Things could’ve gone much differently for Gunther in the second half of 2022 if Vince McMahon was still running WWE’s main roster creative instead of Triple H.
WrestleVotes has provided more details on its original report from earlier this year, where it was reported that McMahon soured on Gunther and there were plans to bury him on TV following his segment with R-Truth on the July 4th edition of Monday Night Raw.
The Intercontinental Champion interrupted an Independence Day skit hosted by the veteran wrestler before beating him in a match. It wasn’t clear at the time what the issue was with McMahon and Gunther.
Vince McMahon on Gunther
While speaking with GiveMeSport, WrestleVotes noted that Gunther was going to be buried and send to NXT if McMahon was still in charge, but McMahon resigned two weeks later from this episode before he went forward with his plans.
“I know that Vince McMahon just didn’t like what he saw on Raw and was over him, like legitimately wanted to bury him, go back to NXT, that type of stuff.”
According to the report, Triple H thinks Gunther can be the star of big WWE events. The Intercontinental Champion’s bout with Sheamus at Clash at the Castle is credited with dramatically improving that perception.
Kevin Owens will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future as the WWE star suffered a right knee injury at Sunday’s WWE house show in Madison, Wisconsin, during a match with Austin Theory.
Fans in attendance had noted coming out of the event that it appeared Owens was injured when it looked like he blew out his knee after planting it during the bout. They went right to the finish, where Owens scored the victory with a stunner, although Owens needed help from the referee to get to the back.
Owens was said to have a concerned look on his face as he was limping to the backstage area, and for good reason.
Kevin Owens
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed the injury is an MCL sprain and “the way it was worded was that hopefully that is all the injury is with the idea it could be more than that.
The former WWE Universal Champion has been off Monday Night Raw for the past few weeks because he wasn’t going to the Saudi Arabia Crown Jewel event on November 5th but has been wrestling on the house shows.
We hope to have more information shortly. From all of us at SEScoops, we wish Owens a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back in the ring.
Liv Morgan has had a career year in WWE. She won the women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match and cashed in on the same night. She defeated Ronda Rousey to become SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Morgan picked up another victory over Ronda at this year’s SummerSlam in a controversial finish. The Baddest Woman on the Planet recaptured the SmackDown Women’s Championship in an Extreme Rules match at the premium live event. Liv has since taken a liking to extreme matches, while Ronda is set to defend the title against Shotzi at Survivor Series WarGames.
Liv Morgan was spotted with AEW star Abadon over the weekend. The two were a part of the Big Event expo in New York and took a photo together.
Liv Morgan recently made a cameo on the Chucky TV show. The 28-year-old’s appearance on the show didn’t last long as the villainous doll killed her off immediately.
She spoke with USA Insider to promote the show and revealed she reached out to WWE and asked to be in the show.
So I just went to WWE and I was like, ‘Do you think there’s any opportunity for me in any capacity? Because I’d love to be involved in any way, shape, or form.’
And so they reached out, and I was actually put in touch with Don Mancini, the show’s creator – he’s been so gracious to me.
We jumped on a Zoom and he was able to write me into the script. It’s been almost a pipe dream come true. It started with an ask that turned into something unbelievable.
The SmackDown World Cup began this past Friday on WWE SmackDown. Santos Escobar of Legado del Fantasma defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in the first round. Braun Strowman picked up a victory over former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal to advance to the semifinals. The superstar that wins the SmackDown World Cup will earn an Intercontinental Championship match against Gunther.
Rey Mysterio was scheduled to be a part of the tournament to potentially earn a rematch against The Ring General. Mysterio was traded to WWE SmackDown after he tried to quit the company to avoid dealing with his son, Dominik Mysterio, and the Judgment Day on RAW.
Triple H orchestrated a trade that sent Baron Corbin to the red brand in exchange for Rey. On his first night on the blue brand, Rey replaced Karrion Kross in a Fatal 4-Way after he was attacked by Drew McIntyre in the parking lot. Mysterio won the match to become the #1 contender for the IC Title. Gunther defeated the 47-year-old on the November 4th edition of SmackDown to retain the title.
According to a report by Ringside News, Rey Mysterio was seen backstage with a walking boot and is currently dealing with a “short-term” injury. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer backed up the report and said Rey is dealing with an ankle or foot injury.
