AEW presents Battle of the Belts this Saturday night on TNT. This is the first of AEW’s quarterly 1-hour Saturday night TNT specials that we’ll see this year.

As of this writing, two championship matches have been signed for event.TNT

Former AEW TNT Champion Sammy Guevara will get a rematch against the man who beat him for the gold just over a week ago, Cody Rhodes.

Riho will also challenge Britt Baker for the coveted AEW Women’s Championship.

AEW has announced a change will be made to the card due to “medical protocol.”

No further details have been announced just yet, but we’ll get more information on Friday’s Rampage.

Aside from Cody Rhodes and Britt Baker, AEW’s other champions include “Hangman” Adam Page (World Champion), Jurassic Express (Tag Champions) and Jade Cargill (TBS Champion). Ricky Starks holds the [unsanctioned] FTW Championship.

SEScoops will provide an update on this story late Friday night after Rampage.

Rey Fenix has issued a statement following the injury he sustained on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. The former AEW tag champion confirms “there are no broken bones” and he hopes to be back in action sooner than later.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for so much love, for your prayers, good vibes, for your messages. Thank you very much for being concerned about me.

I feel very blessed to have all of you. Fans, colleagues (Wrestlers), my friends and my family, Thank you very much.

I love this sport so much that it has changed my life and mine, that when I am in the ring or put on my mask, everything goes away. There are no fears, there are no problems, my heart beats perfectly, everything is fine, I feel alive.

What happened last night is one of the many risks that we wrestlers take before getting into a ring and doing what we love so much.

There is no fault, it is wrestling and these are the risks.

Today I can tell you that I feel better and that thank God, your prayers and good vibes THERE ARE NO BROKEN BONES.

You still have to visit the doctor a couple more times and do some studies, to have an exact diagnosis.

Thank you very much once again to all and congratulations to the champions, enjoy and defend those titles, because very soon I am back and those championships belong to the LUCHA BROTHERS. I respect!

Thank you all, I love you.”

MJF lost to Capt. Shawn Dean on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. His win/loss record for 2022 now stands at a meager 0-1.

The loss came after CM Punk hit the ring and attacked Dean with the sole intention of awarding him the DQ victory. Punk said he will continue getting MJF disqualified until he mans up and faces him in the ring. It was a clever finish that forces MJF to stop running away and wrestle Punk once and for all.

MJF is not happy about losing his first match of the year. A losing record is no way to earn title shots, so he knows this cannot go on for much longer.

On Thursday, he took to social media and declared that no one has ever, nor will they ever, beat him clean.

Several fans have pointed out that MJF has lost to Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley. The Long Island native argues that those losses were illegitimate.

MJF says Jericho had their match restarted by a crooked official, while Moxley had to use the Paradigm Shift, a move that was banned during that match, to get a win.

Gabe Sapolsky has reached the “end of the road” in WWE. He sent out a tweet Thursday morning letting his followers with a quote by Neil Peart that reads,

“I don’t regret the ride that has to be over, but rather feel grateful for the miles travelled, for the sights along the way, and to be exactly where I am.”

Sapolsky has worked as a WWE consultant since January 2018. He’s the latest cut as part of WWE’s initiative to clean house in NXT.

WWE released a dozen people on Wednesday, including William Regal and “Road Dogg” BG James.

The company released a brief statement addressing the latest round of firings:

“With the continued evolution of NXT 2.0, we’ve decided to part ways with some of the staff based in our Performance Center. We thank them for their many contributions throughout the years and wish them the best.”

Thunder Rosa was Renee Paquette’s guest on the latest episode of the Oral Sessions podcast. During the discussion, they spoke about how Thunder Rosa went from a social worker to one of the top stars in AEW, how she almost ended up in WWE as a ref, and how she feels about her Lights Out match with Britt Baker last year.

Rosa was technically contracted to the NWA when she first appeared for All Elite Wrestling in August 2020. It wasn’t until nearly a year later that she signed an exclusive deal with the promotion.

She was branded as an ‘outsider’ from the beginning – a label that’s followed her throughout her career.

