– 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.
WWE released a promotional video for this year’s “Payback” pay-per-view which has led to rumors on what the possible main event could be.
Based on the video, which you can watch above, speculation has spread that the main event of this year’s WWE Payback pay-per-view will be a triple-threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship between Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Roman Reigns.
WWE Payback takes place on Sunday, May 17, 2015, from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
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.
Tonight’s Raw was held in Albany, New York and was the final episode before this Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. The Viper was on the prowl all night, Rusev struck one more time, and The Miz and Mizdow battled over the rights to “The Miz brand.” Here are the pros and cons from tonight’s go-home edition of Raw.
Pros
Randy Orton kicked off the show with a solid promo. He talked about how he was going to drag Seth Rollins around by his “stupid blonde streak” and how he doesn’t “need the RKO” on Sunday. Rollins countered by saying, “I play this game of human chess better than anybody.” In the end, Orton said he would get the RKO out of his system by hitting Rollins, along with anyone else who got in his way, with the move. Overall, it was a good way to start the show and set up a final confrontation between the two at the end of the night.
Luke Harper vs. Dean Ambrose was the first match of the night, and it wasn’t a terrible way to kick off the in-ring action. It was nice to see the WWE remove the muzzle from Harper and let him say a few words, as this guy actually does have some skill on the mic. The action was strictly brawling in nature, with the action spilling into the crowd (something that doesn’t happen enough, in my opinion). It ended in a double count-out, and set up a street fight between the two on Sunday that shouldn’t disappoint.
Bray Wyatt cut a nice promo tonight. Much like previous weeks, he referred to himself as the “New Face of Fear” while vaguely threatening some unknown superstar. We all know there are going to be some shenanigans during the main event on Sunday, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Wyatt ruin another main event (much like he did at Hell in a Cell between Ambrose/Rollins) and cost Orton the match on Sunday, thus setting up a program between the two.
The Lucha Dragons and New Day worked really well together tonight. The match was basically a spot fest, but that was largely due to the Dragons putting on a great show. Some memorable spots included an amazing counter of a tornado DDT into a northern lights suplex by Kalisto, and also a double moonsault to take out the New Day at ringside. In the end, Xavier Woods cost the Lucha Dragons the match and earned the New Day their rightful spot on the kickoff show this Sunday. It is worth noting that the New Day were one of Orton’s numerous victims tonight.
Sheamus was supposed to square off with Zach Ryder tonight, but that never really happened after the Celtic Warrior brutalized and berated the Long Island Iced-Z. Sheamus plays the douchey heel so well, and even has the look after his recent makeover. Ziggler eventually interrupted the beating by coming to the ring to hit a Zig-Zag on his Extreme Rules opponent.
The backstage vignettes usually blow, but they were surprisingly good tonight. From Orton RKOing Heath Slater through a table to Rusev attacking Cena to Miz holding up his flop of a DVD, there was some good stuff tonight.
Even though Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler was obviously a vehicle to set up a confrontation between Rollins and Orton to end the show, they still put on a good show and it was nice to see a non-tag team main event for once. They held back a bit, but there were some good spots, including a big DDT from Ziggler, as well as a counter of the powerbomb into a sunset flip. Sheamus distracted Ziggler and cost him the match, but Rollins wouldn’t get to celebrate for long, as the show ended with The Viper striking and hitting a huge RKO. Also, it sadly looks like the reports were true and the Curb Stomp is gone for good. R.I.P. :(
Finally, John Cena cut an intense promo before issuing yet another open challenge. Kane was irked from earlier in the night and decided he would answer the call. These guys have worked together on numerous occasions before, so it’s not surprising that they had decent chemistry. There weren’t many wrestling moves utilized, but the brawling action was entertaining, with Cena eventually picking up the win after countering the tombstone piledriver into an AA.
WrestleZone.com is claiming to have exclusive information regarding the WWE banning Seth Rollins’ Curb Stomp finisher, as the report claims the company feels it is too dangerous to be performed on a weekly basis. There is no official confirmation on whether the news is actually legitimate, but the full text is below.
