SEScoops

Author: Rayan Sayyed

  • NJPW Will Reveal New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    NJPW Will Reveal New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    New Japan Pro Wrestling is going to reveal the brand new belt for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship before champion Kota Ibushi defends it at Sakura Genesis in April. The company announced that the belt will be witnessed by fans during the Road to Sakura Genesis event on March 30 where Ibushi is set to team with Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in the main event against Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan. The announcement reads, “At Sakura Genesis on April 4, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi will defend his brand new title for the very first time against Will Ospreay in our main event. Days before this huge kard (sic) in Ryogoku, fans can witness the future of NJPW competition in Korakuen Hall. On March 30’s Road to Sakura Genesis event, the brand new championship belt will see its first public reveal!”

    NJPW decided to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship belts, both of which were held by Kota Ibushi. He defended both the titles successfully against El Desperado at the NJPW 49th Anniversary Show in Tokyo on March 4, 2021 which marked the final defense of the titles. Will Ospreay then won the 2021 New Japan Cup earning a title shot against Ibushi at Sakura Genesis.

    Here is the full line-up for NJPW Sakura Genesis which will take place on April 4:

    • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
      Kota Ibushi (c) vs Will Ospreay
    • IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
      El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. SHO & YOH
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale 
    • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Shingo Takagi vs. The Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & a mystery partner
    • Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
    • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • Bobby Lashley: Haven’t Been Able To Develop WrestleMania Storyline

    Bobby Lashley: Haven’t Been Able To Develop WrestleMania Storyline

    Bobby Lashley is set to face Drew McIntyre to defend his WWE Championship at WrestleMania 37’s Night One next month in April. The two got involved in the title picture back in February on the Elimination Chamber event. Lashley had helped The Miz to cash in Money in the Bank by attacking McIntyre after his Chamber match. While Lashley was able to face Miz for the title as part of the deal for helping him, and now that he is in a program with McIntyre, the champion admitted that they haven’t been able to develop the storyline properly yet because they haven’t had the opportunity to. Lashley’s initial time as champion was spent with Miz, while McIntyre was juggling between Lashley and Sheamus at Fastlane. “The Almighty” has said that they will try to build something up the next few weeks before their big match at WrestleMania.

    Speaking to the We Watch Wrestling podcast, Bobby Lashley stated, “Me and Drew are going to go all out, we’re going to beat the hell out of each other. That’s what we always do. We’re going to have to build something up the next few weeks because we haven’t had the opportunity to. I had the match with him last year and after that, Lana cost me the win, and we never came back to it. I want to come back to it and there’s a lot of things we can do leading up to WrestleMania. Ultimately, just being in the ring with Drew, I know we’re going to steal the show match-wise. It’s going to be a different match than the other ones. We’re hard-hitting. Sheamus and I beat each other up bad. Drew is going to be that, times ten since it’s WrestleMania.” (h/t Fightful)

    Bobby Lashley won a match against Sheamus on Raw this Monday. After the match, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander came out to beat Sheamus down outside the ring. Drew McIntyre rushed down the ramp and saved Sheamus from the assault. He then went inside the ring and stared down Lashley. As they started arguing, MVP broke it up and told Lashley to save it for WrestleMania. McIntyre then went on to face Alexander and Benjamin in a Handicap match. According to the stipulation of the match, if McIntyre won the match, Benjamin and Alexander would be banned from ringside for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania. McIntyre was able to pick up the victory which means the two members from Hurt Business won’t be present ringside for Lashley.

  • Deonna Purrazzo: Moving On From WWE Was Best For Me

    Deonna Purrazzo: Moving On From WWE Was Best For Me

    Deonna Purrazzo recently did an interview The Sun where she talked about her career so far and touched on her time working with WWE. She also talked about her decision to return to Impact Wrestling after her stint with WWE. Purrazzo said that after her NXT non-compete clause ended, she wanted to explore all options and Impact seemed to be the best fit for her. According to her, everything with the company worked out perfectly and lined up time wise.

    This would work out for Deonna Purrazzo as she would go on to become the Knockouts Champion twice. “I think because I was already feeling unsure if I wanted to stay in WWE, it was kind of the right time to move on,” she said. “As much as it was scary at the time, I definitely feel like I gave my all to that adventure [NXT] and I’m better for it but moving on was what was best for me in every aspect of my life.”

    Deonna Purrazzo was released from WWE along with 18 other main roster wrestlers on April 15. Speaking on her WWE release, she said that she was unhappy with the company for the last six months of her tenure at NXT. She told officials that she’d rather be released than stay and do nothing. Speaking about the backstage culture at NXT, she revealed that it was one where everyone was expected to just be to be there. According to Purrazzo, everyone there is supposed to just be grateful for what they get. The Knockouts Champion said she wasn’t happy with her position because she worked hard just to get there. She suggested a lot of character ideas that but they all fell on deaf years.

    Purrazzo’s last match for the company was on the April 6th, 2020 edition of Raw. During her time with the WWE, she only had 16 televised matches. As for now in Impact, she retained her title in a match against ODB at the Sacrifice pay-per-view event on Saturday.

  • Paul Heyman Says The Rock Contacted WWE For Roman Reigns WrestleMania Match

    Paul Heyman Says The Rock Contacted WWE For Roman Reigns WrestleMania Match

    The Rock vs. Roman Reigns for WrestleMania 37 has been in the talks for a long time, but unfortunately it isn’t going to materialize, at least this year. The dream match has been teased for over a year now and fans had hoped to see the match at the Grandest Stage Of Them All. While there doesn’t seem to be any indication of the match happening anytime soon, Paul Heyman said in an interview that negotiations for the match are taking place.

