Despite appearing for Ring Of Honor in recent months, it appears that “Hurricane” Shane Helms has signed a new contract with WWE. This is according to a report by WrestlingInc. Like with Sonjay Dutt and Abyss, Helms’ new role will see him operating as a backstage producer for the company.

Helms has over 20 years of experience in the industry. He will undoubtedly bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to this new position. He originally signed with WCW in 1999 prior to joining the WWE (WWF at the time). It was in WWE that he would adopt the “Hurricane” superhero gimmick — a character that is still popular today, as evidenced by his recent work with ROH.

“We’re Always On The Lookout For Talented People”

Triple H has been transparent over WWE’s intentions to hire more talent to fill backstage positions, stating during a medial call that “We’re [WWE] always on the lookout for talented people that can contribute to the product and to the WWE as a whole. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, the quality people that are talented, that have a passion for this, and want it to go to the next level and succeed, I’m always looking forward to those people.”

It has been speculated that Helms began his new position yesterday. Dutt and Abyss are expected to start in mid-February.

“Sonjay coming in here, Abyss coming in here [in] behind the scenes roles, we’re going to see where that best fit is for them,” Triple H explained. “I’ve heard of them, I know of them.”

“So many people speak highly of them and their jobs over the years, from a talent standpoint and other standpoints, so I’m looking forward to working with them and seeing where they best fit through all of this, as we all are. Everybody here will determine where they fit, what they want to do, and how they can help contribute in the best way to the product going forward.”

Current New Japan Pro Wrestling NEVER Openweight champion, Will Ospreay, has shared that he has recently sustained an injury. This occurred during a Revolution Pro Wrestling (Rev Pro) event in Bristol, England.

Thankfully, however, the injury isn’t a major one — though still frustrating enough for Ospreay to tweet about via social media.

Somehow, “The Sky King” managed to break his toe whilst taking an arm drag.

“I broke my toe taking an arm drag. I think God is f***ing with me”

He would follow up with a further update, highlighting that the “Bruising is coming out….as well as the bone not being in the right place”.

https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1089641449669488642

This injury hasn’t stymied his enthusiasm over his upcoming match against PAC. The two will clash in a matchup for Rev Pro’s High Stakes 2019 show, which takes place on Friday, February 15th in York Hall, Bethnal Green, London.

A toe injury, though not as serious as others that could be suffered, could still have an effect on Ospreay’s mobility, possibly forcing him to modify his arsenal against the wrestler formerly known as Neville. Despite this, Ospreay promises that “9 toes or 10 I’m gunna be at York Hall”.

“9 toes or 10 I’m gunna be at York Hall” – @WillOspreay @OBEYBrookes has other ideas.#RevProBristol pic.twitter.com/ycfnxJChKx

— Revolution Pro (@RevProUK) January 27, 2019

Will you be in attendance for this epic clash? Who do you think will come out on top, Ospreay or PAC?

During Sunday’s Royal Rumble matchup, New Day members, Xavier Woods and Big E, paid homage to their stablemate, Kofi Kingston. Each member wore gear that showcased Kofi Kingston’s amazing Rumble moments from over the years, captured in comic book form.

Kingston has made a name for himself within the Rumble match, saving himself from elimination in different, unique ways to the point that the WWE Universe anticipate witnessing his next close escape each year.

Turns out, however, that another man inspired Kingston to begin his accidental tradition. Speaking with ‘The Sun,’ Kofi shared that he never intended for these near eliminations to become what he’s known for in the Rumble. He also directly credited former WWE Superstar, John Morrison, as his initial inspiration.

“Let Me Try To Fill This Void”

“I didn’t expect to become the guy who people look to do something cool in the Rumble in terms of avoiding elimination,” he admitted. “Actually, it was all started by John Morrison for me when he got knocked off the apron and jumped all the way to the barrier and parkoured his way back into the ring. Then the next year when it came to the Rumble he was not around so I was like, ‘Hey, let me try to fill this void’.”

“It became something cool and I tried to figure out something to do it again the next year and then all of a sudden everyone is like, ‘What’s Kofi gonna do now?’ Fast-forward a few years later and here we are,” he said.

“It’s cool and I couldn’t say exactly which one was my favorite, I just put them all out there and let the people rank and pick their best. It’s just cool to be in that spot,” he confessed. “The Royal Rumble is really about being the guy who survives 30-plus people and goes on to WrestleMania, then people are also looking at me. So it’s really great to be in that position.”

New Japan Pro Wrestling is coming off the back of their recent Fantastica Mania series of shows. These shows were a co-promoted event done with the Mexican company, CMLL. Now New Japan is heading towards their first big post-Wrestle Kingdom show, The New Beginning. Beforehand though, is the ‘Road To New Beginning’ tour.

The second show of the tour took place on 1/28 from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

The Road To The New Beginning Results 1/28

Ren Narita and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji via submission.

Ren Narita would finish the matchup after locking in a Boston Crab onto Yuya Uemura.

