing in the Women’s Rumble, but Melina was a total surprise. It was her first time back in a WWE ring in over a decade.
Melina was moved to tears recalling her return.
“Oh my goodness, you’re going to make me cry,” she began. “It’s beautiful because I haven’t been in a WWE ring in 11 years. So, I’ve been waiting for this moment and I’m telling you, the fans are so amazing. You have no idea. I feel people’s energy, so when I hear that crowd and everybody cheering, the love.. I hear it, I feel it, with all of my heart. It was so beautiful, so I thank each and every one of you guys.”
She added, “This is a blessing. I’m grateful for every opportunity I have.”
Melina & Sasha Banks
Melina & Sasha Banks at the WWE Royal Rumble (2022)
Melina was the second entrant in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. She shared the ring with Sasha Banks, who drew #1.
Melina was eliminated by Sasha Banks and admits her Royal Rumble game plan went out the window when she found herself caught up in the moment.
“It’s my first Rumble, my game plan wasn’t right, I was having a moment,” said Melina. “To face Sasha after all these years and everything, I never got to be in the ring with her. So that was a moment for me. I was thrown off, forgetting about the Rumble. That moment with Sasha, I was so invested in that, I totally forgot about the Rumble and that’s on me. That’s on me and I blame myself. Good for her, I’m glad she was smart about it. Good for her.”
Melina on the WWE Locker Room
Melina is a true legend of the Divas era and paved the way for today’s robust WWE Women’s division. She said it was “beautiful” to be back in the women’s locker room and still feels that WWE is her home.
“Tears and hugs, reminiscing and stuff, everybody’s been awesome,” she said. “It’s beautiful to be back. This is my home, so it’s beautiful to come back and be able to be a part of it with all these women.”
Women’s wrestling has come a long way since Melina’s WWE run ended in 2011. She is proud of today’s Superstars who took women’s wrestling to where it is today.
“When I was here, never in my wildest dreams did I think women would have a Rumble. I never thought I’dre live to see the day. To be able to see it happen and to finally be a part of it, I’m so proud. I’m so proud, not of myself, but of the girls who are carrying this on and making history happen for the women who are the future of wrestling.”
AEW star Hook appeared on stage with rapper Action Bronson Saturday night in San Diego, California.
Hook uses Bronson’s song “The Chairman’s Intent” as his entrance theme music. Mid-way through his concert, Action Bronson brought out Hook for a special live performance of the song.
For Lyrics to The Chairman’s Intent, visit Genius.
Bronson “sent Hook” a big compliment by announcing him as the #1 prospect in wrestling.
Watch Hook join Action Bronson on stage for “The Chairman’s Intent”:
Brock Lesnar slammed Jackass star Wee Man onto a table on Friday night.
Lesnar and Wee Man are in St. Louis this weekend for WWE’s highly anticipated Royal Rumble premium live event. You never know what you’re going to see when you attend a big pro wrestling weekend. Patrons who were enjoying their dinner got an eye-full here.
Wee Man’s Jackass co-star Johnny Knoxville as also at the restaurant, but (wisely) didn’t step in to break up the mayhem. The table didn’t break, but some glass did and we can’t speak for Wee Man’s physical condition.
The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble airs live Saturday night on Peacock in the United States and on the WWE Network internationally.
Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley, while Wee Man is in town to support Johnny Knoxville’s Royal Rumble apparitions.
Knoxville has teased that he’ll have support from his Jackass Forever co-stars at the Rumble. Fellow Jackass alum Steve-O is also in town. We’ll see if Wee Man makes it to The Dome after what he went through at the hands of Brock Lesnar.
Jackass Forever hits theaters Friday, February 4th.
The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event takes place Saturday night, January 29th from St Louis, Missouri at The Dome.
The Road to WrestleMania begins at the Royal Rumble. The card is stacked and WWE is about to kick the year’s top storylines into high gear.
SEScoops staff members Fernando Quiles, Andrew Ravens and I have gotten together to provide our official Royal Rumble Predictions.
