WWE is back with a new episode of NXT for the second straight week. Thus, it’s time to look ahead starting with tonight’s episode of NXT.
The company is building up this show around the Second Chance Gauntlet Match featuring Aliyah, Kayden Carter, Deonna Purrazzo, Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai, and Xia Li.
The winner of this contest will earn the final spot for the six-woman Ladder Match that will determine the new #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Title.
In the likely main event, Keith Lee makes his next title defense against Damian Priest vs. Dominik Dijakovic in a Triple Threat Match.
WWE holds this show in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University. WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:
The final spot for the six-woman Ladder Match will be filled with a Second Chance Gauntlet Match featuring Aliyah, Kayden Carter, Deonna Purrazzo, Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai, and Xia Li.
The Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish – Singles Match
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest vs. Dominik Dijakovic – Triple Threat Match
Join us here later tonight for our WWE NXT Results and post-show Takeaways feature.
Aleister Black has revealed his personal motivation heading into his WrestleMania 36 matchup against Bobby Lashley. Following his quick victory this week over Jason Cade on Monday Night RAW, Black was interviewed backstage in a WWE.com Exclusive.
“See, I expected you to give me a question along the lines of ‘Why?’ There seems to be no rhyme or reason for Aleister Black and Bobby Lashley to collide because the world teaches us that sometimes there is no reason or rhyme for conflict,” Black said.
“But if we push beyond the surface of Mr. Lashley, we see a powerful individual. Someone who I’ve witnessed and seen decimate people in mere seconds. As have I. So, in the natural order things, would it not make sense for us to find out who decimates who the quickest?”
Aleister Black Vs Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley has not been present on RAW as he has been quarantined following a trip to South Africa. He was in the country to do promotional work for a tour WWE had planned. The tour was set to take place between April 29 to May 2. It has since been rescheduled to September due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Lashley was due to be a part of the March 16 episode of RAW to begin building a storyline with Aleister Black. The quarantine, however, ensured that it wasn’t possible. Despite this setback, the two will seemingly still have their matchup. WrestleMania 36 has already been pre-recorded and will air this weekend on April 4 and April 5.
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WWE SmackDown Superstar Sonya Deville has confessed how acting is where her passion lies. Deville pointed to WWE Superstars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena as inspirations. She noted how they were both “super successful” in transitioning over to acting, and how she would love to be their female equivalent.
“Acting is definitely where my heart’s at. Recently I’ve been going out to LA and trying to just dive into Hollywood,” Deville explained to Digital Spy. “It’s something that coincides well with WWE with the likes of John Cena and The Rock being super successful in both and I would love to be a female that can do the same. That’s definitely my goal and that’s going to be what I’m focusing on, on top of wrestling, over the next few years.”
Sonya Deville’s Current Storyline
Sonya Deville is currently involved in a storyline involving Mandy Rose and Otis. She recently referred to the soap opera-esque narrative as the most fun storyline she’s ever been a part of.
“People just love Otis and I think it’s just because he’s just so unapologetically himself and he’s always so happy. I think he’s very relatable in a sense and Mandy and I have just had such a good time being part of the storyline for sure. It’s been probably the most fun storyline I’ve ever been a part of in WWE.”
Despite her involvement, Sonya Deville will seemingly not be a part of Otis’ matchup against Dolph Ziggler at WrestleMania 36. Mandy Rose will apparently be ringside. “The Show of Shows” will air on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5.
In the run-up to this weekend’s WrestleMania 36, WWE has been frequently referring to Shayna Baszler as a “Cage Fighter.” Baszler, who is a former MMA fighter, recently discussed the differences between competing in MMA and pro wrestling.
“Obviously there is a familiarity with making that walk to the ring, or a cage, or whatever it may be, to face someone in one on one personal combat,” Baszler informed SuperSport. “Someone is there to stop you, you are there to stop them. Being in that situation and also in front of a large live audience, and all the lights and stuff that comes with [being on]TV, that is a very familiar feeling for me.”
Baszler continued, “There was no adjustment time as far as that happened… I’ve been in every situation you can think of in a contest like that… The ‘submission magician’ isn’t just an invented name. Mauro called me that when he was calling one of my MMA fights. Never feeling lost or stressed out is the biggest advantage I have coming from Mixed Martial Arts.”
Shayna Baszler has previously fought in several MMA promotions. Her experiences include Elite XC, Strikeforce, Invicta Fight Championships, and even a short stint in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She is set to face off against Becky Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship this weekend at WrestleMania 36.
