– WWE Diva Paige wrote the following on Twitter about her debut at Madison Square Garden, which took place this past Friday night.
https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/548686468936654848
– The latest edition of Eden’s video blog looks at a new “Rhodes family tradition.” You can check that out below.
Apparently there’s a lot of negative talk about AJ Lee within WWE in recent weeks. Her “Slammy Awards” acceptance speech, which wasn’t scripted the way she delivered it, was viewed as a big shot at every Diva in WWE, outside of Paige.
There was also some negative talk about her taking time off from WWE to be with CM Punk for his UFC signing announcement at the UFC 181 event in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additionally, there appears to have been another incident with AJ. She was taken off an episode of WWE Main Event a month ago and that was reportedly linked to some kind of incident that happened backstage, described as a “hiccup” with her.
(News from The Wrestling Observer was used in this post. Visit F4WOnline.com for subscription information.)
As promised, here are the top pay-per-view events from 2014.
8. NXT Takeover
This event started off sluggish but certainly ended with a string of entertaining matches. In particular, the match between Tyler Breeze and Sami Zayn featured solid in-ring work and highlighted why both of these guys could succeed if given the opportunity.
The real treat during this pay-per-view, however, was the final two matches of the evening. The match between Charlotte and Natalya for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship was probably the most technically sound women’s match I’ve ever seen, and the main event between Neville and Tyson Kidd was the perfect way to end the show. In my opinion, this was the event that made fans realize NXT is more than simply a developmental league for the main roster.
Worst Match: Adam Rose vs. Camacho
Best Match: Charlotte vs. Natalya
7. Payback
There was some worry heading into this one, largely due to the absence of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The event would carry on just fine without the title, however. It started off strong with a bruising contest between Sheamus and Cesaro.
From there, the Last Man Standing match was entertaining, even if it would have been nice to see Wyatt pick up the victory. With that said, this pay-per-view is all about the main event. It was an awesome 30-minute affair that featured memorable spots, brutal action, and a decisive Shield victory. This was also important because it would set up Seth Rollins’ heel turn the next night on Raw.
Worst Match: Bo Dallas vs. Kofi Kingston
Best Match: The Shield vs. Evolution
2014 is coming to a close. Aside from two episodes of Raw that most likely be forgettable, fans have seen everything the WWE has to offer this year. Here is a look back at all 16 pay-per-views (including NXT), with each event ranked and summarized.
16. Battleground
This event took place during July, and boy was it a hot mess. The opening contest between the Usos and Wyatt Family was money, but it was downhill from there, as fans were subjected to one dud contest after another.
The biggest mistakes involved advertising a Rollins/Ambrose match that didn’t take place, and using the same predictable ending sequence during the main event. Overall, this was completely forgettable and easily the worst pay-per-view of the year.
Worst Match: Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt
Best Match: The Usos vs. The Wyatt Family
15. TLC
The final pay-per-view of the year was certainly not the best the company has to offer. Overall, this event suffered from a thin roster and overcomplicated booking. Like many pay-per-view events, it started off strong before derailing.
Ziggler and Harper stole the show during the opening contest. However, lame gimmicks (Stairs/Chairs Matches) and cheesy endings (Wyatt/Ambrose, Cena/Rollins) really held this event back and prevented it from being a success.
Worst Match: Ryback vs. Kane
Best Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper
– In October, 2K confirmed that WWE 2K15 will offer downloadable content this year, including a Season Pass program. The Season Pass program will be focused on additions for 2K Showcase, the game’s story-driven single-player campaign. In addition, those who purchase the Season Pass will get exclusive access to WWE Diva Paige, who is making her virtual gaming debut in WWE 2K15. Footage of Paige’s entrance has leaked online and you can check it out here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOwqo3P6jB8
– As seen on Raw, Jimmy Jacobs and Taeler Hendrix appeared as Rosebuds for Adam Rose. Other notable independent wrestlers who appeared as Rosebuds were Scarlett Bordeaux, Heidi Lovelace (wearing a green wig) and Leah Von Dutch.
– In a trivia note, at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs … and Stairs, Dolph Ziggler became the thirteenth person to capture the Intercontinental Championship on four occasions. He joins the likes of Edge, Chris Jericho and The Miz.
