– Luke Gallows is celebrating his 33rd birthday today.
– The Revival vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DIY in a rematch from TakeOver: Toronto will air on next Wednesday’s episode. The winners will go on to defend against The Authors of Pain at TakeOver: San Antonio during Royal Rumble weekend.
– As reported earlier, Bobby Roode won a Fatal 4 Way last night on NXT to earn a shot against NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in San Antonio. In the backstage video below, Roode says the win proved why he’s the face of NXT. Roode says he came to NXT for one reason and that’s to take the company to the next level. Last night’s win was just another step in getting NXT to the top and the final step will come at TakeOver when he makes the NXT Championship glorious.
Bobby Roode vs. NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura is now official for the 1/28 TakeOver: San Antonio event during Royal Rumble weekend.
Roode, seen below in his post-match celebration, won a Fatal 4 Way Elimination match over Tye Dillinger, Andrade Almas and Roderick Strong last night to earn the championship shot.
Roode vs. Nakamura joins The Authors of Pain vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DIY as the only two confirmed TakeOver matches as of this writing.
– Primo turns 34 years old today while Otis Dozovic turns 25 and Oney Lorcan turns 31.
– Tonight’s NXT will see a new #1 contender crowned as Bobby Roode, Tye Dillinger, Andrade Almas and Roderick Strong compete in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match. Other matches taped for tonight include Billie Kay vs Daria, The Authors of Pain vs. two local wrestlers and The Revival vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DIY with the titles on the line.
– As seen on SmackDown last night, The Miz retained the WWE Intercontinental Championship over Apollo Crews after an assist from Maryse. In the backstage video below, Crews receives a “Miz Participation Award” and tells Dasha Fuentes that this is just motivating him to get back at The Miz.
Next Wednesday’s NXT episode will feature Bobby Roode vs. Tye Dillinger vs. Andrade Almas vs. Roderick Strong in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match to crown a new #1 contender to NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura.
The winner of the Fatal 4 Way will get his championship shot at TakeOver: Orlando during Royal Rumble weekend.
Tonight’s NXT show saw the four Superstars win qualifying matches to advance to next week – Roode defeated Oney Lorcan, Strong defeated Elias Samson, Dillinger defeated Eric Young by DQ and Almas defeated No Way Jose. Here are post-match reactions from Almas and Strong:
A series of #1 contender qualifying matches have been announced by NXT GM William Regal. The winners of the matches will compete in a Fatal 4 Way to crown a new #1 contender to NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. The Fatal 4 Way winner will then get their title shot at TakeOver: San Antonio during Rumble weekend next month.
Samoa Joe’s next feud for the NXT Championship will be Bobby Roode.
A series of matches were held at tonight’s NXT tapings to determine a new #1 contender – Tye Dillinger over Eric Young by DQ, Roderick Strong over Elias Samson, Roode over Oney Lorcan and Andrade Almas over No Way Jose. Those 4 Superstars then competed in a Fatal 4 Way to determine Joe’s opponent. That Fatal 4 Way is expected to air on 12/21.
This has not been confirmed but it appears Joe vs. Roode will take place on 1/28 during Royal Rumble weekend in San Antonio at TakeOver.
Bobby Roode is the next high-profile feud for Samoa Joe, but it’s worth noting that former NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura will get a chance to reclaim his title this weekend when he challenges Samoa Joe at the NXT live event from Osaka, Japan.
– WWE applied to trademark the following Superstar names – Bobby Roode, Drew Gulak, Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann, Noam Dar, Carmella, Tony Nese and TJ Perkins.
– Seth Rollins took on Kevin Owens following last night’s WWE RAW in Hartford, but the match ended via disqualification when Chris Jericho interfered. The Canadian duo double-teamed the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, until Rollins came back with a powerbomb to Jericho and a pedigree to Owens.
– Rusev tweeted the following regarding the Jackhammer he took from Bill Goldberg this week on WWE RAW. As noted, Goldberg admitted on Twitter that the segment was botched due to his own ring rust.
Ha! @Goldberg knows that SPEARS don't faze me! That JACKHAMMER though …….hats off to him. He still got it. Btw I can still crush him.
Former TNA Champion Bobby Roode says that NXT is currently the hottest brand under the WWE umbrella, and that it’s not viewed as just a developmental territory anymore. In an interview with Brian Fritz of The Sporting News, Roode talked about the possibility of moving from NXT to SmackDown or RAW.
“I’m happy to be a big part of [NXT] right now,” Roode said. “Wherever my career takes me, whether it be “moving up to the main roster” or staying in NXT doing what I’m doing now, I’m quite content having my passion back for this business and doing what I love to do.”
He cited NXT drawing 15,000 people for TakeOver at the Barclays center as a sign of NXT’s brand power. Roode feels that talent like Samoa Joe and Austin Aries joining NXT changed the landscape of the show.
“I think it’s been great for sports entertainment, getting to see guys like Samoa Joe who, back in the day, let’s be honest, Samoa Joe isn’t the kind of guy you would see on top in the WWE,” Roode said. “It just goes to show that this business is evolving and the fans have such a great input now. Samoa Joe had a huge fanbase coming there so I think it opened up the WWE’s eyes as well.”
In a recent interview with RVA Magazine, Bobby Roode described his final years in TNA as having “more downs than ups.” When asked if it was a hard decision to leave TNA for WWE, Roode said it was the right time for him to move on.
“Obviously for the last couple of years in TNA, there was a lot of ups and downs. A lot more downs than ups, which was really one of the reasons I decided to go,” Roode told RVA before Friday’s NXT live event in Norfolk, VA. “At the end of the day, TNA was always very good to me and at that time, it was just time for me to move on.”
On the subject of his entrance music, Roode says his first choice for a song got vetoed by Triple H and they decided on “Glorious Domination,” which they felt better fit his character.
Roode left TNA to work for WWE earlier this year, after he was reportedly owed money by the company. Wrestling promoter David Herro said on the Pro Wrestling Report in April that Roode and Eric Young “left because they were owed a combined six-figures.”
NXT star Bobby Roode recently spoke with Brian Fritz of Sporting News about his decision to leave TNA earlier this year after 12 years with the company. The “Glorious” Superstar achieved every possible accomplishment in TNA, holding the TNA World title twice, the tag titles multiple times and even the now-defunct King of the Mountain belt. Despite being a “TNA original” who was around from the very beginning, Roode said it was not a hard decision to leave.
“I don’t really have a negative thing to say about that company. I was treated extremely well there for 12 years and financially I was taken care of.” he said. “Honestly, it was just time for me to go. I never really got into this industry for the money although it’s nice. I’ve been able to make a career and support my family for the last 12 years doing what I love to do. But that was just it. The last two years of that company, I didn’t love it anymore. I started to lose my passion which was concerning to me.”
Roode said TNA became a place where it was just a television product and he got into wrestling to perform in front of crowds all over the world. There was a time where you could do that in TNA. He loved being on the road and learning from guys like Kurt Angle, Bully Ray and Christian. But that was no longer a reality in TNA.
“It got to a point those last two years there in TNA that we literally just went and did television and it wasn’t fun for me anymore. I had 12 great years and I just felt like at my age and at my stage in my career I wanted a different opportunity and that’s all I wanted. My first conversation with WWE was just that. I want opportunity and they’ve given me the opportunity and here I am today.”
Bobby Roode also commented on his Glorious theme music, admitting he was totally and pleasantly surprised how much it’s caught on with fans. “When your entrance song that you’re a part of goes No. 1 on the iTunes soundtrack charts it kind of surreal,” he gushed. “Obviously, the song fits the character, the character fits the song. It all has come together and, in a way, made my job a little easier.”
Head over to SportingNews.ca to check out the full interview.
– WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens was Michael Cole’s guest for this week’s WWE.com sit down interview. Owens said he’s not worried about defending his title against Seth Rollins at Clash of Champions because Seth has been a failure since returning from knee surgery. It also doesn’t matter if Roman Reigns is added to the match. Regarding Triple H essentially handing him the Universal Championship by interfering in the Fatal 4 Way match last week, Owens says he had no idea what Triple H had planned, but he made the right decision.
– Bobby Roode vs. No Way Jose has been announced for next week’s NXT episode.
– The Rock has posted his first YouTube Q&A video, seen below. The Great One does not answer any WWE questions but responds to a few trolls.
– JBL arranged for the European Rugby Champions Cup winners, the Saracens Rugby Club, to receive a custom WWE Championship replica at Wednesday’s WWE house show in London. Below are photos of the team:
– The recent Talking Smack segment featuring Daniel Bryan and The Miz was loosely scripted, but WWE officials were surprised with how it played out. Both men were given some leeway with what they could say, but few people expected it to get the attention it did. While The Miz cut one of the best promos of his career and showed a fire rarely tapped into by the Intercontinental champion, there’s also a feeling that it won’t lead to a real payoff since Daniel Bryan can’t wrestle.
– With Curt Hawkins returning to WWE television soon as part of the SmackDown brand, the former tag team champion stopped by the Performance Center in Orlando to check out the world class training facility.
What an awesome stop through the @WWEPerformCtr …That's truly a special place for anybody that loves professional wrestling. Fact.
– WWE has posted a new video looking at the 4 hottest free agents in WWE, including The Undertaker, The Rock, Luke Harper and Emma. As noted over the weekend, Luke Harper is headed to the Performance Center this week to see how his knee is doing after undergoing ACL surgery back in March.
– WWE has released two more 360 degree videos from NXT Takeover. Below, you can experience Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrances like never before. You can control the videos with your mouse or by tilting your mobile device.
Former TNA World Champion Bobby Roode made his official in-ring NXT debut at Takeover: Brooklyn last night and defeated Andrade “Cien” Almas. Roode’s “glorious” entrance was all the talk on social media. Below is video of his entrance and comments from Triple H:
Finally, Roode appears in this backstage video to discuss his “glorious” debut. Roode says Takeover was step 1 in his quest to take NXT to the level as he looks to take the brand to a better place, clean it up and make it glorious.
Austin Aries vs. No Way Jose, Bobby Roode vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas and The Revival vs. Gargano & Ciampa have been announced for the 8/20 NXT Takeover: Back 2 Brooklyn event from the Barclays Center.
Here is the updated card:
NXT Championship Match: Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Bayley
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Revival vs. Gargano & Ciampa
– The contract signing for Bayley vs. NXT Women’s Champion Asuka at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn will take place on next Wednesday’s episode.
– Ember Moon, the former Athena, will make her debut at Takeover. Below is a new vignette for her official debut:
– Hideo Itami made his official return on tonight’s NXT episode. In the backstage video below, Itami says he’s glad to be finally back but he didn’t just return, he came back to win the NXT Championship.
– Tonight’s show also saw Bobby Roode make his official TV debut. Roode was trending on social media after his “glorious” promo seen below:
Bobby Roode’s NXT TV debut will come on the 8/10 episode in an in-ring segment. Roode appeared at tonight’s Full Sail University tapings and started off cutting a babyface promo but quickly turned on fans.
Roode called himself a superstar because he looks and acts like one, then said he is at the helm of the new NXT and from here on out, the brand will be glorious because of him.
– Former WWE star Trish Stratus recently appeared on the Raw Meet Podcast and thinks WWE dropping the “Divas” name for their female wrestlers was long overdue.
“They [WWE female talent] deserve to be fighting for the Women’s Championship,” Stratus said. “The Divas thing was kind of a weird phase, where it was, focus on the women [appearance] and it sucks because there were some very talented women at the time. I’m not ever going to denounce a Divas Champion, because to me, it’s still a wrestling champion.”
– With Randy Orton expected to return to action soon, WWE has begun officially advertising him for live events in August, including the August 28th live event at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Orton has been out of action since October with a shoulder injury.
– Bobby Roode wrestled his first matches for WWE this past week on NXT’s tour of the UK, and took to Twitter to comment on the career milestone:
It's been an amazing week to say the least here in the UK with @WWENXT . Time to travel back home and wait to see what's next. #Staytuned
Former TNA Champion Bobby Roode just made a surprise appearance at the Download Festival in the UK. Roode was met with a huge reaction from the live crwod and defeated Angelo Dawkins in his NXT in-ring debut.
Roode been rumored to be joining NXT since his appearance at Takeover: Dallas during WrestleMania weekend. He made a brief cameo at this week’s NXT Takeover: The End event and is now officially part of NXT’s active roster (at least until next month’s WWE Draft).
TNA World Champion Bobby Roode backstage at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, site of tonight’s NXT Takeover: The End event. The following photo of Roode arriving at the show has been circulating on social media since earlier today:
Roode’s first and only WWE TV appearance took place at Takeover: Dallas, when he was shown ringside during the event. During yesterday’s NXT media conference call, Triple H said that WWE is negotiating with Roode and Eric Young and looks forward to working with both men.
Join us here later tonight for our Live Coverage of NXT Takeover: The End.
Bobby Roode and Eric Young left TNA Impact Wrestling and jumped ship to WWE NXT. While Young has made his debut on television, Roode has yet to be seen in action by the WWE Universe at Full Sail University.
A possibly mistaken tweet by WWE U.K. on Twitter would say otherwise, as he’s supposedly “confirmed” for the NXT U.K. tour in June.
Regardless of the fact they both left TNA around the same time, a bit of controversy surrounded them last week. David Herro, well-known wrestling agent and all-around nice guy, said that TNA owed them in the six-figure range then they left.
Herro, who’s a well-respected mind in the wrestling industry, is friends with many in TNA. However, an update was just released by PW Insider that refutes his claim. According to the report, Eric Young and Bobby Roode were paid what they were owed before they left TNA.
There were times when Roode and Young were definitely owed money during time in TNA. Like any responsible company, both talents were paid in full before they departed for good.
Given all of TNA’s hardships recently, the fact they can pay big-time talents like Roode and Young is a good sign. Does it mean things are changing for the better? With rumors of Matt Hardy turning down his amount of wrestling in a couple of years, they would lose one big star.
Whatever the case may be, at least TNA was able to pay WWE NXT’s newest stars before they left.
As quick as it was announced, it was deleted. WWE’s UK Twitter account briefly announced that Bobby Roode would be part of next month’s NXT’s tour of the UK. NXT will be invading the UK’s Download Festival starting June 10th before hitting the read in the UK and Ireland.
Roode was reportedly backstage at the most recent NXT TV taping but did not appear on camera.
Here’s a screen cap of the Bobby Roode announcement, courtesy of Twitter user @BBladem83:
David Herro, founder of Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, says he knows the real reason Bobby Roode and Eric Young left TNA. “Bobby Roode and Eric Young left because they were owed a combined six-figures,” Herro said on the Pro Wrestling Report.
“How do you not pay those two guys?” Herro asked. “You let Bobby Roode go… a guy who could have gone to WWE but he wanted to be loyal to the company. Thank God he left. He’ll be a big star in NXT. He’ll make the main roster in a year from now. Same with Eric Young.”
As far as TNA’s future goes, Herro thinks they need a management change. “I wish Ring Of Honor would buy TNA,” Herro said of TNA’s current financial problems. “They already have the infrastructure in place. They already have the TV deal alone. They’re already in more markets than Pop TV.”
Herro also pointed out that TNA does not currently get paid by Pop TV, and that they bartered for their Impact Wrestling time slot.
After reports that WWE was interested in signing Bobby Roode, the former TNA Champion showed up at NXT Takeover: Dallas and was shown on camera. Roode had been with TNA since 2004, until he quit last month after being turned down for a raise. Roode recently spoke with The Peterborough Examiner about where he stands with WWE:
“I’m not officially signed yet,” Roode said. “The Internet has blown up over it, and I mean I’m close, but I don’t want to spoil anything or ruin anything. I want to wait until it’s official. I don’t want to jinx anything either.”
If WWE were to sign Roode they may also bring in Eric Young, who quit TNA on the same day as Roode. They would work in NXT with the younger talent.
As noted, former TNA World Champion Bobby Roode was spotted at ringside for last night’s NXT Takeover: Dallas event. WWE’s official Twitter referred to Roode as a former World Heavyweight Champion. Roode briefly commented on the news on Saturday, cryptically telling fans to “stay tuned.”
As of right now, it’s believed that Roode has not officially signed with the company yet. According to F4WOnline.com, Roode could soon be added to the Global Cruiserweight Series.