According to WWE sources, the company will be banning Seth Rollins from using the curb stomp finishing move.
WWE’s feeling about the move, which the WWE World Heavyweight Champion uses as his finisher, is that it’s too much of a direct liability and risk for a head injury. All of sports is trying to be more proactive when it comes to preventing head injuries and concussions, and this is the reason for WWE banning the curb stomp.
WWE reportedly doesn’t want its top star to be doing that move every night and they also don’t want to be showing it in past clips or videos anymore. This is why last week on RAW when Rollins came out, the video which played during his entrance was primarily just graphics of his name. The normal entrance video for Rollins features a compilation of clips, several of which are him performing the curb stomp.
Do you feel the Curb Stomp poses a higher risk than other moves? Should it be banned? Discuss the situation in the comments section.
Jim Ross recently updated the blog on his official website to share his thoughts on Monday’s RAW in London, among other topics. Below are some highlights:
WWE Network airing one of his one-man shows: “We are in talks with WWE to tape a version of our RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross show for airing on the WWE Network at some point in the future. Details are still being discussed but this could happen much sooner than later. If all the details get finalized we would likely tape the show in Orlando at the NXT Arena. Fingers crossed for this project which I hope will lead to more opportunities to contribute to @WWENetwork.”
Crowd chants at RAW: “Thought some of the insider oriented crowd chants were distracting and unnecessary. I wonder if it’s truly the fan’s expressing their feelings or simply trying to gain attention on TV? Or perhaps a little of both?”
Roman Reigns: “Roman Reigns seems to be on a more acceptable pace to become accepted by the fans who have demonstrated that they are not fans of a systematic and structured game plan to establish new, fan favorites. I like Reigns and have every confidence in him becoming a top level main eventer in WWE for years to come. The process simply takes time and careful planning and execution.”
Tough Enough: “Curious to see what the skinny is on Tough Enough returning to TV. Anxious to see the cast including the coaches. TE is a solid concept but the cast of characters that interact each week make or break the show. That’s the reality TV business in a nutshell.”
Seth Rollins: “WWE Champion Seth Rollins had a really good night in London and is improving in his role every week or so it seems to me. Smart creative to have such a talented albeit beatable WWE Champion who is surrounded by ‘protection.’ J&J Security are underrated, entertaining and add a great deal to Rollins’ presentation.”
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins recently spoke with The Independent in the UK to promote WWE’s ongoing European tour. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
His Match Against John Cena & Brock Lesnar At Royal Rumble:
“The match itself was something that I knew going into was going to be a big opportunity for me, as I was the ring with two legends of our time in John Cena and Brock Lesnar. Being pretty much the underdog in that situation I knew I had to step up my game and do my best to steal a little bit of their thunder.
“I was very pleased with the outcome and even though I didn’t walk out the winner, it was still a performance that catapulted me to the next level.”
Feuding With Jon Stewart:
“It all kinda came out of nowhere,” Rollins reminisces. “I just said one little line in jest on Raw and one thing led to another. Then I’m on The Daily Show hanging out with Olivia Wilde so it was definitely a cool experience, and something I never considered that I’d do growing up watching Craig Kilborn and Jon Stewart on that show.
“Jon was a huge fan, totally professional all the way and an awesome dude. He’s a hell of a promo too so everything about that was 100% awesome. I was really thrilled to work with him and hopefully we can do something again in the future.”
The NXT Star He’d Like To Work With:
“Probably Sami Zayn. He’s a guy who is one of the most resilient performers that we’ve ever seen, and he’s got an incredible connection with the audience. No offense to Finn Balor but he doesn’t need a crazy entrance and body paint, he doesn’t have all the wild athleticism that Neville has, he doesn’t necessarily have the wits about him that a Kevin Owens does, or the fanfare of Hideo Itami, but he has that little intangible that sets him apart from everybody else.”
