WWE Superstar Lana intends to push the envelope in every storyline she is a part of. She revealed her intentions during a recent interview with Sportskeeda, noting how she’s fortunate to be involved with a soap opera style storyline.
“I just feel like soap opera stories, in general, are very relatable and everyone can connect to heartache,” Lana explained. “Everyone can connect with either being cheated on or know someone that’s cheating or know someone that has lied in a relationship or know someone that’s gotten a divorce. Most people have broken up once in their life, at least. I just think that all those stories are relatable and people understand that. And people connect with it.”
Lana explained how not everyone may be able to understand winning a championship or a title. But heartache, betrayal and relationships are things most people can relate to and understand.
She extrapolated further, adding how she doesn’t know what it’s like to be “genetically superior” as she had to work hard for everything in her life. When it comes to breakups, however, Lana feels there is a compelling relatability. She considers herself “blessed to be in stories like that, that have to do with issues of the heart.”
WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch would love to see SmackDown Superstar Cesaro hold some gold. During an interview with The Bump’s Kayla Braxton, Lynch would share her feelings on the subject. She noted how people should start hashtagging “Cesaro for champ” to try and bring it to WWE’s attention.
The comment came after Braxton began listing the amount of talented European Superstars who are currently a part of WWE’s roster. She noted how they are taking over the championship landscape.
After having pointed out Nikki Cross’ victory at WrestleMania 36, making Cross half of the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Lynch would jump in with her thoughts:
“We need Cesaro up there,” she stated. “Oh yeah, he absolutely is [one of the best]. Cesaro for champ. Hashtag that people.”
Cesaro opened up this weekend’s WrestleMania 36 two-day event. He competed against Drew Gulak during Night One’s pre-show, eventually claiming the victory against his game opponent.
Becky Lynch would also have a good weekend, successfully retaining her RAW Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler. Despite her win, WWE is reportedly set to continue having the two Superstars feud. Baszler recently commented on her WrestleMania loss, promising to make Lynch suffer the “agony of my defeat.”
RAW Superstar Nia Jax recently took part in a Zoom conference call with several other female Superstars. During their interview, Jax revealed how she once had to protect Alexa Bliss from another Superstar she deemed unsafe.
Without naming the Superstar, Jax shared how Bliss had been working an angle where should be consistently hurt. According to her, Bliss didn’t want to say anything as she wanted to be a good team player. The last thing she wanted was for somebody who couldn’t perform or deliver. Nia Jax revealed how angry the situation made her. She stated she “personally would now allow her to get back in the ring to get hurt again.”
Jax would go to the higher-ups within WWE to bring the issue to their attention. She recalled how “I had to put down a stern foot and say, ‘listen, Lexi is five-foot-nothing, 100 pounds getting thrown around like a little rag doll and injured every night. Put me in. I’m a six-foot 300-pound bitch. I can handle it.”
Nia Jax On Standing Up For Alexa Bliss
Nia Jax acknowledged she understands how there are times to keep quiet and commit to being a team player. However, there are other occasions where it is simply unacceptable. To her, she couldn’t allow one of her good friends to get hurt. This is what motivated her to stand up for Bliss and ensure she wouldn’t get hurt going forward.
Nia Jax returned to in-ring action during this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW. The pre-recorded episode took place in front of zero fans due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Charlotte Flair won the NXT Women’s Championship for the second time this past weekend at WrestleMania 36. She defeated NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley to reclaim the gold. Although the accomplishment would be forced to take place in front of zero fans, Flair stressed that WrestleMania 36 was still an opportunity for all involved. The event was relocated from Raymond James Stadium to the WWE Performance Center due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Flair told TVInsider how in the run-up to WrestleMania 36, she kept to herself and wasn’t really socializing. She did this in order to stay as focused as possible, noting that “this year was no different.” The relocation to the WWE PC didn’t bother her as she still viewed her match as an “opportunity to prove to the world I’m one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time.”
To her, this year’s WrestleMania had the potential of becoming the most-watched ‘Mania of all time. She explained how people were wanting content and entertainment during this tough time. With this in mind, she viewed the event as an opportunity to demonstrate that “you don’t need a live audience to bring that intensity.”
