Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley has listed who would adorn her personal Mount Rushmore of female wrestlers during an appearance on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions.

According to Bayley, her hypothetical mountainside would contain Sasha Banks, Lita, Chyna, and…herself.

When asked by Austin, Bayley confessed it was a hard question to answer:

“Gosh, it’s hard…can I put myself in there? Okay, first of all, we’ll put me in there. Next to me, and a little bit behind me, we’ll do Sasha Banks for the obvious reasons, y’know. I’ll be ahead of her though, she can be, like, in the back corner.”

She then named WWE Hall of Famer Lita. Bayley confessed Lita’s inclusion was because of how Lita “made me realize I could do it.” She then noted how there is a plethora of deserving female talent she could name.

“I wanna say Chyna because, y’know, she was so different and brought so much more to the table, and then—y’know, kind of…yeah. Yeah. I don’t know, I could say so many. I’m going to go with that.”

Bayley will be a participant in the upcoming 30 Women’s Royal Rumble match. She will compete against 29 other female Superstars for the opportunity at a Championship matchup.

WWE’s Royal Rumble event occurs from the WWE ThunderDome on January 31 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.

• Sasha Banks Wants a Second Evolution PPV, WWE Queen Of The Ring Tournament

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NXT Champion Finn Balor returned to the black-and-gold brand back in late 2019 following a main roster run. In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Balor revealed how it’s a decision he doesn’t regret.

According to Balor, the sheer wealth of talented Superstars he’s been able to compete against is justification enough for his choice.

“You can make a lot of decisions in this business that you regret, but I feel like the thing that affirms that I made the right decision is the different talent I’ve gotten to work with since I’ve been in NXT, people I’ve never worked with before in the past.”

He pointed to notable NXT Superstars such as Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Damien Priest, and current Raw Superstar, Riddle.

Balor also revealed how returning to NXT helped push himself “to the limit.” According to him, his NXT return forced him out of the “comfort zone” he found himself in during his time on Raw and SmackDown.

Couple this with the wealth of fresh feuds and matchups he’s enjoyed since his NXT return, Balor has no doubt he made the right decision.

Finn Balor recently competed against Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly at NXT New Year’s Evil. Like their first vicious encounter, which left Balor with a broken jaw, the two faced off in another hard-hitting affair. Balor would defeat O’Reilly, retaining his NXT Championship in the process.

• Triple H: Finn Balor’s Return Cemented NXT As WWE’s Third Brand

Sonya Deville returned to WWE programming during the New Year’s Day episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Deville has since discussed her return to television during an appearance on Talking Smack. She also addressed her new role as Adam Pearce’s assistant.

Deville explained how she’s “never felt better” now that she’s finally back on the blue brand. She shared how her return felt as though it was “never going to happen.”

“A long 4 months off, but you know what, 2021 is going to be the year of Sonya Deville, but also the year of SmackDown. I’m excited about so many things to come for the show and I’m excited to show you guys.”

Regarding her new on-screen role, Deville revealed how anyone who knows her would admit the role is a “natural fit” for her. She noted how she and Adam Pearce make a “great kind of duo” before sharing her 2021 SmackDown goals.

“I want to make SmackDown a good place to work, and I want the women to get opportunities,” Deville said. “I have a lot of things in store, and I think it’s all going to be positive, moving in the upward direction, and that’s all I’m going to tell you.”

Sonya Deville initially left WWE programming after being beaten by Mandy Rose. She lost a “Loser Leaves WWE” matchup to Rose at SummerSlam 2020.

Despite having faced some of WWE‘s top Superstars, there’s still plenty of wrestlers SmackDown’s Daniel Bryan is interested in competing against. Speaking with WWE on BT Sport, Bryan shared which Superstars he’d love to share the ring with.

“One person that I’d like—just because he can do so many incredible things that I’d like to wrestle [him]—is Ricochet. Same thing with, like, Apollo Crews…I think Apollo Crews is infinitely talented.”

He continued, “One of the guys who’d I’d really like to have a like real like…something where we can stuck in with, that I’ve never had the opportunity to do, is Shinsuke Nakamura.”

Bryan added how, alongside more established Superstars, he’s excited to embrace the challenge of competing against new, young talent.

He then turned his attention to Seth Rollins. Bryan discussed how, although they have competed in WWE, they haven’t had a long-running feud that’s “built into a big match.”

Bryan concluded by sharing his interest in also competing against Rey Mysterio, noting how Rey is a personal hero of his. He also added he would be open to wrestling against Dominik Mysterio if the opportunity presented itself.

Daniel Bryan has reportedly been pushing for younger talent to be brought up from NXT to SmackDown. His attempts were apparently met with some opposition, however.

