NXT Champion Bron Breakker believes that NXT 2.0 fans aren’t going to lose old NXT veterans.
CBS Sports Shakiel Mahjouri spoke to Breakker after winning at NXT New Years Evil on January 4th. Breakker defeated Tommaso Ciampa at the event to win the NXT Championship. Mahjouri asked Breakker if his win marked the “Nail in the coffin” for NXT Veterans. However, Breakker rejects that idea.
“I don’t think it’s a nail in the coffin or anything like that, said Breakker. He continued, “…We are just shifting from black and gold to just 2.0. The veterans from black and gold that are still here, Tommaso, is going to be around man. I’m sure that he and I will cross paths again. That will happen at some point in time. Whether it’s now or later, it’s going to happen again.”
NXT 2.0 New Direction
The NXT 2.0 brand is going through drastic changes. In December, NXT veterans like Kyle O’ Riley and Johnny Gargano left the company. The WWE also has released other NXT talent due to budget cuts throughout last year. Yesterday, the company released former NXT General Manager William Regal, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch, and Hideki Suzuki.
Breakker wants to create his legacy in professional wrestling. Known as the son of Rick Steiner, he wants to stand on his own without using his family name. Now champion, Breakker is the face of NXT 2.0. While that could be overwhelming for other wrestlers, he welcomes the new role.
“I want to be for the people. I want to be a fighting champion,” said Breakker. He continued, “…I want people to be on the edge of their seats when I come out because they love me, and they can’t wait to see what I’m going to do next. I just want to be an honorable champion and representation of this company and show what we’re all about here at NXT, and that’s it, man.”
It’s unclear what WWE will do with NXT veterans this year. However, Breakker is expecting to be ready to defend the NXT Championship against anyone.
All Elite Wrestling Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes believes going through a flaming table was foolish. However, he doesn’t regret it.
Rhodes spoke with ComicBook’s Connor Casey about his decision that shocked AEW fans. The moment happened during a Street Fight match with Andrade El Idolo on December 1, 2021, and Rhodes reversed suplex Idolo through the flaming table to win. While Rhodes suffered burns, he thinks Street Fight matches should be memorable in AEW.
Casey transcribed the following quotes.
“I’m going to try and keep my language somewhat clean, but (that was) maybe the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. But man, it was cool. Dumb, but also what a good image, in terms of just that’s how we do Dynamite,” said Rhodes. He continued, “That specific incident wasn’t so much about topping myself, I just hate in wrestling when you’ll hear, “Oh, it’s a street fight. It’s a Tupelo Falls Count Anywhere match or whatever,” and then it’s just Basic Betty, it’s checking boxes versus actually taking that level of danger into account. And that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to make sure people know that, if there’s a Street Fight on AEW, it’s a Street Fight. It’s going to leave you with a lasting memory and, ultimately, I think we did that.”
Cody Rhodes Past Dangerous Spots
In AEW, Rhodes has had several dangerous moments in matches. Shawn Spears hit Rhodes on the head with a chair at AEW Fyter Fest on June 30, 2019. Fans responded negatively to Rhodes and the company for allowing it to happen. AEW President Tony Khan shared after the event that the spot didn’t go as planned.
“We called the doctor immediately. It was obviously really regrettable what happened,” Khan said. Rhodes ended up needing 12 staples to close the wound on his head.
Rhodes also did a moonsault off the top of a steel cage in a match with Wardlow at AEW Dynamite on February 19, 2020. While he didn’t injure himself, people in AEW didn’t want him to do the spot. Rhodes shared that Khan didn’t want him to do the jump. However, the moment still went as planned.
On Saturday, Rhodes will defend his TNT Championship against Sammy Guevara at AEW Battle of the Belts. Guevara will try to reclaim the title after losing to Rhodes at AEW Rampage on December 25, 2021.
Big Swole is speaking out after days of online harassment from wrestling fans on social media.
The controversy began on December 31st, when Swole addressed her AEW departure on her show, Swole World. She spoke about her AEW career and revealed some things that really bothered her during her time with the company.
Swole criticized the AEW for lacking diversity and black representation. Her comments have ignited a passionate debate.
Disclaimer This article contains some offensive/racist language, via DM’s shared by Big Swole
The lack of opportunities for women pushed Swole not to re-sign. However, she also cited a lack of structure and, more importantly, diversity and representation issues.
“… There are a lot of things with that company that need to change, and I know that fans of the company don’t take criticism well sometimes, like certain ones. But know this, that this is somebody just from the inside that the structure is a little off, said Swole. Swole explained, “… It’s fine to be loose, but I like to have a little bit more structure. I felt like the women shouldn’t have gone through everything they went through just to get on TV. Just to get time. You’re signed to this big company you want time. All these men are getting time, but the women weren’t getting anything. Or you’re not putting people on TV because ‘Oh, more people have come in.’ Okay, there is more people coming in, but you don’t have enough product for all these people.”
More on Big Swole’s Comments
The lack of attention to the women’s division is an issue that Swole detailed on her show. She shared that other female talents were frustrated with the lack of direction and opportunity to perform on TV, compared to the males. She also revealed that Khan asked her to help with the women’s division as the locker room leader.
Swole would communicate that the talent was unhappy with the lack of opportunities and help to improve in-ring. While this is one of her criticism of AEW, fans and wrestlers were more concerned with her comments on diversity.
Swole believes that AEW should give more people from the black community a voice in higher positions in the company. She mentioned that her daughter watched AEW on TV and noticed nobody looked like her or Swole. Swole also said that her daughter started to watch WWE because wrestlers like Bianca Belair and Big E were on TV.
“I do not like to beat around the bush when it comes to diversity,” said Swole. “When it comes to my people, there is no representation truly, and when it is representation, it does not come across in the black community as genuine at all.”
She continued, “…What happens is, you have this wonderful company that treats people like family, but there is nobody that looks like me that is represented at the top. They’re not in the room with them. They are not helping to not necessarily influence decisions but also be there to explain. You know, why certain slang, why this certain word shouldn’t be said. Why this that and the third. There’s no one else who can explain our culture except for us. Who can explain our experience except for us.”
While Swole shared her criticisms, she credited AEW for making some progress. However, she still wants to see the company do more. She doesn’t just want more representation in AEW, but other wrestling companies with TV deals in the United States like the WWE. She also wants more representation from different races and ethnic backgrounds like dark-skinned Latinas and Latinos, Asians, and Indians on TV.