Toa Henare and Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Shota Umino and Ayato Yoshida via pinfall.

Henare scored the pinfall after executing the TOA Bottom on Ayato Yoshida.

Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, and Tama Tonga) defeated Taguchi Japan (Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe) via pinfall.

Tonga Loa would pick up the victory after hitting his signature move, Apesh*t on Tomoaki Honma.

YOSHI-HASHI and Kazuchika Okada defeated Yujiro Takahashi and Bad Luck Fale

Okada’s Rainmaker would help secure the victory for the team after he nailed Takahashi with the move. They also teased another potential feud between Okada and Bad Luck Fale throughout the match and post-match fallout.

KUSHIDA and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Gedo and “Switchblade” Jay White

“The Ace” Takahashi would get the win after landing the High Fly Flow onto Gedo.

Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., and Minoru Suzuki) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, SANADA, “King Of Darkness” EVIL, and Tetsuya Naito) via final elimination.

Taichi would end up the last person standing in the main event, which was held under elimination rules. He would end the night on the mic, making his intentions known for Naito’s IWGP Intercontinental championship.

John Cena came back a few weeks ago in order to announce himself as an entrant into the Royal Rumble match. He recently had an opportunity to win a chance against WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. Cena would lose in the Fatal 4-Way to Finn Balor.

After the matchup, WWE revealed that Cena actually suffered a storyline injury. He was seen limping before heading to the back. They then claim he has since re-aggravated an injury during a training session. This series of events has threatened his chances at appearing in the 30 man Royal Rumble event.

But with the rumor that Cena will instead be preparing to film a new movie, why would WWE bring Cena back, build him up, only to remove him days before the Rumble itself?

According to Dave Meltzer, their reasoning is identical to the recent Braun Strowman/Brock Lesnar debacle: sell tickets.

“The story going around is that Cena was never to be in the Rumble in the first place, but with a stadium to fill, they advertised Cena — similar to advertising Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman, another match never actually planned — to help sell tickets.”

Meltzer made a point that Chase Field has been configured to fit approximately 43,000 people. At this time, Royal Rumble is expected to have around 25-30,000 paid fans in attendance. 

The start date for Cena’s new movie is actually February 4th. So if Cena wanted to be a surprise entrant in the Rumble matchup, there’s still a possibility of that happening.

The All Elite Wrestling roster continues to grow. In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, AEW Executive Vice President, Cody Rhodes, revealed their latest addition. The video, what appears to be the first in a series, is entitled ‘The Road To Double Or Nothing.’

In the video, it is revealed that rising independent wrestler, “Jungle Boy” Nate Coy, has signed with the company.

“Jungle Boy” is a notable name as he is actually the 21-year-old son of 90s acting star, Luke Perry. He made his debut in 2015, wrestling across the Californian independent circuit. It has been speculated that AEW offered the wrestler a two-year contract, but after involving his father and his lawyers, they negotiated a shorter deal.

Matt Jackson has since taken to Twitter to show off their latest signing, writing: “We would like to welcome Jungle Boy to the @AEWrestling roster!”

https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1088622504896122880

Ticket Announcement Party

All Elite Wrestling has also announced a ‘Double Or Nothing’ Ticket Announcement Party. The party will take place on February 7th from the Talent Pool at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. The event begins at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET.

Like the ‘Double Or Nothing’ Fan Event Rally, you will also be able to stream their ticket announcement party live.

You can stream from the following social media outlets:

YouTube: BeingTheElite.com
Twitter: @AEWrestling
Facebook: /TheYoungBucks
Instagram: @TheBrandiRhodes

Brandi Rhodes also hinted that she may “ bring a couple of newly signed women” along to the proceedings.

Maybe I’ll bring a couple of newly signed women with me…🎲 pic.twitter.com/i7Kd1YFJ4s

— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) January 25, 2019

It can be difficult to move forward with a plan of action. Even if you have a plan, constant changes and life obstacles can impact a person’s progress towards achieving their goal and executing their plans. Just ask “The Boss” Sasha Banks.

Sasha Banks was a recent guest on the popular podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness. Over the course of their conversation, she would speak about her partnership (and friendship) with Bayley and highlighted dealing with WWE’s frequent creative indecision.

Banks said she was looking forward to 2019, claiming 2018 to have been a difficult year full of constant creative change. She isolated this as a core reason as to why she struggled to build, and maintain, any momentum.

“All of last year, I feel like our [Sasha Banks and Bayley] career was kind of like at a standpoint where we weren’t really doing much, where we were told one thing and the next week, it was something else,” she confessed.

“We thought we would be facing each other, and then they stopped that. So we were like, ‘Alright, if they’re going to make us a tag team, let’s be the best tag team we could possibly be.’ […] We were training together; we’re watching tape together; we’re getting matching [ring] gear just to be told that they weren’t going to have the [Women’s Tag Team] titles. And then, the next thing you know, they’re introducing the titles.”

