WWE superstar Becky Lynch is ready to settle her feud with Nia Jax once and for all. On the February 26 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Jax attacked Lynch from behind early in the show. Later that night, Lynch got revenge by attacking Jax during her match against Liv Morgan. The company has decided to solve their issues in a singles match next week. 

The announcement was made during the show to excite fans for the March 4 WWE Monday Night Raw episode. Jax hopes to rebound from her loss against WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WWE Elimination Chamber on February 24. Jax’s defeat also has seemingly put her involvement at WWE WrestleMania 40 in doubt, which fueled her attack on Lynch. However, ‘The Man’ looks ready for her big win over Jax next week. 

WWE has booked Lynch as an underdog heading into her title match against Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 40. ‘The Man’ had taken some losses, including a match against Jax on the January 1 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Next week’s episode presents an opportunity for Lynch to avenge her loss and continue her momentum heading into the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’

While Lynch and Jax will be in a featured match on the March 4 episode, WWE has announced another big match.

Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso Rematch Set For March 4 Episode 

Drew McIntyre will also look to build momentum heading into WWE WrestleMania 40. WWE announced that ‘The Scottish Warrior’ will take on Jey Uso in a rematch in next week’s episode. 

McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match on February 24 to earn an opportunity to face WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’ He hopes to keep the momentum going with an impressive win over Uso. However, WWE may also have another surprise heading into next week.

One of the interesting storylines for McIntyre over the last few months was his disdain for the Bloodline(Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa & The Rock). However, he accepted their help in a win over Cody Rhodes on the February 19 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. The company is also seemingly building towards a WWE WrestleMania 40 match between Jey and Jimmy. Jimmy may be involved in next week’s matchup to further the storyline with McIntyre and build toward a match with his brother. 

Next week’s episode looks to be an exciting show as the WWE continues the ‘Road To WrestleMania.’

The Superstars of WWE certainly put on a show at this week’s press conference ahead of the Elimination Chamber: Perth event. 

The February 24, Premium Live Event will be WWE’s first PLE in Australia since 2018. Understandably, the excitement in Perth is at a fever pitch ahead of tomorrow’s show. The show will feature two Elimination Chamber matches, with the Men’s and Women’s winners challenging for the World Heavyweight and Women’s World Championships at WrestleMania 40. 

Elimination Chamber Press Conference

Some of WWE’s top Superstars made their presence felt at the press conference. World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins led the Aussie crowd in trashing The Rock. Rollins & Cody Rhodes will be guests on the Grayson Waller Effect tomorrow. 

Things got heated between Men’s Chamber participants Kevin Owens and U.S. Champion Logan Paul which resulted in Triple H having to step in. 

Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, both of whom will compete in the Women’s Chamber Match, also came face-to-face in a tense stare down.

WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley certainly had the crowd on her side when she came face-to-face with her upcoming opponent Nia Jax.

And finally, Australia’s own Rhea Ripley and Grayson Waller celebrated WWE coming to Perth with the Australian good-luck tradition of doing a ‘Shoey.’ 

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

Here is the card for WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth as it currently stands:

• Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)

• The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)

• Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)

• Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)

• Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)

The Superstars of WWE are kept plenty busy in the ring, but they also find the time to unwind by binging their favorite Netflix shows. 

Last month, it was announced that Raw will move to Netflix as part of a $5 billion deal with the streaming giant. Fans in the U.S. will have access to Monday Night Raw each week, while those outside of the States will receive Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events. Netflix will not cover monthly PLEs in areas where deals are already in place with other distributors, such as India.

The Superstars’ Favorite Shows 

Alpha Academy’s Maxxine Dupri said that she had just finished The Crown, the historical drama series based on the lives of the British Royal Family. The show’s sixth and most recent season addresses 1997 to 2005 and covers the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Dupri said the show was “so good” and that she was “obsessed.”

‘Big’ Bronson Reed has been enjoying an Australian show called Boy Swallows Universe. The story revolves around Eli Bell, a working-class youth who enters Brisbane’s underworld to save his mother from danger. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Trent Dalton. When not watching that, the former NXT North American Champion enjoys the relaxed competition of the Great British Bake Off. 

Ivy Nile enjoys documentaries but has also been watching You, which the Raw Superstar admits is not her typical kind of show. The four-season show follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager who obsessively follows a woman he becomes infatuated with in the show’s first season. 