Charlotte Flair’s Return To NXT
Having won the championship, Charlotte Flair is now set to return to the black-and-gold brand. With WWE having done a lot of work to establish NXT as their third brand, Flair isn’t concerned some might feel it is a demotion. She talked about how she didn’t consider her future if she won the title. Instead, she wanted to focus on wrestling “the next big thing” and delivering a memorable story. Her mentality was focused on stealing the show. “I always say it’s not the title that makes the woman, it’s the woman that makes the title. What that could mean moving forward? Paying it back.”
With her return to NXT imminent, Flair already has her eyes set on some top NXT talent. She named Mia Yim and Candice LeRae as Superstars she’d like to work with. She also noted how Bianca Belair would probably want a rematch with her. Charlotte Flair confessed she hadn’t given future rivals too much consideration just yet but remains excited over new competition. She added how “Everyone knows that I’m probably the most competitive person in the locker room, so I’m going to want to have the best division.”
AJ Styles has opened up about his recent Boneyard matchup with The Undertaker. Styles participated in the pre-recorded cinematic-style clash, which aired this past weekend during WrestleMania 36. Taking to Mixer, Styles shared his thoughts on the style of their bout and whether he believes WWE should continue pursuing this alternative.
Styles shared he was pleased with how the Boneyard match turned out. He believes that the majority of wrestling fans would agree that it delivered. He did note that for every 100 people, perhaps 2 or 3 fans didn’t enjoy the match.
“The Phenomenal One” acknowledged that it was different and that he “understands” why people may have had issues with it. He then pointed out that this week’s matchup between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa was “also a different match.” Those Superstars also clashed in a pre-recorded bout that acted as the main event for this week’s episode of NXT.
AJ Styles On Move Cinematic Matches & Reshoots
Whether WWE should continue with this type of matchup, however, has become a debated topic. Especially in relation to The Undertaker. Styles spoke about how he believes “less is more” and that if WWE delivers too many too soon, then “they’re not special.”
“So we gotta watch out with how many matches we do,” he said. “I think… every now and again, it’s a good thing. As great as it was, I don’t think it’s something we should do a lot because we’ll ruin it. I’m not saying the matches but, it’s special.”
According to AJ Styles, the Boneyard match disregarded reshoots completely. He shared that the match was shot “pretty much straight through.” There were no retapes, though there were some cut scenes. He revealed the only time they stopped was to get footage of the action from different angles. However, “if they didn’t have that shot, we didn’t redo it. We just went with what we got.”
All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan has revealed that veteran announcer Jim Ross will be returning to Dynamite next week.
Taking to Twitter, Khan praised the commentary work of Chris Jericho and Tony Schiavone. The two worked together on this week’s episode of the TNT show. He noted how their debut together has been great and that the company has plans for the two to continue providing vocal duties on Dynamite. He then stated that Jim Ross would be returning to call Jon Moxley’s matchup against Inner Circle member Jake Hager.
“We have much more @IAmJericho & @tonyschiavone24 commentary to look forward to on tonight’s show on TNT now + in the coming weeks. Also @JRsBBQ will return next week to call the @JonMoxley v. @RealJakeHager No Holds Barred Empty Arena #AEW World Title match next week on Dynamite!”
We have much more @IAmJericho & @tonyschiavone24 commentary to look forward to on tonight’s show on TNT now + in the coming weeks. Also @JRsBBQ will return next week to call the @JonMoxley v. @RealJakeHager No Holds Barred Empty Arena #AEW World Title match next week on Dynamite!
Jim Ross has been staying safe in self-quarantine due to coronavirus concerns. He recently opened up about the decision, sharing it came after a lengthy decision between himself and Tony Khan. There is no further indication that Ross will be announcing other matches that night.
Like WWE has been doing in the run-up to WrestleMania 36, AEW has been pre-recording episodes Dynamite. This decision was made so they can still air episodes of Dynamite amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This has allowed for minimal exposure to their wrestlers and staff.
Jon Moxley attempts to defend his AEW World Championship against Jake Hager next Wednesday night on Dynamite. The two will clash in a No Holds Barred Empty Arena matchup.
Angelina Love has officially revealed she has re-signed with Ring of Honor Wrestling. Love, who leads ROH stable The Allure, shared the news via her Instagram account and in an official statement.
Love uploaded a picture of herself flanked with fellow Allure members Velveteen Sky and Mandy Leon. The trio are stood underneath a Madison Square Garden sign.
The world-famous arena in New York City is where the group first debuted. They would arrive in ROH during the promotion’s co-promoted show with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, G1 Supercard, which took place last April.
