SEScoops

Tag: AJ Styles

  • Smackdown & 205 Live Preview 7/24: 3 Confirmed Matches

    Smackdown & 205 Live Preview 7/24: 3 Confirmed Matches

    Smackdown and 205 Live this week will emanate from Evansville, IN.

    3 matches have been confirmed for tonight’s shows thus far.

    On 205 Live, a fatal 4-way match will take place to determine a new #1 contender to Cedric Alexander’s Cruiserweight Championship. Meanwhile, on Smackdown, Paige will announce who AJ Styles will defend his WWE Championship against at SummerSlam.

    Smackdown 7/24

    Paige Reveals AJ Styles’ SummerSlam Opponent

    Smackdown General Manager, Paige, has announced she will reveal who Styles’ new challenger is tonight. Whether she announces a match to determine AJ’s next challenger or just announces a name outright isn’t yet known, however.

    Styles’ last title defense came against Rusev at Extreme Rules. Rusev had won a gauntlet match on Smackdown to earn the title shot.

    Non-Title Match
    Becky Lynch vs Carmella

    SummerSlam title match implications will be on the line tonight in a match between Becky Lynch and Carmella. This match was made last week with the stipulation that if Lynch is victorious she will earn a title match against Carmella at SummerSlam.

    Lynch has gone 4-0 since Money in the Bank on Smackdown. She’s won single’s matches on 4 of the last 5 episodes of Smackdown. In that time she has defeated Billie Kay, Sonya Deville, Peyton Royce, and Mandy Rose.

    Smackdown Tag-Team Tournament
    The New Day vs Sanity

    In a rematch from Extreme Rules, New Day take on Sanity tonight. The winner moves on to the finals of the 4-team tournament and will meet the winner of the Bar vs the Usos.

    Sanity defeated New Day on the Extreme Rules Kickoff show but tonight is the match which has title implications on the line.

    Why Did Randy Orton Almost Rip Jeff Hardy’s Ear Off?

    Twice now we have seen Randy Orton target Jeff Hardy during a match against Shinsuke Nakamura. Why is Orton targetting Jeff Hardy? What is the status of Jeff Hardy’s earlobe following last Tuesday’s encounter with the Viper?

    We will hopefully have answers to these questions after tonight.

    Is WWE Building Towards The Miz vs Daniel Bryan At SummerSlam?

    All signs point to the long-awaited Miz vs Daniel Bryan one-on-one match to take place at SummerSlam. Last week, Bryan crashed a mock-funeral Miz held for Team Hell No. This week should only further the tension between the two vastly different Superstars.

    205 Live 7/24 Preview

    #1 Contenders Match
    Mustafa Ali vs Hideo Itami vs TJP vs Drew Gulak

    Just one match has been announced for 205 Live tonight. Mustafa Ali, Hideo Itami, TJP, and Drew Gulak will battle for the right to face Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship.

    TJP is the only former Champion in the match. Alexander defeated Mustafa Ali for the vacant title on the WrestleMania 34 Kickoff show. He also defeated Hideo Itami on the July 10th episode of 205 Live. He’s faced Drew Gulak 5x in the history of 205 Live. Alexander has won 3 of those matches to Gulak and lost the other two. Gulak’s only victories over Alexander were both in early 2017.

  • AJ Styles Picks A Side In Bullet Club Civil War (Video)

    AJ Styles Picks A Side In Bullet Club Civil War (Video)

    WWE Champion, AJ Styles, was asked recently which side of the Bullet Club civil war angle he sides with. While it may have been easier for Styles to give a vague answer of “Those guys are all my friends,” or something similar, Styles did not hesitate to pick a side.

    When asked if he was with Team Kenny or the Firing Squad, Styles was adamant. “I don’t know if you watched my last match that I had over in Japan with New Japan,” Styles said in reference to the night Omega kicked him out of Bullet Club. “I kind of got the crap kicked out of me by those guys. So, I’m a Firing Squad kind of guy.”

    Bullet Club, January 5th, 2016

    Following his match the night after the Tokyo Dome show in 2016, Omega turned on Styles. He gave him a 1-Winged Angel and then continued to deliver the boots to him.

    The Young Bucks separated Omega from Styles while Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows tended to Styles. As Anderson and Gallows were holding Styles, however, the Bucks gave him a double super-kick. Anderson and Gallows then later joined in the beating of the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Omega would announce he was moving up to heavyweight afterward and Styles would be in WWE’s Royal Rumble later that month.

    Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows would join Styles in WWE just months later, however. They would form “the Club” with Styles and it appeared as though Styles and the tag-team managed to work things out between them off-camera.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xK7T1ZlXfQ&frags=pl%2Cwn

  • AJ Styles’ Rumored SummerSlam Opponent

    AJ Styles’ Rumored SummerSlam Opponent

    AJ Styles’ opponent for SummerSlam is expected to be announced on next week’s episode of SmackDown Live by General Manager Paige.