Drunk fan gets dragged out of WWE TLC arena by security (PHOTOS)
Although the late “smart money” has yet to come in, below are the current online betting odds for tonight’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, which shows the current betting favorites and underdogs.
– Team Cena -505 vs. Team Authority +335
– Nikki Bella -300 vs. AJ Lee +220
– Dean Ambrose -170 vs. Bray Wyatt +130
– The Miz & Damien Sandow -190 vs. Goldust & Stardust +160 vs. The Usos +210 vs. Los Matadores +350
– Team Natalya -125 vs. Team Paige -115
Remember, a (-) indicuates a betting favorite, while a (+) indicates an underdog. For example, in the main event, with Team Cena being (-505), it would take a $505 bet to earn $100 in profits. With Team Authority at (+335), a $100 bet would earn you $335 profit.
Make sure to check out the website later tonight for the best WWE Survivor Series live pay-per-view results coverage on the web!
Survivor Series is mere hours away at this point. This baby is totally free, so anyone paying for this pay-per-view is doing it all wrong. In total, there are five matches on the main card, including a traditional Survivor Series tag team main event. Without further ado, here are my predictions for tonight’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Fandango (with Rosa Mendes) vs. TBA
Although Fandango’s opponent has yet to be announced, I’d put my money on Adam Rose serving as the punching bag. The match will likely be used to further tension between Adam Rose and the Bunny, while also allowing Fandango to pick up a victory in his return to action.
Winner: Fandango by pinfall
Alicia Fox, Emma, Naomi, and Natalya vs. Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae (Divas Elimination Match)
This will be similar to last year’s Divas elimination match in that it will be total waste of ten minutes (and if we’re really lucky, we might get to see it again on Raw tomorrow!). This could go in many directions, but my guess is that Paige’s team wins after last eliminating Natalya.
Winners: Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae by pinfall
– Due to the fact that next year’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event is being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there is said to be some talk within the company of using an ECW Original or two as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match itself.
– WWE Diva Paige recently quoted WWE Hall Of Fame Jake “The Snake” Roberts on Twitter with the following line:
“People like me, we just don’t play.”
Once told by a fan about this, Roberts replied by saying:
“She’s top talent. Honored.”
(Partial Credit: PWInsider.com)
WWE announced a second traditional elimination match for this Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
In a Divas elimination match, the team of Alicia Fox, Natalya, Naomi and Emma will take on the team of Paige, Cameron, Summer Rae and Layla.
Make sure to visit the website this Sunday night for the best live WWE Survivor Series results coverage on the web.
The following matches were taped prior to Monday’s RAW in Roanoke,Virginia for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars.
– Paige def. Alicia Fox in Divas action. The finish saw Paige hit Fox with the RamPaige at about the five minute mark.
– Sin Cara def. Curtis Axel in the final match of the taping. Sin Cara picked up the win with a Swanton at about ten minutes into the match.
– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features WWE Diva Paige, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:
TIJ – EP91 – WWE Diva Paige & Ash The Fish Expert
“2X WWE Divas Champ Paige talks to Y2J about British wrestling, her WWE tryout, learning to cut promos from Dusty Rhodes, her two Championship title victories, which of the divas she calls “friend,” why she loves being a heel, and cockney slang! And Ash The Fish Expert returns to discuss recent Lake Monster sightings and answer your questions!”
You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.
– This week’s edition of “The JBL (Not Cole) Show,” which you can watch below, takes a look at the history of the show and some of its’ finest moments.
Survivor Series is less than two weeks away, and while three matches on the card are essentially set, much of the program is still unannounced. So, will the WWE work to build a pay-per-view that is solid from top to bottom, or are they simply throwing in the towel because this is a “free” event? Here is the card is expect to see on November 23rd in St. Louis.
Adam Rose vs. The Bunny
After attacking the Bunny last week on Raw, it appears these two legends of the squared circle will square off sooner rather than later. This pairing has kickoff show written all over it, as the company tries to get the crowd going with a “humorous” contest.
Gold & Stardust (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos
Los Matadores have picked up a few victories over Gold & Stardust over the past few weeks, and the Miz and his stunt double have also feuded with the champs. Throw in the Usos to make an even number of teams, and you’ve got yourself an elimination tag team match for the straps.