Mustafa Ali has replaced Rey Mysterio in the SmackDown World Cup tournament and will battle Ricochet on the November 18th episode of SmackDown. Despite being in the tournament on SmackDown, Mustafa is still currently a member of the RAW roster.
Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Shawn “The Heartbreak Kid” were recently profiled by The Ringer on the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Screwjob.
At Survivor Series 1997, Bret defended the WWF Championship at the time against Shawn Michaels in the main event. The Heartbreak Kid locked in Bret’s finishing move, the Sharpshooter, and the bell rang even though Hart had not tapped out. Hart spat in former WWE CEO Vince McMahon and motioned the letters “WCW” to the camera.
Speaking with The Ringer, Bret admitted that he held bitterness toward Shawn Michaels for a long time. He claimed that it was watching Michaels and The Undertaker at WrestleMania that caused him to finally bury the hatchet.
We had our issues over the years. But I watched Undertaker and Shawn Michaels wrestle at one of the WrestleManias. Even then, I had such a bitterness towards Shawn, but I had to admit it was one of the greatest matches I ever watched.
That’s where I ended up deciding to make friends with Shawn and bury the hatchet and all that
The Hitman added that shaking hands with Shawn Michaels in 2010 was very real and moving for him.
Me and Shawn making up in the ring (in 2010) and shaking hands and all that, that was all very real and very moving for me. And was not something that was orchestrated.
Shawn wanted that off his back and I was in a position to take it off his back and that was the best resolution for both of us. We’ve been friends ever since. And I’m grateful that he’s in a better place today
Bret took another shot at Goldberg and said that he wished he never left WWE because he probably wouldn’t have had to get in the ring with the former WCW Champion.
I wish that none of the bad history that we had-had ever happened. I wished I’d never left for WCW because I probably wouldn’t have had a stroke and I probably wouldn’t have had to wrestle Bill Goldberg.
Hart referred to himself as a “WWE guy” and said he was proud of everything he did in the ring.
I was always a WWE guy, always. And I almost resent when someone talks about me like I wasn’t. They’re surprised I’m even around today. But I gave everything I had to that company and I’m proud of everything I did in the ring and I’m proud of what I represented.
Sami Zayn was conspicuous by his absence on this week’s episode of SmackDown on FOX.
The show saw The Usos successfully defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against the New Day, and celebrated after the match with Roman Reigns.
Tomorrow, The Usos will officially reach the record for the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, eclipsing the New Day.
Zayn’s Absence
Zayn was nowhere to be seen during SmackDown, despite often being a highlight of the show.
WWE explained Zayn’s absence as due to ‘personal reasons,’ which may, unfortunately, be tragic.
A familiar face was making his way around the WWE Performance Center this week in Orlando, Florida.
Former WWE Superstar Kalisto was at the PC this week doing some guest coaching throughout the week. According to Fightful, He also did some producing of matches, participating in the NXT live event on Friday night. In particular, it was noted that Kalisto produced the women’s matches on the show.
Kalisto has been absent from WWE since he was released in April 2021. He had been with the company for eight years but was released during one of their rounds of “budget cuts.”
Since his time with WWE ended, Kalisto has had some health issues including a nasty bout with Covid-19. He did work one match for AEW on November 3, 2021, teaming with Aero Star in a losing effort against FTR on AEW Dynamite.
It’s unknown right now if Kalisto’s guest coaching and producing for WWE will continue or if it was a one-off. We’ll update as more becomes known.
Kalisto first achieved notoriety in his WWE run when he teamed with Sin Cara as the Lucha Dragons, winning the NXT Tag Team Championships in the process. As part of the main roster, he went on to capture the WWE United States Championship on two occasions and the WWE Cruiserweight Championship once.
Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news. Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Mustafa Ali will be competing in the SmackDown World Cup Tournament, despite being a Raw Superstar.
The tournament kicked off on this week’s SmackDown, with Mexico’s Santos Escobar defeating Japan’s Shinsuke Nakamura.
The United States’ Braun Strowman qualified for the semi-finals with a convincing victory over Jinder Mahal who is representing India.