    “The Phenomenal One” comes off a longtime feud with former New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Shinsuke Nakamura, which stretched back all the way to WrestleMania 34. He also defended his WWE Title against Rusev at Extreme Rules.

    Cageside Seats is confirming recent speculation that former NXT Champion Samoa Joe is next in line to feud with the ex-TNA poster child. They report that Styles is currently scheduled to go one-on-one with “The Destroyer” at SummerSlam. Joe squashed Tye Dillinger on last week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    Styles put on a great match with recent NXT call-up Andrade “Cien” Almas, in a bout that the WWE Universe likely wouldn’t be opposed to seeing again at some point down the road on a much grander stage. Styles vs. Joe will certainly be an enjoyable experience for SmackDown Live viewers as we approach “The Biggest Party Of The Summer.”

  • AJ Styles’ SummerSlam Opponent To Be Revealed Next Week

    AJ Styles’ SummerSlam Opponent To Be Revealed Next Week

    WWE has officially announced a match and segment for next week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

    The segment will see SmackDown General Manager Paige reveal who AJ Styles will defend the WWE Title against at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event that is slated to go down on Sunday, August 19, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center and will air on the WWE Network.

    As seen on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live from Wilkes Barre, PA, Styles defeated Andrade Almas in a non-title match. Also on this show, Samoa Joe beat Tye Dillinger in a singles match and after the match, Joe posted a cryptic message on his official Twitter account that has fans talking about this tweet potentially leading to Joe challenging Styles for the WWE Title at SummerSlam.

    As of this writing, that match has yet to be confirmed but Joe vs. Styles is being advertised for upcoming live events.

    The match that has been announced for this show is WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella vs. Becky Lynch in a non-title match with the stipulation that if Lynch wins then she gets a title shot at SummerSlam.

    Who do you think Styles will defend the WWE Title against at SummerSlam? 

  • Big Match Set For Next Week’s WWE NXT, AJ Styles Hypes Rusev Match

    Big Match Set For Next Week’s WWE NXT, AJ Styles Hypes Rusev Match

    NXT Match Announcement

    A big match has a been announced for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network that will see Candice LeRae, Kairi Sane, Nikki Cross and Bianca Belair collide in a Fatal 4-Way Match with a future opportunity to challenge Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Title.

    Although this has yet to be announced by the company, it’s likely that the winner of this match will face Baszler for the strap at the upcoming NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event that takes place on Saturday, August 18, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center and will air on WWE’s streaming service.

    AJ Styles Hypes

    WWE Champion AJ Styles is slated to make his next title defense against Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena that will air on the WWE Network. Styles went out the following to hype the title match:

    “Don’t waste your money on streamers and noise makers. #RusevDay is just another day for me…another day to defend the #WWEChampionship and proclaim #IAmPhenomenal. #ExtremeRules #AndStill @WWENetwork.”

    What are your thoughts on this upcoming NXT match as well as Styles comments? Sound off in the comment section.

  • WWE Launches “Curvy Collection” T-Shirt Line, Ex-WWE Star Backstage At Raw, Tucker Knight

    WWE Launches “Curvy Collection” T-Shirt Line, Ex-WWE Star Backstage At Raw, Tucker Knight

    – WWE has launched a new line of T-shirts that are specifically designed to enhance a women’s figure.

    Calling it the “Curvy Collection,” WWE’s new Curvy Fit Women’s T-shirts are “softly shaped to complement a plus-sized woman’s curves – making it perfect for lounging around the house or wearing out on the town.”

    The line features Nia Jax, Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, AJ Styles, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Alexa Bliss and Randy Orton.

    Jax reacted to the news with the following:

    – Former WWE star Chris Nowinski was backstage at Raw on Monday at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. In this Instagram post, he mentions catching up with Natalya.

    https://instagram.com/p/BlDZ6njAX8F/

    – Tucker Knight is now on Instagram @tuckerknightwwe. The official Instagram account of WWE NXT is following Knight, thus confirming its legitimacy.

    https://instagram.com/p/Bk00Ce-ln2t/

  • Rusev Says Winning World Title Is On His Bucket List

    Rusev Says Winning World Title Is On His Bucket List

    On Sunday Night, Rusev will receive his first WWE World Championship opportunity. The 32-year-old has held the United States on 2 occasions but has never challenged for either WWE-recognized World Championship.

    Rusev sat down with ESPN recently and spoke about what the match means to him.

    “Becoming heavyweight champion and holding the top title is on my bucket list,” Rusev said. “That spot is always getting tighter and tighter, but why not? A man can always dream.”

    Few are picking Rusev to defeat Styles on Sunday but that does not mean a future World Title run for him is out of the question.

