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WWE Friday Night SmackDown Preview: Jeff Hardy’s Return, John Cena Appearance

Andrew Ravens
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0

A new episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown is here and it features an interesting lineup.

With just hours until bell time, it’s time to look ahead starting with tonight’s episode of SmackDown. 

Several segments have been announced thus far for this show including the return of former Divas Champion Paige to confront WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. 

WWE holds this show from Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. As usual, fans should expect more matches and segments to be revealed this afternoon for SmackDown. 

The event was originally slated to be held in Detriot, Michigan at the Little Caesars Arena but that was changed due to coronavirus concerns. WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:

  • Jeff Hardy to make his return to WWE television
  • Paige to confront WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley
  • John Cena will appear this week on Friday Night SmackDown to address his WrestleMania opponent Bray Wyatt.

WWE will also be announcing matches for existing feuds that will take place heading into the WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event that is still scheduled for next month in Tampa, Florida. 

Join us here later tonight for WWE SmackDown Results and our post-show SmackDown Takeaways feature.

AJ Styles Shares Excitement Over Facing Undertaker At WrestleMania 36

Steve Russell
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1

AJ Styles joined FS1’s WWE Backstage this week. During his appearance, he was asked about his upcoming matchup against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 36. 

This past Monday night on RAW, Styles delivered a promo that referenced ‘Taker by his real name and suggested he was past his prime. Despite his promos disrespect, Styles confessed he is excited to grapple ‘The Deadman.’

“Come on, I don’t think I said anything that one of our fans wouldn’t have said themselves,” he argued. “Let’s talk about the retirement, putting his fist up, what a beautiful moment that was, and he came back!”

He continued, “Listen, he’s The Undertaker right, so much respect for this guy and everything he’s done for our business. Hopefully we get in the ring together, I’m excited about it.”

AJ Styles’ Bucket List Match

AJ Styles referred to this matchup as a “bucket list” item for anyone in the pro wrestling business. “I mean really, it’s The Undertaker guys. It’s huge, I want to be able to learn from this man. How much can I learn from this man?”

He continued, “I have studied him for years, the matches with Shawn [Michaels] are unbelievable. I want to know what he knows and the only way to get it is to get in the ring with him.”

Styles stressed that he’s not done yet and that he’s keen to keep learning. He admitted that getting older means Superstars can’t do things they used to. Instead, they have to learn and adapt in order to keep performing and moments that “have the most impact.”

AJ Styles and The Undertaker face off at WrestleMania 36. The event takes place on April 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

Triple H Comments On British Bulldog’s Hall Of Fame Induction

Steve Russell
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2

Triple H has shared his thoughts on ‘The British Bulldog’ Davey Boy Smith‘s induction into the Hall of Fame.

Taking to Twitter, he highlighted Smith’s decorated career. He noted how he provided a national sense of pride for the United Kingdom. Triple H added how this induction allows the British Bulldog his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

“A favorite of the @WWE Universe, decorated career and a source of national pride for the entire @WWEUK, British Bulldog is taking his rightful place in the #WWEHOF. Together, we can celebrate his in-ring career and memory as a father, husband, and Superstar.”

British Bulldog Announcement

Corey Graves revealed the news that Smith would be inducted into this year’s class during his podcast, After The Bell. He was joined by Smith’s son, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Tyson Kidd and Natalya. It was revealed during the episode that Smith Jr. will have the honor of inducting his late father. The Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on April 2 during WrestleMania week.

“It’s been long overdue but I am really excited and glad to be inducting my father into the 2020 Hall Of Fame,” Smith Jr. said. “It’s something that is great not only for my family but the WWE Universe as well.”

‘The British Bulldog’ joins Dave Batista, The Bella Twins, JBL and the nWo as part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class.

Bullet Club Beach Party Canceled Due To Coronavirus Concerns

Steve Russell
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0

You can add the Bullet Club Beach Party to the growing list of coronavirus canceled events.

The stable shared the unfortunate news via their Bullet Club Beach Party Twitter account. The official statement noted how their first priority is to the health and safety of their guests and talent. They added how “No one is more disappointed in this outcome than us.”

“We are as upset by this outcome as you all are, but we do not want to let this be the end of the road. We have plenty of gas left in our tank, and we fully intend on running an event in the distant future, within calendar year 2020.”

