Currently, Sting is not expected to appear on next Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW in Baltimore, Maryland. Plans could always change of course, but as of right now “The Icon” is not scheduled for the show.
While “The Stinger” won’t be at RAW next week, “The Big Red Machine” just might.
According to PWInsider.com, Kane is scheduled to be in attendance at RAW next Monday night. Whether or not he returns on television in the current storylines remains to be seen, but he is scheduled to be at RAW and is also set to return on the road with WWE next week.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section, answering questions from fans a wide variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On WWE possibly cross-promoting a big event with New Japan Pro Wrestling: “I’d never count WWE out of any negotiations as it relates to building their brand or associating with other groups as a source for securing new talents. In the big picture, would NJPW rather have a great deal with WWE or a great deal with ROH?”
On how WWE kept the identity of the Kane character under wraps during the Attitude Era: “I actually have never thought of that nor do I know if WWE was truly successful in keeping Kane’s identity a secret. You know the old saying…..telephone, telegraph, tell a wrestler.”
On how much WWE management would talk about the internet wrestling community: “Not much unless it was news that was meant to be kept off the grid. All in all, a non issue for the most part. Don’t know how it is today. ”
On Greg Valentine saying women have no place in wrestling: “Greg was a great in ring performer just like his Dad Johnny Valentine. Solid as a rock. I did not read his opinions on women in wrestling and he has a right to his take whether it’s a popular take or not.”
On Sting vs. Undertaker rumors: “I think that we can forget about Sting vs. Taker. All storylines in the biz can be simpler and more logical and it would make me happier. Plus, paying more attention to continuity would be smart on their part as well.”
On how to get over as an outstanding wrestling announcer: “Product knowledge, sense of timing and humor, ability to communicate in sound bytes are all good starting points with the bottom line being that the goal is to get talents over and not yourself.”
Check out more of JR’s Q&A updates at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Kane revealed on Monday that he will be co-starring with Dolph Ziggler in the upcoming WWE Studios thriller, “6:42.” WWE also released these new plot details:
“Ray Fitzpatrick (WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler) is a tough as nails narcotics cop working the beat in Los Angeles. After a drug bust goes wrong, Ray is forced to shoot his own partner, leading to his suspension from the police force. Before you know it, Ray is dragged right back into the thick of it when a mysterious package arrives at the station addressed to him.
The package leads Ray and his colleagues to an encrypted website where an unidentified kidnapper broadcasts a threat to Ray and the entire police force. The kidnapper, it turns out, is holding a young boy hostage and unless the police department can come up with a $2 million ransom, he’ll set off a time-bomb strapped to the child’s chest.
The department, led by Lt. Cronin (WWE Superstar Kane) comes up with the payoff and Ray is tasked as the bagman. When the handover goes down, Ray is forced to shoot and kill the kidnapper before he can set off the bomb and kill the child.
With 6 hours and 42 minutes left before the timed explosive detonates, Ray and Internal Affairs agent Julia Baker (Katharine Isabelle from “See No Evil 2″) race against time to find the now deceased kidnapper’s hidden lair and save the child before it’s too late.”
WWE updated their official post-RAW article to inform fans that Kane has suffered a “broken ankle” as a result of the attack he endured at the hands of Brock Lesnar on Monday’s WWE Battleground “go-home” edition of RAW in Atlanta, Georgia.
WWE wrote the following about Kane’s “injury” on their official website:
“During the chaotic WWE Battleground contract signing between WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar on Raw, Kane sustained a broken right ankle at the hands of The Beast Incarnate, WWE.com can confirm. Following the initial fracture, Rollins further exacerbated the injury by viciously attacking Kane while he was down. As a result, WWE’s Director of Operations is out of action indefinitely.”
– The new Diva trio of Naomi, Tamina and NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks are going by the team name of “Team B.A.D. (Best at Dominating).”
– With Kane suffering a storyline leg injury during RAW last night and J&J Security being out of action indefinitely, the idea is that Seth Rollins has no back-up going into his WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Brock Lesnar at this Sunday’s WWE Battleground pay-per-view.
– WWE posted the following video of the Tough Enough cast meeting The Bella Twins backstage at Monday’s RAW.
Troy Rivers filed a lawsuit against WWE claiming that he was hit with a chair to the head while working as a security guard at a WWE live event.
