WWE Champion Drew McIntyre intends to “harass” Vince McMahon until WWE hosts a pay-per-view in the United Kingdom.
“My goal is to make it happen in future and it’s going to happen because I’m gonna harass [WWE chief executive] Vince McMahon until it does,” McIntyre revealed in an interview with The Scotsman. “I talk a lot of crap online with Tyson Fury and Chris Sutton in particular – but whatever it takes to get the UK a significant PPV I’ll do.”
McIntyre went on to divulge he has plans in place that he won’t publicly talk about just yet. However, he stressed that one plan “[…] that WILL happen, is getting a WWE PPV back to the UK.”
Drew McIntyre recently competed in a Champion vs. Champion matchup at WWE’s Survivor Series event. He faced off against SmackDown’s Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Despite his best efforts, however, McIntyre would lose the match following interference from Jey Uso. Reigns would then sink in a guillotine choke on McIntyre, who passed out.
Jon Moxley was the first guest on Renee Young’s new podcast, Oral Sessions. During the interview with his real-life wife, Moxley opened up about learning how to take care of his body throughout his career. He also shared what it was like to travel the road with his former Shield stablemates, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
Moxley confessed he used to make the mistake of working all the time. He noted how the work ultimately paid off. However, he stressed that it is important to “work smarter and not harder.”
“I have to work. I can’t sit around and do nothing. A rest day is good for recovery,” Moxley explained. “I’m about to be 35. The career I had before this – as far as deathmatches and a lot of stupid stuff I did to my body – all the time in WWE, years of literally going through multiple tables every single night and driving a zillion miles. I haven’t missed a day of work in years.”
He admitted he can now feel his “physical window.” Although he stressed it’s not necessarily closing, it’s something he is acutely aware of. Moxley shared how he wants to maintain a state of wellbeing as he wants to continue wrestling until he’s 50. He noted how he’ll be making a career decision based on his physical condition in the next year or two.
Jon Moxley On Traveling With The Shield
Turning his attention to his time in WWE as part of The Shield, Moxley opened up about WWE’s grueling travel schedule. Despite the non-stop travel, he admitted he didn’t mind it as much as others, labeling the experience as an “adventure.”
“Those first couple of years, me and The Shield were on the road every week for two years straight – be home for 36 hours. I wouldn’t even go home,” Moxley said. “I would just go to the next town because of going to [my home in] Vegas and turning right back around. I didn’t mind. It was an adventure back then. I was having a great time.”
Paul Heyman has described WWE Champion Drew McIntrye as a “god sent to WWE” during a recent interview with talkSPORT ahead of Sunday’s Survivor Series event.
Despite his high praise, however, Heyman stressed how McIntyre will always be the “biggest Superstar with the secondary championship.”
“The problem here is that Drew McIntyre is a god sent to WWE. A magnificent performer. A tremendous human being. A fantastic representative of the WWE brand,” Heyman explained. “He will end up with a championship reign that will be deserving of the Mount Rushmore of championship reigns.”
Heyman stated how the issue lies in McIntyre being the right guy, at the right place, but at the wrong time.
He explained his thought process, sharing how ” Drew McIntyre is always going to be the biggest superstar with the secondary championship because it’s not the championship that makes the man, it’s the man that makes the championship.”
According to Heyman, the “biggest single Superstar” in WWE right now is Roman Reigns. He believes that come this Sunday at Survivor Series, Reigns will demonstrate why he is the “most important champion” in WWE.
Paul Heyman shared how, as great as Drew McIntyre is, the WWE Champion will have to accept that he is simply secondary to the Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.
McIntyre recently defeated Randy Orton for the WWE Championship on Monday Night Raw. This victory means he will face off against Roman Reigns in a Champion vs. Champion matchup this Sunday at Survivor Series. Paul Heyman is set to accompany Reigns to ringside.
All Elite Wrestling’s Chris Jericho has detailed what he believes the promotion could be doing better, acknowledging that it has made a few mistakes along the way.
Speaking with Konnan on his podcast Keeping it 100, Jericho discussed how, despite AEW’s success, there have been “details that sometimes slip through the cracks.”
“We still have quite a few times when very similar angles will happen one after the other. An example of that was a few weeks ago when the big question was if MJF would join The Inner Circle,” Jericho said.