Bullet Club conceded that the entire coronavirus situation is “fluid.”

They added that they are working diligently to get fans refunds for their tickets and meet and greet purchases.

https://twitter.com/BulletClubBP/status/1238272389168824320
https://twitter.com/BulletClubBP/status/1238318049679167488

Bullet Club members Tanga Loa, “Switchblade” Jay White, KENTA, Bad Luck Fale, Haku, Bone Solider and El Phantasmo were just some of the club’s members scheduled to appear. Other wrestlers included RUSH and Dragon Lee.

Although WrestleMania 36 still seems to be going ahead, plenty of other promotions have taken action to help combat spreading the virus. New Japan Pro-Wrestling has canceled several New Japan Cup events, and ROH has recently canceled their 18th Anniversary pay-per-view.

Sami Callihan Will Not Wrestle Until Coronavirus Has Been Contained

Steve Russell
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4

Former Impact World Heavyweight Champion Sami Callihan has declared he will not be performing until the coronavirus pandemic has been contained.

Callihan shared his intentions via his Twitter account, stressing how “safety is the most important thing” for all concerned. He shared how he won’t be doing any wrestling shows before asking everyone to be as safe as possible.

“F–k characters, f–ks storylines…. our safety is the most important thing. Until this gets better I’m not going to ANY wrestling shows. I beg the world to be as safe as possible in this extremely scary time. Let’s join together like never before. We can get through this.”

https://twitter.com/TheSamiCallihan/status/1238313618342662145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1238313618342662145&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F03%2Fsami-callihan-says-he-not-going-to-wrestle-until-the-667765%2F

Sami Callihan later sent a follow-up Tweet, noting how his family, pets, and himself were all more important than “fake fighting our underwear.”

“My family… my animals… myself is more important than fake fighting in our underwear. I’m sorry. I’m not going to show until this in contained. I hope everyone does the same. The world. Our loves. Is not worth it.”

Coronavirus Pandemic

Several events worldwide have been affected by the coronavirus. Concerts, conventions and entire sports seasons have all been postponed, rescheduled and cancelled in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

Although WrestleMania 36 still seems to be going ahead, plenty of other promotions have taken action to help combat spreading the virus. New Japan Pro-Wrestling has cancelled several New Japan Cup events, and ROH has recently cancelled their 18th Anniversary pay-per-view.

WWE Issues Statement On Moving Forward With WrestleMania, Contingency Plans

Anutosh Bajpai
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2

The Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group decided against calling off any major events in the Tampa area in their meeting on Thursday which means that WrestleMania 36 can go on as planned.

WWE Officials also seem to be committed towards moving ahead with the show as scheduled, though they have confirmed that they have contingency plans in place if the local authorities decide to cancel the show.

The company recently released a statement on the matter saying that they remain committed to hosting WrestleMania on April 5 as planned while also mentioning that they are monitoring the situation closely:

“While we remain committed to hosting WrestleMania at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, April 5, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that it is cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.

The health and safety of our fans, performers and employees are our top priorities and we are monitoring the situation closely with our partners and government officials in Tampa Bay,”

While the company seems to be planning to move forward with WrestleMania, they have confirmed that this week’s episode of SmackDown is moving to the performance center with no live audience due to the epidemic.

Not only that but the company has also canceled a Live Event scheduled for this Sunday and it’s very likely that more events will be cancelled or rescheduled in near future.

Big Show Reveals If Rumors Of WrestleMania 23 Match With Hulk Hogan Were True

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

WWE recently published a new episode of their If It’s On The Internet series where The Big Show reveals whether the rumors about him on the internet are true or false.

During the session, Big Show discussed a number of rumors about his wrestling career, like if his original WWE contract included a guaranteed WrestleMania main event.

He was asked about rumors of WCW officials considering calling him Andre The Giant Jr. Replying to it, the former World Champion confirmed that it was true and revealed that he was very close to being given the name:

“Very close. It was very close. They were trying to figure out what to call me because they wanted to do the storyline that I was the son of Andre. I remember I was very conflicted about that because at that time I was very naive and didn’t want to lie to anyone.”