“[…] there are so many dreams and so many goals that we stay up late on the road just talking about how we’re going to achieve them all.”

If you’ve been watching SmackDown Live for the past few weeks, it would have been virtually impossible to miss the astounding series of matches between Andrade and Rey Mysterio. The two have faced off a number of times now on SmackDown, and every matchup has left people talking about the quality of their encounters.

Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com recently commented on what WWE could have planned for Andrade in the near future. He claims that “While not a sure thing, the direction looks to be that Mysterio and Andrade end their program as a babyface tag team, with Andrade getting the rub from Mysterio as part of strengthening of the tag team division.”

It has been speculated that Sin Cara may also join Andrade and Rey Mysterio. The three would form a new Latino stable. Sin Cara has been training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, ahead of his expected return from injury.

Meltzer also noted that WWE is interested in positioning Andrade as a top Hispanic babyface for the company. With Mysterio having returned, the plan appears to be to use his star power to leverage Andrade into that position. This is despite recent reports over Andrade allegedly warning other Hispanic talent about WWE.

There is no word at this point in time on where Zelina Vega may fit into this group. The addition of Zelina Vega as Andrade’s manager helped to elevate him during his time in NXT to championship status.

What do you think of this rumored stable? Do you think they will be a force to contend with? Is Andrade the next big babyface for WWE?

Royal Rumble takes place this coming Sunday, but the night before will see the NXT roster attempt to steal the show once again. At NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, the knockout artist, Kassius Ohno is looking to settle the score against NXT newcomer, and ‘King of Bros,’ Matt Riddle.

The two have faced off twice already, with Matt Riddle emerging victorious both times. Their first encounter saw Riddle claim the win in just 6 seconds. Their second encounter was a much more competitive affair but ended after Riddle locked in the Bro-mission. Ohno would then assault Riddle post-match, continuing their feud towards this Saturday’s TakeOver.

“I’m Going To Hurt Him”

In a video uploaded to WWE’s YouTube page, Kassius Ohno addresses his opponent, claiming that he’s “not just gonna beat him [Riddle] up, I‘m gonna hurt him.” He also stated that by the end of the night, he will have knocked Riddle out.

“I just want to make sure everybody saw NXT TV last week because that was some must-see TV. I know, personally, I had to run it back 6 or 7 times.

It was almost like something out of Baywatch. You see Matt Riddle cascading his way down the NXT entranceway, in those lemon-lime flip-flops, to make the save on his unlimited BFF. You see, Matt Riddle was mad because I caught Keith Lee slipping. Matt Riddle was real mad. And all that everybody wants to talk to me about is Takeover in Los Angeles,” he said.

“’Kassius, you lost in 6 seconds!’ Well, come Takeover in Phoenix, Matt Riddle is going to wish this match was 6 seconds because I’m going to beat him. I’m not just gonna beat him, I’m gonna beat him up. And I’m not just gonna beat him up, I’m gonna hurt him. And when that bell rings, you know what they’re going to say in the crowd? He’s going to look to his buddy and he’s gonna say, ‘Oh no, Kassius KO’d the Br…’ No, the bum. Kassius KO’d the bum.”

Who do you think will come out on top between these two? Will Kassius knock out Riddle, or will the King Of Bros walk out the victor?

H/T to WrestlingInc for the transcription.

This Sunday, at WWE’s Royal Rumble event, Finn Balor will face off against ‘The Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar. The two will clash for the WWE Universal Championship. Balor was inserted into the matchup after winning a Fatal 4-Way to fill Braun Strowman’s spot. Strowman lost the opportunity thanks to Vince McMahon during last week’s Monday Night Raw.

Balor has already shut down the prospect of the WWE Universe seeing ‘The Demon’ at Royal Rumble. He stated, “[…] I can assure you that the man who faces Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble will be Finn Balor, the man.”

Backstage Balor

In a recent interview with Scott Fishman of TV Insider, Balor reflected on his rise back to the main event, and his hard-earned journey to face Lesnar for the Universal Championship. Finn was also asked whether he thinks Vince McMahon believes in him, and what their working relationship looks like.

“I [have] got to be honest, I’m not sure what my relationship is with Vince McMahon. I’m not sure if he believes in me or not. He can be a man of few words. When I show up to work, I find out what I need to do and go handle my business in the ring,” Balor admitted. “That’s kind of how I’ve handled my career for the last 18 years. I’m not the type of guy who is going to be knocking on doors trying to pitch storylines and work inside angles. I’m just going to show up and do my job. I will say he has shown nothing but respect to me face-to-face, but that is as far as our relationship goes.”

Do you think Vince McMahon believes in Finn? Will Balor make the most of his opportunity this Sunday and walk out victorious? Does he need to channel ‘The Demon’ to stand against ‘The Beast’?

This Sunday, current WWE United States Champion, Rusev, will defend against Shinsuke Nakamura. Their match takes place during the Royal Rumble Kickoff Show, which begins at 5E/2P.

