Posts Tagged ‘WrestleMania’

A Look At The WWE & Universal Title Matches At WrestleMania 37 (Editorial)

Now that WWE Championship and Universal Championship matches are set for WrestleMania 37, I wanted to break down the prospects of both and how I believe they should go down. Let’s begin with Bobby Lashley, current WWE Champion, up against Drew McIntyre.

To begin with, I wouldn’t have taken the strap off of Drew for a meaningless cash-in by The Miz. Drew taking the title into WrestleMania would’ve billed him as a dominant champion and Lashley beating him would’ve asserted him as a monster. The Money in the Bank opportunity has become something of a joke in WWE lately and is progressively losing prestige.

Drew also dropped the title to Randy for a meaningless two weeks and had that not happened, he would be walking into WrestleMania as a calendar-year Champion, which isn’t achieved as much these days.

As for the match itself, I believe Drew will win so that he can have his WrestleMania moment in front 25,000 fans in attendance. Personally, I would rather see Lashley retain. As much as Drew deserved to become WWE Champion last year, Lashley deserves it as much this year. Both of them rebranded themselves outside of WWE after leaving the company and have come back in better shape. Lashley, paired with MVP and the Hurt Business, has asserted himself as a dominant powerhouse on Raw and to have him lose the title in less than 6 weeks would be unfair to his efforts.

I sympathise with Drew, for not having his moment in front of the fans and for being a WWE Champion during a difficult time. Though I feel as if he doesn’t NEED to win more than Lashley SHOULD win. Drew can still come off strong in defeat and the fans will still appreciate him. To make sense of booking and storylines, I would have Lashley win this match.

Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan

Now let’s take a look at the match that will inevitably be the main event of WrestleMania Night 2. Roman Reigns (C) Vs Edge, Vs Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship. For the longest time we thought this match would just be Reigns Vs Edge, but an unexpected twist at Fastlane has thrown Daniel Bryan into the mix. The reason I believe this has happened is so Bryan can take the fall from Edge, preserving Reigns’ status of not losing the title, but still dropping it to Edge.

It’s how this is executed that will make the difference. I think it’s preconceived that Edge will become champion once again and with WrestleMania being in front of 25,000 fans, it’s the perfect opportunity. The year Roman Reigns has had is the best work he’s produced since being with the company and with that in mind, protecting him in defeat will be important to that reputation. With Bryan taking the fall for the loss, Reigns and Edge can still continue their rivalry with the self-proclaimed Head of the Table regaining the Universal Championship further down the line.

Daniel Bryan being involved in another WrestleMania main event is great for him and I’m sure he’ll have no qualms with being the fall-guy in this match. Adding Bryan into the mix gives the match that extra wrestling factor, with Reigns and Edge being excellent storytellers, it’s the perfect combination for a triple threat. This match has the potential of being an all-time WrestleMania classic.

Posted April 5th, 2021 in News. Tagged: .

First Look At WrestleMania 37 Stage Construction (Drone Video)

WrestleMania 37 will be the first big wrestling event in over a year to feature a live audience in a major capacity since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

With the event being only days away, WWE is preparing for the show in various ways including the planning for the security of the performing stars and more.

Another important aspect of the preparation is the building of the grand set to live up to the hype. A new drone video from Action Jax FPV gives us the first look at the WrestleMania set construction as seen below:

WrestleMania 37 Match Card

This year’s edition of the Show Of Shows will once again be a two-night event and the company is expected to hold 25,000 fans on each night of the show.

The announced matches for WrestleMania include big championship matches such as the Universal title match among Roman Reigns, Edge, and Daniel Bryan as well as the WWE title match between Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley.

Other matches which are expected to draw attention are Shane McMahon vs. Braun Strowman in a steel cage, Randy Orton vs. The Fiend and Bianca Belair vs. the SmackDown women’s champion Sasha Banks.

WrestleMania 37 will take place from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on April 10 and 11. Check out an updated WrestleMania match card here

Posted April 4th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Drew McIntyre On Possibly Competing In The Opening Match At WrestleMania 37

Drew McIntyre main evented last year’s WrestleMania where the 2020 Royal Rumble winner defeated Brock Lesnar to win the WWE championship for the first time in his career. While the former champion may not be in the position to close the show this year, he is ready to take on another similarly enthralling opportunity if he is presented with it which is opening the big event.

McIntyre talked about potentially being in the opening match for the Show of Shows this year during his recent interview with Wrasslinews. He said that he wouldn’t mind being the opening bout because then he will be able to experience the first reaction of the fans after staying away from shows for more than a year:

“I mean, I would be happy opening the show or closing the show. This year is so unique in the sense that the last match — every match at WrestleMania is a main event. Let’s be realistic, if you’re on WrestleMania, you’re in a main event, but when you’re fighting for the championship, generally it’s cool to close the show. This is such a unique WrestleMania, without having the fans there for an entire year, that first reaction is gonna be so, so special.

So that’s why I said if I finish last, the last match — that’s phenomenal! That’s fantastic! That’s tradition! But if I’m in the opening match, to me that’s also just as big because if you get to walk out in that first match and get the crowd full of energy and all those pent up reactions that we’ve been keeping inside for a year, that’s gonna be special too. So, either way I’m happy!”

Drew McIntyre will be challenging Bobby Lashley for his WWE championship at WrestleMania 37. The match will take place on night one of the event on Saturday, April 10, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. You can check out the updated match card for the big event including the lineup for both nights of the show here.

Posted April 4th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

WWE’s List Of Banned Words For WrestleMania Promotional Partners

WWE is gearing up for WrestleMania 37 as it takes place next weekend. Fightful obtained social media guidelines from the company distributed to some promotional partners for WrestleMania 36, which was last year. 

These words aren’t likely different within the time of a year. The partners were instructed to not reply to fans in the comments, speculate on rumors or future storylines, and always present WWE and talent in a positive light.

The term “dirt sheets” was used, as “be sensitive of the language used and how it may be interpreted by dirt sheets.” WWE wanted them to use “Sports Entertainment” and “Superstars” instead of “wrestling” and “wrestlers.”

They were also told to not use messages that would encourage fans to speak negatively about the product. A list of banned terms is below: 

  • Blood
  • Choke
  • Belt
  • Strap
  • Diva
  • Head shot
  • Trauma
  • Kayfabe
  • Mofos
  • House show
  • DQ
  • The Anti-Diva
  • Spinal injuries
  • Victim
  • Violence/violent
  • Wrestling/wrestlers
  • WWF
  • Wifebeater
  • Curb Stomp
  • Needs a push
  • To be over
  • Babyface
  • Heel
  • To job/jobber
  • Card
  • Strangle
  • Kill
  • Murder

Last year’s WrestleMania was also supposed to take place in Tampa, Florida, but was moved to the Performance Center without a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Posted April 2nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

Peacock Unveils WrestleMania Week Programming Schedule

Peacock has sent in the full programming schedule for WrestleMania week:

WrestleMania Week on Peacock is filled with live events, all-new episodes and specials beginning this Monday, April 5.