    “If I could show you one day’s worth of text messages, emails and calls that come into my phone from some of the biggest superstars in sports and entertainment on this planet, it would blow your mind,” Paul Heyman told GiveMeSport in a recent interview. “Crossover celebrities in their prime would love to step into a WrestleMania ring with Roman Reigns. It’s not just Dwayne Johnson. The Rock is just one of many. Top stars in many sports are yearning for the publicity, the notoriety, fame, legacy and money of main eventing WrestleMania with Roman Reigns.”

    Roman Reigns vs. The Rock is a match that both men themselves are interested in. It would be one of the biggest marquee matches that the company could assemble. Rock being one of the biggest movie stars right now with a demanding schedule could make it tricky to actually take place. Triple H has said that if Rock wants to do it then WWE will do “everything” to make sure it happens. “If fans want to see it, we will make it happen. But it really comes down to does The Rock want to it and does he have the time to do it.”

    If not now, then later. Roman Reigns has said that it would make sense for him to face The Rock when WrestleMania returns to Hollywood. “We’ll go to Hollywood for WrestleMania 39, and I think it just makes sense, he’s the biggest box office attraction for the big screen. So, to be able to take that and match it up with the biggest box office attraction in sports entertainment, I think some magic would be made,” Reigns said regarding the matchup.

    The match has been in discussions for a few years now and The Rock has discussed what the potential match could be like multiple times before. “The People’s Champ” said that he’d be honored to wrestle his cousin at a future WrestleMania. He even relayed that not only would he be honored to face him in the ring, he’d be also more than glad to put Reigns over on that stage.

  • The New Day On Title Win: “Don’t Be Mad At Us For Doing Our Job”

    The New Day On Title Win: “Don’t Be Mad At Us For Doing Our Job”

    The New Day were able to win tag team gold again on this week’s Monday Night Raw as they became 11-time tag team champions. They defeated the top tag team on the Raw brand — The Hurt Business’ Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin to become the new Raw Tag Team Champions. Fans weren’t too happy with this decision however, as the win was met with reactions like “Again?”, “Tired of seeing them as champs,” etc.

    Another reason why New Day’s new title reign was met with bit of a negative reaction was because it put a halt to the momentum that The Hurt Business was enjoying going into WrestleMania 37 with Bobby Lashley as the WWE Champion. After their Raw match, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were interviewed backstage where they noted fans’ censure against their title win.

    “We told a lot of people what was going to happen. A lot of people are upset — ‘Oh, we’re tired of seeing New Day as the champions!’ Don’t be mad at us, be mad at Cedric, be mad at Shelton for not being to keep the tag team championships,” Kofi Kingston hit back at the criticism. “Be mad at all your favorite tag teams for not being able to step up against your boys. Be mad at them, don’t be mad at us for doing our jobs. All we do is we go out there, we entertain, and we win championships. That’s it. Don’t be mad at us, be mad at your favorites.”

    “This is our 11th time. When you’re a child you think, ‘I wanna be a WWE Superstar.’ You don’t even fathom the fact that you can possibly become 11-time WWE World Tag Team Champions and then it becomes your reality,” Xavier Woods said regarding his run as part of The New Day. “You feel that? Our dreams are sueños, have become our realidad. Don’t be mad at us. We are frothing at the mouth for more teams. Please believe it. We want to beat up new teams, we want to pin new teams, we want to make new teams tap out. So come to us, wherever you are.”

    The New Day were also challenged to a match at WrestleMania 37 by AJ Styles and Omos who came out to the ring after New Day’s match. Styles said he has held all title in WWE except the tag team straps, and now he’s eyeing them. A match for the titles was later confirmed by WWE for WrestleMania.

  • Big E Want To Face Roman Reigns At WrestleMania 38

    Big E Want To Face Roman Reigns At WrestleMania 38

    Big E was who his ideal opponent for WrestleMania 38 would be, and he named one of the top guys in the company. He suggested that he would like to face Roman Reigns at the “Grandest Stage Of Them All” next year at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Intercontinental Champion said that it is his objective to be on Reigns’ level, adding that he has done an outstanding job as the top performer.

    “That’s the goal, you know? To be in that tier, to be at the very top, Big E told Adam Wilbourn of WhatCulture. I think Roman’s done a stellar job. ‘Stellar’ isn’t even a good enough superlative to describe how much he’s elevated himself, even though he was already at the top. And I think his presentation, the promos, the character stuff, all that stuff has been really cool to see, and he’s been killing it. Much respect to him.”

    Roman Reigns has become the face of SmackDown after his return at SummerSlam as a heel, and captured the Universal Championship from Bray Wyatt at Payback last year. Reigns has held the title since, and has consistently delivered good in-ring work and promos. While the Head of the Table is on the top of his game right now, Big E hopes that he can be a touch challenger for him.

    While it’s completely possible that Roman Reigns could lose the title by next year over the 400 days, Big E hopes he’s still got the title and that would be his dream match at WrestleMania. “I think that would be as far as if I could pick any opponent, that would be the one. So hopefully by next year he’s still got the title – and that’d be over 400 days. We’ll see, there’s a lot that can happen from now until then, but that would be it.”

    For now, Roman Reigns is set to defend his title against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane, and if he successfully defends, he will go against Edge at WrestleMania 37. Big E, on the other hand, will defend his Intercontinental title against Apollo Crews this Sunday.

  • Paul Heyman: Christian Ran Away To AEW To Escape Roman Reigns

    Paul Heyman: Christian Ran Away To AEW To Escape Roman Reigns

    Paul Heyman, the Special Counsel to Roman Reigns, had a lot to say this past week on Talking Smack about the Edge vs. Jey Uso matchup that’s scheduled for this week’s SmackDown. The winner of this match will determine who will be the special enforcer at the Universal Championship match between Daniel Bryan and Reigns at Fastlane next Sunday. While he was ranting about the match, he also worked in AEW’s Christian Cage leaving WWE for the rival promotion into the storyline. Christian had made a surprise comeback after seven years at the 2021 Royal Rumble match, and even had a reunion with Edge in the ring. it was then revealed a month later at Revolution that he was the surprise signee for a multi-year contract with AEW.