“I think there was a town hall when Bischoff was asking the questions. As soon as we were done, we went to a package where Taz was asking if Hobbs will join Taz’ team.”
According to Jericho, he brought up the similarities in a production meeting, asking how it happened. He stressed how the segments were the “exact same thing” and that nobody noticed.
Looking to try and differentiate the two segments, Jericho pitched a few ideas. This extended to leaning into different wording between the two stories. He explained how they used “Will MJF join The Inner Circle was the tagline for our PPV match, therefore any other joinings should be suspended for this duration.”
He stated how that approach is “common sense” before admitting that, sometimes, “those things fall through the cracks.”
Chris Jericho then stressed how, if there’s one thing AEW can do going forward, it’s to commit “a little more attention to detail.”
Chris Jericho And Comedy
When Konnan asked if Jericho thinks he’s doing too much comedy in AEW, Jericho argued that, regardless, his feuds always have heat.
He explained how his storylines will always have a beginning, middle, and end that is meticulously planned out. Jericho added how he’s not booking anybody else, only himself.
Jericho explained how, to have a captivating, compelling story, “there has to be ups and downs.”
He then argued how the original idea and connection between himself and MJF stemmed from comedy as “they are very similar characters.”
He added how the ultimate end goal is to turn everybody into much bigger stars by feuding with him. “At this point in my career, all I’m about is entertaining and being creatively stimulated and not doing the same old same old.”
Jericho then reflected on the recent Le Dinner Debonair segment with MJF. He credited MJF with the idea before praising him as a “childhood prodigy.”
“The song and dance routine, I wouldn’t do that with anybody, that was MJF’s idea by the way. The guy was a childhood prodigy. He’s been singing and dancing since he was five years old. If there was ever a time to try it, let’s do it. Are we going to do it every week? No. Is it something people will always remember? Yes.”
The Undertaker has evolved his character several times over the decades. Each change helped breathe fresh life into his “Dead Man” gimmick. Now, as ‘Taker heads towards his 30th Anniversary at Survivor Series, he has revealed which version of “The Dead Man” has been his favorite.
Speaking with Matt Camp on WWE’s The Bump, The Undertaker highlighted how, although he enjoyed playing the American Badass, this version wasn’t his favorite. Regardless, the American Badass still holds a special place for him. The Undertaker noted that this was mostly because he could “talk however I wanted.”
He then shared that only one version could ever be considered his favorite: the original Deadman.
“I mean the traditional Undertaker, obviously, because that’s the one that first debuted,” he said. “But probably the most fun was the American Badass because I could talk however I wanted. It was perfect for the time period that we were in. But yeah, I think the original Deadman was my favorite.”
WWE has been celebrating the legendary career of The Undertaker all throughout November. In honor of his career, WWE has been airing ’30 Days of the Deadman’ specials on the WWE Network.
All of WWE’s Undertaker celebrations culminate with this Sunday’s Survivor Series event. The pay-per-view will host a ‘Final Farewell,’ celebrating The Undertaker’s 30th Anniversary.
WWE Survivor Series takes place Sunday, November 22nd from the Thunderdome in Orlando, FL.
Pat McAfee has been incredibly vocal on NXT as of late, often speaking on behalf of his new NXT stable. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, McAfee shared how NXT allows him greater creative freedom. He explained how he’s not interested in delivering scripted promos if the main roster came calling.
“Yeah, probably not,” McAfee said on the subject. “I’m in such a good situation where I can say that. I have a business, I have 10 employees, my guys and I go to work every single day trying to do our show and we have a merch business that does really well. Literally, everything I’ve said in promos is true. I’m in a very lucky situation for everything I’ve been in and I understand that a lot of professional wrestlers aren’t.”
McAfee acknowledged how he’s in a unique situation. His particular situation allows him to discuss ideas with WWE’s creative team if he isn’t comfortable with what they’ve pitched. He confessed that’s he’s “not a good reader” and that he’s “never read a book in my entire life.”
He was quick to add that this isn’t something to brag about, noting how kids should read. McAfee then added how reading just isn’t his thing as he’s a more visual learner. Ultimately, McAfee conceded that he isn’t a good enough actor to deliver scripted promos. If he were forced to, he believes it wouldn’t be good for himself or WWE.
Pat McAfee Discusses Watching From The Sidelines
Regarding his potential in-ring future, Pat McAfee revealed how he had watched enviously from the sidelines for many years. According to him, he was itching for the chance to compete inside the squared circle.