    “I’ve been focused and I’m in the zone,” Rusev continued. “I’ve been training harder than any other day.”

    After being signed to the company in 2010, Rusev would debut on the main roster in 2014.

    “It’s great,” Rusev said. “Finally being able to climb up all the way to the top. I’ve worked hard enough and done everything I’ve needed to do. It just feels good that I have this opportunity, and I’m not going to waste it.”

    Is Rusev A Future World Champion?

    Rusev earned his title match against AJ Styles by winning a Gauntlet match on the June 19th edition of Smackdown. After his victory, Rusev spoke to WWE.com correspondents.

    “I’ve never had an opportunity before for a World Heavyweight Championship,” Rusev explained. “I couldn’t miss the chance. Aiden was there the whole way and Lana, of course, helping me morally in everything.”

    After his victory, Aiden English taunted Styles and got punched for his efforts. Rusev also spoke to WWE.com regarding what he and English feel was a cheap-shot on the champion’s behalf.

    “We’re trying to have this feel-good moment, all fun and games, and all of a sudden (Styles) just punches him,” Rusev said. “I thought it was the wrong move.”

  • Smackdown & 205 Live 7/10/18 Preview: Styles vs Nakamura, Alexander vs Itami, more…

    Smackdown & 205 Live 7/10/18 Preview: Styles vs Nakamura, Alexander vs Itami, more…

    5 matches have been confirmed for WWE’s Smackdown and 205 Live shows tonight. Both shows will emanate from the SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH.

    Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles will go one-on-one for the 7th time in their rivalry tonight, not including house shows. It will be just the second time they have faced each other without a single’s title on the line.

    Additionally, the main event of 205 Live will feature a Cruiserweight Championship match. Cedric Alexander will defend the title against top contender, Hideo Itami.

    Smackdown Live 7/10/18 Preview

    Team Hell No Kick-Off Smackdown

    • MizTV will kick off Smackdown tonight. The Miz’s guests will be Daniel Bryan and Kane.
    • While not invited on the show, one might suspect Team Hell No’s opponents at Extreme Rules, the Bludgeon Brothers, might make an appearance.
    • Even though Bryan and the Miz aren’t currently in a program with one another, the two long-time rivals always have an interesting back and forth whenever they are in the same segment.

    AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura

    • At Extreme Rules, both AJ and Nakamura will have championship matches. Styles will defend the WWE Championship against Rusev and Nakamura will challenge Jeff Hardy for the US title.
    • This will be the 7th match between the two (not including house shows). They are 2-2-2 against one another:
      • WrestleKingdom 10  – Shinsuke Nakamura (c) defeated AJ Styles – IWGP Intercontinental Championship
      • WrestleMania 34 – AJ Styles (c) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura – WWE Title
      • Greatest Royal Rumble – AJ Styles (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (double count-out) – WWE title
      • Backlash 2018 – AJ Styles (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (No-contest) – WWE Title
      • Smackdown May 15th, 2018 – Shinsuke Nakamura defeated AJ Styles
      • Money in the Bank 2018 – AJ Styles (c) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura – WWE title.

    Asuka vs James Ellsworth – Lumberjack Match

    • Asuka will challenge Carmella on Sunday for a chance to win her first title on the main roster. She’ll get to enact some revenge on James Ellsworth tonight, however.
    • Ellsworth’s return to WWE at the Money in the Bank PPV caused enough of a distraction to allow Carmella to pull off a huge upset and defend her title.
    • Asuka might be looking for revenge tonight but rest assured Carmella is probably looking for an opportunity to soften up her opponent for Sunday.

    Tye Dillinger vs Samoa Joe

    • Last week in a WWE exclusive, R-Truth volunteered up Tye Dillinger to take on Samoa Joe this week.
    • Truth had originally been trying to recruit Tye as his newest tag-team partner but some comic hijinks resulted in Truth challenging Joe on Tye’s behalf instead.

    Sin Cara vs Andrade “Cien” Almas

    • In a match that has been pushed to the back-burner for a few weeks, Andrade Almas will finally face Sin Cara tonight.
    • The angle they have been going with is that Sin Cara and Almas used to be friends but now Almas has adopted a new outlook under the guidance of Zelina Vega.

    205 Live 7/10/18 Preview

    Only one match/segment is scheduled for 205 Live tonight.

    Cruiserweight Championship Match
    Cedric Alexander (c) vs Hideo Itami

    • Cedric Alexander insisted 205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, make this match as Itami defeated top-contenders Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali in a triple threat match on June 19th.
    • Maverick was hesitant only because Itami has been interfering in matches and the GM didn’t want to reward bad behavior.
    • Alexander is the 8th champion in the title’s lineage and the belt is currently in its 10th reign.
    • Not including house shows, Alexander will be attempting to defend the belt for the 3rd time.
    • Should Alexander be victorious tonight, his reign will move into the second longest all-time position, passing Enzo Amore’s 2nd run with the belt of 93 days. The longest reign in title history was Neville’s 197-day run between January and August of 2017.
    • Neville’s 7-title defenses during this reign is also a record.
  • AJ Styles Approaching Big Milestone As WWE Champion

    AJ Styles Approaching Big Milestone As WWE Champion

    AJ Styles is closing in on a significant milestone as WWE Champion. 