But first, SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay did an in-depth preview for the Women’s Royal Rumble match on the latest episode of Women’s Wrestling Focus.
Royal Rumble Predictions:
Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz & Maryse
Andrew: Another month, another match involving Edge and Miz against each other. To WWE’s credit, at least they didn’t run back another single match, but got straight to the point. If WWE wants to extend this feud then the heels could go over. As much as I hope WWE moves on from this feud, I can’t see WWE beating Miz in back-to-back matches so have Maryse and Miz go over before booking a third and final match.
Prediction: The Miz and Maryse
Fernando: I’ve gone back-and-forth with this one. A loss in this situation doesn’t hurt anybody although Miz would lose to Edge in back-to-back PPVs with another defeat. Edge will be due for a big singles match at WrestleMania and I can see Miz sharing the ring with another celebrity at the big event. Ultimately, I’m gonna go with Beth pinning Maryse in her return match.
Prediction: Edge & Beth Phoenix
Michael: This match is somewhat of a guilty pleasure. It’s a little corny with the warring couples but most of the participants can really go in the ring and I think they will all rise to the occasion. I don’t see Beth Phoenix coming out of retirement to lose and WWE should want to keep Edge strong in this stage of his career so he can still be featured at the top of cards as a singles wrestler.
Andrew: No one is giving Doudrop a chance here to win the match. I wouldn’t be surprised to see if WWE runs this match back for next month’s Elimination Chamber match, but Lynch isn’t losing the title before Mania and especially not to do Doudrop.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
Michael: Becky Lynch isn’t losing to Doudrop. She’s in the upper echelon of box office draws on the entire roster and she’s on the fast track to big things at WrestleMania 38. Doudrop’s booking on the main roster has been questionable, despite her in-ring abilities. This is a chance for Doudrop to make a statement with a strong showing on the biggest stage of her career. However, Becky is getting her hand raised.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
Fernando: Becky and Doudrop had a pretty good segment on the go-home episode of Monday Night Raw. Doudrop has done her best to make herself appear to be a viable threat to Becky’s championship but we all know the outcome here. I’m just hoping that this match ends up being a banger, which both wrestlers are more than capable of doing. It’ll boil down to how this one is booked. Becky will move on to a massive WrestleMania match.
Michael: The Women’s Royal Rumble has more intrigue this year than the men’s. It’s looking like at least a third of the participants will be legends from the past. Most of these blasts from the past have no chance of winning, but only a handful of competitors have a chance at winning anyways, legends or not. We’ve seen the reports that Ronda Rousey is rumored to be at the Royal Rumble. She could win the Rumble to set up a big WrestleMania match against Becky Lynch. However, I think WWE uses this as a chance to reset Bianca Belair and push her back to the top tier after her big push faltered last year around SummerSlam. Bianca Belair makes history and becomes the first person to win the Women’s Royal Rumble back-to-back.
Prediction: Bianca Belair
Fernando: There’s been a lot of buzz about a potential return for Ronda Rousey. Before the hoopla, I would’ve guessed that Bianca Belair would win her second straight Royal Rumble and go on to avenge her SummerSlam loss to Becky Lynch. With Rousey now potentially in play, there’s only one prediction to make here.
Prediction: Ronda Rousey
Andrew: Before this week, I would say that Bianca Belair is the clear-cut favorite and still could be if Ronda Rousey doesn’t show up during the match. Belair, Rousey, and Charlotte Flair are really the top favorites in my mind. WWE could hold off on plans for Rousey so I will stick with my Bianca pick that will send her to WrestleMania.
Prediction: Bianca Belair
Consensus: Bianca Belair
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
Andrew: This should be the best normal match of the night as these guys have worked together a lot both as a tag team and against each other. There is no chance Reigns loses the title here as WWE has much bigger plans in place for him, but fans can still sit back and watch a classic this match could be.
Prediction: Roman Reigns
Fernando: It’s hard to see this match not being a banger. When it comes to the bright lights, Reigns and Rollins are absolute pros. They also have great chemistry whether they’re teaming together or facing each other. Seth will likely get the babyface treatment from the crowd here but I doubt Reigns is eating a pin before WrestleMania. Get ready for a slew of near-falls, however.
Prediction: Roman Reigns
Michael: These work so well together. Rollins and Reigns will deliver a match worthy of the stadium they’ll be fighting in. Roman Reigns is the top dog in WWE and Seth Rollins is not the man to dethrone him. Once again, WrestleMania fantasy booking comes into play. Reigns is on a collision course with Brock Lesnar an Rollins isn’t knocking this thing off course. Roman Reigns stands tall when all is said and done in what I predict will be match of the night. Believe that.
Fernando: This match has been years in the making and may have never happened if Roman Reigns wasn’t pulled from the Day 1 event, allowing Brock to capture the WWE Championship. I’m hoping this is a fast-paced hard-hitting match similar to Lesnar vs. Goldberg. It doesn’t have to go long, it just has to be exciting. I think Lesnar drops the WWE Title due to interference from either Reigns or The Usos.
Prediction: Bobby Lashley
Michael: I won’t believe this match is really happening until both men are standing in the ring together. The phrase dream match gets thrown around a lot, but Lashley has been talking about wanting to face Lesnar for so long now. This is Lashley’s moment and I see him scoring a career-highlight victory over Brock Lesnar. A win for Lashley would mean much more for Lashley and Lesnar doesn’t need the WWE Championship for the big showdown with Reigns. Bobby Lashley gets his moment
Prediction: Bobby Lashley
Andrew: A title change will happen. WWE doesn’t want to do title vs. title for Reigns and Lesnar at Mania so Lesnar has to drop the title at some point. While the case for Big E to be the man to beat Lesnar can be made, if WWE wanted to go in that direction they wouldn’t have had him eat the pin at Day 1 nor not book Big E vs. Lesnar at the Royal Rumble. Lashley is the second most credible guy on the Raw roster to beat Lesnar so have Lashley take the title and allow Lesnar to move on.
Prediction: Bobby Lashley
Consensus: Bobby Lashley regains the WWE Championship
Michael: The Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated matches of the entire year. I’m looking forward to seeing the creative spots and surprise appearances WWE has planned. My personal pick would be for Big E to win and get a true ‘chase’ storyline for the WWE Championship. However, I think we’re going to see Brock Lesnar pull double duty, enter and win the Royal Rumble after dropping the WWE title earlier in the night.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Fernando: This is going to be a boring prediction but one I can easily see coming to fruition. I don’t believe both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar will successfully defend their world titles. I only see one of them walking out of Royal Rumble with gold and WWE isn’t having Roman lose before WrestleMania. My prediction is The Bloodline costs Lesnar the WWE Title in his match with Bobby Lashley. This will give WWE an excuse to throw him in the Rumble match and win it.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Andrew Ravens: My lock here is Brock Lesnar, who isn’t confirmed for the match just yet as he’s facing Lashley on this show. I still stand by my theory that Lesnar will drop the title here so why not have him come back strong and win the rumble match as the #30 entrant in the bout, which will no doubt get a big pop. This would allow WWE to get to their plans at WrestleMania.
Saturday night’s WWE Royal Rumble premium live event is sure to feature several surprise appearances.
SEScoops has learned that former Superstar Kaitlyn (Celeste Bonin) is currently in St. Louis, Missouri, site of the Royal Rumble.
Kaitlyn first signed with WWE back in 2010. She wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling before getting called up to the main roster.
She is a former Divas Champion, but left the company in 2014. Kaitlyn returned to WWE for a brief run in 2018-2019.
Kaitlin is currently involved in Project This is Me, an organization dedicated to, “getting you back to who you were, before you conformed to what you presumed what was expected of you; Clearing the path to create everything you’ve ever wanted to become. Everything.”