When asked about the rumored match between him and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 23, Show admitted that it was true: “That’s true. But that was mostly rumors I heard from the office. I really didn’t get any specifics on it but it was heavily talked about.”

Apart from this, Big Show also revealed if he ever considered leaving WWE for a boxing career and more. You can check out the episode of the series featuring the giant below:

WWE Releases Statement On Coronavirus Affecting Business

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

The coronavirus outbreak has been affecting sporting events across the globe and just in the last 24 hours, both the NBA and XFL have suspended their ongoing seasons.

WWE has not remained unaffected either and the company recently confirmed that they are moving this week’s episode of SmackDown to the performance center.

Not only that but the promotion has also canceled Sunday’s live event in Youngstown, Ohio and more events are expected to be rescheduled or canceled in the coming times.

These changes are expected to affect the company’s financial performance and so the officials are trying to assure the investors that they are prepared to handle the situation.

The company recently released a statement regarding the epidemic affecting their business and revealed that they have financial resources available in cash and debt capacity to manage the challenges ahead, totalling in more than $0.5 billion.

You can check out their full statement below:

WWE Statement on Potential Impact of COVID-19

WWE (NYSE: WWE) today communicated perspective regarding the potential impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s financial performance.

WWE has substantial financial resources, both available cash and debt capacity, which currently total more than $0.5 billion, to manage the challenges ahead. The fundamentals of the Company’s business remain strong reflecting the passion of WWE’s fans and the quality of its content. Management continues to believe the Company is well positioned to take full advantage of the changing media landscape and increasing value of live sports rights over the longer term.

The health and safety of WWE’s fans, performers and employees are the Company’s top priorities and management is monitoring the situation closely domestically and internationally. The potential impact of COVID-19, and corresponding changes in the way WWE operates, may adversely impact the Company’s business including, but not limited to, its live event ticket sales and the sale of merchandise at those events.

It should be noted that the Company may be directed to cancel, postpone or relocate certain upcoming events and the number of these changes is unknown at this time. The Company is currently unable to quantify the potential financial impact of COVID-19, but the financial impact to the Company may be material.

Accordingly, the Company is withdrawing its previously announced first quarter and full year 2020 guidance due to the increased uncertainty of the financial impact of COVID-19 to the Company.

WWE Confirms SmackDown Will Air From Performance Center With No Audience

Anutosh Bajpai
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4

WWE has confirmed that this week’s episode of SmackDown Live from Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan has been canceled due to coronavirus and the show will be aired from the Performance Center instead.

The company revealed the news via a short statement on Twitter, announcing that the show will air with no live audience and only the essential personnel will be in attendance:

“SmackDown on March 13 will air live as regularly scheduled and emanate from WWE’s training facility in Orlando, FL, with only essential personnel in attendance. The event was originally scheduled in Detroit, MI.”

The reports of WWE moving the show had first come out earlier yesterday but the company had released a statement on the matter, denying any such change at the time.

Though they had mentioned that they were putting contingency plans in place and now the company has confirmed that the show is being moved to WWE PC In Orlando, Florida.

This week’s episode of NXT also aired from Performance Center though the reason for it was different. Triple H had confirmed that The Full Sail University which is the regular venue for the show had a previous commitment, forcing the change.

The line up for this week’s SmackDown includes the return of John Cena and Jeff Hardy as well as a segment with Paige confronting the SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley.

Backstage News On Triple H Receiving A ‘Quiet Demotion’ Within WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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5

Triple H is generally considered to be the successor of Vince McMahon. However, the latest news on the matter is not very positive for the Game and reports suggest that he has been given “quiet demotion” within the company recently.

According to reports from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, The former World Champion’s roles within the company have changed recently and his job title has been edited as well.

Triple H had been working as the Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative since 2013 and he also has the Senior Producer and creator role with NXT.

However, things have changed recently and the former Evolution member has been given the edited job title of Executive Vice President of Global Talent Development & Strategy.

His main job was being the head of talent relations but The Game has now been moved away from this role and his main duties now are the operation of NXT, selling the NXT TV rights to oversees partners, and overseeing the global expansion of the NXT brand.

Brad Blum, who is Vince McMahon’s Chief of Staff, has taken over Triple H’s previous duties which include the duties of negotiating contracts with talents.