The three-time US Champion took the time for an interview recently with Planeta Wrestling. During their conversation, Rusev divulged that the popular ‘Rusev Day’ concept was only meant to be a one and done thing.

“It [Rusev Day] was supposed to be a one-off, just a celebration after I beat Randy Orton and that was it,” he admitted. “A few weeks after I was going “Rusev Day, Rusev Day” and people really started digging it. Even in the backstage, with the New Day and with Aiden singing “Rusev Day” helped. People just got it and loved the whole concept and it became really big.”

“I went from being the most hated or one of the most hated to now being praised. I loved being both.”

Rusev then talked about wanting to elevate the importance and prestige of the United State championship. He admits, however, that no matter the title, he would feel the same way.

That’s why “[…] every time I step foot in that ring I wanna have a great match to prove that this title belongs right there with all the rest.”

“There’s No Gimmick. It’s Just Me.”

In another interview, with sportskeeda.com, Rusev extrapolated on the importance of Rusev Day in relation to his WWE character. He claims that “It’s never been about [portraying] a good guy or a bad guy. I’ve always been me. And that’s what people don’t understand. Just because I supported Russia before because that was my belief or understanding, that doesn’t mean I was a bad guy.”

“I was just outspoken about what I believe in. And now, instead of Russia, I believe in Rusev Day. And being the best United States Champion I can be. That’s what I believe in. There’s no character. There’s no gimmick. It’s just me.”

Rusev will take on last year’s Royal Rumble winner, Shinsuke Nakamura this Sunday, 27th January.

H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcription. 

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the full card line up for their slate of upcoming shows in the United States. The tour, entitled The New Beginning USA, kicks off on January 30th at the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles.

The announced card, however, has left a number of NJPW fans unimpressed with the lack of any Japanese wrestlers. With wrestlers such as Jonathan Gresham, Colt Cabana, Shane Taylor, etc involved, it appears that NJPW is already putting their working relationship with Ring Of Honor to use. NJPW will be running their Road To The New Beginning tour in Japan between 01/26 and 01/30, which may explain the absence of Japanese talent on their USA run.

The main event of Night One (1/30) will feature a special tag match, advertised as ‘One Night Only’ that sees Roppongi Vice team up for the first time. Rocky Romero and Beretta have not teamed since Beretta moved to the heavyweight division.

New Beginning USA appears to also act as a showcase opportunity for members of New Japan’s L.A. Dojo, with many of their students making their debut across this tour.

The New Beginning USA 1/30

• Alex Coughlin vs Clark Connors
• Jonathan Gresham vs Tyler Bateman
• Colt Cabana vs Shane Taylor
• Brody King and Marty Scurll vs Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer
• Jeff Cobb vs Karl Fredericks
• David Finlay vs Chuckie T
• Tracy Williams and Juice Robinson vs Rocky Romero and Beretta

You can see the full cards for 01/02 here, and their 02/02 show here.

What do you make of this card? Will you be attending The New Beginning USA shows? Has this increased or decreased your anticipation for the event?

With all the anticipation surrounding Kenny Omega, it appears that “The Best Bout Machine” has plenty of options available to him as his NJPW contract nears expiration. Unsurprisingly, one promotion, in particular, would love to have Omega join their ranks: All Elite Wrestling.

Speaking recently with the Breaking Kayfabe podcast, Executive Vice President of AEW, Cody Rhodes, spoke candidly on a number of issues. During the course of the podcast, Cody would discuss NJPW, AEW’s growing roster, as well as his vision for the long term company goals, and the chances of signing Kenny Omega.

“I Don’t Think It’s The Last For Me”

It appears that Cody still has intentions of wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He was open with his praise for the company, saying “What a wonderful, absolutely wonderful company that is! And an absolutely wonderful environment — locker room and really, in the world of sports entertainment, they skew so far toward the sport of pure wrestling. I definitely know that I don’t think it’s the last for me. I’m just speaking for me, I can’t speak for the company in this regard, but I’d like to remain friends.”

He would then allude to NJPW’s continued working relationship with Ring Of Honor, and hoped that AEW could one day join that.

“They have various partnerships now, New Japan does. I’d hope that maybe All Elite Wrestling can be one as well.”

Best Bout Machine

In regards to Kenny Omega, Cody was quick to assure everyone that, no matter where Omega ends up, The Elite would support his decision. As far as Cody is concerned, Omega will always be a part of The Elite.

“Kenny’s a free agent and not arguably, genuinely, he’s the hottest free agent in the world,” Rhodes said.

“One thing I really like about the group of friends and The Elite group is, no matter what he decides to do, if he decides to go to WWE, if he decides to go to AEW, if he continues to only do New Japan Pro Wrestling, he’s still part of The Elite, and everyone supports whatever decision that he makes.

I obviously want him to be a part of what’s happening because, who am I kidding, I’m late to the party that is The Elite. […] I’d really like him to join us but time, and what’s most important to him, will kinda be the factors there. Money is one thing, creative freedom is another.”