In an official statement, Angelina Love addressed her re-signing with ROH:
“I am extremely happy to have re-signed with Ring Of Honor. I’m very happy working here and look forward to continuing to take the women’s division to new heights this year and beyond. The Allüre will continue to dominate. Just watch.”
Since her time in the ROH, the near 20-year veteran has enjoyed a single reign as the ROH Women’s Champion. She won the title back in September 2019. Having vacated the championship, ROH was due to hold a tournament to determine a new ROH Women’s World Champion.
These plans were derailed, unfortunately, due to the current coronavirus pandemic. The outbreak has forced several sports organizations to delay and cancel events, with pro wrestling being heavily affected.
Returning Superstar Edge defeated Randy Orton this past weekend at WrestleMania 36. The two clashed in a hellacious Last Man Standing match. Reflecting on his triumphant return to in-ring action, Edge caught up Corey Graves on his WWE podcast, After the Bell. During their conversation, he divulged that it was his work on the Edge and Christian Show that “reignited” his love for the industry.
Edge confessed he had gravitated away from pro wrestling before his work with Christian on their show. After he was forced to retire back in 2011, it was Christian who suggested that the two team up to create something original. The idea of the Edge and Christian Show would snowball, and eventually air on the WWE Network.
“We were given freedom to just write this ridiculousness and to see all of those things come to life and to be back involved with my first love. It reignited my love for this.”
At the time of writing, it is unclear as to how “The Rated R Superstar” will be utilized by WWE now that his rivalry with Orton has seemingly come to a conclusion. Reports indicate he has signed a lucrative three-year deal. He has previously expressed his interest in helping to teach the next generation of WWE Superstars.
Posted April 9th, 2020 in WWE, News. Tagged: Edge.
New WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman has reflected on his exchange with Brock Lesnar during 2018’s Royal Rumble. After delivering a knee that Lesnar considered to be too stiff, “The Beast Incarnate” would unleash a few legitimate shots to Strowman. Speaking with talkSPORT about their encounter, Strowman revealed that the two Superstars simply laughed it off backstage.
“We laughed about it afterwards,” Strowman confessed. “It is what it is. We got to the back and I said ‘Hey, my bad,’ he said the same thing and we went about our business. We’re both grown ups, we both knew what we were getting into and at the end of the day, we’re both very dominant males and neither of us wanted to give in an inch, so in the end we took an inch from each other.”
Whenever working with Lesnar, Braun Strowman shared how he adopted the mentality that he’s heading into a real fight. Referencing their Royal Rumble moment, Strowman joked how he “got a little ants in my pants.” He claimed Lesnar did too. They then threw some heavy shots at each other and then carried on.
Devlin is unable to travel to the United States to defend his title due to the current coronavirus pandemic. WWE’s decision to crown an interim champion, however, has seemingly rankled Devlin.
Taking to Twitter, Jordan Devlin called WWE’s decision shocking and disrespectful. He then stressed how they can crown a new champion and give them a replica of his title, but the WWE Universe all know who the real champion is.
Devlin wrote: “First things first, absolutely shocking and disrespectful decision by @WWE management. Secondly, you can crown a fraud champion and give him a little replica of my title, but everyone around the world knows who the REAL NXT Cruiserweight Champion still is.”
First things first, absolutely shocking and disrespectful decision by @WWE management.
Secondly, you can crown a fraud champion and give him a little replica of my title, but everyone around the world knows who the REAL NXT Cruiserweight Champion still is. https://t.co/rIA7AJZwod
At the time of writing, there is no indication as to when this new tournament will take place. Regal shared that he would be revealing further details in the next few days.
He also intends to provide an update on the NXT Tag Team Championships, currently held by Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne. Much like Devlin, Dunne is presently stuck in the United Kingdom and is unable to travel due to worldwide travel bans.
Night One of WrestleMania 36 was headlined by WWE’s cinematic Boneyard matchup. The bout saw The Undertaker take on AJ Styles in a pre-recorded movie-style clash. During WWE show The Bump, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray shared how it was probably the best performance he had ever seen from AJ Styles.
Bully Ray praised several matches from across WrestleMania weekend. He shared that the Boneyard matchup was his favorite. He noted how the concept was an out the box idea, especially with The Undertaker showing up as The American Badass.
After the match, Bully Ray text Styles. He referenced the fact they have a history together, having both worked in the same companies before WWE. The Hall of Famer then relayed how he told Styles his match “was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen you involved in.”