From Social Worker to AEW Star

Thunder Rosa told Renee, “You know, I felt the pressure from moment one, because I knew what I was coming for. I’m an outsider.”

Renee asked what she meant by that. How was she an outsider?

“I don’t know if you remember, but the storyline was, ‘You don’t belong here. You don’t belong here,” Rosa said. “They keep telling me, I’m an outsider my whole entire career. Because I never watched wrestling. I was a social worker. I came into the business because it was fun. It was something that interested me and I ended up being f-cking pretty good at it. And people didn’t like that.”

Thunder Rosa continued, “You come from another company and it’s a blessing and a curse when you’re too good at something, at any job. So you come in at something, you’re supposed to be a one and done, and then you’re like, ‘What’s up guys. I’m the cousin nobody wants to see, but you still see me.’ And they put me in this super important spot. You’re like, ‘holy crap.’ If i sh-t the bed, this is it.”

Despite this adversity, Thunder Rosa believed in herself. She knew that if she was able to tell a story in the ring the way it was meant to be told, that she’d be ok.

• Mick Foley Explains What Makes Thunder Rosa Special

Listen to Thunder Rosa on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette:

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Brian James, best known as WWE legend Road Dogg, was among the dozen people released by WWE on Wednesday.

James has held many roles with WWE over the years, including head-writer of WWE SmackDown and most recently, a coach at the WWE Performance Center. He had been mentoring students on character development and promos.

The 5-time WWE tag team champion issued a brief statement regarding his departure from the company.

James thanked his fans for supporting him during this challenging time. He admits that it’s going to take a few days to process this major life event. However, he’s leaning on his faith in God to get him through it.

As a WWE employee, he’s seen literally hundreds of people come and go over the years. He seems to be taking things in stride, understanding that “It’s just business!”

James is another loyal Triple H ally that has been released, as WWE guts what’s left of The Game’s previous incarnation of NXT.

Road Dogg is a popular figure in pro wrestling and still has legions of fans from his days as a member of the New Age Outlaws. He should have no problem continuing to make a living in the business, if that’s what he decides to pursue.

Here is the Facebook post:

Actor Macaulay Culkin has been a WWE fan since the late 1980’s. He regrets never joining WWE’s creative team, but has had the opportunity to do some informal consulting work for the company.

Culkin was Freddie Prinze Jr.’s guest on the latest episode of Wrestling with Freddie podcast, from iHeart Media’s My Cultura Network. Both men are wrestling fans since childhood and discussed how they got into this crazy sport, how they feel about the current state of the industry and much more.

Culkin says his first exposure to wrestling came in the winter of 1989, when he was filming the movie Uncle Buck. He was watching television one morning when he came across one of WWE’s syndicated shows.

After seeing a clip of The Ultimate Warrior squashing the Honky Tonk man from SummerSlam ’89, he was instantly hooked. He recalls thinking, “Who is THAT guy?!”

“I love the version I am when I watch the Ultimate Warrior!”

– Macaulay Culkin

The following year, he was in Chicago working on Home Alone. WrestleMania 6 took place, but he was unable to watch the show live due to his schedule. He remembers calling the WWF Hotline to get the results and was “ecstatic” to learn Warrior beat Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship.

Culkin says the Ultimate Warrior was “such a good gateway drug” to get kids into wrestling. “I love the version I am when I watch the Ultimate Warrior! I am so funny and hilarious!” he laughed.

Prinze asked if he ever wanted to work for WWE. Culkin said he’s definitely thought about it and regrets never following through. “Now that I’m a dad, I barely have time to pee.” It would have been cool do, but it’s one of those things he just never did. He’s done some fantasy booking and came up with some cool storylines for Bray Wyatt.

Culkin’s Idea for WWE

Culkin then revealed WWE has reached out to him a few times asking for consultation about how to make the product better. He remembers telling them to differentiate Raw and SmackDown, because “one is blue and one’s red” but they’re essentially the same.

Unfortunately, WWE shot down that idea and essentially said, “this is our product.”