    As of this writing, Styles has been WWE Champion for 243 days. This is his second title reign, during which he’s defended the title 59 times, with only 7 defenses on television / pay-per-view since November.

    Including his previous run with the title, Styles has been WWE Champion for a total of 383 days. Should he remain champion through next week, Styles will surpass WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels’ career record of 396 days. 

    The next milestone for Styles after surpassing Shawn Michaels’ record would be CM Punk’s 463 days as WWE Champion. 

    Of course, the man who was WWE Champion more days than anyone else in history is the late Bruno Sammartino, who held the title for a staggering 4,040 days (11+ years) during his illustrious career. 

    AJ Styles is slated to make his next title defense against Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena.

    What are your thoughts on Styles’ reign as champion?

  • WWE Star Launches Twitch Channel, AJ Styles & Carmella In Australia (Video)

    WWE Star Launches Their Own Twitch Channel

    Add WWE star Tyler Breeze to the list of professional wrestlers getting in on the video game streaming community. The Breezango member has officially launched his very own Twitch channel, Breezeman88, Where he will play games and chat with fans.

    Breeze has been prominently featured on Xavier Woods’ gaming channel, UpUpDownDown, several times in the past few years:

    AJ Styles & Carmella Visit Melbourne Australia

    WWE Champion AJ Styles and SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Carmella recently paid a visit to Melbourne, Australia for a promotional tour. You can check out “The Phenomenal One” and Carmella’s highlights from their trip in the video below:

  • Kenny Omega Reveals Who In WWE He’d Like To Work With

    Kenny Omega Reveals Who In WWE He’d Like To Work With

    Kenny Omega has his eyes on a pair of top WWE talents should he execute a potential move to the professional wrestling juggernaut.

    “The Cleaner” recently joined WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross’ podcast, The Ross Report, and was asked about the possibility of signing with WWE. He also touched on potential matches that await him in the promotion. Omega named two potential opponents specifically that fans would love to see him share the ring with – Seth Rollins and AJ Styles:

    “When I think about the possibilities and stuff like that it does get me excited,” Omega said. “Every promotion has so many good guys – there’s no way that I would have a bad time going almost anywhere because the depths to the talent is so deep. WWE right now has a very great collection of talent.

    “I would feel like it was a missed opportunity if I couldn’t work with them at some point. If I could work with Seth Rollins at some point in time that would be a lot of fun. And of course, the huge name amongst all that, is AJ (Styles). I would love to work with AJ at some point. And I would like to be able to do it while I can still move, you know what I mean?”

    If you use any transcribed quotes from this article please H/T SEScoops for the transcriptions

    Listen to Omega’s interview on The Ross Report by clicking this link here.

  • AJ Styles Sends Warning To Rusev, WWE Postpones Event

    AJ Styles Sends Warning To Rusev, WWE Postpones Event

    AJ Styles Warning

    WWE Champion AJ Styles is slated to make his next title defense against Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena that will air on the WWE Network.

    Styles went out the following warning to Rusev ahead of their match at this event by writing this:

    If you recall, Rusev earned this title shot after beating Big E, Daniel Bryan, The Miz, and Samoa Joe in a Gauntlet Match to become the #1 contender on a recent episode of SmackDown Live.

    WWE Postpones Event

    The sports entertainment company was scheduled to hold a RAW live event on Friday, November 2nd in Brussels, Belgium. However, WWE recently announced that they have decided to postpone it and hold the event on May 9, 2019.

    What are your thoughts on Styles vs. Rusev? Sound off in the comment section.

  • SmackDown Draws Second Lowest Viewership Since Moving To Tuesday, AJ Styles Warns Rusev

    SmackDown Draws Second Lowest Viewership Since Moving To Tuesday, AJ Styles Warns Rusev

    SmackDown Draws Second Lowest Viewership Since Moving To Tuesday

    While SmackDown Live is generally considered the better show between the two, it still retains only 80% of the audience from Raw and this week’s episode of the show didn’t even do that.

    The episode featuring Team Hell No vs. The Usos in the main event drew 2.013 million viewers, which is the second lowest audience for it since moving to Tuesday Night.

    It was down 5.7% from last week’s 2.135 million viewers and was barely able to beat the 1.921 million viewers from Election Night on November 8th, 2016.

    The show airing a day before the 4rth of July doesn’t appear to be the cause of the low ratings as it aired on the actual Holiday in 2017 and still drew 2.329 million viewers.