Swole ended her episode wishing success for AEW and WWE while noting that she has no bad blood towards AEW.
The top 2 @AEW execs are brown (me & Megha)!! Jade, Bowens, Caster, Dante, Nyla, Isiah & Marq Quen all won on tv this month. The TBS Title Tournament has been very diverse. I let Swole’s contract expire as I felt her wrestling wasn’t good enough. #AEWRampage Street Fight TONIGHT! https://t.co/NprF6I7D6G
Swole’s criticism prompted a response from Khan on Twitter. In his response, he shared that AEW doesn’t have a problem with diversity. He pointed out that he’s Pakistani American and that seven wrestlers from different ethnic backgrounds won matches in December. Khan also said that he let Swole contract expire because “…her wrestling wasn’t good enough.” Fans may also remember that Swole worked with Crohn’s Disease during her AEW career.
Khan’s comments sparked criticism for how he handled Swole’s remarks. AEW talent Lio Rush demanded that Khan apologizes on Twitter. However, other talents defended Khan, like Tayconti and Powerhouse Hobbs. Rush shared on January 1, he had a private conversation with Khan and that AEW is seeking input from an African American perspective.
Khan’s response to Swole added to the hostile reactions towards her. It not only made fans questions Swole wrestling ability but also invited fans to harass her. Swole posted a picture of a direct message from a fan on Twitter that racially attacked her. Another fan wished death on Swole. Recently, Swole tweeted that fans are now involving her daughter in their harassment. Khan hasn’t said anything else regarding Swole since his response on Twitter.
Khan Big Plans for Diversity in 2022
The AEW President appeared on Barstool Rasslin with Brandon F. Walker to share his big plans for diversity and representation in AEW. He also mentioned signing new talent Mercedes Martinez and Jake Atlas recently as part of the plan to be more diverse. While Khan says he has plans for diversity and representation, he didn’t reveal what they were.
“…I have some huge plans for 2022 that have been a long time in the making, and then I have some huge plans in 2022 to build a stronger, more diverse representation across the board, and nobody knows what it is yet, but I have a couple really exciting things that are going to be coming up in the next month, six weeks,” said Khan.
It’s unclear if Khan’s plans include signing new talent or hiring new employees from different ethnic backgrounds for higher positions in AEW. He also didn’t mention what he plans to do with talent already signed to AEW like Sonny Kiss, Jay Lethal, or Emi Sakura. It also contradicts his point that there isn’t a diversity or representation issue if he has to build a stronger and more diverse representation in AEW.
Regardless, Khan plans to make progress this year, and fans will have to wait to see what those plans are.
The new NXT Champion Bron Breakker has shared his first comments since winning the title last night.
Sports Illustrated Justin Barrasso spoke to him after defeating Tommaso Ciampa at NXT 2.0 New Years Evil last night. The win earned Breakker his first championship win with the WWE. Alongside Breakker, his father, Rick Steiner, also shared his thoughts on the title win with Barrasso.
Barrasso transcribed the quotes from the interview.
“My father and uncle paved this road for me, and I’m here to carry on the legacy they built,” said Breakker. The article referred to Breakker by his real name Bronson Rechsteiner. He continued, “I’m also here to carve my own path and make my own legacy, and that started tonight.”
The rivalry between Breakker and Ciampa seems to have ended at NXT 2.0 New Years Evil. Ciampa won their first match with each other at Halloween Havoc on October 26, 2021. However, Breakker got his revenge by pinning Ciampa in the War Games match on December 5, 2021. While it wasn’t a singles match, NXT 2.0 promoted last night’s rematch as their third match. After his loss, Ciampa posted a photo on social media that said thank you as he walked away with Breakker in the background. It’s unclear if NXT 2.0 plans to do another championship rematch.
Rick Steiner Thoughts on Bron Breakker Championship Win
NXT 2.0 fans were surprised when Breakker celebrated with his father after NXT 2.0 New Years Evil ended. NXT 2.0 didn’t show Steiner during the event. However, WWE later posted a video on Youtube of both men celebrating in the ring. Steiner shared in the article that he is proud of his son and wants Breakker to have a better professional wrestling career than him and his brother Scott Steiner.
“I hope he’s even more successful than myself and his uncle. We had such a special time traveling the road as brothers, but this tops all of that. This is his time and his chance to carry the torch,” said Steiner. He continued, “Watching that match was one of the best moments of my life. As his father, I couldn’t be prouder, and so is our whole family.”
Breakker has begun to add to the legacy of the Steiners. Although, he wants to be able to prove his worth without using his family name.
The New Day members, King Xavier Woods and Big E, shared their thoughts on turning heel.
Metro.co.uk Alistair McGeorge spoke with them about if they considered making the change. The group is currently working as babyfaces and is thriving. However, WWE fans may remember the group performed as heels in the past. Woods responded positively to McGeorge’s question and shared why.
McGeorge transcribed the quotes.
“… It’s just super fun to scream at little kids, ’cause when we were heels before, our stuff would see kids getting legitimately mad and upset at us. It’s just so much fun to be snarky, to be rude and disliked,” said Woods.
He also compared working babyface and heel. “It’s great being cheered, and people pulling for us and being the good guys – both sides are really fun to play, but I wouldn’t be mad at it at all. We love that. We talk about it all the time.”
Big E Thoughts on Turning Heel
Former WWE champion Big E also expressed intrigue in the group making the change. He admitted that he has so much fun being a heel. However, he also wants it to be an organic decision to switch roles.
“…My feeling is if we do turn, it feels organic, and it feels natural again. Unfortunately, we’re in a position right now where our reactions are pretty damn good. So, I don’t see that happening any time soon, but who knows,” said Big E.
Both Woods and Big E are open to turning heel, but it won’t happen anytime soon. Big E shared that he’s enjoying doing charitable work that helps because he is a babyface.
“What I’m doing in the ring dovetails so well into all the things I wanna do outside of the ring, as far as just charitable work, just telling my story with my issues with depression and mental health,” said Big E.
What’s Next for the New Day
The group is hoping to get back to becoming champions. Woods and Kofi Kingston lost their opportunity to regain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships at Day 1 on January 1st to the Usos. While the feud could continue, the Usos won the match clean.
Big E lost the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in a Fatal Five-Way match at the same event. Big E also lost clean like his partners, and Lesnar pinned him. The WWE could give Big E another opportunity at the WWE championship in the future. However, he lost a Fatal Four-Way match to Bobby Lashley to become the number one contender to face Lesnar at the Royal Rumble.