Culkin said, “God bless Kevin Dunn, but …” and did say Dunn is very good at what he does. However, he recalls most of his suggestions were related to freshening up the presentation of the product.

Culkin also said today’s WWE product is too repetitive with the same match-ups over and over. “F-ck dude.. if I have to see one more f-cking.. don’t get me wrong, I’m actually looking forward to what will be different this time, but if I have to see Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns one more freakin’ time…”

He named New Day vs. The Usos as another pairing he’d be happy to never see again. He asked, “How many times can we watch the same match?” and “What the f— is going on?”

The guys spoke about how storylines would develop for a year when they were kids, but that changed around the time of the Attitude Era.

There’s much more to the conversation, which you can listen to in the player embedded below:

A new era for AEW begins tonight, as Dynamite moves to TBS. AEW’s top names have been doing the media rounds to promote the show, including company president Tony Khan.

TK spoke with Brandon Walker for Barstool Sports Rasslin’ podcast and dropped several news items that AEW fans will be interested in:

• AEW Beach Break is returning later this month. The 2-night event will take place on the Wednesday, January 26th edition of Dynamite and the Friday, January 28th edition of Rampage. Beach Break will take place from Cleveland, Ohio.

• AEW Double or Nothing will return to Las Vegas this year. The PPV takes place during Memorial Day weekend, the final weekend of May.

• AEW will bring Dynamite and Rampage to the west coast some time this spring ‘around the time’ of Double or Nothing.

Last year’s AEW Beach Break took place from Jacksonville, FL at Daily’s Place. The main event saw Jon Moxley, PAC & Fenix vs. Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers.

Tony Khan also teased that we will be seeing Hook again “sooner than later.”

Catch Brandon Walker’s full interview with Tony Khan right here:

Brandi Rhodes is a ratings draw and she’s not afraid to brag about it.

Rhodes is the Chief Brand Officer of All Elite Wrestling. She is an active competitor with a 13-3 career record in AEW. She’s also a divisive figure that regularly engages with her critics on social media.

Brandi has been accused of having “go-away heat.” This term describes when fans boo a performer not because they’re a good heel, but because they’re annoying and shouldn’t be featured on television.

On Tuesday, Brandi Rhodes informed her Twitter followers that her segment with Dan Lambert last week on Dynamite was the most-watched part of the show. She also addressed those claims of having go-away heat.

She boasted, “If that’s go away head, then the whole rosters lookin for that same smoke.”

Brandi Rhodes Responds to Haters

Brandi Rhodes has been “counter punching” a lot as of late.

Last month, Twitter user @Mrsbadwrench responded to a photo of Brandi by saying that she looks beautiful, but she’s not a wrestler.

She fired back, “Well Melinda, my bank account sure thinks I am. So I’m gonna take the cash over your tweet… no hard feelings?”

WWE presents NXT New Year’s Evil tonight from Orlando, Florida. The show will air live on the USA Network.

The top of the card will see Bron Breakker challenge NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. The second generation star may be a rookie, but that hasn’t stopped him from climbing the ranks to the top of NXT.

The NXT Women’s Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match. We’ll also see a championship unification match and a huge 6-man tag match that has match-of-the-night potential written all over it.

NXT New Year’s Evil Card

The following matches are set for tonight’s NXT New Year’s Evil. The event is expected to have limited commercial breaks, similar to last year’s installment.

• NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Bron Breakker

• Women’s Champion Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade

• North American Champion Carmelo Hayes vs. Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong (Unification Match)

• Riddle & MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner)

Plus, AJ Styles will confront Grayson Waller.

WWE fans should expect a lot more Brock Lesnar in the weeks ahead.

The Beast Incarnate captured the WWE Championship this past weekend at Day 1. Two days later, Lesnar reunited with Paul Heyman on Raw.

Heyman realigning with Brock Lesnar adds another dimension to his relationship with the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns.

Raw went off the air with Lesnar assuring Reigns, “I’ll see you this Friday on SmackDown” from Birmingham, Alabama.