IMPACT star Moose has discussed the growth of the promotion during a recent interview with Wrestlezone. Reflecting on the company’s live event success prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Moose noted how he’s happy to be a part of it. Despite this growth, however, he noted how IMPACT needs to begin to keep their talent signed to long-term deals, allowing them to develop deeper storylines over time.
“IMPACT has been growing steadily in the past year and a half, two years, and it’s all been great. You mentioned we’re doing house shows,” Moose said, “and you can see yourself we’ve been great on TV, and it’s only going to get better. I’m happy I’m a part of it.”
He continued, “The wrestling business, in general, is great, it’s just a weird place. A guy will be here for a year, then you’ll see him on AEW TV, or a guy will be here for two years and end up going to WWE or Ring Of Honor. It’s just how the wrestling industry is. You can’t expect a guy to be in one company forever, you know? Part of the struggle we have is keeping guys here long-term, but we’re not the only company that has those struggles. Every other company faces that.”
Moose wasn’t concerned over a lack of championship opportunities. He shared how it’s not something he’s losing sleep over, believing that if he wanted a world title shot, he could “easily get one.” Moose confessed that there are a lot of things he’s trying to improve and build on before he wants to step back into title contention.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has revealed he has suffered an unfortunate bicep injury. He shared the news via his Twitter account.
Hogan accompanied the news with a photograph. The image showcases he is now sporting a full beard rather than his iconic handlebar mustache and five o’clock shadow. In his post, he joked how this injury makes him and WWE Superstar Rusev “long lost brothers!”
“Both of my biceps have been torn at the insertions for 25yrs,today I tore my right bicep where it goes in at my front deltoid,well I guess Rusev and I are long lost brothers! BROTHER. HH damn it burns!!!”
Both of my biceps have been torn at the insertions for 25yrs,today I tore my right bicep where it goes in at my front deltoid,well I guess Rusev and I are long lost brothers! BROTHER. HH damn it burns!!! pic.twitter.com/JREZd784Ih
Rusev saw Hulk Hogan’s message and responded, writing, “We are just a couple of Real [American Flag Emoji].” The Superstar recently debuted a new look himself having shaved his head and grown a full beard.
Hulk Hogan’s nWo Hall Of Fame Induction
Hulk Hogan will once again be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He joins as part of the nWo alongside Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. The nWo joins Jushin “Thunder” Liger, Batista, The Bella Twins, JBL and The British Bulldog in the Class of 2020.
The Hall of Fame ceremony was due to take place during WrestleMania week leading into the show this weekend. The coronavirus pandemic, however, has forced WWE to cancel and reschedule several events related to ‘Mania. The Hall of Fame will reportedly now take place during SummerSlam weekend.
Current WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch doesn’t believe she can change the minds of fans who “hate” her. More importantly, trying to do so isn’t something that interests her.
Addressing how she might change to appeal to subsections of the WWE Universe, Lynch told the NotSam Wrestling Podcast, “I think a lot of that is listening and knowing your audience. But also knowing the people are entitled to change their opinion. That they might turn on you and you might not be for them anymore. They might want somebody fresh and might want somebody new. Knowing that, that’s okay.”
Becky Lynch Won’t Waste Her Time On Haters
Becky Lynch explained how altering yourself to appeal isn’t the right reason to adjust. She noted how it has to “feel right” from a narrative and character perspective. She also added how it’s important to entertain and serve the people who enjoy what you do, rather than chasing the validation of those that don’t.
“[…] it has to feel like ‘okay is this where I am going?’ Is this the purpose that I want to follow? And, is this the story that I want to tell? Then you have to think of ‘okay there’s the people who love me and they’re gonna love me whatever I do, and let me serve them. What is, the best way that I can entertain them?’”
She continued, “Instead of the people that are going to hate me, how can I entertain them? ‘Oh can I make them love me?’ That’s just a waste of time, you’re not. That’s like chasing after the boy you just know never liked you, you know?”
Becky Lynch attempts to defend her RAW Women’s Championship this weekend at WrestleMania 36 against Shayna Baszler. “The Show of Shows” will be available to watch on the WWE Network on April 4 and April 5.
WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has spoken about why WWE decided to push John Cena as their top Superstar. He broached the subject during a recent episode of The ARN Podcast while talking about WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era.
“There was a meeting Vince [McMahon] had” Arn began. “I don’t remember what year it was, but it was time to make some changes. We were coming out of the Austin and Rock era, and those guys were going to be moving on doing their own thing. You had to fill a huge gaping hole, as far as personalities and talents. That were, not only bigger than life, they were bigger than the business at the time. They had exceeded everything that had ever been done before, you know Rock and Austin, when they were at their peak.”