Listen to Cody’s comments about Kenny Omega in AEW here:

https://audioboom.com/posts/7147774-all-elite-wrestling-executive-vice-president-cody-rhodes-joins-breaking-kayfabe

H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcribed quotes

In an update to the reports of Mike and Maria Kanellis requesting their WWE releases, it appears the couple is not scheduled to be traveling with WWE any time soon.

According to a report by Mike Johnson of PWInsider, “Two of the talents that have been talked about quite a bit are Mike and Maria Kanellis … We are told they are not on the road for WWE this week and they are not scheduled to be on the road which seems a little weird because everyone’s on the road every week.”

The timing of this report is curious to say the least. Earlier this week, after the initial reports began circulating that Mike and Maria were on their way out of WWE, Maria Kanellis pushed back on social media. Maria denied that she asked for her release, but did not address Mike’s status. She also commented on a number of different topics, including WWE’s support for her and Mike’ road to recovery from substance abuse.

It’s worth noting that Mike and Maria’s current hiatus from WWE could be pre-approved vacation time or something totally unrelated.

There has been another interesting development that adds another level of depth to this situation. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, WWE was gearing up to premiere a new collection on the network titled, “Power Of Love Collection.” The special, which would have been hosted by Mike and Maria, is no longer being advertised.

Some fans have taken issue with the fact that Mike and Maria have been on the sidelines for the majority of their current WWE run. Mike Kanellis didn’t do much on WWE television before taking extended time off to address his addiction issues. Maria got pregnant and gave birth to their daughter, Freddie Moon Bennett.

Dolph Ziggler’s future with WWE remains a hot topic of conversation amongst fans. A few days ago, we reported on the possibility that Ziggler is wrapping up his duties with WWE. Ziggler hasn’t featured on TV since losing to his former partner, Drew McIntyre, inside a steel cage match last month on Monday Night Raw. Since then, he has removed any association with the name ‘Dolph Ziggler’ from his social media accounts.

With speculation surrounding him regarding an upcoming comedy tour, the timing does seem to coincide with his projected exit date of January 31st.

Commenting recently on the situation was Mike Johnson of PWInsiderElite.com. Reflecting on Ziggler’s current status with WWE, and how they’ve been implementing him, Johnson commented that, “Dolph Ziggler worked the house shows over the weekend and as we’ve talked about there are rumors around certain circles in WWE saying that on January 31st he’ll be done.”

He continued, stating that “Ziggler was not at Raw last night. I was told he was never scheduled to be there. He’s only scheduled for the house shows, so he worked the house shows on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and he went home while the rest of the crew went to RAW. So Dolph was not there.”

“People say ‘Well is it possible that Dolph Ziggler will be at the Royal Rumble?’ Of course, it’s possible, he lives in Phoenix so we’ll see if he actually appears at the pay-per-view or not.”

The timing of it all does seem to heavily indicate that Dolph is simply fulfilling his contractual obligations until January 31st. Still, with the Rumble event taking place this Sunday, could we be seeing him compete in the matchup, if only for one last time?

Do you think Ziggler is done with WWE? If he stays what do you think could be next for him?

WWE has updated their card for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble event. Two matches, previously featured as main card bouts, will now be taking place during the Royal Rumble Kickoff Pre-Show, beginning at 5E/2P.

Those matches are the WWE United States Championship match, seeing Rusev defending his title against former champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, and the Fatal 4-Way for the WWE Cruiserweight championship. The latter match will have Buddy Murphy attempt to retain against Kalista, Akira Tozawa, and Hideo Itami.

So if you were particularly interested in either of those matches, be sure to tune in for the Kickoff show this Sunday.

Royal Rumble 2019

WWE Universal Title Match
Brock Lesnar (c) vs Finn Balor

WWE Title Match
Daniel Bryan (c) vs AJ Styles

RAW Women’s Title Match
Ronda Rousey (c) vs Sasha Banks

SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Asuka (c) vs Becky Lynch

SmackDown Tag Team Titles Match
Cesaro and Sheamus (c) vs The Miz and Shane McMahon

30-Woman Royal Rumble Match

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

Kickoff Pre-Show

WWE United States Title Match
Rusev (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Fatal 4 Way for the WWE Cruiserweight Title
Buddy Murphy (c) vs Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Hideo Itami

Royal Rumble takes place this Sunday, January 27th, from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

It wasn’t that long ago that former-205 Live Superstar, Mustafa Ali, made his SmackDown Live debut. Since that time, Ali has already established himself as a main roster talent, facing off against top talent like Bryan and Samoa Joe.

Mustafa Ali recently took the time to sit down with Chris Jericho for the latter’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho. During their conversation, Ali recounted being told that he was moving from 205 Live to SmackDown. He also spoke about “The Planet’s Champion” Daniel Bryan, and the fact that the performers on 205 Live are a similar size to the majority of WWE’s main roster talent.