The following matches are confirmed for tonight’s edition of WWE RAW, which was taped earlier today in Liverpool, England:
– Seth Rollins vs. Jack Swagger
– Paige vs. Alicia Fox
– Rusev vs. Sheamus (U.S. Championship)
– Los Matadores vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Mark Henry
– A.J. Lee vs. Brie Bella
– Adam Rose vs. Tyson Kidd
– John Cena vs. Ryback
For complete spoilers for tonight’s RAW, click here.
The following are highlights of a DC 101 interview with WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee:
If we’ll ever see Divas in Hell In a Cell: “I can tell you for sure that women like myself and Paige are down for it, and I think more than capable of hanging with the guys in that kind of scenario, because we’re insane and we like to jump off of stuff!” “I think if anyone could do it we could, but if it’s not in my generation, it needs to happen someday, and I really think women could handle that.”
Possible contenders for the Divas Title after Paige: “I see so much potential in people who haven’t particularly gotten that opportunity yet, like Emma and Summer and even Lana. I think they are interesting characters and women who have a lot of potential and I would love to something that’s vastly different with one of those girls. Just someone we haven’t seen yet get a chance.”
What really made her love wrestling: “Anything with Eddie Guerrero, especially WrestleMania 20 because I was at that one. Just to see the confetti and him crying and holding the title. Anything that he was in I was drawn to. I liked having a character that wasn’t 100% good or 100% evil, he just rode that line.”
Check out the complete interview at DC101.com.
– The “soldier” who Rusev attacked on Monday’s RAW was Independent wrestler and Magnum Pro Wrestling owner Jaysin Strife. Strife has never served in the US military.
– Former ROH champion Adam Pearce is making his third visit to the WWE Performance Center this week, leading to speculation that he is there to interview for a job. If Pearce does end up landing a job as a trainer in WWE, he might end up replacing Nick Dinsmore who was released last week.
– During his Q&A session on Twitter last night, Chris Jericho revealed that Paige will be appearing on his podcast “Soooooon.”
Soooooon “@Ram_Paigerx: @IAmJericho Are you ever gonna have @RealPaigeWWE on @TalkIsJericho?”
— Talk Is Jericho (@TalkIsJericho) October 22, 2014
(Partial Source: PWInsider.com)
We are less than one week away from the WWE’s latest pay-per-view, Hell in a Cell. At last year’s event, Shawn Michaels betrayed Daniel Bryan in a championship match against Randy Orton.
A lot has changed over the past year, evidenced by the fact that Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose will be headlining half of the double main event. The shelf life of a WWE superstar can be short, so it’s always important for superstars to make the most of their time in the ring, especially at pay-per-views. Here is a look at the superstars who have progressed, regressed, or remained stagnant over the past year.
Progression:
1. Dean Ambrose
Nobody had made more progress since last year than Dean Ambrose. At last year’s event, Ambrose was an invisible US Champion and lost his undercard contest to Big E by countout.
This year, he will be headlining the event in a Hell in a Cell match with Seth Rollins. He continues to receive as much airtime as anyone on Raw each week and has been getting great reactions from the crowds. What a difference a year makes.
2. Seth Rollins
Although Dean Ambrose has progressed the most over the past year, his former partner Seth Rollins is a close second. Rollins will be joining Ambrose inside of a Hell in a Cell for half of the main event, and also holds the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Over the past year, Rollins has improved every aspect of his game. He is stronger on the mic, he developed a convincing and unique finisher, and has adopted a heel personality that has gotten over with the fans. Rollins is a star on the rise and without a doubt a future world champion.
WWE announced a second match for this coming Monday’s edition of RAW. In a Divas tag-team match, AJ Lee will get to team with a partner of her choosing to take on Paige and Alicia Fox.
The Divas tag match joins the aforementioned handicap street fight announced for the show, which features John Cena and Dean Ambrose teaming up to take on the trio of Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Kane.
Also announced for Monday’s RAW, the Hell In A Cell cage will be hanging above the ring during the show, as revealed by Triple H in his latest WWE.com sit-down interview with Michael Cole.
– WWE Diva Paige will be a playable character in the upcoming WWE 2K15 video game as part of the LC Season Pass ($24.99), according to Gamestop.com:
The 2K Showcase Season Pass brings you more action and excitement from WWE 2K15’s all-new 2K Showcase Mode. Save over 20% on three 2K Showcase Add-On Packs and receive the Exclusive Character Paige! 2K Showcase lets you relive groundbreaking rivalries and matches in this all-new single player campaign told through your gameplay and historic WWE footage!