Nia Jax loves stirring up some drama, so it makes sense that she enjoys Safe. The show focuses on Tom Delaney (played by Dexter’s Michael C. Hall) who uncovers a web of secrets as he frantically searches for his missing 16-year-old daughter. Jax also enjoys Peaky Blinders. the period crime drama about the Birmingham, UK-based gang of the same name and their escapades following World War 1. 

WWE Superstars favorite Netflix shows! ? pic.twitter.com/cGDI1t1VmM

— MuscleManMalcolm (@MalcolmMuscle) February 13, 2024

WWE fans are still buzzing after Jade Cargill finally made her in-ring debut. She competed in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match on January 27 and stood against some of the best females on the WWE roster. 

While she didn’t win the match, WWE showcased her abilities and teased future potential matchups. It’s unclear when her next appearance will be, but Cargill is very excited about what will come next. 

In an interview with  Denise Salcedo, Cargill was asked what the environment is for her behind the scenes and dealing with other talent like Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch. The WWE superstar shared that her peers have treated her well and that everyone wants to put on dream matches. 

“…Everybody’s been very warm. Everybody understands that one, we are all going to create money-making matches here. We’re here to put butts in seats and sell tickets and make money. That’s what we are here for,” said Cargill. 

After talking about the backstage environment, Cargill began listing several names she’s looking to have dream matches against. 

“…All these women that you just named are literally are dream matches. Everybody would love to see me take on a Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch because you never know what the outcome will be,” said Cargill. 

She added that she is confident that she’ll be victorious against them all but that it could still be unpredictable. 

What’s Next For Jade Cargill? 

Currently, Cargill is still figuring out what brand she wants to sign within the WWE storyline. She has been approached by Adam Pierce and Nick Aldis about signing to their respective brand. 

In the WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Match, she threw out members from both the WWE Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown roster. One of the notable eliminations was Nia Jax, who she single-handedly tossed over the ropes. This is something that the company could follow up on for a potential dream match. 

It’s unclear what brand will sign Cargill. For now, she is excited for the opportunities that will come her way in WWE. 

Nia Jax has seen a lot during her career in WWE. Although The Rock’s cousin gained attention for her activities in the ring, it was one bump on the apron that made her name trend unlike anything else.

Nia Jax Opens Up About Her “Hole”

On the February 8th, 2021 episode of Monday Night Raw, Nia Jax faced C.J. Perry in a singles match, who was known as Lana at the time. During the match, Jax fell onto the ring apron and exclaimed, ‘My hole.’ The rest is history.

While speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Nia Jax revealed that she didn’t mean to go viral with her hole statement. In fact, it was all a surprise to her.

“When I walked back after the match, everybody was laughing. I was like, ‘okay,’ Then everybody was like, you’re trending on the internet right now. Like, number one of my hole, and I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ It was a joke that I was playing. It was COVID times, it was just a different era.”

“But yeah, that took on a whole other level. It was incredible. The funny thing is I didn’t realize that the cameras were gonna pick it up that loud. I say a lot of things in the ring that don’t get picked up. I’m cussing up a storm, and now it was, like, clear as day. And I’m like [what]. My mom’s proud. My mom’s so proud of me.”

Nia Jax Wanted To Make Vince McMahon Laugh

Jax previously re-told this story to K&S Wrestlefest, where The Irresistible Force revealed that her reaction was for an audience of two, as she actually was trying to make Vince McMahon and Triple H laugh with her “hole” comment.

“So it was more of a joke to pop Hunter and Vince (McMahon) in Gorilla. It was literally more to make them laugh. So when I did it, that was the intention and then when I got backstage and saw that everybody was texting me about ‘my hole’ trending, that’s not what my intention was,”

Jax was released by the company on November 4th, 2021. Surprisingly, she made an unexpected appearance as an entrant in the 2023 women’s Royal Rumble match. This year, she will compete in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match as a full-time Superstar once again, because Triple H brought her back along with so many more that Vince McMahon fired over the past couple of years.

TKO Executive Chairman Vince McMahon’s past has caught up to him yet again after a lawsuit was filed against him by a former employee. As of now, it is unclear what actions will be taken on McMahon after new allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking. 

The lawsuit comes at an interesting time for WWE superstars, as the company prepares for the WWE Royal Rumble and is speaking with the media on-site. While some focused questions will be about Saturday’s premium live event, talent may also be asked about their thoughts on the new allegations about McMahon. 

One of the superstars who has spoken about her mindset heading into the PLE after the startling allegation is Nia Jax. She talked to Nick Hausman about whether the news on McMahon has affected her as she prepares for the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Match. 