This is a big change and according to the report, people within the company have called it a “quiet demotion” for Triple H.

This change had been kept quiet for almost 5 months before finally being revealed in an SEC filling and the situation has been described as ‘curious’.

AEW To Relocate Next Week’s Dynamite, Blood & Guts Episodes

Andrew Ravens
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0

AEW has announced the relocation of two scheduled episodes of Dynamite.

All Elite Wrestling was slated to hold next week’s episode from Rochester, NY and then the special edition of the show, Blood & Guts, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey the following week on March 25th. 

However, due to concerns about the coronavirus, those shows have been moved. Next week’s show will take place in Jacksonville, FL from Daily’s Place. The location of the Blood & Guts is unknown at this time. 

AEW issued the following statement in a series of posts on their official Twitter account: 

“As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, we are relocating next week’s AEW DYNAMITE show on March 18 from Rochester, NY, to Jacksonville, FL. Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Rochester show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 8. Additional details will be forthcoming.

In addition, the DYNAMITE show on March 25 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, will be relocated to a new venue, which will be announced shortly. This show will be televised live on TNT on March 25, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy. The DYNAMITE show in Newark will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 22, at the Prudential Center.

Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Newark show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 22. Additional details will be forthcoming.

We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority. We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management.”

The Prudential Center issued the following statement about shutting the arena down: 

https://twitter.com/njdevils/status/1238197683787087884?s=12

Recap of Tony Khan on the AEW Unrestricted Podcast

Fast & Furious 9 Featuring John Cena Has Release Date Delayed

Andrew Ravens
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1

While John Cena landed one of the biggest movie roles thus far in his acting career, fans will have to wait even longer to watch it. 

The former WWE Champion joined the cast of “Fast & Furious 9.” Vin Diesel, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, and more star in the film. 

The film, which will be the ninth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise, was scheduled to be released on May 22, 2020, by Universal Pictures. 

That all changed on Thursday when the franchise issued a statement announcing that the film’s global release date has been delayed until April 2021 and it will open on April 2, 2021 in the United States due to the coronavirus. 

“To our family of Fast fans everywhere, We feel all the love and the anticipation you have for the next chapter in our saga.

That’s why it’s especially tough to let you know that we have to move the release date of the film. It’s become clear that it won’t be possible for all of our fans around the world to see the film this May.

We are moving the global release date to April 2021, with North America opening on April 2. While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer, this move is made with the safety of everyone as our foremost consideration.

Moving will allow our global family to experience our new chapter together. We’ll see you next spring. Much love, Your Fast Family”

While Cena will be joined the cast, there won’t be one familiar face featured and that’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as he will not be returning in the film.

John Cena’s Appearance Announced For This Week’s SmackDown

ROH Cancels 18th Anniversary PPV

Andrew Ravens
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1

The card for Friday’s (March 13, 2020) ROH 18th Anniversary Show has been finalized but the show has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

Ring of Honor was slated to hold its latest pay-per-view event of the year at the Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show was supposed to headlined by ROH World Heavyweight Champion Rush vs. Mark Haskins.

ROH announced the cancellation of the show with the following statement:

“Dear ROH Family,

After much consideration and consultation with local officials regarding COVID-19, ROH has decided to cancel this weekend’s 18th Anniversary (Friday, March 13th) and Past vs Present (Saturday, March 14th) shows at Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

This extremely difficult decision was made in conjunction with the most recent developments surrounding COVID-19, known as the Coronavirus.

While the marquee “18th Anniversary” and the very special “Past v Present” events were ready to show the world why Ring of Honor is truly the “Best Professional Wrestling on the Planet,” the safety and health of our fans, talents and staff are always our utmost priority.

Additional Information will be provided as soon as possible regarding refunds and potential rescheduling of the events that were set to transpire this weekend.

Once again, thank you for understanding and we truly appreciate your continued patronage and support.”

Other top matches featured on the card included ROH TV Champion Dragon Lee vs. Bandido and ROH Tag Team Champions Jonathan Gresham & Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon. 