Anderson explained how Vince McMahon talked about WWE’s need to move on from past Superstars during a production meeting. He recalled how Vince spotlighted three guys he wanted the team to look at: Batista, John Cena and Randy Orton. According to Anderson, it was stressed that “it needs to be one of these guys, or all of these guys.”
Arn Anderson On Vince McMahon’s Superstar Selection
Arn Anderson shared how he felt that all three were great choices to push. He pointed to Orton was a natural in the ring. He also noted how, when Batista was the face of SmackDown, he was “red hot” during that time.
“But Cena you know, they finally decided he was going to be the guy. Because, he wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t, you know. There were no negotiation [type] issues with him, he was going to be there as long as they wanted him to be there. And he ended up being the face of the company. Being a babyface and staying a babyface.”
Anderson continued, “Randy’s character took some trips back and forth. And Dave would go on and do some other things [in Hollywood]. So, You know, they decided on him [Cena]. We went with him and every week it was a conscious decision on what was done with all of his content. Whenever he was doing on the show or backstage or whatever. There was a lot of thought given to that.”
John Cena returns to WWE this weekend for WrestleMania 36. He will wrestle against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Fun House matchup.
Returning WWE Hall of Famer Edge has discussed his in-ring plans following this weekend’s WrestleMania event. During an interview with ESPN, Edge shared how he’s not physically capable of committing to a full-time WWE schedule. He noted how he’s put in his time and is ready to help teach the next generation of Superstars.
“Physically, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with that grind that all the young ‘uns are doing right now. I put in my 15 years of that, so now I can come back, and honestly, more than anything, I just want to help teach. And the best way for me to teach is to be in there in the ring with you and show you how to listen.”
Edge On Owning His Story
Edge divulged how, when it comes time for him to retire on his own terms, he wants the WWE Universe to think his current run was even better than his last tenure in the ring.
“When it is time to walk away, I want people to say, ‘Oh, my God, I think he was better this time.’ That’s the challenge. This story has never been written before. No one has ever taken nine years off. No one has ever come back from a triple-fusion. It’s a blank canvas, and the story I want to try and tell, I just want it to be compelling. I want it to be fun for everybody.”
Edge returned earlier this year at January’s Royal Rumble event. It has been reported that he signed a three-year deal that requires him to wrestle three times a year, though he is committed to five matches. He may also make approximately 25 appearances per year, in a deal similar to current WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar.
Edge faces off against Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing matchup this weekend at WrestleMania 36.
AEW will be moving the tapings for Dynamite and Dark out of Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, filming for the shows will be moved to an undisclosed location. The location is believed to be somewhere in the southeast.
The location of the tapings will be kept private as the company does not want fans to show up and wait outside. It is also believed that they will be doing a lot of taping today and tomorrow. It is believed content will be filmed for this week’s Dynamite as well as for future shows.
The parking lot near Daily’s place is being set up as a coronavirus testing center.
AEW Announces TNT Championship
It is possible that AEW will be filming matches today and/or tomorrow for the upcoming TNT championship tournament. Tony Khan was recently quoted in a press release announcing the title.
“It’s been a privilege working with Kevin Reilly and TNT to bring fans the best live wrestling show week after week on AEW: DYNAMITE, especially during these tumultuous times,” said Tony Khan, president and CEO of AEW.
“I’m glad we’re now able to announce the TNT CHAMPIONSHIP. The first ever titleholder will be determined by an unforgettable tournament that fans will not want to miss, and that our wrestlers will be desperate to win. I’m excited for the announcement of the full bracket live on Dynamite this week.”
The tournament is scheduled to begin on April 8th. The finals will take place at Double or Nothing.
Viewership data is in for this week’s episodes of Friday Night SmackDown and Monday Night RAW.
Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
SmackDown Viewership
SmackDown averaged 2.367 million viewers on FOX in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. This is down from the 2.569 viewers that the show did for the previous week’s episode of SmackDown.
The show averaged 2.374 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was down from the 2.563 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets.
The first hour drew 2.393 million viewers while the second hour did 2.355 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 2.637 million viewers while the second hour did 2.488 million viewers.
SmackDown pulled in a 0.70 rating in the 18-49 demos, down from the 0.80 rating as last week’s show.
Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.923 million viewers, which is down from 2.006 million last week. This was the lowest viewership for 2020 thus far.
Here is the hourly viewership breakdown:
Hour 1: 2.139 million (2.289 Last Week), 0.63 Demo (0.72 Last Week)
Hour 2: 1.986 million (2.004 Last Week), 0.61 Demo (0.61 Last Week)
Hour 3: 1.646 million (1.726 Last Week), 0.51 Demo (0.51 Last Week)
RAW featured appearances by Brock Lesnar, Edge, The Undertaker, and Becky Lynch. This was the go-home edition of RAW for WrestleMania 36.
A lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE on behalf of the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension Fund has been voluntarily dismissed. There is nothing to say about what led to the plaintiff’s dismissal which was filed on March 10th, 2020, however.
“Plaintiff Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System hereby files this Notice of Voluntary Dismissal, dismissing the above-captioned case with prejudice, each side to bear its own costs and expenses,” the dismissal notice reads.
The OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTERS PENSION AND RETIREMENT SYSTEM, v. WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT, INC. lawsuit filed in COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE regarding XFL was voluntarily dismissed on 3/10/20. pic.twitter.com/cR4unfAbJ7
It's difficult to know because there wasn't really anything filed leading up to this which indicated why they were dropping the case. Likely there was some behind-the-scenes negotiations. Also, the claimed XFL valuation they were using in the case didn't appear to be sound.
The lawsuit originally sought to obtain documents relating to WWE’s ties to the XFL. The suit also alleged that members of WWE’s board failed to conduct a reasonable investigation to ensure Vince McMahon had not engaged in financial transactions that conflicted with WWE’s interests.
WWE is still dealing with a lawsuit from shareholders regarding the company’s deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, however.
“This is a securities fraud class action on behalf of all purchasers of WWE Class A common stock between February 7, 2019 and February 5, 2020,” read documents relating to the case. “These claims are asserted against WWE and certain of its senior executives who made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company during the Class Period.”
Long title reigns in wrestling’s modern era are hard to come by. Becky Lynch’s current reign with the RAW Women’s Championship is almost at 1-year, however. Lynch won both the RAW and Smackdown Women’s Championship in the main event of last year’s WrestleMania on April 7th, 2019. While she has since lost the Smackdown title, Lynch will pass the 1-year mark with the RAW title provided she can defeat Shayna Baszler this weekend at WrestleMania 36.
Lynch spoke to the Sporting News about going from WrestleMania to WrestleMania as RAW Women’s Champion.
“Yeah. I’ve had a little time to think about it. It’s pretty crazy and it brings its own challenges. And because of that, because I’ve had it for a year, I’ve been nonstop going for a year, over a year,” Lynch said during the interview. “So, it really was a case of constantly going and constantly being on the go and now and I’ve finally gotten the chance to reflect on the past year and reflect on what I want for the future, the next year, which is pretty cool.”
Lynch was then asked what she has done over the last year to get her character fresh.
“Always adapting. Always adapt and always trying to change and take chances. Take risks and sometimes they don’t work, sometimes you might fall flat on your face but you got to keep trying and I think that’s the most important thing. Be willing to go out there and be willing to change and be willing to try things even if they don’t work.”
Becky Lynch On WrestleMania 36 With No Fans
Becky was also asked about the unique challenges present for this year’s WrestleMania. WrestleMania 36 was filmed at the WWE Performance Center without fans in attendance. As Paul Heyman described it on RAW this week, WrestleMania 36 will be the most unique of its kind. Lynch was asked about her mentality heading into the event.
“The people that are watching at home, the millions of people that are watching at home, you have to tell them a story. You have to give them a reason to care. You have to give them a reason to think about something else for a little bit whether it’s an hour or three hours or whatever it is. Then you just figure out how can I do this the best and that’s all this ever is for me: how can I do this the best.”
The interview with Lynch covers a range of topics including her thoughts on Shayna Baszler and her in-home workouts. The full interview with Newsweek can be read here.
Rhea Ripley is a big metal fan and a fan of the band Motionless in White (MIW). The lead singer of the band is Chris “Motionless” Cerulli and some fans may have noticed similarities between the singer and the current NXT Women’s Champion. Ripley herself commented on how her look has “morphed” into his during a recent interview with Loudwire.
“It’s quite funny because I’ve realized over the last two years, I’ve been morphing myself into Chris Motionless and I never realized it. We’ve got the same haircut, we wear practically the same makeup. I’m like, ‘This is terrifying.’”
The singer noted on Twitter, however, that it is he who is morphing into Rhea Ripley:
Ripley also noted that she is a big fan of the band and listens to them while working out regularly. She also noted she is a fan of the band Falling in Reverse which features Paige’s current partner, Ronnie Radke.
“Guilty pleasure — I loveFalling in Reverse. Ronnie Radke is just amazing. They’re the two bands I keep going back and forth on.”
Ripley also mentioned during the interview that she is not overly fond of the music selection backstage in NXT. She also noted that if Ruby Riott was still on the brand then she’d at least have someone to talk music with.