Brock Lesnar will also be on hand for next week’s WWE Raw from Philadelphia, PA.

Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble later this month. It’s interesting to see that Lesnar is still thinking about Roman Reigns, instead of being laser focused on his next challenger.

Lashley should not be taken lightly and he might be able to exploit Lesnar’s lack of focus in the lead-up to the Rumble.

Lashley has wanted a match with Brock Lesnar for several years. Last year, he shared his theory for why the match never happened (until now). You can read all about that below:

Japanese wrestling star Maki Itoh is determined to wrestle in the United States again. She’s plotting a return to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and wants to pin Thunder Rosa’s shoulders to the mat.

Itoh currently wrestles for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. She is their reigning International Princess Champion. TJPW has released a video of Itoh stating her intentions.

The following is translated from Japanese:

“With this belt, Ito will definitely go to AEW! And I’ll fight Thunder Rosa one more time. And Ito will definitely win!”

Itoh added, “There are many, many more attractive people in the world. So Ito wants to beat them one by one with this belt.”

Update: Thunder Rosa has replied to Maki Itoh’s comments. She wrote:

“I was actually thinking the opposite. FOR THE RECORD, I BEAT YOU FOR THAT CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE and I will again! you must be out of your freaking mind if you think you can defeat me. Bitch is open season! Ass whippings are giving for free at @AEW get in line…”

Maki Itoh and Thunder Rosa

Maki Itoh wrestled for AEW a few times in 2021. She participated in the AEW Women’s World Title Eliminator tournament, but lost to Ryo Mizunami in the first round.

She shared a ring with Thunder Rosa at AEW Revlution in March 2021 during the Buy In kickoff show. Itoh and Britt Baker scored a victory over Thunder Rosa and Riho after interference by Rebel.

Itoh wrestled one more time for AEW, losing to Riho in the main event of the premiere episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.

Maki Itoh’s Popularity

Maki Itoh is very popular. Last summer, one of her t-shirts was the top selling piece of merchandise on Pro Wrestling Tees.

She posted a video back in July stating that she’s received offers from both AEW and WWE. However, she’s yet to sign with either organization.

Ember Moon will be a free agent in just a month’s time.

She posted a Tweet on Monday revealing that she will officially be a free agent in just 30 days.

So, what’s next for Ember Moon? She’s back to using the ring name Athena and her first post-WWE appearance has been announced.

Athena will be appearing at Baltimore Celebfest 3 on Sunday, February 6th.

The former NXT Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion will be signing autographs at the event.

• Thunder Rosa Says She’d Like To Face Ember Moon In AEW

If you’re in the Baltimore area and want to meet Athena (fka Ember Moon) next month, head over to Eventbrite.com for ticket information.

All Elite Wrestling has announced another championship match for Saturday night’s AEW Battle of the Belts special.

Sammy Guevara will get a rematch against Cody Rhodes after the American Nightmare captured the gold from the Spanish God last week.

AEW Battle of the Belts is a 1-hour special that airs this Saturday night on TNT. It’s part of a big week of programming for AEW, which kicks off with Dynamite’s move to TBS this Wednesday night.

AEW Battle of the Belts Card

The following matches are signed for AEW Battle of the Belts

• TNT Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara
• AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker vs. Riho

Expect to see at least one more match added to the card at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

Brock Lesnar shocked the world by capturing the WWE Championship once again at Saturday’s Day 1 pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA.

Lesnar was a late addition to the multi-man title match after his original opponent Roman Reigns tested positive for Covid-19 and was unable to compete.

Brock Lesnar will remain a “free agent” in WWE storylines, according to a report at PWInsider.com. This means Lesnar could show up on Raw or SmackDown at any time. However, The Beast Incarnate has “officially shifted over to the Raw roster internally.”

The new WWE Champion will be on hand for tonight’s WWE Raw, which takes place from Greenville, South Carolina at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

As of this writing, the only match advertised for the show is United States Champion Damien Priest vs. Dolph Ziggler.

