Kevin Nash will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for the second time this year. He receives the honor as a part of the nWo alongside Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. One integral member of the nWo during their peak was former WCW President, Eric Bischoff. According to Nash, Bischoff deserves to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a solo induction.
Replying to a fan who was tweeting that Bischoff deserved to be included as a part of the nWo, Nash shared his thoughts on the matter:
“I feel Eric should go in alone. His contributions warrant a solo induction”
I feel Eric should go in alone. His contributions warrant a solo induction
Kevin Nash’s Outsiders partner, Scott Hall, has previously mentioned that he believes Bischoff should be inducted as a nWo member. Sean Waltman shared this sentiment, adding how he feels the Big Show also deserves to be included with the nWo.
Eric Bischoff previously replied to Waltman’s comments, saying “That’s nice of him to say, but he’s not calling the shots, so it really doesn’t matter. I wish he was. That’d be great.”
He continued, “I’d like to hang out with my buddies at WrestleMania, that’d be wonderful, but I don’t worry about that. I knew as soon as I saw that, I go, ‘Oh my gosh, my Twitter feed is going to be overloaded with comments about this, I’m going to be dealing with it now for weeks.’ But I love those guys. Those four guys, especially Hulk, these are guys that I have deep affection for, and respect for, so I couldn’t be happier.”
The nWo will be a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame Class. They join ‘The Animal’ Dave Batista, The Bella Twins and the recently announced John Bradshaw Layfield.
Dana Brooke has shared her future goals in WWE after signing a new five-year contract. Speaking with The Pop Break, Brooke spoke about her intentions to continue improving in the ring. She also discussed her championship aspirations, which includes not only the SmackDown Women’s Championship but the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
“I’ve signed a new five year contract. So right now I just want to keep improving and strive for the best. In my mind, I think Lacey Evans and I work great together,” Brooke said. “She always pushes me to the best of my abilities. When we can come together I feel like we’re a very dominant team.”
She continued, “With that being said, I would love to go up for the tag team titles. And you know the Kabuki Warriors have the titles right now – Asuka and I have quite the history as well. So I definitely have some unfinished business with her.”
Dana Brooke then confessed how she’d love for Ronda Rousey to return. She talked about how they are close friends and complimented Rousey as a great competitor. For her, Rousey always helped her improve. “She really makes me step up my game so that would be amazing. […] The sky’s the limit!!”
Newly signed All Elite Wrestling (AEW) talent Lance Archer has lashed back at online critics. Having teased his interest in multiple promotions including NXT and Ring of Honor, the former IWGP United States Champion eventually signed with AEW.
Taking to Twitter, Archer promised that he doesn’t intend to block social media trolls and haters. Instead, he will simply ignore their very existence. He added how they can catch him performing on AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights.
“To all the trolls n haters. I will not block you. I will not respond to you. I will not acknowledge your existence. I will ignore you and let you and your maybe 20 followers disappear into insignificance. Buh buh now. Watch me on Wednesdays on TNT and keep hating.”
To all the trolls n haters. I will not block you. I will not respond to you. I will not acknowledge your existence. I will ignore you and let you and your maybe 20 followers disappear into insignificance. Buh buh now. Watch me on Wednesdays on TNT and keep hating. ?? ??
— The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer (@LanceHoyt) March 4, 2020
Lance Archer Is All Elite
Previously addressing his decision to sign a multi-year contract with AEW, Lance Archer said:
“I’ve been in the business for almost half of my life, but with AEW, I’m setting my sights on the best chapter of my career so far. This company champions the creative, competitive and electrifying environment that I’ve been waiting for my whole career. No matter where I go—no matter who steps in front of me—I’m the one you should be afraid of at AEW.”
AEW President Tony Khan added how Lance Archer’s explosive, dynamic and unpredictable nature makes him “perfect for AEW” before noting how “He’s brutal, colorful and will be a factor the minute he steps into the ring.”
Jeff Hardy has revealed he has been “officially cleared” for in-ring action. Hardy joined the team of WWE Backstagefor this week’s episode where he provided the update. The Superstar has been present backstage at SmackDown for the past few weeks. He had been sidelined thanks to an unfortunate leg injury just before WrestleMania 35 last April.
Hardy’s WWE contract was set to expire on March 1. The time he has spent recovering will likely be added, as has been the case other injured Superstars. His brother, Matt Hardy, allowed his contract to recently expire.