The New Day will have to work their way back to gaining championship opportunities. It’s unclear what the WWE has planned for them. While they are not rushing to become heels, the role change could give them a fresh start.
Jeff Hardy was set for a big angle in NXT 2.0 prior to his surprise release from WWE last month.
WWE had plans for Hardy to be revealed as “The Shamon” for MSK, as first reported by Fightful. Hardy’s release left WWE scrambling. With just days until the culmination of this storyline, WWE tapped Matt Riddle to fill this role and “rush” to film the necessary content.
“Just days before the reveal was to happen, Hardy was released by the company, and Matt Riddle had to rush to film content with MSK to make it work,” the report states.
Luckily Matt Riddle and MSK’s characters mesh together quite nicely. The trio is scheduled to face Imperium at tonight’s NXT New Years Evil special.
Just days before the bombshell news broke, the Charismatic Enigma worried fans with a bizarre incident a WWE live event from Edinburg, Texas.
Jeff’s brother Matt Hardy shared on Twitch that he believes WWE made a mistake by canning Jeff. According to Matt, Jeff doesn’t need rehab and WWE didn’t even wait to see any drug test results before making its decision.
Here’s what Matt had to say during that Twitch stream, as transcribed by SEScoops’ own Andrew Ravens:
“Before anyone rushes to judgment, obviously they [WWE] drug tested him after all this stuff, wait until you hear the results of that and when that comes back clean then hopefully people will feel better about it. They [WWE] felt like they were backed into a corner because of his [Jeff’s] history. Even though they may have jumped the gun with this a little bit, they made a decision and it is what it is,”said Matt.
In recent weeks, Jeff Hardy has been doing meet and greets with fans. Christian Cage and Ric Flair have both said they could see Jeff joining All Elite Wrestling. However, neither side has addressed this possibility in public.
NXT 2.0 superstar Bron Breakker wants to establish his legacy. However, he still would like to work with his father and uncle in WWE.
Sporting News’s Andreas Hale interviewed Breakker ahead of challenging Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship. The match will be the main event of NXT 2.0 New Years Evil. Hale asked Breakker if there was a possibility of seeing him share a ring with his father and uncle. He also wondered if Breakker thinks about it because of his family legacy. Professional wrestling fans may know Breakker as the son and nephew of professional wrestling legends Rick and Scott Steiner.
Breakker responded that he would like to have them involved in his pro wrestling career in the future. Hale transcribes the following quotes.
“I have. It would be great for both of them to be a part of my career at some point. Who knows? I have no idea. But it would be a cool moment for me because neither of them have seen me wrestle in person. They’ve watched it on TV. Maybe down the line, they can be part of something with me. I don’t know,” said Breakker.
“So, he was meant to be at Halloween Havoc,” Ciampa started. “He pulled out last minute. Maybe because I retained, but I won’t say that’s why [laughs]. I would love to be friends with him.”
Bron Breakker vs Tommaso Ciampa Rematch
Breakker will attempt to defeat Ciampa tonight in their rematch to become NXT Champion. Ciampa retained the championship in the first match by using his finisher on Breakker twice. However, Breakker plans to get his revenge and win his first NXT Championship. He also believes it will be the greatest moment of his life to win the title.
Hale asked Breakker what fans can expect to see from him in the rematch. Breakker believes it will be a war.
“I think we are going to see a more polished Bron Breakker this time around. I’m not going to make the same mistakes that I made before. Kudos to him because he exposed me as being inexperienced, as he said he would. I know what he’s about and how tough he is. I know that I’m up against the best in the business, and I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be a hard-hitting battle. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made the first time, and it’s going to be a war,” said Breakker.
It’s unclear if WWE will try to work with Breakker’s father and uncle, and both Rick and Scott haven’t shared if they want to collaborate with WWE publicly. Regardless, Breakker will try to further his legacy with a win over Ciampa tonight.
Impact Wrestling talent Chris Sabin is looking forward to challenging Jonathan Grisham for the ROH World Championship. The anticipated match will take place at Hard to Kill on January 8th.
The Sportster’s Denise Salcedo interviewed Sabin ahead of his match with Grisham. He shared that he didn’t know that Impact Wrestling booked the match until they announced it online. Salcedo mentioned that Sabin would join the likes of Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, and Eddie Edwards to win the ROH Championship and the Impact(Formerly TNA) World Heavyweight Championship. When asked what winning the ROH World Championship could mean for Sabin, he discussed how it adds to his career.
“…That’s something that you could always go back to and reference as some sort of history in wrestling that you made,” said Sabin. He continued, “…It’s not easy to really to do something new and solidify your name and on such a historic level like that by winning two world championships and two different companies like that. But yeah, it would mean a lot, and it would just, you know, add to my credentials of my career, and it was something I would be proud of.”
Chris Sabin Thoughts on Jonathan Gresham
In the interview, Sabin had positive things to say about his opponent. He praised Gresham’s work ethic and his style. Sabin also credited his opponent for being influential to other wrestlers.
“…I respect John a lot. I mean, he works really hard to be a unique talent just to be something different,” said Sabin. He explains, “Obviously, he works hard in the gym, he works hard when he’s training in the ring outside of wrestling, and you can just tell by his body of work. He’s just an amazing talent.”
Sabin vs. Gresham for the ROH World Championship will be the first time an ROH champion will defend the title under Impact Wrestling. While it’s unclear who will win, Gresham is scheduled to defend the title at Terminus and The WRLD on GCW later this month. Regardless, Sabin will have the opportunity to make history when he challenges Gresham this Saturday.
The Street Profits Angelo Dawkins has shared his dream match for Wrestlemania 38. This year, the event occurs at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 2nd and 3rd.
Dawkins appeared on Out of Character with Ryan Satin, where he revealed his dream match. He wants to team with Montez Ford to challenge The New Day and The Usos in a three-way tag team match for the Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Championships. He also wants to show that The Street Profits are on the same level as both teams.
“…Us, me and Tez vs. The New Day vs. The Usos for all the marbles. Both tag team titles on the line,” said Dawkins. He explains, “We beat The New Day at Survivor Series. We have yet to beat the Usos. They probably have the best rivalry in tag team history, pretty much. New Day being dawned the greatest tag team ever in WWE history, and the Usos are right up there with them at the mountaintop, and we’re the new kids on the block that are still trying to find our way, but we scratch the surface because we beat The New Day, but now we have to beat the Usos, but if we beat them both, we’re right up there with them.”