We can also expect fallout from Day 1, including Big E losing the WWE Championship, as well as early build for the Royal Rumble.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque has made his first public appearance since undergoing heart surgery following a ‘cardiac event’ back in September.

Triple H appeared on the New Year’s Day edition of NBC’s Nightly News broadcast to discuss WWE’s new NIL initiative to recruit collegiate athletes.

A new era for college sports is underway after the National Labor Relations Board authorized NCAA athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness.

College sports are an $18 billion industry, so there are many new (and lucrative) opportunities for the athletes responsible for generating this money.

WWE’s NIL Program

WWE recently launched the NIL (“Next In Line”) program and signed 15 athletes they believe could be the Superstars of tomorrow.

Triple H Comments

Triple H is the Executive Vice President of WWE’s Global Talent Strategy & Development division. He has a big influence recruiting and developing these athletes.

“To allow college students to sort of monetize and utilize their name, image and likeness it’s opened up an avenue for us,” said Triple H. “This allows them to have that open door to earn money while in college.”

Recent WWE signee Joe Spivak, a football player at Northwestern University, was also interviewed for the segment.

Watch Triple H’s appearance on NBC’s Nightly News:

Triple H spoke with Fast Company in December and had this to say about the WWE NIL program:

“We immediately saw it as an amazing recruiting tool for us because it allows us to show athletes a path to WWE, and engage with them in a way where they can learn more about it, we can learn more about them, all while working together, and finding out if it’s a good fit before they’re even finished college, and before they need to make any decisions about what they’re going to do in that next stage of their life.”

Sasha Banks says she’s fine after an injury scare at a WWE live event over the weekend.

Banks wrestled Charlotte Flair at Sunday’s house show from the Crown Coliseum Arena in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Mid-way through the match, Charlotte delivered a backbreaker to her longtime rival. Sasha Banks’ left ankle appeared to buckle as she landed.

She was helped to the backstage area by WWE officials, leaving fans to wonder if she’s the latest Superstar to go down with a health-related issue.

You can see video of the spot in question here:

Here is a zoomed-in look at the way she landed. Your ankle is definitely not supposed to bend like that.

Sasha Banks Update

Sasha Banks provided an update on her condition late Sunday night.

The Boss let her fans know she’s “good” and thanked everybody for their concern.

Happy New Year to our readers all around the world. 2022 is upon us and WWE isn’t wasting any time getting back to business.

Tonight, WWE presents the inaugural Day 1 pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA at the State Farm Arena. The event streams live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

WWE Day 1 Matches

Here’s the final card for tonight’s PPV:

• Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
• WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley
• Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
• SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
• Edge vs. The Miz
• Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
• Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits
• Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland

• WWE Day 1 Betting Odds

Predictions

Raw Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Matt Riddle vs. The Street Profits

Andrew Ravens: I don’t see a title change here as Orton and Riddle have been a big part of Raw over the last few months. Clearly, the idea is for Orton to turn on Riddle at some point, but with WrestleMania just a few months away, it might be a little too soon to pull the trigger with Orton turning on Riddle. It will be a fun match, but Orton and Riddle retain. (Prediction: RK-Bro)

Michael Reichlin: RK-Bro has been an entertaining act, but I think it has run it’s course. We are now on the road to WrestleMania and I could see WWE planting the seeds for an Orton vs. Riddle showdown at WrestleMania. RK-Bro will retain, but we’re going to start heading to the inevitable breakup. (Prediction: RK-Bro)

Chris Stephens: There is a chance that RK-Bro starts to fall apart on the Day 1 PPV. It all depends on where WWE wants the team to be by the time WrestleMania rolls around. If the plan had always been to have Riddle vs Orton at Mania, then expect them to show some dissension here and drop the titles. We already saw Orton tease giving an RKO to Riddle on RAW this week, so they’ve reminded the audience that it could happen. It’s possible WWE sees value in keeping the team together, however, as they are one of if not the most entertaining things on RAW. Even if they did originally plan for Riddle vs Orton at Mania, the positive response the team has received since forming may have caused plans to change. I’m betting WWE decides there is a longer shelf life to RK-Bro then they originally thought. (Prediction: RK-Bro)