ROH 18th Anniversary Show Card

  • ROH World Heavyweight Champion Rush vs. Mark Haskins
  • ROH TV Champion Dragon Lee vs. Bandido
  • ROH Tag Team Champions Jonathan Gresham & Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon
  • The Briscoes vs. Dalton Castle & Joe Hendry
  • Shane Taylor vs. Dan Maff vs. Kenny King vs. Bateman – Dealer’s Choice: Winner Gets a Title Shot of Their Choice
  • Jeff Cobb vs. Slex
  • Session Moth Martina vs. Nicole Savoy
  • Eli Isom vs. Bully Ray
  • PCO and Brody King of Villain Enterprises vs. Rey Horus and Alex Zayne

Young Bucks Discuss Marty Scurll Staying With ROH

AEW Dynamite & NXT TV Viewership (3/11)

Andrew Ravens
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5

Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War.  AEW won in total viewers. It was close in every demographic group including the +50 which NXT slightly won.

Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

WWE NXT Viewership

NXT on the USA Network averaged 697,000 viewers, which is down from 718,000 last week. In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.21 rating, down from the 0.23 rating that the show did last week. 

The episode featured North American Champion Keith Lee vs. Cameron Grimes, Tegan Knox vs. Deonna Purrazzo, Dakota Kai vs. Mia Yim, The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish) vs. NXT Tag Team Champions The Broserweights (Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle), and Kushida vs. Raul Mendoza.

AEW Dynamite Viewership

AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 766,000 viewers, down from the 906,000 viewers last week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.26 rating, down from the 0.35 rating that the show did last week. 

AEW Dynamite featured such as Bea Priestley & Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida & Kris Statlander, Adam Page and Dustin Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes vs. Ortiz, Death Triangle vs. Joey Janela and Private Party, and Jurassic Express vs. MJF, The Butcher and The Blade.

WrestleMania 36 Still Scheduled Despite Florida Governor’s Recommendations

Andrew Ravens
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7

The drama of whether or not WWE will hold WrestleMania 36 as scheduled in Tampa, Florida due to the coronavirus will remain a possibility. 

On Thursday, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group decided against calling off WrestleMania or any events in the area, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 

Per the report, the group could reconsider in a week based on how the virus spreads. This comes after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis encouraged to cancel mass gatherings and events scheduled for the next 30 days.

However, the city of Tampa is keeping things as scheduled, which includes WrestleMania. 

It’s been reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon traveled to Tampa today in order to meet with city officials regarding the pandemic and the status of WrestleMania 36.

WWE presents the WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event on Sunday, April 5, 2020 in Tampa, Florida at the Raymond James Stadium that will air on the WWE Network. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre is likely to headline the show should it take place. 

Updated WWE WrestleMania 36 Card

  • WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre
  • WWE Universal Champion Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair
  • John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
  • WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler

President Trump Announces US-European Travel Ban That Falls Over WrestleMania 36 Week

Recap of Tony Khan on the AEW Unrestricted Podcast

Michael Reichlin
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2

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan was the special guest on this week’s edition of the AEW Unrestricted podcast.

Here are some highlights of Khan’s discussion with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards:

In the early stages of creating the wrestling promotion that would be come AEW, the first idea he had for the company’s name was, Worlds Best Wrestling.

Tony met TNT President Kevin Reilly at a party back on April 6, 2018. He learned that TNT was considering bidding for the TV rights for WWE Raw and SmackDown. He remembers telling Reilly that the wrestling TV industry had changed a lot since TNT aired WCW programming. He told Reilly that acquiring WWE programming would be way too expensive, but there was still enough fan interest to warrant a second major league product. Reilly was intrigued, especially when Tony Khan told him that were a lot of talent free agents and WWE wrestlers with contracts expiring in the near future.

The first names Tony Khan had in mind for starting a new promotion were Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Chris Jericho and CM Punk. Jon Moxley was not under consideration at the beginning, because he was a WWE guy and they were pleasantly surprised when he became a free agent.

He is very hands-on with the AEW product, as it relates to the creative direction and overall business operations. He’s communicating with referees during the matches about time cues and with the announcers about what to put over. However, he is careful to not be in the announcers’ ears too much.

AEW executives are happy with the Dynamite product and took a dig at ‘other companies’ taping 5 weeks of shows at theme parks.

MJF recently signed a new contract extension with AEW. He will be with the company through at least 2024.