It has been speculated that Matt would eventually be revealed as the Exalted One in All Elite Wrestling. When asked by Renee Young about his brother’s next steps, Jeff confessed they had hardly spoken about what Matt would do next.
Jeff Hardy Reflects
When asked about his time recovering, Jeff admitted that “the last 9 months have been very crazy.”
“When I had knee surgery, it was a blessing in disguise because my dad was in real bad shape, away from home. So I was able to be over there with him every day and walk with him—he would walk with me but not the nurses. Long story short, I got him home halfway through September, so he’s been home for about 5 months now, and he’s doing much better.
He continued, “[…] on the night of October the 3rd, I got into some trouble. On the morning of October the 4th I arranged for me to go to inpatient rehab for the first time in my life and it was one of the best things I could have ever done for myself, y’ know. And I’ve done something every day to better myself, and it’s just gonna be so good to be back in front of all those people.”
At the time of writing, there is no indication as to when Jeff Hardy will return to the ring despite being cleared.
John Bradshaw Layfield is officially heading into the WWE Hall of Fame. News of JBL’s induction was confirmed during last night’s episode of WWE Backstage.
The former Superstar joined WWE back in 1995, wrestling regularly under several gimmicks until his retirement in 2009. His final match took place at Wrestlemania XXV where he lost the Intercontinental Championship to Rey Mysterio in only 21 seconds. Having left in-ring competition, JBL segued into a commentator role with WWE before focusing on his humanitarian work in and out of WWE. He has worked with organisations such as Beyond Rugby Bermuda and Beyond Sport, where he is a Global Ambassador.
JBL won copious amounts of gold during his tenure in WWE. He is a former WWE Champion, Intercontinental Champion and United States Champion. During his time in WWE, he also won the Hardcore, European and Tag Team championships. He is one of the few Superstars to not only be a Grand Slam Champion but a Triple Crown winner.
He joins “The Animal” Batista, the Bella Twins, and the nWo (consisting of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman) as a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame Class. The ceremony will take place during WrestleMania week on April 2 from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
One of JBL’s most notable rivals delivered a special message after the Hall of Fame announcement was confirmed. John Cena congratulated JBL on the accomplishment, stressing how he absolutely earned the recognition for all he has done.
“Hey John, it’s John. Remember that young whippersnapper that you put over at WrestleMania for the strap? I just want to thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me. I have great perspective of all the people that have helped me along my journey, and there is no me without you.”
He continued, “We had some wonderful times. I hope that as you get inducted into the Hall of Fame, maybe you can relive some of those times and enjoy some of those memories like I do every single day. I’m just really thankful for what you have done for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is something that you’ve absolutely earned. I never use the word ‘deserve’—you have earned every inch. I hope that you enjoy the Hall of Fame ceremony and all that it encompasses because it is well earned. Thank you, John.”
JBL dropped the WWE Championship to Cena during WrestleMania 21. This was the first time Cena had claimed WWE’s top prize, moving him from the roster’s upper mid-card and firmly placing him into the main event picture.
Colt Cabana has commented on signing with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Taking to Twitter, Cabana shared his thoughts following his AEW appearance this past weekend at Revolution.
“As @TonyKhan said last night, I’ve signed with @AEWrestling & @AEWonTNT. I’ve had different goals & ideas throughout my career in Wrestling. Right now, to be involved on a national TV show & product with my Friends and Equals… it’s all I can ask for! This will be fun! Thankssss”
As @TonyKhan said last night, I've signed with @AEWrestling & @AEWonTNT. I've had different goals & ideas throughout my career in Wrestling. Right now, to be involved on a national TV show & product with my Friends and Equals…it's all I can ask for! This will be fun! Thankssss
Colt Cabana ran out during Revolution’s pre-show. After his music hit, he came out to make the save as he aligned himself with SCU against the forces of the Dark Order. Despite their best efforts, however, the Dark Order was able to get the advantage.
That is until the arrival of Christopher Daniels, dressed in a black robe as he pretended to be the long-awaited Exalted One. Daniels then joined the fray, teaming with his SCU teammates and Cabana to fight off the Dark Order members.
Following the conclusion of the pay-per-view, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that Cabana had signed a deal with the promotion. Their agreement reportedly allows Cabana to wrestle for promotions outside of AEW, but only with Khan’s approval.