Highlights include the premiere of WWE Chronicle: Edge, new episodes of The Best of WWE celebrating WrestleMania history, NXT TakeOver Night 1 and 2 and the WWE Hall of Fame. The week will culminate with WrestleMania, the two-night pop culture extravaganza streaming exclusively on Peacock on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 at 8 pm ET.

The WWE Network channel on Peacock will stream the live WrestleMania Watch Along both Saturday and Sunday night for free.

WrestleMania Week Schedule on Peacock & WWE Network

MONDAY, APRIL 5

  • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 1990s
  • Raw Talk – Streaming LIVE at 11 p.m. ET

TUESDAY, APRIL 6

  • Prime Target: Cole vs. O’Reilly
  • Making WWE: Jason Robinson
  • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 2000s
  • WWE Hall of Fame 2020 and 2021 Induction Ceremonies – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

  • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania in the 2010s
  • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 10 a.m. ET.
  • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 1 Pre-Show– Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
  • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 1– Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

THURSDAY, APRIL 8

  • WWE NXT UK Prelude
  • This Week in WWE
  • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 2 Pre-Show– Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
  • Special Presentation: NXT TakeOver Night 2– Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

FRIDAY, APRIL 9

  • The Best of WWE: Best of WrestleMania Main Events
    – 205 Live – Streaming LIVE at 10 p.m. ET

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

  • EVOLVE 8
  • ICW Fight Club 167
  • wXw We Love Wrestling #6
  • PROGRESS Chapter 108
  • Talking Smack
  • WWE Chronicle: Edge
  • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 1 p.m. ET.
  • WrestleMania Kickoff Night 1 – Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
  • WrestleMania Night 1 – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET
  • WrestleMania Night 1 Watch Along – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

  • Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions
  • WWE’s The Bump – Streaming LIVE at 1 p.m. ET
  • WrestleMania Kickoff Night 2 – Streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET
  • WrestleMania Night 2 – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET
  • WrestleMania Night 2 Watch Along – Streaming LIVE at 8 p.m. ET

Posted April 2nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

Roman Reigns On If He Has COVID-19 Concerns With Fans Attending WrestleMania

Roman Reigns pulled out of his Universal Championship match at last year’s edition of WrestleMania due to COVID-19 concerns. This sudden decision led to a big change of plans with Braun Strowman replacing the Big Dog and defeating Goldberg for the Universal title.

The former Shield member is once again scheduled to be a part of the Universal Championship match at WrestleMania this year. Though this time, he is the one who is defending the title. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Reigns was asked if he is worried about coronavirus with fans being allowed back at the show this year and he replied negatively:

“No, I think with all the safety protocols that we’ve established since I came back, with all the precautions that we take to make sure I’m isolated to where I’m not heavily interacting with anyone outside of the people that I’m actually in the ring with, all the way to the weekly testing, I don’t think WrestleMania is going to be any different. You know, our safety precautions are second to none.”

Roman Reigns Explains WrestleMania Security Protocols

Roman Reigns then talked all the different security protocols that have been established to ensure the safety of the talent and fans. He mentioned how fans will be in pods and masks would be mandatory for the people in attendance, before claiming that they are trying to create the safest environment for everybody:

“We’ll have the pods to create the social distancing, and masks will be required. We will be giving out masks for those who are forgetful. We’ll have, I believe, cashless concessions, so we’re going to create an opportunity where everybody’s gonna be as safe as they could be… all the way from going to the grocery store to sitting on their couch at home, we’re trying to create that level of safety for everybody. We’re also trying to create an atmosphere and an experience that they’ll never forget.”

Roman Reigns was also asked if he still gets excited for WrestleMania after competing in a number of Manias in the past decade and he said that he enjoys every performance. The Universal champion claimed that it is going to be really cool to get some normalcy back with fans in attendance. The Tribal Chief will be defending his championship against Daniel Bryan and Edge in the main event of WrestleMania 37 on night two of the show.

Posted April 2nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

WWE SmackDown Results (3/26): Universal Title Match Set For WrestleMania, Edge Attacks

WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome. It was the first episode of SmackDown following WWE Fastlane. There were several matches for WrestleMania set during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Adam Pearce officially announced the Universal Championship match for WrestleMania during the final segment of this week’s SmackDown.

SmackDown Results (3/26)

  1. Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura
  2. Apollo Crews & Alpha Academy def. Big E & Street Profits
  3. Bianca Belair def. Natalya
  4. Rey Mysterio def. Dolph Ziggler

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Edge Attacked Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan came down to the ring to begin this week’s episode of SmackDown. Bryan said in a perfect world, he would be standing in the ring as Universal Champion and be heading to the main event of WrestleMania. Bryan noted that neither of those things are true because Edge hit him with a steel chair at Fastlane as he was tapping Roman Reigns out.

Bryan said he was tired of doing things the right way and claimed that he earned being in the main event of WrestleMania and is willing to earn it all again. Daniel suggested a rematch for the Universal Championship tonight and will not leave the ring until he gets what he wants.

Daniel took a seat in the middle of the ring and waited as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Adam Pearce told Daniel that the referee’s decision is final and Roman’s next title defense will be against Edge at WrestleMania.

Bryan suggested that he face the winner of that match at WrestleMania and Pearce stated that will be unfair. Daniel said that Edge should face Roman Reigns on Night 1 and the winner will face him on Night 2. Edge interrupted and ripped the microphone away from Adam Pearce.

Edge joined Bryan in the ring and shouted that every match in the ring could be his last match. Edge shouted that this is his dream, everything he worked for and Bryan wants to rip it away. He noted that he won the Royal Rumble while Bryan has lost twice to Roman Reigns. Edge called Bryan a son of a bitch and claimed he didn’t deserve a title shot at WrestleMania. Bryan tacked Edge but he battled back and hit Daniel with a Spear.

Edge then hit Bryan with a steel chair before exiting the ring. Roman Reigns was shown backstage with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. Reigns instructed them to bring him Adam Pearce and use force if they have to. Reigns got in Pearce’s face and told Adam that he only gets him for one night and one title defense at WrestleMania.

Peace told Roman that he understands his point and will make his decision by the end of the night. Edge then showed up in Reigns’ locker room and said he was here to talk. Edge noted that Daniel Bryan was trying to steal their spotlight and he did it again in 2014. Edge added that if Bryan is involved, he can beat him for the title instead of Reigns if it is a Triple Threat match.

Seth Rollins Will Face Cesaro At WrestleMania

Seth Rollins faced Shinsuke Nakamura again tonight on SmackDown. Rollins defeated Nakamura at WWE Fastlane. Seth and Nakamura locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Nakamura booted Seth in the midsection and sent him to the apron.