“Not really, actually. I don’t think I talk to anyone about music,” Ripley said when asked if she has conversations with anyone backstage about music. “If Ruby Riott was still in NXT, I feel like I’d talk to her a lot about it. I’m stuck in the locker room listening to country music, normally. That’s what everyone else plays. [Laughs] Either that or R&B. I’m like, ugh, I’m just gonna sit in the corner and be quiet.”
The full interview from Loudwire can be found here.
Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch have had a lot more time to spend together at home these days. The “Monday Night Messiah” recently spoke with Hollywood Life about their “super chill” lifestyle during the global pandemic.
“We’re taking advantage of the downtime and cook some dinners, watch movies, and hang out,” Rollins said.
“We don’t really get a lot of time to do that,” he continued. “So you know, we are going to get full nights of sleep. We are going to hang out with my animals. Just enjoy quality time as opposed to work time, which is where we spend most of our time doing. Luckily she is not one of those fussy types that need a whole lot to be entertained, so I am okay and I will be alright. I think she is down with drinking beers and hanging out.”
Both Rollins and Lynch have big matches coming up at WrestleMania 36, though they have already been filmed at the WWE Performance Center. Lynch will defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler while Rollins will take on Kevin Owens in single’s competition. Lynch has a rare opportunity in the modern era to walk into a WrestleMania with a world title belt she won at the previous year’s WrestleMania. Walking out still the champion would be in even more rarified air.
Seth Rollins On Being Grateful To Still Be Working
Rollins also spoke about being able to still perform during the pandemic.
“There is a lot of gratitude that goes into the last few weeks,” says Seth. “A lot of times our job runs us ragged, and we complain, as all of us do, about our workplaces. ‘[We] are frustrated or are overworked and underappreciated’ and stuff like that. I think with this situation, it certainly makes you take a look at the brighter side of things.”
Rollins continued to talk about how 3 million Americans filed for unemployment but he’s lucky enough to still be working at a job he loves.
“Not only that, but it’s a job that I love, and I still get to take part in that job during this time, even if it is in an abbreviated fashion. There is something very humbling and a lot of gratitude that goes along with all of that so, hopefully, when we come out of this crisis, it will be something we can take with us moving forward in our day-to-day lives.”
Rollins continued to talk about what he’s looking forward to doing most with his downtime. The full interview with Hollywood Life can be read here.
– AEW Senior Advisor Jim Ross’ new book was released today. Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond is already a Best Seller on Amazon.com.
– Chris Jericho held a #SaturdayNightSpecial live video stream on his Facebook page this past Saturday night. Le Champion says nearly 150,000 people watched the live broadcast, with over 360,000 total viewers and counting. It was such a hit that he’s doing it again this Saturday night.
– The following matches are scheduled for tonight’s episode of AEW Dark:
Jon Moxley vs. Faboo Andre
Darby Allin vs. Preston Vance
Sammy Guevara vs. Matt Sells
Shawn Spears vs. Matt Sells
These matches were taped from Jacksonville, FL at Daily’s Place Amphitheater. This week’s Dark features several wrestlers local to the Florida area. This is part of AEW’s initiative to support independent wrestling amid the Coronavirus epidemic.
Also on Dark, AEW will announce one half of the brackets for the upcoming tournament for the new AEW TNT Championship.
WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently commented on the two day WrestleMania 36 event this weekend. This is of course the most unique WrestleMania in recent history, possibly ever. WWE are having to pre-tape the event due to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. And the atmosphere, according to Bully Ray, is somewhat akin to the post 9/11 SmackDown show back in 2001.
Bully Ray on Keeping Fans Happy
“The number one thing I would want to do is not disappoint the fans” Bully Ray began, discussing how he would’ve approached the situation. “Now, one of the things they could have done; and I’m not saying that this is a good idea, as a former owner of businesses. When you leave it up to the decision of the customer. You never know what you’re going to…what kind of feedback you’re gonna get. And it could affect your business. It might not have been a horrible idea to put out one of those polls that the WWE sends out and says: ‘due to the current situation, would you like the show to go on this year?'”
“It probably wouldn’t have been a bad idea to get feedback from the WWE Universe as to what they wanted”
Bully Ray
9/11
Bully Ray would elaborate further, talking about how he feels the company is genuinely doing the shows ‘for the fans.’ “It probably wouldn’t have been a bad idea to get feedback from the WWE Universe as to what they wanted. See when the WWE says that they’re doing it for their fans? These are the cases where I truly believe it. Because I go back to what happened on 911, and how the WWE wanted to make sure that; despite the nation going through a really, really tough time? Vince was adamant about the WWE standing tall and helping people to heal through the form of entertainment.”