    AJ Styles Warns Rusev

    This week’s episode of SmackDown saw the WWE Champion AJ Styles facing Aiden English but after Styles’ victory, the #1 contender Rusev attacked the Phenomenal One.

    WWE posted a video of this post-match beatdown on their Twitter account and replying to it, AJ said that it will take more than that to tear down what he has built:

    AJ Styles will be defending his WWE Championship against the Bulgarian Brute Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules PPV on Sunday, July 15th.

  • AJ Styles Dons Mask For Tokyo Live Event (Video)

    AJ Styles Dons Mask For Tokyo Live Event (Video)

    In September of 2017, AJ Styles returned to Japan and wore a mask for his ring entrance. The mask was “Club” themed, an homage to Styles’ time in NJPW as leader of Bullet Club.

    Styles broke out the mask again this weekend as WWE traveled back to the country. Styles was supposed to renew his rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura on the shows but a bomb-sniffing dog bite kept Nakamura out of action.

    Now reunited with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows on Smackdown, the Club made a memorable entrance in Tokyo recently. Check out the below video on the faction’s entrance:

    AJ Styles’ WWE Championship Reign

    Styles’ 240 days with the WWE Championship is now the longest reign since CM Punk’s 434-day run with the belt in 2011-13. Before Punk, you have to go back to John Cena’s 380-day reign from 2006-07 for the next champion who held the title longer than Styles has.

    Styles defeated Jinder Mahal for the title on November 7th, 2018. The match was held in Manchester. It was largely believed at the time that Styles was winning the title so it would be him and not Jinder Mahal who would face Brock Lesnar in the Raw vs Smackdown world champion match at Survivor Series last year.

    Styles has defended the title 7x on WWE programming during his reign. He defeated Jinder Mahal in a rematch at Clash of Champions 2017. Then he defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a handicap match at the 2018 Royal Rumble. Styles then won a 6-pack challenge at Fastlane 2018. He also held onto the WWE Championships for four straight title defenses against Shinsuke Nakamura as well.

  • Smackdown Live 7/3/18 Preview: Team Hell No, Jeff Hardy Open Challenge, more…

    Smackdown Live 7/3/18 Preview: Team Hell No, Jeff Hardy Open Challenge, more…

    Jeff Hardy will defend his United States championship against a competitor TBD tonight on Smackdown. Tonight’s event will take place inside the Century Link Center in Omaha, NE. It will be the second last show before the Extreme Rules pay-per-view on July 15th from Pittsburgh.

    Smackdown Live 7/3/18 Preview

    Team Hell No Kicks Off Smackdown

    • Smackdown will kick off with Team Hell No in a talking segment tonight. They’ve been announced as the first segment tonight.
    • Last week on Smackdown, Paige announced the newly reunited team will take on the Bludgeon Brothers for the Smackdown tag-team championships at Extreme Rules.
    • We should get a preview of that match tonight as there is only one more episode left until the PPV.

    AJ Styles vs Aiden English

    • Rusev and Aiden English believe Styles took a cheap shot at English a couple weeks ago on Smackdown. English will get his shot at revenge tonight.
    • With Styles taking on Rusev at Extreme Rules, expect the Bulgarian Brute to play a role in this match tonight.

    Jeff Hardy US Open Challenge

    • With title contender, Shinsuke Nakamura, out with a standard bomb-sniffing dog bite injury, Hardy will defend the title tonight against anyone daring enough to answer the challenge.
    • Last week it was Eric Young who answered the challenge in Nakamura’s absence. Will it be someone else from Sanity tonight or a new contender altogether?

    Becky Lynch vs Peyton Royce

    • Lynch made Billie Kay tap out recently and now she’ll get a chance to do the same to another member of the Iiconics.
    • Lynch seems to be on a bit of a win streak as of late.

    Asuka vs James Ellsworth

    • Inter-gender wrestling takes place tonight on Smackdown! Asuka will look to get her revenge on Ellsworth for causing the distraction in her title match with Carmella at Money in the Bank.
    • Asuka and Carmella will meet again for the title at Extreme Rules.

    New Day 3rd of July Pancake Eating Contest

    • New Day will celebrate July 4th eve by eating a bunch of pancakes tonight on Smackdown.
    • The trio says this is the start of a new annual tradition.
  • AJ Styles Shuts Down Bullet Club Fan On Twitter

    AJ Styles Shuts Down Bullet Club Fan On Twitter

    AJ Styles isn’t afraid of shutting someone down on Twitter. He did so just recently to a fan who bashed WWE’s potential signing of Bullet Club members.

    AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson were in Tokyo recently as part of the Smackdown brand’s live events this weekend. WWE posted the following Tweet in reference to the Club’s Japanese roots.

