WWE began a tournament to crown the new Speed Women’s Champion last month and now the name that becomes the inaugural champion has been revealed.
The company taped the finals of the Speed Women’s tournament alongside this week’s episode of SmackDown from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
They first taped the Semifinal match between Kairi Sane and Candice LeRae in which the latter picked up the victory and made her way into the finals for the match against IYO SKY.
The former member of The Way faction was able to defeat SKY as well and she was crowned the first-ever Women’s Speed Champion:
The concept of WWE Speed was introduced back in April this year in partnership with X. The program airing on the social media platform sees stars from all three brands competing against each other in matches that have a 5-minute time limit.
The inaugural Speed champion was determined with a tournament that ran from April 3 to May 3. Former WWE star Ricochet was crowned the inaugural champion on the men’s side after he defeated Johnny Gargano in the finals.
The Women’s Speed championship was first announced by Triple H in early August. A tournament featuring names such as Naomi, Lyra Valkyria, Blair Davenport, Piper Niven and more began on September 4.
The speed title is the first singles championship for Candice LeRae in WWE. The only other championship she has held in the company is the NXT Women’s Tag Team title with Indi Hartwell.
Imitation is considered the sincerest form of flattery, and Christian Cage certainly felt flattered during a segment on this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw.
“You know why everyone boo’s you? You don’t belong here. You think the internet hates you? You should hear what the girls in the locker room say. It’s a good thing your dead brother isn’t here to see what an embarrassment you’ve become.”
Christian Cage Weighs In
LeRae’s comment about Maxxine’s brother has spawned a debate about whether WWE went too far in the name of entertainment. Plenty of people have taken to social media to share their take on the situation. In a tweet of his own, Christian Cage didn’t mention the segment by name, but said how everybody wants to be him. As the comments showed, it’s clear that the AEW TNT Champion who has a tendency to bring up dead relatives was talking about LeRae’s comment on Raw.
They ALL want to be me
— Jay 'Christian' Reso (@Christian4Peeps) March 12, 2024
Maxxine Dupri’s Brother
Wyatt Zmrzel passed away at the age of 22 after a life of numerous challenges. Wyatt was born with adrenoleukodystrophy; a rare genetic condition that affected his ability to use the right side of his body and left him prone to seizures.
Due to adrenoleukodystrophy, Wyatt relied on car services for transportation. In December 2017, a Lyft driver made a turn onto a highway at a rural intersection. The Lyft vehicle collided with a Toyota 4-Runner, killing Zmrzel.
Candice LeRae proved her Bluey fandom at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth with a unique attire inspired by one of the hit show’s main characters.
On the kick-off show, LeRae and Indi Hartwell challenged the Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. This was an emotional homecoming for Hartwell who was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Unfortunately for the pair, it was the Kabuki Warriors who got the win during the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth kick-off show.
Candice LeRae’s Tribute to Bluey
Given that she was in Australia, Candice LeRae paid tribute to the Australian children’s show hit Bluey during her appearance in Optus Stadium. LeRae wore an attire bearing a striking resemblance to Chilli, the matriarch of the Heeler family and mother of the titular Bluey. It’s hardly a surprise that LeRae identifies with Chilli given that she knows a thing or two about being a mother. In February 2022, LeRae and Johnny Gargano welcomed their son Quill into the world.
Bluey premiered in October 2018 and focuses on Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, and her family Chilli, dad Bandit, and younger sister Bingo. The show has been universally praised for its sharp all-ages humor, positive representation of parenting, and ability to tackle social themes. The show’s popularity has spawned merchandise and a stage show featuring its characters and has been a success with kids and adults alike.
More Notable Attires
Candice LeRae wasn’t the only Superstar dressed to impress inside Optus Stadium. Becky Lynch wore an attire reminiscent of the late Scott Hall, who passed away in March 2022. LeRae’s tag-team partner Indi Hartwell wore green and gold. The color scheme is used by several Australian teams, including the Olympic team, the national Ruby teams, and the national Cricket team.
WWE Elimination Chamber Results
Here are the results of WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth.
Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) defeated Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) defeated New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
Becky Lynch defeated Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
Rhea Ripley (c) defeated Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens, and Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
During the WWE Elimination Chamber Press Event, the company announced that Hartwell and Candice LeRae will challenge the Kabuki Warriors(Asuka & Kairi Sane) for the Women’s Tag Team Championship. It will occur on the PLE kick-off on February 24, starting at 4 AM ET/1 AM PT.
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell vs. Kabuki Warriors
The matchup will mark Hartwell and LeRae’s first opportunity to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Championship. They have tried to qualify twice for a chance but were unsuccessful. Their last attempt to become contenders was on the November 11, 2023, WWE Monday Night Raw episode, where they lost a Tag Team Fatal Four-Way Match to Natalya & Tegan Nox.
WWE allowing the ‘Babyface’ team to challenge for the titles is also a great way to showcase their ability. They have struggled to maintain a consistent winning streak in the women’s tag division, but an impressive performance could get them featured more on TV.
That said, the Kabuki Warriors are seemingly the favorites to retain their titles at WWE Elimination Chamber this Saturday.
More On Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae vs. The Kabuki Warriors At WWE Elimination Chamber
Although they are fresh in their title reign, the Kabuki Warriors could be holding the titles heading into WWE WrestleMania 40 this April.
They won the Women’s Tag Team Championship by defeating Katana Chance & Kayden Carter on the January 26 episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown. The ‘Heel’ team also followed up with a successful title defense against Chance and Carter two weeks later on WWE Monday Night Raw.
Asuka and Sane seemingly have momentum on their side, making it unlikely the company would have them drop the titles at WWE Elimination Chamber. However, this Saturday is a moment for Hartwell and LeRae to perform on a big stage. Although they may not win, they could steal the show and create demand for another title opportunity in the future.
For Hartwell personally, she has a chance to live her dream and perform in front of close to 50,000 Australian fans.
Several WWE Superstars are applying the term “when in Rome” to their stay in Perth, Australia ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber.
Footage has surfaced of an array of names holding a koala before they have to step in between the ring ropes this weekend and it’s pretty heartwarming for animal lovers.
LA Knight, Bianca Belair, Pete Dunne, Montez Ford, Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae all got to hold one of Australia’s most notable mammals. Hartwell was the only one coming back home, but the rest of the gang may have experienced something new holding a marsupial.
Holding a koala may tug at the heart-strings, but WWE will get down to business for Elimination Chamber. The men’s match will feature Drew McIntyre vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Randy Orton while the women’s match will have Becky Lynch vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Bianca Belair vs. Naomi vs. Liv Morgan vs. Raquel Rodriguez.
Also on tap for the PLE is the hometown heroine Rhea Ripley defending her WWE World Women’s Championship against Nia Jax. The WWE Tag Team Championships will also be on the line as Damian Priest and Finn Balor defend the titles against Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will also have a featured segment together on the “Grayson Waller Effect.” Not only that, but The Undertaker was seen arriving in Perth for the show as well. For the American viewers on the east coast, Elimination Chamber starts at 5 AM ET.
Candice LeRae made her grand return to WWE in late September, but a month later, she was written off of television for several weeks.
On October 24, “The Poison Pixie” confronted Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) in a backstage segment. After calling SKY “untrustworthy,” Kai “spiteful,” and pointing out Bayley’s failed attempts at capturing the Raw Women’s Championship, the three attacked LeRae. As a result, LeRae sustained a “shoulder injury” from the ambush, according to commentary.
Candice LeRae would then be sidelined from action for over a month, returning on November 28 and defeating Dakota Kai in singles action. In a recent on The Sam Laprade Show, LeRae provided some more insight into her brief absence.
“I just had a freak accident happen not that long ago,” she confirmed.
LeRae’s New Approach To Handling Injuries
(via WWE)
No further details were mentioned, but LeRae continued to explain the inherent risk performers take when they sign up for wrestling. Her approach to handling them has also changed upon entering motherhood. “We’re always taking a risk when we step into the ring. What we do, it is very taxing on our bodies,” she said. “I’m a bit more — having a son now, it’s a bit more scary for me because when I do get hurt, it affects him now. Before, I was like, ‘Well, I don’t care, it’s myself. If it happens, it happens, then that’s the risk we’re taking.'”
“Now, it does affect him as well. It’s a very real thing, but WWE takes such phenomenal care of us. The medical staff that we have, they do so much for us and we do everything we can to prevent anything.”