“They Need You Right Now”

Prior to working with Bryan on SmackDown, Ali recalled on being told he wouldn’t be featured on 205 Live for a few weeks. This is because the writers had nothing for him at the time. Those plans changed when he was told he would debut on WWE’s main roster.

“[…] so I’m kind of showing up at TV, just hanging out and they were like, ‘Hey, you’re working SmackDown tonight.’ ‘Oh, okay.’ ‘And you’re working Daniel Bryan, and you have a promo with him too, and it’s three segments.’ I’m like, ‘okay,’ and I’m kind of blowing off this writer, like, ‘okay, yeah, yeah.’ And he was like, ‘no, I’m being serious. They need you right now. Like, go. Go.'”

He continued, saying, “I’m like, ‘is he confusing me for somebody? What is going on?’ Then I find out and I’m told that day, ‘It’s just a one-time deal. We kind of want to see what happens with it. We’re going to give 205 the rub [and] Bryan wants to work with you,’ so I was obviously honored, and I went out there and I did my thing. I was told it was a one-time deal. ‘Okay, cool.’ The next week, ‘Hey, when you get in, go see Road Dogg, Brian James.’ And Road Dogg’s the one that tells me. He’s like, ‘hey, we’re taking you off of 205. You’re on SmackDown now and you’re teaming with AJ Styles tonight and you guys are working the main event again against Andrade and Daniel Bryan. And you’re getting the win on Bryan.’”

“He’ll Never Come Out And Say It To Me”

Ali believes that Daniel Bryan probably has more to do with this call-up than he has admitted. “I’ll never put words in anyone’s mouth, but there’s so many inclinations that I’m having that he had more to say about it than he’s letting on. I mean, just for a guy to get plucked out of 205 and I get put with him in a program and he’s attacking me backstage after my second or third week on SmackDown…it’s all very him.”

He continued, “And, man, what a guy to learn from. I have nothing but good things to say about him, but he’ll never come out and say it to me, I don’t think. I have a feeling he is more involved than he’s letting on.”

H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcribed quotes

Velveteen Dream is a deft hand at generating buzz around himself. Not only through his in-ring style and charisma, but also via his social media presence.

From wearing trunks instructing Vince McMahon to call him up to the main roster, to encouraging the WWE Universe to bombard the company with requests to see him on Monday Night Raw or SmackDown Live, Velveteen Dream knows how to harness the spotlight.

This time, however, Dream has sent a message directly aimed at his employer. He will be featured on this Wednesday’s episode of NXT, which also happens to be the final show prior to NXT’s TakeOver: Phoenix event on Saturday, January 26th.

He tweeted the following, before locking his account.

“I Know My Worth. The past year I’ve created a special atmosphere at NXTTAKEOVER. Until WE* can come 2 an agreement as 2 what MY WORTH actually is, there won’t be any appearances or performances from “The Velveteen DREAM” or my likeness.”

Dream has proven himself in the ring as he continues to improve, with stellar matches against Tomasso Ciampa, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, and Ricochet, to name just a few.

Is Velveteen Dream ready for the main roster? Could he be a surprise entrant in the Men’s Royal Rumble match? Is calling out WWE a wise move?

It wasn’t that long ago that Jay White was officially recognized as the new leader of Bullet Club. This revelation led to a mix of emotions from fans of NJPW and Bullet Club, given how relatively new he was to the Club itself.

Other people’s feelings on the matter didn’t faze Bullet Club itself, however, as Tama Tonga took to Twitter to proclaim White’s leadership to the world. That, in itself, acted as a seal of approval from the newly supposed ‘Good Guy.’

Jay White is now the leader of #BulletClub …@JayWhiteNZ

— Tama Tonga (@Tama_Tonga) December 22, 2018

Speaking recently with Digital Spy, Jay White spoke about being elected Bullet Club leader. He also discussed training at the NJPW dojo, and about wrestling fans who might be looking for alternatives to WWE.

“I don’t know if people thought it was going to be awkward,” White admitted. “I’ve known those guys for years. I’ve got more claim to being one of the Bullet Club OGs than others may think because I was brought in by guys like Prince Devitt and Bad Luck Fale and I was there as a ‘young boy’ and I knew those guys.”

“A Lot Of Fans Complain, But They Never Try To Watch Anything Else”

Speaking of training at the NJPW dojo, White admitted that he was somewhat of a “blend” during his time there.

“To the Japanese guys, I’m a foreigner,” he explained. “To some of the new foreign guys, I’m almost like a Japanese person in terms of knowing their culture and their ways and how things are backstage. It depends who you compare me to, I’m like a blend of the two, I’m in between.”

He then claimed that New Japan’s product was “[…] more of a sport than a TV show. You see so many fans getting tired of the same WWE stuff. A lot of fans complain and complain, but they never try to watch anything else at all. The things that they’re often complaining about New Japan has and offers. So all those things you’re able to find with New Japan.”