Consensus: RK-Bro retains

Edge vs. The Miz

Michael Reichlin: Edge is in the final run of his WWE career, while The Miz will join the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend. Miz would benefit from a win more here, while Edge could help add some extra shine to the Awesome One in the lead-up to his induction. (Prediction: The Miz)

Chris Stepens: Edge should win this match. There is little reason to have Miz get a victory, there rarely is. Miz can be kept in major storylines without being kept strong at this point in his career. So can Edge, but I imagine they want to keep Edge strong for an angle at Mania, which is not that far away now. (Prediction: Edge)

Andrew Ravens: Here’s the easiest pick on the entire card as Edge will win the match. There’s a reason he’s such a big betting favorite. I think the match will be fine and credit to Miz for doing what he does best and that’s talking. The build has been quite fun and likely better than the match. (Prediction: Edge)

Consensus: Edge

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day

Andrew Ravens: These teams have wrestled so much and while it will be a good match, it’s gotten to the point where you have to move on. I just don’t think WWE is ready just yet based on advertisements for upcoming house shows. The New Day wins the titles here and the feud keeps moving forward. (Prediction: The New Day)

Chris Stephens: The Usos and New Day continue to have one of the longest rivalries in WWE’s tag-team division ever. Both are perennial champions that seem to always be in the title mix. I just don’t see New Day taking the belts off the Usos here. The angle just doesn’t seem big enough for it to culminate in a title change, at least not on this show. (Prediction: The Usos)

Michael Reichlin: These two teams work so well together, the real winner will be the fans. However, if I have to pick a winner between these four men, I give the edge to The New Day. (Prediction: The New Day)

Consensus: The New Day win the SmackDown tag team titles

WWE Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan

Andrew Ravens: Morgan doesn’t stand a chance here to win the title and everyone knows it, but she has gotten over with fans and management so here we are. I see Lynch retaining and then where WWE goes from here for the Royal Rumble remains to be seen. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)

Michael Reichlin: Liv Morgan is receiving the biggest push of her career. She will ultimately hold championship gold, but I think WWE will wait for a bigger stage to crown her champion. Becky Lynch is the established ratings draw, while Morgan is still finding her way in the championship scene. The Man will pull out a win here and show Liv Morgan that she’s not quite there yet. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)

Chris Stephens: This is one match I struggle to come up with a prediction for. I think it could go either way. On the one hand, Morgan has already tried and failed to win the title, so having her lose again seems pointless other than to try and get some heat on Becky, which just isn’t going to work and they likely see that now.

What I think could easily happen, is Becky attempts to use the ropes for leverage but her cheating attempts are somehow thwarted. Morgan then rolls her up, engages in some “justified cheating” of her own, or otherwise picks up a victory that Lynch’s character will be able to cry foul about. This would then allow for Becky to enter the Rumble, win it, and challenge Charlotte Flair at Mania.

Working against this theory is that Morgan vs Lynch did not do good television ratings when they headlined RAW a few weeks ago. I think Lynch dropping the title to Morgan and then moving on to challenge Flair is the long-term story they want, however. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)

Consensus: Becky Lynch retains

WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley

Andrew Ravens: With WWE adding so many stars to this match, a title change seems to be happening here with Big E able to recapture it at WrestleMania. The question that remains for me is who will be the next champion. Kevin Owens is someone that would make sense considering he just re-signed, but I am siding with Seth Rollins winning the title here. WWE loves heels and he hasn’t had a big title reign in a few years. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Michael Reichlin: Big E won the WWE Championship under less-than-honorable circumstances (cashing in Money in the Bank). It would really suck for him to lose the championship in a multi-man match that does not require the champion to be pinned or submitted. However, that scenario would also help Big E save face and make the argument that he was never beat for the title. Kevin Owens just re-signed with WWE and I could see the company putting the belt on him as a reward (Prediction: Kevin Owens)

Big E should retain here. Ultimately I believe this title is going to go back on Lashley at some point, especially now that he appears to be turning babyface. I just don’t think it’s going to happen here. Perhaps it’ll happen at the Rumble or perhaps at Mania, but not here. (Prediction: Big E)

Consensus: Split

Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar

Chris Stephens: There is a chance that Lesnar wins the title here, forcing Reigns to enter the Rumble and earn a rematch that would then take place at WrestleMania. I think the more likely scenario is that Paul Heyman’s firing is revealed to be a swerve and Heyman helps Reigns retain. Then Lesnar enters the Rumble, wins it, and earns a rematch against Reigns at Mania.  (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Andrew Ravens: This is going to be interesting to see what WWE does here. I see a no-contest or DQ finish as Reigns can’t beat Lesnar again and Lesnar isn’t likely to beat Reigns considering a third match is planned for WrestleMania. Perhaps Paul Heyman gets involved when Lesnar is just about to beat Reigns and that way Lesnar wins but not the title. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar via DQ)

Michael Reichlin: This is the feud that keeps on giving. Say what you want about long-running feuds, but these two always deliver. Roman Reigns is doing the best work of his career, while Lesnar has reinvented himself once again to show how diverse his skillset really is. I don’t see anybody on the horizon that is worthy of taking the title off Roman Reigns at this time, but I also don’t see Reigns dropping the belt just yet. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Consensus: Roman Reigns retains

There you have it. Hit up the comments section to share your own WWE Day 1 predictions!

Matt Hardy’s new podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, launches Friday, January 7th.

Hosted by Emmy-Award winning journalist Jon Alba, this new weekly show will be part of the Podcast Heat network.

“I am one of the most fortunate men alive, as I have been able to fulfill all of my dreams thanks to pro wrestling,” said Matt Hardy. “Throughout my journey, I’ve had many successes and failures, which I’ve always learned from. I’m exceptionally excited to share my insights and thoughts, about both pro wrestling and life, to help fans have a better understanding of ‘The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy.’”

According to a press release sent in by CuCommunications, “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” will navigate through some of the life-changing moments in Hardy’s career and connect them to their impact on the professional wrestling industry. The podcast will also gives Hardy, who is a current performer for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a platform to share his thoughts and perspectives on the numerous current-day promotions and talent in the wrestling worlds.

Jon Alba also commented on this new project.

“I have long thought Matt Hardy was one of the most underappreciated creative minds in wrestling history, and there’s so much untapped knowledge he has to offer not just fans, but today’s generation of performers,” said Alba. “The goal of this show is to educate the audience every week on the art of storytelling, character development, reinvention, and give life lessons in overcoming hardships. This will be different from any other pro wrestling podcast you’ve heard, and I’m incredibly grateful for Matt allowing me to help tell his stories in a way that I believe will leave an impact on wrestling fans everywhere.”

Tonight’s edition of WWE Raw takes place from Detroit, Michigan at the Little Caesars Arena.

This will be a unique broadcast due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak that is plaguing not only the WWE & NXT locker rooms, but also members of WWE’s production staff.

Raw Preview

WWE is advertising the following items tonight’s Raw, the “go-home” show ahead of Saturday’s WWE Day 1 pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:

• The Miz and Maryse will renew their wedding vows.

• Damian Priest defends the United States championship against former champion, Dolph Ziggler.

• Finn Balor battles Austin Theory.

• The Mysterios will face the Street Profits in the finals of the “RK-Bronament”

• Plus, former Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos will clash.

Check out this article for more on what WWE has planned for AJ Styles and Omos in the months ahead:

AEW Women’s World champion Britt Baker was ringside NXT Takeover: War Games back in 2019. She was actually shown on camera during the broadcast, but you wouldn’t know that by watching the event on Peacock / the WWE Network.

A fan informed Britt Baker on Instagram that WWE edited her off the broadcast – “they cut your moment out lol”

Baker doesn’t seem bothered by WWE snubbing her with this edit. The Doc replied:

“That’s okay. They took me out, I took their BAY BAY”

Of course, Baker is referring to her significant other – Adam Cole, bay-bay.