“For two and a half years I had to sit on that goddamn kickoff show panel just asking for an opportunity to do this whole thing, and now that I’ve gotten the opportunity to go, I’m gonna go as hard as I can and do everything I think I should be doing and try to make it as enjoyable and as entertaining as possible.”
He acknowledged how NXT has put a lot of trust in him to “do what I wanna do.”
McAfee shared how he loves being a part of NXT alongside his new stable, describing it as his favorite thing to do on Earth.
WWE Superstar Cesaro has shared how he tries to make his matches stand out by doing something different each time.
The SmackDown Superstar was a recent guest on Lilian Garcia’s podcast, Chasing Glory. During their conversation, Cesaro explained how he never wanted to be the kind of Superstar who does the “same stuff over, and over, and over again.”
According to the “Swiss Superman,” he wants to ensure he gives his fans a reason to not only watch but pay attention during his matches. He revealed how “that’s my goal because I feel they need to be rewarded.”
This workhorse mentality has helped establish Cesaro amongst the WWE Universe. Many fans have pointed to him as an underrated, underused talent. When Garcia discussed this idea with him, Cesaro confessed it made him feel “validated.”
“There’s only so much that I can control. There’s a lot of stuff that is out of my control. For them to say that, I feel like they’re saying that I’m making the absolute best with what I’ve been given,” Cesaro said.
He confessed how to be thought of in that way is a “huge acknowledgment” of what he does. Cesaro shared how he wanted fans to see him stand up for quality and honesty. He added how he will always give the fans one hundred percent of himself, no matter what.
Current All Elite Wrestling TNT Champion Darby Allin has opened up about his in-ring style during an interview with TVInsider. During the discussion, Allin also shared his thoughts on being viewed as a fan favorite competitor.
When it comes to his pro wrestling training, Allin revealed he learned under an “old school” coach. He explained how this old school mentality makes its way into his matches.
“My trainer is old school. His name is Buddy Wayne. He is super old school. I’ve learned the old-school style, and I do apply it if you see my matches. It’s not just high spots,” Allin said. “There is a lot of storytelling behind everything I do. There is a brain behind what I do. As far as what people say about me, that I need to slow down, I know what works for me, and my body feels great. I’m really on physical therapy, recovery, stretching, and icing. I feel great.”
Darby Allin On Being a Role Model
Allin confessed it feels good to have been so well-received by AEW’s fanbase. He noted how they’ve embraced him for being himself. This ability to just portray himself on-screen means he doesn’t feel “any added pressure” to be a role model.
“I’m going to keep being myself. I never said I was a role model, but if they want to take me as one I’m down. A lot of kids for example look at me because I’m straight edge. I don’t drink or do drugs. I feel like that’s a cool outlook for kids to see.”
Allin recalled having anti-drug groups visit his school when he was younger. He shared how these groups would dictate what they should and shouldn’t do. Allin questioned this approach. According to Allin, he’s happy to have fans see him as a role model as he is a living embodiment of his personal ideologies.
Darby Allin recently competed on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. He teamed with Cody in a losing effort against FTW Champion Brian Cage and Ricky Starks.
Zelina Vega has revealed how the past week has been a “literal hell” for her following her WWE release. Taking to her Twitch account for a live stream, Vega shared how difficult the past seven days have been, noting how Friday was one of the worst days of her life.
“The past week has been hell. Literal hell. Friday was the worst day of my life, well, since 2001,” Vega said. “When you hear about me in the social media world, sometimes misinformation can be spread.”
Vega explained how it was important for her fans to get to really know her. She noted how she was “someone who let people walk all over me.” Vega opened up about her insecurities and would often not stand up for herself. Following the announcement of her WWE release, she admitted she expected the “absolute worst” on her social media.
“I was pleasantly surprised. I thought people were going to look at me like the devil. Let’s just say that the narrative has been spun completely out of control and is completely wrong,” Vega said. “When people see the real story that I put out, that’s who I am. I’ve learned to grow as a person. I’ve known to realize my worth and stand up for who I am, and appreciate the things I’ve gotten along the way.”
Since her release from the company, Zelina Vega has reportedly had a “very powerful” conversation with SAG-AFTRA in relation to her support for unionization within pro wrestling.
Leon Ruff surprised the WWE Universe by upsetting Johnny Gargano to win the NXT North American Championship. In an interview with WWE’s The Bump, Ruff reflected on his sudden rise to stardom and how he thought he was being pranked when WWE first contacted him.
Ruff confessed his world has been turned upside down since his victory. “This whole experience has been crazy,” Ruff said. “It’s also been a dream come true. I haven’t been able to sleep, still. I smile a lot, but I do that a lot anyway.”
When WWE first called him with an offer to appear on Monday Night Raw, allowing him to embrace his dream, Ruff recalled thinking it was a prank call. When he realized it was WWE, however, he described how it felt “unbelievable” to be talking with the promotion.
“Monday Night RAW was a brand I couldn’t watch growing up because we had a bedtime, and it came on too late,” Ruff said. “So when I finally started watching RAW, it was a new world to me. To not being able to watch it as a kid, and now I’m going to be featured on Monday Night RAW? It was something I couldn’t believe was happening to me.”
Leon Ruff faced off against Johnny Gargano in a championship rematch during this week’s episode of NXT. Ruff won the match via disqualification after Damien Priest punched him, purposefully costing Gargano the bout.
NXT Superstar and former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley may be heading towards WWE’s main roster.
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, Ripley could soon be featured on either WWE’s red or blue brand. He revealed how he had recently “heard talk of Ripley moving to the main roster.”
Rhea Ripley competed on this week’s episode of NXT. She faced off against current NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a hard-hitting affair. Despite her best efforts, Ripley lost her bout to Shirai. After the match, the women embraced and showcased mutual respect for one another. Meltzer noted how the matchup and respect shown was done to showcase “finishing up their story.”
Following their match on the black-and-yellow brand, both Ripley and Shirai were listed on NXT’s Injury Report. Ripley reportedly suffered multiple contusions, with her ear getting split and bleeding at one point during the bout. Shirai, meanwhile, is said to be dealing with a sore neck.
Ripley has already had experience competing for WWE’s main roster audience. As well as her Survivor Series 2019 appearance as a part of Team NXT, she more recently competed against Charlotte Flair. The two competed for the NXT Women’s Championship during Day 2 of WrestleMania 36 back in April. Flair defeated Ripley for the championship gold.
Raw Superstar Alexa Bliss has divulged details about her WWE contract, revealing in an interview with Better Together with Maria Menounos when it expires.
The topic came up after Menounos asked the recently engaged Bliss if she and Ryan Cabrera planned on having children. Bliss informed her that the two have discussed the possibility once her WWE contract has expired.
“We discussed we would see, you know, once my WWE contract is over, where we’re at,” Bliss said. “That’s in about 3, 3.5 years! He’s totally fine with that, like, ‘yeah, I’m good! I just don’t want to be 45 and having my first kid!'”
Alexa Bliss On Firefly Fun House Influences
During the interview, Alexa Bliss also opened up about her recent on-screen transformation and alignment with “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt. When asked about any shows she may have drawn inspiration from for her new Firefly Fun House character, Bliss pointed to several kids’ shows, including The Big Comfy Couch.
“I was watching The Big Comfy Couch. I rewatched this sing-a-long called Sing A Long With Silly Wen. But she used to wear the pig tales, and so did the girl from the big comfy couch. I’ve just been watching that, and Nick Jr, and I’ve been watching Blues Clues again.”
On a recent episode of Monday Night Raw, Bliss aligned herself fully with “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt, much to the surprise and chagrin of her long-time best friend, Nikki Cross.
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has shared his thoughts on Zelina Vega’s recent WWE release, noting how Vega is one of his “Fav 5” who had been on her way up in the company.
Booker T addressed her release during a recent episode of his podcast, The Hall of Fame. He shared how “She was coming up and one day she’s here, the next day she’s gone. Watching her on her Twitch Channel talk about it broke my heart watching her cry.”
Booker T shared how he’s sad to see her go as he thought she was incredibly talented. He believed Vega was the kind of Superstar that “really made a huge difference as far as the card.”
Booker T then expressed how other Superstars who used third-party social media like Vega will now have to “figure out how this thing is going to work” going forward.
“Guys, figure it out because at the end of the day, it’s a bigger picture,” Booker T said. “At the end of the day, you hope the pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow or you have someone like Zelina who said I created that pot of gold for myself. I can appreciate that as well but I wanted to say above all, I’m going to miss her because she was talent.”
He revealed how he talked to Green only a few weeks ago about how he was using her match against Charlotte Flair as a study match for his classes.
“I was showing a match with her against Charlotte Flair. It was a match she had in NXT. I was talking about how green Chelsea was and how experienced Charlotte was and the difference between the two of them and how they were working in that same match with each other,” Booker T explained. “You can see and notice the difference between the two. None of it was the big things they did. All of it was the small things. That’s what Chelsea needs to work on. “
Booker T admitted he didn’t see what caused Green’s injury. He added how he noticed how she was moving in the ring. According to him, she didn’t “really pay attention to where she was going before she started her trip. It seemed like she would get on a road and start going and then she would pull out the GPS and figure out on the road where she was. You can’t do that in this business.”
He then shared how he always says people need to learn how to “navigate” their way through a match. Booker T extrapolated this, saying that people needed to know where they were going before they got there, something he argued Chelsea Green didn’t do.
Former WWE Superstar Victoria (Lisa Marie Varon) has expressed her interest in becoming a part of All Elite Wrestling’s training team.
During an interview with the Wrestling Inc. Daily Podcast, Victoria discussed how she was “open” to the idea of becoming All Elite.
“I’ve always wanted to be a trainer for the new kids, being an agent or something like that,” Victoria said. “I have a lot to give back I think. I learned a lot like going through a lot of mistakes in the business, what not to do on TV, that kind of stuff, and I think I have a lot of knowledge to share.”
Despite her open interest, however, there was one caveat she brought up as a subject of discussion: travel. Victoria admitted she isn’t sure she can do “four days a week again and have a normal home life.”
“That’s a tough part. You’re sacrificing a lot to go back, so of course, it’d have to be financially viable and something I would enjoy, and I would have to see how the locker room is and see if I get along with everybody. I don’t want to go to a miserable atmosphere. I still want to be in a positive atmosphere.”
Victoria retired from in-ring competition last year. When asked about a potential return, she teased how “you never know.” She admitted she’s not in talks with any promotions about a return before acknowledging that if she were to come back, it would have to be a “good scenario,” not just an empty cameo appearance.
Despite all of his accomplishments and championship accolades in WWE, The Miz still feels disrespected by wrestling fans. Miz opened up about his feelings during a recent interview with Barstool Sports’ KFC Radio, where he revealed he doesn’t “get the respect” he feels he deserves.
“Even in WWE, sometimes I feel I don’t get the respect I feel like I want, maybe that I feel I deserve,” Miz said. “I’ve won every title there is to win, but yet sometimes I feel like — you know, you’ll read Twitter here and there and you’ll see all the negative comments. ‘You don’t deserve to be there, we hate you, you’re the worst.'”
The Miz then revealed that, although he sees the negative comments aimed at him, he uses them to drive him. He argued how the kind of person taking the time to embrace such negativity is probably “[…] some nerd in his basement just typing away. So, I use it as fuel.”
With Tucker’s unexpected assistance, The Miz defeated Otis at WWE’s Hell in a Cell event in October. His victory granted him the Money in the Bank contract, ensuring The Miz a future WWE Championship opportunity against a champion of his choice.
Posted November 19th, 2020 in WWE, News. Tagged: The Miz.
The Undertaker has reflected on his initial thoughts on WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, revealing how he “didn’t care” for Michaels at first when they first met and eventually started working together.
“Early on in my career and when Shawn was there, I didn’t care for Shawn personally,” Taker told the New York Post. “I thought he was an arrogant little s**t.”
Regardless of his initial opinions on “The Heartbreak Kid,” The Undertaker couldn’t deny Michaels’ in-ring ability. He explained how there’s “[…] still no one I would rather get in the ring with it and work [with]. That’s just how good he is.”
“The Dead Man” then reflected on how problematic Michaels used to be. He recalled the night of WrestleMania XIV, where Michaels was headlining in a matchup against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. According to The Undertaker, he wasn’t sure Michaels would go through with dropping the WWF Championship to Austin. He recalled how he was ready to make sure “business was done that night” if not.
He confessed he didn’t tell Michaels the truth of what could have erupted between them for years. ‘Taker admitted he felt bad about being willing to go to those lengths as their “relationship had changed so much.”
After finally telling Michaels, the Undertaker shared how HBK later brought it up and asked him about it. He wanted to know if Undertaker would have really gone through with it. ‘Taker denied it, claiming it was all rumors, which placated Michaels.
“The whole time in my head I’m like, ‘I was gonna smash you if you didn’t drop that belt to Steve.’ But yeah, he’s a completely different person, I love him to death now. But, yeah, that’s the story. I was sitting there hands taped ready to do whatever I needed to be done.”
WWE hosts The Undertaker’s ‘Final Farewell‘ 30th Anniversary celebrations at this Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Survivor Series takes place on November 22 from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL.
Inner Circle member Jake Hager has described the past year in All Elite Wrestling as the “greatest year in my career.”
Hager shared his feelings on his AEW tenure while appearing on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk is Jericho. From a pro wrestling perspective, he believes signing with AEW has allowed him to experience some memorable moments over the past year.
“I look back at this year with AEW as the greatest year in my career pro wrestling wise. Moments like that were really cool,” Hager said. “14,000 people, the debut episode – I was nervous as s–t and I had the easiest thing to do. All I had to do was run out to the ring without tripping and then slide in the ring and do a couple things. You look back at some of the uncut footage that they have formatted, it’s so cool, and the crowd was going so crazy.”
Hager reflected on how he immediately knew something special was happening as soon as he debuted. He recalled how the crowd was chanting, “We The People.” Hager noted how “[…] the second night is when you completely cut it off, and they haven’t said it since.”
He then stressed how it was essential to separate themselves from previous gimmicks. Hager expressed how “[…] we are different characters with AEW, so let’s be different.”
Jericho agreed with Jake Hager’s point. He explained how, although he appreciates fans still changing “Y2J,” it irks him as the character is 20 years old. Jericho also added how chanting for old WWE gimmicks and catchphrases is “demeaning” to AEW and that fans should embrace the fact they are new people with new characters.
During the WWE Network’s ‘Brothers of Destruction‘ special, The Undertaker and Kane reflected on The Streak coming to an end. They also discussed who they believed should have been the Superstar to end The Streak.
Kane looked back on how he felt that day after Brock Lesnar had defeated The Undertaker, ending The Streak at WrestleMania XXX.
He explained how he initially believed that the finish to the match “got messed up.” Kane explained how he thought the match would restart as something had to have gone wrong. After the realization sunk in, Kane shared how he walked out of the room as he was so angry.
“I know that the streak wasn’t something that anybody had ever planned and it was just something that had kind of organically evolved, but it had become a part of WrestleMania lore at that point.”
The Undertaker shared his memory of that day. He discussed how he had been under the impression he would be beating Lesnar. It wasn’t until later that Vince McMahon told him otherwise.
“I got to the arena that day and I was going over. I mean, we had gone back and forth and when I showed up, I was going over,” The Undertaker recalled. “Through the course of the day, Vince would come to me and say that he’s changed his mind. man, I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t think Brock needs it, but at the end of the day, it’s your show, it’s your call. If you’re sure about it, then that’s what we’ll do.”
Undertaker & Kane Name Who Should Have Ended The Streak
Turning their attention to who they did think should have ended the legendary Streak, both Undertaker and Kane pointed to the same Superstar: Roman Reigns.
Undertaker noted how, “I thought there would be somebody, like Roman Roman would have been, I think Roman would have been fine.”
Kane agreed, adding how defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania and ending The Streak would have “made” Roman Reigns and “put even more luster” on the decision.
Three years later, Roman Reigns would face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. Reigns defeated “The Dead Man.”
This Sunday’s Survivor Series event also acts as a ‘Final Farewell,’ celebrating The Undertaker’s 30th Anniversary in WWE.
WWE Survivor Series takes place Sunday, November 22nd from the Thunderdome in Orlando, FL.
The WWE Network docuseries, Undertaker: The Last Ride, ended with the Legend saying “never say never” when it came to a return to the ring. However, in a new interview with The Wrap, The Undertaker confessed how, in his eyes, he is officially retired.
When asked if it’s fair for people to assume he is retired, The Undertaker explained, “I’m going with it, but I work for a man by the name of Vince McMahon, whose motto is ‘Never say never.’ And I’ll kind of leave that there. In my eyes, yeah, I am officially retired.”
Looking towards this Sunday’s “Final Farewell” at Survivor Series, The Undertaker teased how “what I do there, there’s no telling. But I will be live at Survivor Series. You never know what will happen […]”
The Undertaker has previously admitted how outside influences affected his personal feelings on retirement.
He acknowledged how “I had a group of people telling me stuff like, ‘You can still go out to the ring and people will go crazy.’ On the inside, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t move the way I used to, and this is a watered down version of The Undertaker.’ I needed to get a point where [Undertaker: The Last Ride] will solidify [my retirement] and I wouldn’t have a choice. It was almost like I needed somebody to put the bullet in there and stop it.”
This year’s Survivor Series also acts as a “Final Farewell” celebration, honoring The Undertaker’s 30th Anniversary in WWE.
Survivor Series takes place on November 22nd from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL.
Former WWE Superstar Ryback has opened up about why he publicly scrutinizes his former employer. He explained his reasoning after fans questioned him about his vocal criticisms.
Taking to Twitter, Ryback had argued how the “frustration Vince McMahon has lived is empowering people.”
He explained how Vince’s “evil ways” will always ensure people leave him. Ryback then proposed that if Vince learned to “empower and love talents fully,” they would always love him in return.
Ultimately, he believes “Vince is living in fear and going up in flames for his own insecurities due to his father.”
The frustration @vincemcmahon has lived is empowering people, but through his evil ways they always leave him. If he learned to empower and love talents fully they would always love back. Vince is living in fear and going up in flames for his own insecurities due to his father
Replying to another fan, who argued that the former Superstar had built his own brand following his release, Ryback explained how WWE had “betrayed” him from the start.
He added how they “never once offered to help with the problems they were responsible for.”
According to him, WWE “suppressed my Social media and forcing me to spend lots of cash for a trademark they only renewed because it was being awarded to me.”
“It’s all my fault and I will fix it as I have. This isn’t about creative or any of the fake BS, it’s about life and I will continue to speak up for change. I get nothing from doing so, but I believe change is already happening in the business for the better.
“The Big Guy” had noted how fans don’t know the ins and outs of his personal life. He shared how he needed 16 stem cell procedures to save his back and shoulder from injuries.
Bingo. Company has betrayed me from the start and never once offered to help with the problems they were responsible for, but I fixed it. They’ve suppressed my Social media and forcing me to spend lots of cash for a trademark they only renewed because it was being awarded to me. https://t.co/g8x8IvTi4s
I’m sorry you don’t understand anything going on in my life including 16 stem cell procedures to save my back and shoulder. Last 2 years I stopped wrestling to care for my dog Sophie with disc disease and 8 surgeries. Be better, you have no clue what you speak about. https://t.co/t4MydMuYd8
It’s all my fault and I will fix it as I have. This isn’t about creative or any of the fake BS, it’s about life and I will continue to speak up for change. I get nothing from doing so, but I believe change is already happening in the business for the better. https://t.co/g8x8IvTi4s
SmackDown Superstar Bianca Belair has shared whether she is interested in a potential return to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT.
In an interview with Bleacher Report, Belair revealed how she always tries to make the most out of every opportunity. She noted how, if she were to return to NXT, there’s still plenty for her to accomplish, including winning the NXT Women’s Championship.
Belair shared how she loves how she’s already experienced all three WWE brands, from NXT to Raw to SmackDown. She noted how she’s experienced them all in a “very short amount of time.”
“The thing about my journey from NXT that I love is that with every brand I’ve been on, I’ve always left still having something to do. If it came down to it and I had to go back to NXT, I still never got the NXT Women’s Championship. I’ll always have something to do if I go back to NXT.”
She acknowledged how she has several “ties to NXT” and loved the locker room. Belair confessed that she does miss NXT but remains “happy for them because they’re still doing it right now. They’re having all these great matches. I’m not surprised because they always put on those types of matches.”
Despite missing NXT and a brief stint on Raw, Belair admitted she is excited to be on SmackDown and accomplish new things on the blue brand.
Bianca Belair is a member of Team SmackDown alongside Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan. Their last new members have yet to be decided. Team SmackDown faces off against Team Raw at this Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Paul Heyman has explained that, despite himself, Roman Reigns, and even Vince McMahon all wanting Reigns to turn heel sooner, “the timing was never right.”
Speaking with the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, Heyman opened up about how, despite Reigns’ interest in turning heel, he wasn’t ready for this kind of persona.