Mustafa Ali
Ali is one of eight names in the tournament and is the only one who is a Raw Superstar.
The former Retribution leader has been feuding with United States Champion Seth Rollins in recent weeks, and there has been speculation over his roster status.
When Fightful Select asked sources within WWE, they were told that Ali is still a member of the Raw roster, and is expected to work both shows during the tournament.
Ali was a last-minute replacement for Rey Mysterio, who was pulled from the tournament for unspecified reasons.
Mustafa Ali, who is representing Pakistan, will face Ricochet (USA) in a first-round match on next week’s SmackDown.
The SmackDown World Cup
The SmackDown World Cup Tournament Trophy was revealed this week.
In addition to Ricochet Vs. Ali, next week’s SmackDown will also see Sami Zayn (Canada) taking on Butch (England.)
Michael Cole noted on commentary that the SmackDown World Cup Tournament will take place over three weeks, meaning it will conclude on the November 25, SmackDown.
That show will also be the go-home event for Survivor Series WarGames.
The winner of the tournament will receive a Championship match at Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, likely on the Premium Live Event.
The SmackDown World Cup Trophy was revealed on last week’s SmackDown.
Ronda Rousey is really enjoying herself in WWE, but it wasn’t always this way.
The reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion has had some ups and downs since joining the company on a full-time basis in January 2018. She’s had a contentious relationship with fans and even got some heat from her co-workers by calling pro wrestling “fake fighting.”
During the latest episode of her “Ronda on the Road” YouTube series, Rousey explained that she’s finally feeling more comfortable in WWE. It took some time to get there, but she believes she’s paid her dues and has earned the right to speak up for herself behind the scenes.
“I think this run is easier because I kind of know how things work around here and I’ve kind of paid up more of my dues.”
– Ronda Rousey
Paying Her Dues
Rousey was a global sports icon when she made the leap into pro wrestling. She was a natural from the moment she first step foot in the ring, but being a high-paid rookie can come with some drawbacks. At times, she’s felt like she couldn’t fully speak up for herself.
Several years into her WWE career, she feels confident enough to speak up for herself and is humble enough to accept pushback as well.
“I have put enough time here that they’ll at least hear me out and explain to me why I’m wrong (if I am), you know, and that way I learned something. I think I feel like I have more of a voice this time and confidence to use it.”
The Baddest Woman on the Planet has been feuding with Shotzi in recent weeks. They’ll battle for Rousey’s SmackDown Women’s Championship at WWE Survivor Series later this month.
Michael Cole may have bitten off more than he can chew with a recent remark he made about Rhea Ripley.
The 26-year-old grappler from Adelaide, Australia is one of the most feared Superstars in WWE – and we’re not just talking about the women’s division. Ripley’s career was growing stagnant earlier this year, and she even spoke about the need to get herself back on track. She did just that earlier this year when she joined the Judgment Day faction, which also includes Finn Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio.
The group has been feuding with AJ Styles and The OC. The Judgment Day has gotten the upper hand in this gang warfare so far, with OC leader stating that Ripley is the reason the group has been so dominant.
At WWE’s recent Crown Jewel premium live event, announcer Michael Cole said that someone needs to kick Ripley’s ass. That didn’t go over so well with Ripley. She’s letting Cole know comments like that won’t be tolerated and has since challenge him to a fight.
On Saturday morning, Ripley wrote on Twitter, “Fight me @Michael Cole”
Doin’t expect to see Cole take her up on this challenge. However, one thing is for sure. You can’t just run your mouth about the Judgment Day’s toughest member.
The OC recently brought in Mia Yim to feud with Ripley as part of this ongoing feud.
CM Punk’s future in wrestling remains unclear as he could stay with AEW, return to WWE or never wrestle again following his backstage fight with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks after AEW’s All Out pay-per-view.
As a result of his involvement in the fight, he was stripped of the World Title and suspended. Punk is reportedly in talks with AEW about a contract buyout.
Eric Bischoff shared his opinion on CM Punk while speaking with Wrestling Inc. According to Bischoff, he doesn’t think Triple H should bring him back.