    Paul Heyman blasted Edge for challenging Roman Reigns for his title at WrestleMania. He said that he expected a person like him with a surgically repaired neck to not piss off the “Tribal Chief.” Then he brought up Edge’s friend and former tag partner Christian. Heyman said that Christian went to AEW so that he wouldn’t have to face Reigns someday.

    “Edge, your best friend in this world knew he was going to become Roman Reigns’ target just to get into your head and what did he do?” Paul Heyman said regarding Christian. “He ran away, before Roman Reigns could target him. How many, of your ‘Christians’ need to convert before you realize it’s not smart to piss off Roman Reigns? You, Edge, have pissed off Roman Reigns. You wanna be the special enforcer? You wanna involve yourself in Roman Reigns’ match against Daniel Bryan? Why? Because you know, it’s an easier fight against Daniel Bryan than it is against Roman Reigns who is untouchable, who is unbeatable…”

    Roman Reigns (with Paul Heyman) will defend his Universal title against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane on Sunday, March 21. This week’s SmackDown will determine who will be the special enforcer via a match between Edge and Jey Uso.

  • “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Week Lineup Announced By WWE

    “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Week Lineup Announced By WWE

    “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will be celebrated on “Austin 3:16 Day” this coming Tuesday, as WWE has announced that a special lineup of specials on WWE Network will air as part of the “Stone Cold Steve Austin Week.” The week-long celebration will commemorate the 25-year anniversary of Austin’s debut in WWE as well. WWE Network and Peacock will see “Stone Cold”-themed programming which includes new documentaries, Austin’s interview with Randy Orton on The Broken Skull Sessions, and more.

    Here are the details of the programs that will be released this week:

    Meeting Stone Cold on Tuesday, March 16 on WWE Network: “WWE Superstars and Legends recall their first impressions of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Booker T and others recount a slew of unforgettable moments and memories they shared with Austin throughout the last 30 years.”

    Birth of the Stunner on Friday, March 19 on Peacock and WWE Network:
    “Learn about the origin of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s famous finisher, its history with Austin and how the legacy of the Stunner lives on today through WWE Superstar Kevin Owens.”

    The Best of WWE: Best of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on Saturday, March 20 on Peacock and the Free Version of WWE Network: “The Texas Rattlesnake battles iconic opponents like The Rock, Bret “Hit Man” Hart and The Undertaker in this collection of his greatest matches.”

    Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions: Randy Orton on Sunday, March 21 on Peacock and WWE Network: “‘Stone Cold’ welcomes first-time guest Randy Orton to his acclaimed interview show. Nothing will be off-limits when The Viper and The Texas Rattlesnake sit down to talk about Orton’s legendary career.”

    A new book surrounding “Stone Cold” is also on its way on March 16 titled Austin 3:16. It will feature 316 facts and stories about the Hall of Famer, and is written by DC Comics and WWE author Michael McAvennie. It is released by ECW Press.

    When the March 16 was branded as 3:16 day, Steve Austin said he didn’t know what WWE was planning. “Now, I didn’t declare this holiday,” Austin said on his show, The Steve Austin Show last year. “I didn’t declare it a national holiday on my own behalf. It seems like the WWE Universe has declared 3/16 to be Steve Austin Day because of the famous promo I cut way back at King Of The Ring in 1996 when I got kicked in the mouth by Marc Mero.”

  • WWE Reportedly Wants 45,000 Attendance At WrestleMania 37

    WWE Reportedly Wants 45,000 Attendance At WrestleMania 37

    WWE is looking to have 45,000 live fans in attendance each night at the Raymond James Stadium for WrestleMania 37. Tickets for the event go for sale at on March 16 at Ticketmaster, but it wasn’t mentioned what capacity the stadium will be limited to. The company only said that they are “coordinating with local partners and government officials regarding safety protocols.” It was initially reported that WrestleMania is expected to have 25,000 fans in attendance each night, giving WWE 50,000 attendance in total. Then, another report said that officials are planning to have an audience of 30,000. However, new reports suggest that WWE wants the attendance to be even larger than that, with 45,000 fans each night.

    Spectrum Sports 360 reporter Jon Alba said on Sunday that WWE wants a crowd of 45,000 per night for WrestleMania 37. This would make WrestleMania the largest pandemic-era crowd in the US.

    “I can independently confirm reports #WWE is aiming for about 45,000 people per night at Raymond James Stadium for #WrestleMania, which would be by far the largest crowd at a sports or entertainment event in America since the pandemic began,” Alba wrote on Twitter. “I have reached out to the Tampa Bay Sports Authority, which manages Raymond James Stadium, but have yet to hear back. Tickets are on-sale 3/16, though it hasn’t publicly been said how many will be available. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order last fall that allows for stadiums to run full capacity should they choose to, but no one has run a show to that magnitude so far. The Texas Rangers have clearance to fill their stadium with about 40k to start the season (right around the same time as WrestleMania). Daytona International Speedway officials estimated to me Daytona 500 attendance was in the 25k-30k range. So this would be biggest.”

    Alba also added that WWE only wants an attendance of 45,000 each night. This does not mean that they will be able to pull it off. First of all, the Tampa Bay Sports Authority could reject this request, and second, international travel restrictions are also in place so that could hinder fans who want to travel to Tampa for WrestleMania.

    It would be interesting to see if WWE would be able to pull this off. So far, only two matches have been set for WrestleMania. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns would defend his title against Edge, and WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks will defend hers against Bianca Belair.

  • AEW Revolution Breaks PPV Buys Record, Generates $5M

    AEW Revolution Breaks PPV Buys Record, Generates $5M

    AEW Revolution has smashed the company’s buyrate records of previous PPVs, and has generated a revenue of at least $5 million. The show brought in 125,000 buys worldwide, including both traditional and digital platforms namely B/R Live, FITE, and traditional pay-per-view outlets. The previous buyrate record was set by AEW’s Double or Nothing 2020 pay-per-view event with an estimated 105,000 buys. According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, the show generated just over $5 million in revenue, with $2.4 million of it going to AEW. The rest will go to its domestic and international broadcast partners.