“Of course, in the back of my head, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t want to get hurt because I want to be a present mother.’ I do feel not as worried as you’d probably think I would be. I feel people got my back, 1000%. I’ve been training for this for 20 years.”
Wrestling is a physical sport and a lot of things can force plans to be changed at the last minute. One such thing that has led to planned angles being altered a number of times is the pregnancy of female stars. Candice LeRae however, did not want WWE officials to be put in an awkward position with her pregnancy. So she decided to tell them about her plans in advance.
The former NXT star recently appeared on Out of Character podcast. Speaking about the birth of her baby, she mentioned that she had a meeting with Triple H before taking time off. LeRae revealed what The Game told her about it:
“So earlier in the year, Johnny and I had sat down with DX of all people and discussed the fact that we wanted to have a baby and trying to kind of figure out when the right time was. Of course, they’re like, very supportive. Obviously, we don’t have to let them know but we wanted to kind of keep them in the loop because I felt like I owed it to everybody.
I didn’t want to be put in a position or them be put in a position where we’re all just kind of like, ‘Oh, whoops, now what do we do?’ They were so [supportive]. Hunter even said to me. He said, ‘There’s never gonna be a right time. So you guys got to do what’s best for you guys. And we’ll work around it,’ Essentially.”
‘Are We Planning Our Future With DX?’: Candice LeRae
The meeting with Triple H and Shawn Michaels was also a funny experience for Candice LeRae. Halfway through it, she realized that she was discussing her future with DX:
“We were sitting in there and we’re waiting for Hunter to come in. That’s all I thought. It was like ‘Okay, Johnny and I are here and like waiting for Hunter to come in.’ Then Shawn Michaels just walked in and sat down at the table with his food. I was like, ‘Oh okay, that’s fine. Shawn too.’
Halfway through the conversation, the child in me, it was all ‘Are we planning our future and our children with DX right now? Does that even make sense in any universe?’ They were very supportive where it was like we were telling our parents ‘Yeah, we want to have a baby.’ They were just supportive and awesome about it.”
You can check out Candice LeRae’s full interview below:
WWE higher ups are quite pleased about the return of two top free agents.
This past week’s Monday Night Raw saw the return of Candice LeRae, who wrestled her first matchup since July of 2021 after temporarily stepping away from the sport to have a child. She defeated Nikki ASH in quick fashion.
LeRae’s husband, former triple-crown NXT champion Johnny Gargano, had made his return on Raw a few weeks prior, and has regularly appeared on programming since.
WWE were very impressed at how professional Gargano and LeRae acted towards the end of their first tenure with the company, according to a new report by Fightful. It is noted in the report that the duo were considering offers from other companies, with IMPACT being the only promotion they didn’t seem interested in.
LeRae and Gargano were two of NXT’s top acts, where they would eventually form the heel faction The Way. The couple was lauded for helping put over a fresh batch of talent at that time, especially Gargano, who worked heavily with Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, and Dexter Lumis prior to his exit. Gargano had publicly stated how much he loved working for NXT under Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
It’s believed that Vince McMahon’s retirement and Triple H taking over as the Chief Content creator for WWE it made Gargano and LeRae’s decision much easier.
Candice LeRae is back in WWE as she made her return to the company on Monday’s episode of Raw when she wrestled Nikki Cross in a singles match. WWE internally had Doudrop listed as Nikki’s opponent on the show. LeRae went over in a short match.
After working on the independents for several years, she signed with WWE in 2018. LeRae was a one-time NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion with Indie Hartwell. LeRae became a free agent as her contract with WWE had expired this past May, and she was added to the alumni section of WWE.com.
Her deal was expected to be up this spring, but it was unknown whether WWE would add time to her deal because of the missed time she had due to her pregnancy.
LeRae and Johnny Gargano had their first child this past February. Johnny departed from WWE in December when his contract expired but returned to the company last month.
LeRae is the latest star that Triple H has brought back, including Karrion Kross, Hit Row, Braun Strowman, Dakota Kay, and more.
There is some good news for fans of Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that both Gargano and LeRae are expected to return to the ring soon.