Rollins climbed up the turnbuckle but Shinsuke tripped him up and hit a knee to the ribs. Shinsuke followed it up with a knee to Rollins’ head as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Rollins was in control and hit a Slingblade for a two count. Nakamura battled back and connected with the sliding German Suplex for a near fall.

Rollins caught Shinsuke with a knee to the face and followed it up with the Falcon Arrow but Nakamura kicked out at two. Rollins shouted that Nakamura should respect him because he has done more than Shinsuke can ever dream of.

Nakamura planted Rollins with the Landslide and went for the cover but Seth was able to kick out at the last moment. Rollins dodged the Kinshasa and elbowed Nakamura in the face. Nakamura went for a Triangle submission but Seth broke the hold with a Powerbomb. Rollins followed it up with the Stomp for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Seth Rollins attacked Nakamura and set up for another Stomp. Cesaro rushed the ring in dress clothes and hit Rollins with a Gutwrench Suplex. Cesaro leveled Rollins with a massive uppercut and went for the Swing but Seth escaped out of the ring.

Seth Rollins was interviewed backstage and said he was sick of being embarrassed by that failure Cesaro. Rollins challenged Cesaro to a match at WrestleMania and vowed to teach him a lesson about respect. Seth added that he will never be in the Swing again and Cesaro attacked him from behind. Cesaro got Rollins in the Swing and accepted Seth’s challenge.

Big E Will Face Apollo Crews At WrestleMania

Intercontinental Champion Big E teamed up with Street Profits to face Alpha Academy and Apollo Crews. It was announced that Big E will defend his Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.

Alpha Academy isolated Montez Ford in the ring and beat him down for the first few minutes of the match. Gable planted Montez with a beautiful Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.

Apollo Crews tagged in and continued to beat Ford down. Big E tagged in and hit Gable with a couple Belly to Belly Suplexes. Chad went for an Armbar but Big E escaped to the corner. Big E planted Gable with a Uranage in the corner of the ring. Alpha Academy hit an awesome Clothesline/German Suplex combo on Angelo Dawkins. Apollo Crews then connected with a slam on Big For the pinfall victory.

Opinion: I’ll never understand the appeal of having a champion pinned to sell a title match. There’s no reason to have already seen Crews pin Big E before the title match.

Owens Will Face Zayn At WrestleMania, Logan Paul Will Be On SmackDown Next Week

Kevin Owens came down to the ring for an episode of the KO Show. Owens said he has a question and the only person that can answer it is Sami Zayn. Last week on SmackDown, Zayn hit Owens with a Helluva Kick after he did believe his conspiracy theories.

Zayn came to the entrance ramp and said he was sorry for what he did last week. Sami stated that he had no business kicking Owens but the conspiracy stuff has been getting to his head. Sami hopped on the ring apron and told Owens that he can still be a part of the documentary.

Sami claimed that he is having a red carpet premiere for the trailer for his documentary next week. Zayn brought up Logan Paul and how he is going to help him get the word out about the documentary. Sami said that Logan is going to be on SmackDown next week. Owens challenged Sami Zayn to a match at WrestleMania and Sami retreated to the corner. Zayn accepted the match and Owens attacked him. Owens stomped on Zayn in the corner of the ring to end the segment.

Banks Sent A Message To Belair

Bianca Belair faced Natalya tonight on SmackDown. Tamina was ringside for the match. Belair sent Natalya to the corner and drove her shoulder into her midsection several times. Bianca followed it up with a shoulder tackle that sent Natalya out of the ring.

Natalya regrouped with Tamina before hopping up on the apron. Belair chased her around and beat her down some more in the corner of the ring. Natalya missed with a Dropkick and Belair tried to pin her a couple times. Bianca hit Natalya with a Body Slam and climbed to the top rope.

SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks’ theme hit and Belair got distracted. Tamina booted Belair in the face and Bianca fell to the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Sasha Banks was on commentary as Natalya connected with a Hurricanrana for a two count. Natalya drove Belair to the corner of the ring and stomped her to the canvas.

Natalya went for a DDT but Bianca countered into a Suplex. Belair connected with a couple shoulder tackles and then a Dropkick. Bianca planted Natalya with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Natalya kicked out at two. Belair missed with a Moonsault and Natalya capitalized with a big Clothesline for a two count.

Natalya went for the Sharpshooter but Belair booted her away. Bianca rolled out of the ring to regroup and Sasha Banks started taunting her. Belair slapped Banks in the face before returning to the ring. Bianca hit Natalya with the KOD for the pinfall victory. After the match, Banks planted Belair with the Backstabber and pointed at the WrestleMania sign.

Rey Mysterio def. Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler faced Rey Mysterio tonight. Robert Roode and Dominiki Mysterio were ringside for the match. Mysterio sent Ziggler across the ring and went for a 619 but Dolph caught him with an elbow to the face. Ziggler went for a Powerbomb but Rey countered and sent Dolph to the outside. Mysterio went for a Hurricanrana but Ziggler caught him and Powerbombed Rey over the barricade. Ziggler then hit Dominik with a Superkick to the face as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Ziggler hit Mysterio with the Fameasser but Rey kicked out at two. Roode got into the ring and Rey hit him with a Dropkick. Ziggler hit a Zig Zag but Rey kicked out. Mysterio hit Dolph with a 619 and then a Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.

Reigns Will Defend Against Edge & Daniel Bryan At WrestleMania

Adam Pearce made his way to the ring and Universal Champion Roman Reigns immediately followed him as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, piped in “you tapped out!” chants were heard as the camera focused on Reigns’ face.

Edge made his way to the ring and joined Pearce and the Universal Champion. Daniel Bryan joined the party and came down to the ring. Adam Pearce said he understands everyone’s concerns and they make sense. Pearce added that what Bryan says also makes sense and that he is right when he says he deserves another shot at the Universal Championship.

Pearce told Reigns that he will only defend the title once at WrestleMania. Peace announced that Reigns will defend his Universal Championship in a Triple Threat match against Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania. Bryan and Edge traded punches in the corner. Reigns hit Bryan with a Superman Punch and went to hit Bryan with a chair. Edge hit Reigns with a Spear and unloaded with chair shots on both of his opponents at WrestleMania.

Edge put Roman’s head on a steel chair and unloaded some shots on Jey. Reigns escaped out of the ring and Edge dragged Bryan to the middle of the ring. WWE officials tried to break it up but Edge hit them with the chair. Bryan rolled out of the ring and escaped as Edge took a seat in the middle of the ring to end the show.

Opinion: It is crazy to think about how we’ve arrived at Edge turning heel but we are here. I’ve always liked Edge better as a heel anyways and there is no negative in adding Daniel Bryan to this match. It is worthy of the main event at this year’s WrestleMania.

Posted March 26th, 2021 in Results. Tagged: .

WWE RAW Results (3/22): Rhea Ripley Challenges Asuka, Randy Orton Summons The Fiend

WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. It was the first episode following WWE Fastlane. Randy Orton summoned The Fiend and Rhea Ripley challenged Asuka to a match at WrestleMania during tonight’s show.