It was Tony Khan’s idea to have young stars like Jungle Boy and Scorpio Sky have TV matches with (former) AEW World Champion Chris Jericho. He thought both matches showcased the challengers in a big way.

His appearance on Steve Austin’s podcast shortly after Double or Nothing, and Austin’s praise for the show, was one of the proudest moments during his time in wrestling.

His first exposure to pro wrestling was seeing Hulk Hogan on the A-Team in the early 1980’s.

AEW Of all the names that Tony had been thinking of to sign early on, Jon Moxley’s name was never one of them, because him leaving was a big surprise.

The people in AEW do not feel like they are in a war with WWE. They are trying to present a strong alternative product and compete with themselves.

Tony spoke about wanting to avoid insulting fans’ intelligence and the need to present things logically. He called out the “invisible camera” technique that other companies have used, where you see someone hatching a plan in secret and everyone else is supposed to act like it didn’t just air on television for the world to see.

Overall, it was a fun chat that is definitely worth checking out.

AJ Styles Recalls Being Terrified Before His WWE Debut

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

AJ Styles’ WWE debut is one of the most iconic debuts of all time and the Phenomenal One has gone on to become one of the top stars of the company since then.

However, the former World Champion didn’t know how he would be treated by the fans and management before coming in, and according to Styles, he was ‘terrified’ before his WWE debut.

The former TNA star was the guest on the latest episode of WWE Backstage and while talking about his first night in the company, AJ recalled how the experience was intimidating:

“I was terrified,” Styles said. “We went over the match, and they took me out of the trailer where they were hiding me, and I saw Road Dogg and I didn’t want to let him go. I’m in someone else’s house. It’s their home.

I’m a guest. I don’t live there yet. I didn’t know until literally days before, I didn’t know. I don’t think many people knew. It was huge for me and intimidating. I’m a 38 year old man coming to the WWE for the first time, it’s intimidating.”

AJ Styles made his WWE debut at Royal Rumble in January 2016. He has since become one of the top stars of the company and has won a number of championships in the promotion, including winning the world championship twice.

Styles is currently scheduled to face the Undertaker at WrestleMania 36. You can check out an updated match card for the event at this link.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

AJ Styles On Being A Locker Room Leader, Frustrated Superstars

Steve Russell
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1

WWE Superstar AJ Styles joined FS1’s WWE Backstage this week where he opened up about his role as a locker room leader. During his time on the show, he also offered some words of encouragement to a couple of frustrated WWE Superstars. 

With a career has extensive as Styles’, there are plenty of Superstars eager to learn from ‘The Phenomenal One.’

“I don’t think they’re green, they’ve earned their way into the WWE but it is a roller coaster ride,” Styles said. “There is going to be ups, there’s going to be downs. You have the internet saying this and that and a lot of it is not true.”

He continued, “I want to talk to those people, I want to sit down with them and say listen: ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, keep working, keep learning and you’ll get to where you need to be. How’s everything at home? Is everything great? Think about that stuff, your bills are being paid, think about the positives in your life, don’t think about your job.’ As much as we love this business at the end of the day it’s still a job.”

AJ Styles With Words Of Encouragement

When asked to name a few Superstars he believes will be WWE’s next big stars, AJ Styles was quick to name Ricochet, Cedric Alexander and Shayna Baszler.

“Ricochet, definitely, this guy is unbelievable, the talent that he has,” Styles shared. “Cedric Alexander, another guy, unbelievable. Shayna Baszler. There are opportunities for these athletes, and they will come if they are not already. These guys were high for a moment, I’ve gotten beat by Cedric, beat by Ricochet, it’s okay, we’re gonna get there. I see these guys on their way up. Just because you’re on the downturn doesn’t mean you’re not going to come back up. We just got to wait our turn sometimes.”

He confessed that he’s been in a similar situation and has shared their frustrations. Styles added that he has felt that way in WWE. He explained how it comes down to accepting the idea that “[…] it’s not my turn it’s somebody else, I’ll just wait and do the best I can with what I’ve got.”

AJ Styles is scheduled to face off against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 36. The event takes place on April 5 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

Mark Henry On Big Guy Gimmicks, Braun Strowman

Steve Russell
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0

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry joined this week’s episode of WWE show The Bump. With WWE boasting so many athletic big men, Henry spoke what it’s like to be a big guy in wrestling. Mentioning large talents like The Big Show, Keith Lee and Braun Strowman, he revealed how there were some who had doubts regarding Strowman when he was first brought into the company.

“[On the ‘Big Guy gimmick’] It starts off as heat like you’ve got a problem with everybody. We call that ‘Big Guy Heat,'” Henry explained. “You get too many big guys in the room, people start to talk about their accolades, and say things like ‘Yeah, I’ve beaten this guy. Yeah, I’ve beaten that guy. I’m over, look at me.’ Then, you start to look at people as your contemporaries. You look at them as your peer group. You learn from each other. Then, you start to work against each other.”

He continued, “Me and The Big Show – arguably the biggest guys of our era – we worked together probably 100 times. It was always cordial when we met. He was like my brother. So, it’s been different in the case for me and him. When I brought in Braun Strowman, some people were like ‘I don’t know about this guy, man.’ I told him ‘That’s the big guy heat. Let it die down. It will work out in the end, and it did.'”

Mark Henry On Scouting Talent

Working as a talent scout for WWE, Henry pointed to NXT North American Champion Keith Lee as a Superstar he believes will excel. He noted how Lee is an unbelievable worker that has great ring psychology.

“There are some other guys in developmental that I’m looking forward to seeing show up. We have a 7’0″ giant named Jordan from Nigeria, who looks the part. I’m looking forward to seeing the future. There are about 10 guys there, and six of them are over 7-feet-tall.”

Mark Henry noted how Superstars like Braun Strowman is the “A-typical” person they need in wrestling. He shared how Strowman isn’t shy and that when he walks into the room, he owns it. According to Henry, these are qualities he is looking for when he’s scouting future talent. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

‘British Bulldog’ Davey Boy Smith Announced For WWE Hall Of Fame

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Corey Graves confirmed the reports of Davey Boy Smith going into Hall Of Fame and he announced on the latest episode of his After The Bell podcast that the British Bulldog will be inducted into the class of 2020.

Graves welcomed the wrestling legend’s son Harry Smith, Natalya and Tyson Kidd for this special episode of his podcast featuring the announcement of the induction.

Reacting to the news, Harry said that it’s something that has been long overdue but he is really excited and glad to finally get the chance to induct his father:

“It’s been long overdue but I am really excited and glad to be inducting my father into the 2020 Hall Of Fame. It’s something that is great not only for my family but the WWE Universe as well.”

Natalya, on the other hand, said that the time has never been better for the induction of Davey Boy Smith and she went on to explain that his legacy has stood the test of time:

“It feels like the time has never been better. So many people in our industry say that it was the British Bulldog who inspired them to want to get into WWE. His work and his legacy has stood the test of time and he is still so relevant to the culture of WWE today.”

Davey Boy Smith will be joining JBL, The Bella Twins, nWo and Dave Batista into the Hall Of Fame class of 2020. Japanese veteran Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger is also expected to be inducted this year but it hasn’t been made official yet.

President Trump Announces US-European Travel Ban That Falls Over WrestleMania 36 Week

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President Trump has announced a 30-day travel ban between the United States and Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic. The imposed ban will begin this Friday at midnight and end after WrestleMania 36. European fans travelling into the United States for WrestleMania 36 will be affected by this decision. It’s worth noting that the ban will not include travel to and from the United Kingdom at this point in time.

It has been reported that WWE is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation in relation to WrestleMania 36, which takes place in Tampa, Florida. Tampa city officials will be meeting to discuss viable options regarding several major events set to take place in the area, including WrestleMania. WWE recently denied reports they were cancelling this week’s episode of SmackDown due to concerns. They revealed the show will go ahead as planned, but they are putting “contingency plans” in place for future shows.

Coronavirus Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently defined the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic. It has been confirmed in over 100 countries so far and has infected more than 120,000 people. There have been an unfortunate 4,300 coronavirus related deaths worldwide, with a vaccine taking as long as 18 months to develop.

Due to the nature of the coronavirus, numerous events have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled. Events, conventions, attractions and tours have been shut down in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

WrestleMania 36 takes place on April 5 from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

William Regal Releases Statement Addressing NXT Brawl

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Following last night’s anarchic ending to WWE’s black-and-gold brand NXT, NXT General Manager William Regal took to Twitter to release a statement on their actions:

“The actions of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa to each other and to the WWE Performance Center are beyond unprofessional and UNACCEPTABLE on every level. I will be dealing with this privately with both gentlemen.”

Chaos At The Performance Center

In case you missed it, last night’s episode of NXT took place from the Performance Center. The episode ended with a heated brawl breaking out between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

The two Superstars fought throughout the PC from the back, through to the gym and finally out to the crowd. Their clash ended after Ciampa drove Gargano through the announce table from off of a platform above the commentary area.

Their fight saw mass amounts of property damaged as Gargano and Ciampa battled one another. Gym equipment was used, mirrors were broken, walls were destroyed, and at one point Ciampa was thrown through a glass pane door. It’s believed that the two will take part in a major matchup at NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay as part of WrestleMania 36 weekend.

NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay takes place on April 4, 2020, from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1237920356696043521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1237920356696043521&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F03%2Fwilliam-regal-issues-statement-on-major-show-closing-brawl-667711%2F

Jerry Lawler On If Coronavirus Will Affect WrestleMania 36

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Coronavirus is affecting people all over the world and WrestleMania 36 seems to be in jeopardy but the WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry Lawler believes that the epidemic will not affect the major event.

Lawler appeared on Cerrito Live recently where he talked about a number of things and also discussed the effect the outbreak of COVID-19 is having on the world.

However, while discussing the possibility of the situation affecting the Show Of Shows, the WWE Hall Of Famer claimed that it’s not gonna affect the event at all:

“I don’t think it’s gonna affect WrestleMania at all. I’m not trying to downplay it or anything like that. When you listen to what has happened in the past, it’s almost like a cycle.  These kinds of things happen every now and then,” Jerry Lawler said. “There’s nothing you can do about it except react to it as best as we can.”

The former Champion then named other major diseases that have made similar headlines in the past like the Hong Kong flu and swine flu. He said that coronavirus is just another thing we will get through and it’s just the way life is.

The Tampa officials are expected to hold a meeting this Thursday to discuss the future of major events in the area including WrestleMania 36. We will keep you posted on any updates on the situation.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

WWE Backstage Draws Lowest Viewership In Show’s History

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WWE Backstage had seen a big drop in viewership numbers just last week and the show has made a record for low viewership this week once again.

This week’s episode of the WWE series which featured AJ Styles and Xavier Woods as the special guests drew only 35,000 viewers, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This is not only the lowest viewership the show has garnered this year but it’s the lowest number it has done since its official premiere in October last year.

WWE Backstage did a 0.01 rating in the 18-49 demographic this week and the show’s numbers were delayed because it once again failed to make it into the Cable Top 150.

In comparison, last week’s episode of the show, which was built around the return of Jeff Hardy, had drawn 56,000 viewers.

During the WWE Backstage episode, WWE had announced the return of Jeff Hardy for this week’s SmackDown and the company has since confirmed the appearance of former world champion John Cena for the show as well.

Though the SmackDown episode seems to be in jeopardy due to the coronavirus outbreak. While WWE has denied the reports of the show being canceled, they have revealed that they are putting contingency plans in place.

You can check out their statement on the matter here.

WWE Denies Reports Of SmackDown Being Cancelled Due To Coronavirus

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WWE has responded to the reports of this week’s episode of SmackDown Live being canceled due to coronavirus, confirming that the show is scheduled to go as planned.

The company released the following statement to media outlets regarding the show. They announced that episode has not been cancelled yet but they are putting ‘contingency plans’ in place in case this decision is made by local authorities:

“WWE has not cancelled Friday Night SmackDown in Detroit; however, based on the current situation, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that upcoming WWE shows are cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.”

PWInsider, who originally published the report of the cancellation suggests that it’s possible that the company has reversed their decision or a final call has not been made yet.

Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, the venue for this week’s episode of SmackDown is the same arena where NBA Player Rudy Gobert played a game over the weekend.

Gobert later tested positive for coronavirus. After the Utah Jazz player tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the NBA officials have decided to suspend their current season.

A decision on large scale events in Tampa area, where WrestleMania is expected to take place is also pending and we’ll keep you posted on any updates on the situation.

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