Colt Cabana has previously appeared on AEW, only not in a physical role. He provided guest commentator duties during an episode of AEW’s YouTube show, Dark, last December.
Kurt Angle has speculated how he thinks his storyline with on-screen son Jason Jordan would have played out had Jordon not suffered an injury. The WWE Hall of Famer discussed the storyline on the Table Talk with D’Von and Mo Podcast.
According to Angle, the storyline would have led to a one-off matchup between himself and Jordon. He noted how he wouldn’t have been wrestling constantly and how WWE wanted to protect him as much as possible. Angle stressed how he understood WWE’s mindset and reiterated how he was just happy to come back to WWE. He shared how retiring in WWE was “all I wanted to do.”
Kurt Angle’s Assistant GM
Kurt Angle explained how Jordan would have probably been put into an Assistant GM role on screen. Over time, the two of them would begin butting heads over decisions being made. This would have ultimately led to a matchup. He shared how, if the injury hadn’t occurred, the two would have faced off at WrestleMania 35. Baron Corbin would eventually face Angle in his Farewell match.
“What I believe is that Jason was probably going to continue on being my son, he was going to start being a pain in the ass to me, I probably would’ve hired him on as my assistant GM, he would’ve started making decisions for me and it would’ve caused a lot of animosity and then him and I would’ve wrestled at WrestleMania instead of Baron Corbin,” Angle explained.
“Obviously they picked Baron. No matter what you think about him, he’s a great in ring worker, his promo skills have gotten a lot better, he’s a big kid great athlete and what I believe, he replaced Jason.”
It has been reported that Jason Jordan has been working backstage as a WWE Producer since he underwent neck surgery. Following his surgery, Jordan was cleared to travel on the road. He has allegedly not yet been cleared for any in-ring activity.
Mark Henry has shared his thoughts regarding John Cena’s return to SmackDown last Friday night. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about Cena’s comeback during an episode of Busted Open Radio.
Henry reflected on how he’s so used to hearing the WWE Universe chanting ‘Cena Sucks’ at the Superstar. He noted how it was “unfathomable” to him that Cena would be so embraced upon his return.
“I could not believe the reaction from the crowd last night,” he confessed. “I just, like, I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder. Because he got more love that first minute and a half…he couldn’t even talk. The crowd was like constant. It was a constant roar. And every time he got ready to say something, they amped up.”
Mark Henry noted how Cena may have been taken aback by the reaction, given how crowds have been so mixed in previous years.
John Cena Vs. ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt
John Cena’s appearance helped to set up a WrestleMania 36 matchup between himself and ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt. Ironically, Cena was highlighting how this year’s ‘Mania should be focused on new talent and modern Superstars. Despite these statements, he now finds himself in a major matchup on ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All.’
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has praised SmackDown Superstar John Morrison. During an episode of his podcast, Hall of Fame, Booker T shared how he feels Morrison has an undeniable “IT factor.”
Booker T On John Morrison
Booker T revealed his thoughts off the back of a fan question. He was asked whether he would prefer for The Miz and Morrison to defend their newly won SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The New Day or The Usos at WrestleMania 36. For Booker T, he’d prefer the champions to go up against the New Day. He noted how Morrison has been a star since day one.
“[WWE] Made him the tag team champion, put him right back in the mix, and that’s what you need to do with someone like Morrison,” he explained. “Because, honestly, John Morrison, he’s not a sideline player. He’s not a guy you want to bring in off the bench. He’s the guy you want to keep in rotation, keep him in the game, you know. Keep him warm, keep him hot.”
Booker T continued, “This guy, you look at him, you know from from day one. He’s always had that, that one thing man he always had stop star potential. He always had that, what would that ‘je ne sais quoi.’ The ‘IT’ factor you know what I mean? But yeah, man. He always had ‘it.’”
John Morrison teamed with The Miz to win the tag team championships during WWE’s recent Super ShowDown event in Saudi Arabia.
“How special was it for them? Probably very special. They’ve probably been waiting—how long have I been in the WWE—about seven years for this moment. For Bayley to arrive as the champion, of course. It’s only a matter of time.”
She noted how it was special for her to beat Naomi. Bayley stressed how, in the time she was away, things have changed, including the fact ‘The Role Model’ has taken over. With her win, the champion declared that Naomi can now leave, asking her to “Maybe go away again.”
