The Usos warn New Day

Last night at WWE Battleground, New Day defeated The Usos to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions. After the match, The Usos congratulated New Day on their victory but warned them if they ever cross paths again, the New Day will get put to sleep.

Charlotte says she will come back stronger after loss

Natalya won the Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match last night at WWE Battleground to become the #1 contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Natalya won the match after slamming Charlotte’s head into the turnbuckle. After the match, Charlotte was interviewed backstage and was visibly upset about coming up short. Charlotte revealed that she hit her head very hard on the turnbuckle and that was ultimately what cost her the match. Charlotte congratulated Natalya on the victory but vowed to come back from this loss stronger and capture the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

New Day make history

As noted earlier, New Day defeated The Usos to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions. New Day are now the first team to hold both the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team titles.

CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN! It's a NEW DAY for the #SDLive #TagTeamTitles at #WWEBattleground! @WWEBigE @TrueKofi @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/vLJzV3sZCd

— WWE (@WWE) July 24, 2017

Congratulations to the first team to ever be #RAW and #SDLive #TagTeamChampions… #TheNewDay! #WWEBattleground ??? pic.twitter.com/STf358dLDa

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 24, 2017

Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte see their new Mattel dolls for the first time

As noted earlier, WWE and Mattel have launched a girls product line with WWE Superstars Brie Bella, Sasha Banks, Natalya, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Alicia Fox and Eva Marie dolls available upon launch. The dolls are available to preorder online at ToysRUs.com and will be available exclusively at Toys “R” Us stores on Monday, July 24th. WWE just posted a video of Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte seeing the dolls for the first time at San Diego Comic-Con International.

Sasha Banks on going from being shy to being The Boss

WWE posted a video earlier today of Sasha Banks looking back on her initial WWE photo shoot. Sasha opened the envelope to reveal the picture and started to laugh. Sasha stated that she was trying to pose like Trish Stratus during the photo shoot. Sasha also said that at the time she was trying to be someone that she is not. Banks went on to say that she is not a model and that she hates taking pictures. Banks also said that she was nervous upon arriving to WWE, but she kept at it and became The Boss.

WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley took to his official Facebook page to share an emotional story of how WWE Superstars Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch created a great moment for a dying WWE fan, Dillon, who has been battling Williams disease since birth. Check it out here:

“A few weeks ago, I received a message about Dillon, a huge WWE fan, fighting cancer, in the final weeks of his life. Dillon was born with Williams disease, characterized by moderate developmental disabilities, along with heart and other medical problems. I was thankful that I would be visiting Dillon during WWE SmackDown Live, as his sister told me that although Dillon was going to be very happy to see me, he was fairly shy and wasn’t likely to do much talking while I was there.

“SmackDown would provide an easy bonding agent, so if I stumbled verbally, we could just kind of hang out and watch the action together. Dillon certainly was happy to see me. Williams Disease is often referred to as “The Friendly Disorder”, due to the genial nature of so many affected by it. He smiled during the entirety of my visit, and with his mother Patricia and sister Deirdre in the room, we had quite a nice conversation.

“I asked him about SmackDown, and when I learned that a few of his favorite Superstars were good friends of mine, I did my best to continue the conversation while simultaneously texting one of those superstars he had mentioned.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a minute to talk to a big fan who is in the hospital, would you”, I asked

“I would”, came the reply, literally seconds later.

“Thank you – The family will be overjoyed.”

“Oh, deadly!!!”

“30 seconds later, Becky Lynch was on speakerphone, her distinctive Irish brogue filling the hospital room with a palpable sense of joy. It would have been really easy for Becky to simply say goodbye. But instead she mentioned that she was in the women’s dressing room, and asked Dillon if there was anyone else he might like to speak to.

“Well, actually, Becky”, I said. “Although Dillon loves you, his absolute favorite is Charlotte Flair.

“Seconds later, Dillon was talking to his favorite WWE Superstar, and I noted that his sister was recording the conversation – providing a visual account for what was surely a moment he would like to relive over and over again. Sadly, the doctors’ estimate proved correct and Dillon passed away within a couple weeks of my visit.

“His family was so grateful for the kindness shown him, and I am so grateful to have friends so willing to help, so willing to make a difference. Dillon’s sister told me the phone call with Becky and Charlotte had provided the family with one more great moment with this gentle, kind-hearted man.

“Sometimes, a little bit of kindness can go a long way”

Former WWE Monday Night RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair recently did an interview with the Pensacola News Journal to talk about a variety of topics. During the interview “The Queen” talked about what it was like to grow up as the daughter of “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and being a babyface on SmackDown Live. You can check out the highlights here:

What it’s like growing up as Ric Flair’s daughter:

“Growing up with a famous father, and one who mastered his craft, it’s one of those things where do you really want to be in the same profession?” she said. “I can’t imagine the pressure on, say, Michael Jordan’s kids. But for me, I think it’s molded me into the character that I am today. I think I definitely work out of my father’s shadow, but it was hard in the beginning. But I would never change my last name, and I couldn’t be more proud to carry on his legacy.”