RAW Results (3/22)

  1. Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus
  2. Asuka def. Peyton Royce
  3. The Miz def. Jeff Hardy
  4. Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles
  5. Drew McIntyre def. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
  6. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
  7. Braun Strowman def. Elias

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Drew McIntyre Confronted Lashley

Lashley battled Sheamus in the first match of the night. Sheamus controlled the action early and connected with a Clothesline. Sheamus followed it up with a knee to the face and then stomped on Lashley in the corner in the ring.

Lashley battled back and planted Sheamus with a Suplex. Sheamus hit Lashley with an uppercut when Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin showed up ringside. Sheamus got distracted and Lashley capitalized with a Clothesline. Shelton then hit Sheamus with a cheap shot while the referee was distracted as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Lashley connected with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Sheamus kicked out. Lashley got distracted by Cedric Alexander and Sheamus rolled him up for a two count. Sheamus sent Lashley into the ring post and followed it up with a couple Clotheslines.

Sheamus knocked Lashley to the apron and clubbed him across the chest. Sheamus climbed to the top rope and connected with a Flying Clothesline. Back in the ring, Sheamus hit another Flying Clothesline from the top and went for the cover but the WWE Champion was able to kick out at two.

Sheamus caught Lashley with a knee to the face for another near fall. Alexander distracted Sheamus again and Lashley capitalized with a Spinebuster. Lashley then applied the Hurt Lock on Sheamus for the submission victory. After the match, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander beat Sheamus down outside the ring.

Drew McIntyre rushed down the entrance ramp and sent Alexander flying over the barricade. McIntyre dared Benjamin to fight but he retreated. Drew slowly made his way to the apron and inside the ring with Lashley. The two superstars circled each other and Lashley raised the WWE Championship in Drew’s face.

They started arguing and MVP broke it up. MVP told Lashley to save it for WrestleMania as McIntyre dared him to throw the first match. MVP instructed Lashley to think about business and WrestleMania and eventually Lashley exited the ring.

Lashley got pissed off at Cedric and Shelton and told him that he didn’t their help. MVP added that you have tarnished the image of Lashley by making it seem like he couldn’t beat Sheamus. MVP told them to think about what they are going to do to make that right.

Asuka Will Face Rhea Ripley At WrestleMania

RAW Women’s Champion Asuka faced Peyton Royce tonight on RAW. Asuka applied a Headlock but Royce broke free. Asuka danced around the ring and dropped Peyton with a shoulder tackle. Royce tripped up Asuka and went for a Heel Hook but the RAW Women’s Champion quickly grabbed the ropes to break the hold.

Peyton then was able to get Asuka in the Heel Hook in the middle of the ring. Asuka broke the hold with a couple kicks and both superstars slowly made their way back up. Royce bounced Asuka’s face off the middle turnbuckle and followed it up with a slam for a two count.

Asuka went for the Hip Attack but Royce got out of the way. Peyton grabbed Asuka’s hair and ripped her down to the floor as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Asuka rolled up Royce for a two count. Asuka connected with a Hip Attack and then a German Suplex.

Asuka followed it up with a Shining Wizard and went for the cover but Peyton was able to kick out at two. Asuka climbed to the top rope and went for a Dropkick but Peyton dodged it. Asuka hit a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Peyton kicked out at two.

Peyton climbed to the top rope and hit a Double Stomp but Asuka waas able to kick out at two. Asuka applied the Asuka Lock in the middle of the ring and Peyton Royce had no choice but to tap out.

After the match, Rhea Ripley made her way to the ring. Ripley grabbed a microphone and told Asuka that she is one of the greatest women’s champions in WWE history. Ripley challenged Asuka to a RAW Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania. Asuka accepted and told Ripley that she wasn’t ready for her.

The Miz Will Face Bad Bunny At WrestleMania

The Miz and John Morrison came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV. The Miz noted that he has had a rough go of it as of late but didn’t need to listen to Damian Priest & Bad Bunny laughing at him. Miz wondered who Bad Bunny thinks he is and claimed that he showed zero respect towards him.

Miz ran down his accomplishments in WWE and how he is the only two time Grand Slam Champion. The Miz and Morrison complained about not being featured on the WrestleMania poster while Bad Bunny is on it.

The Miz congratulated Bad Bunny on getting his attention and Morrison rolled footage of Miz smashing Bad Bunny with a guitar. Miz said that was a lesson to all entertainers that think they can be supestars. The Miz and Morrison then rolled a preview of their new song “Hey Hey Hop Hop”. Miz challenged Bad Bunny to a match at WrestleMania and vowed to end his career.

Jeff Hardy then faced The Miz in a singles match. Hardy challenged Miz to fight on his own and Miz sent Morrison to the back. Jeff dominated the action early and connected with a Splash for a near fall. Miz sent Jeff Hardy into the ring post and followed it up with the Skull Crushing Finale. After the match, Bad Bunny got some revenge and smashed a guitar over Miz’s back. Bad Bunny then accepted Miz’s challenge to a match at WrestleMania.

Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles

AJ Styles made his was to the ring with Omos to hype their RAW Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania. Styles said he was excited to see what Omos is going to do to New Day at WrestleMania in his debut match.

Styles complimented New Day but said that they will become the new RAW Tag Team Champions. New Day interrupted and pointed out that AJ and Omos have never wrestled a match together and are not a team. Woods and Kingston joked that AJ is a tiny man that hides behind a giant and has him do his bidding.

Woods added that Omos deserves better and AJ shouted that he found him. Kingston said AJ doesn’t even know Omos and asked what his favorite ice cream flavor is. AJ guessed wrong and then Kingston asked who Omos’ favorite superstar was. Styles guessed himself and Omos said it was Andre the Giant. Styles then challenged Kingston to a singles match.

Kingston applied a Headlock and brought AJ down to the canvas. Styles broke free but Kofi dropped him with a shoulder tackle. Kingston followe dit up with an elbow to the face for a two count. Kofi hit SOS and followed it up with a Dropkick that sent AJ out of the ring.

Styles sent Kingston into the steel steps as Woods and Omos had a stare down as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Styles was in control and had Kofi trapped in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Kofi broke free and hit Styles with a Dropkick to the face.

Kofi hit the Boom Drop and geared up in the corner of the ring. Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise but Styles countered with a kick that caught Kofi on the side of the head. Styles applied the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring but Kofi reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

AJ hit Kofi with a Dropkick to the knee and made his way to the ring apron. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Woods distracted him. Kingston then hit the SOS for the pinfall victory.

Alexander & Benjamin Are Barred From Ringside At WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre faced Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin in a Handicap match. If McIntyre won the match, Benjamin and Alexander would be banned from ringisde for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.

McIntyre planted Shelton with a Suplex and then hit Cedric with some chops in the corner. Drew sent Alexander flying across the ring with a Back Body Drop. McIntyre was about to hit Benjamin with the Claymore but Cedric dragged him out of the ring.