In the interview, Jax shared that it doesn’t and that she is focused on the WWE Royal Rumble this Saturday. 

Hausman transcribed the following quotes. 

“… I’m all business,” said Jax. She continued, “… this business is built on hard work and dedication, and that’s what every single wrestler in this room is doing right now, and so we just move forward. And it’s, you know, and we’re gonna put on an amazing show.”

It’s unclear if other superstars feel the same way as they prepare for one of WWE’s biggest events of the year. However, McMahon’s recent allegation has made fans question if more questions will be asked this Saturday.

Will There Be A Press Conference After WWE Royal Rumble?

The current expectation is that the company will hold a press conference after WWE Royal Rumble. If it were to occur as usual, it’s unknown what talent will be available for questions, but it is assumed that the Head Of Creative, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, will appear. 

Wrestling’s Observer’s Dave Meltzer has reported that WWE has told talent to “Lay low and not talk about anything other than the Royal Rumble or storyline-related things.” It’s unclear if Levesque or other WWE superstars will comment directly on McMahon as the TKO Chairman deals with the new lawsuit. 

Former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Lina Fanene (Nia Jax) is rocking a new look.

Fanene was released from her WWE contract back in Nov. 2021. During her time with the company, she became a Raw Women’s Champion and a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.

In the months that she’s been away from the wrestling business, Fanene has been quite active on social media.

She recently revealed a switch-up in terms of her appearance.

Nia Jax’s New Look

Nia Jax took to her Instagram account to show off her new hairstyle.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lina Fanene (@linafanene)

Fanene was expected to be a part of the first World Entertainment Series event.

Eventually, she shot down being on the show and urged fans not to give the company any money as they were still advertising her appearance.

“I do not know why I am still on this poster, but I will REPEAT myself again…I will NOT be at the show. Please do not buy a ticket thinking you will see me perform or get a chance to meet me. I hate that this misleads people!”

Nia Jax on WES advertising

WES ended up canceling its first show and while the company claims it’ll be sticking around, the general feeling is that this one is over before it even got started.

Many wrestlers speak out against the way the World Entertainment Series has handled business after the announcement of the cancellation of their debut event.

WES’ Debut Event Cancelled

On June 6, it was announced that World Entertainment Series was canceling its first event, which was scheduled for July 9. The wrestlers booked for this show have now spoken out about their experience working with the company.

The July 9 WES event had already been postponed from its original June 4 date. Prior to the event, performers such as CJ Perry (Lana), Lina Fanene (Nia Jax), and Matt Rehwoldt had pulled out of the event.

In their official statement regarding the cancellation of the event, Wrestling Entertainment Series claimed that they had no choice but to cancel the event due to several wrestlers “not showing up.” They addressed Fanene’s comments directly by saying that she was paid her deposit, changed her mind, and decided not to show up and wrestle.

Wrestlers Booked Respond

Performers who were originally booked for the event took to social media to respond to the statement.

Even though he won’t be wrestling, due to the cancellation of the event, Mojo Rawley will be doing a free meet and greet with fans who bought tickets to WES this Sunday. For more information on this and to see Mojo’s response, click here.

Lina Fanene, who is formerly known as Nia Jax, is another wrestler not pleased with the way that Wrestling Entertainment Series (WES) has been doing business.

Lina Fanene Won’t Be At The WES Show

The former Nia Jax was scheduled to face CJ Perry (formerly Lana) on the show on July 9, but she says she won’t be wrestling. Perry is no longer being advertised after she was originally supposed to face Fanene for the Women’s World Championship at both the show that was canceled and the new date for the event. Now, however, the official lineup says that Lina will face an opponent to be determined.

Matthew Rehwoldt Calls Out WES

Lina is not the first person to call out the business practices of the new WES promotion led by former WWE roster members Gzim Selmani (Rezar) and Sunny Dhinsa (Akam). Recently, on July 2, Matthew Rehwoldt recently said that the promotion cost him time and money. He also doesn’t believe that the event will actually happen. The first show was scheduled for June 4, but it was postponed to July 9.

• Matthew Rehwoldt: ‘WES Has Cost Me Time & Money,’ Doesn’t Think Their Debut Show Will Happen

No one from the promotion had commented on what Lina or Matthew had to say. 

The updated card for the WES show can be seen below.