Being on SmackDown Live as a babyface:

“This is a new transition for me, but I will take it as a challenge to be the best babyface I can be. Obviously, my comfort level with my size, my demeanor and my presence, and where I had elevated myself to, is definitely as a heel. But I’m ready to see what I can do as a babyface!”

If you’d like to read Flair’s full interview with the Pensacola News Journal you can check it out here.

WWE has posted a new video of Charlotte talking about the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match this Sunday. Charlotte stated that this is another opportunity for to be a part of women’s history and that she couldn’t have picked a better group of women to do it with. Charlotte also admitted that she is nervous because she has never worked with ladders, but still wants to steal the show during Sunday’s PPV. You can check out the full interview in the video below.

John Cena took to Twitter to post the trailer for the animated film Ferninand. Cena voices the main character of the film and it will be released in theaters on December 15th.

Watch the new #Ferdinand trailer! In theaters December 15. pic.twitter.com/A2UeTIGSB5

— John Cena (@JohnCena) June 14, 2017

As we previously reported, the WWE announced its first ever female Money In The Bank Ladder match on last night’s (Tues. May 30, 2017) episode of SmackDown Live. Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Natalya and Tamina will be competing in the contest, and the winner will receive a guaranteed shot at the SmackDown Live Women’s Title whenever they’d like.

The WWE released the following statement regarding the historic bout:

FIRST-EVER WOMEN’S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH TO BE STREAMED LIVE SUNDAY, JUNE 18 ON WWE NETWORK

WWE (NYSE: WWE) announced today that the first-ever women’s Money In The Bank Ladder match will take place on Sunday, June 18 at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo, and streamed live around the world on WWE Network at 8 p.m. ET.

The match will feature WWE Superstars Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Natalya and Tamina competing for the opportunity to receive a contract to challenge for the WWE SmackDown® Women’s Championship anytime within the next year. The match was made official tonight by SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon.

Six-time TNA Knockouts Champion and former WWE Women’s Champion Gail Kim recently spoke to Busted Open Radio with Bully Ray and Dave LaGreca to discuss her time in the industry of professional wrestling. You can check out some of what Kim had to say in the highlights below (quotes via Wrestling Inc.):

Who she believes is the best female competitor in pro wrestling today:

“Charlotte Flair definitely. I don’t watch a lot of wrestling right now because number one there’s an overabundance of it, I can’t keep up. I pretty much keep track of all wrestling through social media, which has been great, and so I watch bits and pieces. If I talk about people having a great match then I have to go watch it. That started happening when the NXT girls were doing their thing, you know The Four Horsewomen, and I remember watching a four way with those girls and thinking ‘Who stands out to me?’ And Charlotte actually didn’t stand out to me back then.

“I thought she was solid, I thought she was athletic, and then the way that she’s progressed over the years just in her confidence, her year, everything is just now the complete package. And mind you, since we’re in the business we hear about people and their work ethic, their personality, whether they’re well liked or respected, and that usually factors into everything. And Charlotte, everyone will tell me she’s the hardest worker. And I can respect that. I met her for the first time maybe two months ago, so sweet, really great girl. I love that she has hard shoes to fill. The people that come from, especially successful, second-generation talent, it’s just hard to fill those shoes of their fathers or mothers. She has done an awesome job. That would be a dream match for me as well.”

If she were to wrestle Charlotte today, would it be her best match of her career:

“It could be, yeah. It definitely has the potential to be. I’m not gonna like, I’m a little old. There are some girls that I would love to work with up there and Charlotte is definitely one of the. But I don’t know if that’s a possibility at this point. Where I am and where she is, so that’s too bad. I would love for that to happen, I think that’d be great. Her Figure Four, my Figure Four in the post. Who knows who’d win?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOVBjLeOnNA&t=24s

What’s next for her in her career:

“My ultimate goal is always to make magic. I’m not retired, everyone always thinks I’m retired, I was injured. But hey, I’m 40-years-old, I don’t wanna be decrepit, I don’t want the fans to think of me in any way of being slowed down, which I’m not. That’s why I’ve taken my time coming back. I’m sure at some point I’ll retire but I don’t know when that is. Then, I’m already at the point where I’m helping the girls and I feel that’ll be my natural transition. I don’t know, we’ll see. I’ve always been that spontaneous, go with the flow, I don’t turn any great opportunities down whether it’s in our out of wrestling. I’m an opportunity grabber.”