    It was initially reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Revolution grossed over $6 million and it’s well on its way to make $7 million once the total is calculated. The Wrestlenomics report features a breakdown of various revenue streams for the PPV such as PPV buys, ticket and merchandise sales, accounting for $5 million for AEW. It took estimatedly $1 million to produce Revolution for the company.

    The Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch between AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Jon Omega was the headlining match of Revolution. The match itself was good, but fans were left disappointed with weak explosions as the finish due to a technical glitch. Deciding against ignoring the dud, the company ran with it as part of the storyline, with Omega eventually breaking the silence and acknowledging the disappointing finish out of character.

    “Yeah, it was really deflating to do so much preparation, test the explosions, have them be impressive in the rehearsal, and then have it be something so much different than what was promised,” Kenny Omega said about the Revolution finish. “It made me appreciate everyone who worked hard and did their part even more, though. But like you said, we really wanted to have a good one, and we added real barbed wire to help with the feeling of danger so we really risked a lot. Again, I loved the match; glad we did it, sucks about the finale.”

  • Asuka Missing From Newly-Released WrestleMania 37 Poster

    Asuka Missing From Newly-Released WrestleMania 37 Poster

    Asuka, who is the current WWE Raw Women’s Champion, is nowhere to be seen in the newly-released official poster of WrestleMania 37. The poster was released on Sunday, which features the “Back in Business” tagline along with the company’s biggest stars. The poster includes the company’s top stars namely WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre in the center, along with WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, and 2021 Royal Rumble winner Edge. The poster even features WWE 24/7 Champion Bad Bunny, but not “The Empress of Tomorrow.”

    Asuka lost a tooth during a tag team match teaming up with Charlotte Flair against Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax on Raw’s February 22 episode. In the match, Baszler accidentally delivered a swift kick on Asuka’s face. It was later reported that the Japanese star not only suffered physical damage to her teeth, but she also suffered a concussion due to the kick. The Raw Women’s Champion has not been seen taking part in active competition since then and there has been no word on how long she will be on the shelf.

    The absence of Asuka from the WrestleMania 37 poster puts her WM status as well as the defence of the title at the show up in the air. Concussions are very tricky, there’s no set time for recovery, depending on the damage.

    As for the card for WrestleMania 37 so far, only two matches have been confirmed. Roman Reigns would defend his Universal Championship against Edge and Sasha Banks would defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair. Although it’s not confirmed yet, it’s very likely that Drew McIntyre would challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship — after defeating Sheamus in a reportedly planned Last Man Standing Match at Fastlane.

  • Andrade WWE Release Reportedly Denied By Company

    Andrade WWE Release Reportedly Denied By Company

    Andrade has generated interest in his status with WWE after some questionable actions on his social media. He removed all mentions of WWE from his Twitter and Instagram bio. SEScoops had learned that Andrade has asked for his release from WWE this past Monday at Raw. Andrade has not been featured on WWE programming since October 2020, so it’s understandable why he wants out. However, according to a new report, it looks like the company is not too keen on letting him go yet.

    Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE has denied Andrade’s request of release from the company. Keep in mind that there neither WWE nor Andrade himself have commented on the situation yet, so we can’t be too sure of what’s cooking behind the scenes. Hopefully, WWE wants to keep him because they actually have some plans for him, and we wish to see him in the ring soon.

    Andrade is engaged to fellow WWE talent Charlotte Flair. During a recent interview, Charlotte revealed that she pitched to be paired with her fiance in the company. “I’ve actually pitched that,” Flair said when asked about working with Andrade. “I would be very much open to that. I’ve done a lot in my career, but nobody has seen me in an on-cam relationship, or in that light. I can come across cold on TV.”

    An on-screen pairing with Charlotte could work for “El Idolo,” but it doesn’t seem likely as of now she’s currently involved in a program with Asuka for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.

    The Mexican star was last involved in a tag team with Angel Garza, which was created in June when they first started teaming up. They would try for the Raw Tag Team Championships in multiple losing attempts. The team would break up in October when Garza would turn on him and let The Fiend and Alexa Bliss attack him, officially splitting the team.

  • Fastlane: Last Man Standing Match Reportedly Planned

    Fastlane: Last Man Standing Match Reportedly Planned

    Fastlane will reportedly see a huge Last Man Standing match on its card that will determine the WrestleMania card and lineup. While there are only three matches confirmed on the card so far, a report suggests that one more match that will have a significant effect on the WrestleMania card and the WWE Championship picture is in the works. According to a report by Wrestling Observer, a Last Man Standing match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus is in the works for Fastlane, and the winner will become the challenger for Bobby Lashley’s WWE Championship at WrestleMania 37.

    On the last episode of Monday Night Raw, we saw former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre face Sheamus in a match. The match was set when Sheamus attacked McIntyre from behind during an interview earlier in the show. This resulted in a No Disqualification match set up between the two. Drew McIntyre got payback for the attack from before by attacking Sheamus during his entrance, and then he went on to dominate the beginning of the match. The No DQ match went on with the introductions of kendo sticks and steel chairs eventually. Later, both McIntyre and Sheamus got hold of steel steps each and charged at each other. They both collided and fell to the floor, with the match ending in a no contest.

    As there was really no solid outcome from the match, it looks like WWE would give both Drew McIntyre and Sheamus an opportunity to go against each other again at Fastlane. This could very well culminate in a Last Man Standing match on Fastlane, to determine who would challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at the “Grandest Stage Of ‘Em All.”