He stressed how the match “didn’t include one wrestling move” and that wrestling moves didn’t matter. Instead, it was all about the storytelling and the spectacle. He explained how he had never been more emotionally invested in AJ Styles than during this match.
Bully Ray Proposes A Dream Match
Bully Ray argued how this match represented a rebirth for The Undertaker. He acknowledged how The Undertaker can’t continue to wrestle throughout the year, noting how he has maybe one or two matches left in him.
However, if ‘Taker continues to compete in cinematic matchups like the Boneyard Match, he wouldn’t be unhappy about that decision. If WWE does continue to pursue this style for The Undertaker going forward, Bully Ray explained it’s the perfect scenario to deliver a matchup between ‘Taker and Sting.
Current WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley has admitted she “loves” the idea of once again feuding with the long-time friend Sasha Banks. Speaking with Sporting News, Bayley opened up about her heel turn and what it would mean to reignite her feud with “The Boss.”
Bayley revealed that she was thrilled when she found out she would be turning heel. She confessed that it was a challenge she was always interested in pursuing. She noted how she felt she could “maybe do even better than the other character.” Once she turned heel, however, Bayley shared it was harder than she expected it to be. With her new gimmick, she suddenly had a lot more to learn that she hadn’t encountered before.
Bayley Vs. “The Boss”
Regarding restarting a feud with Banks, Bayley stated how it’s something she’s “always dreamed about, especially after Takeover five years ago.” According to her, as soon as they got to the back, she was already eager to do it again. She added how Banks is her favorite person to be in the ring with.
“Luckily, throughout my time on ‘”Raw” and “SmackDown,” I’ve been able to share every WrestleMania with her and almost every pay-per-view. We’ve been tag team champions. I’m so grateful that we’re doing stuff together every single year. That’s definitely something I would love to do again before we both retire.”
Newly crowned NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair has commented on her new number one contender. Last night on NXT, a six-woman Ladder Match took place to determine who would be the first to challenge Flair for her title. Io Shirai would emerge victorious. She defeated Tegan Nox, Dakota Kai, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae and Chelsea Green.
Taking to her Twitter account, Flair acknowledged Shirai’s win. However, she didn’t seem too sure she should be congratulating her. She suggested that all Shirai has won is an opportunity to experience her Figure-8 submission finisher.
Charlotte Flair was reacting to a post from WWE’s official account, which featured a picture of Shirai holding a briefcase emblazoned with the NXT logo aloft. Flair accompanied her response with the caption, “A ladder match where the prize is a figure-8. Congratulations?”
Charlotte Flair defeated NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley this past weekend at WrestleMania 36. Her victory makes her a two-time NXT Women’s Champion.
The decision was reportedly made in order to help boost NXT viewership during their Wednesday ratings war with All Elite Wrestling. Triple H recently explained that NXT is in it for the long-term and that he isn’t phased by Dynamite’s string of ratings victories over the black-and-gold brand.
At the time of writing, there is no indication as to when Charlotte Flair will defend her championship against Io Shirai.
Rhea Ripley addressed reports that she is no longer in the United States due to work visa issues. In a video uploaded to social media, the former NXT Women’s Champion clarified that she’s still in the US. As seen below, she accompanied a clip of herself at home with a message reading, “Yo wrestling world…still in America…”
*reports*: "Rhea Ripley lost to Charlotte because her visa expired and is back in Australia"
However, separate reports suggested that her loss may have been related to her work visa needing renewing. According to these, Ripley was set to renew her visa in Australia. She would then travel back to the United States for further TV tapings. With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down production of most shows, WWE is instead readying plans to pre-record several episodes. They intend to continue delivering their flagship shows RAW, SmackDown and NXT.
If there was truth to these visa issues, Rhea Ripley would not have been able to participate in these subsequent tapings. Although that doesn’t seem to be the case right now, if Ripley needed to travel back to Australia, she may have a hard time returning to the States due to the travel restrictions currently in place.
Newly crowned WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has opened up about breaking a cardinal WWE rule following his victory at WrestleMania 36. Following his historic win over Brock Lesnar, McIntyre reached out towards a camera. He would symbolically connect with the WWE Universe supporting him at home.
McIntyre shared how, as WrestleMania took place in front of zero fans, he found himself in his own little moment. It then clicked that there would be millions of people watching at home, celebrating his momentous accomplishment. It was at this point that McIntyre would break one of WWE’s established rules.
“One of our rules in WWE is that you don’t look down the camera and break the fourth wall, like you wouldn’t do in a movie,” McIntyre explained. “But I couldn’t help myself. In that moment, I just wanted to thank everybody for supporting me, for supporting WWE during this time and choosing WWE to take your mind off these difficult times. I wanted to let everyone know how I felt, and I’m so glad we kept that in the show.”
McIntyre revealed he wasn’t sure if the moment would make the cut. He stressed how he “really meant it” as he reached out.
Drew McIntyre On Reliving His Win
WrestleMania 36 was a pre-recorded event that aired this past weekend. The decision to relocate and record on a closed set was made to protect Superstars and staff amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This led to Drew McIntyre owning the WWE Championship before the WWE Universe finding out.
According to McIntyre, he took the title home with him and locked it in a room. He wouldn’t take it out again until the match had aired. He noted how “things are not official until they happen.” McIntyre then revealed he watched the show live alongside the rest of the world. He enjoyed watching the event, admitting it helped him to take his mind off of things.
“Watching myself was very crazy, being on the couch — watching it just like everyone else, wondering what was going to happen. I kind of pushed out of my head what had happened.”
Drew McIntyre then shared how he reacted during his clash with Lesnar. He divulged that his wife had to move away from him as he was re-enacting moments, darting from side to side as the action played out. When he watched himself win the title, he saw the emotion on his face and remembered how real it was.
“In that moment, it was real again as I was watching it. I went upstairs, I opened the door and I took the title out, now that it was official,” McIntyre said. “I had another moment with my wife in the house, and with my family on Zoom. I had my whole family on there.”
Triple H is apparently unfazed by All Elite Wrestling’s recent string of ratings victories over NXT. The two shows compete head-to-head on Wednesday nights in what many have dubbed the Wednesday Night Wars. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, “The Game” explained why he isn’t concerned, noting that he believes it’s a long game.
“I’m a believer in the long-term game,” Triple H said. “You create the right product, and over time, people will find it. I think back to Monday nights years ago, and it looks different now, but there were periods of time when WWE was putting on much better shows and the content was much better, but we were still getting beat. We were not winning ‘the war,’ but we stayed true to who we were.”
Triple H stated how fans are attracted to a flashy, exciting product that can’t maintain its momentum, then “it loses that pizzazz.” According to him, it’s the determination to commit to the long-term that will see a true winner. He stressed how he’s not concerned by the week-by-week numbers. Instead, all he cares about is putting on the best NXT show possible every week.
NXT General Manager William Regal is set to appear on WWE show The Bumplater today to reveal some breaking news regarding NXT. This week’s episode will see Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano compete in an empty arena match. Triple H made the matchup official during last week’s episode of NXT.
WWE Hall of Famer and Hardcore Legend Mick Foley has called this past weekend’s WrestleMania 36 an “unqualified success.”
Taking to Twitter following Night Two of the show, Mick Foley shared his admiration of the show. He admitted he was in awe of the Superstars that participated, despite understandable coronavirus concerns.
“I am a little in awe of just how hard each and every @WWE superstar worked to make #WrestleMania an unqualified success, even under the most adverse of conditions. When history looks back on your careers, it will be this epic event that helped define you. I am so proud of you!”
Foley accompanied his message with a picture of a victorious Drew McIntyre. He is holding his newly won WWE Championship, Brock Lesnar laid out on the canvas behind him.
Mick Foley isn’t the only Hall of Famer to praise the show. nWo member Kevin Nash shared his thoughts on ‘Mania. He credited WWE for delivering entertainment that helped people to escape reality, if only for a while.
Despite the current coronavirus pandemic gripping the world, WWE committed to delivering WrestleMania 36 to the WWE Universe. Having relocated from Raymond James Stadium to the WWE Performance Center, the company would pre-record the two-day show. They were reportedly incredibly stringent with their cleaning and safety measures to protect not only talent but staff working the event.
WWE RAW Superstar Lana recently spoke with Sportskeeda. During the interview, Lana opened up about what RAW has been like since Paul Heyman’s induction as the show’s Executive Director.
Lana spoke highly of Heyman, sharing how he has been one of her personal favorites since she was a little girl. Heyman and Stephanie McMahon were the reason why Lana wanted to pursue becoming a WWE Superstar. She credited their compelling storytelling and how entertaining they were in helping to ignite her passion for the business. She pointed to their ability to drive the story on the mic while also being smart and compelling as characters.