Visit our official Royal Rumble event page to catch up on all the latest news regarding the Rumble and all the expected surprise returns.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYcXlBVLeiQ/
Update: Since our report, Kaitlyn posted a photo on her Instagram story of herself in front of the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Paul Heyman has shared his unique insight on CM Punk’s return to professional wrestling. According to Heyman, Punk is still riding the momentum of the excitement surrounding his return. He believes it will be at least a year until we can truly evaluate the impact of his current run.
Heyman appeared on The Ringer’s The Masked Man Show podcast this week to promote Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble premium live event. He spoke with David Shoemaker and Kazeem Famuyide about working closely with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, what it means to be a Paul Heyman Guy and much more.
CM Punk returned to wrestling last summer. He made his debut for All Elite Wrestling at AEW Rampage: The First Dance on August 20, 2021. Since then, Punk has worked memorable programs with Darby Allin and MJF. He appears to be thoroughly enjoying himself, a stark contrast from when he left WWE in 2014.
When asked what he thinks about the work CM Punk is doing in AEW, Paul Heyman says he’s not sure if Punk should be judged on the work he is currently doing.
“I think what will be interesting is what happens when the novelty that he’s back wears off, both for the audience and for him.”
– Paul Heyman on CM Punk’s return to wrestling
According to the mastermind behind ECW, it’s going to take some time before we can truly gauge Punk’s return to wrestling. Will Punk simply ride the wave of nostalgia, or will he revolutionize the business again?
“What happens a year from now? How’s he going to feel? How will the audience look at him and accept him in a year? If he can continue to drive himself to being a progressive, compelling, riveting character on the cutting edge that presents himself in a different manner than anybody else can present himself, herself, then he’s going to be fascinating character to watch.”
Heyman continued, “If he can’t, then he’s going to be someone that came back, rode a wave of nostalgia but didn’t progress into the future when he as a rebel was always looking forward in the business and never trying to live off what the business had already accomplished or what he had already accomplished in the business.”
What fascinates Paul Heyman most is the vision CM Punk has for his character. We are still in the “honeymoon period” of Punk being back in wrestling.
CM Punk & Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns & CM Punk
Heyman says Punk’s current situation is very similar to Roman Reigns’ transition from The Big Dog to The Tribal Chief. Before they joined forces on WWE television, Heyman had a heart-to-heart conversation with Reigns. He told Reigns that everything he had done up to that point was the “appetizer” of his career. Even though he had already main evented WrestleMania four times, that was practice.
“This is where your legacy gets crafted,” he told Reigns. “This is your Hall of Fame run. This is what you will be remembered for and everything before was just getting you here, including four WrestleMania main events.”
Heyman says CM Punk is still in the “warm up” phase of what could be an all-time great career. A year from now, when this current honeymoon phase is over, he’ll have a chance to solidify his legacy.
“Where does he take the CM Punk character in 2023, 2024, 2025? Can he make that character so progressive, so revolutionary, so evolutionary, so riveting, so compelling, so different and unique than anybody that’s out there that he truly defines himself as a transformative figure, a true disruptor in the professional wrestling/sports-entertainment game? That’s the interesting part to me.”
Heyman added that “momentum eventually stops” and Punk has to create the next wave of momentum to truly touch the audience in a meaningful way.
A new action figure portraying Sasha Banks’ Mandalorian character is now available for pre-sale. WWE’s Legit Boss played Koska Reeves in the popular Star Wars series The Mandalorian on Disney Plus.
The “sixth scale” figure from Hot Toys will not come cheap. The figure is currently on sale for $270 and will not ship for over a year.
Sasha Banks reacted to the news of this pre-sale, writing, “My heart is on fire holy holy”
The description of the Koska Reeves Sixth Scale figure reads,
In continuation of expanding the widely popular The Mandalorian collectible series, Sideshow and Hot Toys are excited to officially introduce the new Koska Reeves Sixth Scale Collectible Figure!
“The Koska Reeves collectible figure features newly developed head sculpt with great likeness and detailed hair sculpture, Mandalorian helmet and armor with weathering effects, skillfully tailored under-suit, a jetpack with booster fire effects, a blaster rifle, a blaster pistol, a wired grappling hook, a flamethrower effect, a themed display stand, and backdrop!”