He recently faced off against Shinsuke Nakamura as part of a Gauntlet match on SmackDown. Nakamura eliminated him from the match.

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Bianca Belair has opened up about her journey from NXT to Raw and, currently, SmackDown. During a recent interview, Belair reflected on her 2020. She also opened up about how COVID-19 forced multiple changes to initial plans that would have moved her from WWE’s black-and-gold brand.

Belair recounted how she first discovered she would be leaving NXT following her NXT TakeOver: Portland match with Rhea Ripley. Following the bout, she was informed how it would be her last TakeOver event.

“I found out that I was going to actually be debuting the RAW after WrestleMania – which I was very, very excited about, because, you know, if you want to debut, you want to debut on the RAW after WrestleMania. It’s the biggest RAW of all time,” Belair informed ITRWrestling.

Things didn’t go smoothly, however. Despite her excitement to debut on WWE’s red brand, plans would eventually change, seeing her make her debut at WrestleMania 36 in front of zero fans.

“It kind of switched to, ‘Well, you might be debuting at WrestleMania.’ So I was really on a high like ‘OK, this is all coming together and I’m going to finally get my moment.’ And then the strange year happened and I found out, ‘OK, you’re still going to debut at WrestleMania…but inside the Performance Center and it’ll be alongside The Street Profits.’ So much has happened. It’s been a very strange year, but I’ve had a very good year when you think about this whole entire year.”

Bianca Belair Reflects On Her 2020

Belair reflected on her 2020, looking back at her Royal Rumble involvement and TakeOver matches to debuting alongside her husband, Montez Ford, at WrestleMania 36.

“[…] being able to share that moment with him, to being drafted to RAW, to being drafted to SmackDown, to being a part of a Survivor Series team with Team SmackDown… I’ve had had a very great year.”

Acknowledging how disruptive the coronavirus pandemic has been, Belair stressed how important it is to “adapt to everything.” According to her, that adaptability is crucial to being in WWE.

“You have to always stay ready because stuff is always going to be thrown at you. I feel like I’ve always just been on my toes ever since all this strange stuff has happened with COVID and it’s just… It’s been a crazy ride, but I always try to focus on the things that I can control. And right now, I’m on SmackDown and it’s the land of opportunities. I think that everything’s been going on a roll ever since I’ve been on SmackDown.”

Bianca Belair competed at Survivor Series as a member of Team SmackDown. Despite their best efforts, they would ultimately lose to Team Raw.

• Bianca Belair Reflects On Paul Heyman Calling Her The “Future” Of The Women’s Division

Booker T has pinpointed an issue he personally has with modern pro wrestling: a lack of believability. He shared his insight during an episode of his podcast, The Hall of Fame.

For Booker T, he can’t help but consider the lack of believability in modern shows compared to the past. He pointed to promos and rivalries between Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair as examples of his argument.

“The promo that Dusty Rhodes cut on Ric Flair talking about hard times, I’m getting goosebumps right now. The thing is, Dusty Rhodes was promoting getting people inside of that arena. He made the textile worker who did not have a dime say I have to find $10 to get me a ticket,” Booker T explained. “

He made that auto worker who was out of a job who got kicked in the butt, whose computer took his job, he made that guy someway, somehow go and find enough money to get in that arena to support Dusty Rhodes. I think that’s what is missing from today’s professional wrestling.”

Booker T noted how wrestlers aren’t providing that level of inherent believability and realism to draw people to the product. He acknowledged how this is just his opinion but doesn’t believe he’s wrong on the matter.

Booker T: “Roman Reigns Is The Most Believable Guy In The Business”

When discussing a potential Roman Reigns versus Goldberg matchup in the future, Booker T praised the current WWE Universal Champion. As far as he’s concerned, “The Tribal Chief” is the “most believable guy in the business right now.”

He shared how he’s “down for anything” as long as it’s done right. Booker T noted how Goldberg is much like Mike Tyson, explaining how “He is a guy who has been around for a long time, past his prime, but if he jumped in there right now with Roman Reigns, I would expect Roman Reigns to go out there and humble him.”

Booker T stressed he isn’t knocking Goldberg with his booking. Instead, he’s adopting a “promoter’s perspective” and looking at a potential bout through a critical, business lens.

“Could it be something special? Yes, because what we have right there are two grown ass men. That right there, just the marquee with Roman on one side and Goldberg on the other, it is going to sell. People will want to see it. Spear vs spear. We got something here,” Booker T said. “Me personally, I’m all about passing the torch. Roman Reigns right now has that believability. Roman Reigns is the most believable guy in the business right now. When you watch Roman, Roman is a throwback to what guys were back in the day.”