Wrestling Entertainment Series (7/9)

• Alistair Overeem vs Moose
• Legion Of Pain vs BT Gunn & Kez Evans
• Steph de Lander (Persia Pirotta) & Anastasia vs She-Wolves
• Samuray del Sol (Kalisto) vs Lince Dorado
• Dean Muhtadi (Mojo Rawley) vs Damo Mackle (Killian Dain)
• Eric Young vs Zac Zodiac
• Levis Valenzuela (No Way Jose) vs Jody Fliesh
• Tom Hannifan on the call

Nia Jax doesn’t think Becky Lynch actually has any friends in WWE.

Jax recently took part in a Q&A on her Instagram, when one fan asked if she and Becky Lynch were good friends. Jax responded by laughing, saying she doesn’t think Lynch has a good friendship with anyone in WWE.

This isn’t the first time Nia Jax has spoken out against Superstars or WWE in general. She recently noted she has received calls from people still there regarding how “miserable” they are working for the promotion.

Jax was released from WWE in November of 2021. During her time with the company, she was a one-time RAW Women’s Champion and a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Shayna Baszler.

After her release, Jax didn’t do much in regards to professional wrestling, however, she’s currently slated to renew her rivalry with Lana (CJ Perry) at the upcoming inaugural Wrestling Entertainment Series (WES) event on June 4 from Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena.

As for Lynch, she recently dropped the RAW Women’s Title to Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas earlier this year. In her attempt to regain the title, Lynch actually lost a No. 1 contenders match to Asuka on Monday Night RAW last week.

Now, Asuka will face Belair for the RAW Women’s Title at the upcoming Hell In A Cell event. As for Lynch, it remains to be seen what’s next for her, as she was devastated as RAW went off-air last week, following her loss.

Lynch attempted to hit Asuka with her umbrella while the referee was distracted, but Asuka countered with a green mist attack, subsequently pinning Lynch for the win.

Former WWE talent Adam Scherr (Braun Strowman) and former UFC fighter Alistair Overeem will collide at Wrestling Entertainment Series.

On May. 13, former WWE tag team Legion of Pain (Authors of Pain) announced that their wrestling promotion WES would have an event on June 4 on FITE TV at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.

Legion of Pain shared that they would be making their in-ring return for their first event. However, they didn’t share who else would be on the card.

The WES website has now revealed all of the matches that will take place on the card, including the main event between Scherr and Overeem for the World Championship.

This marks the first wrestling match for Overeem, who has been open about not liking what he’s seen from professional wrestling like WWE.

Another match on the card is former WWE talents Lina Fanene (Nia Jax) vs. CJ Perry (Lana) for the Women’s Championship.

Overeem on WWE and Professional Wrestling Today

Overeem spoke publicly on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani about his thoughts on wrestling, mainly WWE, last year. He shared that he grew up watching WWE and liked Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior but stopped watching as he got older.

“I watched it when I was 19 years old. Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, huge fans of those guys. Honky Tonk Man, great, funny,” said Overeem. He continued, “…I stopped watching after that, so I’m not watching since 92, 93, 94 and just recently I started looking again on Youtube, and oh my god this stuff is lame.

“It’s just lame with all these guys are doing, it’s fake, it’s lame, it’s stupid.” Overeem said something after “it’s stupid,” but it was edited out.

During the live interview, Overeem did indeed label pro wrestling as “gay.” Helwani told Overeem to not say that, which the former UFC fighter said why and continued to share that he thought what he has seen recently of wrestling from WWE content is lame.

When asked by Helwani if he thinks professional wrestlers are athletes, he expressed again that it is lame. It’s unclear if Overeem has watched any wrestling outside of WWE or if he changed his stance on wrestling today.

The Wrestling Entertainment Series Card (6/4)

The first WES card will have eight matches. Two of the matches will be on the pre-show.

• Adam Scherr vs. Alistair Overeem for the World Championship-Main Event
• Lina Fanene vs. C.J Perry for the Women’s Championship-Co-Main Event
• Legion of Pain vs. Wesley Blake and Steve Maclin for the World Tag Team Championship
• Killer Kross vs. Samuray Del Sol vs. Jonah
• Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood vs. Deonna Purrazzo and Chelsea Green for the World Women’s Tag Team Championship
• Dean Muhtadi vs. Lince Dorado
• Mike Bennett vs. Biff Busick-Pre-Show
• Dirty Dango vs. Levis Valenzuela Jr.-Pre-Show

The card isn’t available on FITE TV as of this writing for pre-order. We will update when it gets updated.

Nia Jax (Lina Fanene) got trolled over the weekend at an independent wrestling event.

The former WWE Superstar champion has been vocal about her opposition to COVID-19 vaccine, as well as masks that are worn to stop the spread of the virus. She feels very strongly about these views.