Bayley Wants A “Bayleybration”
When it was brought up that SmackDown was just around the corner, Bayley stated she didn’t have plans to attend. She noted how her best friend Sasha Banks isn’t there because of how she is currently working on an album. The champion then added with a frustrated sigh:
“I’ll probably be there because I have to and I’m the champion, and it’s in my contract, and they’ll yell at me if I’m not. What? I’m not going to defend my title again, that’s for sure. […] Maybe we can have a celebration, what do you think about that? You know what, we have Alexa Bliss, A Moment of Bliss every single freaking day. Maybe A Moment of Bliss can throw a Bayley celebration—Bayleybration.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.
Posted February 28th, 2020 in WWE, News. Tagged: Bayley.
With Cody Rhodes having been such an instrumental part of All Elite Wrestling, some may wonder if his dad—’The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes—would have been interested in joining his son’s venture following Cody’s WWE departure.
Speaking with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards on AEW’s official podcast, AEW Unrestricted, Cody Rhodes broached the idea. He stressed how, more than anything, his father had a high regard for loyalty.
Cody Rhodes On Dusty’s Loyalty
Cody explained how “Hunter gave him that cushy, one day a week job at the Performance Center teaching promos where half the time they were watching movies and it was more like a life class which is what promo class should be.”
He continued, “It was a pretty cushy gig that he had so I don’t know if my mom would let him come work here. I think she would. He was really loyal, and he might have remained loyal. Who knows?”
Dusty’s legacy in NXT continues since his passing in 2015, with the brand hosting an annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in honor of the wrestling legend.
All Elite Wrestling announcer Tony Schiavone has revealed what he believes is the dumbest thing he’s ever said. His revelation comes after WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley poked fun at Schiavone following this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Foley uploaded a photo of himself watching the show, writing, “EPIC stuff from @KennyOmegamanX & @BASTARDPAC on @AEWrestling Yes, I’m channel surfing. It’s a good time to be a wrestling fan. Did @tonyschiavone24 just insult PAC after that amazing match? Could be the second dumbest thing Tony has ever said!”
Schiavone then jumped in, replying to Foley. He admitted how his recent comments were only the third dumbest thing he’s ever said. He then listed the other two:
“Third dumbest. 1.) Yes Vince, I’ll come to work for you 2.) Yes, I’ll move to Connecticut”
Third dumbest. 1.) Yes Vince, I’ll come to work for you 2.) Yes, I’ll move to Connecticut https://t.co/0KmnRhy4WB
Although Tony Schiavone worked for the then-WWF for a stint in the ‘90s, he is best known for his work in WCW. Since WCW, he also provided commentary for Major League Wrestling, prior to his signing with AEW.
There was a time that he was hired by coffee chain Starbucks. This history has been turned into an angle on AEW Dynamite, with Dr. Britt Baker often mocking him for his previous job role.
Tony Schiavone is the co-host of two popular podcasts. He hosts What Happened When along with Conrad Thompson. Last week, AEW launched the new AEW Unrestricted podcast, which features Tony and referee Aubrey Edwards interviewing AEW talent.
Macaulay Culkin has revealed he has cancelled his plans to attend WrestleMania 36 following last night’s Super ShowDown results. The ‘Home Alone’ actor, and noted wrestling fan, shared the news via social media, responding to a joke tweet by Twitter account @WWECreative_ish.
When they tweeted how Super ShowDown was all about “building new stars” like WWE veterans Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker and Goldberg, Culkin sarcastically replied “Amen.” He followed up with a message, letting people know how unhappy he was with the event, writing: “I’ve just cancelled my tickets to Tampa Bay.”
When a fan directly asked him if he planned on still attending despite his comment, Culkin replied: “Nope.”
Goldberg, having seen Culkin’s online protest, told the actor that his thoughts were “duly noted dork.”
Last night saw Lesnar squash Ricochet in just over a minute. The Undertaker would claim the Tuwaiq Trophy after entering himself into the Gauntlet match, delivering a chokeslam to AJ Styles.
Most notably, former WWE Universal Champion Goldberg reclaimed the title. He defeated ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt in approximately three minutes, following several spears and a lone Jackhammer. With this victory, it appears as though Goldberg is now WrestleMania bound.