After being featured as the franchise player of NXT for the past several years, Cole jumped ship to All Elite Wrestling back in September.

Merry Christmas! All Elite Wrestling’s Holiday Bash continues tonight with a special Saturday night edition of AEW Rampage on TNT.

The following matches are set for tonight’s broadcast:

• Cody Rhodes challenges Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship

• Hook will be in action against Bear Bronson

• Jungle Boy vs. Isiah Kassidy

• Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander

AEW Rampage was taped Wednesday night from Greensboro, North Carolina. If you’re interested in the spoilers, SEScoops has a full report from those tapings:

A mansion in Greenwich, CT mansion is up for sale. Purchased in 2014 for $11.84 million, the stately home is listed for a staggering $32 million.

Even in a hot market, if the seller gets anywhere near the asking price, this would be the real estate investment of a lifetime.

A real estate listing at Compass touts:

“Perched on 10 waterfront acres of lush grounds and mature landscaping, this architectural masterpiece is unrivaled in the juxtaposed design of hand-cut stone and modern design. A custom estate with unmatched luxury offering a lifestyle of comfort, sophistication, and security.”

The 23,700 square-foot home boasts 6 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, swimming pool, library, elevator and many other luxurious appointments.

View the real estate listing for this Greenwich mansion at Compass.com.

The AEW roster is stacked and growing by the month. While some may feel it’s time for the company to focus on the talent currently under contract, Eddie Kingston says you really can’t have too many big names in your company.

Kingston spoke to TalkSport this week and spoke about the pros and cons of having a locker room loaded with star power.

When asked if you have too many top talents, Kingston said, “No, because it makes everybody else step up. And if you don’t step up, you get left behind and that’s your fault. That’s not Punk’s fault. That’s not Bryan’s fault. That not whoever comes in fault.”

AEW signed a ton of people this year. CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Ruby Soho, Malakai Black and Andrade el Idolo are just some of the performers who became ‘All Elite’ in 2021.

Kingston continued, “When Bryan signed, when Punk signed and when Adam Cole signed I said ‘Alright, let’s go. Let’s see what you got.’ Because I know what I got. I know what I have to improve on. Let’s see what you got. I like it. I have a big chip on my shoulder.”

Visit TalkSport to check out the full interview with Eddie Kingston.

AEW Roster: A Team Effort

Adam Cole recently addressed this topic during an appearance on Barstool’s Rasslin’ podcast. Cole says he was very impressed how well everyone gets along behind the scenes.

“It very much feels like the ‘you’re one of us’ thing,” said Cole. “It very much feels like a team in every sense of the word. That was one of the more attractive things to me as well about AEW.”

Cole added that the veterans in AEW are excited to work with the young talent, and vice-versa.

“You look at the young crew of guys like Jungle Boy, Sammy, MJF, Darby, and you’re like, ‘Man, I could do some really, really cool stuff with these guys.’”

John Morrison has resurfaced. Following his WWE release in November, the master of Starship Pain will return to AAA early next year.

Now going by Johnny Mundo once again, the high-flying grappler will challenge Mega Champion Hijo del Vikingo at Rey de Reyes on February 19th.

Watch the official announcement from Johnny Mundo himself:

Rey de Reyes Card

Here is the full card for AAA’s Rey de Reyes on February 19th:

• AAA Mega Champion Hijo del Vikingo vs Johnny Mundo

• Pentagon Jr. & Fenix vs. Dragon Lee & Dralistico

• Rey de Reyes Sword: Laredo Kid vs Bandido vs Cibernetico vs TBA vs Psycho Clown

• La Hiedra & Villano III Jr. vs Sexy Star (II) & Octagon Jr. vs Chik Tormenta & Arez

• Psicosis (II), Abismo Negro Jr., Latigo vs Willie Mack, Mr. Iguana, Nino Hamburguesa

• Reina de Reinas Championship #1 contender –  Maravilla vs Lady Shani vs Flammer vs TBA

• NGD vs LA Park vs La Empresa (Puma King, Sam Adonis, DMT Azul)