Street Profits Waiting on Wrestlemania Moment
The Street Profits have yet to perform at Wrestlemania in front of a crowd. WWE didn’t have them on Wrestlemania 37 last year. They also won a tag team match against Angel Garza and Austin Theory at Wrestlemania 36 on April 5th, 2020. However, due to Covid-19, they wrestled to no audience. When asked by Satin if Dawkins was frustrated that The Street Profits weren’t at Wrestlemania 37, Dawkins said he wasn’t.
“…Everything happens for a reason. I’ve always prided myself for being a patient guy, and I got a feeling that we are going to be on this year’s Wrestlemania. If not, we’ll be on next year’s Wrestlemania. I’m just going to have that mindset, and patience has always been a key for me and Tez, and we’ve both like prided ourselves on that no matter what,” said Dawkins.
What’s Next for The Street Profits
The Street Profits lost a Raw Tag Team Championship match against RK-BRO at Day 1 on January 1st. The Usos also defeated The New Day to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships at Day 1. However, it doesn’t look like their rivalry is over. For Dawkins to have his dream match, The Street Profits will need to win the Raw Tag Team Championships. If that happens, the WWE could potentially have The Street Profits vs. The Usos vs. The New Day in a winner takes all match at Wrestlemania 38. It’s unclear if WWE has plans for The Street Profits, but Dawkins seems to have an exciting idea for fans.
Impact Wrestling talent Sami Callihan shared an update on his injury and his return to professional wrestling. He is looking to return to Impact Wrestling before August 2022.
Callihan appeared on Busted Open on SiriusXM with Dave Legraca and Bully Ray to give his injury update. He suffered a broken ankle during an Impact Wrestling taping on September 18th. Callihan revealed that he is starting to walk without screws and preparing for his comeback in the interview.
“I got my screws out on December 23rd. I started taking my first steps a couple of days ago, and the Callihan ‘Death Machine’ is starting to lose weight. I’m starting to get stronger each and every day,” said Callihan. He continued, “…When I come back to Impact Wrestling, there’s going to be hell to pay for a lot of people.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jNW8GqBffI
Sami Callihan Wants to Wrestle Moose
Callihan made his intentions clear on who he wants to wrestle when he returns to Impact Wrestling. On Busted Open, he called a Moose and said he wanted to hurt Moose. He is responsible for breaking Callihan’s ankle in the storyline, and Moose is also the current Impact World Champion.
“…Fuck you, Moose. I don’t care if you are champion. I don’t care if you’re just being a dude on Impact Wrestling. When I come back to Impact Wrestling, I’m going to break your damn legs,” said Callihan.
Callihan also shared that he will not say when he will return to Impact Wrestling, as he likes the element of surprise. However, he is looking to return to Impact Wrestling before August 2022. Ray asked why Callihan had animosity towards Moose; Callihan explained that Moose tried to take his livelihood. Callihan also promises that he will return better and meaner than ever.
Moose Title Defense at Hard to Kill
Moose will defend his championship against Matt Cardona and W.Morrissey in a triple threat match at Hard to Kill on January 8th, 2022. If Moose were to retain his title, it could set up a match between himself and Callihan. However, it is still unclear how soon Callihan will be ready to return. Moose also has unfinished business with Josh Alexander if Impact Wrestling wants to have their rematch. Regardless, Callihan wants his revenge on Moose, whether for the championship or not.
Kevin Owen says WWE has a good reason for not sending any tribute videos to ROH Final Battle. According to Owens, they never asked.
Les Anti-Pods de la Lutte’s Patric Laprade and Kevin Raphael spoke with Owens about ROH. When asked why no one from WWE did promos for ROH Final Battle, he replied that ROH didn’t ask WWE. Unlike WWE talent, former ROH wrestlers in All Elite Wrestling and Impact Wrestling sent in videos thanking the promotion during ROH Final Battle.
Laprade transcribed the interview from French to English. He shared the transcription with SEScoops.
“The answer is quite simple: Ring of Honor didn’t ask any wrestlers from WWE to do that, nor contacted anyone at WWE. I knew it was going to be their last show, but I didn’t think to send a video so they could play it at the show. I’ve watched it. I was at a WWE show, and I was watching it on my phone, so it was not something I simply ignored. I’ve read some people on the Internet saying that probably WWE didn’t let us do it, but that’s incorrect. It’s just ROH who didn’t ask us, and I bet that if they had, we could have done it, but that wasn’t the case,” said Owens.
End of an Era for ROH
ROH Final Battle took place on December 11. The event marked the end of the current format of the wrestling promotion, as they are looking not to sign talent exclusively. ROH will book independent wrestlers to appear for them per event. However, it is unclear how they will book talent for events or ROH TV episodes. ROH also plans not to do any shows until April 2022.
Kevin Owens on How ROH Impacted his Career
After explaining why he didn’t send a tribute video to ROH, he shared why the promotion helped his career. While he appreciates his time in ROH, he’s unsure if he needed ROH to get into WWE. He also credits his time in Pro Wrestling Guerilla for growing his popularity.
“It’s funny cause I often ask myself that same question. Of course, it gave me a very important platform in the United States. But at the end of the day, William Regal saw me at a PWG show. And even before I started full-time with ROH in 2007, I had a good name on the indies because of PWG. So sometimes I wonder if things would have not become what they became with ROH if I would have made it to WWE anyway. Maybe, maybe not, I don’t know,” said Owens. He also admits that he once thought he’d stay with ROH for his entire career.
While he’s unsure if ROH helped his popularity, he does credit ROH for helping change his priorities. “…However, with time, my priorities changed a little, my family’s priorities changed a little, and that’s when WWE became my goal again. So ROH was a big influence and a huge part of my career, but I often wonder if ROH would have not been part of my career if I would have made it to WWE anyway. A huge part of me thinks so. That said, I have plenty of good and fun memories with ROH, and I’m very happy to have been apart of ROH for all those years,” said Owens.
All Elite Wrestling tag team FTR have shared their plans for what they want to achieve next year.
FTR appeared on Barstool Rasslin‘ with Brandon F. Walker to discuss future opponents and plans for 2022. They mentioned unfinished business with teams like the Young Bucks, Proud and Powerful, and the AEW Tag Team Champions The Lucha Bros. FTR also revealed that they want to go to New Japan Pro Wrestling to try to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
When asked what 2022 holds for them, Cash Wheeler responded with two opponents in mind.