“When he’s a character and when he’s on the microphone, he’s able to tell those compelling stories, and he brings that as a showrunner,” Lana explained. “I feel like he’s given so many people opportunities, who wouldn’t otherwise have opportunities. And the way he tells the story across the show, I feel like everything’s very intertwined and threaded.”
She stressed how everything with scripted television is “threaded,” especially on RAW. Lana noted how since Heyman’s creative direction, many overlooked Superstars have been given renewed opportunities.
Lana was one of those Superstars who has benefited from Heyman’s leadership. She has been a crucial part of a rivalry between Bobby Lashley and Rusev. She is still associated on-screen with Lashley, having recently cost him his WrestleMania matchup against Aleister Black.
New WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has recalled Brock Lesnar’s confusion over a past segment involving 3MB. Reflecting on his time in the comedic stable during an interview with Sports Illustrated, McIntyre opened up about crossing paths with Lesnar back in 2013.
“Brock was not long back at that point from UFC. He pulled me aside, and he straight-up asked me, ‘Why are you involved in this?’” McIntyre stated. “He was so confused, but he saw something in me and believed in me. It’s pretty crazy, all these years later, I was the guy to take the title from him at WrestleMania.”
Drew McIntyre On Brock Lesnar’s Respect
Drew McIntyre explained how Lesnar is a “man’s man.” He noted how “The Beast Incarnate” wouldn’t do business with you if he doesn’t think you’re not doing the job you should be doing. He added how Lesnar is a private person who doesn’t like really like people, but that he holds respect in high regard. “To have earned his respect means a lot.”
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has shared his thoughts on WrestleMania 36’s unique Boneyard match. The cinematic matchup between The Undertaker and AJ Styles headlined Night One of this past weekend’s WrestleMania event.
Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T explained how he feels The Undertaker still has “got a little left in the tank.” He noted how, if ‘Taker had missed WrestleMania, fans would have felt his absence. Booker T agreed with ‘Takers sentiments that he will continue to perform as long as he can “muster up the strength to walk to that ring.” Booker T believes if he can continue to do that, then the WWE Universe can expect him to continue competing.
He admitted how the pro wrestling industry is different from any other business. According to him, the allure of wrestling is a powerful one. Despite this, Booker T believes ‘Taker could still walk away when he chooses to.
“Thirty years the Undertaker’s been walking that aisle. Thirty years is a lifetime for a lot of people, you know what I mean?” Booker T said. “So I say, if it’s something that he loves and it’s something that he can will himself to actually do? I say do it until you can’t do it no more.”
NXT Superstar Rhea Ripley lost her NXT Women’s Championship this past weekend at WrestleMania 36. She was defeated by Charlotte Flair. Following the loss, it was rumored that Ripley’s work visa had expired. This supposedly forced the Superstar to return back to Australia in order to renew it. It was speculated that Ripley’s visa situation could have played into WWE’s decision to have Flair reclaim the championship.
According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observerforum, however, this may not be the case. He revealed he had spoken with a high up source within WWE who denied the story.
“I’m double checking on this but one person high up just denied that to me. Again, I’m not saying Mike is wrong, in this company the left and right hand rarely know what the other is doing. But the person I checked with would know the creative reason given which was Charlotte to NXT for ratings help.”
He followed up, adding how another high up source also rebuffed the claim. According to this secondary source, Rhea Ripley is still in Orlando.
It had previously been reported that WWE wanted Flair to return to NXT as the champion to help in their ratings war with AEW Dynamite. At the time of writing, it is unclear to the extent WWE intends to utilize Flair now that she holds the black-and-gold brand’s championship.
If Rhea Ripley is currently in Australia, it is likely not possible for her to return in time for the upcoming set of tapings for WWE programming due to the quarantine regulations amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair believes that Randy Orton is the “number one guy” in WWE right now. Speaking with talkSPORT, “The Nature Boy” addressed Orton’s work and his recent feud with returning Superstar Edge.
Flair explained how nobody is a bigger fan of Orton than he is. He pointed to Orton’s recent rivalry with Edge as some of the best work he’s ever done. Flair then pointed out how long Orton has been a part of WWE, adding how “every time he says something, it’s the truth.”
According to Flair, Orton’s level of ability and his current health has helped him reach the top of his game. This, in his opinion, makes Orton the number one guy in the company.