– The latest WWE “Five Things” video looks at “Strange rules you didn’t know existed” –
This week on Five Things, Tom Phillips introduces five of the strangest, but true rules in WWE. From two obscure Royal Rumble rulings to a pinfall clause in Falls Count Anywhere Matches, you are bound to learn a new rule or two in the WWE Universe.
– During a recent interview with Fighting Spirit Magazine, WWE Superstar Cesaro spoke about helping out with the WWE 2K15 video game, as he participated in motion-capture activities for his character:
“I did motion-capture before, but it was always for other people. This time I just went and did it for myself, and that was awesome because it was like, “Yeah, just be yourself. Do your move.” It was pretty surreal, and then seeing it “live” in the video game was awesome because it’s so realistic. It was another tick off the board for me, so to speak. You’ll see little things that I do in the ring that are in the video game too.”
– Former WWE Divas Champion Paige appeared at the Austin Comic Con in Austin, Texas this past Thursday for a live Q&A session. During the live chat, Paige was asked if she is currently dating anyone, to which she responded with the following quote (which also contains a photo of her at the event):
What is @RealPaigeWWE's relationship status? "Thanks for reminding me that I'm painfully single!" #wwaustincc pic.twitter.com/uRAE6LjnTR
— Wizard World (@WizardWorld) October 3, 2014
The following are highlights of the latest Jim Ross blog:
On The Bunny and PG wrestling: “Admittedly, I am not in WWE’s target demo any longer but I’m still a fan but for the life of me I can’t ascertain the usefulness of a mini bull, a mini alligator or a giant rabbit. Apparently, I just don’t get it. Perhaps it’s the ‘Disney’ influence of the PG aspect of today’s WWE and if so that would make sense.”
On Diva action that he has enjoyed: “I’d like to see more AJ Lee vs. Paige and then see Natalya and Charlotte added to the mix to energize the female competition and WWE could still promote Total Divas which I understand why they have to do such.”
On Dolph Ziggler and unifying the I-C and U.S. titles: “Still optimistic that Dolph Ziggler can renew the luster to the IC Title and I am still an advocate of WWE combining the IC and the US Titles as a way to turn Sheamus heel with the US Title going away.”
On tension between John Cena and Dean Ambrose: “The tension that evolved during the show between Cena and Ambrose caught my attention and I’m curious as to where that might go. Cena’s polarizing rub would help make Ambrose a bigger fan favorite of which WWE is sorely lacking at the moment.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
TOP UFC Fighter SUSPENDED For Failing DRUG-TEST + PBP Of JR’s MMA Debut!
WWE legend The Undertaker is scheduled for a rare public appearance at Austin Comic Con next month from Texas’ Austin Convention Center.
Former Divas champion Paige will also be in attendance.
Paige’s autograph session takes place Thursday, October 2nd from 5:30-8:30pm. Autographs cost $30 while photo ops run $40.
The Undertaker will be appearing on Friday, October 3rd from 4:30-8:3pm. Undertaker autographs go for $75, while a photo op is priced at $80.
Fans can also purchase a VIP ticket to the Undertaker’s session for approximately $300. A combined VIP ticket for Taker and Paige is about $350.
For more information, visit WizardWorld.com.
WWE RAW emanates from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee with the fallout from Sunday night’s WWE Night Of Champions pay-per-view.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, who successfully retained his title in his rematch against John Cena on Sunday, is not advertised to be a part of the show. Also expected to be absent tonight are Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns.
Superstars that are advertised for tonight’s show include Dean Ambrose, The Wyatt Family, Randy Orton, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Triple H, Kane, Cesaro, Sheamus, Big E and The Usos.
In the case of Reigns, as noted above, he is not expected to appear, however he is included in the advertisements for the show. It’s worth noting that this is likely a case of advertisements that were released prior to his emergency surgery this weekend.
WWE is focusing on the following points in their “RAW Five-Point Preview” for tonight’s show.
– Who is next for Brock Lesnar?
– Will Dolph Ziggler look for retribution on The Miz tonight?
– What will Goldust and Stardust do next?
– Will Paige and Nikki Bella prey upon AJ Lee now that she’s the Divas Champion?
– Will Dean Ambrose strike at Seth Rollins once again?