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!
WWE will be taping tonight’s edition of RAW this afternoon at the O2 Arena in London, England. SEScoops.com will have live spoiler results coverage of the entire taping starting at approximately 2:30pm EST.
Official for tonight’s show is a number one contender Divas battle royal, with the winner earning a shot at WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella at this month’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Also confirmed for RAW this week is another “U.S. Open Challenge” from WWE United States Champion John Cena, and the possible revelation of who Bray Wyatt has been talking about in his recent promos.
WWE Superstars and Divas advertised to appear at RAW this week include Randy Orton, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Rusev, Kane, Ryback, Paige and The Bella Twins.
WWE is focusing on the following points for this week’s RAW:
– How will The Viper get even with Seth Rollins?
– Could John Cena lose the U.S. Title in the U.K.?
– Which Diva will get the ultimate chance against Nikki Bella?
– Will Sheamus be cut down to size?
– Has The Miz’s spotlight been stolen?
Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com at approximately 2:30pm EST. for live spoiler results coverage of WWE RAW!
– The official WWE website has a new poll up asking fans who they would like to see Sting face next in WWE. With over 25,000 votes, The Undertaker is in a comanding lead with 62 percent of the vote. Triple H follows with 14 percent of the vote, while the other options, which includes Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, Bray Wyatt and The Rock, all have six percent. You can vote on the poll right now at WWE.com.
– Chris Jericho’s new “Nothing To Report” Comedy Central web series is scheduled to premiere this Monday on YouTube and on Comedy Central’s official website. Jericho filmed the show last summer along with Nick Mundy.
– WWE Diva Cameron is giving away a 2015 “prom package” to one lucky fan with a custom prom dress, hair and make-up. Check out the video below for more details.
– Coming out of this year’s WrestleMania, it’s worth noting that all but two of WWE’s current male champions (John Cena and Tyson Kidd) came from Ring Of Honor. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, NXT Champion Kevin Owens, WWE Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan and one-half of the WWE Tag-Team Champions, Cesaro, all spent time in ROH.
– This week’s edition of NXT featured a look at Hideo Itami’s “Road to WrestleMania,” which led to the following back-and-forth on Twitter between Itami and NXT Champion Kevin Owens.
– WWE recently applied for a number of new trademarks. WWE has applied to trademark the term “Superfriends Crew,” possibly for a new stable. They also applied for “New Face of Fear” for Bray Wyatt, “Lone Wolf” for Baron Corbin, “The Vigilante” for Sting, “Anti-Diva” for Paige, “The Beast Within” for Brock Lesnar, and other terms such as Starrcade, Halloween Havoc and WWE Nation.
– UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey has signed with Dany Garcia, The Rock’s ex-wife and business partner, to be her new business manager. With a budding movie career (Fast 7, The Expendables 3) and a new book coming out next month, it will be interesting to see what’s next from UFC’s most dangerous female fighter.
It’s worth noting that Rousey and The Rock also share the same agent, Brad Slater.
– It’s believed that stipulations will be added to the Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton WWE title match and John Cena vs. Rusev U.S. title match at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Also expected for the PPV is Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler in singles action, and either Big Show vs. Roman Reigns or Big Show & Kane vs. Roman Reigns & Ryback. Already scheduled for Extreme Rules, in addition to the two aforementioned title matches, is an Intercontinental Championship bout between Daniel Bryan and Bad News Barrett.
It was reported last week that almost no one knew that Seth Rollins was going to be cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase and winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31 until half-way through the show, however that is not the case.
Brock Lesnar knew about Rollins cashing in prior to signing his new WWE contract and because he, Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns were working closely together during the build-up of the match, the belief is Reigns knew a few days in advance as well.