    WWE Fastlane Card

    Here is what the card for Fastlane looks like so far:

    • WWE Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair
    • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan
    • WWE Intercontinental Championship Big E vs. Apollo Crews

  • Kenny Omega vs. Rich Swann Title Vs. Title Match Set For Rebellion

    Kenny Omega vs. Rich Swann Title Vs. Title Match Set For Rebellion

    Kenny Omega will take on Rich Swann in a Title vs. Title Match at Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion pay-per-view event on April 24. Swann defeated Moose on Saturday night’s Sacrifice event to become the Unified Impact World Heavyweight Champion. Impact Wrestling officially sanctioned the TNA World Heavyweight title on February 23 after Moose began calling himself “Mr. TNA,” claiming to represent the company’s history. Now that Swann has defeated Moose, he has become the undisputed world champion of Impact, with the Impact World title being referred to as the Unified World Championship.

    Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore announced during last week’s Impact that the champion of the company would go on to face AEW World Champion Kenny Omega at Rebellion in a Title vs. Title Match on April 24.

    Following his loss to Rich Swann, Moose said that he would take some time off to revaluate and think about what he plans to do in the future. “Tonight I proved that I’m undoubtedly the Best Big Man in professional wrestling and one of the best wrestlers In the world. I came short of becoming the undisputed champion. Will take time off to reevaluate the past Rebuild Refocus Rebrand and think about the Future.” Kenny Omega also reacted to the result of the match, posting the following:

    Rich Swann and Kenny Omega have faced each other in the ring before, most recently at Impact’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view event in January where Omega teamed up with then-Impact Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers to defeat Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose.

    Kenny Omega has made it known that he wants to collect more titles, and if he defeats Rich Swann at Rebellion then he would become the Impact Champion too. Speaking on his future defense against Omega, Swann said, “I’m from Baltimore, Maryland. I’m not afraid to step into the ring with no man. I fear no man and I only fear one thing. The thing is, that is not one thing that I would ever fear. If he (Kenny Omega) wanted to step into the ring and do a Unification… We’ve it. We’ve seen seen him go into Mexico and he beat Loredo Kid in AAA. Do I think he could come into my house and do what he did there? I don’t know. Time will tell.”

  • Apollo Crews Talks New Gimmick, Learning From Roman Reigns

    Apollo Crews Talks New Gimmick, Learning From Roman Reigns

    Apollo Crews has gone through a drastic change in his character over the past few weeks on SmackDown. He turned heel in February and attacked Shinsuke Nakamura and Big E after losing a match to Nakamura. He kayfabe injured Big E by slamming steel steps onto his back, which forced him to take time off of SmackDown. Crews would then go on to debut a new “Nigerian Royalty” character with new gear and entrance music. Crews would do a good job pulling the character off and working with what’s given to him, even earning a WWE Intercontinental Championship match against Big E at Fastlane.

    Apollo Crews talked about his new persona in an interview with Sports Illustrated, where he discussed his newfound confidence in himself. “This isn’t arrogance or cockiness; it’s just me knowing what I am capable of doing,” Crews said. “My talent has been hidden for too long, and people are finally going to see how great I really am.”

    Apollo Crews also said that this new character is a chance for him to get back in touch with his Nigerian roots. He also revealed that he cared too much about what people thought of him and now his mindset has changed. He’s happy with his role, and it feels like a part of him. “I have such a different background,” Crews said regarding his lineage. “You don’t often see African representation on our show. This is a chance to get back in touch with my Nigerian roots. I always cared too much what people thought when I was younger, but my mindset has changed. I’m excited about what I’m doing right now. It’s an extension of who I am, and it feels so natural. I am stepping outside my comfort zone, and I’m so excited to do that.”

    Apollo Crews also revealed that his impressive in-ring work was able to carry him throughout the indies. But once he got into WWE, he struggled to find himself in a new environment. Crews said that since he’s a shy person, it takes him some time to get familiar with a new situation. Because of this, he came accross as a generic guy and saw that fans weren’t able to connect with him. Since then, he has worked hard to build the connection and make fans care about his character.

    Crews’ Inspiration from Roman Reigns

    One such character that struggled to connect with fans was that of Roman Reigns. Apollo Crews said that he took inspiration from Reigns’ journey in finding his character and he’s applying what he’s learned from the Universal Champion.

    “Roman does everything so well. I’ve watched and learned from him. He’s the best. Everyone wants to be in the spot he’s in, so watching him has taught me so much. I want to be that person who can captivate an audience, with an undeniable greatness. That’s Roman’s level, and that is what I am working toward,” Apollo Crews said.

    Apollo Crews faces Intercontinental Champion Big E at Fastlane on Sunday, March 21.

  • Intercontinental Title Match Set For WWE Fastlane

    Intercontinental Title Match Set For WWE Fastlane

    WWE has announced an Intercontinental title match for Fastlane, the final pay-per-view event on the road to WrestleMania 37.

    WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E will defend his title against recently turned-heel Apollo Crews on WWE Fastlane. On this week’s SmackDown, we saw Big E return to the show after he was stretchered out after a brutal attack by Crews a few weeks ago. Crews had used steel steps as his weapon, launching them into the air so that they could fall down on Big E. The returning champion had much to say about what transpired over the past few weeks on this week’s episode.

    Big E came down to the ring with braces and bandages on, only to remove them and show how fit he is. Big E said that he was in a medical facility because of Apollo Crews and there’s no coming back from that for Crews. Big E demanded that Crews show up, but he didn’t come out. Big E said that he’s not surprised, but he got all dressed up to defend his Intercontinental title tonight and he issued an open challenge to anyone who wants a shot at the belt from the locker room.

    King Corbin came out and told Big E to calm down because he was looking crazy. Sami Zayn also joined the discussion and said that he’s ready to fight. Zayn said that it would be the perfect ending for his documentary and that since Corbin never actually accepted his challenge, he’s good to go. Big E said that whoever gets in the ring first gets the match, and Zayn ran in first to meet with punches and a Big Ending sending him out of the ring. The bell rang and Big E was able to successfully defend his title.