Hurt Business battled back and sent McIntyre out of the ring. Cedric connected with a Suicide Dive and then sent Drew into the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, McIntyre hit Alexander with a Clothesline and then hit Benjamin with the Future Shock DDT. McIntyre hit Benjamin with the Claymore and delivered on to Cedric Alexander for the pinfall victory. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander are barred from ringside at WrestleMania.

MVP scolded Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin for losing. Lashley then walked into the locker room and said he will give anyone an opportunity if they take out McIntyre before WrestleMania.

Opinion: It doesn’t seem consistent that Lashley would want McIntyre taken out before WrestleMania, when just two hours ago he complained that Cedric Alexander interfering in his match against Sheamus made him look weak.

Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler Picked Up A Win

Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke faced Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler tonight on RAW. Reginald was ringside for the match and Naomi & Lana joined commentary. Reginald kept interfering and it led to Nia Jax hitting Dana Brooke with a Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory.

Braun Strowman Will Face Shane McMahon At WrestleMania

Elias, Jaxon Ryker, and Shane McMahon came to the ring. Elias and Shane performed a song entitled “Braun is stupid” and poked fun at him. Elias then faced Strowman in a rematch from Fastlane. Strowman sent Elias into the turnbuckle and beat him down in the corner as Shane looked on from ringside. Strowman hit Ryker with a shoulder tackle and then connected with a Running Powerslam on Elias for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Shane hit Strowman with the crutch but he didn’t move. Strowman then charged at Shane and McMahon scampered out of the ring. Braun noted that it looks like Shane’s knee is fine now and challenged him to a match at WrestleMania. Shane said Strowman can have any type of match that he wants and accepted. McMahon added that he is going to win because Strowman is stupid.

The Fiend Will Face Randy Orton At WrestleMania

Randy Orton came to the ring at the end of RAW and said that after tonight there will be no more Fiend, Alexa Bliss, and the bullshit is coming to an end. Alexa Bliss interrupted and said “be careful what you wish for”. The Fiend showed up and Orton poured gasoline on him. Randy made it seem like he was going to light The Fiend on fire but hit him with an RKo instead.

Alexa Bliss got in the ring and The Fiend got back up. The Fiend locked in the Mandible Claw and planted Orton with the Sister Abigail. The Fiend and Bliss pointed at the WrestleMania sign as fire went off. It was then annonced that The Fiend will face Randy Orton at WrestleMania to close the show.

Opinion: I thought this week’s episode of RAW was dissappointing. It doesn’t feel like WrestleMania season at all in my opinion on RAW. I keep waiting for this show to improve but it seems like another shake-up is needed for that to happen. It was great to see Rhea Ripley on RAW and she is an absolute star. However, I don’t get why she was awarded a title shot. The Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber PPVs just happened. It kind of defeats the purpose of those events if a superstar can just get a title match handed to them.

Posted March 22nd, 2021 in Results. Tagged: .

WWE Planning To Alter Announced WrestleMania Main Event

WWE is reportedly planning to make a major change to the announced WrestleMania 37 main event between the Universal Champion Roman Reigns and the 2021 Royal Rumble winner Edge.

The Universal Championship match at tonight’s Fastlane saw a chaotic ending. Daniel Bryan accidently hit the special guest enforcer Edge with a chair while trying to take out Roman Reigns.

Edge replied to this attack by taking out Bryan with a chair. He then put Reigns out with a chair shot as well. The Rated R Superstar hit Bryan once again after this and yelled that it was all his fault.

The Hall Of Famer then exited the ring. The chaos allowed Reigns to cover his opponent and retain the Universal Championship to end the show.

While the company showed a Roman Reigns vs. Edge graphic for WrestleMania 37 before the ending, latest report suggests that this match will be altered.

According to reports from F4wonline, the company has decided to make the Universal Championship match a triple threat involving Daniel Bryan and the Fastlane finish was a setup for the same.

There is no word yet on when WWE will officially announce the changes in the bout but they are likely to follow up on the situation on SmackDown this Friday and it’s possible that the triple threat will be made official then.

Check out our reaction to the news on the SEScoops YouTube channel:

Posted March 22nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , , .

Rumored Card For WWE WrestleMania 37

WWE WrestleMania 37 is still over a month away, but the company is finally starting to firm up the card.

As of this writing, two matches are confirmed for WWE’s biggest show of the year. The Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble winners have selected their opponents:

  • Edge (Royal Rumble Winner) vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
  • Bianca Belair (Royal Rumble Winner) vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks

WrestleMania 37 Card: Rumored Matches

As for the rest of the lineup, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter details what else fans can expect for WrestleMania:

  • WWE Champion Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre
  • Randy Orton vs. The Fiend
  • Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair
  • Intercontinental Champion Big E vs. Apollo Crews
  • The Miz & John Morrison vs. Damien Priest & Bad Bunny
  • United States Champion Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali
  • Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Naomi & Lana
  • Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon
  • Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler vs. Street Profits

WWE WrestleMania 37 takes place over two nights: Saturday, April 9th and Sunday April 10th. The shows will emanate from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. The event airs live exclusively on the Peacock streaming service.

Posted March 5th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

The Case for Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair Main Eventing One Night of WrestleMania 37

On the February 26th edition of WWE SmackDown, Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair selected Sasha Banks as her WrestleMania 37 opponent. With over 6 weeks of build-up and with two women at the top of their game, this match should headline night one of WrestleMania 37 on April 10th

Bianca Belair battled in the Women’s Royal Rumble for almost an hour, entering at number 3 and winning the match. At the same time Sasha Banks fought of Carmella, ending the storyline she was involved in leading up to the Rumble. Since then, it had been rumored that Bianca would choose Sasha as her opponent at WrestleMania.

The two have been involved in tag-team action up until last Friday and are now set to enter their own feud leading up to the big showdown. The only previous time a women’s match headlined WrestleMania was in 2019, but this matchup has all the makings to be a lot better and holds the potential to be a main event that lives long in the memory.

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Bianca Belair & Sasha Banks

With the benefit of WrestleMania being spread of two nights again, there is more opportunity for exposure and appreciation. Edge and Roman Reigns will deservedly be the main event for night 2 of WrestleMania, but Bianca and Sasha have just as much claim to also close out the show.

Bianca has only been a part of the main roster since last year’s WrestleMaina, where she was put with the Street Profits, but her meteoric rise since has been admirable. After being transferred to the blue brand of WWE, Bianca has been involved in exciting feuds with Billie Kay and Natalya as well as representing SmackDown at Survivor Series. She then went on to become the second-ever African American Superstar to win the Royal Rumble, lasting a total 57 minutes in the match.

On the other hand, we have Sasha Banks, who has finally been given the opportunity to hold on to the Women’s Championship belt for a sustained period of time. After a lengthy back-and-forth with the company, Sasha stayed with WWE despite there being rumours she was set to leave the promotion. The Boss entered a memorable feud with long-time best friend Bayley, from whom she captured the SmackDown Women’s Championship from at the 2020 Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

Prior to this defence, Sasha had lost all of her title matches where she held the belt going into the match. After beating Bayley in the rematch, she ended a drought of unsuccessful defences with a main roster singles title, finally opening up a new chapter in her era of being champion.