“I think we are going to be the first-ever two-time AEW Tag Team Champions. In 2022, we are going to get the titles back. We are going to have the title run that we should’ve had the first time,” said Wheeler. He continued, “…We are never going to lose those again. Rematch with the Young Bucks. Beat the sh*t out of The Briscoes. Hold titles everywhere.”
FTR’s Dax Harwood Thoughts for 2022
Dax Harwood followed up after Wheeler shared their plans for next year. Harwood talked about how he wants FTR to prove they are one of the best tag teams of all time.
“I think ultimately for 2022, for me specifically, a legacy is something that I’ve wanted to leave, and I talk about it all the time in our interviews. Ultimately that’s what I want to do is continue to build on legacy,” said Harwood. He continued, “I know for a fact that I can’t do things like Ray Fenix or Nick Jackson, and because of my limitations, we can’t have the athletic matches that they can. There is a difference between having great tag team matches and being a great tag team. And I think 2022 going forward just proving that we can be in that same conversation as Arn and Tully, Midnight Express, Rock and Roll Express, that’s my goal for 2022.”
FTR’s AEW Contract Status
Harwood expressed urgency in accomplishing his goals because of FTR’s AEW contract status. FTR signed a multi-year contract with AEW on July 29, 2020. While Harwood didn’t say, their AEW contract could expire in 2023.
“…We don’t have much longer on these current contracts. I don’t know what’s going to happen from there. But we have a short amount of time to accomplish what we want to accomplish,” said Harwood. He continued to list goals, “…Like the IWGP Tag Team Championship, obviously two-time AEW Tag Team Championship. Proving that we are the best.” He also boasts that FTR is the only tag team that has faced great tag teams from WWE and AEW but wants to challenge more.
FTR is currently in a feud with Sting and Darby Allin, and they are still chasing the AEW Tag Team Championship. It’s also unclear if NJPW has discussed bringing in the tag team for future events. Regardless, FTR has made their plans clear that they want to defeat the best tag teams in AEW and accomplish many goals in 2022.
Bulnes brought up names like Roman Reigns and Finn Balor, but Breakker expressed intrigue when Lesnar’s name came up.
“I met him, I want to say like 2017, maybe or something like that. I went backstage to a Raw when I was in college,” said Breakker. “I met him there, but as a performer, I haven’t ran into him. Yeah, I’d love to work with Brock.”
Bron Breakker sees Brock Lesnar as someone who would push him to step up his game.
“He is an animal,” he continued. “I think he would kind of like Roddy elevate me. You know, force me to elevate and bring my game up as well. I think Brock would do the same thing, and I think it would be a war.”
Bron Breakker Feud with Tommaso Ciampa
Since his debut in NXT 2.0, Breaker’s goal is to be NXT Champion. He also played into the heel role. He challenged the current champion, Tommaso Ciampa, at Halloween Havoc on October 26th. While he lost the match, Breakker shared the following week on NXT 2.0 that the feud wasn’t over.
The two competed on opposite teams during WWE NXT WarGames on December 5th. Breakker team won, with Breakker also pinning Ciampa to gain victory. Both have pinned each other in a match, which helps set up an NXT Championship rematch. However, it seems that Ciampa is now the heel in the feud.
On Tuesday’s NXT 2.0 episode, Ciampa attacked Breakker after his match with Strong. The attack also seemed out of character from how Ciampa has acted recently. It’s unclear if the WWE is swapping roles with Ciampa and Breakker. However, it does appear that NXT 2.0 fans will be getting a rematch soon.
The interview will be released next week, but Laprade posted quotes from the interview on his blog.
Owens shared that the decision was the best thing for his family. He also said that it’s a three-year deal and that originally the contract was going to expire on January 31, 2022.
“I’m just going to say that it still ends on January 31, but not 2022. I’m still going to be there for several years,” said Owens. He continued, “The decision was pretty easy because it really was the best thing for my family. When it comes to that, it’s always a pretty easy decision. WWE has been my home for seven years, so I have a sense of belonging.”
“Basically, I spent most of my career there. When you look at all the wrestling companies, I’ve wrestled in, in WWE, that’s where I’ve been the longest, that’s where I need to be for the next few years. That’s how I felt, and that’s the decision I made.”
Kevin Owens Choosing WWE over AEW
Owens’s decision to re-sign with WWE surprised wrestling fans. He teased that he may leave the WWE in September, which caused speculation on joining All Elite Wrestling. On his blog, Laprade said, “If you read between the lines, when Owens says he did the best thing for his family, it could mean that it was the financial aspect of the deal that influenced the wrestler to stay with WWE.”
Numerous talent in WWE that they spoke to are happy that Owens re-signed, according to a reporty by Fightful. The report also shared that he still maintains a good relationship with people in AEW.
An AEW source said, “Anyone who knows Kevin knows his priorities are with his family first, so you have to be happy for him.”
At 37 years old, Owens will be under contract with WWE until January 31, 2024. He is currently in a feud with WWE champion Big E. He will also be in a fatal four-way for the title against Big E, Seth Rollins, and Bobby Lashley at Day 1 on January 1, 2022.
Eddie Kingston has shared what led to him signing with All Elite Wrestling and turning down WWE’s offer. Kingston credits Low Ki, Cody Rhodes, and his mother for helping him secure the biggest break of his wrestling career.
Kingston appeared on the Swerve City Podcast with Shane “Swerve” Stickland and Monteasy Jones to discuss his journey to AEW. In the interview, Kingston shared that he had an opportunity to be a developmental coach for WWE in the past but turned it down. He also shared that Low Ki helped him change his lifestyle and deal with personal issues last year.
“…The pandemic made me mature. It made me deal with issues that I did not deal with. That I shoved down,” said Kingston. He continued, “…During the pandemic, I dealt with a lot of things. I dealt with me being lazy. I dealt with me not being fully focused. You know what I mean? At the time, my boy Low Ki was there with me, and people can say whatever they want to say about him, but he helped me focus.”
During the pandemic, Kingston lived with Low ki. He shared before the pandemic, he went to the United Kingdom and had a hard time getting back to the United States. He ended up staying with Low Ki in Orlando, Florida. However, it’s unclear how long it lasted.
When speaking on Low Ki’s advice, Kingston said, “He was like, ‘what are you doing with your life. Now that you have this time off, what are you doing in your life.’ He just asked me that, and I was like, huh. It just clear as day came to me. It was like, okay, I want to do this, this, and this. He was like, ‘All right, get to work. You have time now.’ And I got to work.”