Regarding Reigns not winning the title, which was the original plan for WrestleMania, many WWE talents have been really defensive of Reigns and there has even been some bitterness towards the vocal fans that ultimately forced the change in plans. Even though in WWE who aren’t knocking the vocal fans are said to be very defensive of Reigns.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. the internal reaction to Reigns losing this year is said to be nearly the complete opposite of the way talents reacted to Batista last year, as he went through a similar situation with the vocal fans changing plans for WrestleMania XXX, which was suppped to end with “The Animal” winning the title.
The feeling regarding Reigns is that the company spent a year building him and grooming him to be the next top guy, and then the vocal fans put his big climax in jeopardy, ultimately costing him the title and what would have been the most important moment of his career.
– Brie Bella has been hinting on social media that she will be winning the Divas Battle Royal on RAW next Monday and will be challenging her sister, Nikki Bella, for the WWE Divas Championship.
– Seth Rollins, who headed out for WWE’s tour of Europe on Tuesday, tweeted the following:
– WWE talents who were booked to travel to Glasgow, Scotland on Tuesday were Seth Rollins, John Cena, Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton, Ryback, Kane, Joey Mercury, Jamie Noble, Kalisto, Sin Cara, The Ascension, Luke Harper, Goldust, The Bella Twins, Paige, Eden, and Naomi.
– Below is a clip from Chris Jericho’s live podcast interview with John Cena on the WWE Network from Monday night. In the clip, Cena talks to Jericho about his days in Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Tonight’s episode of Raw was held in Austin, Texas, and featured the fallout from last week’s epic post-WrestleMania show. Fans saw a new number one contender crowned, John Cena issue another open challenge, and Sheamus solidify himself as a heel. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from this week’s Raw.
Pros
The Authority opening segment is something we’ve all seen a million times before, but it actually worked out well this time around. Rollins gloated about his win at WrestleMania, while Big Show put over the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Randy Orton quickly interrupted the segment, declaring his RKO at WrestleMania to be the “most spectacular RKO of my career.” Damn straight, it was. This also set up the first meaningful main event on Raw in what feels like ages, as it was announced that Orton, Ryback, and Reigns would compete in a triple threat match to determine the number one contender at Extreme Rules. (Although wasn’t it already announced that Orton and Rollins would compete in the main event this past week?)
Seth Rollins was scheduled to face an unnamed opponent. As soon as Neville’s music hit, this was pretty much guaranteed to be match of the night. This was fought at a frantic pace for the most part, with both superstars gaining the upper hand at times. Neville utilized a number of aerial maneuvers during the match, including an awesome dive to the floor that saw him land on his feet. Rollins was equally impressive and showed why he’s the champ, as he worked over the NXT newcomer while hitting all of his signature moves. It was funny to hear JBL slip up and say Adrian Neville before quickly correctly himself. (Sorry JBL, they don’t do first names in the WWE anymore.) This had a few amazing sequences near the end including a rollup from Neville and Rollins countering into a powerbomb into the corner in a match that made both guys look good.
There was nobody in the company in more need of a face/heel change than Sheamus. He was as stale as a year-old loaf of bread as a face and cheesy af. His promo tonight was good and he was definitely over with the crowd. He was talking smack and listing off his measurements (he almost made it to his shoe size) before being interrupted by the World’s Strongest Man. The contest itself was pretty entertaining – with Henry tossing Sheamus around to the delight of his hometown crowd during the opening moments of the match. Sheamus countered the World’s Strongest Slam into a stiff Brogue Kick to end an entertaining segment.
The Prime Time Players were humorous during their Ascension parody promo.
This week’s main event was a triple threat match featuring Orton, Reigns, and Ryback. All three superstars were victorious earlier in the night and the winner of the main event would have a chance to challenge Seth Rollins at Extreme Rules. Orton was the star of the show early, hitting powerslams on both Ryback and Reigns. Ryback then took over for a little while and nailed Reigns with a Meat Hook before countering an RKO into a spinebuster. His momentum was brought to a screeching halt after taking a spear from Reigns, however. The Authority approached the ring and Reigns leapt over the top rope to take everyone out. Big Show would make him pay for his actions by hitting him with the knockout punch. The Authority then focused their efforts on taking out the Viper, and Ryback would get rid of J&J before taking an RKO from outta nowhere and losing the match. Orton wouldn’t have any time to celebrate though, as Rollins quickly delivered a Curb Stomp and stood over Orton to end the show. Even if the outcome was never really in doubt, it was nice to see a main event that had some kind of implications on the storyline, and it did something to further the feud between Orton and Rollins, so this has to be considered a positive.