With the match now made official, we have just over a month until WrestleMania where both women have the opportunity to prove why they should be headlining one of the nights.

Both Sasha and Bianca’s promo-cutting skills are only bettered by their in-ring abilities, providing us with a plethora of entertainment. May the best woman win.

Posted March 3rd, 2021 in Features, News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks Set For WWE WrestleMania 37

As advertised, Bianca Belair made the reveal for her opponent at WrestleMania 37 on Friday Night SmackDown. 

WWE announced earlier in the day that she would make her WrestleMania 37 decision on the show. Belair came out to the ring for a promo. She declared that she would challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks for the strap. Banks came out and they trade words. It’s a babyface vs. babyface build for now. 

Belair won this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match after entering at number three and she battled it out with various stars for nearly 57 minutes before last eliminating Rhea Ripley to get the win. 

This past Sunday night at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, Belair and Banks teamed up but fell short when they challenged Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler for the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Belair has interacted with Banks several times since winning the Royal Rumble, but though she did also have an interaction with Raw Women’s Champion Asuka.

WWE holds WrestleMania 37 on April 10th and 11th in Tampa, Florida from Raymond James Stadium. WWE previously confirmed Edge will challenge Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. 

Edge speared Reigns at Elimination Chamber, which was a declaration he was  challenging for Reigns’ title at WrestleMania 37.

Posted February 26th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , .

News On How Many Fans WWE Is Expecting At WrestleMania 37

It has been clear for a while now that WWE is looking forward to having a live audience at WrestleMania but the company hasn’t revealed any details of how many fans they are expecting yet.

Dave Meltzer provided some update on the plans during the latest Wrestling Observer Radio and he revealed that the officials are planning to have 30,000 fans for each night of WrestleMania 37.

He further noted that most of the fans who will be attending the PPV are expected to come from local areas in Florida as well as some domestic travellers from other states. Though the report did not reveal when the company will announce the ticket details for the fans.

WWE announced the plans for having WrestleMania in two nights once again back in January alongside the confirmation of the venues for the event in 2022 and 2023.

Stephanie McMahon then confirmed the rumors a few days later and WWE’s chief brand officer admitted that they are planning to bring the fans back for their biggest show of the year.

WrestleMania 37 will be taking place from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida this year on Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, April 11, 2021.

Posted February 22nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

Edge Evaluates Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre & Finn Balor As WrestleMania Opponents

Edge is going to WrestleMania. The Rated R Superstar won the Men’s Royal Rumble last month and earned the right to challenge the champion of his choice at WWE’s biggest event of the year.

His Rumble victory came nearly a month ago, but Edge has yet to announce if he will challenge WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, Universal Champion Roman Reigns or NXT Champion Finn Balor.

Edge spoke to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated about the decision. He shared his thought process regarding each potential challenger.

“You need to start with Finn Balor,” said Edge. “He’s operating on an entirely different level in the ring right now than I’ve ever seen him perform. I love what he’s doing. With Finn, the story would be two guys who have wrestled all over the world, but never been in the same place at the same time. That’s very appealing to me.”

Drew McIntyre has taken a rocky road to the top and fought for everything he has. “A character like Edge would really respect Drew, so that type of match would be a different story and emotion, one based on mutual respect and who is the better man.”

Edge feels that Roman Reigns has finally ‘found his groove’ and is portraying the character everyone knew he could be.

“The handcuffs have been taken off, he’s being allowed to let this side out. Now you can see it and you can feel it. Knowing the kind of story we could create, I salivate over that. So look all those three options.”

His comments about Reigns finally being himself echo what Seth Rollins said about the Head of the Table earlier this week.

Whoever he picks, Edge says, “I’m in a position where I feel like I can’t go wrong.” He still can’t believe he is an active WWE Superstar after nearly a decade away from the ring. He never thought he’d have this opportunity again and is savoring every moment of this run.

Posted February 19th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Bianca Belair On Her WrestleMania Opponent: Asuka, Sasha Banks or Io Shirai

WWE Women’s Royal Rumble 2021 winner Bianca Belair recently spoke to Peter Rosenburg. The ‘EST’ of WWE discussed a number of topics during the interview, including her Rumble win, choosing her WrestleMania opponent and working alongside her husband Montez Ford of the Street Profits.

Discussing her WrestleMania opponent, Rosenburg would bring up how culturally important it would be for a match against Sasha Banks to happen. This would be the first time that two black female Superstars appear in a main event title match at ‘Mania, and whilst Belair agreed, she also wanted to state how important a match against Asuka would be to her on a personal level.

Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania Opponent

“Asuka is an amazing champion on RAW,” said Belair. “She had an undefeated streak when I was in NXT. So that’s another thing that’s like really close to my heart as well. I was in NXT with Asuka, I got to watch the undefeated streak, I got to watch all these Championship matches that she had.”

“I actually had a match with Asuka, when I was very, very, very new” Belair continued. “It was my very first Championship match, maybe in front of 150 people? And I remember coming back through the curtain, my husband was there, and having this moment with him that I felt like, ‘well I’m new and I just hung with the NXT Women’s Champion who’s undefeated.’ So having that in my mind too? That could be like this huge accomplishment, of everything like just coming together and full circle with Asuka as well.”

Bianca Belair finished by stating how important the choice is before he heads to WrestleMania; even alluding to a potential match with NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai. “So it’s just, it’s a really big decision, and I’m still trying to get my emotions together from the Royal Rumble match and winning. There’s just so much in play, also in NXT like Io Shirai? I never got to be NXT Women’s Champion.”

Who would you like to see Bianca Belair face at WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments

Posted February 10th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Bad Bunny Match Reportedly Planned For WrestleMania

Rapper Bad Bunny reportedly has a WrestleMania match set. The rap star has been training at WWE’s Performance Center and is set to appear in-ring at WrestleMania 37 on either April 10th or 11th.

eWrestlingNews has the scoop that Bad Bunny will be teaming with Booker T at the show. Booker T is of course the subject of Bad Bunny’s new mega-hit track; and now the 2-time WWE Hall of Famer will apparently be entering the ring with the Puerto Rican rapper.

It was recently rumoured that WWE Superstar Damian Priest would be appearing at WrestleMania in April to team with Bad Bunny. Bunny appeared at the Royal Rumble on Sunday for a performance of the aforementioned ‘Booker T’ track. The man himself Booker stood on the entranceway during the performance.

Bad Bunny then appeared later in the night when The Miz destroyed his DJ’s equipment during the Men’s Royal Rumble match. Bunny finally appeared on RAW with Damian Priest; and from that point it was being rumored that the duo would go on to the ‘Showcase of The Immortals’ in April.

With this news it looks as though Booker T will be getting that slot instead.

Are you looking forward to seeing Bad Bunny at WrestleMania? Do you want to see him team with Booker T or Damian Priest? Let us know in the comments

Posted February 7th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , .

Bianca Belair Talks About Her Plan For WrestleMania, Royal Rumble Win

Bianca Belair made history Sunday night by winning the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble. Her monumental achievement put her in the driver’s seat on the road to WrestleMania 37.

Belair spoke with Complex Sports to discuss her Royal Rumble win, sharing an emotional moment with husband Montez Ford immediately after the match and more.

During the Rumble match, there was a memorable spot that saw Bianca Belair and Naomi at risk of elimination. They worked together in a dramatic moment that fans were buzzing about on social media. Belair was proud to ‘create magic’ with Naomi.

“That’s definitely one of my favorite moments of the match,” said Belair. “I got to be in the ring with Naomi last year for the Royal Rumble for a very short time. But having that moment with her, we both almost being eliminated and dangling off of the rope and realizing like, ‘Look, if we got to do this together, we have to work together.’ And when we finally work together, we end up saving ourselves in the process.”

https://twitter.com/reg6late/status/1356054610163728388

Bianca Belair received a standing ovation from her peers backstage after winning the Royal Rumble. She also shared an emotional moment with husband Montez Ford of the Street Profits.

Belair told Complex, “It’s just amazing that I’m doing this alongside the person I love. And to be able to have your husband standing there as soon as you walk through the curtain, he’s the first person you can go to. I just went to him and I hugged him and we really didn’t say much at first we just embraced each other and then we prayed.”

Bianca Belair Undecided For WrestleMania

Bianca Belair’s Royal Rumble victory earned her a title shot at WWE WrestleMania 37. Her choices are Raw Women’s Champion Asuka or SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks. Belair says it’s a huge decision that she’s been giving a lot of thought to. She does not want to make an emotional decision. For now, she plans to continue celebrating winning the Rumble.

Her first thought after winning was that she outlasted 29 other women and was the last one standing. She then saw the WrestleMania sign and realized it was just the beginning of a new journey.

“Looking over and seeing the WrestleMania sign, it hit me like a couple of seconds later I was like, ‘Oh, wait, you’re going to WrestleMania!’ It hit me at two different times and it was like a wave of emotions. And so just, the fact that it just hit me at two different times, I’m just living in the moment of winning the Royal Rumble and just trying to figure out my emotions right now and trying to not cry every five seconds. So I feel like I don’t want to make an emotional decision right now. I’m just trying to like get my emotions in check and weigh my options and then go from there.”

Discussion: Who should Bianca Belair challenge at WrestleMania – Asuka or Sasha Banks?

Visit Complex Sports to read their full interview with Bianca Belair.

Posted February 2nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , .

John Cena Says He Will Not Be At WWE WrestleMania 37

John Cena has confirmed that he won’t be participating in WrestleMania this year. He spoke to SI.com recently and stated that there is “no mathematical way” he can make it to the event. This is due to him currently filming an HBO series in Canada.

“Currently, I’m in Vancouver shooting Peacemaker, the series for HBO Max,” Cena said. “Given the quarantine regulations, if I were to leave Canada, upon return I would have to quarantine for another two weeks. Essentially, that would shut production down. Strictly based on the letter of the law right now, there is no logistical way I can be there. We film now until July.”

John Cena also cracked a joke about how during his full-time career, he was critical of part-timers coming in for big shows. He hasn’t wrestled in WWE since last year’s WrestleMania.

“What a hypocritical situation,” he said. “I used to be very open about the fact that part-timers were just that, and here I am at 44 years old and I’ve become what I despise, as they say. That is kind of what it is.”

If John Cena does not appear at WWE WrestleMania 37, it will be the first WrestleMania he’s missed since WrestleMania 19 back in 2003 (he was on the preshow in a battle rap segment that year). Even recent WrestleManias where Cena did not wrestle (WrestleMania 32 and 35), he was still featured in a major segment.

John Cena In Super Bowl Ad

While Cena won’t be at Mania this year, he will be in a Super Bowl Ad for Mountain Dew a week from Sunday.

“A Super Bowl ad for me is a life-changing opportunity, and it’s also going to change someone’s life,” Cena says. “Mountain Dew Major Melon is really changing the perspective of advertising with this campaign, and I am really honored to be part of it. It’s a uniquely awesome flavor, Mountain Dew’s first new permanent flavor in over a decade, and it’s a brand that stands for passion.”

The full interview with John Cena can be read here.

Posted February 1st, 2021 in News. Tagged: , .

Triple H On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Future, Reigns vs. Rock Dream Match

Triple H spoke with the Hindustan Times this week to promote WWE Superstar Spectacle. During the discussion, The Game spoke Brock Lesnar’s WWE future, a potential Roman Reigns vs. The Rock ‘dream match’ and more.

Triple H recently returned to the ring on an episode of WWE Raw. This has prompted questions about his status for April’s WrestleMania 37 pay-per-view. Triple H gave the famous “never say never in WWE” reply.

WWE Champion Drew McIntyre was recently diagnosed with Covid-19. McIntyre’s absence resulted in him being called upon to lace up his boots on short notice. He says, “you hate to pass up that opportunity” to entertain WWE fans. As for WrestleMania, “we’ll see.”

Triple H on Brock Lesnar’s Future

Brock Lesnar is no longer under contract, but WrestleMania season is upon us. WWE likes to reach out to part-time legends to fill out the top matches on their biggest show of the year. When asked about Lesnar’s status for WrestleMania 37, Triple H says it really comes down to what Brock Lesnar wants to do.

“One of the things I have learnt about him is Brock Lesnar does what Brock Lesnar wants to do,” said Triple H. “Nobody can talk him into doing things differently. So time will tell. If wants to show up at WrestleMania he will, if he doesn’t he won’t. The only way to get that answer is to call Brock Lesnar.”

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock

reigns rock

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock is a WrestleMania dream match that both men are interested in. There’s no question that Reigns vs. The Rock is the biggest marquee match WWE could assemble. However, The Rock is the biggest movie star in the world with a very busy schedule. Much like Triple H said about Brock Lesnar, The Rock’s in-ring future is entirely up to him.

“If The Rock can make it happen, he looks in shape, I am sure he would love to do it if his schedule permits. He works hard. The only person that works more than The Rock is Vince McMahon. If there is a will and a way, he will make it happen and WWE will do everything. If fans want to see it, we will make it happen. But it really comes down to does The Rock want to it and does he have the time to do it.”

Triple H added that whatever adrenaline rush The Rock gets from making movies, there’s no way it compares with the rush he’d get from competing in the ring.

Visit Hindustan Times to check out the full interview with Triple H.

Posted January 25th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , , .

Two Part-Time Legends Expected Compete at WWE WrestleMania 37

With WrestleMania 37 quickly approaching, WWE has started to look at what they will have planned for the biggest show of the year. 