Roman Reigns is scheduled to defend his WWE Universal Championship this Sunday at WWE’s TLC pay-per-view. He faces Kevin Owens in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matchup.

• Booker T Shares His Issues With Modern Wrestlers’ Work Ethic

SmackDown Superstar Kevin Owens has previously shared how he would be open to returning to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT. Turns out that the promotion not only had plans in place for an NXT return. It was also open to sending Owens overseas to NXT UK.

“They’re all extremely talented guys, and I would love to compete with any of those guys. I kinda got to do a bit with Imperium last year, so that was cool,” Owens said in an interview with Metro.co.uk.

“At one point there was a plan for me to go back to NXT at some point last year, which didn’t happen, obviously. But we had even discussed, maybe if that happens, then maybe I could show up on NXT UK and work with all these different people. I’d love to get to do that.”

He joked how “a lot of the NXT UK guys are clearly inspired” by him. Owens pointed to how every week he hears how an NXT UK Superstar shows “shades” of Kevin Owens in their matches. He shared how he loves performing in Europe and that, given a chance, he would love to help “do good stuff” with NXT UK.

Owens made a surprise return to NXT last year during NXT TakeOver: WarGames. He was revealed to be the mystery partner on Team Ciampa. He joined Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, and Dominik Dijakovic as they battled against The Undisputed Era in a WarGames matchup. Thanks to Owens’ help, Team Ciampa managed to defeat the Undisputed Era.

Kevin Owens is scheduled to compete against Roman Reigns at this Sunday’s WWE TLC pay-per-view. The two compete for the WWE Universal Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has shared his thoughts on modern wrestlers’ “work ethic.”

Booker T broached the subject during a recent episode of his Hall of Fame Podcast. He acknowledged how “the game has changed” compared to his time actively wrestling. Booker T also noted how modern wrestlers also “look at the game a lot differently” before admitting he doesn’t think he’d fit in today’s locker room.

“I would probably clash with a lot of the guys because I don’t agree with a lot of the work that’s going on in the ring. I don’t agree with a lot of the work ethic that’s brought to the table today. I just don’t,” Booker T said. “People can take that and say whatever they want and make whatever they want out of it, but some guys have work ethic and go out there and study it. But, there’s a term that’s called calling it in or phoning it in. There are a lot of guys that phone it in.”

He stressed how he never phoned in a performance. Booker T’s goals were to be remembered alongside “the greatest wrestlers who ever put on a pair of boots.” He added how he will always “give props” to those who deserve it. However, “[…] when I watch a lot of stuff, there is stuff to be worked on and maybe nobody is telling them.”

Booker T On Big E’s Potential

One current WWE Superstar Booker T has a lot of faith in his New Day’s Big E. For him, Big E has “all the tools” to be a top Superstar.

“[…] I said it from the beginning, that Big E is a guy who has world championship potential. As far as a guy that can step into that stratosphere of world heavyweight championship, not just runs, but reigns,” Booker T said. “He is a guy that can have multiple runs in that position. A guy that carried it. People won’t just say he won the championship. He carried the championship. There’s a big difference.”

Big E competed against WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn on last week’s episode of SmackDown. The two faced off in a non-title bout which Zayn won via Count Out.

All Elite Wrestling’s Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes has opened up more about her and Cody Rhodes’ recent pregnancy announcement. Speaking with People, Brandi shared how excited the couple is over the news.

Brandi shared how they they are ready to embark on “another incredible chapter” together.

“Cody and I are so excited and overwhelmed by this news,” Brandi said. “We’ve had seven exciting years of marriage, worked together to grow our careers and our core at AEW from the ground up, and now here we are embarking on another incredible chapter.”

She continued, “We have always talked about it as a future, and it turns out that the future is now. It’s surreal that parenthood is right around the corner! We are ready and excited to dive right in.”

Brandi and Cody Rhodes revealed the happy news to AEW fans during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Prior to Cody’s matchup against Hybrid 2’s Angelica, a short promo video played. It showcased the couple at home only to receive an unexpected gift at the door. Opening the box together, the present is revealed to be a Christmas ornament that read, “We’re expecting a new baby due 2021.”

It didn’t take long Brandi and Cody to receive congratulations from friends, fans, and colleagues from across the pro wrestling industry.

IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito has shared his thoughts on being awarded several notable awards.

The Los Ingobernables de Japon leader was recently honored with the Tokyo Sports MVP award. His Wrestle Kingdom 14 clash with Kazuchika Okada was also awarded Tokyo Sports Best Bout 2020 Award.