Rivers was working a show in Savannah, Georgia when he claims he was struck. “Suddenly, and with no warning whatsoever… struck about the head, neck, and back by a folding chair.” Rivers believes Dean Ambrose (a/k/a Jonathan Good) swung the chair. However, his attorney said that’s unclear.
“We haven’t reviewed the video from the event yet, so we’re bringing in everyone on the card that night,” Rivers’ attorney, Kevin Elwell, told Courthouse News. “Only one guy did it, but we don’t know which one yet.”
The lawsuit lists John Cena, Seth Rollins, Ryback, Kane, Daniel Bryan, R-Truth, and other wrestlers who worked the show as defendants.
WWE is taping this week’s edition of SmackDown tonight in Buffalo, New York. Below are live spoilers from the show.
Sheamus Kicks Off SmackDown
Sheamus comes out to open up this week’s show. He talks about being this year’s Mr. Money In The Bank until he is interrupted by Dean Ambrose. Sheamus eventually dares Ambrose to come and try and take the briefcase from him. Ultimately, this leads to Kane coming out and making a match featuring himself and Sheamus taking on Ambrose, which is up next.
2-On-1 Handicap Match Sheamus & Kane vs. Dean Ambrose
Sheamus and Kane took on Dean Ambrose in a two-on-one handicap match as the first match of the evening.
The duo picked up the “W” by way of disqualification when Roman Reigns came out to make the save for Ambrose and hit Kane with a spear.
Winners via DQ: Sheamus & Kane
Coming Up Later
A tag-team match featuring Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus and Kane is announced for later in the show.
Brie Bella vs. Paige
Brie Bella and Paige is next in Divas action.
The finish saw Alicia Fox interfere, knocking Paige off of the top rope, which led to Brie’s pinfall victory.
Winner: Brie Bella
Kevin Owens Promo Segment
NXT Champion Kevin Owens makes his way out to the ring. Owens cuts a promo until he is interrupted by Cesaro. Eventually, a match between Owens and Cesaro is made for later this evening.
Bo Dallas vs. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler versus Bo Dallas is next in singles action. The set up saw Dallas come out for a promo, talking about how Ziggler is a bad rebound for Lana. This led to Ziggler coming out, which led to an impromptu match between the two, which Ziggler ultimately won with the Zig-Zag.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Xavier Woods (with Big E. & Kofi Kingston) vs. Neville (with The Prime Time Players)
Neville against Xavier Woods in one-on-one competition is up next here on SamckDown. Both Big E. and Kofi Kingston of The New Day tried to interfere, however The Prime Time Players — Darren Young and Titus O’Neil — made the save. In the end, Neville hit Woods with the Red Arrow off the top-rope for the 1-2-3.
On Monday, WWE confirmed two new title matches for this Sunday’s WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event.
Below is the current official lineup for WWE Money In The Bank 2015:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Ladder Match)
– Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
– Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton vs. Neville vs. Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Kane
WWE Intercontinental Championship
– Ryback (c) vs. Big Show
WWE Divas Championship
– Nikki Bella vs. Paige
WWE Tag-Team Championship
– The New Day (c) vs. The Prime Time Players
– John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
WWE Money In The Bank Kickoff Show
– R-Truth vs. King Barrett
WWE Money In The Bank is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, 2015 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com for live results of the event!
As announced on this week’s edition of NXT TV, WWE will be holding a live WWE Network special from Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan on July 4th. Below is the full lineup for the show.
– Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston
– John Cena & Dolph Ziggler vs. Kane & King Barrett
– Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor (NXT Title)
– Chris Jericho vs. Neville
– The New Day vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro*
– Nikki Bella vs. Paige vs. Naomi (WWE Divas Title)
– The Lucha Dragons vs. Los Matadores
* – Tyson Kidd may be pulled from this match due to injury.
– WWE will be holding a NXT live event tonight at the Venice Community Center in Venice, Florida. If anyone is attending the show, feel free to send in a report.
– WWE is also holding a live event tonight at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The scheduled main event is John Cena vs. Rusev in a steel cage match, although it will likely end up being Cena vs. Kane in a cage instead due to the fact that Rusev is nursing an injury. As noted, Rusev’s status for Sunday’s WWE Elimination Chamber is still in question.
– Triple H showed off the next three days worth of food he plans to eat in a new photo posted on his official Twitter account. You can check out the picture below.