WWE Diva Emma got her start in the company in its’ developmental system known as NXT, however she was the first new generation female to debut on the main roster. Less than a year and one arrest later, Emma is back on NXT programming. This may seem like a step down for her, but NXT provides Emma with greater opportunities.
Emma made her main roster debut in January of 2014 and quickly developed a friendship with fellow comedic superstar Santino Marella. Unfortunately, Marella had a career ending injury and officially announced his retirement at a house show in July. That same month, Emma was arrested, released and then reinstated after an incident involving shoplifting. It was not a great month for Emma.
After her arrest, Emma was being used less and less on WWE programming. And without Santino around, WWE didn’t seem to have much to do for Emma.
If you look at the current state of the Divas Championship in WWE, it’s pretty crowded. AJ Lee was the top diva for 343 days until another new generation diva was promoted to the main roster. Paige and AJ have become the modern day Trish and Lita. They are levels above the rest of the girls. However, with the heel turn of Total Diva Nikki Bella, another contender has entered the title picture. This has left Emma at the bottom of the list of divas on the main roster.
Now thinking about the Womens’ title over in NXT, Emma would make a great and logical choice for the next number one contender. Emma and Paige squared off for the NXT Women’s title at the brand’s first special event, NXT ArRIVAL but the Aussie came up short. This could be attributed to the fact that Emma had already debuted on the main roster, while Paige was solely on NXT.
Since NXT ArRIVAL, the Womens’ title has been held by Ric Flair’s daughter, Charlotte. While the Nature Boy’s daughter continues to improve, she may have been more lucky than talented. Emma was on the main roster and thus, not considered to become the new champion when Paige vacated the Womens’ title. Summer Rae is also an NXT diva who spends most of her time on the main roster shows.
Who is left on NXT? Charlotte, Bayley and Sasha Banks are the top dogs in the womens’ division. WWE hasn’t promoted Banks as a leader. She developed a partnership with both Charlotte and Summer Rae known as the BFFs, but Banks was clearly the sidekick of the group. Then, there is Bayley. She has a super sweet gimmick of what appears to be a teeny bopper type of girl. She seems great, but not necessarily strong enough to be the champion.
The womens’ division in NXT could use Emma. Charlotte, Bayley and Sasha Banks are holding their own, but fans need another strong babyface. With the ladder too tall to climb on the main roster, Emma would benefit from the stoop she needs to climb in NXT. She is already proven there and the opportunities down in Tampa are endless for the Aussie.
What are your thoughts on Emma as the next number one contender for the NXT Womens’ title? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Night of Champions is only a few days away. Even though the WWE has been serving up plates of garbage on Raw for weeks now, many still have high hopes for this pay-per-view, as every title in the company will be defended.
With that said, here are my predictions for this Sunday’s Night of Champions pay-per-view, which in case you haven’t heard, can be viewed on the WWE Network for only $9.99 (or $12.99 if you’re afraid of commitment).
Nikki Bella vs. Paige (WWE Divas Champion) vs. AJ Lee
I don’t expect it to be a terrible contest, as two of the three competitors are great workers and Nikki isn’t the worst Diva fans have ever seen. In the end, I believe Nikki will capture the title with help from her sister, reuniting the Bella Twins and putting an end to their horrible feud.
Winner: Nikki Bella by pinfall
Sheamus (United States Champion) vs. Cesaro
This should be one of the more exciting contests of the night, but I unfortunately don’t see it being given a ton of time. Although Cesaro will put up a hell of a fight, Sheamus will retain after hitting a Brogue Kick, possibly setting up a feud with Rusev for the United States Championship in the near future.
Winner: Sheamus by pinfall
WWE announced a Divas tag-team match for Monday’s RAW, which is the “go-home” show for next Sunday’s Night Of Champions pay-per-view.
Brie Bella and AJ Lee will team up to take on the duo of Paige and Nikki Bella at the show, which emanates from the Cajundone in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Also scheduled for Monday’s RAW, as noted earlier today, is the return of several top NXT talents. Currently booked for RAW (and SmackDown) next week are Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn and Tyler Breeze.
Finally, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is also scheduled to return at next week’s RAW. As seen on this past Monday night’s show in Baltimore, John Cena promised that he’s either kicking Lesnar’s ass, or Paul Heyman’s, if Lesnar doesn’t show up.