Would she ever return to WWE:

“I will say never say never. Number two, my loyalty is always with Impact Wrestling to tell you the truth. But never say never, and if that was the case, if I ever had to or did go back and get that opportunity, I would be myself. Because at this point you have nothing to lose, it’s like whatever. If you can’t accept me for who I am, f*ck it.”

You can listen to Kim’s full interview on Busted Open Radio here.

– WWE.com noted that Charlotte Flair made history on Tuesday’s SmackDown Live in her match with Naomi. Charlotte is the first female Superstar in history to battle one-on-one in Raw, SmackDown and pay-per-view main events.

– The following video of Aliyah taking a ‘phantom’ bump at an NXT live event has been going around social media.

Everything about Aliyah doesnt make sense pic.twitter.com/HGnrIShjM4

— TheFutureIsEmber? (@EzrasMoon) April 27, 2017

– Shinsuke Nakamura posted this photo on Instagram with the caption, “See you later buddy.” Yes, that’s AJ Styles in the background. Now that Nakamura is a member of the SmackDown roster, an eventual ‘dream match’ with the Phenomenal One is a very real possibility.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTYGGFogLoD/

WWE has a list of potential names they’re considering for DVD/Blu-Ray releases for late 2017 and early 2018. The company revealed some of the possible names in a survey recently sent out to their “Fan Council” this week.

Some of the concepts include a 1998 retrospective DVD, a New Day documentary, and a special about Chris Jericho’s “List.” Some of the names up for documentaries or match compilations include Kevin Nash, Goldberg, Finn Balor, Charlotte, AJ Styles and more.

Here’s the full list sent out by WWE this week:

1998: A Look Back (Documentary)

The year that brought us Stone Cold’s first WWE championship reign, the birth of the evil boss Mr. McMahon, the rise of The Rock, the RE-birth of D-Generation X with Triple H’s new leadership, Sable and her ‘hand print bikini’, and the debuts of several attitude era stars such as Edge and Val Venis. 1998 was the Austin Era, and ‘attitude’ was in full-swing.

Finn Bálor (Documentary)

After a remarkable first month in WWE, Finn unfortunately needed surgery that put him on the shelf for several months. During that time, WWE cameras had unprecedented access to Finn, following him to surgery, through rehab, back to Ireland with his family, all the way up to his eventual return to RAW in April.

Kevin Nash (Documentary)

A big man who broke the mold, Kevin Nash’s unique personality and superb athletic ability helped him rise to the top of the WWE ranks in route to becoming Champion. But Nash didn’t stop there, as the 7-footer was the very first man to “jump ship” to WCW and kick-start the Monday Night Wars. A true rebel, and founding member of the nWo, Kevin Nash holds a special place in wrestling history.

The New Day’s Unlikely Success Story (Documentary)

Sometimes the best things happen by accident. When three talented-but-directionless superstars were paired together, the initial results were far from positive. But once Kofi, Xavier, and Big E flipped the switch and found their niche… it was magic, and the WWE Universe began clapping & singing along with the Power of Positivity. Witness the unlikely rise of The New Day, as they solely evolve into one of the most popular entertainers in WWE.

Goldberg (Documentary)

Get exclusive access to Goldberg as he makes his long-awaited return to WWE. Get up close and personal with Bill as he speaks about his family, his reasons for returning, and his goals for the future.

Charlotte Flair (Documentary)

Woooo! WWE Home Video takes you behind-the-scenes and follows Charlotte Flair as she prepares for one of the biggest matches of her career! Hear from “The Queen” herself as she shares what it was like growing up under the tutelage of her father WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and the path she took to become a multiple-time WWE Women’s Champion. If there’s anything this 3-disc collection packed with extras will show you is if you’re gonna do it, do it with Flair!

The Phenomenal AJ Styles (Match Comp.)

This compilation would feature the most phenomenal matches of AJ Styles’ first two years in WWE. No superstar wowed the audience during that time quite like “P1” AJ Styles. Featuring battles with John Cena, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Chris Jericho, and more.

Chris Jericho’s List of Greatest Matches (Match Comp.)

Chris Jericho has reinvented himself many times, and has struck gold with his recent ‘list-making’ incarnation. Relive some of Jericho’s favorite matches as he recounts them from the List of Jericho.

The Best of Charlotte Flair (Match Comp.)

The “genetically superior” athlete, Charlotte, stormed onto the scene and led the Women’s Revolution. Relive her classic battles with Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nikki Bella, and others.

The Best of Dean Ambrose (Match Comp.)

Relive the Lunatic’s greatest matches as he rises up the WWE ranks to become an unlikely WWE Champion. Watch his battles with Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, and more.

Shane McMahon’s Craziest Matches (Match Comp.)

Shane is known as a huge risk-taker, who provides “OMG” moments on a regular basis. This compilation would feature all of his greatest & craziest matches, spanning his entire time in WWE. Featuring battles with Undertaker, Big Show, Randy Orton, Mankind, Kane, & more.

The Best of Roman Reigns (Match Comp.)

From his seasoning days in NXT, to his dominant run with The Shield, to his spectacular singles run, all the way to the WWE Championship and the main event of WrestleMania… witness the greatest high-impact, fast-paced matches of Roman Reigns’ career.

John Cena: The Face that Runs the Place (Match Comp.)

For over 15 years, John Cena has been the standard bearer in WWE. Every time a new crop of young hungry superstars make their way to WWE, Cena’s will is tested again. As the New Era flourishes, Cena faces his toughest challenges to date, as he goes into battle with The Miz, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, AJ Styles, The Club, and many more.

The Best of RAW & SmackDown 2017 (Match Comp.)

Best matches and moments from the year, along with exclusive alternate commentary for certain moments from the superstars themselves.

Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2017 (Match Comp.)

The greatest matches from the greatest events of the year.

The Best of WWE Superstars (Match Comp.)

Before the days of SmackDown, Heat, or NXT… Superstars was the only other weekly WWE program alongside Monday Night RAW. Rivalries were advanced, titles were defended, and significant moments took place on this classic show that aired from 1986-1996.

• Which of these DVDs do you want to see the most? Join the discussion in the comments!

Smackdown Live competitor Becky Lynch recently spoke to the UK’s Mirror newspaper on a number of topics including the Superstar Shakeup and Charlotte making her way to the Smackdown Live women’s roster. Here are some highlights of what Becky Lynch said about:

What Charlotte brings to Smackdown Live:

“She is amazing. She is spectacular and unbelievable in her role, she really is. I think she will bring that extra X factor onto SmackDown. There’s nobody that gets under people’s skin quite like Charlotte. So it will be interesting to see what she does and how much she shakes up the women’s division.”

On a potential feud with Charlotte for SD Live:

“Absolutely. I think we only barely scratched the surface. I think one of the turning points in the women’s revolution was actually myself and Charlotte going into our feud. Before then there had been lots of women’s matches, which was great, and we were getting to see the rewards, but there wasn’t really any depth behind it.

Then once we started our feud that went into the Royal Rumble last year, I think that was really a turning point because we were able to see a friendship falling apart and that is something people can get into, as opposed to ‘okay, here’s women, there’s a revolution apparently, watch there matches’. This was something that people could relate to because it was one friend being ruthless and doing anything she could to win and screwing her best friend. Then it went off in a different direction but I would like to pick up where we left off.”

Head over to Mirror.co.uk to check out the full interview.

.@MsCharlotteWWE ! It's so good to see you on #SDLive ! I love you, but now I'm going to have to beat you. #SuperstarShakeUp pic.twitter.com/Y2KRKbrGRC

— Rebecca Quin (@BeckyLynchWWE) April 12, 2017

Charlotte moving to SmackDown was one of the most significant ‘trades’ during the recent Superstar Shake-Up. During an interview with Brian Fritz of SportingNews.com, Charlotte gave her thoughts on moving to WWE’s blue brand.

“I’ve established myself on Raw so I feel moving to a different brand, the pressure of reestablishing myself with a whole new group of women and figuring out where my character goes on SmackDown.”

Charlotte continued, “I can’t speak for the other women on Raw or SmackDown but I know, for myself, personally, the minute I left Raw Monday night I said to myself SmackDown is the women’s division that you’re gonna want to be on. That’s my mindset. Yes, competition is in full effect because that’s kind of the point of having two brands. Obviously, I want both brands to do well but I’m just that competitive. I want the SmackDown women to do extremely well and let’s see what we can do.”

Head over to SportingNews to check out the full interview.

Discussion: Which brand has the best Women’s Division?

• RAW: Bayley, Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Mickie James, Alicia Fox
• SmackDown: Naomi, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Nikki Bella, Natalya, Carmella, Tamina
• NXT: Asuka, Ember Moon, Liv Morgan, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Aliya, Ruby Riot, Mandy Rose

AJ Lee Discusses The Time Big E Accidentally Hit Her 

Big E accidentally hit AJ Lee during an episode of WWE RAW on April 8th, 2013.

AJ Lee was asked about the incident while promoting her book, Crazy Is My Superpower. Lee revealed that she messed with Big E after the incident. Lee described Big E as a “gentle giant” and stated that he was very sorry about accidentally hitting her. AJ took advantage of that and pretended to be severely injured from the incident. Lee then encouraged everyone to jokingly tweet at Big E and shame him for accidentally hitting her.

https://twitter.com/FactsAJ/status/852919695523155970

I'm glad my terror amused yoooooouuuuuu! https://t.co/7mo73GAMYs

— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) April 14, 2017

Jim Ross Praises Charlotte

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross praised WWE Superstar Charlotte in his latest blog post. Ross discussed the impact of Charlotte moving to SmackDown and wrote the following:

“Charlotte is a great choice to build the SDLIVE Women’s division around as she’s potentially the Austin/Rock equivalent in the world of WWE women’s wrestling. Athletes, no matter their gender, don’t come along like @MsCharlotteWWE perhaps once in a generation, if we’re lucky.”

You can read the entire blog post by clicking here.

Shane McMahon came down to the ring to discuss Smackdown’s women’s division. Shane McMahon then called the entire women’s division down to the ring. Naomi, Natalya, Carmella and Becky Lynch came down and joined Shane McMahon in the ring. James Ellsworth grabbed the microphone from Shane and Ellsworth called Naomi a horrible Smackdown Women’s Champion. Naomi grabbed the microphone from Ellsworth and threatened him. Naomi handed the microphone back to Shane McMahon and he announced that Tamina Snuka will be joining the Smackdown roster.

The newest woman to join the #SDLive Women's Division is the second generation athlete, @TaminaSnuka! #SuperstarShakeup pic.twitter.com/eNV5WhcvHG

— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017

Shane McMahon then also announced that Charlotte Flair will be joining the Smackdown roster as well. Shane called it the biggest addition during the Superstar Shake-Up. The crowd cheered as Charlotte came down to the entrance ramp. Charlotte posed for the crowd and Smackdown went to a commercial break. While Smackdown lost Alexa Bliss and Mickie James, Charlotte Flair is a major addition to their roster.

A knack for FLAIR! 4x #RAW Women's Champion @MsCharlotteWWE has officially joined the #SDLive roster!!!! #SuperstarShakeUp pic.twitter.com/Fw2isljM8s

— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017

Check back here on SEScoops and join our SmackDown live discussion to find out which other WWE Superstars will be switching brands during the Superstar Shake-Up.

Charlotte was recently interviewed by Brian Fritz of SportingNews.com to promote Sunday’s WrestleMania. Charlotte will challenge for the RAW Women’s Championship in the Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match involving Bayley, Sasha Banks and Nia Jax.

Here are some highlights of what Charlotte said about:

The difference between the Women’s Championship and the Divas Championship:

“I was very proud of the Divas title but winning the Women’s championship was as exciting, but it was more the fact that I knew the company was making an executive decision to put more emphasis on the women,” said Charlotte. “That’s why they have us a new title, to update the division. And to know they were choosing me to represent that title at that moment, which will be replayed for years and years and years, it meant a lot. I get goosebumps thinking about it.”

Fans mistaking her confidence for arrogance:

“People think I’m arrogant because I’m Ric Flair’s daughter but what I am confident about is my athletic ability,” said Charlotte. “So what I’m showing is my confidence in my athletic ability but when the audience sees me, they think that’s just Charlotte Flair, she thinks she’s better than everyone or she only has her job because of her dad.

“I am very confident in being a strong, independent woman and standing for the women’s division as a whole. That sounds like a babyface line but if I add ‘and I think I’m genetically superior and I think I’m the greatest athlete’ or whatever then you could have that heel turn. It’s making people think one thing when it’s just having different sources. My sources aren’t what the audience thinks the sources are.”

• Paul Heyman Says Charlotte Will Headline WrestleMania & Become a Global Attraction

WWE announced on tonight’s RAW that Charlotte will get her RAW Women’s Championship rematch from Bayley at the 3/5 Fastlane PPV from Milwaukee.

Enzo and Cass vs. RAW Tag Team Champions Gallows and Anderson is also official for Fastlane. Enzo and Cass defeated Cesaro and Sheamus in a #1 contender’s match on RAW to earn the match.

Here is the updated Fastlane card:

– Kevin Owens defends the WWE Universal Championship against Goldberg

– Neville defends the WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Jack Gallagher

– Charlotte gets her rematch from RAW Women’s Champion Bayley

– Gallows and Anderson defend the RAW Tag Team Championships against Enzo and Cass

– Roman Reigns goes to war with Braun Strowman

Bayley defeated Charlotte in the main event of Monday’s RAW from Las Vegas to capture the RAW Women’s Championship. This marks her first main roster title reign and the 8th title reign for the RAW Women’s Championship, which was introduced last year at WrestleMania.

Bayley is a former NXT Wonen’s Champion and made her main roster debut last summer. Based on this victory, it appears she’s going to have a big role at WrestleMania 33. You can be sure that Charlotte will expect a rematch sooner than later, with Sasha Banks and Nia Jax also in the title picture.

Discussion: Do you think it was the right time for Bayley to win the RAW Women’s Championship, or should WWE have built this up longer, with her coming up short many times before finally reaching the top of the mountain?

Charlotte is already focused on getting her title back. Charlotte tweeted this message after losing the championship:

I've succeeded and failed throughout my life based on one person and one person only. ME.
This isn't done. #Raw #RoadTo5x

— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) February 14, 2017

WWE posted this video of Bayley backstage after her big win:

On Monday’s RAW, Bayley became the new #1 contender for Charlotte’s Women’s Championship by defeating Nia Jax. According to a report by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Bayley is in line for a big push.

Bayley is reportedly penciled in to win the Women’s Championship from Charlotte at WrestleMania in April. Bayley’s first title shot is at the Royal Rumble later this month, so it looks like their feud will be lasting at least a few months. The plan is reportedly for Bayley to continually be screwed over by Charlotte in order to keep Bayley’s babyface heat growing.

Unless there’s a change of plans, this means Charlotte will retain the Women’s Title at the Royal Rumble, even if it means losing the match via DQ or count out.

The 2017 Royal Rumble takes place on January 29th at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The current plan for WrestleMania 33 has Bayley winning the RAW Women’s Championship from Charlotte, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The build for the big title change is supposed to mirror Daniel Bryan’s storyline for WrestleMania 33. Stephanie McMahon ran Bayley down on last night’s RAW, and is expected to feud with Bayley more as we get closer to WrestleMania.

As reported earlier, Bayley defeated Nia Jax last night on RAW to become the new #1 contender. She will get her first championship shot at the 1/29 Royal Rumble PPV but she isn’t expected to win there.

Bayley vs. Charlotte for the RAW Women’s Championship is now official for the 1/29 Royal Rumble PPV from San Antonio, TX. Bayley defeated Nia Jax on tonight’s RAW to become the new #1 contender.

Also on tonight’s RAW, The New Day entered their names into the thirty-man Rumble main event.

Below is the updated card for Royal Rumble:

– AJ Styles defends the WWE Championship against John Cena

– Kevin Owens defends the WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns while Chris Jericho hangs above the ring in a shark cage

– Charlotte defends the RAW Women’s Championship against Bayley

– The 30 Man Royal Rumble match with Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and others

The WWE has released a video of the top 10 debuts in 2016.

Here is the the top ten list presented in the video:

10. American Alpha

9. James Ellsworth

8. Nia Jax

7. Bobby Roode

6. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

5. Enzo & Cass

4. Bayley

3. Finn Balor

2. Shinksuke Nakamura

1. AJ Styles

Booker T complimented Kevin Owens and Charlotte recently on his podcast Heated Conversations. On Kevin Owens, Booker stated that “Canada has an awesome representative. Every single time he goes out there, he is an awesome performer”. Booker went on to say that Kevin Owens performs some dangerous moves in the ring and that he puts it on the line every time he performs in the WWE. Booker T also discussed Charlotte and called her one of his favorites of all time. Booker stated that Charlotte is “such a sweet girl behind the scenes” but when the camera turns on she completely morphs into her character. Booker stated that Charlotte always gives the crowd an awesome show and will “throw caution to the wind in a heartbeat”.

You can listen to the full episode of Heated Conversations by clicking here. 

John Cena is making his WWE return tonight at a live event at Madison Square Garden. Cena will be making his return to WWE television this Tuesday on Smackdown. Here is the card for that show this evening.

• AJ Styles vs John Cena vs Dean Ambrose
• Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton vs American Alpha vs The Usos vs Breezango vs The Ascension vs Slater & Rhyno
• Steel Cage Match: The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler
• Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch
• Jack Swagger, Apollo Crews & Mojo Rawley  vs The Vaudevillains & Curt Hawkins
• Carmella vs  Nikki Bella
• Baron Corbin vs Kalisto
• Carmella vs Nikki Bella

Sunday night’s WWE Roadblock pay-per-view saw the conclusion of Charlotte’s ongoing feud with Sasha Banks over the RAW Women’s Championship. The following night RAW, we saw the seeds planted for both women’s next feuds. After Nia Jax’s vicious attack on Sasha Banks, those two will be working together in the coming months. Bayley’s long-rumored title feud against Charlotte is also underway, with Bayley putting on an impressive showing against the 2nd generation Flair. Bayley is arguably more over as a babyface than Sasha Banks was and company officials are nothing short of thrilled with Charlotte’s heel work.

The first big PPV match between Charlotte and Bayley is expected to take place at next month’s Royal Rumble from San Antonio, according to a report by Dave Meltzer. The current plan is for that program to extend through WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 33 takes place on April 2nd, 2017, at the Camping World Stadium (formerly known as the Citrus Bowl) in Orlando, Florida.

Big Cass vs Rusev

Breakdown: The build to this match has mainly focused on Enzo Amore and Rusev. Enzo got suckered into meeting Lana at a hotel and Rusev beat the hell out of him. Big Cass now has his chance avenge his friend Enzo in a match against Rusev.

Prediction: This is a tough match to predict. Enzo and Cass haven’t really been in the Tag Team Championship seen at all recently. I wouldn’t be surprised if the WWE wants to start a singles push for Big Cass. I think Enzo and Cass are a solid tag team but once you get past the entrance, they have the same match every time. Enzo gets destroyed and then Big Cass gets tagged in and takes care of business. In a perfect world, Rusev wins this match but Big Cass has a good showing.

Winner: Rusev

Sami Zayn vs Braun Strowman (10 Minute Time Limit)

Breakdown: Sami Zayn has been obsessed with Strowman the past few weeks and Braun simply couldn’t care less. The two Superstars had a match a couple of weeks ago and Raw GM Mick Foley put a stop to it because Zayn couldn’t defend himself. Zayn demanded a rematch and finally Foley caved in and gave it to him this Sunday at Roadblock. Foley also put a 10 minute time limit on the match.

Prediction: I cannot come up with a scenario in which it would make sense for Sami Zayn to win this match. Obviously, Sami Zayn has been underutilized on Raw since the brand split. However, Raw has spent far too much time building up Braun Strowman for him to lose a relatively meaningless match against Sami Zayn. I think Sami Zayn will last the 10 minutes and that will piss Strowman off. The match will conclude with Strowman beating down Zayn after the 10 minute mark was reached. Foley may come out to try to put a stop to it and maybe Strowman will attack him as well. I think this would be a good way to show that Sami Zayn never quits and that Braun Strowman is an uncontrollable monster that the Raw locker room should fear.

 Raw Tag Team Championship Match: New Day (c) vs Sheamus & Cesaro

Breakdown: This match was announced at Tribute to the Troops on Wednesday. Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Golden Truth, Gallows & Anderson and The Shining Stars in a Fatal 4-Way match to become the #1 contenders. The New Day are now the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in WWE history.

Prediction: A lot of people seem to believe that the New Day’s title reign is coming to an end. Sheamus and Cesaro got off to a rocky start when it came to crowd reactions but they have overcome that. They now work well as a tag team and are pretty much the only team on Raw that is ready to take the titles from the New Day. I think that will happen in due time. However, I do not think that will happen at Roadblock.

Winners & Still Tag Team Champions: New Day

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Rich Swann (c) vs The Brian Kendrick vs TJ Perkins

Breakdown: TJ Perkins lost the Cruiserweight title to Kendrick and then Kendrick lost it to Swann. On 205 Live, TJ Perkins submitted Rich Swann in the middle of the ring. On Monday Night Raw, Kendrick defeated Perkins easily. Perkins and Swann are friends but they seem ready to turn on each other. Kendrick’s strategy has been to play mind games with both Swann and Perkins.

Prediction:  This is one of those matches that could go a million different ways. I don’t like the idea of Kendrick getting the title back so quickly. He really doesn’t need it. I think that the WWE has been dropping some subtle hints that Perkins is gearing up for a heel turn. His interactions with Swann backstage have been bizarre. I think Rich Swann is going to retain his title but Perkins is going to attack him after the match. Brian Kendrick may even join in on the attack or simply smile and cheer Perkins on.

Winner & Still Cruiserweight Champion: Rich Swann

Seth Rollins vs Chris Jericho

Breakdown: Rollins and Jericho have been battling for awhile now. Rollins was mainly focused on Kevin Owens but Jericho kept getting involved in their matches. Rollins hit a Pedigree on Jericho on top of a car a couple of weeks ago on Raw. Seth wants to defeat Jericho, take the Universal Championship from Kevin Owens and then fight Triple H. Jericho has a lot on his mind but mainly his beloved list and his broken friendship with Kevin Owens.

Prediction: The only way Jericho can win this match is by some sort of outside interference. I do not believe that Triple H will be showing up at WWE Roadblock but you never know. I think it is more likely that this match is earlier in the show and Kevin Owens tries to help Jericho out. Owens is desperate to fix his friendship with Jericho. If he can accomplish that, maybe Jericho will show up later in the night in Owens’ title defense against Roman Reigns. Even if Owens interferes, I think Rollins overcomes it and still wins the match.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Iron Man Match For The Raw Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs Charlotte

Breakdown: Sasha Banks and Charlotte have essentially been trading the Raw Women’s Championship back and forth since the brand split. Sasha Bansk won the title back on Raw recently and celebrated with Ric Flair in the ring. The following week, Charlotte pretended to apologize to her father for embarrassing him back in May on Raw. Charlotte once again talked down to Ric Flair and then beat up Sasha Banks in front of him. Ric Flair stood there helplessly as his daughter beatdown Banks.

Prediction: Charlotte is undefeated at PPVs and I wouldn’t be surprised if that continues. I think this match will be excellent and will showcase how talented both Sasha Banks and Charlotte are. However, I think the ending will involve Ric Flair helping out his daughter Charlotte. I don’t think the WWE is bringing back Ric Flair as an on-screen character for him to be in the corner of Sasha Banks. Thus, the Raw Women’s Championship will once again change hands and Charlotte will leave Pittsburgh with the title.

Winner & New Raw Women’s Champion: Charlotte

Universal Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs Roman Reigns

Breakdown: Roman Reigns has gotten the upper hand on Owens recently. Roman Reigns both want the Universal Championship. Reigns gets his shot on Sunday and Rollins battles Owens’ former best friend Chris Jericho. Reigns has already defeated Kevin Owens clean recently and that victory gave him the oppurtunity at the Universal Championship.

Prediction: Much like the Jericho and Rollins match, the only way Owens can win this match is by someone interfering. Owens has been booked as a paper champion his whole title reign. He has relied on Chris Jericho to help him retain his Universal Championship. If Jericho or Triple H does not interfere, there is no way Kevin Owens is going to defeat Roman Reigns at Roadblock. Roman Reigns is currently the United States Champion and that is the only thing preventing me from picking him this Sunday. I think the person that is going to take the Universal Championship from Owens will be Seth Rollins. I think Owens retains by getting himself disqualified, running out of the arena or outside interference.

Winner & Still Universal Champion: Kevin Owens

What do you think will happen this Sunday at WWE Roadblock: End of the Line? Let us know in the comments below.

– WWE has confirmed that there will be no rematch for the 30-minute Iron Man match between Charlotte and RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks at Roadblock: End of the Line this Sunday. Regardless of the winner, there will be no rematch for the championship.

– Despite rumors going around social media, NXT’s Oney Lorcan is not injured. Photos posted by Johnny Gargano, seen below, show Lorcan wearing a brace while traveling in Australia this week. Lorcan worked every show on the tour and returned to the US for a day of fun at Disney yesterday. The brace he is wearing in these photos is one used for traveling, not for an injury.

#NXTAustralia was amazing. A big thank you to every one who made it possible! Truly a ONEy of a kind experience.. pic.twitter.com/3JJMS649BH

— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) December 13, 2016

Fresh off a 14 hour flight from Australia.. What's the first thing we do?

Um. Go straight to @Disneyland! Duh. #OneysFirstTime pic.twitter.com/DKiSmWHyjD

— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) December 14, 2016

– Charlotte and Mark Henry will be talking WWE Tribute to the Troops with Jonathan Coachman on ESPN SportsCenter tonight for Off The Top Rope.

– Tonight’s NXT episode will feature Samoa Joe vs. NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in their steel cage match from Australia, plus qualifying matches for the Fatal 4 Way to determine a new #1 contender. The following matches were taped:

• Qualifier: Andrade Almas vs. No Way Jose
• Qualifier: Oney Lorcan vs. Bobby Roode
• Qualifier: Eric Young vs. Tye Dillinger
• Qualifier: Bobby Roode vs. Oney Lorcan
• Peyton Royce vs. Sarah Bridges
• Nakamura vs. Joe inside a Steel Cage

– Baron Corbin won the award for Most Metal Athlete at the Revolver Music Awards last night. He and Corey Graves were representing WWE at the event. Below is Corbin with his award:

I am the most metal athlete @Revolvermag @WWE pic.twitter.com/9XKTJTdpYJ

— Tom (@TomPestock) December 14, 2016

– Later this month, RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks will defend against Charlotte in a 30-Minute Ironman Match at WWE Roadblock. According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, Sasha Banks and Charlotte were pushing for an ladder match. At one point WWE officials were considering a steel cage match, which would have been somewhat anti-climatic after their HIAC main event back in October.

– NXT security consultant Todd Garzon passed away on Thursday, as announced on Twitter by Kevin Owens and others. Byron Saxton wrote the following on Garzon, who was a regular face at Full Sail University TV tapings:

Very saddened to hear about the passing of Todd Garzon who worked as security for @WWENXT events. RIP & God Bless pic.twitter.com/uohaTzUSq5

— Byron Saxton (@ByronSaxton) December 9, 2016

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/807063464221016064