“‘Here, watch Smackdown for two hours tonight. And you’ll forget about all of the horrible things that we’re dealing with out there.’ And wrestling fans were extremely happy that we went out there and we did that, as you know, as a company, because the number one thing they said was, thank you for helping me forget for two hours.”
Not Putting a Positive Spin on It
Bully Ray would finish by describing how WrestleMania this year won’t ‘feel the same.’ Of course with the absence of fans in attendance. “Now with WrestleMania I believe they’re doing the same thing, I think Vince wants to help the nation to heal through his brand of entertainment. The hard part is, it’s not going to feel the same. Yeah, we might be kind of getting used to this thing with no audience I think thats just a bunch of happy horsesh*t that you say on the show. To me, we’re just getting through it, I’m not used to it. I’m not used to watching RAW or Smackdown like that. I’m not putting that happy spin on it. I think it absolutely f*cking sucks that there’s nobody.”
“The Show Must Go On” – Bully Ray
Then Bully Ray would finish by saying that he believes WrestleMania should go on; that WWE made the right decision. “And this is why I think having WrestleMania is a good idea, and why I think I would have made the same recommendation and decision. Yes. Let the show go on. Because at the end of the day, even when there’s 20,000 people in this arena, we’re not playing to those 20,000, we’re playing to the millions and millions at home.”
Do you think that WWE were right to go on with WrestleMania 36 this week? Let us know in the comments
WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin appeared on a special episode of Monday Night RAW last month. The episode took place on March 16 and was named 3:16 Day by WWE.
During an interview with ESPN’s Peter Rosenberg, Austin shared how he had originally pitched for a sit-down interview with Byron Saxton or Jerry “The King” Lawler. He wanted a more serious platform to talk about what the day meant to him. WWE, however, had different plans.
Steve Austin & Byron Saxton
Instead of a sit-down discussion, Steve Austin would take part in a comedy segment alongside Saxton. He would end the night by delivering a Stone Cold Stunner to Saxton.
Unfortunately, the episode ultimately took place at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, in front of zero fans. Austin confessed it was tough to perform in front of no people. This decision was made to help combat the further spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
WWE has been forced to make multiple changes to its production schedule and live event plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. Several shows have been pre-recorded from the WWE Performance Center, including this weekend’s WrestleMania 36. All of them, like with Steve Austin’s 3:16 Day, have been done in front of zero fans.
New Day member Big E has revealed who some of his favorite ‘Big Men’ from pro wrestling’s history are. He shared the information during a recent episode of his podcast, Feel The Power, with his co-hosts Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.
Former WCW Champion, and current WWE Universal Champion, Goldberg was one of the first names Big E mentioned. He then admitted how he grew up a big fan of Ron Simmons.
“I like Ron Simmons because he was also big and thick. I was a Florida State fan as a kid [and] he had his number retired at Florida State which is rare. So Ron Simmons was the man.”
Big E’s List
Alongside Goldberg and Simmons, Big E pointed to “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner. “I love Scott Steiner. He’s all the muscles and he’s very athletic. I hope he’s doing well, yeah. Scott Steiner, who else did I like? It’s time, it’s Vader Time!”
Big E talked about he, as an athlete, likes to remain limber. He then recalled a time when Vader came to guest coach at FCW and how he was surprised at Vader’s flexibility.
“So Vader came down as a guest coach in FC W, many moons ago. And this man was so limber I couldn’t believe it. I lost my mind when I saw him pop like a full split, he would just sit in the ring and we would he would talk,” Big E recalled.
“We were just talking about the business, he was just comfortably sitting in a split talking to us, just this massive man in a split! Comfortably!? This point he’s probably in his 50s or so, yeah, it’s incredible.”
Big E and Kofi Kingston were set to defend their WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships this weekend at WrestleMania 36. However, with The Miz being pulled from the matchup, this will reportedly no longer take place.
Ken Shamrock recently joined Chris Van Vliet on The Chris Van Vliet Show. During their conversation, Shamrock spoke about his decision to return to pro wrestling. He also discussed whether he feels he gets enough credit for being the first crossover star between MMA and wrestling.
“[…] when I stepped away, because I was only out a year when I stepped away from MMA, because I went out of pro wrestling into MMA, so I had stepped away and it had been about a year, and I just felt like, man, I can’t live like this,” Shamrock confessed. “I need excitement, I need something to challenge me and so I said, I’m gonna start training again, I’m gonna start getting back into the gym, to see if I could get myself in a position to where I could actually wrestle and feel good about wrestling.”
He continued, “And so I think it was about a year, maybe a little less than a year, I felt pretty good. I got in, I started doing some practicing, I was like, wow, I feel pretty good.”