Finally, say what you will about John Cena, but I think putting the United States Championship around his waist was a great idea. We got a quality match with Dean Ambrose last week, and this week was no different with Stardust rolling out to answer the open challenge. These two went together like beer and peanuts and put on an entertaining match. Cena dominated the match for the most part, but Stardust had his moments, such as when he countered an Alabama Slam into a sunset flip early in the contest. Cena showed his strength on multiple occasions by countering Cross Rhodes into a big power slam. In the end, Cena retained by hitting the springboard stunner he’s been using lately and following it up with an AA. Overall, it was a good match and it’s nice to seeing the title being defended on a weekly basis.
Randy Orton will challenge WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins in the main event of Extreme Rules on Sunday, April 26th.
Orton defeated Roman Reigns and Ryback in a triple threat match on RAW to earn the title shot. After the match, Orton ate a curb stomp at the hands of Seth Rollins, who stood tall above a fallen Orton after RAW went off the air.
Also announced for the show, Daniel Bryan will defend the IC title against Bad News Barrett and Rusev gets a US title rematch against John Cena.
Join us here on April 26th for live results of WWE Extreme Rules.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Samoa Joe: “I find it weak that some pundits think that Samoa Joe gave a “political answer” when someone at my show in San Jose asked him if he would have any issue with starting a potential WWE career in NXT and Joe said he’d do whatever was asked of him. Is that being political or simply being a smart, team player? The best headline for some wresting sites may be to go with the “political” answer instead of giving the athlete the credit for being a guy who wants a shot and will work hard in any environment to earn that opportunity. NXT is WWE’s hottest brand at the moment in the eyes of many and it’s not like it’s ‘A’ Ball.”
Changes To WWE HOF Ceremony: “A case of JR’s BBQ Sauce says that WWE will make significant format changes and put more checks and balances in place to ensure that the 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t top four hours in Dallas. For those going to WM32, I’d advise everyone to try and base out of Dallas as the Stadium is Arlington which is between Dallas and Ft Worth. The HOF and RAW after WM32 will both be held at the American Airlines Center while the Axxess activities will be at the Dallas Convention Center. Sounds like Dallas will the place to your hat. We plan on having the RINGSIDE with Jim Ross Show on Saturday afternoon prior to the HOF Induction Ceremony in Dallas at this time.”
WWE Champion Seth Rollins: “Seth Rollins is an old school booker’s dream…an averaged sized, heel champion who could ‘easily’ lose on any given night. But…when was the last time that WWE changed a title at a live event? Nonetheless the theory is still in tact. Smart booking. On this week’s Ross Report Podcast I have Rollins retaining the WWE Title until WM32 where he finally meets BROCK LESNAR!!! Uh, oh….more fantasy booking on this week’s podcast including Lesnar winning the Royal Rumble.”
– The new documentary on the life and career of The Iron Sheik is now available on Netflix.
– The Rock’s new film, “Furious 7,” opened to an estimated $56 million to $60 million on Friday night.
– Speaking of The Rock, the following is a segment from the new “Lip Sync Battle” show which features The Rock performing Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” against Jimmy Fallon on the premiere episode.
– Below is Byron Saxton’s full sit-down interview with Roman Reigns, which aired on this week’s SmackDown. During the interview, Reigns claims he would have beaten Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31 if he had 30 more seconds, and promises to beat Seth Rollins again.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross has updated his website blog with thoughts on the reaction to Samoa Joe’s comments at his WrestleMania weekend one-man show, format changes to next year’s WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony, thoughts on Seth Rollins as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and more. Below are some highlights.