Eric Bischoff on CM Punk
(A&E)
“I don’t know what Paul Levesque is thinking, I don’t know what their plans are, their strategies are, so I have no idea. I can tell you from my perspective, I wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole. I think CM Punk had a mystique because of WWE, and because of the pipe bomb interview, and because he walked out, that created this aura and mystique that [AEW CEO] Tony [Khan] brought to AEW and took advantage of for a minute. And once that mystique was gone, once you kind of let that air out of the balloon, and now you’re just performing every week, I didn’t see it in Punk. I just didn’t see it in him as a character, I didn’t see it in him in the ring –- he was good, but he wasn’t phenomenal.”
Bischoff also shared a handful of reasons he doesn’t think Punk would find success in returning to the company ranging from his age, lack of being in great shape, and WWE being more intense and physical than AEW with its style.
Bischoff also thinks the fans turned on Punk and left a bad taste in their mouth, and they realize that that mystique is no longer there as he’s just another guy. Bischoff doesn’t see value in Punk anymore.
WWE WrestleMania 39 will be a star-studded event, and we’re not just talking about the Superstars who’ll be competing.
WrestleMania 39 will take place on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, marking the fourth year in a row WrestleMania will be over two nights.
The show will air from the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, marking the seventh time WWE’s biggest event of the year will be in the Golden State.
Celebrities
WrestleMania and celebrity culture have been intertwined since the very first event in 1985, which saw Mr. T, Liberace, Muhammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper, and others on the show.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s reported that WWE wants a lot of celebrity involvement in the show, given that WrestleMania 39 will air from Hollywood.
WWE wants a lot of mainstream attention for WrestleMania 39 and believes that this attention will come with celebrities involved.
The Observer adds that WWE co-CEO Nick Khan has several connections with people in the sports and entertainment industries from his time working as an agent.
WrestleMania 39 Plans
WrestleMania 39 will likely see a lot of celebrities appear, but the biggest question now is who?
Depending on whether he is recovered from his Crown Jewel injury, Logan Paul could be on the card, and has teased interest in a match with John Cena.
WWE has been airing vignettes for the Viking Raiders for the past few weeks featuring a mysterious woman and tonight it was revealed to be Sarah Logan.
Zelina Vega and B-Fab were scheduled to have a singles match tonight on WWE SmackDown. Before the bell rang, the Viking Raiders attacked Legado del Fantasma and Hit Row ringside.
Sarah Logan arrived and attacked B-Fab as the referee called for the bell. Ivar hit Del Toro with a Splash against the barricade and then delivered another one to Ashante Adonis of Hit Row in the ring. Sarah Logan, Erik, and Ivar then posed in the ring to end the segment.
Sarah Logan was released from WWE in 2020 as the company made budget cuts during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was a part of the Riott Squad with Liv Morgan and former WWE Superstar Ruby Riott. Ruby is now a part of the All Elite Wrestling roster and performs as Ruby Soho.
Logan married Erik of the Viking Raiders in December 2018. Sarah and Erik also welcomed a child to their family last year. The wedding was a Viking Ceremony and you can check out photos in the link below.
Liv Morgan, Shotzi, Raquel Rodriguez, Xia Li, Lacey Evans, and Sonya Deville competed in a Six-Pack Challenge on this week’s edition of SmackDown to determine the #1 contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Sonya Deville attempted to steal the victory several times by sneaking in the ring for a cover but it didn’t pan out. Raquel Rodriguez brought Deville out of the ring and set up for a Powerbomb through a table set up next to the ring.
Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan went for a Crossbody move but it was botched and all three superstars fell to the floor. Shotzi and Lacey then battled inside the ring. Shotzi connected with the Never Wake Up for the pinfall victory and it was announced she will battle Rousey at Survivor Series: WarGames.
Emma approached Shotzi backstage after the match and wished her luck against Ronda Rousey. She returned to the company by accepting an Open Challenge from Ronda on a recent episode of SmackDown but came up short. Emma asked if Shotzi had seen Madcap Moss around and Shotzi joked that she is crushing on her. Madcap and Emma are a couple in real life.
Shayna Baszler then confronted Shotzi backstage. Baszler said Ronda will give Shotzi is a beating of a lifetime and all she won tonight is a broken limb at Survivor Series. Shotzi vowed to endure whatever Ronda dishes out at the premium live event and might just surprise the entire world at Survivor Series.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey then had a stare-down with Shotzi. Shayna choked Shotzi out from behind with the Kirifuda Clutch. Rousey said “clean up on aisle green” to end the segment.