Ric Flair Thinks Charlotte Is The “Female Orton”
Having expressed his high opinion of Orton, Ric Flair then juxtaposed Orton’s ability to his daughter, Charlotte Flair. He admitted that, although people may consider him biased, he believes Charlotte to the be “female Orton.”
“Younger, less time in the business, but she’s picked it up. The art of being able to make somebody look good and make the match the priority rather than what you are capable of doing or not doing is what separates the good from the great. She’s been in that conversation as the greatest ever since, I think, [WrestleMania 32].”
Ric Flair argued that this conversation point is strengthened with every subsequent match she has. He revealed how Charlotte was excited for her WrestleMania 36 bout with Rhea Ripley. He noted how she didn’t “look at it as a step-down.” Instead, she viewed it as an opportunity to wrestle an up-and-coming, talented Superstar.
WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has praised the NXT Women’s Championship clash between Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair. The two battled for the gold this past weekend during WWE’s WrestleMania 36 event. Flair would end up reclaiming the championship, making her a two-time NXT Women’s Champion. Speaking on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray shared his thoughts, noting how Ripley stepped up for the confrontation.
“Bravo to Rhea Ripley. Man, did she step up,” Bully Ray said. “Man, did I enjoy that match, and I enjoyed it for the in-between. […] the little things that those two women did. The physicality of that match. Charlotte and Rhea are some stout women, they are athletic, they are physical, and they were throwing some shots at one another. Punches, slaps, stuff was landing.”
Bully Ray On The “In-Between”
Bully Ray explained how he was impressed by the “in-between” moments between the two Superstars. He described how everything was earned between the two, and nothing was simply given.
According to him these details gave the match a much grittier, realistic aesthetic. To him, it felt like he was watching a fight. He added how it was like watching two Amazon warriors do battle: “Just tall, impressive fighters, impressive warriors just beating the s–t out of one another.”
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NXT General Manager William Regal will reveal some breaking news regarding the black-and-gold brand Wednesday morning.
Regal will be joining WWE show The Bump as one of their scheduled guests. Other guests for the episode include WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray and impromptu WrestleMania 36 host Titus O’Neil.
At the time of writing, there is no indication as to what William Regal’s reveal will be related to. It could be connected to this week’s episode of NXT. The show airs on the USA Network tonight. This episode was pre-recorded last week during the tapings that saw WWE record RAW and WrestleMania 36 itself.
Tonight’s episode of NXT has a scheduled six-woman Ladder Match. The winner of this bout will become the new number one contender to the new NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. NXT Superstars Io Shirai, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, Chelsea Green and Dakota Kai will all vie for the opportunity.
The main event of the show will be the highly-anticipated clash between long-time rivals Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. Their match takes place in an empty arena.
WWE’s The Bump airs at 10AM ET on Wednesdays. Fans can watch the show via the WWE Network and WWE’s Digital Platforms.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has shared his thoughts on the current coronavirus pandemic. Taking to his Instagram, Hogan uploaded his feelings on the situation alongside a black and white photo of himself praying during his Hulkamania days. The post itself is deeply rooted in Hogan’s religious beliefs.
Comparing the current pandemic to the plague that affected Egypt in the Bible, Hogan explained how “God has taken away everything we worship.”
He extrapolated his point, noting how he believes God has taken away the things people have chosen to worship:
“God said, ‘you want to worship athletes, I will shut down the stadiums. You want to worship musicians, I will shut down Civic Centers. You want to worship actors, I will shut down theaters. You want to worship money, I will shut down the economy and collapse the stock market.”
Hogan added how if people don’t want to go to church, he will make it where the population cannot go. He wrote how if people humbled themselves, prayed, and sought out God by turning away from their “wicked ways”, God will hear them. According to Hogan, God would then “forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Hulk Hogan Shares What People Should Be Focusing On
Hulk Hogan suggested that maybe a vaccine isn’t what’s needed during this time. He postulated that instead, perhaps, people should use this time in self-isolation for a personal revival—one where people “focus on the ONLY thing in the world that really matters. Jesus.”
Hulk Hogan was due to enter the WWE Hall of Fame once again during WrestleMania week. He was set to be inducted alongside his nWo stablemates. The coronavirus pandemic, however, forced WWE to change their WrestleMania plans. The Hall of Fame ceremony will reportedly now take place during SummerSlam week.