    Big E’s celebrations were put to a halt as Apollo Crews’ music started playing and Crews launched a surprise attack from behind on him, hitting him with a suplex. He picked up the steel steps again and hit Big E’s arm and wrist with them.

    Apollo Crews was asked backstage why he attacked Big E when he could have just accepted his Open Challenge instead. Crews said that he’s a descendant of Nigerian royalty and he answers to no one. People like Big He cater to him instead, he said. He then said he’d gladly accept his challenge for the Intercontinental Championship, at WWE Fastlane, that is.

  • Murphy Posts Explanation Behind Heel Turn, Then Deletes It

    Murphy Posts Explanation Behind Heel Turn, Then Deletes It

    Murphy was involved in a rather surprising backstage segment with Seth Rollins on last week’s SmackDown. Murphy wanted to join hands with a heel Rollins, which would show that Murphy’s character has turned heel again. While Rollins wasn’t too keen on an alliance with him again, it does seem that Murphy’s character has received a heel turn. While it hasn’t been clearly explained yet, Murphy did posted an explanation behind his sudden heel turn in the form of a comment on a photo of the encounter between the Messiah and his disciple uploaded on WWE’s Instagram page.

    “Let’s point out the obvious! The Mysterio’s used me! I never needed them! I’m beyond one of the most talent (sic) in-ring performers on the planet! Aalyah used me to be on tv and advance an acting career. Dominik used me so he had a reason to stand ringside. Rey was jealous that I became the new face of the cruiserweight and he was left out of the discussion. They took what they wanted then they left me in the shadows! Sounds like my time in NXT,” Murphy wrote in the comment.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CMR_CJzg2Tf/

    It’s interesting to speculate if WWE nixed this explanation involving the Mysterios since the comment got deleted only within a few hours of posting. On this week’s SmackDown, we saw Murphy squaring off against Cesario in a singles match. They were also joined by Seth Rollins, who took a seat on the entrance ramp to watch the match. After a few minutes into the match, Rollins got involved and hit Murphy with the Stomp and taunted him. Rollins also delivered the Stomp on Cesaro, and placed a chair around his neck. Seth was going to destroy Cesaro’s neck with another Stomp but he was stopped by WWE producer Jamie Noble. It seems like Murphy will be involved in the feud between Rollins and Cesaro in the future.

  • Nikki Bella Eyeing WWE Return, Wants Bella Twins Tag Title Reign

    Nikki Bella Eyeing WWE Return, Wants Bella Twins Tag Title Reign

    Nikki Bella and Brie Bella have talked about returning to the ring in the WWE quite a few times before, and this week they discussed a potential last return and the logistics behind it. The Bella Twins talked about the factors that would play a role in their return and what’s delaying their comeback.

    On the latest episode of The Bellas Podcast, Nikki Bella revealed that she really wants to do a WWE return with her sister Brie Bella and go after the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Nikki said that this would be her last run as a professional wrestler and she would put all the passion and desire that she has for wrestling into this run. However, the biggest hurdle for Nikki is that currently isn’t cleared to wrestle. She has issues in her neck which is the reason why she is unfit to compete as of now. Nikki revealed that she is seeing a doctor who is helping her through her neck issues, with neck-strengthening exercises. She also hopes that the herniation that happened above her bone fusion has gotten better since the last time she went in the ring.

    Another issue that could come between Nikki Bella’s comeback is that she wants a second child with fiance Artem Chigvinstev in the near future. Nikki, who is currently 37, said that she does not want to get pregnant when she turns 40 so a potential return has to take place within the next year. Brie Bella asked if that’s possible, considering the issues with Nikki’s neck. Nikki replied that she has to get MRIs and other scans done and things need to be discussed with doctors, and hopefully her neck is in a better condition a year from now, when she finally decides to make a return.

    Nikki Bella’s fiance Atrim Chigvinstev has revealed in the past that the twins have been in talks with WWE. “She’s [Nikki] been having talks about coming back and doing something together with [her twin sister], Brie [Bella],” Chigvintsev said in an inteview. “They both have kids, and I feel like they still have this unclosed chapter with wrestling. I would not be surprised.”

    When the Women’s Tag Titles were introduced in the WWE, The Bella Twins’ saw this as an opportunity for one last run. “When we left, all of the sudden the WWE Women’s Tag Titles came, and we’re like, ‘Wait a sec, that’s for the Bella Twins.’ Like, we’ve been dying to have tag titles, and so her and I feel like we have one more run in us, and we really want to go for those tag titles,” Brie Bella revealed.

    Both Nikki and Brie Bella announced their retirements from in-ring action back in March 2019.

  • Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston Explain AEW Revolution Explosion Dud

    Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston Explain AEW Revolution Explosion Dud

    Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston addressed the final explosion during their explosive barbed wire deathmatch on AEW Revolution that ended up being a dud on Dynamite this week. While the final explosion proved to be a let-down because of a technical glitch, the two credited it to inferior workmanship by Kenny Omega.

    Eddie Kingston said that he was expecting a big explosion and revealed why he came out to protect Kenny Omega. He revealed that the reason he stayed down was because the explosions triggered an anxiety attack in him. Kingston bought up his time he spent sitting in a jail cell getting ready for court where guards told him he was going to be shipped off to Rikers Island, which triggered an attack in him for the first time.

    “And everything went black. That’s what happened. Go ahead, make fun of it. Call me a coward, less of a man. I’m not speaking for you and I’m not speaking to you. I’m speaking to those that understand where I’m coming from,” Kingston said, explaining his selling of the weak explosion.

    Eddie Kingston then asked Kenny Omega if he thought it was funny playing a prank like that on them. Jon Moxley told Kingston that he believes that Omega was legitimately trying to blow them up, he didn’t really plan a weak explosion to scare them. The two then jokes that Impact Wrestling paid for the bomb.