In the case of LeRae, it’s been said that many within AEW have been pushing the company to sign her. Where Gargano will end up remains a bit of mystery but one would imagine he won’t have any trouble finding work.
Former WWE NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has said that The Way was meant to be much more serious than what fans saw.
The Way, comprising of Gargano, Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, and Theory was a dominant force in NXT, capturing both the North American and NXT Women’s Championships.
Dexter Lumis joined the stable in late 2021 after marrying Hartwell in the premiere episode of WWE NXT 2.0.
Speaking to The Bob Culture Podcast on YouTube, Gargano said that factors outside of WWE made the group become much more fun than first planned.
“That was never going to be the way that character was supposed to be. It was going to be a lot more serious, but I just kind of felt like with everything going on with the pandemic and with COVID and things like that, I felt like NXT just needed a little bit of levity, a little bit of funniness, silliness, goofiness, and I was happy that I was able to provide that.”
The Way disbanded in late 2021 following Gargano’s departure from WWE.
Lumis was released from WWE earlier this year, ending his on-screen relationship to Hartwell, with the explanation on TV being that Lumis left her.
Candice LeRae is a free agent after her WWE contract expired, as first reported by Fightful.
LeRae’s husband, Johnny Gargano, also left the company when his deal expired in late 2021. He has been free to sign elsewhere for months but hasn’t done so as he’s been more focused on being a father. LaRae gave birth to the child back in February.
Candice LeRae’s WWE Run
During her time with WWE, Candice LeRae performed under the NXT brand. She captured the NXT Tag Team Championship with Indi Hartwell.
LeRae made her NXT TV debut back in May 2017. She was unsuccessful in a battle royale to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship, which was held by Asuka.
She then competed in the Mae Young Classic just two months later. At that point, she hadn’t signed a contract with WWE. LaRae put pen to paper for Vince McMahon’s empire in Jan. 2018.
Eventually, Candice became a part of The Way. The faction featured LeRae, Gargano, Hartwell, and Austin Theory. With LeRae’s pregnancy, Gargano’s WWE departure, and Theory’s callup to the main roster, the stable disbanded.
SEScoops will keep you posted on the future of LeRae and Gargano as that information becomes available.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae welcomed the birth of baby Quill today. It is the couple’s first child (aside from Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell). Judging by the comic books present in the photo they posted, their baby was named after Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, from the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Johnny Gargano is officially a free agent at the moment. His last match was in NXT 2.0 on December 5th at War Games. He recently commented on his sabbatical from pro-wrestling in an interview with Comicbook.com.
“I just wanted to completely break free of all that and refresh myself, and especially with a baby coming soon, I wanted to be in the best headspace I possibly could. Not only for Candice but also for the baby.”
Gargano is free to appear for other wrestling promotions at any time. It’s not clear when or where he intends to do that, however.
With recent reports stating that Johnny Gargano’s WWE contract expires on December 3rd, 2021, some fans have wondered what the contractual situation of Candice LeRae is. According to a report from Fightful, LeRae’s contract with WWE does not expire until “sometime in 2022.” The exact expiry date of her contract is not currently known, however.
LeRae announced her pregnancy this August. She is expected to stay on WWE programming as a character until it is no longer possible for her to do so, however. WWE is also not freezing her contract, as they have done previously for talent unable to perform for an extended period.
LeRae signed with WWE in 2017 and made her debut that year on the May 3rd edition of NXT. She’s a former 1x NXT Tag Team Champion along with Indi Hartwell.
Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole WWE Contract Expiry Dates
Gargano and WWE are said to have not yet entered into discussions on a renewal or new contract. Such discussions are expected to take place in the fall, however. It has also been noted that Gargano’s contract expires at the time when both WWE and Adam Cole were under the impression that his contract was up. Cole spoke about being surprised to learn that his contract was up about 6 months earlier than both he or WWE thought during the All Out post-event media scrum.
“I was under the impression that it was like six months later. So it was a surprise to me. It was a surprise to them,” Cole said. “It was public knowledge for a lot of people that I had signed a little extension, I was in the middle of a really serious angle with Kyle O’Reilly, which was very important to me. He’s one of my best friends in the entire world. Then after that is when stuff kind of opened up for me, but very surprising to me. It was just as surprising to me.”
You can have your beliefs on what wrestling "should be".. but I've always believed that it can be whatever you want it to be. Serious, goofy, outlandish, whatever! As long as it makes you feel something.
WWE NXT Superstar Candice LeRae recently revealed that she and Johnny Gargano were expecting their first child.
Candice confirmed on Instagram that she does not plan on going on maternity leave right now, and she will stay working for NXT until the last possible minute.
“Just when I didn’t think I could possibly be happier, you all proved me wrong. My heart is so full of love and support I never expected,” Candice LeRae revealed.
Candice LeRae on Maternity Leave
“This road for me and Johnny has been long, and I’ve had days where I thought this would never happen for us. It’s hard as a woman to choose between your career you’ve wanted since childhood and growing a life inside you. There never seems to be a right time,” LeRae noted.
“I have been a wrestler for 19 years and it’s been my constant since I was a little girl. It’s my first love. It’s given me irreplaceable friends, a brother, experiences I’d have never had otherwise, the blessing of traveling the world, the ability to make an impact on people’s lives, and (last but not least) a husband.
CANDICE LERAE
“I don’t plan on being “away” until I absolutely have to”, Candice continued. “Indi clearly needs me! — And I want to be there for my locker room of girls as long as I possibly can!”
“However, I do have to take a step back from my favorite part of this business for a while- physically wrestling. But I know this little one is going to be soooo very worth every second away from the ring,” the former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion concluded.
Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano have announced that their family is about to get a little bigger. The couple revealed today that Candice is pregnant and the baby is due in February. It will be the couple’s first biological child, with all due respect to Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell.
The secret's out! Our team is getting a little bigger..
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were married in 2016.
Candice hasn’t wrestled since the Green American Bash on July 6th, 2021. Along with Indi Hartwell she dropped the NXT tag team championships on that show to Io Shirai and Zoey Stark. Hartwell and LeRae held the titles for 2 months after defeating Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart for them in May.
Last fall, LeRae was interviewed by Daily DDT and spoke about what she loves about being in NXT.
“I’m very biased, but I love NXT. I really love the environment, and for me, so much of it is feeling a certain way when you’re wrestling as a fan and there’s something about NXT for me that feels like home and I feel like I belong in NXT. It makes me so happy and I always feel like the talent there push me to be my best because no matter how long I’ve been doing this, I’m always trying to get better.”
Congratulations to Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. The female duo from NXT faction The Way are your new NXT women’s tag team champions. The Way is making their mark in NXT, and look set to be a faction to be reckoned with.
Tuesday night, four women went to war in the NXT ring. With all competitors laying it on the line in a street fight that will be long remembered. With tables, chairs, and weapons aplenty, this was a match that lacked nothing in terms of intensity.
The win adds more gold to The Way’s waists, with Johnny Gargano already holding the North American Championship. How long he will be champion remains to be seen, with his upcoming fight with Bronson Reed.
The tag title victory is the first time that either Candice LeRae or Indi Hartwell have held gold in WWE. Moreover, it will be interesting to see how long their run lasts. The first two sets of champions, however, were unable to hold onto the belts for that long.
NXT will be eager to build prestige around their newest title. Historically, that works best when champs have a solid run. Logically speaking, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell should be set for a solid reign as champs.
With Gargano and Austin Theory in their corner, you have to say that the future is looking golden for the new NXT women’s tag team champions.
Candice LeRae formed a tag-team along with Joey Ryan from 2013 to 2016. The two were named “The World’s Cutest Tag Team.” They held titles together in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Dreamwave Wrestling, and Fighting Spirit Pro Wrestling.
In the wake of numerous allegations against Joey Ryan for sexual misconduct, LeRae released the following statement:
“I am mortified. I absolutely DO NOT and never have condoned such horrible actions. I have zero tolerance for it.
To the women he did this to- my heart breaks for you. I trusted this person. Reading the stories and learning how he acted sickens me. Especially because you all trusted him too. I can’t imagine how YOU felt.
For every woman and man who has been brave enough to speak out, I have nothing but love and respect for you.”
Championship Wrestling from Hollywood’s Dave Marquez also released the following statement regarding Ryan:
Disappointment and betrayal. A 20 year relationship gone. Joseph Ryan Meehan do the right thing; turn yourself in. To the victims please reach out to authorities and press charges. Start the process. #JoeyRyan#SpeakingOut
In the wake of the allegations against Ryan, he has been fired by Impact Wrestling. His scheduled match on Impact’s weekly television this week has reportedly been edited off of the show. Ryan and Cancel Culture were scheduled to face Crazzy Steve and two mystery partners.
Not only did Bobby Fish suffered a recent injury but also Candice LeRae, according to the latest WWE NXT Injury Report video with Matt Camp.
This weekly video shared updates on the two WWE NXT stars coming out of Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT in Winter Park, Florida.
First up is LeRae, who was diagnosed with oral lacerations to her inner and outer lip. She battled Dakota Kai in a singles match on this show. The injury happened when she took a shot to the face from Kai, who was using Tegan Nox’s knee brace. However, she will be ready for in-ring action after a few days of rest and did not need stitches.
Up next is Fish, who is currently not medically cleared to compete, and is listed as “day to day” on the injured list.
Although there was speculation that Fish may have suffered a concussion, he was seen walking around backstage and seemed to be okay.
Fish and Kyle O’Reilly defended their NXT Tag Team Titles against Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic on this show. Fish was replaced by NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong in the match after Lee had tossed the champions out of the ring onto each other at ringside.
After the show came back from a break, the announcers noted NXT General Manager William Regal had ordered Strong to fill in for Fish, due to medical reasons.
Shayna Baszler is still the WWE NXT Women’s Champion as Candice LeRae did not bring enough to become the new champion.
Baszler beat LeRae to retain the title during Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT. Heading into this match, there was speculation regarding Baszler’s future as the NXT Women’s Champion and her status under the NXT banner.
The reason for that is because of the WWE Draft coming up as the company could have moved her to the main roster whether that’s on RAW or SmackDown Live.
This was a key match in the women’s division as Baszler has been a top champion since winning the title back at the Evolution pay-per-view event in Long Island, New York at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in October.
This contest was set up on the premiere episode when WWE held a match that would determine who is next line for a title shot.
A Fatal 4-Way Match featuring LeRae, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, and Mia Yim took place with the winner becoming the next challenger to the then-NXT Women’s Champion.
As seen in the match, LeRae ended up winning it. As a result, LeRae had earned a future title match against Baszler.
What are your thoughts on Shayna Baszler retaining the NXT Women’s Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
There is a new #1 contender in the WWE NXT women’s division and that’s Candice LeRae.
During Wednesday’s episode of NXT in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University, WWE held a match that would determine who is next line for a title shot.
A Fatal 4-Way Match featuring Candice LeRae, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, and Mia Yim took place with the winner becoming the next challenger to NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler.
As seen in the match, LeRae ended up winning it. As a result, LeRae has earned a future title match against Baszler. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on when this contest will take place.
WWE could save it for the October 2nd episode as that is a special episode for two reasons.
First, it marks the first broadcast that will see the show air for a complete two-hours on the USA Network. The second reason is due to them going head-to-head each week with All Elite Wrestling’s new series on TNT.
Whenever this title match does take place, there will be speculation regarding Baszler future as the NXT Women’s Champion and her status under the NXT banner.
The reason for that is because of the WWE Draft coming up as the company could move her to the main roster whether that’s on RAW or SmackDown Live.
WWE’s Performance Center YouTube channel has debuted a new digital web series entitled WWE Fandom.
The first episode followed WWE NXT Superstars Johnny Gargano and his wife Candice LeRae. They were joined by WWE Host Vic Joseph as they visited the Cleveland Browns’ Training Center in Berea, Ohio.
During the video, the Superstars got a first look at the 2019 Cleveland Browns NFL team. They also had the opportunity to interact with fans as well as to meet and interview NFL Quarterback Baker Mayfield.
At the end of the video, Joseph encouraged the WWE Universe to comment with their favorite sports team, teasing that “down the line on WWE Fandom, we’ll be able to take your favorite WWE Superstar to talk about your favorite team.”
From Superstar To Fan
The show introduces WWE Superstars to their favorite sports team, granting them unique access as they get to embrace the role of being a fan.
It’s not clear, however, whether the show is exclusively centered around American Football or if the show will open up to other sports or fandoms entirely.
It’s worth noting that Vic Joseph introduced the video with the following:
“We’re getting ready to step on the gridiron as so many fans from across America are getting ready for their favorite football team.”
Although not confirmed, Joseph’s words indicate that the series will be focused purely around American Football.
On last night’s episode of NXT, Shayna Baszler successfully retained her NXT Women’s Championship against Io Shirai in a steel cage match.
Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir came out during the match to help Baszler, by preventing Shirai from escaping the cage. Candice LeRae help keep things balanced by coming out to help Shirai.
During the end of the match, Shirai was about to make it out of the cage when Baszler locked on her with her submission finisher ther Kirifuda Clutch through the bottom rope. Shirai was able to muster some strength to smash the cage’s door on Baszler’s head, but the champ ended up falling to the floor to win.
While The Horsewomen helped Baszler to the ramp, LeRae went to console Shirai. But what the Genuis of the Sky did next surprised the audience. She snapped, and put LeRae down, and kicked her multiple times. She next gets a chair and hit LeRae in the gut and on her back. Shirai then headed back to the ramp after beating up LeRae, and claimed that she didn’t need any friends.
The vicious attack left LeRae to recieve medical attention from WWE officials.
He’s arguably the most talked about heel in the business right now. Not only that, Tommaso Ciampa is the new NXT Champion. His era begins tonight on NXT.
Last week, Ciampa defeated Aleister Black after Johnny Gargano accidentally(?) hit Black in the face with the title belt. This week, Ciampa will address the NXT Universe.
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa Addresses The NXT Universe
The new champion will address the NXT Universe tonight. What will Ciampa have to say about the former champion and his longtime rival who inadvertently helped him win the belt?
EC3 vs Kona Reeves
EC3 will face Kona Reeves in single’s action tonight. This was built-up in a backstage segment where Reeves stated EC3’s clothes were nice but they were not the finest.
This will be EC3’s 4th televised match since returning to NXT. He is 3-1 thus far with his only loss coming to Johnny Gargano. He’s defeated Raul Mendoza, Fabian Aichner, and Kassius Ohno.
As for Reeves, he’s on a 3-match winning streak. Granted, those 3 wins came over Max Humberto, Raul Mendoza, and Patrick Scott. They are the only single’s victories he has on NXT programming.
Shayna Baszler vs Candice LeRae
Candice LeRae could likely earn a future title shot against Baszler with a win in this non-title match tonight. LeRae recently defeated Lacey Evans on NXT. She’s also defeated Zelina Vega but dropped a match to Bianca Belair.
As for Baszler, she’s been sitting at 118 days as champion with title defenses over Dakota Kai, Nikki Cross, and Toni Storm.
Heavy Machiner vs the Mighty
These two teams have met once previously on NXT programming. The Mighty used under-handed dirty tactics to defeat Heavy Machinery back in May.
The Mighty are also suspected to be behind the attack to Tucker Knight which put him out of action for several weeks.
Moustache Mountain Return To Action
The former tag-team champions return to NXT for the first time since losing the titles back to the Undisputed Era a couple of weeks ago. Tyler Bate threw in the towel to save his mentor, Trent Seven. How will that impact the team’s dynamic moving forward? We should find out more regarding that tonight.
One WWE married couple you don’t hear too much about is Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae on NXT.
The couple married in September of 2016 and met each other on the indies. Gargano recently spoke to AZ Central and told the story of how he met LeRae backstage at a show in California:
“I remember [Candice] brought her cousin to the back, and they were just hanging out talking, and I decided I was going to try to get to [Candice] by talking to her cousin about her cellphone. It didn’t really work that well, but we developed a friendship.”
Check out Gargano’s full interview with AZ Central, where he discusses NXT drawing hardcore wrestling fans and being a true nerd, here.
Gargano In WWE
Gargano began working with WWE in 2015. He and former tag team partner Tommaso Ciampa were standouts in NXT’s tag team division under the name DIY. DIY won the NXT Tag Team Titles from The Revival at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in 2016.
They dropped the straps in January of 2017 at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio to The Authors Of Pain. At NXT TakeOver: Chicago several months later DIY failed to recapture the NXT Tag Team throne. After the match Ciampa turned on Gargano, sparking the beginning of an epic rivalry.