There has been speculation that the WrestleMania 36 card has been changed recently. Goldberg will supposedly be going up against the ‘Big Dog’ Roman Reigns. Given he is now the Universal Champion, their clash will most likely be over the title.
Reigns recently shared how he would have preferred to face Wyatt on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” This decision, however, has seemingly changed those plans.
All Elite Wrestling’s Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has shared what he believes makes him stand out amongst today’s wrestling landscape. Speaking with Sports Illustrated ahead of his highly-anticipated matchup against Cody Rhodes, MJF credited his old school mentality as his defining characteristic.
“The funny thing about the independents is you got bookings based off of GIFs, the GIFs you see on Twitter,” MJF stated. “Someone doing a 759-30-splat-yada-yada, Darby’s coffin drops with the f—ing skateboard attached to his back, Orange Cassidy kicking people in the shins real slow, Jungle Boy doing flippity do-dahs and flippity-ays, the list goes on and on. I had a chuckle after my match with Jungle Boy when I saw everybody saying, ‘I had no idea MJF was such a great wrestler!’ Well, I knew. But why on earth would I put myself in a situation where I have to take these stupid moves? I’ll watch other matches and see moves and ask myself, ‘Why?’”
He argued how he’s “as old-school as it gets in this modern era” before stressing how he’s the last of a dying breed. MJF shared how he doesn’t care about GIFs or making people happy. “I didn’t care about people going, ‘Oh, my god, his work rate is absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to see his next five-star match.’”
MJF On His Old School Attitude
MJF noted how he cares about making sure that people remember him, but only for the right reasons. He wants to be the last thing fans think of when they go to sleep. He stressed how it wouldn’t be because he’s hitting the coolest moves or putting on his body on the line. It would be because of how he captivated them.
MJF stressed how he doesn’t do things to make people happy, he does things his way because it’s what he wants to do. As far as he’s concerned, that mentality is “what makes me different.”
MJF clashes with Cody Rhodes this Saturday at AEW Revolution. The pay-per-view takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has previously shared his intentions to stay on NXT. For many, he is synonymous with WWE’s black-and-yellow brand. He has recently spoken about his annoyance at people calling NXT the “minor leagues.” Despite his evident passion for the third brand, however, he did spend some time on WWE’s main roster. Catching up with Corey Grave on WWE’s podcast, After The Bell, Gargano reflected on his brief time as a part of the main roster.
Johnny Gargano Breaks Down The Differences
When Graves described his time on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown as “a cup of coffee,” Gargano joked how “I don’t know if that was a cup of coffee. I mobile ordered, but I didn’t pick it up.”
Looking back at his experience on the main roster, Johnny Gargano confessed that it’s very different to what he knows in NXT.
“Maybe it’s because I’m so entrenched with the NXT system, and I’ve known our writing staff, our creative team, all the camera guys and everyone who works backstage plus it’s at Full Sail every week and that’s 10 minutes from my apartment in Orlando so that’s nice.”
He continued, “The travel schedule isn’t as hectic as RAW and Smackdown, but there is that same sense of urgency that is also on RAW and Smackdown. It’s just different. I feel like it’s a lot more stressful on RAW and Smackdown for some strange reason, but in NXT, it feels like home. It feels like I’m very very comfortable, so I think that’s the biggest difference for me.”
Johnny Gargano explained how on the main roster, there are “literally a million people.” Whenever he was backstage at RAW or SmackDown, he would meet new people all the time. At NXT, because of the smaller environment and familiar faces, it has created a family environment that he enjoys.
Ryback has addressed WWE’s decision to block their Superstars from appearing on Vickie Guerrero’s podcast. This comes in the wake of her appearance last December on an episode of AEW’s YouTube show, Dark. The revelation has sparked some debate from those within the industry. To Ryback, however, people shouldn’t be surprised.
“Not surprising,” Ryback said during an episode of Shooting Blanks Wrestling Report. “There’s some WWE guys, and I’m friends with some of them, that I can get on [this show].”
He continued, “Even guys that I’m friends with, I know they have to go the office to get approval to do [things]. That’s what I remember when I was there. They added that in which is crazy for independent contractors. They’re not allowed to make decisions on their own. WWE says you’re not allowed to do any interviews unless it’s approved by us, so that’s really odd to do that to independent contractors.”
Ryback: “That’s What They Do”
Ryback explained how “that’s what they do.” He pointed to a time he had Dolph Ziggler come onto the show. He highlighted how they didn’t even talk about wrestling and instead stuck to comedy for a full hour. They did this because if they spoke about wrestling, there would have been “repercussions” for Ziggler, be it a fine or punishment.
Although not surprised by WWE’s ruling, Ryback shared how he doesn’t like hearing it happen. “It makes it tougher. I would love to talk to guys that I’ve wrestled with and could share stories with. It’s just the way that it is. It’s what they do. It shouldn’t come to a surprise to anybody.”
Vickie Guerrero appeared on the 12/11 episode of Dark, where she joined Excalibur as a guest commentator.
Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has discussed the possibility of wrestling for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) while still working on WWE Backstage. Joining Kevin in the Mornings with Allie & Jensen, Punk argued that he technically could, but wouldn’t be surprised by a negative response from Fox.
“I think if I was wrestling for AEW, I’m sure Fox would be like, ‘well, it was fun while it lasted.’ I guess technically [I could],” Punk said. “Technically I could do that yeah, but I’m sure Fox would be like, ‘well?'”
He stressed how he can still do commentary on MMA shows while working on WWE Backstage. Punk also reiterated how he is an employee for Fox, not WWE.
CM Punk On Renee Young
CM Punk credited Renee Young with being instrumental in bringing him onto WWE Backstage. He shared how wrestling fans “owe a debt of gratitude” to her if they enjoy seeing him occasionally on the show.
“I don’t think it would have happened if it wasn’t for her. I was talking to Fox for a very long time. They immediately got Renee on board. Renee and I were having conversations every day.”
According to him, Young was suffering from ring fatigue thanks to her commentary duties on Monday Night RAW. With Backstage, however, she still gets to work within a wrestling space—just one without somebody “in her ear yelling at her.” He was complimentary of Young’s passion and mindset for wrestling, pointing out that “she gets it, and that’s what she excels at.”
Cody Rhodes has shared the two main terms the All Elite Wrestling hiring team use when discussing talent. Speaking on a recent episode of AEW Unrestricted, Cody divulged how he, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Tony Khan use the terms ‘fresh’ and ‘extra credit.’
Cody Rhodes Explains ‘Fresh’ & ‘Extra Credit’
“‘Fresh,’ like people who perhaps we haven’t seen in the wrestling world or who haven’t made in that many locker rooms and on television,” he explained to hosts Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards.
“But the other one, the term we’d always use is we’d say is ‘extra credit’ and what extra credit means is really just kind of putting a bow on passionate. We were looking for all the people who like doing everything – who like everything.”
He explained that these people come to work and are eager to learn every aspect of the industry. From understanding camera work to refereeing, in-ring work to backstage producing, etc. “Even if they don’t know why I’m standing here, listening and watching, I want to have a ‘master of all’…”
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to compete against his former-best friend Maxwell Jacob Friedman at the promotion’s next pay-per-view, AEW Revolution. The event takes place this Saturday from Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Ahead of his WWE Super ShowDown matchup, John Morrison spoke about travelling to Saudi Arabia with The National. During the interview, Morrison also opened up about being back in WWE, confessing that it still “surreal” to him.
Looking to his “important” matchup in Saudi Arabia, Morrison shared his excitement over being back in the Middle East. “I’m excited. I’ve been to the Middle East before, but I am big on ‘first time ever’ experiences and I’ve seen Crown Jewel and it just looked wild. I’m excited for this and I can’t wait to feel the energy of the crowd.”
Morrison left WWE back in 2011. The once again-SmackDown Superstar confessed he never meant to leave the promotion for as long as he did. Despite getting the chance to travel the world and wrestle for several promotions, “you can’t compare wrestling for WWE to wrestling for any other place.”
He also highlighted how WWE is the biggest platform in the world, and that every detail is done to perfection.
John Morrison’s Future Goals
Given his accomplishments outside of WWE, he was then asked what he hopes to accomplish now that he has returned. Morrison has a grounded goal in mind: striving to be the best version of himself he can be.
“If you asked me that question 10 years ago the answer would be to main-event WrestleMania and that is still the answer, but because there are a lot of things about wrestling you can’t control it is really now about being the best version of myself,” he stated. “Keeping up physically and unlocking new movement patterns is something I’m always interested in, different combinations of movements. Outside of the ring it is about realizing the people closest to me are the most important.”