    Jon Moxley also equated Kenny Omega to being Wile E. Coyote. “Let me ask you a question, when that bomb came in the mail did it come in a box with big, bold letters that said ‘ACME’ on it? I’ve made more explosive volcanoes in fourth-grade science class, what the hell was that?”

    AEW President Tony Khan also addressed the botched explosion during the media scrum post-Revolution.

    “Honestly, I’m glad neither guy came out with a serious injury because it was a really scary match and they both really put their health at risk for a huge PPV main event,” Khan said. “I think it was awesome, it was a great spectacle and I think we’re all lucky that the bomb going off in the end didn’t really hurt anybody, that Kenny’s big masterplan, that he built a dud.”

    “The basic explanation is that Kenny’s ring set to explode, his plan as a heel who built this thing with a hammer and nails as we saw, that the final bomb just didn’t go off,” Khan concluded.

  • Io Shirai Has A New Challenger For Her NXT Championship

    Io Shirai Has A New Challenger For Her NXT Championship

    Io Shirai has a new challenger for her NXT title. On tonight’s episode of NXT, we saw the introduction of the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships, and the first-ever winners of the title were also crowned on the same night — Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai who came out on top after going through the gauntlet of the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and winning the tournament.

    The reign wouldn’t last much long however, as they got challenged for their first-ever title defense by Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart and ended up losing the titles to them on the same night. Not all is lost however as Gonzalez was offered something much bigger later.

    Io Shirai retained her NXT Women’s Championship over Toni Storm with a Crossface submission to pick up the win. After the match, Shirai approached Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai in the locker room in a backstage segment where they were expressing their frustration over their loss in an interview.

    Gonzalez said that it didn’t matter how long they held the titles, what matters is that they were the first ever competitors to win it. An interrupting Shirai approached Gonzales declared that she wants Gonzales to be her next challenger. “I want you next,” she said to the former NXT Tag Team Champion.

    A Raquel Gonzalez vs. Io Shirai title match was teased a few months back, but it never took place. Now that it’s finally happening, it would be interesting to see if Gonzalez would be able to defeat Shirai, as the champion has taken down every challenger that’s come her way so far.

    At the same time, her challenger has put out some great matches over the past year. Gonzalez defeating Shirai will usher in a new era in NXT’s women’s division, so this feud would definitely be worth investing in.

    Also read: WWE NXT Results (3/10): Balor vs. Cole, Shirai vs. Storm, Two Announcements

  • Batista Says Pro Wrestling Retirements Have Zero Credibility

    Batista Says Pro Wrestling Retirements Have Zero Credibility

    Batista was asked on Twitter by a fan if he was the “Hall of Fame talent” that Paul Wight aka Big Show teased will get hired at AEW Revolution. The fan also highlighted the fact that Wight erroneously called the event “Evolution” and wondered if it really was just an error or a reference to the faction Batista was part of in WWE. He has stated that his decision to leave wrestling was permanent and that he has no intentions of coming back to wrestling. Batista quipped in response to the question how the word “retirement” has no meaning in pro wrestling as supposedly “retired” wrestlers come back for a match all the time.

    Writing on Twitter, Batista said, “They’re going to have to come up with another word thats (sic) used specifically for professional wrestlers who actually mean it when they say they’re retired. Currently the word “retired” has zero credibility by professional wrestling standards.”

    Names such as Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley among other legends have all supposedly “retired” from in-ring action only to return later, with the exception of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who has stayed true to his word. Batista was poking fun at the fact that even though he has made clear he’s retired for good, he still gets asked questions about his return. And therefore, according to him, a new term needs to be invented to let fans know that a wrestler really is retired this time.

    Batista officially retired after his No Holds Barred Match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35. “Thank you for letting me entertain you,” Bautista said on his retirement. “I love this business and whether you cheered me or jeered me, I’m grateful for being a small part of your life.

    “I am officially retired from sports entertainment and I am grateful for every second of my amazing journey.”

  • Shaq Match On AEW Dynamite Draws 1.3 Million Viewers

    Shaq Match On AEW Dynamite Draws 1.3 Million Viewers

    Shaq appeared on AEW Dynamite this past Wednesday to finally have his first match teaming up with Jade Cargill against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet, after several promos and hype. The tag team match showed the drawing power of the NBA legend as the match was able to bring in a massive amount of viewers with 1.3 million.

    Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer revealed the numbers saying that the Shaq match rised to a viewership of 1.3 million viewers. He reported, “…the Shaq match peaked at 1.3 million viewers. Highest opposed number since 2019.”

    Overall, the show drew in 934,000 viewers and achieved a 0.33 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. The number is down from last week, however. The match was hyped by Shaq on NBA before his in-ring debut. Also, the reason why the match took place on Dynamite and not on Revolution is because NBA is holding the All-Star Game on the same night as the PPV and Shaq will be covering the NBA game.

    Read more: Shaq Wins AEW Debut Match, Goes Through Table

    Shaq’s first appearance on Dynamite was back on the December 9, 2020 episode of Dynamite where he did an interview with Brandi Rhodes. The show did 995,000 viewers, with Shaq’s segment drawing 1.2 million viewers. The quarter featuring Shaq averaged 1,063,000 viewers and 618,000 viewers in 18-49 demographic.

    Shaw has said in recent years that he wanted to wrestle Cody and he has achieved that. It is likely like we will see Shaw again to take revenge on Cody for sending him crashing through two tables during the match.

    Cody Rhodes for now will be working AEW Revolution this weekend in a ladder match. You can check out the full card of the event below.