“Roman Reigns could not pull off this portrayal of the top star in the industry even a year ago. He wasn’t weathered enough, he wasn’t seasoned enough, and he wasn’t experienced enough,” Heyman explained. “He still looked too young. But now, you look at his face, you see some seasoning and some weathering.”
Heyman pointed to how Reigns was dominating Jey Uso during their Hell in a Cell bout. He highlighted how Reigns was demeaning Uso throughout, pointing to how he had done the exact same thing when they were kids.
Paul Heyman believes that Reigns didn’t look grizzled enough for his current Tribal Chief persona. Now, however, “you see the wars on his face” and the “pressure and the obligation and the responsibility and the accountability and the sheer burden” of his role and how it weighs on Reigns.
Roman Reigns is set for a Champion vs. Champion matchup against WWE Champion Randy Orton at Survivor Series. Paul Heyman will be ringside in support of Reigns for the bout.
Survivor Series takes place on November 22nd from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL.
The Undertaker has defended WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, explaining how he’s “not the monster that people think he is.”
Undertaker shared his thoughts on Vince McMahon while speaking with The New York Post to promote this Sunday’s “Final Farewell” at Survivor Series.
According to The Undertaker, Vince McMahon is a “caring human being, not the monster that people think that he is.”
He explained how “I’ve never taken for granted the special opportunity he gave me. If Vince feels like there’s still something there, I have a place on the roster, then I had no problem doing it.”
Undertaker then acknowledged how fans were voicing their opinions about his retirement online. He noted he saw people debating what Vince McMahon should or shouldn’t do concerning his in-ring career. Undertaker stressed how he’s a “[…] grown man” before noting he could “walk away anytime I want.”
This Sunday’s Survivor Series event also acts as a celebration for The Undertaker’s 30th Anniversary in WWE.
Throughout November, WWE has been celebrating and honoring The Undertaker and his historic career. Alongside the “Final Farewell” celebrations, WWE has been airing ’30 Days of the Deadman’ specials on the WWE Network.
WWE Survivor Series takes place Sunday, November 22nd from the Thunderdome in Orlando, FL.
In an interview with WWE on BT Sport, Banks declared her interest in facing off against Ray. She shared how a potential bout between them is a personal “dream match” of hers.
“My whole career has been incredible. I’m only 28 and I’ve done so much already, but, just within this year, I’ve held nearly every title except the NXT one and the UK one,” Banks said.
Sasha Banks then turned her attention to the NXT UK Women’s Champion. She offered to do what it took to ensure a match between them took place:
“So, Kay Lee Ray, I’ve got a private jet, sweetie, I’m making millions, I don’t mind flying over there or we can meet halfway. I can buy an island, I’m that rich. I don’t mind snatching that from her, ’cause that’s a nice little dream match of mine.”
"I'm only 28 and I've done so much already, this year I've held nearly every title except the NXT ones"
"@Kay_Lee_Ray I've got a private jet sweetie, I'm making millions, I'll fly over – it's a dream match of mine"
In another interview with Digital Spy, Banks addressed the fact WWE has yet to host a follow up to 2018’s Evolution pay-per-view.
Banks argued how the all-women’s event was something she would “absolutely want to happen again.”
She explained how the pay-per-view was an incredible event for WWE’s female Superstars and the WWE Universe. As far as she’s concerned, it was such a popular show, she “can’t understand why there hasn’t been a second one yet.”
That being said, Sasha Banks remains optimistic over an Evolution 2 taking place. She shared how it “definitely can happen in the future” before promising that when it does, she believes it will be better than the first.
Sasha Banks is set to face off against Raw Women’s Champion Asuka at Survivor Series in a Champion vs. Champion matchup.
Survivor Series takes on November 22 from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL.
WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss is engaged to be wed. Bliss shared the happy news via her Twitter account, revealing how she and Ryan Cabrera are officially engaged.
Cabrera initially shared an image of himself down on one knee, proposing to Bliss, who has her hand covering her mouth in shock. It is accompanied by a caption reading, “Tonight was the best night of my life!!! And it’s just the beginning!!!”
Bliss eventually shared the image to her personal Twitter account and confirmed the news to her followers. She explained how “One year ago we said hello, tonight I said YES.” She accompanied her message with a black heart emoji.
Alexa Bliss has been enjoying a character resurgence as of late on WWE television. Having partnered with Nikki Cross, the two enjoyed a reign as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