    WWE’s Club versus Bullet Club

    Another fan posted a Tweet implying they would like to see Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks in WWE as well.

    https://twitter.com/WWERDream/status/1013527985985646592

    This led one Bullet Club fan to state they do not support the idea of more BC members signing with WWE.

    https://twitter.com/iDontCare1830/status/1013562775652663297

    “I know you’re not implying you’d like to see them all in the WWE,” the fan Tweeted. “Seriously? So they could be ruined and tarnished and have WWE’s corporate stench on them? They’re perfectly fine changing the wrestling world in NJPW, ROH and ALL_IN.”

    The fan who AJ ultimately shut down is of the belief if the Bucks and Omega went to WWE, it would not be as entertaining as what they are doing now is. In the fan’s defense, this is a popularly held belief.

    Styles saw the Tweet and addressed it directly.

    “This is what you and some seem to forget….THIS IS A BUSINESS. We have bills and a family to take care of just like everyone else. Everything we put our body’s through on a weekly basis well not last forever. Work hard and earn it all.”

    Would WWE misuse Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

  • AJ Styles Mocks Rusev On Social Media, WWE Releases Mae Young Classic Promo

    AJ Styles Mocks Rusev On Social Media, WWE Releases Mae Young Classic Promo

    AJ Styles Tweets

    WWE Champion AJ Styles is slated to make his next title defense against Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena that will air on the WWE Network.

    As noted, Rusev earned this title shot after beating Big E, Daniel Bryan, The Miz, and Samoa Joe in a Gauntlet Match to become the #1 contender on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live in Toledo, OH at the Huntington Center on the USA Network. Styles sent out the following tweet to mock Rusev:

    “Excited to face @RusevBUL for the #WWEChampionship and I know many are as well. And just for you and the little songbird next to you, I’m gonna make #RusevDay #Phenomenal. #AndStill.”

    WWE Hypes Tournament

    WWE has sent out this promo on their official YouTube channel hype Mae Young Classic tickets being on sale now. As noted, the sports entertainment company will be taping the tournament on August 8th and August 9th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and will air later this summer on the WWE Network.

    What are your thoughts on this match between Styles and Rusev?

  • AJ Styles Missing WWE Events This Weekend, Six Times Kane Unmasked (Video)

    AJ Styles Missing WWE Events This Weekend, Six Times Kane Unmasked (Video)

    AJ Styles Missing In Action

    WWE Champion AJ Styles, who is slated to make his next title defense against Rusev at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event next month, will be missing in action this weekend for SmackDown Live events.

    The sports entertainment company is slated to hold blue branded events on Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday in Fresno, CA at the Save Mart Center, and Monday in Bakersfield, CA at the Rabobank Arena.

    However, Styles will not be wrestling at those shows due to him heading to Australia for promotion work for the October Super Show-Don stadium show’s ticket on sale. It should be noted that Styles will be working Tuesday’s SmackDown Live TV event.

    WWE United States Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. The Miz and WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Bar vs. The New Day vs. Rusev & Aiden English are the top matches being advertised.

    Kane Unmasked

    Although Kane might not be a regular character on WWE television these days, it didn’t stop WWE’s YouTube channel from releasing this video looking at the six times that Kane has been unmasked. Check it out here:

    What are your thoughts on Styles missing events this weekend?

  • Rusev Reacts To Earning WWE Championship Match Against AJ Styles

    Rusev Reacts To Earning WWE Championship Match Against AJ Styles

    As Rusev let go of the Accolade (camel clutch) last night following his victory in the Gauntlet match, the emotion on his face was visible. The 33-year-old has been with the company since September 2010. He will wrestle in his first ever WWE Championship match at Extreme Rules next month.

    WWE.com caught up with Rusev and Aiden English following last night’s Smackdown.

    “I’ve never had an opportunity before for a World Heavyweight Championship,” Rusev explained. “I couldn’t miss the chance. Aiden was there the whole way and Lana, of course, helping me morally in everything.”

    Rusev vs AJ Styles at Extreme Rules 2018

    Rusev and Aiden appear upset that Styles took a shot at Aiden last night. Following Rusev’s victory in the Gauntlet match, Styles came to the ring. While Styles and Rusev would shake hands, Aiden pulled his hand away from Styles just before they could shake. Styles then decked Aiden and knocked him to the ground for his trouble.

    “We’re trying to have this feel-good moment, all fun and games, and all of a sudden (Styles) just punches him,” Rusev said. “I thought it was the wrong move.”

    Rusev and AJ Styles have met twice in single’s competition. Both matches took place this year and both matches ended in DQs. Styles defeated Rusev via DQ on the March 13th, 2018 edition of Smackdown via DQ and again on the April 17th, 2018 version of Smackdown.

    Rusev has won his last 2 single’s matches. He defeated Samoa Joe on the June 12th, 2018 edition of Smackdown. His match before then he defeated Daniel Bryan to successfully qualify for the Money in the Bank match. His only other single’s match since WrestleMania, however, was a loss to the Undertaker. Rusev was defeated by the Deadman in a Casket Match from the Greatest Royal Rumble in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

  • AJ Styles Reacts To Landing WWE 2K19 Video Game Cover

    AJ Styles Reacts To Landing WWE 2K19 Video Game Cover

    As we’ve previously reported, current WWE Champion AJ Styles has been announced as the cover athlete for WWE 2K19.

    Styles gets the news just hours after successfully defending his WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing match at the Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV) from Chicago’s Allstate Arena.

    The game is set to get released on October 9, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A trailer for the game has yet to be released. Styles, a huge fan of video games, joins past cover athletes such as The Rock, John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins last year.

    Styles took to Twitter to react to the big news, calling it an absolute honor to be on the cover:

    Although 2K games has yet to officially announce who the pre-order bonus character will be, a recent report suggests who it’s expected to be. If you want to know, click this link here.

  • AJ Styles Is The Cover Star For WWE 2K19

    AJ Styles Is The Cover Star For WWE 2K19

    We officially know now who will grace the cover of the upcoming WWE 2K19 video game.

    On Monday morning (June 18, 2018), it was officially announced by 2K Games that WWE Champion AJ Styles, who is fresh off a title defense over Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match at Sunday’s WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view event in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena, will be the cover star.

    WWE 2K19 will be released on October 9, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As of this writing, 2K Games did not reveal a trailer for the game. 

    Styles joins some big names that have graced the cover of the video game. Since the first WWE 2K game back in 2014, WWE has featured just one Superstar on the box cover. In 2014 it was The Rock, followed by John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Brock Lesnar, and Seth Rollins last year.

    2K Games has yet to officially announce the pre-order bonus character but a report came out last week that revealed who it would be. We won’t spoil it here but for those who want to find out, please click here.

    Here’s the first-look at the WWE 2K18 cover:

    What are your thoughts on Styles being on the cover of the game? Sound off in the comment section.

  • AJ Styles Comments on Victory, Updated WWE Championship Statistics

    AJ Styles Comments on Victory, Updated WWE Championship Statistics

    Last night at Money in the Bank, AJ Styles successfully defended his WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. In the closing moments of the match, Styles kicked Nakamura low before hitting a Phenomenal Forearm which took the challenger through an announce table. Nakamura was unable to make it to his feet in time to meet the referee’s 10-count and Styles was declared the victor.

    WWE.com caught up with Styles after the match and spoke to him about the tactics he used last night:

    “When the championship’s on the line, it’s my livelihood. I’m not about to let that go no matter what,” Styles said. “Winners find a way and I found one. It may have not been the most respectable but it’s an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth out there and I won.”

    AJ Styles WWE Championship Statistics

    Styles is currently on his second run with the title. His previous run with the belt began at Backlash 2016 when he defeated Dean Ambrose to become champion. Styles then dropped it 140 days later to John Cena. He won the title for a second time by defeating Jinder Mahal on the November 7th, 2017 Smackdown from Manchester, England. His current reign is at 222 days, the longest since Brock Lesnar held the title for 224 days back in 2014 and the 20th longest of all-time.

    Styles recently passed Big Daddy Cool Diesel as having held the title for the 15th most combined days.

    WWE Championship
    Most Combined Days Spent as Champion

    1. Bruno Sammartino (4,040)
    2. Hulk Hogan (2,185)
    3. Bob Backlund (2,138)
    4. John Cena (1,257)
    5. Pedro Morales (1,027)
    6. Randy Orton (660)
    7. Bret Hart (655)
    8. Triple H (610)
    9. Brock Lesnar (578)
    10. Steve Austin (530)
    11. Randy Savage (520)
    12. CM Punk (463)
    13. Shawn Michaels (396)
    14. The Rock (378)
    15. AJ Styles (362)

    WWE Championship
    Longest Single Reigns of All-Time

    1. Bruno Sammartino (1963-1971) 2,803 days
    2. Hulk Hogan (1984-1988) 1,474 days
    3. Bob Backlund (1979-1983) 1470 days
    4. Bruno Sammartino (1973-1977) 1,237 days
    5. Pedro Morales (1971-1973) 1,027 days
    6. Bob Backlund (1978-1979) 648 days
    7. CM Punk (2011-2013) 434 days
    8. John Cena (2006-2007) 380 days
    9. Randy Savage (1988-1989) 371 days
    10. Hulk Hogan (1989-1990) 364 days
    11. Billy Graham (1977-1978) 296 days
    12. The Ultimate Warrior (1990-1991) 293 days
    13. Yokozuna (1993) 280 days
    14. JBL (2004-2005) 280 days
    15. John Cena (2005) 280 days
    16. Hulk Hogan (1991) 248 days
    17. Bret Hart (1995) 248 days
    18. Shawn Michaels (1996) 231 days
    19. Brock Lesnar (2014-2015) 224 days
    20. AJ Styles (2017-present) 222+ days
  • Updated Cards For WWE Live Events In Tokyo

    Updated Cards For WWE Live Events In Tokyo

    WWE returns to Tokyo, Japan this summer.

    The sports entertainment company has released the lineups for both events that will be taking place on June 29th and 30th.

    Originally, WWE advertised former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey for these events. However, she does not have any matches lined up. It should also be noted that these are SmackDown branded events. Thus, it appears that she won’t be working the shows.

    The first night of the tour will be headlined by WWE Champion AJ Styles defending the title against Shinsuke Nakamura in a No DQ Match while the second night will feature Styles defending the strap against Nakamura, Daniel Bryan and Samoa in a Fatal 4-Way Match.

    The Cards

    June 29th

    – No DQ Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles

    – The Usos vs. Rusev & Aiden English vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers

    – Asuka and Naomi vs. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce with Lana

    – The New Day vs. The Bar

    – Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

    – Sin Cara vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas with Zelina Vega

    – Samoa Joe vs. Tye Dillinger

    – Hideo Itami vs. The Miz

    June 30th

    – Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles

    – The New Day vs. The Bar vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers

    – Asuka vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella

    – Hideo Itami vs. Big Cass

    – The Miz vs. Sin Cara

    – Tye Dillinger vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas with Zelina Vega

    – Becky Lynch and Naomi vs. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce with Lana

    – The Usos vs. Rusev and Aiden English

    What are your thoughts on these cards? Sound off in the comment section.

  • How TNA Officials Felt About AJ Styles Being A Top Guy

    How TNA Officials Felt About AJ Styles Being A Top Guy

    Former WWE and TNA official Bruce Prichard recently took to his WWE Network special, Something Else To Wrestle, and discussed current WWE Champion AJ Styles’ run in TNA several years ago. Co-host Conrad Thompson asked Prichard what TNA officials thought of Styles as a top guy in the company.

    Here’s what Prichard had to say on the matter:

    “I had never worked with AJ beyond his tryout matches for WWE so immediately I’m hearing the negative,” Prichard said when co-host Conrad Thompson asked what TNA officials thought about AJ as a top guy. “I hear that, ‘AJ, he just wants to wrestle his matches and do all these high spots, he doesn’t listen, doesn’t want to change, doesn’t want to grow. He’s a pain in the ass.

    “We’re trying to build him into a bigger star and he’s bucking us at every single opportunity.’ The feeling was that AJ just wasn’t willing to do what it took to become a star. For example… they wanted AJ to bleach his hair blonde like Ric Flair. AJ didn’t want to do that. They wanted AJ to wear robes like Ric Flair but it looked like something that his daughter put together. It just wasn’t a good look and AJ wasn’t comfortable being Ric Flair.

    “He didn’t want to talk about being up all night with the women. AJ’s happily married and a very religious guy. He didn’t want that perception. Every time you suggest something new to AJ, he doesn’t want to do it. Unless it’s just wrestling a match with one of his buddies, he doesn’t want to do it. I learned early on in my career that you try to judge people on how they treat you.

    “And I tried talking to AJ and found that he was pretty receptive to things. He had good reasons why he didn’t want to do some of the things suggested to him. So, now all of a sudden I’m trying to find a way to get into AJ, in a way to pitch him ideas and try to do some different things with him which he was open to, at least with me.”

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • AJ Styles Has Not Wrestled In Three Weeks

    AJ Styles Has Not Wrestled In Three Weeks

    The current WWE Champion AJ Styles is considered a workhorse and so it’s really surprising that the SmackDown Star has not been in any match for nearly three weeks.

    He hasn’t been taking part in any Live Events in recent weeks and the last time AJ wrestled was in a dark match against Shinsuke Nakamura during the May 22nd episode of SmackDown Live.

    What’s interesting to note here is that this match didn’t run for very long and the bout was interrupted by the Bar not too long after it began. The whole segment ended with the Club making the save.

    Not only that but Styles is also scheduled to miss this weekend’s Live Events and apart from TV tapings, the next event he is currently advertised to be a part of is WWE Live Event from Tokyo on June 29th.

    It’s worth mentioning here that AJ Styles was dealing with an undisclosed injury a few weeks prior to WrestleMania but he was able to recover from it and defended his title successfully at the Show of Shows.

    However, now his unexpected hiatus from the ring has started many rumors and people are wondering if there is a connection between his injury back then and his current absence.

    The fact that WWE has been quiet about the whole thing doesn’t help either and it’s only fuelling the fire. The only positive news is that, as of this writing, his match at the Money In The Bank is still on.

    We’ll keep you posted if any more details regarding his status come to light.