John Morrison and The Miz face off against The New Day at WWE Super ShowDown for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. The event takes place on February 27th from Mohammed Abdu Arena on the Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Former WWE Superstar Mark Jindrak has responded to the WWE Network’s recent episode of their ‘Ruthless Aggression’ series. The episode focused on the stable Evolution, charting their formation, rise, and implosion.
During the episode, Triple H reflected on how Jindrak was being considered for the group. He acknowledged he didn’t feel Jindrak was a good fit for the stable, approaching Vince McMahon to air his concerns over his possible inclusion. Although they did film promos spots including Jindrak, he was ultimately not signed off to join Evolution. Triple H highlighted Jindrak’s immaturity at the time and the negative effect it had on a younger Randy Orton.
Taking to Twitter, Jindrak reacted to Triple H’s words. He reflected on the sentiment, sharing how it’s “nice to have closure after 17 years.” Humble to the criticism, Jindrak admitted that he understood why “he didn’t want me in the group.” Despite this understanding, Jindrak then lobbied a challenge at ‘The Game’.
“Well it feels nice to have closure after 17 years. I understand why he didn’t want me in the group. But it won’t stop me from challenging him at Wrestlemania. HHH vs. Mark Jindrak . See you in Tampa Paul. Bring your black suit”
The first three episodes of Ruthless Aggression are available to stream on the WWE Network now.
Well it feels nice to have closure after 17 years. I understand why he didn’t want me in the group. But it won’t stop me from challenging him at Wrestlemania. HHH vs. Mark Jindrak . See you in Tampa Paul. Bring your black suit https://t.co/NChu13hkvD
The first image of WWE Studios and Paramount Animations animated movie Rumble has been released. People shared the image, showcasing a giant monster named Steve. He casually leans against ring ropes and looks unimpressed at the people by his feet. Will Arnett has been cast to bring Steve to life as he undergoes training to become an unstoppable monster wrestler.
“I’m excited to be part of this really fun movie,” Arnett told People. “It’s a great, positive story in a time when we need to hear more positive stories.”
First Look! Will Arnett Voices a Monster Training to Become a Wrestler in Animated Movie Rumble https://t.co/S9KnKJ6ISe
“In a world where monster wrestling is a global sport and monsters are superstar athletes, teenage Winnie seeks to follow in her father’s footsteps by coaching a lovable underdog monster into a champion.”
Being a WWE Studios production, the movie will also feature the vocal talents of their Superstars. Both Roman Reigns and the current WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch are a part of the film. They join Terry Crews, Geraldine Viswanathan, Tony Danza, Susan Kelechi Watson, Stephen A. Smith, Jimmy Tatro, Ben Schwartz and Michael Buffer.
At the time of writing, there’s no indication as to whom Reigns and Lynch will be playing. Crews will star as a shark-like, tentacled behemoth called Tentacularis. His character happens to be the current Monster Wrestling Champion in the movie.
Rumble is scheduled for release in theaters on January 29, 2021.
Returning WWE Superstar John Morrison has opened up about his upcoming matchup at WWE Super ShowDown. According to Morrison, the tag match against the New Day is the “most important” matchup he’s had since returning to WWE.
Speaking with Arab News, Morrison addressed the match, admitting he is “ridiculously excited” to be travelling to Saudi Arabia. He is fully aware of how important it is to be wrestling for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions with his former partner, The Miz.
“Kofi and Big E (The New Day) are no joke,” John Morrison said. “They are individually talented and together they are very dangerous. For The Miz and I to beat them requires 100 percent focus and for us to be on top of our game. That’s what I’m planning on doing.”
John Morrison On Super ShowDown Being Like WrestleMania
John Morrison liked Super ShowDown to WWE’s premiere event, WrestleMania. He noted how it gives families a chance to feel the electricity and excitement of WWE. He added how Super ShowDown has the power to “capture the imagination of the people” in the same way ‘Mania does.
Having initially left the promotion in 2011, rumors began circulating that John Morrison had re-signed with WWE last year. He would eventually make his return to the company, once again aligning himself with The Miz.
WWE Super ShowDown takes place on February 27th from Mohammed Abdu Arena on the Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
All Elite Wrestling’s Hangman Page has revealed he has written a kids book. The book is entitled ‘The Elite Team: Adam and the Golden Horseshoe’ and is slated for release on Sunday, May 24th via Trism Books at $16.95.