Eddie Kingston Calling out Cody Rhodes
Kingston refocused on his wrestling career after taking Low Ki’s advice and dealing with his issues. He revealed that he got his opportunity to wrestle for AEW after calling out Rhodes during Internet Championship Wrestling- No Holds Barred Volume 3:Deathmatch Drive-In 2 on July 4, 2020. After his call out, a representative from AEW asked if he wanted to come to do a match with Rhodes. However, Kingston didn’t view the opportunity as more than just a match and just wanted to get paid. At the time, he was selling his wrestling gear for money and had problems with paying off his mortgage. Kingston impressed AEW and fans when he made his first AEW appearance on July 22, 2020.
His Debut Match with Cody Rhodes
Kingston revealed that the aired promo before his match was his second attempt. He mentioned Rhodes as Cody Rhodes in the first promo, and AEW President Tony Khan told Kingston that he had to do it over. Rhodes couldn’t use his wrestling name during that time and was going by Cody. Regardless, AEW liked his debut, and he credits Rhodes as a good opponent.
“…They can say whatever they want to say about Cody, but that man danced with me that night. Cody could’ve been one of these old school vets that sat there and said, Oh, this guy likes to talk Sh*t. I’m on national TV; you get nothing,” said Kingston. He continued, “…But he didn’t. He went and there and worked with me, and I guess that match went well because I got a job like two weeks later.”
Kingston Choosing AEW Over WWE
After the match, people in AEW told Kingston he earned a job with the company. He also had WWE that wanted to sign Kingston. However, he listened to his mother’s advice and signed with AEW.
“…Did I entertain other possibilities? I entertained them, but again momma’s boy. My mother being my best friend. When I told her, hey, mom, I’m getting interest from a lot of people all of a sudden. She goes go to AEW. You won’t be happy at WWE,” said Kingston.
He explained, “… ‘She said yeah go there Papi, go there. You deserve to have fun.’ She said you deserve to have fun. I said okay, and that was it. It was a wrap from that point.”
Kingston has a win/loss record in AEW at 35-13. He is currently in a feud with Daniel Garcia and 2Point0.
All Elite Wrestling talent Malakai Black gave fans an explanation for his name. In the WWE, his name was Aleister Black.
Comicbook’s Connor Casey interviewed Black about his name and the symbolism behind his black eye. Since his debut in AEW, wrestling fans have speculated about his face. In response, Black gave a unique explanation for his name change and appearance.
Casey transcribed the quotes from the interview.
“A lot of people started really digging through my old stuff and really found a bunch of really cool creative things. They haven’t completely discovered everything that I’ve did already with Malakai or am doing as Malakai, said Black.
He continued, “But, one of the things that I can tell you is that when I released ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’ little movie, video trailer, teaser, whatever you want to call it. There’s a funny thing where a lot of people thought that it was a dig towards my former employer, but it was actually not at all. It was a creative way for me to ease out of Aleister and move into a different realm.”
While explaining the name change, Black revealed that a demon possesses him. The demonic possession is his way of acknowledging his time in WWE but evolving his gimmick in AEW.
“The idea behind it is that this greater entity known as Moloch or Malakai in this case, this messenger, orchestrated this whole idea that Tom was in a, what’s the best word to describe this, had this episode that lasted almost five years wherein he believed that he was Aleister and that he believed that he was a fallen angel with memory loss or Lucifer or Satan, however you want to call it,” said Black.
Black seems to have thought a lot about his gimmick in AEW. Black hasn’t clearly explained the reasoning for his name change and appearance on AEW television. However, he has continued to evolve the character slowly. His eye continues to look worse, and Black explains that it’s the result of the demon.
“He(referring to himself) had this episode, this manic episode, where actually it was Malakai who orchestrated all of this and through the injury in his eye was able to kind of like fracture apart in being able to manifest himself through the eye,” said Black.
He continued, “That’s also why this thing on my face keeps growing and growing because he becomes stronger and stronger, and it reacts to certain events and certain happenings. So in a way, it’s a continuation, but at the same time, there’s a layer above the layers.”
Black continues to add new elements to his gimmick. He has started to spew poison mist from his mouth into people’s eyes. Yesterday, Black used the poison mist to attack Julia Hart and blinded her. It’s unclear if the mist is due to Black’s demonic possession. However, it does seem Black has more ideas for his gimmick to continue to evolve.
” I mean, it’s definitely not good for morale. I’ve spoken to people that are still there, and it just puts people on edge. People walking around on eggshells and stuff like that,” said Jonah.
Jonah explained, “For example, when the first few rounds of cuts happened, which it’s never good when someone gets released. I was one of those people that were never worried about it. I was like, I’m set. I never thought I was going to be released, and from speaking to some of the higher-ups in WWE, they always said like you’re going to have a job for a long time. Not to worry, and then when I then when I was released, there’s people that are close with me in NXT and WWE that now are worried for themselves.”
Jonah Conversation with John Laurinaitis after his Release
Jonah shared that he still doesn’t know precisely why WWE cut him in the interview. He tried to ask Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis why WWE released him. However, Laurinaitis didn’t give him a clear answer and told Jonah that the door was always open for a return.
“…I spoke to John Laurinaitis, and ‘hey said we are releasing you. You have so many days non-compete’. I said, okay, cool, what is the reasoning for you releasing me,” said Jonah.
He continued, “…he gave me again a bit more blanket statement that didn’t help me at all. It was it’s a no for now, but the door is always open. I was like okay. I rather you tell me it was something to do with character or we didn’t like your size or we didn’t like how you moved in the ring. Whatever it is, because then I know I can work on it and change it.”
What’s Next For Jonah
While Jonah is no longer in WWE, he found a new home in NJPW. He is under a non-exclusive contract, allowing him to wrestle for Impact Wrestling. He made his Impact Wrestling debut at Turning Point on November 20th. Jonah will also wrestle for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla next year. Now working for other wrestling promotions, Jonah plans to show WWE their mistake.
WWE superstar Liv Morgan has responded to fans’ criticism of her promo at Monday Night Raw on November 29. She is in a feud with Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.
Morgan appeared on the Out of Character podcast with Ryan Satin to discuss her controversial promo segment. During the promo, Morgan said, “You’re the reason why your friend is gone, just like the reason why your big, fat greedy contract is the reason why my friends are gone.” The WWE edited the quote out of the youtube video.