Ever since moving from NXT to Raw, Ember Moon has been trying to help elevate the women’s division on the red brand. She’s not alone in her endeavors, as the women on both Raw and SmackDown share that united ambition.

Speaking recently with Busted Open Radio, Moon discussed with Bully Ray whom she believes to have the most potential amongst the women’s locker room. Bully asked if she agreed that fellow NXT-alumni, Ruby Riott and Sonya Deville, have further potential regarding their main roster runs.

“Oh yeah, 100 per cent,” she said. “[…] I’ve shared a locker room with both of those girls in NXT. I was there for Sonya’s first day when she came in knowing nothing about what we did, even from Tough Enough.”

“To see how much she’s grown from where she started and how she’s come into her own…she hasn’t changed who she is depending on who’s around her. She is who she is and that’s what you’re gonna get,” Moon explained. “A whole bunch of intensity, hard hits – I love her to death. I love watching her because something about her look just draws me in. I just wanna watch her.”

Riott Squad Love

Moon then recounted the journey she has shared with Ruby Riott in pro wrestling. The two come from similar professional backgrounds, both meeting whilst wrestling for the independent scene, wrestling for small crowds as they continued to hone their craft.

“I love her [Riott] more than life itself. We’ve had a similar journey to being on the independent scene and being told that because of the way we looked, we weren’t going to get hired. Then going from that swing to this Women’s Evolution… It’s really cool – we have a very personal relationship because we tagged and wrestled on the indies.”

Do you agree with Ember Moon? Who else on the women’s roster has the potential to break into the main event?

Alexa Bliss suffered an unfortunate injury that resulted in a concussion late last year. Ever since then, there has been speculation and rumor surrounding Alexa Bliss’ overall health and when she may return to in-ring action.

Last night during her talk show segment, ‘Moment Of Bliss’, Alexa cleared up all worry and confusion. She’s coming back, and will officially return at this Sunday’s Women’s Royal Rumble event.

Alexa has not competed in-ring since a WWE Live Event back on October 20th 2018. In that time, she has gone through rigorous testing in order to ensure she is healthy and capable of returning to competition.

Thankfully, it appears that all the hard work, rehabbing, and tests have paid off as Lil’ Miss Bliss now aims to walk away with that lucrative number one contender opportunity.

Just after a massive brawl breaks out during a #MomentofBliss, @AlexaBliss_WWE announces that she will be competing in this year's Women's #RoyalRumble Match! #Raw pic.twitter.com/sy3XN0p54e

— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019

Royal Rumble 2019

WWE Universal Title Match
Brock Lesnar (c) vs Finn Balor

WWE Title Match
Daniel Bryan (c) vs AJ Styles

RAW Women’s Title Match
Ronda Rousey (c) vs Sasha Banks

SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Asuka (c) vs Becky Lynch

SmackDown Tag Team Titles Match
Cesaro and Sheamus (c) vs The Miz and Shane McMahon

WWE United States Title Match
Rusev (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Fatal 4 Way for the WWE Cruiserweight Title
Buddy Murphy (c) vs Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Hideo Itami

30-Woman Royal Rumble Match

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

Royal Rumble takes place this Sunday, January 27th, from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

It’s that time of year when WWE welcomes a new class of NXT recruits to the performance center in Orlando, Florida. In recent weeks, we’ve been hearing about some familiar names from ROH, New Japan, Impact and the independent scene will be participating. An exclusive report from Raj Giri at WrestlingINC confirms several members of the new class.

We recently reported on Trevor Lee not only leaving Impact Wrestling but announcing he had officially signed with WWE. The former X-Division champion begins his new journey at the WWE Performance Center in February. He won’t be alone, however, as he will be joined a number of other notable names.

Rachael Ellering, daughter to Paul Ellering, will also be starting. Rachael has actually had experience performing for NXT and was a part of the 2017 and 2018 Mae Young Classic.

Karen Q, who has been making strides for herself as a part of ROH’s Women Of Honor, is another member of this new rookie group. She also competed in the 2018 Mae Young Classic.

Perhaps one the most notable names to be joining them come February is ACH. ACH has experience performing all around the world, most notably for both ROH and NJPW. He has performed in both New Japan’s ‘Best of the Super Juniors’ tournament as well as the Super Jr. Tag Tournament.

Rounding out the group of NXT’s newest signees are former TNA Gut Check winner, Sam Shaw, Scott Parker and Shane Matthews, Jonah Rock, Elliot Sexton, and Nick Comoroto.

Who do you think WWE has their eyes on? Who’s going to be the stand out amongst this stacked group?

During last night’s Mortal Kombat 11 event, it was revealed that Ronda Rousey would be voicing Sonya Blade. The event was broadcast live from both Los Angeles and London, with different reveals happening at each.

Boon played a short behind-the-scenes documentary video that would eventually announce Ronda Rousey’s involvement with the game. She admitted she was excited about the opportunity. Ronda also referred to Sonya Blade as the first “kick-ass female video game character that I related to.”

“It’s a dream come true to be a part of the Mortal Kombat franchise that I grew up playing.”

The current Raw Women’s Champion shared that she had “always admired her [Sonya Blade] and, admittedly, kind of emulated her in my own way, and now I get to try and be her.”

After the video concluded, Boon would then introduce Ronda on stage for a short interview. They discussed what it was like to be a part of the franchise, who her favorite Mortal Kombat character is, and how she prepared for the role.

Sonya Blade was one of the original 7 fighters available on Mortal Kombat’s roster, released back in 1992. She was also the only female character.

For the gamers amongst you, Mortal Kombat 11 will be released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One X, and Nintendo Switch on April 23rd.

It’s no surprise now that many promotions are trying to lock down talent. With All Elite Wrestling becoming a major new player, both New Japan Pro Wrestling and WWE have become acutely aware that other viable options now exist. Another promotion that has been actively signing talent is Ring Of Honor.

ROH recently bade farewell to the majority of The Elite (bar Marty Scurll), as they left to begin their new venture with AEW. We’ve written before about ROH’s COO, Joe Koff’s positive attitude regarding ROH’s future.

Koff recently had an interview with WrestleZone where he was once again asked about AEW, and the impact that losing some of the major players on their roster could have on ROH.

“They Will Always Be A Part Of The ROH Family”

“Talent leaving Ring of Honor is not new to us. Like many of the other stars that have gone onto other promotions, we thank Cody, Hangman and the Young Bucks for their contributions. They, like all of the ROH Alumni will always be part of the ROH family.”

Those names Joe Koff mentioned, and Bullet Club as a whole, helped to bolster ROH during recent years, being a known promotion to feature the group. This was during a time where Bullet Club’s popularity was noticeably growing worldwide.

“Changes Are A Natural Process Of Wrestling”

“Throughout the years, ROH has provided our wrestlers a unique platform to showcase their talents to a worldwide audience,” Koff said. “We are proud of the wrestlers who have not only gone on to enjoy successful careers outside of ROH but, most importantly, the ones who continue to make ROH the most forward-thinking promotion in the industry.

Changes are a natural process of wrestling and any organization, but there has never been a shortage of exceptional and deserving men and women willing to take advantage of those opportunities.  Our incredibly talented roster will continue to move this company forward as we continue to aggressively expand globally and be on the forefront of content distribution through HonorClub and broadcast affiliates across this country.”

ROH has been a proving ground for many wrestlers over the years, and their alumni section is stacked with people who have gone on to achieve great things in other promotions. Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, and many more grew and honed their abilities in ROH.

Koff has a good attitude towards this situation. Rather than pine over what they’ve lost, he seems to want to actively grow their roster and develop new stars to grab that proverbial brass ring. This is evidenced in their signings of Mark Haskins, RUSH, Bandido, PCO, Brody King, and more.

In the wake of numerous reports surrounding WWE talent asking for their release, one Superstar has responded to the rumors.

Taking to Twitter, Maria Kanellis addressed the speculation that she and her husband, Mike Kanellis, recently requested their release from WWE.

It was actually a fan question that prompted her response. She was asked why she was excited to be included in WWE 2K19’s Rising Stars DLC pack when she had asked to leave WWE.

Despite not out-right denying the rumor, Maria did downplay it by openly mocking it.

“Everyone thinks they know everything. Hahahahaha…. it’s social media not an autobiography.”

Everyone thinks they know everything. Hahahahaha…. it’s social media not an autobiography. https://t.co/5wlyJgzfF1

— MariaKanellisBennett (@MariaLKanellis) January 17, 2019

Setting The Record Straight

Maria proceeded to clear up some misinformation surrounding both her and Mike Kanellis, setting the record straight. She addressed Mike’s substance abuse recovery, and whether or not WWE was supportive of her when she became pregnant with the couple’s daughter.

“Social Media Fact Check: Mike NEVER went to rehap ANYWHERE. He was on the road with me rehabbing. We were on house shows. He never took time off to rehab. He worked through it.”

Social Media Fact Check: Mike NEVER went to rehap ANYWHERE. He was on the road with me rehabbing. We were on house shows. He never took time off to rehab. He worked through it.

— MariaKanellisBennett (@MariaLKanellis) January 17, 2019

“Social Media Fact Check: I worked for WWE for 6 years before I got pregnant. I worked in sports entertainment for 14 years before having a baby.”

Social Media Fact Check: I worked for WWE for 6 years before I got pregnant. I worked in sports entertainment for 14 years before having a baby.

— MariaKanellisBennett (@MariaLKanellis) January 17, 2019

“Social Media Fact Check: WWE has been SUPER supportive of me being a mother and a superstar!”

Social Media Fact Check: WWE has been SUPER supportive of me being a mother and a superstar!

— MariaKanellisBennett (@MariaLKanellis) January 17, 2019

If they did leave, where would you have liked them to go? AEW? ROH? Do you think WWE will utilize them now?