According to the official synopsis, the book will follow Adam as he attempts to track down a legendary Golden Horseshoe:
“Adam’s faded second-hand guitar never left his side. He played it at home. He played it at school. He even slept with it. As Adam and the rest of the Elite Team practiced their talents, Adam felt overshadowed by his friends. He just wasn’t good enough… When he heard about the legend of the Golden Horseshoe, and its charm to make champions, he knew he had to find it for himself. But on his quest, Adam finds more than just the horseshoe. Will he finally find the champion within himself?”
Page shared the news on his Instagram page, announcing “i have written a book” alongside an image of the front cover. The illustrations for the book were done by Dylan Coburn.
Hangman Page isn’t the first Elite member to have written a kids book. Cody Rhodes has previously released ‘Cody Heart of the Mountain‘. Matt and Nick Jackson have also released a kids book called ‘Young Bucks Stand Tall’. The Young Bucks recently announced they will be releasing a memoir, ‘Killing The Business’.
Adam Page is scheduled to defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships with Kenny Omega at AEW Revolution. They face their Elite stablemates The Young Bucks. The event takes place on February 29th at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Ring of Honor (ROH) has revealed the first participants to take part in their recently announced tournaments for the ROH Pure Championship and ROH Women’s Championship. The Pure Championship tournament will consist of 16 wrestlers, two of whom will be Jonathan Gresham and former Pure champion Doug Williams.
Pure Championship
The Pure Title Tournament begins at ROH Pure Excellence Night One, which takes place in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, April 10th. The tournament continues on Night Two on April 11th in Pittsburgh. The quarterfinals are set for ROH Battlestarr 2020 in New York City on Thursday, April 23rd. At the time of writing, there is no further information on when the semifinals and finals will go down.
The Pure championship was retired back in 2006 after its debut in 2004. For those unfamiliar, Pure Rules matches allow close-first punches. Wrestlers are allowed three rope breaks to force a break to a submission hold or pinfall attempt. Once a wrestler has used their three breaks, however, pinfalls and submissions on or under the ropes are legal.
•Pure Title Tournament•
Tournament to crown ROH Pure Champion begins at #PureExcellence in Columbus, OH on April 10 and Pittsburgh, PA on April 11.
Regarding the ROH Women’s Championship, both Kellyanne and Sumie Sakai will be participating. Like the Pure tournament, the Women’s Championship is a 16-woman bracket. Eight first-round matches will take place on Friday, April 24th at the upcoming ROH Quest for Gold event at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
•Quest For Gold•
ROH Women’s World Title Tournament #QuestForGold begins in Philadelphia April 24th at the 2300 Arena!
Both WWE and Roman Reigns have been celebrating the one year anniversary of his return announcement. The “Big Dog” had taken some time away to deal with a second battle with leukemia before making his triumphant return to the squared circle.
Reflecting on his journey, Reigns posted a heartfelt message to his Twitter account, thanking the WWE Universe for their support.
“Sharing this life with millions of people is one of the things that makes being a @WWE Superstar amazing,” Reigns wrote. “Life has struggles and setbacks, but the power and prayers of this Universe gave me the strength to fight back. Thank y’all for your support. We got much more to do!!!”
The Superstar announced that his leukemia had unfortunately returned after being in remission during the October 22, 2018 episode of Monday Night RAW. This news forced him to vacate the WWE Universal Championship and step away from WWE. Thankfully, he was able to return in February 2019, where he announced that the disease had once more gone into remission.
WWE has also been celebrating the anniversary. Their official twitter account has been sharing several of Reigns’ epic moments since his momentous comeback.
Sharing this life with millions of people is one of the things that makes being a @WWE Superstar amazing. Life has struggles and setbacks, but the power and prayers of this Universe gave me the strength to fight back.
Reigns recently shared why he decided to break kayfabe for the initial announcement that he was leaving. He explained how he had a connection with the audience and wanted to share the truth, unfiltered.
“I just didn’t want to lie. I didn’t want people to make up stories of what I was doing or where I was going,” he confessed on an episode of WWE The Bump. “I just wanted to be truthful and let the world know what was going on with me.”
Roman Reigns is scheduled to face Baron Corbin in a Steel Cage Match at WWE Super ShowDown. The event takes place on February 27 from Mohammed Abdu Arena on the Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.