Morgan explains why she didn’t say anything wrong and wasn’t out of malice in the interview. Morgan also shared that her friends were supportive of her segment.
“…Becky brought up my friends. She’s brought up my friends not being here,” said Morgan. She continued, “… After my segment aired, I got texted from my friends saying how proud they were and how amazing they thought it was. I don’t think there were hard feelings, kind of anywhere around. I know I’m kind of addressing something that may feel like an elephant in the room or maybe taboo, but these are things that are happening. You know, and I don’t think I said anything wrong.”
WWE Releasing Talent for Budget Cuts
The WWE is having a controversial year in talent management. The company has released 80 wrestlers this year, and WWE claims their reasons for cutting talent are budget cuts. However, the WWE is also having a successful year with more live events and lucrative television contracts. Regardless, the WWE felt they needed to cut talent to be more profitable. It’s also unclear if WWE plans to have more budget cuts before the end of the year.
The Future of Liv Morgan
Morgan is in her first singles championship feud in the WWE. She challenged Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship on Monday. Lynch retained her title with a roll-up while using the ropes for leverage. It’s unclear if Morgan will get an immediate rematch against Lynch for the championship. Although, the result of the match could lead to a rematch at Day 1 on January 1, 2022.
Former WWE superstar Mercedes Martinez shared her thoughts on her issues in the group Retribution.
Martinez appeared on the Oral Session with Renee Paquette to discuss her short run on the WWE main roster. WWE made Martinez one of the original members of Retribution, but she requested to leave the group. In the interview, Martinez shared that lack of communication and creative difference led to her exit from the group.
“…Personally, I needed to know what the group was going to do. What is this group? What is the mentality of this group? Is this something personally that I can get behind? No one knew anything about this group,” said Martinez. She continued, “Mind you, everything was going on in the world with the riots. So is this group part of that because I don’t condone it. I don’t want to be a part of something that maybe mirrors something in real life.”
Martinez also shared that she was okay with the initial direction with the group, as long as WWE hid Retribution identity. However, WWE made the group reveal themselves, and she began to feel more uncomfortable with the gimmick.
More Details on Mercedes Martinez Main Roster run
Martinez has shared in previous interviews why she removed herself from the group. Although, In the interview with Paquette, Martinez revealed that WWE wanted to change her name before Martinez’s debut. However, WWE didn’t consult with Martinez about the decision, and she took offense to the decision.
“…It wasn’t okay to let me know that you were going to change my name the day of, without a contract. I was still on an NXT contract, and I’m not stupid. I’m a grown-ass woman. Talk to me. Don’t tell me the day of the show that you are going to change my name,” said Martinez. She continued, “We didn’t agree on that. We don’t agree on anything. If you want to do something, that’s fine. But don’t expect me to take it down lightly. I’m one of those people that if you talk to me, we can talk. I’m on an NXT contract, here we are on RAW. I’m not a part of Raw yet. Let’s talk. Let’s figure out what’s going on. The moment that happened, I was like, I can’t do this.”
While Martinez had creative differences with WWE, she shared that WWE understood her decision to return to NXT. She continued her WWE career in NXT until WWE released her on August 6th. Martinez is a free agent and is enjoying wrestling on her schedule. Although, She also doesn’t rule out a return to WWE as a coach to help develop talent in NXT.
Former AEW talent Big Swole has announced that she has left All Elite Wrestling. AEW signed her to the company on December 9, 2019.
She shared on Twitter that she and AEW had decided not to renew her contract. Big Swole thanked AEW President Tony Khan and the company for her time with them. She ends her AEW career with a record of 33-13.
Big Swole made her AEW debut at AEW All Out on August 31, 2019. She competed in the Women’s Casino Battle Royal in a losing effort. Throughout her career in AEW, she mainly appeared time on AEW Dark. Big Swole’s most notable rivalry was with current AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker last year. The feud also had memorable moments like Big Swole kidnapping Baker. The rivalry culminated at AEW All Out on September 5, 2020, where she defeated Baker in a Tooth and Nail match.
Despite her success in AEW, Big Swole faced issues in her personal life. She battled pneumonia in 2020, which also resulted in a flare-up of her Crohn’s Disease. Big Swole wrestled on January 22, defeating Alex Garcia at AEW Dark before taking a brief time off. She shared that she couldn’t take medicine because it could’ve resulted in death because of COVID-19.
Big Swole made her return to AEW on March 15 at AEW Dark Elevation defeating Skyler Moore. In her last match for the company, she defeated Allie Katch at AEW Dark on September 21. She also ends had a record of 16-4 this year in AEW.
Big Swole has not shared what her plans are now that she didn’t re-sign to AEW. However, based on her announcement, it seems Big Swole wrestling career isn’t over.
New Japan Pro Wrestling President Takami Obari has addressed Will Ospreay’s status for Wrestle Kingdom 16, which takes place from January 4-6, 2022.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced yesterday that the country is banning foreigners from enterting the country indefinitely. Japan also joins other countries that are trying to combat the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron.
Japan’s new travel restriction casts doubt on wrestlers like Will Ospreay participating in Wrestle Kingdom 16.
In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Obari addressed the situation. He shared that Ospreay should be able to visit Japan because he has a work visa. However, the situation in Japan can change.
“Under the current rules, foreign wrestlers who are regularly participating in the war are not expected to enter the country. I’ve heard that (regular foreign wrestlers) have visas to work in Japan, so they will be treated as re-entry. This has been confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Obari.
Ospreay tweeted the following, reassuring fans that he’ll be there on January 5th.
Ospreay will return to Japan for NJPW since his match with Shingo Takagi at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4. It was also the last match that he defended the NJPW Heavyweight Championship before vacating the title due to a neck injury. After Ospreay relinquished the title, Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the vacant NJPW Heavyweight Champion at Dominion on June 7. To get back into the title picture, Okada won the G1 Climax.
It’s unclear if NJPW planned to have all three wrestlers involved, but the Ospreay injury helped build an eight-month storyline.
Wrestle Kingdom Three Night Event
Wrestle Kingdom 16 will be a three-night event. It is also the first three-night Wrestle Kingdom in NJPW history. The main event of Night One on January 4 will be Takagi vs. Okada for the NJPW Heavyweight Championship. The winner of Night One will also defend the championship against Ospreay in the main event of Night Two on January 5. It is unclear if the winner will defend the NJPW Heavyweight Champion on Night Three on January 6.
For now, it seems Ospreay will get his opportunity to reclaim the NJPW Heavyweight Championship on January 5. It is unclear if he is in Japan currently. However, with the new variant of COVID-19, NJPW may also need to have a backup plan just in case.
The WWE will need to find a new TV distribution deal in Japan.
Japanese broadcast network J Sports has shared that they will not be renewing a new deal with WWE. Subtitled and highlighted episodes of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown will end on December 31.
“Thank you for watching J SPORTS. December 31, 2021, all six programs of English version / Japanese subtitled version/highlight version of “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown” that have been delivered to WWE fans nationwide for many years. Broadcasting/distribution of the “PPV Tournament” will end on December 27 (Monday),” shared J Sports.
The WWE hasn’t released a statement regarding the end of their partnership with J Sports. The end of their collaboration ends a 24-year deal. J Sports also announced that their Video on Demand for WWE called “WWE Pack” will not end until January 31, 2022. However, it is unclear if that means users can watch WWE Day 1 and the Royal Rumble. J Sports is also warning WWE Pack members to cancel in December.
WWE Pay Per Views in January
WWE will start next year with their first PPV on New Years Day, called Day 1. The event will take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s unclear what WWE plans are for the event or if unique stipulations will take place. On January 29, 2022, the Royal Rumble will happen at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Tickets for both events are still on sale.
As this year ends, WWE will look to have another successful year in 2022. However, they will have to find a new TV distribution partner to keep consumers in Japan.
Wrestling legend The Undertaker has high hopes for WWE talent Omos.
The Undertaker appeared on The Bump to discuss his following plans in wrestling. He shared that he wants to have a role in talent development. When asked about his thoughts on Omos, he shared that he believes Omos is the closest fans have seen to Andre the Giant.
“… I’ll say this, there will never be another Andre, but this guy is the closest we’ve come, said The Undertaker. He admitted that it is high praise to compare Omos to Andre the Giant. However, The Undertaker also believes Omos is an exceptional talent in his own right.
In an interview with Ring Rules promoting WWE Crown Jewel, Styles shared his thoughts on Omos’ future. “…Omos and myself can focus on a singles run if we decide. He’ll be a champion — WWE Champion/Universal Champion soon. I have no doubt about it,” said Styles.
The Undertaker Mentoring Omos
Omos seems to have the support of his peers other than Styles. The Undertaker also revealed that he is giving wrestling advice to Omos. He shared on The Bump that Omos’ unique size makes him different from most wrestlers today and how he needs to protect his look.
“…Omos is special. The big thing for him to know and realize is that he is special and that he is different from everybody else,” said the Undertaker. He continued, “…The average size of the wrestler, in general, is smaller than what it was. So here’s this guy who is incredibly athletic and is incredibly huge, he just a big strong man. It’s important for him to protect that. Sometimes guys don’t understand what that means. He and I have had a couple of conversations about what he should do and what he shouldn’t do and if things get too heated, call me.”
Omos had a successful first year in WWE, and his peers have high aspirations for him. It’s up to Omos to try to live up to them.
New Japan Pro Wrestling talent Rocky Romero shared his thoughts on WWE contacting NJPW about a partnership earlier this year.
Romero appeared on the Battleground Podcast, where he discussed WWE interaction with NJPW. He revealed that WWE did try to work with NJPW with Bryan Danielson’s involvement. However, All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan got involved by signing Danielson and has a working relationship with NJPW. Romero also shared that WWE does talk to NJPW once in a while.
“…I can say that definitely, they(WWE) reached out. Definitely, WWE reached out, as they do every x amount of years, said Romero. He continued, “Obviously, like Danielson being in the middle of that was no secret, and it was no secret to Tony either or AEW.” Romero also added that he doesn’t believe a deal would’ve happened.
“The deal talked about would have been more likely be NXT focused and would have things beneficial for both sides, and it’s not like WWE is going to buy New Japan or bring in Kazuchika Okada to job for Randy Orton or all the crazy speculation from the past week,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
Romero believes that AEW is a good partnership for NJPW. Several NJPW talent like himself has appeared on NJPW this year. Romero thinks AEW has a better understanding of NJPW than WWE and that wrestlers leaving NJPW helped build AEW.
“…New Japan wrestlers kind of leaving New Japan helped to start AEW, said Romero. He continued, So there has always been that cross-over connection, so it just seems to make sense in the grand scheme of things to now both companies working together.”
AEW fans are anticipating more big-name NJPW talent to appear at an AEW event. However, Romero thinks you won’t see the likes of Kazuchika Okada appearing in AEW soon, as he thinks both companies are making long-term bookings with cross-promotion plans. Khan also had teased that more talent from NJPW may appear on AEW in the future.
While other people have spoken out about WWE negotiations with NJPW, WWE hasn’t released a statement. It’s unclear if WWE is still trying to reach out to NJPW.
WWE superstar Montez Ford has shared his thoughts on possibly being a singles star. Ford is in a tag team with Angelo Dawkins as The Street Profits.
Ford and his wife Bianca Belair appeared on Cheap Heat with Pete Rosenberg yesterday. Rosenberg asked Ford about the possibility of pursuing a singles career in WWE.
Ford says he wants to focus on his tag team career, but he does have bigger aspirations down the line. After he takes the Street Profits to greatness with Angelo Dawkins, he hopes to fulfill his childhood dream of getting “the big title.”
“The crazy thing is that me and Dawks actually don’t even really speak about it, Cause you know at the current time, we are in a tag team,” said Ford. ‘Like, that’s our goal for right now. Be the greatest tag team of all time and win the tag team championship. But ever since I was a little kid, like the big title, that’s what I wanted.”
You can listen to the full episode in the player embedded below:
Montez Ford Singles Future
Rosenberg’s question isn’t the first time someone asked Ford about being a singles star. Last year Comicbook questioned him about going solo. While he’s not against being a singles wrestler, Ford seems to believe that a WWE Draft splitting up The Street Profits is the only way.
“If myself and Dawkins were to get drafted and go separate ways, it would definitely be one of those situations where like, he’ll support me and be all for it and vice versa,” Ford said. He continued, “It’s one of those things where we’ll just be supportive, man. So yeah, it’d be definitely one of those things that we’d be supportive and be excited about.”
WWE reportedly considered splitting up The Street Profits during this year’s WWE Draft. However, WWE decided to keep the team together on Monday Night Raw. It seems that WWE also sees potential in Ford as a singles star. While that could be true, Ford remains concentrated on the success of The Street Profits. He also is ready for a career change if given the opportunity.