Visit Sideshow.com to pre-order and for additional information
WWE is looking to bring someone new on to the creative team.
A job listing posted by WWE Careers seeks a “copyrighter” to join the company’s creative media division.
The job description reads:
Who’s ready to get in the ring?! Not literally of course, the metaphorical copywriting ring at WWE! We are looking for a smart & savvy wordsmith to join WWE Media as a copywriter supporting the Creative Media Division.
As part of CMD you’ll be directly involved with creating promos, cold opens, episodics, commercials, and much more. Here’s your chance to work with WWE Superstars and A-List talent across the entertainment industry. Make sure to come ready with your personal WWE Superstar moniker because you know we’re gonna ask!
The job function includes:
Lead, formulate, and develop ideas that ladder up to the Creative Director – Copy
Write for a host of media including digital, broadcast, manifestos, & scripts
Work closely with internal teams in all stages of the creative process — from brainstorming to project delivery.
Understand strategy to ensure all ideas align with the WWE brand.
Thrive under tight deadlines and can juggle multiple projects at once.
Ability to think strategically and conceptualize big picture creative.
Expert storytelling skills with the ability to self-edit.
WWE asks that prospective applicants have at least 2 years experience as a copyrighter and an understanding of WWE’s “brand voice.”
Click here to see more active job listings from WWE.
WWE Hall of Famer “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan knows a thing or two about how to win the Royal Rumble. Duggan won the inaugural Rumble match back in 1988 and helped set the blueprint for how to emerge victorious from one of WWE’s toughest gauntlets.
Duggan recently spoke with Betway and shared some Royal Rumble strategy for the 30 men and 30 women who will be “rumbling” this weekend.
“The whole thing is about longevity,” he said. “That’s why when you watch the Royal Rumble, everyone goes straight to the corners. That’s a safe place.”
A battle royal is very different to a standard singles match. Duggan liked wrestling people one-on-one, because he could control the pace of the fight. The Royal Rumble is an entirely different beast.
“Nobody’s controlling nothing, it’s like the Wild West out there.”
– Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Hacksaw Jim Duggan navigating the chaos of the Royal Rumble
More ‘Tough Guy’ than Wrestler
A lot has changed since Duggan won the Royal Rumble 34 years ago. He admits wrestlers today are more athletic, but his generation was more creative.
“I think overall the talent nowadays is much better in terms of athletic ability, but my generation of guys were much more creative,” he said. “We didn’t have a board of guys coming up with our character – I own Hacksaw Jim Duggan and trademarked it long before I went to WWE – so we were much more willing to try something new.”
Duggan wasn’t the most technically savvy wrestler. He was more of a brawler. In fact, he doesn’t even consider himself a former wrestler.
“I wasn’t a wrestler. People ask, ‘Hacksaw, what was your favorite move?’ I kick and punch, I’m a brawler. I would work with Flair sometimes, get beat 1-2-3 in the middle, grab a 2×4, hit Flair, hit the referee, hit the timekeeper. HOOOO! I didn’t win the match, but I’d win the fight. I was a tough guy.”
WWE newcomer Tiffany Stratton was in action once again on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0. “The Buff Barbie Doll” battled former NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a hard-hitting match. Shirai picked up the win.
You can watch highlights from the match here:
Stratton is a bit green, but she showed promise despite this being only her second match in NXT.
WWE spent several weeks building her ‘Daddy’s Girl’ character with a series of throwback vignettes, so you can be sure the company will be patient as she develops her act.
Ryan Pappolla, host of WWE’s The Bump digital certain, sees her potential:
Tiffany Stratton is unquestionably the future. #WWENXT
Tiffany Stratton is a heel character and she wrestled a fan favorite in Io Shirai this week, so she should expect to be booed. However, that doesn’t mean she takes the negative feedback lightly.
In response to fans who booed her on this week’s NXT, Stratton has a message:
