WWE Hall of Famer Madusa has shared her experience of appearing at Raw is XXX and if she believes WWE could’ve done more with her.

The company celebrated its historic 30th anniversary of Monday Night Raw on Jan. 23. While some fans enjoyed the show, others criticized the lack of female legends. Raw is XXX had male legends like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and others make appearances and have segments on the show. However, Madusa was the only female legend to appear at Raw is XXX, and the company had her in the background playing poker.

In an interview with Just ALYX, Madusa talked about how the appearance came together. She has a new book, “Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story,” with a release date to be announced. Amazon has it listed for pre-order for $29.95.

“It was an honor to be called. They did call me a month or two before that and asked me to go. Then like three weeks before, they said, ‘Oh, schedule change.’ And I’m used to that because they always did that. They change it a month ahead, three weeks, two nights before, and the night of the show. They always change the card,” said Madusa.

She admitted that she didn’t take it personally. “…Then they called me two nights before and said, ‘Blaze, can you still come?’ I’m like, what? Oh my gosh, let me see. So you don’t know going in, and you kind of negotiate beforehand on what are we doing. They told me they were gonna have me play poker. And I’m like, I don’t know how to play poker. They were like, ‘Blayze, it’s scripted.’ And I’m like, Oh, that’s right,” said Madusa.

Madusa on If She Agrees With The Bella Twins

After Raw is XXX ended, The Bella Twins spoke openly about how WWE failed to represent a woman on the show. Neither in video tribute packages nor on-screen segments, they believed it didn’t want to showcase women on the show compared to the men. Madusa spoke about The Bellas Twins’ claims as the only female legend on the show.

“My thought when I did see a little bit of that was like, what is all of this? And then I started thinking, well, I was the only woman legend there. That was an honor. I thought maybe they’d be praising that, at least. You know, having one of their older peers there. But I didn’t see any of that. If they were so upset, why wouldn’t they say? Why did Blayze not have anything better for her than just a poker game? So it goes both ways. I guess to have one there is great. But then again, it could have been more than a poker game. I’m just saying,” said Madusa.

WWE hasn’t responded to The Bella Twins’ claims about the lack of female representation on Raw is XXX. The lack of more female Hall of Famer on the show could’ve been a misunderstanding. Hopefully the next major anniversary show, WWE could have an equal tribute for everyone.

• “WWE Women Deserve Better” – Fans Revolt After Raw 30 Special

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan feels optimistic about the company’s future media rights deal.

This year will be interesting for AEW. The company’s TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be finished by the end of the year. Their rival, WWE, is also entering TV rights negotiations but may decide to sell the company.

Wrestling fans are curious if Warner Bros. Discovery will renew the AEW TV deal and for how much. However, Khan has expressed optimism about the future of AEW and that their TV distributor is happy with them. In an interview with Uproxx, Khan spoke about the company’s future but pointed out he’s excited about AEW’s media rights deal.

Uproxx’s Raj Prashad transcribed the following quotes.

“I expect big increases in the rights for the AEW programs, and we’re on a good pace to make a very lucrative deal for the AEW media rights going forward.

– Tony Khan

Is AEW Looking To Create Their Own Streaming Service?

Khan is very interested in AEW having their own streaming service. The company airs its pay-per-views on Bleacher Report in the United States but doesn’t have all its archive content on the app. They’ve also reached a multi-year broadcast deal with DAZN to air AEW Dynamite and Rampage, Dark, and Dark: Elevation, four Battle of the Belt events a year, and four Pay-Per-Views a year internationally.

Khan spoke about AEW’s tremendous content library.

“We’ve done 174 episodes of Dynamite, 80 episodes of AEW Rampage, our 17th pay-per-view event will be March 5 in Revolution, so we’ve done hundreds and hundreds of hours of AEW content in our library,” Khan says. He continued, “I also purchased Ring of Honor last year, which is a great promotion with over 20 years of history and thousands of hours of video in their library.”

Khan added, “So overall, AEW has access to so many great wrestling events, including some widely considered to be some of the best wrestling events of all time. There’s a lot of interest in this library as well as the new weekly content we continue to produce each week, and I do think there’s a lot of demand for the library and it makes a lot of sense for us to try to make that AEW library available to fans all over the world on demand.”

It’s possible to increase the value of their TV rights deal; they may look to add their content to Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service HBO Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery is also intriguing as they are still trying to figure out their content and are expected to revamp their HBO Max service. Regardless, Khan’s optimism for the future of AEW is something that may erase concern from fans.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, All Elite Wrestling’s reigning World Heavyweight Champion, has given his stamp of approval to The Outrunners. The duo, comprised of Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum, have been catching fans’ attention on AEW Dark and Dark Elevation.

Floyd and Magnum are a throwback act straight out of the 1980’s. The retro team made their AEW debuts on the Sep. 13, 2021, episode of AEW Dark Elevation in a losing effort to The Butcher And The Blade. They lost a couple more matches since then, before picking up their first win on this week’s (Feb. 7, 2023) episode of Dark against Logan Cruz and Tyshaun Price.

After the win, the Outrunners cut an over-the-top promo that’s getting them a lot of buzz on social media. They’re rule-breaking villains, so naturally, they’ve earned the approval of the biggest heel in all of AEW, MJF.

He quoted tweeted a clip from their trash talking and said, “Now these are wrestlers!”

Now these are wrestlers! https://t.co/bXAYnpr1bO

— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™? (@The_MJF) February 8, 2023

Turbo replied with a “Thanks, Champ” – which MJF ate right up.

Keep sucking up and you two might have a bright future in this company.

— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™? (@The_MJF) February 8, 2023

What’s Next For The Outrunners in AEW?

Although they have wrestled a couple of times on AEW, The Outrunners aren’t signed to the company. The team is working in Ohio Valley Wrestling and is on the roster page on the promotion’s website. However, with MJF’s endorsement and growing fanbase, AEW fans may see The Outrunners more often.

Their record in AEW is 1-3. They started 2023 with the first win, so the company may invest more into them and get some wins. It’s unclear if they contractually can’t sign with AEW, but getting noticed by the AEW World Champion will put more eyes on The Outrunners moving forward.

For MJF, he will have to focus on his upcoming match against Konosuke Takeshita on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite. You’ll be able to check the results of the match for tonight later on here.

The Outrunners are ready to whoop some ass this Thursday at @ovwrestling on @FiteTV, disrespectfully. pic.twitter.com/n28R1FX4zd

— Truth Magnum of The Outrunners (@TruthMagnum) September 21, 2022

Impact Wrestling talent Dirty Dango wants to prove he can be a serious wrestler when he needs to be.

Throughout his career in WWE, Dango(FKA Fandango) used to entertain fans with his funny persona. He started as a serious dancer when he debuted in 2013, but his character became more comedic over time. While it brought him success in winning the NXT Tag Team Championship with Tyler Breeze, Dango primarily stayed a comedic act for the majority of his WWE career. His run with the company ended on June 25, 2021, when WWE released him.

After spending some time as a free agent, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Dango signed a one-year deal with Impact Wrestling on Jan. 31. He recently had a match with Steve Maclin on Jan. 19 episode of Impact Wrestling. In an interview with Windy City Slam Podcast, Dango shared that he doesn’t have an opponent he wants to wrestle against but wants to prove that he’s not only a comedy act.

“I don’t really have my eyes not necessarily on one person, but I guess just to prove to management that I’m not just a comedy act when the bell rings, I can go.”

– Dirty Dango

What’s Next for Dirty Dango in Impact Wrestling?

On the Feb. 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, “Director of Authority” Santino Marella revealed that Dango would compete in a qualifying match that, if he wins, will be involved in a fatal four-way match at No Surrender to determine the following number one contender for the Impact World Championship.

The company also shared on Twitter that Dango will compete against Brian Myers on the Feb. 9 episode of Impact Wrestling. Dango will have the opportunity to prove that he can be a serious contender for a world title in Impact and show that he’s more than the comedic persona he’s demonstrated for years.

• Watch Our Exclusive Interview with Santino Marella

WWE had an important objective to achieve in booking Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman’s memorable in-ring segment on Monday’s Raw.

Rhodes has a one-way ticket to the main event of WrestleMania Goes Hollywood. As of this writing, he’s scheduled to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Of course, Sami Zayn is the X-factor that could change everything when he challenges Reigns for the titles at Elimination Chamber in less than two weeks.

We’re most likely going to see Reigns vs. Rhodes at WrestleMania, but WWE has to walk a thin line and make sure this long-planned bout is not derailed by Zayn’s surging popularity.

On the Feb. 7 episode of Monday Night Raw, Rhodes addressed the Orlando, Florida crowd. While he was talking, Heyman came out to continue the build for Rhodes’s match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. Rhodes and Heyman got personal because of Heyman’s history with Cody’s father, Dusty.

The segment struck a chord with WWE fans and created anticipation for the inevitable confrontation between Rhodes and Reigns. According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, it’s reported that the segment was made to make the WrestleMania 39 match the primary focus for fans.

This was done because they were well aware of how hot the Sami Zayn thing is, and it was imperative to not have this WrestleMania main event angle feel secondary. So they knew going in that they had to do something. And they did.

– Dave Meltzer

He added, “It’s very important to the entire company that the Cody match is not the secondary match. But it’s also important that people don’t look at it as a competition between the two of them (Rhodes and Zayn), and then the people get behind Sami Zayn, and then that screws up Cody as a babyface.”

Walking a Fine Line with Rhodes & Zayn

WWE is entirely behind Rhodes vs. Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39. However, they will first have Reigns defend the title against Zayn in his home country of Canada at Elimination Chamber on Feb. 18. The WWE fans are behind Zayn. Still, they also support Rhodes and seem to look forward to the WrestleMania match.

It seems WWE is in a good position with two great babyfaces. WWE may have already figured out a way to get to Rhodes vs. Reigns without the fans complaining about Zayn. However, we will have to wait and see how the story will transpire.

• Related: WWE Had Plans for New World Championship at WrestleMania 39

H/T: Liam Winnard of Wrestletalk for the transcribed quotes

One second generation star could be a free agent soon, as his contract with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire in May.

AEW is getting into an interesting position where they must decide if they will re-sign talent. The company has had many wrestlers compete for them in their four years of operation. As we enter the fourth year of AEW, some multi-year talent contracts are up for renewal.

Spoiler Warning Ahead!

The company has several wrestler contracts set to expire soon. FTR’s Dax Harwood said on his podcast that his and his partner Cash Wheeler’s contracts are set to expire in April. They have yet to decide if they will try to re-sign with AEW. Fightful Select reported on Jan. 24 that Brian Cage’s contract would expire in a few weeks. AEW may look to re-sign him, but the report also shared that WWE could be interested in signing Cage.

However, they will have to decide if they will keep Brock Anderson, son of Arn Anderson, whose contract expires in May. Arn broke the news in an interview with Wrestlingnews.co Steve Falls on their Patreon. He also shared that his contract expires next year and is unsure if AEW will keep either him or his son after their deal ends.

“Well, Brock’s got about, I think in May his is up, and then I have another year passed that. I’m having a great time. I’m enjoying working for the company and I’m going to certainly get that last year now. What they have for Brock and I together going forward, I don’t know. I look at things and always have going all the way back to WCW when contracts came out. When you get a guaranteed contract, your wife has the luxury of planning your life because they do it anyway. To know much time and it’s not something that’s not going to change and all that, you can map your life out. That gives me another year and a half almost to help Brock every which way I can,” said Arn(h/t Angel Aramboles).

Will AEW Re-sign Brock Anderson?

It’s unclear what the future holds for Brock. He is featured only sometimes on AEW Dynamite or Rampage. AEW mostly has him compete on AEW Dark. In his AEW career, Brock’s win/loss record stands at 16-13.

Although Brock is featured a little in AEW, he is still young in his career. At age 25, AEW could look to do more with him if he re-signs. However, the company may have to review its roster and decide whether it can renew Brock’s contract. Another possibility is WWE could look to sign the young talent if he becomes a free agent.

WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash believes Bobby Lashley is missing something as a superstar.

Since returning to the company in 2018, Lashley has had great success in WWE. He left the company in 2008 to pursue other opportunities like MMA. He has won the Intercontinental Championship and WWE Championship twice since his comeback. Although he’s had a tremendous second run in WWE, Lashley still has his critics.

Nash has shared his thoughts on Lashley on his podcast Kliq This, which was aired on Ad Free Shows. He believes that Lashley may be too nice of a person, which prevents him from being taken as a threat compared to Brock Lesnar.

Wrestling Inc’s Dakota Cohen transcribed the following quotes.

“I love Bobby, he’s a sweetheart,” Nash said. “He just always seems to be missing something. I don’t know what it is … I think he comes across, to me, like he is a nice guy. He’s not a killer. Bobby Lashley is not a killer, you know? He’s the nice f****** guy. Where Brock Lesnar, who’s a nice guy, he, he just has that something in him. If you said, ‘Please, I’ve had enough,’ I think Bobby would stop. I think Brock would stomp you two more times.”

Kevin Nash

Is Another Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar Match Happening Soon?

WWE may look to have another match between Lashley and Lesnar. Both talents have loosely been in a feud for over a year. Wrestling fans may remember Lashley defeated Lesnar at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 29, 2022, to win the WWE Championship. WWE didn’t follow up on the feud until Lesnar attacked Lashley on the Oct. 10, 2022, episode of Monday Night Raw.

The attack led to their second match at Crown Jewel on Nov. 5, 2022, which Lesnar won. However, WWE made sure Lashley attacked “The Beast Incarnate” after the match to extend the feud. Lesnar took some time off until he returned to attack Lashley again to prevent him from winning the United States Championship at Raw is XXX on Jan. 23. In response, Lashley eliminated Lesnar from the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match on Jan. 28.

Both wrestlers have one win against each other, which sets up a match to end the year-long feud. WWE could have the third encounter between Lashley and Lesnar in April at WrestleMania 39. Lashley also wanted this as he challenged his rival to a match at WrestleMania in May of last year.

While it could be a big match at WWE’s biggest show of the year, the company could decide to go a different route. However, it makes sense for the feud to end soon.

Are you interested in a third match between Lashley and Lesnar?

A long-asked question about IO Shirai’s name change may have gotten answered.

WWE surprised wrestling fans with the return of IYO Sky (FKA IO Shirai) at Summerslam on July 30, 2022. She made her return alongside Bayley and Dakota Kai to confront Becky Lynch and Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. At the time, the commentators referred to Sky by her former name. However, the next night she had her name changed to what it is today.

The company has yet to share why it wanted Sky to change her name publicly. Name-changing in WWE happens on a case-by-case basis for new talent. However, Sky’s name seems to result in WWE wanting to own her IO Shirai, according to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.

Meltzer was asked a question on Twitter about why WWE changed Sky’s name, which he answered, “They wanted to own her WWE name, and she had used the name Io Shirai her entire career, so they couldn’t own it.” Someone also asked why Chelsea Green, who returned at the Royal Rumble on Jan 28; however, Meltzer has yet to respond.

What’s Next For IYO SKY?

It seems that Sky is headed for a big match alongside her tag team partner Kai at WrestleMania 39. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter on Feb. 6 reported that Sky and Kai would defend their Women’s Tag Team Championship against Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler at the event.

While this is the reported plan WWE has, the company hasn’t acknowledged or hinted that the match will happen. Rousey is also not involved in any storylines at the moment. She lost the Smackdown Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair at the Friday Night Smackdown episode on Dec. 30, 2022. Although WWE could’ve had Rousey challenge Flair in a rematch, it doesn’t seem like it will happen.

If Sky and Kai are defending their titles against Rousey and Baszler, WWE fans should expect a build to the match soon.

The Feb. 2 episode of Impact Wrestling aired on AXS TV at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

This episode featured an eight-man tag main event with Sami Callihan and The Design(Cody Deaner, Kon & Alan Angels) against Impact World Champion Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian, Rich Swann, and Yuya Uemura. Another match set for the card is Gisele Shaw vs. Savannah Evans in a singles match.

This week’s episode also aired on their Youtube channel for Impact Insider subscribers. Impact Wrestling offers a monthly subscription to watch weekly episodes on Youtube for $1.49. However, it aired at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT.

If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.

TONIGHT on #IMPACTonAXSTV at 8pm EST…

• Ace & Bey vs KUSHIDA & Knight
• Shaw vs Evans
• Bully Ray will be live in the IMPACT Zone
• Alexander/Swann/Kazarian/Uemura vs The Design & Callihan#IMPACTWrestling #NoSurrender pic.twitter.com/82rZr7745x

— Tom Hannifan (@TomHannifan) February 2, 2023

Impact Wrestling (2/2) Results

The show started with a recap from last week’s episode of Impact Wrestling.

#Kushida is coming in HOT! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/zxgK8byuFU

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Bullet Club (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) vs. KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight.

The match started with Kevin Knight and Chris Bey in the ring. They locked up and exchanged holds until Bey landed a Shoulder Block. Knight got back up, and they both went back and forth until Knight landed a Springboard Crossbody. He followed it up with a Scoop Slam into a leaping Frog Splash for one count. Knight tagged in Kushida, and his partner began to work on Bey’s arm.

Knight tagged back in and tried to go for a springboard move, but Bey countered with a Dropkick to pin for a two-count. Bey tagged in Austin, and they started to hurt Knight with tag team maneuvers. Bullet Club tagged in and out to control Knight for several minutes.

Austin tried hitting a Back Suplex on Knight, but Knight countered and tagged Kushida. Bey also blind-tagged Austin to be the legal man. Kushida began to go on the offense and caught Bey in an Armbar. However, Bey stacked Kushida up for a two-count. Bey tried to Irish Whip Kushida, but Knight blind tagged in the match and landed a Dropkick on Bey. Both teams start to struggle to take control of the match. Kushida picks up Bey from behind and Knight landed a Dropkick for the pin, but Austin broke it up.

THAT was TOO SWEET! Ace and Bey pick up the win! @The_Ace_Austin @DashingChrisBey @Jet2Flyy #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/QUuhGHppgD

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Austin began to go after Knight and Kushida by himself with his unique offense. He gets Kushida out of the ring and lands a kick to the face. Knight tries to go after Austin with a dive outside the ring, but Bey catches him in mid-air with a cutter. Austin throws Knight back in the ring, and Bey hits The Art of Finesse, with Austin following up with The Fold for the win.

We go to a backstage segment with The Design and Callihan. Deaner says he will not punish Callihan for his loss last week but says that he must win tonight’s tag team match.

We get a vignette of Steph De Lander, who will debut next week.

.@TheJaiVidal's distraction was enough for @GiseleShaw08 to take @SavannahEvansNV's head off with a knee! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/YfSP5QO3Sv

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Gisele Shaw with Jai Vidal vs. Savannah Evans

The match starts with both wrestlers having a stare-down. After a few words, Evans pushes Shaw into the corner. Shaw responds by slapping Evans, which upsets her opponent. Evans began to dominate the match. She throws Shaw out of the ring, and we go to a commercial break.

We come back from break, and Shaw is in control of the match. However, it doesn’t last long, and Evans starts to control the match. She lands a Samoan Drop for a two-count. She continues her offense by landing a Spinebuster followed by a Fisherman Suplex with a bridge for a two count. The finish comes when Jai Vidal distracts Evans from the outside and hits a Superkick, followed by a knee strike to win.

.@GiseleShaw08 DEMANDS the spotlight! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/9N15fK1d2l

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

After the match, Shaw cuts a promo and calls herself the “Black Widow” of Impact Wrestling. Shaw says that the spotlight belongs solely on her.

We go to a backstage segment with Kenny King, Zicky Dice, and Johnny Swinger. Dice instigates a match between King and Swinger for tonight.

We cut to another backstage segment between Steve Maclin and Santino Marella. Maclin questions why he hasn’t gotten an opportunity for the Impact World Championship. Marella announces that they will be qualifying matches for a Fatal Four-Way match at No Surrender. The winner will be the number one contender for the Impact World Championship. He tells Maclin and Dirty Dango, who interrupts, that they will compete in the qualifying matches.

.@steveofcrazzy wants X Division gold! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/N4KWNpiAOL

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Crazzy Steve with Black Taurus vs. Sheldon Jean

The match starts with Crazzy Steve and Sheldon Jean trying to exchange holds until Jean hits Steve with a Calf Kick. He talks to the crowd until Steve begins to take offense to him. Steve wins the match quickly with a Top Rope Diving DDT.

X-Division Champion Trey Miguel tries to attack Steve after the match, but Steve gets the advantage after biting him. Before Steve can do anything else to Miguel, the X-Division Champion runs away.

Jordynne Grace does a backstage interview and challenges Steph De Lander to a match next week.

.@bullyray5150 was about to put @MickieJames through a table with the help of The Good Hands but @THETOMMYDREAMER made the save! @TheJasonHotch @TheJohnSkyler #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/OzlYbkCt5J

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Bully Ray In-Ring Promo

Bully Ray comes out to cut a promo in the ring. He tried to talk several times, but the crowd kept booing him. Ray eventually got to say that no one in Impact Wrestling likes him. He talks about how he wasn’t invited to The Golden 6 Shooter match and gives a passive-aggressive threat to Marella. Ray then focuses his promo on Tommy Dreamer and accuses him of being a fake person. He gets interrupted by Impact Knockout Champion Mickie James, who comes out to defend Dreamer.

She refutes Ray’s claims and tells him to get out of Impact Wrestling. However, he responds by saying he will smack James, who is smiling at him. Ray continues to threaten to harm James and calls her a tramp. James responded by slapping Ray in the face. Ray hits James with a Scoop Slam and tries to follow it up with a Powerbomb. The Good Hands come out to get the table for Ray to slam James through it, but Dreamer makes the save to stop them.

Dreamer says he would team with James to take on The Good Hands tonight. Marella comes out and announces the match for next week. He also added that Ray would be forbidden from interfering in the match.

.@Kelly_WP and @RealTaylorWilde have a date with the Death Dollz!@thetayavalkyrie @WeAreRosemary @FearHavok #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/qQnDLvMSy2

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

We get a backstage segment with Taylor Wilde, Killer Kelly, and The Death Dollz. Rosemary wants Kelly and Wilde to team up against The Death Dollz next week.

.@swinger_johnny is on the #RoadTo50… but @KennyKingPb2 blocked the road with a Royal Flush!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/2z1DfbnPMt

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Kenny King vs. Johnny Swinger

King dominates the short match. He lands the Royal Flush on Swinger for the win.

After the match, King lets everyone know that he is a threat and will take on anyone.

We go to a backstage segment with Ray and Masha Slamovich. Ray tells Slamovich that she shouldn’t let James disrespect her and that she will be the next Impact Knockout Champion. She says some words to him in Russian and walks away.

All 8 men are standing off!@Walking_Weapon @Im_YuyaUemura @FrankieKazarian @CodyDeaner @Big_Kon1 @Alan_V_Angels @TheSamiCallihan #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/Tc8JUIXmu2

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

The Design (Alan Angels, Kon, Deaner) & Sami Callihan vs. Josh Alexander, Rich Swann, Yuya Uemura & Frankie Kazarian.

It starts with Swann and Deaner before Deaner tags in Callihan. Callihan gets some offense in on Swann before Deaner demands that he tags him back in. Deaner tried to go after Swann but got caught with a Hurricanrana. Swann tags in Uemura, who lands a Dropkick on Deaner. Uemura goes for the pin but only gets a two-count. Alexander tags into the match to go after Deaner. The two of them exchange Knife Edge Chops until Deaner rakes his eyes.

Deaner tried to capitalize and tag in Alan Angels. However, when he does, the opposite team stops them from attacking Alexander. After a brief standoff, the action breaks down, and the team of Alexander, Swann, Uemura, and Kazarian takes out the opposing team outside the ring to go on a commercial break.

#RichSwann is all over @Alan_V_Angels!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/3RcZpPBXgX

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

We return from a commercial break with Kazarian controlling Angels in the ring. Kazarian tags in Swann to do a Double Hip Toss on Angels for a two-count. Swann tried to go for a Rolling Thunder Splash from the corner on his opponent but got caught with a Powerslam. Angels tagged in Deaner, and the team began to tag in and out to control Swann for several minutes.

After getting dominated for several minutes, Swann lands an Enzuigiri on Callihan in the ring. Swann tags in Alexander and Callihan tags in Deaner. Alexander fires up and lands a German Suplex on Deaner, Callihan, and Angels. Kon tags himself in and tries to go after Alexander but fails and gets caught with a Top Rope Diving Knee from Alexander for a two count. The champion follows up with an Ankle Lock on Kon, but he gets countered.

.@TheSamiCallihan is ONE STEP CLOSER to The DESIGN!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/vaOC3y8BHg

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 3, 2023

Uemura tags himself in and lands a Top Rope Dropkick on Kon. Before he could capitalize, Kon tagged Callihan back in the match. Callihan gouges the eyes of Uemura and begins to go for Cactus Driver 97 but gets stopped by Deaner. Alexander comes into the ring to save his partner. Everyone in the match hits their signature moves as both teams try to gain control of the match. However, the finish comes when Callihan catches Uemura with the Cactus Driver 97 for the win.

Wrestling Revolver held their live event, A Night at the MOXbury on Feb. 2 at the Calumet Center in Dayton, OH.

The event featured a mix of talent from Impact Wrestling, All Elite Wrestling, and other independent promotions. The card had the Revolver World Champion Steve Maclin defend the title against Crash Jaxon. AEW’s Wheeler Yuta also competed at the event against JT Dunn. AEW talent Jon Moxley acted as the host of the show.

A Night at the MOXbury went live on FITE+ at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. Wrestling fans can watch the event live or on Video on Demand by subscribing to FITE+ for $4.99. Wrestling Revolver also allowed the option to buy the pay-per-view without a subscription for $11.99.

If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.

?On a Thursday night, this is the only place you want to be.

??@PWRevolver #RevolverMOXbury goes down from Dayton, OH.

Check out this line-up then tune in TONIGHT at 8pm ET on #FITEplus (Only $4.99/mo)

?https://t.co/v7NlA8gkUL pic.twitter.com/CxucTxxvkf

— TrillerTV (@Triller_TV) February 2, 2023

A Night at the MOXbury (2/2) Quick Results

The event opened with Moxley coming out to greet the crowd. He promoted the rest card and gave credit to the wrestlers competing. After he finished talking, it cut to the opening of the first match.

1. Evil Uno def. “Firestarter” Jake Crist
2. Marina Shafir def. “Spider”  Blair Onyx
3. “Speedball” Mike Bailey def. Gringo Loco vs. JesSICKa vs. Fulton vs. Tyler Matrix vs. Jarett Diaz in a Speedball Open Invite Scramble Match
4. ROH PURE Champion” Wheeler Yuta def. JT Dunn in a Pure Rules Match
5. (C)Steve Maclin def. Crash Jaxon in a Revolver World Title Match
6. The Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) w/ Gia Miller def. (C)DadSCOUT in a Revolver World Tag Title Match
7. Billie Starkz def. Allie Katch w/ The Unit
8. (C)Alex Shelley def. Rich Swann in a Revolver Remix Title Match
9. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed) def. The Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner, 1 Called Manders, & Matthew Justice) in a No DQ Match

Former WWE superstar Dave Bautista believes the WWE is in good hands with Triple H running creative.

Bautista retired from wrestling after his last match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35 on April 7, 2019. It doesn’t seem that he has any intention of making a comeback in wrestling. Bautista has become a successful movie star, with his featured film A Knock at the Cabin coming out on Feb. 3.

Although Bautista is not watching WWE regularly, he knows that his mentor Triple H is running creative as the Chief Content Officer. In promoting his upcoming movie, he spoke with Comicbook’s Brandon Davis. In the interview, he praised Triple H for running WWE creative and said he was the best person for the job.

“I think this is the best thing for the company. It really is,” said Bautista. He continued, “It’s a personal thing with me because I know Triple H. I know how well he knows this business. I know how much he loves this business. As far as this business goes, he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met in my life. He made me who I was. He was responsible for my career. I’ve never been ashamed to say that.”(h/t Comicbook’s Liam Crowley)

Bautista added, “I think he is so dedicated to this product and wants the best for it. I think he’s absolutely the right person. I’ve never met anyone else who thinks the way he does, as far as wrestling goes.”

WWE’s Recent Success With The 2023 Royal Rumble

WWE is having great success on its road to WrestleMania 39. The company just had its annual Royal Rumble event on Jan. 28, which generated excellent revenue. WWE released a statement on Jan. 30 that this year’s event was the most viewed and highest-grossing Royal Rumble in history.

“The event set a new all-time gate record at more than $7.7 million, far surpassing the previous Royal Rumble high in 2017 by more than 50 percent. Viewership of the event saw a 52 percent increase versus the previous record set in 2022,” said WWE.

It’s hard to deny that since Triple H has taken control as Chief Content Officer, WWE has thrived. WrestleMania 39 will be a two-night event on April 1 and 2 at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. As of now, Ticketmaster has both nights close to selling out. A complete sellout for both nights of WrestleMania 39 would be another significant achievement Triple H and WWE could tout if it happens.

Wrestling legend Lanny Poffo, best known for his character “The Genius” during WWE’s late 80’s / early 90’s golden era, has passed away. He was 68 years old.

Poffo, the son Angelo Poffo and younger brother of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, competed in the WWE (then WWF) from 1989 to 1992. During his time in the WWE, he feuded with Koko B. Ware, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, and Hulk Hogan.

In an interesting bit of wrestling trivia, The Genius is one of the few WWE stars to score a victory over Hulk Hogan during the late 1980’s. He defeated Hogan by count out on the November 25, 1989 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The Genius also managed several acts, including Mr. Perfect and later the Beverly Brothers. Although he didn’t win any championships during his run with the company, he was one of the WWE’s most most obnoxious villains during the late ’80s and early ’90s. His final appearance for WWE came in 2015, when he inducted his brother into the Hall of Fame.

We at SEScoops extend our condolences to family and friends of the great Lanny Poffo.

Reactions to Lanny Poffo’s Passing

Since the news of his transition, many active wrestlers and legends have sent their condolences to the Poffo family and kind words about him.

WWE is saddened to learn that Lanny Poffo, best known to sports-entertainment fans as The Genius, passed away at 68 years of age.

WWE extends its condolences to Poffo’s family, friends and fans.https://t.co/1NMadfd4ZG

— WWE (@WWE) February 2, 2023

LANNY POFFO MY BROTHER. I LOVE YOU FOREVER. GIVE NIKOLAI RANDY AND ELIZABETH HUG FOR ME

— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) February 2, 2023

RIP Lanny Poffo. Godspeed my friend. pic.twitter.com/2w0enx0srC

— ? Frankie Kazarian ? (@FrankieKazarian) February 2, 2023

It has been reported
Lanny Poffo has passed away
I always enjoyed his work in ring & that he had poem for us all#TheGenius pic.twitter.com/Fr6RS6okPN

— Tommy Dreamer (@THETOMMYDREAMER) February 2, 2023

Rest in paradise, Lanny Poffo. So many great memories. We lost a genius today.

The wrestling world mourns. https://t.co/yoG5Z8rx3k

— Ricky Morton (@RealRickyMorton) February 2, 2023

Former WWE talent Marc Mero has revealed he hasn’t spoken to his ex-wife Sable since they split.

Mero competed in the then WWF (now WWE) from 1996 to 1999. During his run in the company, he worked alongside his ex-wife Sable, who became a superstar in the 90s. The two left the company in 1999 after Sable alleged sexual harassment. She also filed a 100 million dollar lawsuit in June against the WWF for sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions, which the company and she settled in July 1999.

After some time away from the company, Sable returned to the WWE in 2003. During the time, Mero and Sable were still married until she had an affair with Brock Lesnar. The couple would get divorced, and Sable would go on to marry Lesnar years later.

In an interview with Wrestling NewsCo Steve Fall, Mero shared what led to the divorce and that he has not spoken with Sable since they split almost two decades ago.

“…So she went back to wrestling, and she had to apologize to certain people. I think it was the Undertaker or Stone Cold, or certain people that Vince made sure that she apologized to because a lot of people were upset that she was coming back, and she did that and made amends and went back and had to do what Vince asked her to do,” said Mero.

He continued, “…Unfortunately, she fell in love with a wrestler while we were still married and found out about it, and that’s when I filed for divorce and moved on with my life.”

Marc Mero Holds No Grudges Towards Sable

Although Sable had an affair with Lesnar, Mero doesn’t hold any grudges against them. Mero has gone on to become a motivational speaker. This is an occupation he believes wouldn’t be possible without dealing with his life after the divorce.

“I’ve never spoken to her since then, and if I could ever say anything to her, it’s just two words, thank you.”

– Marc Mero to ex-wife Sable

If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have this incredible life that I have today because I never would’ve been a speaker. I mean, I never would’ve gone down this route, so I think sometimes people that live with bitterness anger, or unforgiveness, man, it’s just a cancer that destroys you,” said Mero.

Sable left the WWE in 2004, and she and Lesnar went on to have children and remain married. Mero is active in his community and works with schools to help the youth as a motivational speaker.

Both Mero and Sable seem to be in a good space in their lives.

WWE superstar Cody Rhodes wants fans to know he is sorry for his injury from last year.

Rhodes shocked wrestling fans when he wrestled injured against Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell on June 5, 2022. He hurt himself while lifting weights, resulting in a torn pectoral muscle. Despite the injury, Rhodes competed in a Hell in a Cell match and defeated Rollins.

While fans have praised Rhodes’s effort in the match, he wants his supporters to know he is sorry for the injury. In the post-royal rumble press conference on Jan. 28, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp asked Rhodes about the injury, and the WWE superstar apologized for getting hurt.

“…I do want people to know I’m really sorry. I’ve never been hurt; I felt genuinely bulletproof. I’m very sorry that I got hurt, and it happens right, but I’m just glad that I had the chance to go out. …Once a doctor says it can’t get hurt any worse, then I have to be out there. Chicago means so much to me, and I’m myself on the chair, and I’m so embarrassed and defeated. Half my body is no longer functioning. I know that match registers with people and I really appreciate it. It doesn’t register with me, because that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

-Cody Rhodes

Triple H Praises Cody Rhodes’s Return From Injury

Although Rhodes is apologetic about his pectoral injury, Chief Control Officer Triple H has praised Rhodes for his return and how he dealt with the injury. After Rhodes, the press conference, Triple H credited the WWE superstar’s dedication.

“…Going through what he did for all of us, for this industry, for himself, I know what’s the like. I’ve been in that spot. Unfortunately, a few different times, and I can admire what goes in with that, and for him to turn that around and come back tonight and do what he did is amazing in it of itself,” said Triple H. He also added that Rhodes is a special talent and human being.

Rhodes won the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match on Jan. 28. He will challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H doesn’t believe The Rock will be at WrestleMania 39 in April.

The spectacular event will be a two-night show held at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on April 1 and 2. Wrestling fans were excited over the speculation that The Rock could be competing at this year’s WrestleMania. He has become a dream opponent to challenge the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.

With the event in California, fans were ready to see “The Great One” return to WWE. However, it doesn’t seem like that will happen this year. In a press conference after the Royal Rumble, TV Insider Scott Fishman asked Triple H about The Rock’s involvement at WrestleMania 39. The Chief Content Officer revealed that the superstar isn’t available.

“…I know for him, and I know his family, his background, and everything, there is a part of him that if he could be here for this WrestleMania in Hollywood, he would turn over every stone and walk through fire to be able to do it if he could. I just don’t think it is in the cards, but then again, you don’t know,” said Triple H.

He added The Rock is always in talks about a return, and he could come back when he wants. Triple H also said, “…I think that respect factor works both ways that he wouldn’t want to do it unless he could absolutely do it. There is no way he would half-ass it. There’s no way he would show up here and not come in and want to put every single thing he had into it.”

What’s Next For Roman Reigns?

Wrestling fans may be unable to see The Rock challenge Reigns at WrestleMania 39.

However, they will get a chance to see Cody Rhodes challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at “WrestleMania Hollywood.” Rhodes earned his opportunity by winning the Royal Rumble match on Jan. 28. It’s unclear if the Royal Rumble winner will challenge for both titles or just the WWE Championship. Rhodes has spoken in the past about wanting to be the WWE Champion, which his father wasn’t able to do.

Reigns also have unfinished business with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. He defeated Owens at this year’s Royal Rumble event but gave him an extra beat down after the match. When Reigns asked Zayn to attack Owens, Zayn refused and the champion in his back with a chair. Zayn’s actions led to The Bloodline beating him up to the event. It’s possible WWE could have Owens and Zayn try to get their revenge on the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Although The Rock will not be involved in this year’s WrestleMania event, WWE seems to have exciting plans in store for its fans.

It seems Bray Wyatt may have unfinished business with Alexa Bliss.

Wyatt has quite the history with Bliss, from his time as “The Fiend.” Both superstars were in a storyline together from July 2020 to WrestleMania 37 on April 11, 2021. WWE seemingly ended the relationship between Wyatt and Bliss after she betrayed him at WrestleMania 37. However, Wyatt has teased that his story with Bliss is far from over.

Bliss is being followed by the mysterious “Uncle Howdy,” who, after the Royal Rumble on Jan. 28, is presumably working with Wyatt. In a press conference after this year’s Royal Rumble, Wyatt talked about his relationship with Bliss and what will come from this storyline.

“…I think me and Alexa are just kind of connected forever, no matter what. It’s just kind of the way it’s gone, and where it leads, I don’t know. No one knows, but I feel like there will be something at some point, and it will be memorable; I’m sure of that.”

-Bray Wyatt

What’s Next For Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss?

Based on Wyatt’s comments, Bliss will be working with him again. As of now, Uncle Howdy is the only person following her. However, that could change after this year’s Royal Rumble. Uncle Howdy seemed to be working with Wyatt after he aided Wyatt’s attack on LA Knight.

The mysterious character also appeared in a video after Bliss’s loss to Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair to tease her. The video showed images of Bliss during the time she worked with Wyatt, and Uncle Howdy repeatedly said, “Do you feel in charge.”

It’s unclear where WWE is going with this storyline between Uncle Howdy, Wyatt, and Bliss. However, Wyatt believes that wherever the story is headed, it will be something fans will remember.

The Intercontinental Champion, Gunther, has set a new record in the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Gunther entered as number one, going up against Sheamus at the start of the Royal Rumble match. He outlasted 28 other opponents in the Royal Rumble before getting eliminated by a returning Cody Rhodes. While he didn’t win, he had a great showing and broke a new record.

The intercontinental champ has set the record for the most time spent in a Royal Rumble match. He lasted one hour, eleven minutes, and 25 seconds. The previous record holder was Rey Mysterio from the 2006 Royal Rumble match, with one hour, two minutes, and 12 seconds.

He didn't win but an incredible performance and new Royal Rumble duration record for Gunther who was out there as #1 and lasted 1 hour, 11 minutes and 25 seconds. Impressive #Gunther #WWE #RoyalRumble #RoyalRumble2023 pic.twitter.com/3TavgTmJTW

— SEScoops (@sescoops) January 29, 2023

What’s Next For Gunther?

Although Gunther lost the Royal Rumble match, he had exciting encounters with several wrestlers. He had a standoff with Brock Lesnar, an opponent he has not faced. However, it seems WWE may have teased another match between Lesnar and Bobby Lashley.

In the match, Gunther eliminated both Sheamus and Drew McIntyre at the same time. Sheamus and Gunther have unfinished business, but McIntyre has yet to go against Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship. McIntyre seems to be taking a step back from the universal title picture, so WWE could have him work with Gunther.

Regardless, WWE seems to be investing in Gunther to make him a threat to the company. While he didn’t win, it’s possible the company could have big plans for the Intercontinental Champion this year.

WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair wants to get a win over Charlotte Flair.

Belair has goals to defeat all Four Horsewomen(Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair). So far, she has beaten everyone except for Flair cleanly. Her only two wins against the current Smackdown Women’s Champion happened via disqualification. However, Flair holds a clean victory over Belair.

The Raw Women’s Champion confronted Flair on the Jan. 23 episode of Monday Night Raw to tease a future feud. Belair spoke about the confrontation with Lucha Libre Online’s Diva Incarnate.

“I was very excited to get the ring with Charlotte. We all know that my long-time goal, or maybe short-time goal, we don’t know, is to eventually defeat all Four Horsewomen. I’ve defeated three. The last one is Charlotte Flair. I feel like she’s at that mountaintop, and I was excited to get in that ring with her because when I very first got into WWE, she was the first people that I looked up to. I see myself in her so much. Ric Flair is her father, but people sometimes forget that she came in not knowing anything as well. She was a former collegiate athlete just like me, so to be able to be in the ring with the most decorated woman in women’s wrestling, it was an honor, but I still have my goal in sight,” said Belair.

Could Bianca Belair’s Next Feud Be Against Charlotte Flair?

The confrontation on the Jan. 23 episode of Monday Night Raw was interesting. Both Flair and Belair are champions of separate brands. It doesn’t seem like they will be working with each other soon.

However, Fightful Select reported that WWE’s initial plan for Flair as of early December was to work with Belair. The program changed, and Flair defeated Ronda Rousey for the Smackdown Woman’s Championship in her return on the Dec. 30, 2022, episode of Friday Night Smackdown. WWE could try to make the feud happen between Belair and Flair, but it’s unclear how they could do it with both of them holding titles.

For now, Belair will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 28.

. @BiancaBelairWWE : No voy a descansar hasta DERROTAR a las 4 Jinetes en WWE. Lleva 3/4. Sólo queda 1: @MsCharlotteWWE ?@NYCDemonD1va pic.twitter.com/06HZVovfkl

— Lucha Libre Online (@luchalibreonlin) January 27, 2023

A mascot dressed as WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin saved a Houston Rockets’ mascot from taking a severe beating during their “WWE Night.”

WWE is holding this year’s Royal Rumble event in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 28. As the state of Texas prepares for the special occasion, the Houston Rockets took part in the wrestling activities. For their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 26, they had their “WWE Night.”

It was @WWE night at the @HoustonRockets game

I think Mini Clutch is ready to be a surprise entry into this weekend's #RoyalRumble #Rockets on AT&T SportsNet??? pic.twitter.com/XqeqtYSRn5

— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 27, 2023

The Rockets worked alongside Reality of Wrestling, founded by NXT Announcer Booker T, to hold matches during the game. The team cheerleaders danced to WWE themes, and the organization sold Undertaker bobbleheads. During halftime, The Rockets also had a mini royal rumble for a replica WWF Championship with other mascots and people dressed as other wrestlers like John Cena.

Video of The Mascot Brawl at WWE Night

The Houston Rockets’ mascot won, but the Cavaliers’ mascot wasn’t happy. The Cavaliers’ mascot attacked the winner from behind and took the belt. However, a Stone Cold Steve Austin mascot made the save and ran the Cavaliers’ mascot off the basketball court.

When the glass breaks … it’s about to go down ??@steveaustinBSR pic.twitter.com/E2hO4kmHg9

— SEScoops (@sescoops) January 27, 2023

WWE Royal Rumble Preview

This Saturday, WWE will hold its annual Royal Rumble event. The card will have a Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble match, with the winner of the respective matches earning a title opportunity at WrestleMania. The event will also have Roman Reigns defending his Universal Championship against Kevin Owens.

To check out who the SEScoops team thinks will win at the Royal Rumble, check out our predictions here.

The Jan. 26 episode of Impact Wrestling aired on AXS TV at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

This episode featured a main event between Sami Callihan, Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann, Rhino, Moose, and Chris Sabin in a Golden Six Shooter match. It is a six way elimination match. The winner of the match will challenge Josh Alexander for the Impact World Championship at No Surrender on Feb. 24. This week’s episode also aired on their Youtube channel for Impact Insider subscribers. Impact Wrestling offers a monthly subscription to watch weekly episodes on Youtube for $1.49.

If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.

TONIGHT on #IMPACTonAXSTV at 8pm EST…

• Miguel vs Jackson – X Division Title
• Death Dollz vs Shaw & ??? – Knockouts Tag Team Titles
• Major Players vs Ace & Bey
• Golden 6 Shooter – winner faces Josh Alexander for the IMPACT World Title at #NoSurrender #IMPACTWrestling pic.twitter.com/1jEl37RBBZ

— Tom Hannifan (@TomHannifan) January 26, 2023

Impact Wrestling Results (1/26) Results

It was a valiant effort by Mike Jackson but @TheTreyMiguel is STILL X-Division Champion. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/xih42oJMR8

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

(C)Trey Miguel vs. Mike Jackson- X Division Championship Match

The match started with both Miguel and Jackson exchanging holds and going for quick pinfalls. Miguel tries to go for a handshake and punches Jackson in the face. The champion starts to control the match by working on the arm. Miguel goes for a Springboard Moonsault but misses. Jackson pulls his straps down and tries to fire back, but Miguel stops him.

The action goes to the outside, where Miguel misses a Clothesline to Jackson and hits the ring post. Jackson brings the champion back to the ring and goes Old School. He tries to walk over the ring ropes and hit Miguel’s arm but gets hit in the stomach. Miguel takes back control of the match. The finish came when Miguel landed the Lighting Spiral on Jackson.

After the match, Crazy Steve and Black Taurus confront Miguel, but the champion runs away in the crowd.

We get a backstage interview with Impact World Champion Josh Alexander. He says no matter who wins the Golden six shooter match; he’ll remind him why he is the champion. Steve Maclin confronts Alexander and teases a match between them in the future.

An INCREDIBLE dropkick by @Jet2Flyy opens the door for KUSHIDA to pick up the submission victory. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/kqCeJ0TYnx

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

The Good Hands (Josh Hotch & John Skyler) vs. Kushida & Kevin Knight

Kevin Knight and John Skyler start the match. Knight controls the arm of Skyler and tags Kushida in the match. Both Kushida and Knight start to focus on the arm of Skyler. The match turns when Skyler tags in Hotch, and they start taking control of it. Hotch brings Kushida to his teammate’s corner and tags Skyler back in. Skyler lands a cheap shot on Knight and The Good Hands land a Rolling German Suplex/ Jackknife pin combo on Kushida for a two count.

The Good Hands tried another tag team move, but Kushida countered and tagged in Knight. Knight and Kushida start to take control of the match. Kushida blind tags in the match and picks up Hotch over his head for Knight to hit a Dropkick. Kushida locks in the Kimura lock on Hotch to win the match.

We get a backstage segment between Mickie James and Jordynne Grace. Grace wants another opportunity at the Impact Knockout Championship.

WIDOW'S PEAK! @REALLiSAMARiE was fed up of @GiseleShaw08 disrespectfully refusing to tag her into the match. #IMPACTonAXSTV @FearHavok @thetayavalkyrie pic.twitter.com/4l9oFgVzu7

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

(C)Death Dollz(Jessicka & Taya Valkyrie) vs. Gisele Shaw & Tara- Impact Knockout Tag Team Championship

Taya Valkyrie and Tara start the match, but Gisele Shaw blind-tags Tara. The Death Dollz start to take offense to Shaw after Jessicka tags in. Jessicka lands several kicks on Shaw and tries to go for a leg drop but misses. Shaw follows up by landing a Running Uppercut to Jessicka in the corner. The fans start chanting for Tara, but Shaw refuses to tag her. Jessicka tags in Valkyrie, who rallies a comeback.

Jai Vadal trips Valkyrie as she runs to the ropes near him. Rosemary hits a Spear on Vidal to take Vidal out of the match. Shaw lands Tara’s signature move, the Spider web, for a two count. Shaw teases like she’ll tag Tara in but denies her. Tara enters the ring to confront Shaw. They get into an argument until Shaw pushes Tara. Tara responds by landing the Widow’s Peak on Shaw. Tara leaves the match and the Death Dollz hit the Death Driver on Shaw to win the match.

We get a backstage segment between Santino Marella and Dave LaGreca. Bully Ray stops them while talking and asks Marella why he isn’t in the Golden 6 Shooter Match. Ray threatens Marella after he gets denied again from being involved in the match. LaGreca tells Marella that he should get Tommy Dreamer to go against Ray.

We get a backstage interview with Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans. Steelz talks about last week’s tag team match and says James didn’t defeat her one-on-one. Steelz also teases a split between her and Evans as a group.

.@The_Ace_Austin and @DashingChrisBey are operating like a well-oiled machine. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/jimOA9li7l

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

The Major Players(Brian Myers & Matt Cardona)vs. The Bullet Club (Ace Austin and Chris Bey)

Matt Cardona and Chris Bey start the match by exchanging holds. Bey gets the better of Cardona and tags Ace Austin in. The Bullet Club lands several tag team moves on Cardona and Brian Myers to take control of the match. Cardona and Myers escape to the outside of the ring. Austin does a dive to the outside on The Major Players. Austin tries to put the legal Myers back in the ring but gets attacked by Cardona.

Cardona tags in the match to take the offense to Austin. The Major Players tagged in and out of the match to dominate Austin. Myers taunted Bey and got caught with a kick from Austin. Bey gets tagged, and he takes the offense to Cardona, who is tagged in. However, Myers distracts Bey for Cardona to land a hard Clothesline. He follows it up by hitting the running boot to Bey in the corner. Myers tag in to land a Top Rope Elbow Drop for a two-count.

Myers tags in Cardona to go for another tag team move, but Bey takes them both out. Bey tags in Austin, and the finish comes when Austin locks in a weird pin on Cardona for the win.

After the match, Joe Hendry comes out to accept Cardona’s challenge for the Digital Media Championship.

.@TheJonGresham ruthlessly pops out @SheldonJean_'s knee for an emphatic victory. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/yBAONBSYNZ

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

Jonathan Gresham vs. Sheldon Jean

Jonathan Gresham takes control early against Sheldon Jean. He locks in an Ankle Lock, but Jean gets to the ropes. Jean tries to get some offense in, but Gresham counters every move. The finish comes when Gresham hyperextends Jean knee and hits hit him in the back of the head with an elbow to win.

Impact teases matchups for next week.

• The Bullet Club (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) will face Kushida and Kevin Knight.

• Giselle Shaw try to get her revenge against Tara in a singles match.

.@SuperChrisSabin rounds out the field in the Golden Six Shooter match. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/Qg5F2N8oPz

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

Golden Six Shooter Match

Moose and Rhino clear the ring of the other opponents. They both start exchanging Shoulder Blocks until Moose racks the eyes of Rhino. Moose tries to capitalize but gets caught with a clothesline by Rhino. Chris Sabin takes out Rhino momentarily with a Running Shoulder Block. Sami Callihan enters the ring and lands an Exploder Suplex on Sabin. However, Sabin gets the momentum back by countering a move from Callihan and dives to the outside on Moose.

Each opponent starts landing their moves on each other in the ring until it’s down to Rhino and Callihan. Rhino starts to beat down Callihan until Moose surprises him with a Spear. Before Moose can cover, Callihan kicks him in the face and pins Rhino to eliminate him. We go on a commercial break.

.@TheSamiCallihan capitalizes on @TheMooseNation's spear to eliminate @Rhyno313. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/NHw6qAItn4

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

After the break, Moose is in control of the match. Eddie Edwards tries to attack Moose but gets caught in the Urinage. Sabin hits a Tornado DDT on Moose to stop his dominance. Callihan enters back in the ring to attack Sabin. However, Sabin outsmarts him. Edwards tries to attack Sabin but hits Callihan. Sabin grabs Edwards and runs up Callihan’s chest to land a Tornado DDT on Edwards.

Sabin tries to go after Callihan but gets countered by him. The action in the match continues to go back and forth with all opponents. The subsequent elimination comes when PCO distracts Edwards and Sabin puts Edwards in a cradle pin to eliminate him.

.@TheMooseNation cuts @SuperChrisSabin's dreams of becoming number one contender in half with a Spear. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/aDwMmfawIu

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

Moose enters the ring to attack Sabin. He overpowers Sabin until he gets caught with an Enzuigiri in the corner. Sabin tries to land another Tornado DDT, but Moose avoids it and hits a Spear on Sabin to eliminate him. We go to commercial break.

We return from a commercial break with Moose, Callihan, and Swann exchanging offense. Swann lands a Springboard Cutter on Callihan to make him roll out of the ring. Moose turns his attention to Swann and starts to focus on his leg. He gets overconfident and tries to pick up Swann from his leg, but Moose gets caught in a roll-up to get eliminated. The Design comes to the ring, and Cody Deaner tells Callihan he has to beat Swann.

.@GottaGetSwann will challenge @Walking_Weapon on February 24 at #NoSurrender! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/r7omZzfi3t

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 27, 2023

Callihan and Swann exchange offense until Swann hits his opponent with a spinning kick to the face. Swann gets the win after landing a 450 Splash from the middle rope.

The Design beats down Swann, and Deaner tries to make Callihan attack Swann. However, Yuya Uemura, Franke Kazarian & Josh Alexander come out to save Swann.

The WWE Royal Rumble will take place this Saturday, Jan. 28. The matches are set; however, it seems the company changed their plans for the women’s title picture for the event.

WWE surprised fans with Charlotte Flair’s return and the defeat of Ronda Rousey for the Smackdown Women’s Championship on the Dec. 30 episode of Friday Night Smackdown. Before her match with Flair, Rousey defeated Raquel Rodriguez to retain the title. However, it’s reported WWE didn’t initially plan for the Rousey and Rodriguez match to happen that soon.

Fightful Select reports that the company wanted the Rousey and Rodriguez title match to occur at the Royal Rumble. The report also shared that WWE had thought of having Flair work with Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair.

“…Ronda Rousey Smackdown Women’s Title defense against Raquel Rodriguez that took place on December 30 was actually originally planned to go down almost a full month later. Fightful has gained information that displays that the match was set for the WWE Royal Rumble as of early December,” said the report.

It also added that “…Another interesting note is that several WWE plans have changed as a result of this in relation to it. At the same period, Charlotte Flair was tentatively scheduled on a “suggested matches” list to wrestle Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship. Rhea Ripley was set to take on Rousey, but that’s when Rousey was still Champion.”

What’s Next For Ronda Rousey?

After her defeat to Flair, it’s unclear what WWE has planned for Rousey. The report notes that WWE gave her different creative options before Dec. 30. However, it didn’t work out, and they went with Flair defeating Rousey after her match with Rodriguez. It also didn’t share the options that WWE presented to the former champion.

She isn’t advertised to compete at the Royal Rumble this weekend. This could still change, but Fightful Select reported on Jan. 20 that she isn’t expected to appear at the event.

The company could have Rousey challenge Flair for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. However, Flair is working with Sonya Deville, which could get added it the Royal Rumble card. Rousey will have to wait to see what WWE has planned for her.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her surprise return to the company last month. She has come out to share that she felt overwhelmed by the crowd’s response to her comeback.

Flair made her return to WWE on the Dec. 30 episode of Friday Night Smackdown, where she confronted Ronda Rousey. She was met with a positive reaction from the crowd, working as a babyface. Before her return, WWE had her acting as a heel. Flair defeated Rousey to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship.

In an interview with Joseph Staszewski for the New York Post, Flair shared her experience from the Dec. 30 return. She spoke openly about how the crowd response had overwhelmed her.

“I was very overwhelmed. For me to get overwhelmed out there, I’m usually controlling the emotions and the pace and where I’m at. I was just like, I had never had that comeback moment. I never had that feel-good [moment]. Maybe when I won [at] WrestleMania 32, but it wasn’t a surprise. It was a big moment in my career, but no one’s ever missed me. I’m always there”

– Charlotte Flair

What Kept Charlotte From Returning Sooner?

Flair has stayed off WWE TV since her loss to Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash on May. 8, 2022. Before her return, she had stayed off of WWE TV for several months to enjoy her personal life and take care of dental procedures. She and AEW star Andrade El Idolo got married in May. 27, 2022. During her interview with the Post, Flair shared that time away alongside her husband was a needed break, and she had time to relax.

“Usually I’m thinking, even if I do go to the beach while I’m working, I could go for a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, but I’m thinking, What am I doing on TV Friday, where are my live events,” said Flair. She continued,

“To completely be disconnected and in the moment was so nice, and getting that one-on-one time with Manny [Andrade] that I never have had before, it was priceless.”

Since her return, she has feuded with Sonya Deville. Flair defeated Deville for the Smackdown’s Women’s Championship on the Jan. 6 episode of Friday Night Smackdown. However, it seems WWE has teased that they could have another match.

All Elite Wrestling superstar Britt Baker won’t compete on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite due to injury.