“To be honest, as soon as I did what I did in the Tokyo Dome on January 4 & 5, I had assumed that this award was coming,” Naito said. “But after the Tokyo Dome, thanks to the pandemic, the match I had wanted with Hiromu Takahashi for a decade didn’t take place. From there, this year took a rather different form to what I had expected. Then again, things not exactly going to plan, that’s pretty much on brand for Tetsuya Naito.”

Naito On Winning Match Of The Year

When asked about being the Match of the Year award, Naito acknowledged how determining a winner for the category can be difficult due to subjective taste. He shared how it’s a “difficult call to make.”

“Everybody has their own taste. Some people might think my match with Okada was the clear winner, and some might have a very different idea. It’s a difficult call to make, and this decision will certainly raise a lot of debate. But thinking back on the matches I’ve had this year, the (Okada match) certainly is one that stays with me,” Naito admitted. “I think a few years from now when I look back on my career, this is definitely a match that will leap out as an important one, and I’m happy it got chosen.”

Naito then reflected on the key moments from the matchup that stick out in his memory. One thing that still resonates with him is how the crowd was chanting his name.

“[…] not just during the match or my entrance, but afterward, with all of the Tokyo Dome chanting my name, that’s such an incredible memory. It wasn’t just a match and a moment that I created with Okada, but something everybody in that building help make, so all of you chanting have my gratitude. Gracias.”

Tetsuya Naito is set to perform double duty at next year’s Wrestle Kingdom 15. On January 4, Naito will defend his IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against Kota Ibushi.

If he successfully retains his championships, Naito faces off against Jay White on January 5 in another ‘Winner Take All’ championship match.

NXT Superstar Cameron Grimes won’t be appearing on WWE’s black-and-gold brand for the next 4-6 weeks. The news was announced during last night’s episode of the show.

Grimes has featured in several feuds on NXT programming in the past few months. He has participated in a lengthy featured rivalry with Dexter Lumis and, more recently, competed against Tommaso Ciampa.

He has suffered a few high profile losses against these Superstars in recent months. Grimes lost to Ciampa on the 12/9 episode of NXT. After the match, Grimes was attacked by Timothy Thatcher. He was later listed on the NXT Injury Report.

• Update On Reason For Cameron Grimes’ Absence From NXT

Cameron Grimes’ Recent Record

Cameron Grimes wrestled to a No Contest against Lumis in a Blindfold match as well as a Haunted House of Terror Match at NXT: Halloween Havoc back in October. More recently, Grimes lost to Lumis at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The two competed in a strap match.

Despite several key losses, Cameron Grimes has accrued a few victories. He successfully defeated NXT Superstars August Grey and Jake Atlas.

The NXT Injury Report noted that Grimes was out of action following Thatcher “snatching his leg” during NXT, providing a storyline reason for Grimes’ absence. The report noted there was no timetable for return.

Kevin Owens has made his intentions clear: he wants to claim the WWE Universal Championship at TLC in an effort to earn some “redemption” for his 2016 reign.

Owens joined WWE show The Bump, where he shared his plans as he hypothesized over a second run with the gold.

“Imagine what I’ll do when the Universal Title is on the line. When it’s TLC, there’s millions of people watching,” Owens said. “The way this issue has turned out with Roman and I, there’s nothing that I won’t stop at to win this match and make things right, you know. Because of the Universal Title reign that I had before, it’s just not what I wish it would have been. So, maybe there’s a chance here for redemption as well in that aspect.”

Kevin Owens won the WWE Universal Championship during a four-way elimination match for the championship following an injury that forced Finn Balor to vacate the title. He would hold the Universal Championship for 188 days before losing it to Goldberg at 2017’s Fastlane pay-per-view.

Owens is set to face off against Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at Sunday’s TLC event. The two clash in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matchup. Reigns will be accompanied by Paul Heyman for the bout.

WWE’s TLC takes place on December 20 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.

All Elite Wrestling’s Chris Jericho has named The Big Show as his favorite tag team partner. Jericho made the declaration on a recent episode of his podcast, Talk is Jericho. He stressed how Big Show was his favorite tag team partner “by far.”

“That was because I was tag team champions with Edge and Edge tore his Achilles tendon and he was going to be out for eight months,’ Jericho said. “They didn’t want to strip me of the titles, so Vince wanted me to have another partner because we were going into a feud with DX. A lot of people wanted to put me with a young guy and I said, we can’t do this, DX will eat you alive unless I have somebody that’s a world champion level.”

According to Jericho, he suggested he team up with Kane. However, Vince McMahon proposed he team with Big Show. Jericho liked the idea but had a couple of caveats before agreeing.

“I said, great, but no more comedy and he needs to get rid of the one-sided strap. I wanted him in tights. He wanted a singlet. I said we are going to remember how big he is and he is going to be a giant with me. Vince said, ‘Absolutely.’ That’s where it started.”

Jericho And Big Show’s Chemistry

Chris Jericho reflected on how every match the team won was only because of The Big Show knocking out their opponent. The two would ultimately become close friends, with Jericho noting how they would argue “like an old married couple.”

“[…] I would have an idea and then he would come up with an idea. I would say, ‘yeah that’s good, but mine’s better.’ He would say, ‘Fine, I’ll just sit here and be a big stupid giant and won’t say a word.’ We had a great chemistry and a great friendship. He was an excellent partner for sure.”

Chris Jericho competed during last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Alongside his Inner Circle stablemates, he faced off against Best Friends, The Varsity Blondes, and Top Flight.

Following Shaquille O’Neal’s recent appearance on All Elite Wrestling, TNT Champion Darby Allin has shared his thoughts on celebrities doing crossovers with the promotion.

Speaking with SK Wrestling, Allin admitted it “kicked ass” to see O’Neal involved with AEW. He added he is interested to see where how this crossover will develop.

Allin shared how he’d like to see “more crossovers with other forms of media.” He shared how he’s a fan of “all that stuff” before pointing out his videos with Tony Hawk, Steve-O and Travis Pastrana.

He explained how, “[…] as much as these guys get me hyped, I want to bring them into the world so that all the other wrestling fans can see what they do.”

Darby Allin believes that the presence of celebrities and outsides coming into AEW may help the locker room take performing more seriously.

He claimed that “Half the wrestlers are complete jokes that don’t take it seriously. So I would love to have someone else step into our world and take it seriously and kicking ass.”

Shaquille O’Neal In AEW

Shaquille O’Neal featured in a segment during last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. He participated in an interview with Tony Schiavone and Brandi Rhodes to discuss the actions of Jade Cargill.

O’Neal explained how, although he appreciates Cargill, he can’t condone her injuring Brandi’s arm. The former NBA star has previously expressed his interest in competing against Cody Rhodes.

Darby Allin, meanwhile, recently found himself face-to-face with “The Icon” Sting during Sting’s debut a few weeks ago. He was singled out by Sting during a promo on last week’s show in a segment that also featured Cody Rhodes.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has revealed there will be a special episode of NJPW Strong released on Christmas Day. This episode, entitled “Best of Strong 2020,” will feature the best matches and moments from throughout the past year.

The matches included with this special episode have been curated by NJPW wrestlers and broadcasters. It is described as being “a perfect introduction” for curious fans interested in watching NJPW Strong on Friday nights. Additionally, “Best of Strong 2020” will be free to watch on NJPW World, FITE, and YouTube.

Fans can tune in live and participate in the live chat with Rocky Romero. He will be reportedly be joined by several special guests, though no additional names are known at the time of writing.

Looking to entice fans to NJPW Strong, the promotion will be asking for fan opinions across next week to determine the Strong Match of the Year. Fans can submit their picks via Twitter. Doing so will put them in line to win one of five limited edition “I Love NJPW ver.2” t-shirts.

NJPW Strong airs Friday nights on NJPW World. It debuted earlier this year on August 7th, following a press conference reveal in July. The show has so far hosted the New Japan Cup USA tournament, Fighting Spirit Unleashed, and Lion’s Break Crown to name a few.

“Best of NJPW 2020” airs on December 25th.

Stephanie McMahon has explained how WWE tries to “amplify” its individual stars by allowing them to have “individual voices.”

“One of the things that we understood early on is star power. It’s about the attraction, it’s about the draw,” Stephanie said on The Playbook podcast. “Whether it’s a live event or you’re trying to drive television ratings or social media engagement, you have to have star power.”

She explained how WWE tries to “[…] amplify the individual stars so we can create the biggest moats around them.” According to her, they need to have “individual voices.” Stephanie believes they can achieve this by being “their own personas.”

Stephanie then acknowledged the importance of cultivating engagement between fans and Superstars in the digital age. She explained how this stems from people’s need to relate.

“At the end of the day, the audience might not relate to a brand, to the WWE or another league, but they might relate to a team or an individual star,” Stephanie McMahon explained. “More and more, you’re seeing that in the media space. Whether it’s content creators on TikTok or Twitch, you see these consumers and people getting behind the content creators and influencers individually because they relate to them.”

Stephanie noted how people relate in different ways. However, she argued that “if you can create the opportunities for engagement, then the rising tide will raise all boats.”

WWE recently implemented a third-part edict that saw it Superstars forced to shut down their Cameo and Twitch accounts. This decision has reportedly rankled several Superstars who were making money from their live streams.

NXT’s Pat McAfee has received high praise from WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Speaking with ESPN.com, Austin revealed how he believes McAfee is currently “slaying everybody” on the black-and-gold brand.

“Hey man, he puts it all on the line, he’s going for it. I think his verbal skills, he’s slaying everybody, but he’s not afraid to go out there and put it all on the line,” Austin said. “You wouldn’t expect it from a guy who goes out there and kicks a football, but Pat McAfee is bada**. I think he’s doing a really good job. I’d give him a solid A.”

Pat McAfee recently participated at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. McAfee and his teammates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan faced off against the Undisputed Era. The two teams clashed in a WarGames matchup, with the Undisputed Era eventually emerging victorious.

McAfee has yet to reappear on NXT programming since NXT TakeOver: WarGames. He has, however, suggested that his issues with Adam Cole and the Undisputed Era are far from over.

Steve Austin’s USA Network show, Straight Up Steve Austin, is set to return to screens in January. It was recently confirmed that Charlotte Flair would be a guest on an upcoming episode.

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has compared his former boss Vince McMahon to UFC President Dana White. Punk joined his former WWE Backstage co-host Renee Paquette on her new podcast, Oral Sessions, where he shared his opinion on the two. During the discussion, he deliberated on who he believes to be more generous.

Punk confessed there are “levels” to a discussion comparing Dana White and Vince McMahon. “Obviously you can draw that they’re both right-wing, the word I’ll use is weirdo because obviously they vote based on what’s good for their pocketbook.”

“If I really had to compare and contrast, I would say Dana is more generous,” Punk said. “Dana does a lot of stuff for the fighters behind the scenes. I think there’s a lot of locker room money that people don’t know about and he gets a lot of flak for [not paying fighters enough]. That being said, I do also think fighters need to get paid a whole hell of a lot more.”

Punk and Paquette previously worked together on the FS1 show WWE Backstage alongside WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Filming of the show was halted earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. FS1 later suspended all production on the show. Paquette left WWE following August’s SummerSlam event.

Since leaving WWE, CM Punk has fought twice in the UFC. He lost both bouts, one by submission and the other by decision.

• Paul Heyman On What He Said To CM Punk Before On-Screen Pairing

All Elite Wrestling’s Darby Allin has commented on the possibility of a matchup between himself and “The Icon” Sting. The current TNT Champion recently broached the subject during an interview with Sportskeeda.

Allin admitted he doesn’t know what the future looks like. However, he did issue a warning to “The Icon,” who recently made his AEW debut, claiming that he’s “ready.”

“I don’t know what his health’s like, I don’t know what he wants to do,” Allin said. “If he wants to get in the ring with me, good luck, that’s what I would say, I’m ready. If he’s ready, I’m ready. I have no clue if he’s actually going to be ready. Everything’s up in the air.

Following his debut, Sting appeared on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. During a segment that featured Cody Rhodes, “The Icon” indicated that he wasn’t in AEW for Cody, instead hinting that he was interested in Allin.

“I don’t know what his intentions are, I don’t know if you want to manage me, I don’t know if I’m manageable,” Allin said. “Everything is week-by-week, anything can change. I’ve never had a full-blown conversation with him. Who knows, he might be the complete opposite.”

When asked if he would be interested in a cinematic matchup with Sting, Darby Allin shared he’s “up for the challenge.” Although he has never done a cinematic matchup before, Allin is confident he would deliver “the most craziest cinematic match of all-time.”

• Booker T On A Potential Sting Vs. Chris Jericho Match In AEW

Raw Superstar Elias has had the opportunity to work with, and opposite, some of WWE’s most beloved Legends. However, during a recent interview with Lilian Garcia on her podcast Chasing Glory, Elias revealed how he used to get “offended” by Legends being featured on WWE programming.

Elias shared how he would be “personally offended” by Legends like The Undertaker, Kane, and Shawn Michaels coming back to WWE.

“The reason would be that I should either be in there with those guys and learning from them and they should be passing on the knowledge or they just should not be there because it’s the new guy’s time. That’s how I felt. I had a little bit of anger towards that generation.”

He argued how he was getting loud reactions from the WWE Universe and that despite his hard work, Legends would just come back and “[…] take spots at WrestleMania. They take spots at big PPV’s. Elias is shoved to the side for whatever reason. I had like an anger about that.”

Elias then shared how he watched the Undertaker’s docuseries, The Last Ride. The Raw Superstar explained how the series helped him understand The Undertaker’s perspective.

“He knows the young guys want his spot. He also knows that he has to let this go sometime and he has been through the ringer. His body has been through it,” Elias said. “But, he just loves the business so much and you can relate to that. I was like, oh, let me put myself in this situation and get paid incredibly well. One of the best of all time. The fans go absolutely insane for the guy. It softens me to go, oh, I get it and I don’t have that anger that I did have before. Who knows if the situation is ever reversed.”

Elias And “The Dead Man”

Regarding The Undertaker, Elias reflected on his opportunities to share the ring with “The Dead Man.” He opened up about on a tag team matchup he had againstt ‘Taker at Madison Square Garden.

Elias shared how he had read interviews explaining how Superstars would be affected by The Undertaker’s entrance. It was something he didn’t think would impact him. However, he couldn’t deny he felt “goosebumps” as soon as The Undertaker’s music started.

“Sure enough, when his music went off and Madison Square Garden went crazy and you hear that gong, I got goosebumps then. Then when he came out, it was like the next level. Then when I actually saw him, I can actually feel that moment now.”

Elias appeared on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw alongside his new follower, Jaxson Ryker, who he claimed understands his “universal truth.”

NXT Superstar Pete Dunne has reflected on this past summer’s #SpeakingOut movement that took place across social media. Speaking with the Daily Star, Dunne acknowledged how it was “horrible” to see the stories pouring out. This past June, people shared their stories of emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual harassment within the pro wrestling industry.

“It was horrible to hear these stories come out and everything that came with that because British wrestling was, alongside my own career, something I was trying to build,” Dunne said. “The whole time, I was trying to give back as much as I could, but with the pandemic and, of course, the Speaking Out stuff, that combination has really hurt British wrestling. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all over for British wrestling.”

Dunne continued, “Things are starting to move back to normal and [Speaking Out] is now at a Parliamentary level which is great. I was doing the best I could, and so were a lot of people, but it’s above us, and we need people who actually know how to make the correct changes. I am glad it is in their hands… hopefully from here it can only move in the right direction and people are aware of the changes that need to be made. Fingers crossed, in a year’s time, British wrestling looks completely different.”

Pete Dunne: Implementing Small Changes Will Lead To Major Improvements

Dunne explained how there are “small changes” he would love to see as a talent, including how every show should have first aiders in attendance. He noted how simple no-brainer changes like this will make a massive difference to the talent and industry as a whole.

“I’m so glad it has moved to a Parliamentary level. I get to have a meeting involved with the people involved in that party and they’re passionate about finding some kind of change. I really do want to urge people to listen to them and talk to them.”

He shared how, although people “perceive” him to be at the forefront of British wrestling, he is “not qualified” to suggest necessary change. According to Dunne, “it’s completely above me.”

“All I can say is that I fully support any positive, professional change to the industry. I want it to be better and, of course, safer. Fingers crossed they’re the people to do it, so I urge people to reach out to them and listen to what they’re saying.”

Pete Dunne has been back on NXT programming since aligning himself with Pat McAfee. He recently participated as a member of Team McAfee at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. They lost to the Undisputed Era.

All Elite Wrestling’s Evil Uno has detailed the travel schedule he and fellow Dark Order member Stu Grayson currently have to undertake due to the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking with OttawaSun.com, Evil Uno broke down their journey Florida each week. He also revealed how they were worried the promotion would cut them due to travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

“We travel every two weeks (to Florida) and quarantine in between. We don’t leave our houses; that’s a stress,” Evil Uno said. “There was a time where it was very uncertain for both of us because we couldn’t make it to work for several months, so we were at risk of being cut. We didn’t know the scope of what COVID would be like.”

Evil Uno continued, “We also didn’t know what kind of financial hit AEW was going to take. It was stressful at first, but now it feels like the norm. We have deep roots in this area, we helped build up this whole wrestling scene over the past 15 years. We’re still within the decision phase.”

Evil Uno offered Dustin Rhodes the chance to join the Dark Order during last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. He suggested Rhodes join them and take on the name ‘Seven,’ referencing Rhodes’s ill-fated WCW gimmick of the same name.

The Dark Order Make Front Page Of Ottawa Newspaper

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff believes All Elite Wrestling should hire Bully Ray. Bischoff shared his thoughts during a recent episode of his podcast 83 Weeks.

Bischoff argued how Bully Ray is not only an experienced veteran but is a talented wrestler who understands the “art of creating emotion.”

“I don’t know why Bully’s not there in AEW because he’s valuable. There’s some really talented people there, and obviously, Chris Jericho is maybe one of the most creative people right now,” Bischoff said. “But wouldn’t you like to have 2, or 3, or 4 people that have Chris Jericho’s kind of experience and feel, but maybe come at it from a couple different perspectives so you have options? I would think somebody like AEW would really benefit from Bully’s experience.”

Alongside the aforementioned Chris Jericho, AEW has a wealth of additional veteran talent to pull from. Dustin Rhodes, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson are all part of the promotion, to name just a few. Eric Bischoff, himself, has also featured on multiple episode of AEW Dynamite.

Former WCW Champion Sting recently made his on-screen debut for AEW. He has since expressed an interest in current AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin. It is speculated that Sting will compete in the ring in AEW, with some veterans and fans already speculating about potential matches he may have down the line.

Raw Superstar Elias has revealed he was nearly fired during his time on WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT.

Elias opened up during a recent interview with Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory. Elias, who was known by the nickname The Drifter in NXT, shared how he was put on a list to be fired “multiple times.”

He revealed how those who didn’t like him during his WWE tryout disliked him even after being hired by WWE.

“William Regal always said yes, liked me, and got me through, but the people that said no, they were running the show,” Elias explained. “I didn’t know anybody in the business, so I’m an outsider to their crew and they can be protective in their circle. I was put on the list to be fired, multiple times in NXT.”

Elias contineud, “I was made aware of it two different times. You can imagine walking into work knowing ‘that guy right there wants to fire me.’ It makes you walk on eggshells, there’s extra pressure. There were a lot of ups and downs.”

Elias’ 30 Day Deadline

Elias shared how he was pulled aside and told he needed to deliver something that stood out. He was informed they would examine his performance in 30 days. If he didn’t deliver, it was suggested he would be “better off somewhere else” as “not everyone is meant to be a WWE Superstar.”

During this time, Elias would come up with The Drifter gimmick. Another potential name he toyed with was The Judge.

“I put together a vignette, merchandise, ways to debut, feuds, a whole packet. I presented it to him and he said, ‘This is good. Let’s meet and talk about it.’ He brings me into this roundtable room and everyone is there. Dusty Rhodes, Nick Dinsmore, everyone who worked there. He sits down, has my packet, and goes, ‘We all looked at it, it’s really good.’ Shoves it to the side and goes, ‘What else you got?’ I’m like, ‘….What?’ ‘What else you got?'”

Elias explained how he had spent 30 days ensuring The Drifter package delivered in the meeting. He was then told the lights would go off. When they came back on, he would have to deliver something totally different and new.

“He turns the lights off, when he turns them back on, I start yelling at everyone in Italian. Dusty Rhodes goes, ‘Holy shit.’ Nick Dinsmore is like, ‘I got goosebumps.’ The guy that put me on the spot is like, ‘There it is.'”

Despite impressing with the on-the-spot change, Elias would eventually switch it up. He would later bring in a guitar to showcase his skills. Seeing what he could do with the guitar in hand convinced Dusty Rhodes to sign off on The Drifter character.

Elias Teases Character Change Following Symphony Of Destruction Match

Kevin Owens has opened up about original plans that were in place for WrestleMania 34. Owens teamed up with Sami Zayn, competing against Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan. According to Owens, the match was supposed to pit him and Zayn against Shane McMahon and his father, Vince McMahon.

Leading into that matchup, Owens headbutted Vince McMahon on an episode of SmackDown. Reflecting on working with Vince McMahon, Owens revealed how he wished it “led to more.”

“Yeah, that was really cool. I wish it would have led to more, honestly,” Owens confessed in an interview with ITRWrestling.com and SPORF.com. “But who wouldn’t feel that way? I think it could have, and I think it almost did. I really think, at one point, there was a chance that it was going to be me and Sami Zayn against Shane and Vince at WrestleMania – which would have been incredible – but Vince, I remember one of the things he had told me was, ‘I can’t run WrestleMania and focus on a match at the same time.'”

Kevin Owens On Daniel Bryan’s “Perfect Situation”

Kevin Owens explained how Vince McMahon felt the best position for him was backstage, not in the ring. This decision helped deliver a “perfect situation” for Daniel Bryan’s return.

“He got cleared medically and the storyline was already in progress,” Owens explained. “He was already so heavily involved in the storyline just because him and Shane were running SmackDown together, and obviously that was an incredible thing to be a part of Daniel’s return, especially in that building where he won the title at WrestleMania XXX, so it was great.”

Owens admitted he would have liked to have kept Vince McMahon involved in the feud at the time. Alternatively, he would have liked to have continued, furthering an on-screen rivalry with him afterward.

He stressed how being involved with Vince McMahon on television helps to immediately “add credibility” to a Superstar or feud.

Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon would defeat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 34.

Kevin Owens On Goldberg: “I’d Love To Work With Him Again If He Was Here To Work”