– Actor Stephen Amell of “Arrow” fame has expressed interest in guest hosting and possibly even wrestling in the past. The actor shot a brief angle with Stardust while attending RAW this past Monday night and now we can confirm that WWE is looking at doing a program of sorts between Amell and Stardust.
– WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is celebrating his 29th birthday today. Rollins was born on May 28, 1986. Also celebrating birthdays today are WWE legend Kamala (65), former WWE Tag-Team Champion Chaz “Headbanger Mosh” Warrington (44) and Randy Orton’s uncle, former WWE Superstar Barry Orton (57).
– WWE taped the following matches this past Tuesday night for tonight’s edition of SmackDown.
Lumberjack Match: Sin Cara and Kalisto vs. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd
R-Truth vs. King Barrett
Rusev vs. Ryback
Paige vs. Naomi
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Kane and Seth Rollins
Michael Cole interviews Kevin Owens
Longtime WWE performer Kane recently spoke with Alfonso Castillo of Newsday to promote WWE’s final live event at the world-famous Nassau Coliseum.
Below are some highlights of the interview.
On if he could imagine in 1995 that 20 years later he would still be with WWE and featured prominently: “I’m so close to it, but when I take a step back, yeah. I’m not sure what the average career span of a WWE superstar is, but I’ve exceeded that by a long way. Early on, I had some rough times, but I was able to overcome that and, as you said, be on top or close to the top for 17 years to this point. It’s pretty cool when I take a step back and think about it.”
On what the Kane of 2015 would say to the Isaac Yankem of 1995: “I would tell him that he needs to have some confidence, because he could actually do it. I think that’s true of a lot of young guys. I was so star-struck that it was a really difficult transition for me. I would also tell him, as well as the Kane of 1997, to enjoy things, because the time does go by so quickly. When I think about it, 20 years really seems like a blink of an eye sometimes. I wish I would have made a more concerted effort to enjoy things along the way. You get to a level like that and you get so caught up in things, and then twenty years is over and it’s like, ‘Wow. Where did all that time go?'”
On if he’s glad he can shed some of the character and be himself with the current incarnation of Kane: “Yes, I am. And I realize a lot of people aren’t particularly fond of this character, because they want to see the masked Kane. Some people even say, “You ruined the character.”A I don’t think that’s true by any stretch of the imagination. I think what it’s done is add another layer of depth to the character. And the secret to longevity is the ability to reinvent yourself, and do different things. We’ve seen that with the Undertaker. We’ve seen that with Shawn Michaels, Triple H. Anyone who’s been in the WWE for an extended period of time has to be able to do different things. Eventually, a character gimmick is going to get old and stale. And, when it does, if that’s all you can do, you’e done. So I’m very proud of the fact that I can do different things. I’ve gone from a character that never spoke to a guy who goes out every week and is in the middle of big promo segments.”
– On Monday’s WWE Payback “go-home” edition of RAW from Cincinnati, Ohio, one of the main events for this week’s SmackDown, the final edition of the show before this Sunday’s pay-per-view was announced.
In singles action, Roman Reigns will battle Kane, however due to the way their match ended on RAW last night, their match on SmackDown is guaranteed to have a winner by either pinfall or submission.
– Former WWE Vice President of Talent Relations and on-air personality John Laurinaitis commended Daniel Bryan on his decision to vacate the WWE Intercontinental Championship on Monday’s RAW. Mr. “People Power” himself tweeted the following shortly after Bryan made the announcement live on RAW.
I have respect for Daniel Bryan, his values and considerations for the WWE Universe. #PeoplePower@WWE@WWEUniverse he is truly a Champion
— John Laurinaitis (@JohnLaurinaitis) May 12, 2015
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins was Michael Cole’s guest for this week’s WWE.com sit-down interview.
– Rollins say it’s no secret that the odds are stacked against at Payback, but he’s used to that by now. Rollins ran down his WWE career achievements and said he almost forced Ambrose and Orton into retirement already. He called his WWE Championship win was the greatest moment in WrestleMania history and he likes when the odds are stacked against him.
– Cole asked Rollins about his ongoing issues with Kane. Rollins doesn’t have a personal issue with Kane. His actions may be misguided, but that’s driven by jealousy. Rollins says he can do things in the ring that Kane only dreams of. He’s the hottest thing in WWE and Kane is in the home stretch of his career.