The company broke the news this morning on its Twitter account. AEW wanted Baker to compete in a 3-way match against Ruby Soho and Toni Storm on the Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite. Since Baker is injured, Soho and Storm will compete in a singles match.

Due to injury, Dr. @RealBrittBaker D.M.D. will not be able to compete in the scheduled 3-Way Match on #AEWDynamite.

Following their postmatch encounter last Wednesday on Dynamite, it will now be @realrubysoho fighting #ToniStorm one-on-one LIVE on
TBS at 8pm ET/7pm CT, TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/VJK67nIPnG

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 25, 2023

It’s unclear what the severity is of the injury or how long Baker will be out of action. Her last aired match was against Billie Starkz on AEW Dark on Jan. 24. Baker took a kick to the face that caused her nose to bleed during the match. AEW hasn’t shared if it’s a nose injury or if there is another issue.

AEW Dynamite Preview

The Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite will be an emotional one. Tonight’s episode will have Mark Briscoe making his AEW debut against Jay Lethal in tribute to his late brother Jay, who tragically passed away last week. The significance of the match happening tonight is also because today would’ve been Jay’s 39th birthday.

Mark’s debut comes after Warner Bros. Discovery lifted its longstanding ban on Briscoes from appearing on AEW Dynamite or Rampage yesterday. AEW also sells T-shirts with Jay on them, with 100% of the proceeds going to Jay’s family. It’s unclear if the entire episode will be a tribute to Jay.

The rest of the show will have exciting matchups. The Jan. 25 episode of AEW Dynamite will have TNT Champion Darby Allin defending the title against Buddy Mathews. The show will also continue the build to the main event of the AEW Revolution pay-per-view, MJF’s hand-picked opponent Brian Cage taking on Bryan Danielson.

You can check out our preview article here to see the rest of the AEW Dynamite card.

A former WWE writer has shared what it was like working and writing for Bianca Belair in her first year on the main roster.

Belair has had remarkable success on the WWE main roster since her debut. She made her debut on Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania 36 on April 6, 2020, by saving the Street Profits. She would go on to have a great first year to the following year, winning the Royal Rumble on Jan. 31, 2021, and the Smackdown’s Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37 on April 10, 2021.

However, people behind the scenes in WWE had to push for Belair to become a star on the main roster. Former WWE writer Chris Dunn spoke with the Public Enemies Podcast about what it was like working with Belair in her first year.

Dunn worked with the company from 2016 to 2021. He shared that he wrote with The Street Profits closely in NXT and was brought up with them. From working with the Street Profits, he pushed to write for Belair.

“…The biggest thing that I’m most proud of is working with Bianca. That whole year it was such a wild thing, said Dunn. He continued…”I was really worried at the time because I think anybody that sees Bianca Belair that she’s unbelievable like it’s kind of undeniable. I think for whatever reason, we had a couple of writers on the team that weren’t around that long, who I think were having a negative impact on the women’s division and I’m also close to Tez, so I kind of campaigned to let me work with Bianca. So we started developing those Mr. Perfect vignettes and the goal was to get her to the main event of WrestleMania year one, because we needed new stars and it felt like that was legitimately possible.”

How Dunn Helped Get Bianca Belair over with Vince McMahon

The first significant accomplishment for Belair on the main roster was winning the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble Match. It helped push her to become a champion at WrestleMania 37 and make her one of WWE’s biggest stars. However, it took a creative push from Dunn and other writers to get McMahon on board with Belair.

Dunn spoke about getting to know Belair and praised her talents. He also shared how the Bayley and Belair obstacle course segment helped get Belair over with McMahon.

“…Vince loved the Lashley and Sami Zayn obstacle course. Loved it, and also we have the numbers to back it up. You’d be shocked stuff that wrestling Twitter hates, like arm wrestling contest, obstacle courses, things like that they rate well,” said Dunn. He went to Bayley’s writer, and they began to think of ideas for the obstacle to show off Belair’s ability.

“…I didn’t produce it or write it; I pitched it. I was around helping, like Jen Pepperman, who’s brilliant with the women’s division; she handled producing it.” He continued, “…Daniel Bryan and Adam Pierce jumped in and added elements to make it bigger. I forgot which one of them came up with the idea of lifting Otis, and then the other one doubled down of like, ‘Okay, you do Gable, but then you do Otis to build it.’ It really blew Vince away.”

The Original Winner of the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble

Despite the impressive showing during the obstacle course, McMahon wasn’t sold on making Belair a main event star at that time. As a backup plan for Belair, Dunn revealed he pitched an idea for her and Billie Kay to team together, with the idea that it would replicate The Rock and Sock Connection. However, the pitch went nowhere. Heading into the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble, McMahon didn’t have Belair winning the match.

“…I was in a Tampa hotel room, and we were watching some sort of football game, and they an assistant had just left the Royal Rumble night before meeting, and they changed the finish. Charlotte was going to go over, and they rehearsed Charlotte going over, and Bianca was going to get eliminated midway through the match, and it got changed to Bianca going over.”

Dunn continued, “…I think a lot of people voiced it, but like this guy Ryan Ward who’s been there for 14 years. He was Cena’s writer and probably for my money, I think has had the biggest hand in the women’s revolution. He was lead writer for golden days of NXT, when like Kevin and Sami, the four-horsewomen, all that stuff. From my understanding, from what I heard he kind of said to Vince something to the effect like ‘Vince, if you look at the Royal Rumble tomorrow, we have Edge winning and Charlotte winning. We’re not making any new stars.’ And I think that really resonated and like Bianca was on such a role where it kind of made sense and she also right after that match had to nail that post match promo and she did it and she was just awesome and great.”

Since the pivotal 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble win, Belair has succeeded in WWE. However, if people in WWE like Dunn did push for her creatively, it may not have happened the way it did.

Elsewhere in the interview, he also spoke about the infamous Lashley sister segment, backstage reaction to Kofi Kingston losing the WWE Championship, and more.

Free agent Kylie Rae has spoke out regarding her WWE tryout and her status with the company.

Wrestling fans are curious about Rae’s status as a free agent. She has worked with several promotions in the past, like All Elite Wrestling and Impact Wrestling. Unfortunately, Rae has dealt with mental health issues that have affected her career. She took some time off from wrestling in 2020 and made her return a year later.

Since her return to wrestling, she has competed for independent wrestling promotions and NWA. On Dec. 6, 2022, PWinsider’s Mike Johnson reported that she had participated in a WWE Tryout at their Performance Center. She no longer worked with NWA at the time and was a free agent. Six days later, Rae competed as “Briana Ray” against Dana Brooke for a WWE Main Event taping.

In an interview with the Going Broadway Podcast, Rae spoke about how her tryout came together.

“…When WWE goes to towns, I’m sure you’re all familiar, they’ll use local talent to come and do extra work, said Rae. She continued, “… They were coming to Chicago, and from my understanding, again Freelance Wrestling is my home. It’s where I started. It’s where I continue to train and they were asking people from my school to reach out to WWE. I don’t know how many people know about this, but it’s Gabe Sapolsky and he’s one of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”

Rae credited Sapolsky for helping her throughout the process. She added that “…I talked to Gabe, and from what I understood, he was surprised that I was even reaching out for extra work because he’s like, ‘I think we could try to get you a tryout if you’re able to.’

Is Kylie Rae Signed With WWE?

While the tryout seemed like it went well, Rae has confirmed reports that she is a free agent.

“…As far as something long-term at this point, I got the not right now deal, which is okay because if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, and if it’s meant to be, it would’ve happened kind of thing. They’re having me still come back for extra work. I was just there this past Friday and the Friday before,” said Rae. Regarding her match with Brooke, Rae said, “…From what it felt like after the match, they were, maybe I’m a little naive, but they seemed very happy with it. It feels good being there, like the environment it legitimate feels very positive and genuine and people are happy. Maybe I’m naive, so I don’t know, because again I’m not signed there, I’m not contracted, I don’t have to be there every single week kind of thing, so I don’t know anybody else’s experience, but from my experience it’s been wonderful.”

Rae will compete in Freelance Wrestling against Sandra Moone on Feb. 10. While she is a free agent, Rae seems to be on good terms with WWE. By Rae continuing to have a working relationship as an extra, it could see WWE make her a full-time talent.