Last month, she wrote on Twitter that many of ‘your favorites’ agree with her. She went as far as to say, “I know a lot of people in many professional sports that just paid & got a real card from a doctor..soooo”

Independent promotion WWR+ (Women’s Wrestling Revolution Plus) ribbed Nia Jax at latest show. The WWR+ ring announcer announced that Nia Jax would be heading to the ring, but then corrected himself and said she would not be able to appear due to the venue’s vaccination policy.

The gag got a mild reaction from the audience, as seen below:

Jax has said she’s almost certainly done with wrestling. She is scheduled to make a rare appearance at WrestleCon during WrestleMania weekend in Dallas, TX.

Don’t expect to see Nia Jax back in WWE any time soon.

Jax was released by WWE back on November 4th, along with Keith Lee, Killer Kross, Eva Marie and many others. She soon after released a statement and revealed that she was on a “mental health break” when WWE decided to cut her loose.

She has since stated that it’s very unlikely that she’ll wrestle again, but you never know in this crazy business.

On Wednesday, a fan on Twitter told Nia Jax that “we need her” back in WWE so she and Doudrop can team up and go after the Women’s Tag Team Championships. Jax is a former tag champion with Shayna Baszler.

Nia Jax on WWE Morale

Nia Jax did not mince words with her reply. She said, “lol no thank you!” She added that she speaks to friends in WWE on a regular basis and “everyone is miserable there.”

There have been widespread reports of low morale in WWE, especially around the time the company releases talent.

Nia Jax is now a free agent and is legally cleared to work for other wrestling promotions, if that’s something that interested her.

During a recent appearance on Renee Paquette’s The Sessions podcast, she admitted that her feelings were hurt by the perception that she was unsafe to work with.

This past weekend, she was a guest at the Alexa Bliss bachelorette party from Las Vegas.

Former WWE superstar Nia Jax wants fans to know that she isn’t an unsafe wrestler.

Jax appeared on the Sessions with Renee Paquette podcast on Feb. 1 to discuss her career in WWE and what’s next for her. In the discussion, Jax shared that she was hurt when wrestling fans labeled her as “unsafe” and harassed her online.

Jax acknowledged that she had to be cautious working due to her size, but she claims to have only injured two people throughout her career.

“… I’ve already acknowledged that my coach Sara Amato had always said you always have to be aware because you are so much bigger that like you throwing your arm and hitting somebody in the face is not going to be the same as somebody smaller than you and so I was always conscious of that, and I always try to take pride like I worked with Lexi (Alexa Bliss) for most of my career like she’s so tiny and she trusted me,” said Jax.

She continued, “…That hurt when people just like, ‘Oh, she just injuries everybody. She just hurts everybody,’ and I can tell you this right now in my career I know I’ve injured two people. Obviously, Becky was one of them, and there’s another one that, like you know I don’t want to call her out, but like I know I did, and I profusely apologized.”

Nia Jax Injuring Becky Lynch

Nia Jax’s most infamous incident of injuring an opponent is when she gave Becky Lynch a concussion and left her bloodied. The injury occurred during a brawl on Monday Night Raw on Nov. 13, 2018, when she hit Lynch in the face. While fans vilified Jax, she shared that it was an accident.

“The producer of that match, I won’t name names, basically was like, ‘this needs to look real. Say sorry, later,’ and We were all like, okay cool, let’s go, let’s have fun, whatever and being the larger person, I feel as though people feel, ‘Oh, we can hit the shit out of her. She’ll be fine’, which is true. For the most part, like I get wailed and whatever. I’m okay,” said Jax.

During the segment, Jax claims that wrestlers hit her on the back of the head and swung back on someone, which happened to be Lynch.

“…My fist wasn’t closed. I didn’t punch her. But it did connect. I didn’t even realize it was Becky. I honestly thought it was Lana, said Jax. The former WWE talent continued, “…Then I look around, and I’m like, Oh my gosh, there’s blood everywhere. Then I look, and I’m like, Oh crap, Becky’s down.”

WWE released Nia Jax on Nov. 4, 2021, ending her seven-year career with the company. Now a free agent, she wants to enjoy the time away from wrestling and engaging in new opportunities.

Jax also revealed to Renee Paquette that she turned down an offer by WWE to appear in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. You can read more about that below:

Over a dozen former WWE Superstars are now free agents.

As part of WWE’s ongoing effort to aggressively cut costs, the company held another round of mass layoffs on November 4th, 2021. Talent from NXT had 30-day non-compete clauses, while the main roster stars were bound by 90-day restrictions.

We are 90 days removed from November 4th, which means all of the following stars are now free agents and able to work anywhere:

• B-Fab
• Davey Boy Smith Jr
• Ember Moon
• Eva Marie
• Gran Metalik
• Karrion Kross
• Keith Lee
• Lince Dorado
• Mia Yim
• Nia Jax
• Scarlett Bordeaux

In two more weeks, another batch of wrestlers will join the free agency market from the releases that took place on November 18th:

• John Morrison
• Top Dolla
• Ashante Adonis
• Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
• Tegan Nox
• Drake Maverick
• Shane Thorne
• Jaxson Ryker

It remains to be seen how many of these performers join the ranks of AEW, Impact, New Japan Pro Wrestling, MLW and the independent scene.

Nia Jax says WWE asked her to be in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match despite having been released from the company on November 4th. She also commented on what happened before Survivor Series 2018 when she concussed Becky Lynch in a segment on RAW.

WWE was doing the Smackdown vs RAW angle leading up to the Survivor Series 2018 PPV, and Lynch joined several Smackdown Superstars in an invasion segment on RAW. During a melee with the RAW roster, Lynch was concussed by a strike thrown by Nia Jax.

Jax recently appeared on Renee Paquette’s The Sessions podcast and addressed the incident.

“The producer of that match, I won’t name names, basically was like, ‘This needs to look real. Say sorry, later.’ We were all like, okay, cool,” Nia said. “Being the larger person, I feel as though people feel, ‘Oh, we can hit the shit out of her. She’ll be fine’, which is true. Like for the most part, like I get wailed and whatever. I’m okay.”

“I didn’t punch her. But it did connect. I didn’t even realize it was Becky. I honestly thought it was Lana,” Nia continued. “Then I look around and I’m like, Oh my gosh, there’s blood everywhere. Then I look and I’m like, Oh crap, Becky’s down.”

She added that Vince shrugged off the incident when she went to him. He reportedly just said, “Well, it’s not ballet.”

The incident ended up having a big impact on the build-up to WrestleMania 35. At Survivor Series, Lynch had been planned to face Ronda Rousey. With Lynch out, Ronda ended up facing Charlotte Flair on the show. It had at one point been Flair vs Ronda scheduled for the Mania main event. After Lynch returned, the main event of WM35 was changed to a triple threat.

Nia Jax Offered a Spot in the Women’s Royal Rumble

Jax also commented on being offered a spot in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match after having been released from the company last year. She detailed what happened when a WWE employee called and asked her about being in the match.

“I was like, ‘Fu*k no, I’m not coming back.’ and he was like, ‘Oh, well, we’d like to offer you this.’ I said, ‘First of all, I already know I’m still under my 90 days. You’re still going to be paying me anyway, so you’re not offering me anything. No, I’m not fu**ing coming back. I was like, absolutely fu**ing not.’ I was like, ‘Is this all this was?’ and he was like, ‘Yes.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, bye.’”

H/T to WrestlingNewsCO for the above transcriptions.

Booker T has chimed in on Nia Jax saying it’s possible she will never wrestle again.

Jax was a polarizing figure in WWE. Many fans blamed her for causing a slew of injuries throughout her run. Still, Jax found success in the company and became a Raw Women’s Champion and a two-time women’s tag team champion with Shayna Baszler.

Nia ended up being a part of a wave of WWE roster cuts. She joined the likes of Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, and more.

Booker T Weighs In

Nia Jax recently took issue with people who said her real name was her ring name. At the end of her rant on social media, she said there’s a strong possibility that she’ll never step foot inside the squared circle again.

On a new episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T said it’s entirely possible that Nia wants to simply live a normal life.

“It’s a whole lot different I think for women than it is for men. Just think about it for a second, what do you remember seeing Nia Jax ever before she was in WWE?

“That’s exactly my point. So, for her to actually go out and do the other shows other than WWE, something that perhaps came to her and was an offer that probably she couldn’t pass up.

“Maybe something that she really didn’t even wanna do. Just think about that for a second, but sometimes when the opportunity comes and then you see what kind of numbers are behind that opportunity you say, ‘Okay I’ll try this.’

“And it turns out to be a career for you for a period of time but who’s to say Nia Jax don’t wanna do something else like have a family, have a regular life, be able to breathe for a moment?”

Booker went on to say that he believes Nia Jax would be a big fish in a small pond going to Impact Wrestling. He also expressed his belief that she’d do well in AEW. Of course, that is if Nia Jax decides to keep wrestling.

Do you think we’ve seen the end of Nia Jax inside the ring?

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Nia Jax was released from WWE earlier this month. Shortly after her departure, Jax revealed that WWE released her while she was on a leave of absence to focus on her mental health.

She recently updated her Twitter account and her personal website to reflect her birth name, Lina Fanene.

Apparently some people took that as her having a new ring name for pro wrestling, but that’s not the case. The former WWE Superstar took to social media to set the record straight there.

“Calm TF down trolls,” she wrote. She also revealed that it’s “highly unlikely” that we’ll see her back in a wrestling ring again.

The 37-year-old Nia Jax joined WWE in 2014. During her time in the company, she won the RAW Women’s Championship once and the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles along with Shayna Baszler twice.

Following her release from the company, Nia took to social media to release a statement.

“It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

The latest wave of WWE releases has created some controversy after it was reported that the vaccination status of some wrestlers played a part in the decision.

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter provided some more details on this. It explains how the situation was behind the scene.

According to the Newsletter, while talents were very much encouraged to get COVID-19 vaccines, nobody in WWE was warned that their jobs would be in danger if they didn’t get vaccinated.

One top talent was told they would be less valuable to the company if they weren’t vaccinated. This was because non-vaccinated talents couldn’t travel overseas for tours.

For those who don’t know, WWE released another 18 talents on November 4, including names such as Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, and Nia Jax.

• Staggering Tally Of WWE Wrestlers Released In 2021

It was later reported that the vaccination status of wrestlers was a factor behind some of these releases. This created a buzz and even prompted a response from Jax.

Though this isn’t the only controversy brewing from the latest wave of releases. Keith Lee has got people talking after claiming that he paid his own medical bills when he caught COVID. WWE has since responded to the claims calling them ‘erroneous.’

WWE released 18 wrestlers last week. Those cut from the roster were told the move was made for budgetary reasons. According to various reports, however, some wrestlers were cut in part due to not being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

The issue was addressed recently by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“It was probably a half-dozen or more that did not get vaxxed that were cut and it was very much part of the reason,” Meltzer said on the show. He would continue to say that these talent were not told that being unvaccinated could lead to their release. He also noted that unvaccinated talent would not be able to travel overseas for European tours, and this likely played a role in WWE’s decision as well.

“It was understood they wanted you to, absolutely, but nobody was told. If the idea was ‘we’re going to cut people who don’t get vaccinated’ I think they should tell people ahead of time. Maybe there are legal reasons why they don’t,” Meltzer continued.

Nia Jax was among the 18 wrestlers WWE released. She commented on vaccination status playing a role in her release in a statement she posted to social media.

“My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choice or options,” Nia wrote. It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

Nia Jax has issued a statement following her release from WWE. Jax was among 18 wrestlers let go by the company on Thursday.

Amid reports that her vaccination status was a factor behind her departure, Jax says WWE did not mention vaccinations when informing her that her services would no longer be needed.

Nia Jax reveals that she was on a “mental health break” when WWE released her. She recently requested an extension to the mental health break, because she is still dealing with personal issues. “The next thing I heard, I was being released.”

Nia Jax wrote on Instagram:

“I usually keep my personal life private, but yesterday’s reports leave me with no option but to clarify matters. I recently took a short leave of absence from WWE for a mental health break. I’ve been working through so much – more than I can share – and so I took some time, with the full support of the company, to take care of myself.

Earlier this week, after WWE sent me my schedule to return to the ring for the November 15 show, I asked for an extension to my mental health break, feeling that I needed more time, and hoping I would have the ongoing support of the company I have given my all to for the past 7 years. I did not receive a response. The next thing I heard, I was being released. My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choice or options.

It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

Nia Jax’s story is unfortunate, but its not unique. She is just one of 71 wrestlers released by WWE this year:

WWE released 18 wrestlers on Thursday. We’re now getting word that some people’s refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccination played a direct impact on their departures.

The NY Post was first to report that Nia Jax was among the handful of people let go due to their vaccination status.

“A source with knowledge of WWE’s operations told The Post that one of the reasons Nia Jax, a former WWE Raw women’s champion, was released is that she is unvaccinated,” wrote Ryan Glasspiegel.

Update: Nia Jax issued a statement about her WWE release and says the company did not mention vaccination status when informing her she’s being let go.

Clearly it was not all budget cuts

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com corroborated this story on Thursday’s episode of the Bryan and Lance Show. Alvarez says he heard some of the cuts were due to wrestlers being unwilling to get vaccinated.

“Yes, it is true. I’ve heard this from multiple sources, that there were individuals that were cut because they refused to get vaccinated,” Alvarez said on the show.

“So, clearly it was not all budget cuts. There were at least a small handful of names on that list that just weren’t going to get vaccinated and the company didn’t want to deal with it.”

The issue was also addressed by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Some of the talent released was due to them refusing to get vaccinated and not being big enough stars to get away with that,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He noted that it is believed 5 of the 18 were cut for this reason. One source noted the number could be larger than that, however.

A fully tally of everyone released from the company this year is available in the link below:

Nia Jax is expected to take an extended period off from WWE programming after recent injury angle on the September 20 episode of Monday Night Raw.

We have seen former NXT star Shayna Baszler talking out both her former tag team partner and Eva Marie by stomping their hands after putting them inside the steel steps in the past couple of weeks.

In an update, PWinsider is reporting that Marie was backstage for Friday’s episode of SmackDown. She was selling her injury by wearing a sling all night.

As for Jax, she wasn’t seen in the arena at all. Word is that the former women’s champion is taking an extended period off from WWE programming. The attack from Baszler was to write her off TV.

WWE has announced storyline injuries to both the female stars. Eva Marie is suffering from possible dislocated elbow while Jax is out with an elbow posterior fracture and dislocation in left elbow.

Based on these reports, we can expect Marie to stay out of action in near future. Though it’s possible that she still makes on screen appearances.

Nia Jax who was drafted to Raw during the additional draft picks made after SmackDown will likely not be seen on TV at all in the coming weeks.

A WWE producer has weighed in on the much-talked-about match between Charlotte and Nia Jax.

On the Aug. 30 edition of Monday Night Raw, Charlotte and Jax went one-on-one. Jax ended up getting the three-count but the match appeared to go off the rails. There was miscommunication in the ring and at some point, it looked as if both Charlotte and Jax were taking legit shots at each other before finally settling on the finish.

D-Von Dudley made an appearance on the “Table Talk” podcast and he addressed what went wrong.

“A lot of people suspect Nia and Charlotte got into it heavy. I even heard some reports that they were beating each other up in the back. Number one, they weren’t beating each other up in the back. Something happened in the ring, they handled it the way they handled it and they got over it. It’s as simple as that. They got over it.

“Were things done in the ring? I think it’s obvious. No dirtsheet writer can put me on blast and go, ‘Well, D-Von said…’ No, everybody saw what happened this past Monday. It got a little rough. It happens. It’s not the first time it happened, but of course, everyone is making a big deal out of it.”

D-Von went on to say that the one good thing that can come out of the incident is that more eyeballs will be on their next meeting. D-Von feels a well-built match can lead to good business for WWE.

Social media was ablaze after Raw last night, and it wasn’t anything to do with the two different title matches that took place. It was the contest between Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax that had fingers whirring over the keyboard.

The pair faced off against each other in a brutally stiff match which saw Nia Jax pick up the win, hitting Charlotte with a powerbomb for the pinfall victory. However, it was not the victory that sparked rumours of heat between the pair. Rather the mid-match point just after the commercial break on the televised show. The match took a much stiffer route with a series of cumbersome exchanges that looked to pack a little extra heat than normal.

Nia Jax his Charlotte with a spinebuster and a back drop. Both of which looked a little rough. However, Charlotte kicked out after just a one count. The exchange continued with the pair trading stiff slaps and shoves.

While the ending of the match was clear cut, there was a lot about the entire altercation that looked uncoordinated and uncooperative.

Nia Jax Picks Up a Big Win and then Makes a Bigger Statement

After the match Mick Foley even took to Twitter to comment on the affair, clearly noticing the tension shared by Nia Jax and Charlotte.

Later, Nia was a guest on Raw talk where she cut an angry promo about getting and taking her shot at the title.

“You know what, I’m sick of this,” Nia Jax said. “Yes, Charlotte is a 12-time champion, but I just beat, no I splattered, the RAW Women’s Champion. Do you know what? I think that gets me a title opportunity.”

At this point in time, it is not clear if there is any genuine heat between the pair, or if it was just a loss of temper and a couple of semi-botched moves. Nia Jax doesn’t have the reputation for being the smoothest worker out there. While Charlotte Flair has a lot of backstage sway in the company and may have taken umbrage to Nia’s mistakes.