Shamrock detailed how he intended to wrestle one time for Battle Championship Wrestling. After the matchup, however, he was surprised at how good he felt in the ring.
“[…] it was one of those things where I really didn’t know but when I first hit the ring, then I knew, and that’s when I made the challenge on Twitter and FaceBook, that I was coming back because I felt really good about where I was at and how my body felt after taking a year off. ”
Ken Shamrock On WWE Ignoring Him
Regarding getting credit for his transition from MMA to the world of pro wrestling, Shamrock admitted: “it is what it is.” He noted how it seems that WWE has purposefully forgotten him and don’t give him due credit. Shamrock highlighted a magazine article they had listing the top submission holds. He remembered how the Ankle Lock was on the list. However, instead of Shamrock being featured, it was Kurt Angle.
“I’m not trying to dis him or anything like that, but he’s never done one for real, like, so, sometimes when I see him put it on, it’s not even done right. But yet they use him as the picture for the finishing hold. And I’m the one that created it and did it for real. So those are the kind of things, and it’s not like they’ve corrected it, or done it and changed it, trying to make sure people understand where it came from. No, they keep trying to bury it, like they want Kurt to be the one who created it.”
He argued how, no matter how much WWE attempts to ignore him, “history always rises to the top,” and people will always know where something comes from.
Thoughts On Modern Pro Wrestling, AEW
Turning his attention to the modern pro wrestling landscape, Ken Shamrock talked about All Elite Wrestling. He believes the promotion is very talented and that they offer a different type of wrestling for fans.
“I mean you’re almost going back to the Japanese style but they’re putting a little more selling into it. But the moves, they’re these constant chain moves where everything is chain wrestling together.”
He juxtaposed AEW’s style with WWE, arguing how the latter doesn’t have enough chain wrestling. He noted what WWE does have in their favor, however, are storylines.
“It’s almost like, if you could put the two together, then you would have that Attitude Era. You would have the attitude, you would have the chain wrestling, you would have the storylines, you’d have the selling, you’d have the tough guys. I think the mixture of those two is what we’re trying to get.”
All Elite Wrestling’s Jim Ross recently joined Forbes for an interview. During their discussion, Ross shared what he feels makes AEW so special, leading to a deeper connection with their fanbase. He detailed how their defining feature lies in their storytelling. Ross argued that, although people are attracted to the “sizzle,” it ultimately all comes down to the steak that is good storytelling.
“Storytelling is the steak,” Ross explained. “‘The whistles and bells – the pyro, the graphics, the technical things – that’s the sizzle. It’s all about the steak.”
He continued, adding how vital character investment is to this process. “What is the reality of these individuals? Who are they? I think that’s kind of what we’re looking at here in this deal – we want to deliver more steak than the others in the same field or genre. And I think that’s what we’re doing.”
Jim Ross On AEW Listening To Their Fans
Jim Ross noted how AEW actively listens to their fanbase. Having identified who their core demographic is, the promotion can cater their stories and product to satisfy their loyal fans.
“You have to listen to your consumer base. You have to have product knowledge. And part of having product knowledge is knowing how to recognize and find your target audience. Simple marketing: Marketing 101,” Jim Ross explained.
“Identifying your audience is imperative for any marketer. Who is my audience? Who am I going to sell to? Who is going to buy my product? Where are they? How do I communicate with them? And that’s kind of where we are: we have a blast and we listen to the audience.”
AEW is still delivering episodes of Dynamite amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The promotion recently announced they will debut a new singles title belt. They will be hosting an eight-man tournament to crown their inaugural TNT Champion.
The Texas Rattlesnake opened up about his feud with Johnson during a recent interview with ESPN’s Peter Rosenberg. The two WWE Legends had a trilogy of matches on “The Show of Shows” at WrestleMania XV, WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania XIX.
“Well, [WrestleMania] 15 was a good match, and of course me and The Rock had instant chemistry. We both loved working with each other and got along like gangbusters, you know, in the ring, out of the ring, you know, everywhere,” Austin explained.
“So 15 was really cool and for Jim Ross to call that match, but, you know, I was mad at 15 because I was going through a h— of a divorce, forgot my d— ring vest and so I had to walk to the ring in a T-shirt. And you never want to walk to the ring in a t-shirt when it’s WrestleMania, and you wanna look like a million bucks in full gimmick. You know, you’re not trying to sell a t-shirt, you’re trying to put on a show.”
Steve Austin On WrestleMania X-Seven
Austin explained how WrestleMania X-Seven was a great experience for him. He noted how the Houston Astrodome had a special meaning for him as he had seen several sporting events there as a kid.
He continued, “[…] so to go there and do that great buildup with The Rock and, you know, Jim Ross, we did that sit-down conversation in the locker room, that pre-match package, that build package they put together has never been duplicated with that Limp Bizkit song, it was just off the charts to set an attendance record at WrestleMania and take the crowd on that ride. […] And to be the main and to be able to go out there and have that kind of match between two of the hottest guys that were on planet Earth in the wrestling business was really, really cool.”
“The Show Must Go On”
Steve Austin then addressed WWE’s decision to continue with WrestleMania 36 this year despite coronavirus concerns. He admitted he didn’t know what to think about the situation but noted how “that’s Vince’s mentality.” He then referenced the tragic passing of Owen Hart and how the attitude was that the “show must go on.”
“[The] show must go on. You know, way back in Kansas City, Owen fell to his death, the show went on, so, you know, that’s his mentality. And God rest his soul but you know, it’s tough.”
WWE RAW Superstar Drew McIntyre believes that WWE has done the right thing by splitting WrestleMania 36 across two nights. McIntyre shared his thoughts on the subject during an interview with Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet.
“Yeah. I think WrestleMania would be good over two days. Especially if we’re gonna do it the way we’ve done it for the past few years, because it’s too long (for one),” McIntyre explained. “But also, it’s once a year and the fans look forward to it, and generally they travel from all over the world.”
He continued, “To spread that over two days to give them something really big to look forward to, so you have that one night and you’re talking about it the next day, and you’re all excited like “Oh I want to do it again.” Then you will be able to do it again the next day and it’ll give you an even bigger memory when you’re going home.”
Drew McIntyre Defends Delivering WrestleMania
Drew McIntyre argued that this year is an ideal time to test out a two-day event. He noted how spreading it across a weekend gives people something to look forward to, especially in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think this is the ideal year to start it and test it out. Spreading it out over two days gives people something to look forward to in these times, but going forward I really think it would be a good model so it’s not overkill.”
Drew McIntyre competes against Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship this weekend at WrestleMania 36. The event was initially intended to take place on April 5 from Raymond Jams Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The coronavirus outbreak forced WWE to relocate, eventually pre-recording the event. “The Show of Shows” now takes place on April 4 and April 5.
WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch has revealed her dissatisfaction regarding her previous clash with Shayna Baszler. Lynch opened up about their last meeting during an interview with Sports Illustrated.
The last time the two shared a ring, they were competing in an inter-promotional Triple Threat matchup at last year’s Survivor Series. That match also included Bayley. Baszler, who was the then-NXT Women’s Champion, would secure the victory for the black-and-gold brand.
According to Lynch, their triple threat did not meet her standards for a main event clash. Four of the seven matches scheduled for that night’s Survivor Series were triple threat matches.
Becky Lynch On Receiving Criticism
When asked if the fact it was a women’s match headlining the show, Becky Lynch was quick to say, “It shouldn’t be about women—people shouldn’t use it as a chance to say, ‘That’s why women shouldn’t be main-eventing. You can’t wipe out an entire gender based on your opinion to a match.”
Lynch added, “No excuses, I’m open to criticism. Give me your opinion, I’ll take it. This is what anyone in the main event, male or female, has to deal with. If you ever have a bad night or a match that people don’t agree with, you’re the one out there that has to change and adjust. It makes you better in the long run.”
Triple H has shared his relief at not having to compete during this year’s WrestleMania. “The Game” joined ESPN SportsCenter for an interview where he spoke about how his current role demands his attention full-time. He explained how he wouldn’t have been able due to his current responsibilities. If he had been expected to wrestle, Triple H noted how it would just be an “added burden.”
“Right now, I’m a full-time office guy. It’s funny, ironically I wasn’t scheduled to be in this year’s WrestleMania anyways. Every year as time goes by, it gets more and more hectic for me. Getting in the ring just becomes an added burden.”
Triple H continued, “Especially this year, with the way things turned out, and what we wanted to accomplish, I was very thankful I wasn’t scheduled to be in the ring this year, because it would have been almost virtually impossible to do everything else that’s happening.”
Triple H’s New Role
“The Game” hasn’t been a full-time competitor for several years now, rarely competing. When he does, however, it tends to be in a marquee matchup. Triple H’s comments come following the revelation that his job role recently changed.
During the interview, Triple H also addressed Roman Reigns’ decision to pull out of WrestleMania 36. He noted how Reigns’ pre-existing condition could potentially make him more susceptible. Reigns has previously twice beaten leukemia.
WrestleMania 36 airs on April 4 and April 5. The event, which has been pre-recorded, was relocated from Raymond James Stadium out of concern of the coronavirus pandemic.