Ronda will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Shotzi at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames on November 26th at the TD Garden in Boston.
The Usos are set to battle the New Day tonight on WWE SmackDown in a historic match for the Undisputed Tag Team Championships.
Jimmy and Jey enter the match as Undisputed Tag Team Champions for 481 days. The New Day currently holds the record for longest-reigning champions at 483 days. If The Usos win tonight’s match and don’t drop the titles at a random WWE Live Event over the weekend, they will be the new record holders in the company.
Our live results will begin alongside tonight’s edition of WWE SmackDown. The SmackDown World Cup and a Six-Pack Challenge to determine Ronda Rousey’s next opponent have also been announced for tonight’s show.
The Usos Deliver Message to WWE Universe ahead of Historic Title match
Cathy Kelly caught up to Jimmy and Jey Uso as they arrived at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown.
She wondered if fatigue could possibly play a role in the title match tonight for The Usos. Jimmy and Jey successfully defended their Undisputed Tag Team Championships against the Brawling Brutes this past Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
“I think, of course, fatigue is a factor,” said Jimmy Uso. “You know what I’m saying? We’re tired. I’m sure the New Day is tired. But when it is go time out there, it is all about which team wants it the most.”
Jey Uso added that they will make history tonight on SmackDown and tonight is for the family.
That is real talk Cathy,” said Jey Uso. “It is about to get rough, rugged, and raw out there tonight. This right here, we make history tonight. This right here is for the family, this right here is for the ones.
Paul Levesque (Triple H) wasn’t always on board with Judgment Day as he reportedly “changed his mind” about pushing a particular WWE act since he took over main roster creative from Vince McMahon.
WrestleVotes discussed Levesque’s current perception of the group while doing an interview with GiveMeSport. Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik Mysterio make up the current group after kicking out Edge, the original leader, weeks ago.
Triple H Changed His Mind
“I know back in late July or early August, whenever this whole shift happened, from what I was told Hunter wasn’t really cool with Judgment Day. Not personally, but he just didn’t like the idea. But since he’s grown behind it, I think that they’re going to be around for longer than anticipated.”
The group has since Triple H has taken over creative as there is a dynamic between Ripley and Dominik, and now they’re feuding with The OC.
This past Monday night on Raw, the feud was pushed forward as Mia Yim returned to WWE and aligned with the OC as a female equalizer to Judgment Day’s Rhea Ripley. It looks like WWE is building to another match between the groups at Survivor Series later this month.
KC Navarro has made a name for himself on the independent wrestling scene and is now seemingly close to getting a tryout with the largest pro wrestling company in the world, WWE.
Fightful Select reports that a WWE source told them that Navarro is on WWE’s radar and Navarro is even being considered for a private WWE tryout. WWE usually holds tryouts with several wrestlers at one time, so this could be a good sign the company wants to sign him if a private tryout set up.
KC Navarro’s Background
MLW
Navarro has wrestled almost 300 matches since his wrestling debut, including for the likes of Impact Wrestling, MLW, Warrior Wrestling, and DEFY.
The independent standout has also wrestled a handful of matches for AEW’s Dark brand between October 2020 and March 2021.
On Thursday, WWE announced its Fall 2022 class of Performance Center recruits as 14 people have joined the promotion on developmental deals where they will be training at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
Many of the names announced were part of the July set of tryouts in Nashville, TN, ahead of the SummerSlam premium live event. These recruits are hopeful that they will one day make their WWE TV debuts on NXT.
There are many dream matches for Gunther on the main roster that fans are looking forward to seeing happen. For the WWE Intercontinental Champion, he has shared a dream opponent: Brock Lesnar.
Gunther’s success in WWE has followed him from NXT UK where he was a top star, to NXT to the main roster. He’s been booked as a dominant force on the main roster, winning the Intercontinental Title in June.
GUNTHER has defended the title in several dream matches, most recently putting on banger after banger with Sheamus.
Gunther vs. Lesnar
While speaking with WMBD News, Gunther revealed he has his eye on a match with Brock Lesnar.
“If I had to pin it down to one name, I’d say it’s Brock Lesnar at the moment. When I was young and watching WWE, I enjoyed watching his matches. Later on when I progressed in my career, I was able to watch wrestling and analyze how people work. He’s always been somebody I was impressed with. He’s one of the best to ever do it. I think that’s the biggest possible challenge for me at the moment.”
Lesnar last wrestled at the Crown Jewel premium live event on November 5th by defeating Bobby Lashley.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are back with WWE, but only after a tumultuous exit from the company.
The former Raw Tag Team Champions returned to WWE last month to aid AJ Styles in his feud with The Judgment Day.
The pair had been released from WWE in April 2020 as part of the first wave of releases explained as ‘budget cuts.’
Offended
Gallows and Anderson’s final appearance for WWE before being released came at WrestleMania 36, during the much-acclaimed Boneyard match between Styles and The Undertaker.
Speaking about being released on After the Bell, Luke Gallows explained why it was kind of offensive to be cut after such a popular match.
“It’s eleven days removed from this Boneyard match that we got all this praise for. so we didn’t see it coming. It offended him and it offended me too a little bit. We’re eleven days out from main eventing Wrestlemania.”
Luke Gallows.
The match, which would also be The Undertaker’s final match, saw the Deadman win in the main event of WrestleMania 36: Night One.
A Total Surprise
Gallows and Anderson were one of dozens of names cut in April 2020, which included Matt Cardona, Miro, Kurt Angle among many more.
During the podcast, Anderson explained that when he was called, he did not figure he would be one of the many released.
“When the Talent Relations person called that day, I saw them ringing my phone. I said ‘you must be having a bad day and wanting to hear a good voice.’ He goes ‘well it’s not so good for you either.’ I go ‘Huh?!’”
Like Anderson, Gallows had no idea he was going to be released, even as more names were added to the list of cuts.
“He [Gallows] doesn’t even know what’s going on because he’s outside mowing his lawn. The guy rings and the HR guy goes ‘I just got off the phone with your partner’ and Gallows go ‘why?’ It just came as a surprise to us.”
Hitting the Ground Running
Gallows and Anderson’s departure in 2020 came less than four years after the joined WWE, which in Gallows’ case, was a return.
Anderson explained on After the Bell that he and Gallows immediately went to work after receiving the dreaded call.
“Those kind of things set people back for days. But after that first hour, we had CBD Oil, we had a beer, and we had a wine label. We had an Impact Wrestling offer. We had New Japan on the phone. All of this was rocking. By the end of the day, I had almost forgotten what had happened.”
Gallows and Anderson would return to New Japan, debut for AEW, and compete for Impact Wrestling before their return to WWE this year.
Natalya could be out of action for at least three months following surgery, which may mean missing the WWE Royal Rumble in January.
The SmackDown star underwent nose surgery on November 7th and shared a photo from her hospital bed. WWE covered the surgery by doing an injury angle on television that saw Natalya receive the end of a knee to the face from Shayna Baszler during a recent edition of SmackDown.
Out of Action
Natalya Neidhart
At the time of the surgery being revealed, it was not clear how long Natalya would be out following the surgery.
An indication of the timeframe has now emerged as Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that “she will be out of action a minimum of three months and perhaps a little longer because they will be waiting for it to fully heal and this isn’t the three weeks back after ankle surgery she did a few years back to prove she could.”
Natalya will miss Survivor Series: War Games later this month from Boston and potentially the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023 in San Antonio. We wish her a speedy recovery.
The next Undertaker 1 deadMAN SHOW is planned for January, ahead of the Royal Rumble premium live event.
WWE confirmed today that on January 27, The Undertaker will host another edition of his 1 deadMAN SHOW at the Tech Port Center + Arena. WWE’s first premium live event of 2023 will be Royal Rumble, which will take place on January 28 at San Antonio’s Alamodome.
The Show
The show “will feature The Phenom in an intimate setting, sharing never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career and taking questions from the WWE Universe in attendance.”
Tickets for it will go on sale this Tuesday, November 15 at 10 AM CT via Techportcenter.com. A limited number of VIP tickets, which include premier seating and a meet-and-greet with the legendary wrestler, will also be available.
This will be the fourth time that WWE has held the Royal Rumble in San Antonio and the third time the event has been hosted at the Alamodome. It will feature 30-men and 30-women Royal Rumble matches, with the winners of both receiving a Championship match opportunity at WrestleMania 39 in April from SoFi Stadium in LA.
The Undertaker last held a 1 deadMAN SHOW ahead of the Extreme Rules premium live event in October.
.@undertaker 1 deadMAN SHOW is heading to San Antonio! Listen to never-before-heard stories of his Hall of Fame career on January 27th! Tickets available Tuesday!https://t.co/NZeNT9EXYT
WWE and their gaming partner 2K are appealing a courtroom defeat over the use of Randy Orton’s tattoos in video games.
In April 2018, artist Catherine Alexander filed the suit, alleging that she was not properly reimbursed for the use of tattoos on the Viper’s body used in gaming.
In 2015, Alexander submitted applications to register copyrights on each of the tattoos she inked on the former World Champion’s body.
The Appeal
Last month, after years of delays thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic, a jury ruled in Alexander’s favor.
WWE had argued that the tattoos came under ‘fair use,’ and were necessary to depict Orton in video games.
Despite the lengthy case, Alexander was awarded just $3,750 in damages.
Tonight’s episode of SmackDown will have a touch of class added to the broadcast as Lacey Evans will be making her return to TV.
PW Insider reports that Evans will be part of a six-pack challenge, with the winning earning a title shot at WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
The Sassy Southern Belle will face Xia Li, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Sonya Deville and Shotzi.
This will mark Evans’ first match in close to two months, and only her third televised match since July.
Evans’s Wild Year
In 2021, Evans was on the cusp of becoming Raw Women’s Champion, before she was pulled from programming due to her pregnancy.
Mere months after giving birth, Evans returned to SmackDown on the April 8, episode, initially as a babyface.
The former U.S. Marine spoke about being a mother and her time serving her country but was moved to Raw shortly after and as a heel.
Before she could appear in person on the red brand, Evans was moved back to SmackDown, and despite being listed as a heel, returned as a face.
After failing to win the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase, Evans would turn heel once more, attacking Aliyah.
SmackDown
Evans’ return to TV isn’t the only big thing coming to tonight’s SmackDown in Indianapolis.
It’s been confirmed that the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos will put their titles on the line against the New Day.
The SmackDown World Cup Tournament will also begin tonight.
Shinsuke Nakamura will face Santos Escobar on the show, and there will also be an appearance by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Braun Strowman battled Omos in a clash of the giants at WWE Crown Jewel. The Monster of All Monsters went toe-to-toe with the Nigerian Giant in front of the packed crowd at Mrsool Park.
Omos dominated the majority of the match but couldn’t keep Strowman down. Braun battled back and showed off his incredible strength by somehow lifting Omos up onto his shoulders. Strowman connected with his Running Powerslam for the impressive victory.
It didn’t take long for Strowman to boast about his victory on Twitter. Unfortunately, he decided to trash wrestlers that perform different styles than his in the process and got called out by WWE Superstars Ricochet, Mustafa Ali, and wrestlers in various promotions.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, Braun Strowman has “very real” heat backstage in WWE. Strowman was criticized by several of his coworkers for mocking “flippy” wrestlers and comparing them to grocery baggers.
The report states that Braun has been on his “best behavior” since his return to the company, but “social media Braun” is a different story. His social media posts are also not a part of an upcoming angle and most likely will not be turned into one. The company may rib Strowman about his tweets on commentary or during a segment on television.
Fightful spoke to a wrestler who claimed that they will “never do a flip in their life” but noted that wrestling needs different styles and there is no right or wrong way of doing it. The wrestler added that Strowman didn’t come into the business like most wrestlers and likely just doesn’t understand.
Jeff Jarrett Takes Shot at Braun Strowman on Dynamite
Jeff Jarrett appeared last night on AEW Dynamite at the Agganis Arena in Boston. Double J was released from WWE earlier this year and has now joined AEW in an on-screen and backstage role. Jarrett mocked Strowman and Triple H during the promo hyping up Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh.
This isn’t no make-believe monster who wears red skinny jeans and is produced by the banana nose circus.