– Cole asks if there will be chaos in the Fatal 4 Way contract signing on SmackDown. Rollins says this is a completely different setting from what happened don RAW and he doesn’t conduct himself in a volatile nature in that type of setting. Rollins says it doesn’t matter what happens on Thursday or leading up to Payback because he will leave with the WWE World Heavyweight Title and The Authority will come out on top.
Raw crossed the border into Canada this week as Payback rapidly approaches. Ambrose found a way to sneak into the main event, Ryback and Bray Wyatt continued their feud, and John Cena issued his most epic open challenge to date. Here are the pros and cons from this week’s episode of Raw.
Pros
Randy Orton opened the show by discussing the upcoming Payback pay-per-view. He was only a sentence or two into his soliloquy before being interrupted by Roman Reigns. The two went back and forth for a few, with Reigns saying that Orton “won’t be standing” in two weeks. Orton then read his resume, eventually asking Reigns how many times he’s been a World Heavyweight Champion. Oddly enough, the New Day then interrupted the two, as they vowed to spread the “power of positivity” due to all of the negativity in the ring. Overall, there was some humorous dialogue during the segment, it was nice to see the company booking the tag team champs with the main eventers, and it set up a handicap tag match to start the show.
The opening contest was a three-on-two handicap match between the New Day and Orton and Reigns. During the opening moments, the action was pretty slow, with the faces working over Xavier Woods before Big E came in and hit Orton with a big belly-to-belly suplex. New Day controlled the pace after that, as they isolated Orton and made quick tags. After the break, Reigns took Orton’s place in the New Day’s corner as Xavier Woods attempted to wear him down with a side headlock. Reigns finally hit up Orton with the hot tag and he hit an amazing powerslam on Kofi Kingston after he attempted to utilize a springboard. From there, New Day was getting squashed with Superman punches, DDTs, and RKOs. Reigns and Orton couldn’t keep it together though, as Reigns accidentally hit Orton with a spear and cost his team the match. This match was solid because it made the tag team champions look strong as a cohesive unit, it furthered the tension between Orton and Reigns, and was a fundamentally sound way to start the show. It also set up the main event after Kane made an appearance and announced that Orton and Reigns would compete one-on-one to close the show.
Former members of the greatest stable in recent history collided when Seth Rollins faced off with Dean Ambrose. Kane made the match and announced that if Ambrose were to be victorious, he would be added to the main event at Payback. Ambrose took control early by hitting a massive clothesline at ringside. From there, he worked the champ over while the crowd totally ate it up. Rollins eventually regained control, dominating and dictating the tempo during the middle of the match. Ambrose came back after avoiding a springboard and hitting a tornado DDT. The Lunatic Fringe hit Rollins with a series of clotheslines before executing a bulldog and going into Air Lunatic mode by diving to the floor through the middle ropes. Both guys were able to taste victory with near falls before Rollins destroyed Ambrose with a brutal powerbomb into the barricade. In the end, Ambrose was seconds away from hitting Dirty Deeds before J&J interfered, but it wouldn’t matter as Ambrose would dispose of the goons, roll up Rollins for the win, and secure his spot in the main event at Payback. Awesome match and angle by having all three members of the Shield battle for the title.
King Barrett had a coronation ceremony of sorts after cutting a promo and declaring, “All Hail King Barrett.” No matter how many times they reboot this guy, he makes every gimmick work. He teamed with Sheamus in a tag team match against Neville and Dolph Ziggler. Barrett and Ziggler started the match, with the King pummeling the Show Off with clubbing blows and kicks to the midsection. The action would go to commercial rather quickly after Ziggler took control and sent Barrett sailing to the floor. Sheamus took control during the break and had Ziggler in a headlock after the action returned from break. Ziggler tried to mount a rally but got hit with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Neville and Barrett would both be the recipient of tags, with Neville flying all over the place and dominating Barrett for the most part during a fast-paced frenzy. He wanted the Red Arrow, but Sheamus would distract Neville and allow Barrett to hit the Bull Hammer for the victory.
John Cena cut a passionate promo discussing how he will never give up before issuing another open challenge. None other than Bret “Hitman” Hart answered the call. Hart sadly wasn’t there to fight, but instead to introduce a “great wrestler.” Before he could introduce anyone great, Heath Slater interrupted the legend and got laid out for his troubles. The Hitman then introduced Sami Zayn, much to the surprise of the Montreal crowd and everyone watching at home.
The action was already underway after returning from break, with Cena reeling at ringside. The doctor checked on Zayn after taking a belly-to-back suplex – a move that was obviously done to make Zayn look strong in defeat. Cena and Zayn traded punches before Cena hit three of the Five Moves of Doom before Zayn countered the Five Knuckle Shuffle into a pinning combination. Cena once again was forced to retreat, allowing Zayn to launch himself over the top rope and take out the champ on the floor. Zayn’s inexperience would show as Cena caught him slipping and locked in the STF, even though the upstart challenger would reach the ropes and lock in the Koji Clutch from out of nowhere shortly thereafter. After Cena failed to hit the AA, it became apparent that they were setting up his signature DDT through the middle ropes on the floor, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. After a bit of hesitation, Cena connected with an AA, but Zayn would kick out at two as the crowd cheered. Zayn would eventually succumb to Cena, however, after the champ hit his springboard stunner and another AA. This featured so many memorable spots, the in-ring psychology was great, and it put Zayn over as a worthy competitor even in defeat as he prepares to become a permanent main roster fixture in the near future. Match of the Night, and probably one of the best matches of the year as well.
Ryback’s program with Bray Wyatt continued as he joined Renee Young for an interview. The crowd was dead at first and mostly chanted “Goldberg.” He at least made a good point with the Goldberg chants when he said, “If you ignore it, you just keep doing it.” The Big Guy talked about the adversities he’s faced in his career while talking some smack on Wyatt, eventually winning the crowd back as they joined him in a “Feed Me More” chant. The New Face of Fear then appeared on the big screen and cut a promo saying that Ryback will soon fade away. The segment wasn’t anything special, but both guys cut articulate promos and it advanced their feud, so it’s hard to consider it anything but a positive.
The main event competitors weren’t even making their way to the ring until 11 o’clock, so it was obvious this was going to be very short. Rollins and associates would quickly make their way to ringside and announce their various roles in the match. Orton went for an RKO within seconds but Reigns would avoid the attack. The action was brawling in nature, with few wrestling moves being utilized throughout the match. Rollins guested on commentary during the match and was pretty humorous. When Rollins joined the Authority last summer, he lacked confidence on the mic and some questioned whether he could be a solo star. He’s certainly proven all of the haters wrong over the past year. This would of course end in disqualification after Kane interfered and attacked Roman Reigns before the entire Authority went after Orton. Reigns would dive over the top rope and take them out before being sent into the ring post by Rollins. They isolated Orton and had the upper hand on both Orton and Reigns before Ambrose arrived to make the save. Rollins would take a spear, Reigns would fall victim to an RKO, and Ambrose would be the last man standing after taking out Orton with Dirty Deeds. The wrestling match itself wasn’t that great, but it was a solid way to end the show, put over the fatal four way main event, and perhaps most importantly, get Dean Ambrose back into the main event picture.
The main event for this month’s WWE Payback pay-per-view was changed on Monday’s edition of RAW.
At Monday’s RAW, which took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a match was made between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, with a special stipulation. The stipulation, set by “WWE Director of Operations” Kane, called for Ambrose to be added to the WWE Payback title match main event, making it a fatal four-way match.
As the show went on, Ambrose would go on to defeat Rollins in the match, which also featured J&J Security banned from ringside per pre-match stipulations. With the victory, Ambrose is officially added to the main event of Payback.
With that said, the new main event for WWE Payback will be Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton vs. Dean Ambrose in a fatal four-way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
WWE RAW takes place tonight at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with more build-up to this month’s WWE Payback pay-per-view.
The WWE Superstars advertised for tonight’s show include John Cena, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Kane, Sheamus, Rusev, Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins. Daniel Bryan is not advertised to appear.
While no official matches have been announced for tonight’s show, it is confirmed that John Cena will be holding another “U.S. Open Challenge.”
WWE is focusing on the following points for tonight’s show:
– Who is the greater threat to Seth Rollins’ championship?
– Will Dean Ambrose get retribution against The Authority?
– Might we see a new United States Champion?
– Will Ryback feast on Bray Wyatt?
– What will be Barrett’s first act as King of the Ring?
Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com tonight, beginning at 8pm EST. for the best live WWE RAW results coverage on the web!
Extreme Rules has come and gone, and fans were treated to a cage match, a sprawling Chicago street fight, and even some good old fashioned arse kissing. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from Extreme Rules 2015.
Pros
If we are being completely honest, there wasn’t a lot to choose from tonight in terms of positives. If forced to choose a Match of the Night, it would have to be Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper in a Chicago Street Fight. The action was stiff and sprawling, with Ambrose beating Harper senseless with a kendo stick to start the match before Harper turned the tables and suplexed the Lunatic Fringe through a chair. After receiving a snake eyes into a chair propped up in the corner, Ambrose regained momentum after hitting an awesome clothesline from the apron. The backstage segments were refreshing, and it was nice to see this one continue later in the night. After two matches, the competitors returned in their car and interrupted the New Day’s victory celebration, with the action once again returning to the ring. From there, Harper buried Ambrose under a pile of chairs, but it would ultimately backfire, as Ambrose would suplex Harper onto the chairs and hit Dirty Deeds for the win. Overall, these two had great chemistry, Ambrose provided some humor, and it was a creative way to start the show.
The tag team match was definitely a treat tonight. As always, Kidd and Cesaro went together like peanut butter and jelly, teaming up for multiple combination moves throughout the match. Cesaro was the clear star of this one, displaying his strength by catching Big E in midcard and slamming him to the canvas. Just as it looked as if the champs would retain their titles, Xavier Woods distracted the referee and allowed for Kofi Kingston to grab the roll-up victory. Putting the titles on the New Day isn’t going to have anyone jumping for joy, but it will be nice to see Kidd and Cesaro chase the titles as babyfaces. Fans should be looking forward to these two competing again in the future, as they told a great story, pulled off a number of impressive spots, and the end sequence was believable.
It was announced that the King of the Ring would return on Tuesday night as a WWE Network exclusive. That’s sounds like something that is best for business.
Finally, the main event was sort of barely snuck its way into the pros column. These two ring technicians displayed solid fundamentals to start the match while Seth tried to sneak his way out of the cage. Rollins eventually took control after hitting the sling blade as both guys attempted to utilize the cage as a weapon early on. One positive in this match was that they were given sufficient time before the inevitable outside interference occurred, and seeing Orton hit a Pedigree was a nice change of pace. In the end, Kane of course interfered and helped Rollins retain the title after Seth hit Orton with an RKO. The commentators stupidly discussed whether Rollins was permitted to use the banned move after the match, as if it even mattered because the only two options were a win for Rollins or a disqualification victory for Orton – either instance resulting in Rollins keeping his title. Overall, this was your typical BS cage match, but it was one of the few highlights during an otherwise uneventful night, so here we are.
The WWE Universe will get its annual dose of extreme this Sunday at Extreme Rules. Every major title is scheduled to be defended, and nearly every match on the card features some sort of stipulation. Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.
Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (Tag Team Champions) vs. The New Day (Pre-Show Match)
The New Day sucks, plain and simple. They belong on the pre-show, and there’s absolutely no way they capture the titles on Sunday. Kidd and Cesaro continue their run as champions after picking up the victory. I do not think they will do so via pinfall or submission, however. I believe the New Day will be on the verge of defeat, leading to Xavier Woods interfering in the match and the New Day viciously attacking the champs. This would further solidify them as heels, while also starting a face turn for the champions by building fan sympathy.
Winners: Kidd & Cesaro by disqualification
Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper (Chicago Street Fight)
This has the potential to be one of the better matches of the night. Expect the action to sprawl all over the area in something resembling a hardcore match from the Attitude Era, with multiple weapons being utilized along the way. In the end, Ambrose will find a way to win after incapacitating his opponent with Dirty Deeds, hopefully leading to a push where he goes after the Intercontinental Championship now that it appears Daniel Bryan will be on the shelf for a while.
Winner: Dean Ambrose by pinfall
Daniel Bryan (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Bad News Barrett
Bryan is injured and will not be competing on Sunday. That’s basically a guarantee. WWE is essentially engaging in false advertising by not announcing that this match will no longer take place. Expect some sort of backstage segment during the show where Bryan is attacked to write him out of the storyline.
– Solomon Crowe debuted new theme music at the NXT television tapings on Thursday night at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Fans will get to hear the new theme when his match with Baron Corbin airs on the May 13th edition of NXT TV.
– Speaking of last night’s NXT tapings, WWE had the new Performance Center female recruits work matches against the NXT Divas during the show. If the matches make it to air, they will be included on shows that air in May. The new male recruits from the Performance Center worked as security guards in an angle during the taping involving Rhyno.
– Seth Rollins and Kane are featured in this week’s edition of SmackDown Fallout, which you can check out below.
– Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback and Roman Reigns vs. Kane are two new matches WWE has booked for upcoming live events in May. As noted recently, WWE is planning on having Ryback be the “mystery Superstar” that Wyatt has been referring to in his recent “cryptic promos.”
– Former WWE Diva AJ Lee recently made the following post on Twitter, thanking her fans for their support.
So you guys got #ThankYouAJ and #AJTaughtMe trending for days??? I have the most badass fans on earth.
April 15th in Hamburg, Germany drew 9,500 fans (John Cena tour)
April 16th in Toulouse, France drew 4000 fans (without John Cena and Rusev)
April 16th in Budapest, Hungary drew 8,500 fans (Roman Reigns tour with Cena and Rusev)
April 17th in Antwerp, Belgium drew 4,000 fans (Cena and Rusev back on the tour)
April 17th in Dortmund, Germany drew 8,000 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
April 18th in Zurich, Switzerland drew 4,000 fans (John Cena tour)
April 18th in Nurnberg, Germany drew a sellout of 7,000 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
April 18th in Jacksonville, FL for NXT drew 150 fans
April 20th in Albany, NY for RAW drew 6,800 fans
Jim Ross recently updated the official blog section of his website to share his thoughts on Monday’s RAW and some other topics. Below are some highlights:
On Kane’s RAW performance: “Thought the irate and angry Kane persona was a plus. Not sure, other than Undertaker, that any WWE talent has ever had a more distinguished career than Glen Jacobs aka Kane. His character and integrity are beyond reproach and he should be what every talent in NXT strives to emulate. He is exactly the kind of person WWE needs to always utilize in a variety of ways as he is rock solid in every area and is an invaluable mentor to the young wrestlers.”
On Seth Rollins and the banned “Curb Stomp” rumors: “I don’t know if WWE has or has not banned the use of Seth Rollins’ Curb Stomp finisher but many fans are seemingly up in arms about its absence. I say the safety of the athlete is always the first priority of any responsible company and if the move is more likely to concuss people than others then it needs to be eliminated. It’s that simple. Not sure why so many fans have taken to my Twitter @JRsBBQ to bitch about it but, at the same time, everyone has the right to an opinion. It’s too bad that so many people within the business have bastardized the DDT, among other moves, or it would still be a great finisher instead of another overused, uncreative high spot that everyone kicks out of on a regular basis. Those type of issues where finishing maneuvers have become impotent ‘spots’ is the fault of undisciplined bookers within the world of wrestling and lazy talents who have not mastered the art orf wrestling.”
On Daniel Bryan’s health: “Hopeful that Daniel Bryan is going to be OK soon but he has to change some of the things that he does whether he wants to or not and not be a prisoner to his on reputation as being one of the best wrestlers in the world. He could eliminate many things from his repertoire and still be one of the best talents in the business. His health is much more important than diving head butts, drop kicks where he strikes the back of his head on the canvas, etc. His most important job in life isn’t being a wrestler but a son, husband and perhaps some day a father. Without great health, those lots in life are more challenging and they’re not easy for a healthy person.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
– It was announced during Monday’s WWE Extreme Rules “go-home” edition of RAW that Kane will serve as the “gatekeeper” for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship steel cage match between Seth Rollins and Randy Orton, a match where Orton’s “RKO” finishing move is also banned per the stipulations for the bout. This basically means Kane will be in charge of the cage door, and will be somewhat of the outside-the-ring official for the match.
– The WWE Tag-Team Championships will be on the line during the WWE Extreme Rules “Kickoff Show” on the WWE Network this Sunday as well, as Tyson Kidd and Cesaro will defend the titles against The New Day.
– Finally, a WWE Divas Championship match between Nikki Bella and Naomi was made official for the Extreme Rules pay-per-view this Sunday.
The WWE took Raw across the pond this week, with Randy Orton and Seth Rollins once again locking horns as they head into their main event contest at Extreme Rules, Roman Reigns finally discussing his loss at WrestleMania, and John Cena continuing his weekly open challenges. Here are the pros and cons from this week’s episode.
Pros
The crowd really gave it to John Cena to open the show, but he eventually got them on his side by utilizing cheap pops (i.e., saying London should get WrestleMania). The Champ once again issued an open challenge, with England’s own Bad News Barrett answering the call this time around. This was a hard-hitting match with both guys utilizing brute force over traditional wrestling moves for the most part. They made Barrett look strong in front of his home-country crowd, as he dominated the action early on and dropped a big elbow from the apron to the floor. Cena turned things around by utilizing a few moves fans don’t see from him often, such as a crossbody from the top rope and even a simple dropkick. Both guys were booked real strong, with Barrett kicking out of an AA and Cena kicking out after being hit by a huge Bull Hammer. Barrett wanted a second Bull Hammer, but Cena countered with a sloppy springboard stunner and an AA for the win.
Great way to start the show, especially after Lana made her return to television to distract Cena while Rusev pounced before announcing that their match at Extreme Rules will be a “Russian Chain Match” (not exactly sure how Russia and chains go together, but okay).
Dolph Ziggler vs. Neville was Match of the Night. Ziggler issued an open challenge before being answered by the upstart former NXT Champion. Neville was flying around the ring early before hitting a standing moonsault on Ziggler before the Show Off hit a DDT that Neville sold like no other. Neville has the type of moveset that could make him a star (especially when he’s busting out moves like a 540 splash after scaling the barricade. Even though Ziggler won with the Zig Zag, Neville looked strong in defeat. I like they way they’ve book Neville so far, and he’s certainly a welcome addition to the main roster. Sheamus attacked both guys after the match as he continues to solidify himself as a heel.
Fans were treated to a match-up between two of the best workers in the company when Randy Orton squared off with Cesaro. The two locked up early before Tyson Kidd interfered and caused Cesaro to lose by disqualification. Kane made an appearance and announced that the match would continue, restarting the contest as a handicap match. The Tag Champs worked over The Viper before the break, and were still in control when it returned. Orton took a lot of damage, including a neckbreaker from Kidd, a European uppercut from Cesaro, and a few kicks to the face. He’d eventually pick up the win, however, after hitting Kidd with an RKO.
The Team Hell No reunion backstage was entertaining and humorous.
Seth Rollins tried to get Kane to lay down for him before he refused and snapped. He chokeslammed Rollins straight to Hell before allowing Rollins to pick up the victory, setting up a confrontation to determine the stipulations for the Extreme Rules main event at the end of the show.
Roman Reigns finally addressed the fans after his loss at WrestleMania. He was brutally honest went he said, “I went to Suplex City.” It wasn’t his best promo (not that there’s an extensive archive of those or anything), but it definitely wasn’t his worst either. He called Big Show Seth’s “giant bitch” before being confronted and called a “bum” (what a devastating burn). This was one of those classic unintentionally humorous WWE segments, with both guys delivering cheesy promos that were littered with corny insults. Big Show attacked Reigns as he was leaving the ring and chokeslammed him onto the roof of the car that was parked at the top of the ramp, likely setting up a match between the two at Extreme Rules.
Finally, the closing segment involving Seth Rollins and Randy Orton was entertaining. Each superstar was permitted to choose a stipulation for the main event at Extreme Rules. Orton was well spoken during his portion of the segment, and Rollins played the slimy, cowardly heel to perfection as always. In the end, Rollins chose to bar the RKO from the main event, while Orton decided to make it a steel cage match to keep The Authority from helping Seth Rollins (because that has worked flawlessly in the past). The show ended with Orton hitting an RKO on one half of J&J while the WWE Champion retreated.
Following Monday’s taped edition of WWE RAW at the O2 Arena in London, England, new matches and stipulations were announced for the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Below is an updated look at the lineup:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Steel Cage Match With The RKO Banned
– Seth Rollins (c) vs. Randy Orton
WWE U.S. Championship Russian Chain Match
– John Cena (c) vs. Rusev
WWE Intercontinental Championship
– Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Bad News Barrett
WWE Divas Championship
– Nikki Bella (c) vs. Paige
Rumored Matches
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus
– Roman Reigns vs. Big Show (or Roman Reigns & Ryback vs. Big Show & Kane)
Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on Sunday, April 26th for the best WWE Extreme Rules live results coverage on the web!