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New Match Announced ROH Final Battle

Andrew Ravens
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A new match has been added to the card of the upcoming ROH Final Battle pay-per-view event. This marks the final Ring of Honor PPV event of 2018. On Friday, the company announced that Christopher Daniels would battle “The Villain” Marty Scurll with Scurll’s shot at the ROH World Title up for grabs at this show.

Ring of Honor is slated to hold their Final Battle pay-per-view event on December 14, 2018 in Manhattan, New York at the Hammerstein Ballroom. ROH World Champion Jay Lethal vs. