MVP has been working for some time to try and reunite the Hurt Business, but the veteran Superstar could soon be introducing a new faction.
Upon his return to WWE in 2020, it wasn’t long until MVP rallied his own group of Superstars, including Bobby Lashley, Cedric Alexander, and Shelton Benjamin.
MVP would manage every member of the group to championship gold, with the Hurt Business having won the WWE Championship, United States Championship, Raw Tag Team Titles, and 24/7 Championship.
New Faction
While MVP has been able to win over Alexander and Benjamin with a Hurt Business reunion, Lashley has proven to be unresponsive, given that MVP betrayed him on the Raw after WrestleMania 38.
Taking to Instagram this week, MVP teased that he has been speaking business with some names backstage, including his current client Omos, and the Street Profits, and NXT’s Carmelo Hayes.
Of all the names in the photo above, perhaps the most interesting is Hayes, who is yet to be called up to WWE’s main roster.
That’s not for lack of trying, as Hayes has in the past suggested that his time with NXT is coming to an end, and he is said to be well-liked by WWE management.
Hayes was at RAW last night for a match against Akira Tozawa during the pre-Raw WWE Main Event tapings.
WWE is asking around for names to be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame, according to the Wrestling Observer.
Since 1996, WWE has inducted individuals into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their contributions to wrestling.
WWE also has the Warrior Award for individuals in wrestling who have made a significant, off-screen contribution as well as their Celebrity wing for achievement in the world of entertainment.
2023 Hall of Fame
At this time, nobody has been confirmed for this year’s class of inductees, which has come as a surprise.
Typically, WWE will have confirmed multiple inductees this close to their biggest event of the year.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that while nobody is confirmed “people are being asked for the Hall of Fame.”
Meltzer speculated that Triple H’s idea is for everyone to be announced in the last week, and stressed that WWE is “running low on time.”
While the Game has called legends in the past for the Hall of Fame, this year’s ceremony will be his first as Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations.
Who Makes the Cut?
While nobody has been publicly confirmed by WWE, there’s no shortage of names rumored to be going into the Hall of Fame this year.
It has been reported that former World Champion Dave Batista will be headlining this year’s class, after withdrawing from the 2020 class.
Last month, Ric Flair shared his belief that the Midnight Express should be inducted, calling them a “great team.”
Trish Stratus (a 2013 inductee) said last month that Victoria and Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Champion Mickie James both deserve the nod.
Why exactly was WWE’s Executive Chairman Vince McMahon backstage during this week’s Raw?
After returning to WWE in January, fans (and the roster) were concerned that McMahon would resume a position of power in the company’s creative team.
Instead, McMahon has kept his distance from WWE programming and has reportedly remained focused on finding a buyer for WWE.
Backstage Visit
This week, McMahon ended his exile from WWE programming by being backstage during Raw.
It has been reported that McMahon was visiting John Cena, who made his return during the show and confronted Austin Theory.
While many have stated that McMahon’s only purpose on the show, some have speculated that the Chairman had an ulterior motive.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that McMahon and WWE are doing “more than they’re letting on.”
Meltzer insisted that Triple H remained “in control,” as he has been since being appointed Head of Talent and Head of Creative last July.
When asked about whether McMahon had big plans backstage, or was there to simply say hi, Meltzer said “the truth is in the middle.”
McMahon Back on TV?
Vince McMahon has made his return to the backstage of WWE programming, but is a return in front of the camera next?
Immediately after his return to the company in January, there were concerns by fans and talent that the Mr. McMahon character’s return to TV was inevitable.
Any return to programming would earn WWE significant backlash given the seriousness of the allegations against McMahon and the scandal that led to his retirement.
Speaking on Bill Simmons’ podcast in January, WWE CEO Nick Khan said there are no plans for McMahon to be on TV, although he admitted that it could change “in a few months.”
McMahon appeared at both WrestleMania 37 (where he welcomed fans back amid the Thunderdome era) and at WrestleMania 38 (where he defeated Pat McAfee.)
WWE Hall of Famer Alundra ‘Madusa’ Blayze has opened up about her complex relationship with professional wrestling.
Blayze competed in the WWF as part of the New Generation, before leaving for WCW to work as Madusa in 1995.
Blayze infamously dumped the WWF Women’s Championship in the trash on Monday Nitro, a creative call by Eric Bischoff that Blayze was against at the time.
While Bischoff would be welcomed to WWE in 2002, Blayze would be blacklisted for 20 years after the title incident, before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Lost Generation
During her tenure in the WWF, Alundra Blayze worked with some impressive women, though in a time when women’s wrestling wasn’t a huge attraction.
Speaking on The Sessions, Blayze dubbed her locker room the lost generation, neither being remembered for their skills nor for the titillation fans would see in the Attitude Era.
I was jaded for a long time in pro wrestling. I was good to pro wrestling. Pro wrestling wasn’t good to me. It was because of that. So you had your June Byers. You had your [Fabulous] Moolahs and your Mae [Young.] That wonderful great start of women, sixty or seventy years ago. But if it wasn’t for those women, there wouldn’t have been the next era, which was a little jump. Your Wendi Richters, your Sherri Martels, your Jumping Bomb Angels, and your Glamor Girls.
“I was good to pro wrestling. Pro wrestling wasn’t good to me.”
Alundra Blayze.
“We had that whole wonderful thing when Wendi Richter was in the first WrestleMania. My God! And then you had a little bit of a stint on the second, and third, maybe. And then really, we didn’t have a woman’s wrestling WrestleMania match until WrestleMania 10, which is mine against Leilani Kai.”
Social Media
Not only were Blayze and other women at the time not being given much of an opportunity to shine, but their issues extended outside of the ring.
In the interview, Blayze said that getting interviewed did little to help them, as writers would edit or even make-up quotes for their own agendas.
“Our social media at the time was people, writing for magazines, and they were writing their story, how they thought, and would put our interviews in their voice, which we basically never said. So we had no control.
“Thank God for social media [today.] Because people are able to go back at history and look at everything that was there and the people that were there before.”
“There’s always everything we see from the Attitude Era forward, which is fantastic. If we keep pushing that, then that’s all they [the fans] know. But if we educate something, a little bit before [the Attitude Era] then they’re going to want to do some history, want to kick it up and knowledge themselves.”
WWE Relationship
It wouldn’t be until 2015 that Alundra Blayze was welcomed back to WWE, and has made sporadic appearances for the company.
Blayze told Renee Paquette that she is pleased for what she has now, and considers herself a representative of the ‘lost generation.’
“I’m thankful for what I do and have with WWE, intermittently when they do give you a call. Because I feel that it’s not just helping me. It’s helping to represent the women before the Attitude Era. And I see that as a whole now.”
Alundra Blayze.
Stepping Out
While WWE was in no hurry to bring Blayze back into the fold once WCW folded, the former WCW Cruiserweight Champion was in no hurry to return either.
As someone who takes great pride in her wrestling ability, Blayze explained that she considered herself done with wrestling after WCW went under.
“Man, I had to step out of wrestling in 2001 when I retired. I was like ‘I’m out of here, I’m out of this s**t show.’ I didn’t like the way the direction of the women was going. I hated how they were writing women, even in WCW at that time.
“I was like ‘I’m out of here, I’m out of this s**t show.’”
Alundra Blayze on retiring from wrestling in 2001.
“I didn’t want to do bra and panties, I didn’t want to do barbeque matches and tear off your nightgown. Kudos to the women who stuck it out during the Attitude Era, because hell, they didn’t have another choice. You had to do what you had to do. It was their contract. But again, we have choices. You can say yes or you can say no.”
Blayze’s new memoir ‘The Woman Who Would be King‘ is set to hit bookshelves later this month.
Zelina Vega’s love of anime is hardly a secret, but the Superstar struggled to explain one of the most popular series ever to Vince McMahon.
Vega’s time in WWE has been somewhat mixed and in late 2020, she was fired from the company minutes after expressing support for unionization.
Rehired in the summer of 2021, Vega would win that year’s Queen’s Crown Tournament and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Crunchyroll? Is That Sushi?
Vega has been able to incorporate her love anime and Japanese culture into her WWE character, and can often be found cosplaying on social media.
Recently, Vega discussed how she was able to have an entrance inspired by Naruto’s Madara Uchiha for the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Vega told I Hear Voices hosts Will Friedle (Batman Beyond) and Christy Clark Romano (Kim Possible) that explaining the concept to Vince McMahon proved to be quite the task.
“I told him ‘I want Neil Kaplan [English voice of Madara] to do my entrance for the Royal Rumble.’ Vince was like, ‘why? Well, he is the voice of Madara Uchiha. ‘Who’s that?‘ I was like, OK. Do you know what Crunchyroll is? He’s like ‘it’s sushi, yes.’”
Zelina Vega
Vega realized that for McMahon to understand her ideas, she would need to speak his language.
“[I said] Crunchyroll is like the Netflix of anime. He’s like ‘okay, I get that.‘ So Naruto is like the WWE of anime. He’s like ‘okay, I like Naruto. This is good.‘ Madara is kind of like what Paul Heyman is to Roman! He was like ‘okay, we need it.’”
Zelina Vega.
Zelina would get her Naruto-inspired entrance and would last over 17 minutes in the match, scoring one elimination (Sasha Banks) before being tossed out by Rhea Ripley.
Mick Foley may be something of a cuddly teddy bear these days, but the three-time former WWE Champion is ready to raise some hell as part of The Judgment Day.
This April will mark one year since the group debuted, and initially consisted of Edge and Damian Priest.
At WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022, Rhea Ripley was added to the group, and Finn Balor’s entry not long after would see Edge be ousted as leader.
It was at September’s Clash at the Castle Premium Live Event that Dominik Mysterio joined the group, after betraying Edge and his father Rey Mysterio.
Foley’s Judgment
Mick Foley’s days in the ring are long behind him, but the WWE Hall of Famer has expressed a (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) interest in joining the faction.
On YouTube, Foley donned a distinct purple and black flannel to seek “gainful employment” as a member and referenced his decades of experience in the industry.
Foley also acknowledged his moniker as ‘King of the Death Match’ and mentioned reaching the New York Times bestseller list twice.
While praising the group’s various skills (including the abs of Finn Balor,) Foley requested his son Dewey to draw more tear ‘tattoos’ on his face.
Dewey instead wrote the word ‘Help Me’ on his father’s forehead (a not to Al Snow) and a more ‘phallic’ piece of ink on his other cheek.
Judgment Day at WrestleMania
The Judgment Day is yet to publicly respond to Foley’s resume, but with or without the Hardcore legend, they’ll be kept pretty busy at WrestleMania.
After becoming the first woman to win a Royal Rumble match from #1, Rhea Ripley will challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair this April.
On next week’s Raw, Edge and Finn Balor will have a confrontation, and it has been rumored that a Hell in a Cell match between the two will take place at WrestleMania.
There have been rumors that Dominik Mysterio will face his father Rey next month in the father and son’s home state of California.
The dream team of WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Becky Lynch and Lita, and Trish Stratus, are looking to shut Damage CTRL up for good at WrestleMania 39.
Last month, Lita made her return to WWE to aid Lynch in a steel cage match against Bayley, which had originally been scheduled for the Raw is XXX event.
On last week’s Raw, Lynch and Lita dethroned Dakota Kai and IYO SKY to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, the first title for Lita since 2006.
While Bayley tried to interfere in that match, the returning Trish Stratus (who had been scheduled for the previous week’s Raw but didn’t appear) neutralized the Role Model.
WrestleMania 39
On this week’s Raw, the new champions and Stratus celebrated the victory but were quickly interrupted by Damage CTRL
Stratus then challenged Damage CTRL to a six-woman-tag team match and made it clear that she wanted to shut Bayley up once and for all.
Bayley accepted the challenge on behalf of her team.
The WrestleMania match will mark Stratus’ first match since SummerSlam 2019, when she lost to Charlotte Flair in Canada.
Surprisingly, this will mark the second in-ring WrestleMania appearance for Lita, after she challenged for the WWF Women’s Championship at WrestleMania X8.
Double-Booked?
The announcement of Lynch, Lita and Stratus against Damage CTRL at WrestleMania is an interesting one, given that this isn’t the match many expected.
It has been reported that WWE’s plan initially was for Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at the two-night event in April.
Despite Rousey aggravating an injury (which is why she was in a sling on last Friday’s SmackDown,) she is expected to be fully healed in time for WrestleMania.
There is the possibility that the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions could compete on both nights, a feat Tamina Snuka and Natalya achieved at WrestleMania 37 in 2021.
WWE will be adding some new royalty to their history books with the crowning of a new King and Queen of the Ring later this year.
It has been confirmed that the King and Queen of the Ring event will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 27.
WWE’s most recent coronation also happened in Saudi Arabia, at the Crown Jewel 2021 event.
At that show, Xavier Woods (who had rallied for the return of the KOTR tournament) was crowned King.
Zelina Vega, mere months after her return to WWE, bested Doudrop to win the ‘Queen’s Crown Tournament’ as WWE opted against calling her Queen of the Ring.
Unhappy
For the video package aired on Raw, WWE featured several Superstars, but two notable exceptions were Vega and Woods.
On Twitter, Vega expressed her displeasure at the fact that the most recent King and Queen of WWE were nowhere to be seen.
Love that the last and FIRST Queen Of The Ring wasn’t shown in that clip but ok ??
The first King of the Ring tournament took place back in 1985, when Don ‘The Rock’ Muraco captured the crown, besting the Iron Sheik in the finals.
In the following years, Harley Race, Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana, and Bret Hart would all be crowned King.
In 1993, WWE introduced the King of the Ring event to Television, with Bret once again winning, becoming the only two-time King of the Ring winner in history.
Jon Moxley may have become the heart and soul of All Elite Wrestling, but the former World Champion has not forgotten about those he worked with in WWE.
Moxley arrived in AEW mere weeks after his departure from WWE and would become the second World Championship of the promotion.
The former Dean Ambrose now holds the records for the most AEW World Championship reigns (three, or four if you include his interim reign) and most days as AEW World Champion.
Revolution Tribute
Long before he was taking it to the likes of MJF, Kenny Omega, and the Young Bucks, Moxley was a staple of WWE, being introduced to the main roster as part of the Shield in 2012.
During last night’s Revolution Pay-Per-View, Moxley once again showed his violent side in his Texas Death Match against fellow former World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page.
In one spot, Moxley had Page’s head prone on some bricks, and in what fans online have called a nod to Seth Rollins, hit a stomp on the Cowboy.
Despite this brutal move, it would be Page who would win the match, getting the submission victory over Moxley after 24 minutes.
Seth on Moxley
Moxley and Rollins haven’t shared a ring in many years, but the Architect has continued to keep a close eye on his friend and former rival.
Speaking in an interview with Ariel Helwani last year, Rollins praised Moxley’s work in AEW, and said there have been no issues between them in the years since Jon left WWE.
“Never any animosity. He’s great, he’s at the top of his game doing his thing over in AEW. So nothing but the best.”
Seth Rollins.
Rollins is expected to face Logan Paul at WWE WrestleMania next month.
Vince McMahon may be back in charge of WWE, but the promotion is trying to distance its controversial chairman from WrestleMania 39.
McMahon made his shocking return to WWE two months ago, after retiring from all roles with the company in July of last year.
McMahon reportedly began plotting his comeback shortly after his retirement, believing he had been given bad advice by those closest to him.
Director no Longer
Given the California setting for the April event, WWE have leaned heavily into the Hollywood theme, with movie-style posters for Superstars being used in graphics.
For the poster of Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, the credits during a recent graphic included the phrase ‘Directed by Vince McMahon.’
Fans have speculated as to whether this was just a nod to McMahon’s ownership of WWE, or if it is a sign that he is more tied to creative than WWE is admitting.
In a more recent graphic though, McMahon has been ousted as ‘director,’ and the graphic now reads that WrestleMania 39 is directed by Selma Tinware.
Ms. Tinware is a name not known among wrestling fans, primarily because she does not exist, and Selma Tinware is merely an anagram of WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 39
WWE WrestleMania 39 will be (in theory) the first Showcase of the Immortals without McMahon heading the creative team.
In addition to the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Reigns and Cody Rhodes, the SmackDown Women’s Title will be on the line as Charlotte Flair will defend against Rhea Ripley.
Asuka looks to end the near-year-long reign of Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, while it will be Goliath Vs. Goliath as Brock Lesnar is set to face Omos.
John Cena is set to return to WWE TV soon enough, but fans will soon be hearing the 16-time WWE World Champion in a new animated project.
At the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, Seth Rogen announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem which is due for an August 4, release.
Cena will be voicing TMNT regular Rocksteady, a petty criminal who becomes a hulking, mutated rhinoceros due to radioactive ooze.
Interestingly enough, fellow WWE Superstar Sheamus portrayed the same character in 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
Mutant Mayhem
Cena will be working with an all-star cast for the project, including Jackie Chan as the voice of Splinter, the wise teacher of the titular turtles.
Fresh off the set of Marvel’s Ant-Man & The Wasp: QuantumMania, Paul Rudd will play Mondo Gecko.
The iconic heroes in a half-shell will be voiced by Micah Abbey (Donatello) Shamon Brown Jr. (Michaelangelo,) Nicolas Cantu (Leonardo,) and Brady Noon (Raphael.)
Aya Edebiri will be voicing TMNT icon April O’Neil, who helps the turtles in various adventures.
Cena in Animation
Though fans have seen plenty of Cena in films, thanks to blockbusters including Fast9, The Suicide Squad, and Bumblebee, Cena is no stranger to animation.
John played himself in 2014’s Scooby-Doo: WrestleMania Mystery, and played a prehistoric version of himself, John Cenastone in The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown!
This new project isn’t John’s first foray into the TMNT world, as he voiced Baron Draxum in eight episodes of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Ruby Soho has no plans to ease up on blading, despite the response from some fans and those in the industry.
For the main event of the January 13, 2023, edition of AEW Rampage, Soho bled profusely during her tag match with Willow Nightingale against Tay Melo and Anna Jay.
Immediately, there were claims that Ruby, and women in general, shouldn’t be blading, an argument that isn’t used for male wrestlers such as Jon Moxley or Bryan Danielson.
Important Conversation
While bleeding in women’s matches is not as common as in matches with their male counterparts, Soho won’t change her wrestling style to placate critics.
During an appearance on Fightful.com’s Grapsody podcast, Soho addressed the match and the backlash that it received from some fans and those in the business.
“If blood is in general it’s just not your thing totally get it. I completely understand that, that’s okay, that’s why wrestling is this beautiful melting pot of things is because there’s something out there for everybody, but if the fact that I’m a woman and I’m bleeding is the thing that bothers you, but you’re cool with like Mox and MJF and whoever bleeding but it’s just because I’m doing it is the thing you have a problem with then it’s a different conversation.”
Ruby Soho.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair made his opinions clear on the matter in January, saying that women should not be bleeding and that men should be blading more.
Soho went on to say that if people have a problem with her blading, and her appearance covered in blood, then they will just have to get used to it.
“It was a very important conversation to be had because there were arguments on both sides and to me I feel like it’s straying away from the one thing that we are trying to get away from is the reason that there is women’s wrestling is to give you something to look at.
“If I’m covered in blood I’m probably less attractive to most people and if that’s your problem then sorry to tell you then I’m just gonna keep getting more unattractive because my lipstick’s all over my face, my hair looks like I got electrocuted constantly when I’m wrestling like that’s not what I’m out there for is to be attractive to you. So, if that is what you’re watching me for and then stop watching me.”
Soho’s most recent match for AEW saw the ex-Superstar defeat Dr. Britt Baker and Penelope Ford, in a triple-threat on the February 15, episode of Dynamite.
WWE Superstar Zelina Vega was able to take some time away from the ring to present awards at this weekend’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
These fan-voted awards began in 2017, and according to Crunchyroll themselves, the “global event has annually recognized anime’s finest series and films.”
Crunchyroll is a popular American video-on-demand streaming service that specializes in Japanese anime and was founded in 2006.
Zelina Vega
At the awards, Zelina Vega walked the red (or orange) carpet for the ceremony, and presented several awards.
The former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion presented the Best Romance award to Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Ultra Romantic.
Vega also presented the Best Anime Song to Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2 for their track “The Rumbling” by SiM.
In an Instagram post, Vega said it was an “absolute honor” to be involved with the awards ceremony.
Zelina Vega’s love for anime and Japanese pop culture is hardly a secret to those who have followed the career of the 2021 Queen’s Crown Tournament winner.
During a recent interview with IGN, Vega spoke about her dream to one day be part of an Anime herself.
“I’m a huge fan of Naruto and Demon Slayer, and I’m just like, ‘Man, it would be amazing to have this full circle of voicing a character and then cosplaying them in the ring.”
Zelina Vega.
Vega is set to be part of the upcoming Street Fighter 6 video game commentary team.
AEW TNT Champion/Ring of Honor World Television Champion Samoa Joe is a force to be reckoned with, both in and out of the ring.
Joe arrived in AEW/ROH last year, months after being cut (for the second time in under a year) by WWE in January 2022.
In April 2022, Joe captured the ROH World TV title, and regained the AEW TNT Championship (which he had previously won at Full Gear 2022) last month.
Suicide Squad
Away from the ring, Samoa Joe has recently tried his hand at voice acting, and will be playing King Shark in the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game.
The game will see the titular squad take on the Justice League’s band of heroes, all of whom have been mind-controlled by the villainous super-intellect Brainiac.
Speaking about the game to WrestleZone, Joe promised that news and information will be coming soon.
“There will be probably more stuff coming out very, very much sooner than later, and some pretty cool [stuff] man. There’s a lot I can tell you that I can’t say anything about. There’ll be some pretty cool announcements.”
Samoa Joe.
Joe also praised the devlopers Rocksteady as the team behind the critically acclaimed Batman ‘Arkham’ series, and said that they “haven’t let up for this game”
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will be released on May 26, 2023 on PlayStation 5, XBox X/S and PC.
Twisted Metal
In addition to King Shark, Joe will be Sweet Tooth in the upcoming Twisted Metal series on Peacock, with the series recently wrapping production.
In the interview, the Samoan Submission Machine also teased that this highly-anticipated series is closer than you’d think.
“I would imagine it’s closer than a lot of people would expect. [Twisted Metal is] another project I’m really excited to see the light of day and I think a lot of fans will enjoy it. I wouldn’t be too impatient.”
Samoa Joe.
The series, based on the hit vehicular mayhem collection of video games, is due to release at an unspecified date in 2023.
The legendary career of WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon will be celebrated in a new biography from Entertainment Culture Writing Press.
On Twitter, writer Brian R. Solomon spoke highly of Monsoon, stating in a thread that he was “beloved by multiple generations of WWE fans” and was part of the McMahon “inner circle.”
In his final tweet, Solomon confirmed that he will be writing Monsoon’s biography, which is titled ‘IRRESISTIBLE FORCE: THE LIFE & TIMES OF GORILLA MONSOON.’
He became a trusted member of the McMahon inner circle, even owning a piece of the company at one time. His presence behind the scenes was so valued that the area behind the curtain, where he’d see wrestlers off and greet them when they returned, is literally named after him.
Next year, from @ECWPress and the author of Blood & Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik, comes IRRESISTIBLE FORCE: THE LIFE & TIMES OF GORILLA MONSOON.
Born Robert James Marella, the man who would become ‘Gorilla’ would begin his wrestling career in 1958 as ‘Gino Marella’ playing on his Italian-American background.
When Vincent J. McMahon reformed the Capitol Wrestling Corporation into the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1963, the two struck-up a friendship, and Marella was at one time the 1/6 owner of the company.
By the end of that year, Monsoon was challenging WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, and in 1976, was involved in an infamous segment where he performed an Airplane Spin and slam on Muhammad Ali.
With Vincent K. McMahon taking over the company from his father, Monsoon would continue to wrestle, before becoming a commentator and later WWF President.
In October 1999, Monsoon passed away aged 62, and his body was buried near his son Joey, who had died in a car crash years earlier.
ECW Press
While not associated with Paul Heyman’s extreme promotion, ECW press very clearly knows their appeal to wrestling fans.
Titles to their name include ‘The Woman who Would be King’ a biography of Alundra Blayze, and Capitol Revolution: The Rise of the McMahon Wrestling Empire.
Bob ‘Hardcore’ Holly, Al Snow, and former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas are all just some of the stars to have worked with ECW Press.
WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER has spoken about the perception from some fans that his character and the Imperium stable are rooted in Naziism.
When WWE changed WALTER’s name to GUNTHER, the original change was meant to be ‘Gunther Stark,’ also the name of a Nazi U-Boat commander in World War 2.
Last week, GUNTHER received a rating of 88 in WWE 2K23, which raised eyebrows from fans, given that the number is used as code by modern-day Nazis.
In a simple letter-number code, 88 is HH, which Nazis and white supremacists uses as a dog whistle for “Heil Hitler.”
Living With It
As an Austrian (the same nation as Hitler) who spent much of his career competing in Germany, GUNTHER is well aware of the significance of the two nations in WW2.
Speaking on The Ringer’s Cheap Heat podcast, the reigning Intercontinental Champion was asked about the negative stigma as an Austrian who was based out of Germany competing in the U.S.
“That’s the history of the two countries,” GUNTHER replied “That’s something we can never change. We have to live with it. But obviously, that’s something that got thrown at us before and still gets thrown at us. We don’t really acknowledge it because it’s so far away from what the truth is.”
GUNTHER.
GUNTHER added that often, anyone who considers himself to be in any association with fascism cannot acknowledge the differences Austria and Germany have made since 1945.
“Austria and Germany have made huge efforts to be hard on themselves when it comes to their history and keep themselves in check.”
GUTNHER.
The Austrian went on to say that he and Ludwig Kaiser (who is German) have prided themselves on how their nations treat the seriousness of their past atrocities.
Taking Things Seriously
Imperium’s appeal to WWE fans has come with how serious the characters of GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci are portrayed on TV and at live events.
On the podcast, GUNTHER explained that taking wrestling as seriously as they do is not just part of the act fans see each week.
“We mean it! We build our livelihood around it. Why should we not take it seriously? There’s no playing a character or anything like that. That’s just what we are.”
GUNTHER.
GUNTHER will defend his Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 39 against an opponent yet to be decided.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Lita has capped off an intense week with an appearance at a recent independent wrestling event.
During this week’s Raw, Lita captured the Women’s Tag Team Titles with Becky Lynch by dethroning two-time champions Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and IYO SKY.)
This win marks Lita’s first taste of championship gold since 2006 and makes Lynch the sixth WWE Women’s Triple Crown Champion.
Hoodslam
Lita’s win at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan was an emotional night for her, but the Hall of Famer has also appeared at a smaller show.
At last night’s Hoodslam: GET YOUR ASS TO MARCH: Fall of the Hoodslammer event, Lita made a surprise appearance to the delight of the fans.
Using language that you won’t be hearing on Raw, Lita told the crowd “f**k the fans” who chanted the phrase back in excitement.
Lita, who did not bring her WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with her, then handed the mic to Sheikah before being on her way.
With WrestleMania 39 now just 28 days away, there is a real possibility that Lita will enter the April 1, show as Champion.
It has been reported that WWE plans on Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler challenging for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at the event.
With that said, recent programming would leave you to believe that the plan is for Lita, Lynch and Trish Stratus to face Damage CTRL next month.
With WrestleMania 39 happening across two nights, there is the chance that Lita and Lynch could compete on both nights, as Natalya and Tamina Snuka did in 2021.
WWE Superstar Tamina Snuka is grateful for her lengthy career in the promotion but believes much of her tenure failed to reflect who she is.
Tamina, the daughter of ‘Superfly’ Jimmy Snuka, debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2010, alongside the Usos, and would immediately feud with the Hart Dynasty.
It wouldn’t be until WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 that Tamina would win her first championship, capturing her first of nine reigns as 24/7 Champion.
Not Me
Before 2016, WWE’s female Superstars were branded ‘Divas,’ and the term continues to have a negative stigma.
Many still see the ‘Divas Era’ as a time when women’s wrestling was little more than titillation for male viewers, despite the multiple accomplished women wrestling at the time.
Speaking about her tenure as a ‘Diva’ Tamina told PW Mania that she appreciates how long she’s been with WWE, but never quite fit with the previous era.
“I would look around and think that’s not me. These women were model types of women, and I’m Tamina. I’m a tomboy, and I’m a wrestler.”
Tamina Snuka.
It wouldn’t be until 2015’s Women’s Revolution that WWE would try and drop the more harmful aspects of the Divas era, and the term was dropped entirely following WrestleMania 32 in April 2016.
Reflecting on wrestling today, Tamina said that the idea of women entering wrestling is met with much more support given how the attitude to women’s wrestling has changed.
“I have two daughters. They could very well go to college, come back and tell me they want to get into wrestling. You want a good change for everyone and want something great. Right now, I do feel like that’s where we’re at. We evolved and got better. You want good things for these women. You want to have change. You want to evolve. You want to break even more barriers.”
Fans tuning in to this weekend’s AEW Revolution 2023 Pay-Per-View will see one wrestler on the show receive their ‘final burial.’
Last June, Christian Cage turned heel on Jungle Boy Jack Perry, attacking the young star after he and Luchasaurus lost the AEW World Tag Team Championship to The Young Bucks.
This betrayal would also mark the end of Jurassic Express, as Luchasaurus would align himself with Cage as part of the feud.
Burial
During last night’s AEW Rampage, Jungle Boy appeared in a video promo and said that a fight with Cage isn’t enough, and he looks to end the Canadian veteran.
Jungle Boy vowed that there will be “grave consequences” for Cage, who has referenced Jack’s father Luke Perry as part of their feud.
The actor, best known for roles in Beverly Hills 90210 and CW’s Riverdale, died in March 2019, and his passing has been used for heat by Cage.
Jungle Boy said that he’ll allow Cage to say ‘hi’ to his dad, and promised that their match at Revolution will be the “final burial.”
While not sharing the same name as WWE’s Buried Alive match, the Final Burial has clear similarities to the bout.
WWE’s first Buried Alive match came in 1996, when Mankind defeated The Undertaker, and the Phenom would also lost the second match against ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin in 1998.
It wouldn’t be until the August 30, 1999, edition of SmackDown that The Undertaker would win a buried alive match, teaming with the Big Show to defeat the Rock ‘n Sock Connection.
Unfortunately for the Phenom, he would lose the two following matches, losing to Mr. McMahon at Survivor Series 2003 (thanks to the interference of Kane) and being bested by his brother (thanks to the interference of the Nexus) at Bragging Rights 2010.
A young fan had a night at WWE SmackDown that they’ll never forget after being overcome with emotion during the show.
On last night’s episode of the blue brand, Rhea Ripley picked up a submission victory over her former tag-team partner Liv Morgan, in her latest momentum-building win ahead of WrestleMania 39.
When WWE’s cameras cut to the crowd, a young fan could be seen crying while being nurtured by an older guardian.
This fan had a much better time at SmackDown after being able to hug the former Women’s Champion, but she’s not the only fan to have had quite the reaction.
Following The Miz’s 2010 WWE Championship victory, a young fan was shown on camera, and her feelings on his Money in the Bank cash-in were clear.
‘Angry Miz Girl’ who’s real name is Cayley, was welcomed back to WWE later that year as part of the 2010 Slammy Awards, and would have an interaction on the show with The Miz.
In 2020, to mark a decade since her WWE moment, Cayley shared an autograph given to her by The Miz on Instagram.
Fans will also remember Ellis Mbeh, who’s reaction to the Streak being broken in 2014, would earn him the moniker of ‘Shocked Undertaker Guy.’
Lacey Evans’ latest incident with social media has resulted in one AEW wrestler taking aim at WWE’s Southern Belle.
On her Instagram Story, Evans shared the following post from user @BedrosKeuilian, which suggested that mental health issues are easy to fix.
“How to fix 99% of anxiety & depression
1) Excercise hard daily 2) Eat clean 3) Put purpose over pleasure 4) Make a lot more money 5) Stop overthinking 6) Help others and be kind 7) Mind your own f*cking business
Your problems are much easier to solve than you think…”
Evans’ post received backlash from fans, with the belief that some points are oversimple (#5) and others are purely detrimental to one’s mental health (#7.)
AEW Response
Fans are far from thrilled by Evans’ latest social media message, and AEW’s The Bunny has also spoken up.
In a video shared on Instagram, The Bunny didn’t mention Evans by name but responded to points the Superstar made.
“Some of us manage our mental health issues with medication. To suggest that simply exercising, eating a certain way, working more; etc etc etc will cure your mental illness is harmful and perpetuates the notion that mental health issues aren’t actual ILLNESSES.
“If anyone out there is struggling to do basic human activities due to their anxiety, depression, etc, you aren’t alone. Please take care of yourselves and don’t listen to the narrative that you are choosing to suffer. I know from experience that you are doing the best you can. Sending love to all of you.”
This is hardly the first time Evans’ actions online have sparked backlash, as she posted a video that featured veterinarian-turned-naturopathic physician Joel Wallach.
In the video, Wallach (who has no medical certification despite listing himself as a physician) claims that ASD and ADHD “didn’t exist” when he was a kid (also untrue.)
Evans’ name trended on Twitter as a result, and the WWE Superstar also liked tweets that mocked those who were criticizing her.
Bryan Danielson is motivated to become AEW World Champion this weekend, and believes he is the best he has ever been.
Danielson arrived in the promotion in late 2021, mere months after being handed his WWE exit at the hands of WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Tomorrow night, Danielson will challenge AEW World Champion MJF at Revolution in the promotion’s first Iron Man match.
The Best
Before coming to AEW, Danielson made his name as Daniel Bryan in WWE, becoming a multi-time World Champion and Grand Slam winner.
While Danielson earned a legion of loyal fans during his eleven years on the main roster, he told The Ringer this week that AEW is where he shines best.
“I feel as a wrestler, I’m the best I’ve been. I feel like I’m the best I’ve been.”
Bryan Danielson.
Danielson’s time with the promotion has allowed him to work with several younger stars who he never would have had the chance to wrestle had he stayed in WWE.
Speaking about these stars of the future, Danielson recalled the question he always asks whenever he gets backstage.
“My thing with the younger talent, is mostly, ‘Hey, did you have fun? Were you able to experience joy out there? How did you feel about the match? Did you feel good about it?’”
Bryan Danielson.
Danielson added that he’s been “pleasantly surprised” by working in the ring with the likes of Wheeler Yuta, Lee Moriarty, Bandido, Konosuke Takeshita and others.
Favorite Opponent
Beginning his wrestling career in 1999 under the tutelage of Shawn Michaels, Danielson has worked with countless opponents, but one stands out.
“Randy Orton, might be one of my favorite people to ever wrestle, in the sense of he and I just clicked, and Randy Orton is so good.”
Randy Orton
WWE’s Viper has been out of action for close to a year with a severe back injury, and there have been rumblings that his in-ring career may be over.
The 2018 All In wrestling supershow was referenced during this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
In September of that year, stars of various promotions came together to host the event, billed as “the biggest independent wrestling show ever.”
After showing that there was support for a non-WWE product, many of the names associated with All In would go on to be part of All Elite Wrestling, which launched in January 2019.
SmackDown
One significant name who was part of All In is Cody Rhodes, who made an appearance on this week’s edition of the blue brand.
Speaking about his upcoming WrestleMania match, Rhodes said there are those who think toppling Roman Reigns is an impossible goal, but he has a history of defying the odds.
The American Nightmare said that there were people who believed he would never be more than Randy Orton’s lackey, referring to his days in Legacy.
Rhodes added that there were some who thought that All In would be possible, saying:
“There’s no way 10,000 people would pay to see my buddy’s little indie show.”
At the September 2018 event, Rhodes would defeat Nick Aldis to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
The event began after Dave Meltzer dismissed the idea that any event other than a WWE show could sell 10,000 tickets, a statement that Rhodes accepted as a challenge.
Reigns Response
Rhodes, as predicted, was very passionate with his promo, but the Tribal Chief had some barbs of his own.
Speaking about being trained by Cody’s father Dusty Rhodes, Reigns bust-out an impressive impression of the American Dream, who told Reigns in developmental that he had ‘it.’
All Elite Wrestling fans may not be seeing Rebel for the foreseeable future following the decision for her to be pulled from programming.
Rebel, real name Tanea Brooks, originally joined AEW in August 2019 as a hair & makeup stylist for its women wrestlers.
In 2020, Rebel was introduced as a character on programming and served as the exclusive makeup artist of Dr. Britt Baker.
Removed from TV
While Rebel has remained an ally of Baker, and by proxy AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, for some time, fans haven’t seen much of her as of late.
Sources informed Meltzer that with Baker and Hayter now in a babyface role, it was felt that Rebel no longer worked as part of the act.
Baker and Hayter have become babyfaces due to their feud with Saraya and Toni Storm, both of whom have turned heel in recent months.
On June 30, 2021, Rebel suffered a dislocated knee cap injury in a match facing Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero which kept her out of action until September.
Rebel Outside of AEW
Despite being hired as a hair and makeup stylist, Rebel joined AEW with an established history in the ring.
Rebel debuted in Impact Wrestling in 2013 as part of The Menagerie, and would later begin training at Ohio Valley Wrestling.
In 2016, Rebel would capture the OVW Women’s Championship, and would wrestle for Stardom the following year.
In 2019, Rebel made an appearance on the January 23, episode of NXT, and teamed with Amber Nova in a losing effort to KAIRI and IYO SKY.