It was previously reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE has yet to lock in the top matches for the show.

WrestleVotes has since reported that once it was determined that this year’s show would take place over the course of two nights then the creative team started working on “bigger” ideas for the show. WWE is looking to lock in four marquee matches for the weekend, with two matches per night to take place. 

The report goes onto state that the company feels they need some outside assistance from big names. John Cena and Goldberg are said to be “nearly” locked in for WrestleMania.

John Cena
John Cena

The Rock is unlikely to appear while things are to be determined with The Undertaker even though he retired last November at Survivor Series. Triple H’s status is considered ‘TBD.’

Cena does live in the area and is likely to be more available than usual since production in Hollywood has slowed down because of the pandemic. The former WWE Champion was also featured in the “WrestleMania Report” video to promote the event and announce the dates and locations for the next three WrestleMania events.

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

Current Plans For The Top Matches at WWE WrestleMania 37

WWE WrestleMania 37 is less than 3 months away. This year’s installment of WrestleMania will once again take place over two nights. As announced last week, WrestleMania 37 will be held on April 10th and 11th from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE does not have much planned ahead of time for the big event.

“The reason there has been no television direction for the main matches at Mania. You don’t hear anything about them is because there isn’t any,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He added that there doesn’t appear to be any plan regarding top WrestleMania storylines and title matches for the Raw brand.

WWE appears to have narrowed down Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania opponent to two possible choices, however.

“On Smackdown, Reigns has two different opponents that are being considered. So, Bryan is not a lock and at least as of this past week. Nakamura was not one of the two under consideration as of last week,” Meltzer continued.

Although Daniel Bryan and Shinsuke Nakamura are current frontrunners to face Reigns, “plans change.”

Road to WrestleMania

WWE will present three pay-per-view events from now through WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble takes place next weekend, on January 31st. From there, we have Elimination Chamber on February 21st and Fastlane on March 21st. There will be just 3 weeks between Fastlane and WrestleMania.

We have plenty of time from now until WrestleMania. However, WWE typically has WrestleMania plans firmed up by now.

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

Roman Reigns Reveals His Favorite WrestleMania Match

Roman Reigns has been WWE’s marquee star for over half a decade now and in the time he has main evented WrestleMania for not one but four times against opponents like Triple H and The Undertaker.

The current Universal Champion recently had a detailed interview with Bleacher Report where he shared thoughts on a wide variety of topics.

During the interview, Reigns also revealed his favorite match of the Grandest Stage Of Them All and he picked up his WrestleMania 31 match with Brock Lesnar as the one:

“I’d probably not want to do it again because it was brutal; I was a much younger man back then. But that match, to me, was an instant classic unlike, really, any other sports-entertainment match.”

Reigns explained that the bout had a bit of something for everybody and while his other WrestleMania matches have all been great, there was something special about his fight with The Beast Incarnate:

“The matches we had as The Shield, and then the match I had coming back against Drew McIntyre after some time off to handle my health, that was very special, too. But there’s something very special about WrestleMania 31 in Santa Clara. And I was in the 49ers stadium, so that was kind of the cherry on top.”

Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble to earn a shot at Brock Lesnar’s WWE championship. However, he wasn’t able to win the title at WrestleMania. Seth Rollins cashed in his Money In The Bank contract in the middle of the bout and went on to win the championship.

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Big E On WWE Prioritizing Part-Time Stars For WrestleMania

WWE has been heavily criticised in the recent times for putting part timers in the main event spot for big shows including WrestleMania while ignoring the full time stars people want to see getting a push such as Big E.

The former New Day member recently appeared on Busted Open Radio where he discussed a number of things and also talked about WWE’s booking decisions for their marquee shows.

Big E was speaking about his recent transition to singles competition and people’s high expectations for him. He opened up about how the management prioritizes ‘big money guys’ while booking shows such as WrestleMania.

Big E on Part-Time Stars

“You also know how it is man, they’re going to go through a list of part-timers, the big names the big money guys who work once a year, and they’re gonna go through that list and if they if they can’t get all those guys booked for that Roman spot for WrestleMania.

Then it’s kind of like now, who do we look to that works here on a weekly basis,” said Big E, “Who’s actually been grinding. And now maybe we give them an opportunity.” Apart from this, the IC Champion also discussed how it does not make sense for NXT call-ups to be given title shot right after their main roster debut.

Big E went on to explain how losing to Sheamus was the best thing that happened to Daniel Bryan as it made people realise his potential.

Other Stars Comment on Part-Timers

Many other WWE Superstars have spoken about part-time legends taking top spots:

Posted January 21st, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Reason Why WWE Announced Future WrestleMania Details In Advance

In the past, WWE would announce the date and location of the following year’s WrestleMania either before or after that year’s event. However, WWE didn’t do that for WrestleMania events over the next three years. 

This past weekend, WWE confirmed that they would hold WrestleMania 37 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on April 10 and April 11 of this year, WrestleMania 38 on April 3, 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 2, 2023.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon recently spoke with Tony Maglio of The Wrap. During the interview, she explained why WWE bucked the trend of announcements. 

“It just helps everybody,” she said. “It helps us for planning purposes, it helps our fans plan their trips, it helps in so many different capacities. And now we can really work with all of our partners across the board in all of these major cities and really blow everything out as big as we possibly can,” McMahon said.

She added that she thinks people need hope and something to look forward to during this difficult time as we all live in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

McMahon also confirmed earlier this week that fans will be attendance at WrestleMania 37. 

Posted January 20th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Stephanie McMahon Confirms WWE Wants Fans At WrestleMania 37

Earlier this week, WWE announced the dates and locations of the next three WrestleMania events.

For the second consecutive year, WrestleMania will take place over two consecutive days. WrestleMania 37 will be held on Saturday, April 10th and Sunday, April 11th. The host venue will be Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

WWE Executive Stephanie McMahon spoke to TMZ Sports this week to promote WrestleMania. She is “thrilled” because WWE hopes to have a live crowd in attendance. This would be the first show with fans since the start of the pandemic.

“I’m thrilled and excited because, hopefully, this will be the first opportunity for us to have our fans back in attendance. That’s the current plan. Of course, ticket information is not available yet cause we’re still trying to figure out all the machinations.”

Stephanie McMahon said WWE is looking to the NFL and the precautions they’ve taken to run games with a limited audience. There are complicated logistics involved with pulling off any WrestleMania weekend. During the pandemic, it’s an even more intricate process.

“Working with the local organizing committee, all of the health officials, health and safety is first and foremost, of course.” she said. “For our fans, for our performers, for the employees, for the staff working the building, there’s a lot of different logistics that need to determined.Hopefully, it’ll all work out, and this will be the first WWE event where we actually bring the WWE Universe back together in person. I cannot wait.”

You can watch Stephanie McMahon’s comments about WrestleMania 37 in the player embedded below:

Posted January 20th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

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