On Samoa Joe to WWE: “I find it weak that some pundits think that Samoa Joe gave a “political answer” when someone at my show in San Jose asked him if he would have any issue with starting a potential WWE career in NXT and Joe said he’d do whatever was asked of him. Is that being political or simply being a smart, team player? The best headline for some wresting sites may be to go with the “political” answer instead of giving the athlete the credit for being a guy who wants a shot and will work hard in any environment to earn that opportunity. NXT is WWE’s hottest brand at the moment in the eyes of many and it’s not like it’s ‘A’ Ball.
Joe also said he’d love to work with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania next year. News flash….what wrestler worth their salt wouldn’t want that main event opportunity?”
On next year’s WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony: “A case of JR’s BBQ Sauce says that WWE will make significant format changes and put more checks and balances in place to ensure that the 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t top four hours in Dallas. For those going to WM32, I’d advise everyone to try and base out of Dallas as the Stadium is Arlington which is between Dallas and Ft Worth. The HOF and RAW after WM32 will both be held at the American Airlines Center while the Axxess activities will be at the Dallas Convention Center. Sounds like Dallas will the place to your hat. We plan on having the RINGSIDE with Jim Ross Show on Saturday afternoon prior to the HOF Induction Ceremony in Dallas at this time.”
On Seth Rollins as WWE World Heavyweight Champion: “Seth Rollins is an old school booker’s dream…an averaged sized, heel champion who could ‘easily’ lose on any given night. But…when was the last time that WWE changed a title at a live event? Nonetheless the theory is still in tact. Smart booking. On this week’s Ross Report Podcast I have Rollins retaining the WWE Title until WM32 where he finally meets BROCK LESNAR!!! Uh, oh….more fantasy booking on this week’s podcast including Lesnar winning the Royal Rumble.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
– At Sunday’s WrestleMania 31 PPV, Sting and The Undertaker shared locker room, while Brock Lesnar and Hulk Hogan also shared a room.
– Earlier this week on RAW, some fans noticed that Seth Rollins’ WWE Championship belt did not feature the Seth Rollins “side plates” that WWE tweeted a photo of after WrestleMania. Apparently the Rollins side plates that were ordered did not fit the belt correctly and new ones have been ordered.
– Speaking of WWE’s championship belts, the company is currently working on a new design for John Cena’s United States Championship.
WWE made the call to have Seth Rollins cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase and win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship late in the show at WrestleMania 31 this past Sunday.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rollins found out about the new plans as The Rock and Ronda Rousey segment was going on. He was then taken into a room with producer Michael Hayes, as well as Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns, to go over the new plans for the finish of the main event.
Originally, the plan was for Reigns to win the title from Lesnar, however WWE reportedly changed those plans sometime in advance. The belief is that Lesnar was fully aware of the new plans before he signed his new deal with WWE last Tuesday.
It’s unknown when Reigns found out that he wasn’t going to become the new champion, however as noted earlier today, his family, particularly his father Sika, was furious when they realized Reigns wasn’t winning as planned, and reportedly wanted to “go to war” with WWE as a result.
With Michael Cole “injured,” Byron Saxton handled the sit-down video interview for WWE.com this week. The full interview, which features Roman Reigns, is scheduled to air during this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown.
“It was terrible. It was right there, I was right there. I climbed the mountain, I felt the top, I was looking down and I got pulled right off of it in a matter of moments” said Reigns during the interview about coming up short at WrestleMania 31 this past Sunday.
“That Seth Rollins, that was his job and that’s what he did,” Reigns added. “He had the Money In the Bank briefcase with a contract he could cash in at any time and what a perfect time – let the animals take each other out and pick the bones. That’s what he did. But I did something too…”
coming out next month, it will be interesting to see what’s next from UFC’s most dangerous female fighter.