    AEW Revolution Card

    • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch
    • AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida vs. Ryo Mizunami
    • AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho and MJF)
    • Team Taz (Brian Cage and Ricky Starks) vs. Darby Allin and Sting in a Street Fight
    • Adam Page vs. Matt Hardy in a “Big Money Match”
    • Cody Rhodes vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Lance Archer vs. Max Caster vs. TBA in a Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a future AEW TNT Championship match
    • Miro and Kip Sabian vs. Best Friends (Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor)
    • Bear Country vs. Silver & Reynolds vs. Evil Uno & Stu Grayson vs. Santana & Ortiz vs. The Butcher & The Blade vs. Private Party vs. Top Flight in a Casino Tag Team Royale for a AEW World Tag Team Championship match
    • Riho and Thunder Rosa vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Rebel on the pre-show
  • Kenny Omega Details Rules For Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch At Revolution

    Kenny Omega Details Rules For Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch At Revolution

    Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley is the most talked-about match in the wrestling world as of now and for good reason — it is one of the biggest and most hyped-up matches on AEW Revolution’s card. The barbed wire deathmatch is an exciting stipulation for hardcore fans and casual fans alike, with the fact that it also contains explosives that can be triggered which make a dangerous and thrilling setting for a match. Fans are curious as to what we can expect from the hardcore match and Omega has detailed some rules and provided us a closer look on how the match will work.

    Kenny Omega posted a hand-drawn guide on his Twitter which reveals details on how the match will work and why fans should be excited. The drawing shows that 3 sides of the ring will be wrapped in barbed wire. According to Omega, if contact is made with the wire, then explosives will be triggered on the corresponding side. There are also three zones on the floor dubbed the “Triple Hell” which are also wired with explosives. All the explosives also have a time limit, as they will automatically trigger after 30 minutes. So even if contact is not made with the traps, it’s all going to detonate, anyway.

    Here are all the details of the match as per Kenny Omega:

    THE RULES:

    -3 sides of the ring ropes wrapped in barbed wire.

    -contact with barbed wire triggers explosives on corresponding side.

    -‘Triple Hell’ (3 zones on the floor wired to explosives)

    -30 minute countdown timer until all explosives in and around the ring detonate.

    Kenny Omega also clarified that the reason why the diagram shows all 4 sides of the ring ropes wrapped in barbed wire but the description says only 3, is because he’s being made to keep a side clear in case of an emergency.

    Speaking on what to expect from the match, Kenny Omega said, “The idea itself is incredible. You touch the ropes and they explode. This is a match that was made famous about 30 years ago in FMW. It’s not like a cage match where you have a pretty good idea about what you’ll see. With this, there are going to be so many unexpected parts.”

    “This is my opportunity to show to a much broader audience that I can show a different side to my work, do these skits, which the people who watched Being the Elite already knew, and accomplish a whole new set of goals.”

  • Ryo Mizunami Wins AEW Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament

    Ryo Mizunami Wins AEW Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament

    Ryo Mizunami has earned the chance to become the AEW Women’s World Champion on this week’s AEW Dynamite, as she defeated former champion Nyla Rose in the finals match of the Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament. Mizunami was part of the Japan Division of the tournament along with Maki Itoh, Yuka Sakazaki, and Aja Kong.

    With the win, Ryo Mizunami has earned a title shot at Hikaru Shida’s Women’s Championship at this Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view event. After Mizunami’s win, Shida who was sitting at ringside, came up to the ring and presented the trophy to Mizunami as part of the ceremony of her winning the tournament. While shaking hands, Mizunami hit a forearm to Shida and the two then began trading shots. Shida was able to knock her challenger down as they both stared each other down.

    Ryo Mizunami, affectionately called aniki — which is a Japanese honorable term for an older brother or a superior — is a veteran joshi wrestler who started her career in 2004. She was planning to retire from pro wrestling in 2019 until she was part of a six-woman tag team match at AEW’s Double or Nothing event that made her stay wrestling. She would go back to wrestling in Japan as a free agent and would return to America by winning the Japanese bracket of the AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament.

    Updated AEW Revolution Card

    • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch
    • AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida vs. Ryo Mizunami
    • AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho and MJF)
    • Team Taz (Brian Cage and Ricky Starks) vs. Darby Allin and Sting in a Street Fight
    • Adam Page vs. Matt Hardy in a “Big Money Match”
    • Cody Rhodes vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Lance Archer vs. Max Caster vs. TBA in a Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a future AEW TNT Championship match
    • Miro and Kip Sabian vs. Best Friends (Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor)
    • Bear Country vs. Silver & Reynolds vs. Evil Uno & Stu Grayson vs. Santana & Ortiz vs. The Butcher & The Blade vs. Private Party vs. Top Flight in a Casino Tag Team Royale for a AEW World Tag Team Championship match
    • Riho and Thunder Rosa vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Rebel on the pre-show
  • Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole NXT Championship Match Set For Next Week

    Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole NXT Championship Match Set For Next Week

    Finn Balor was accused by Roderick Strong of being the reason behind The Undisputed Era’s breakup on this week’s episode of NXT. Adam Cole has been going against all his former teammates, with Strong suffering an attack from his hands last week. Before that, it was Kyle O’Reilly that was knocked out by him. Tonight when Strong came out to the ring demanding to see Cole, he was instead greeted by Balor instead.

    Read more: Undisputed Era No More After Adam Cole Turns On Roderick Strong

    Roderick Strong blamed Finn Balor for the chaos and said that everything was fine until Balor showed up to NXT. Balor countered and said that it wasn’t him who turned Adam Cole to the dark side, but it was the gold on the champion’s shoulder. We then saw Balor challenge Cole for the NXT title for next week’s episode to get him out of hiding.

    Finn Balor told Roderick Strong that he would never be a leader, he would always be a follower and until he gets a little more greedy and selfish like the prince, he would never… Balor couldn’t finish the statement as he got attacked by Strong. Balor got the better of it and then referees came out to break them up. The two then met in the ring in the main event on NXT in a non-title bout. Balor was able to get the upper hand and won the match. More importantly, though, Adam Cole has been challenged officially by Balor and the match would be a must-watch for NXT fans as both stars are on the top of their game currently.

    After the match, Adam Cole came out and had a very heated confrontation with Finn Balor in the ring. The intense stare-down was broken up by the multiple referees present. You can check out the segment in the embedded video below: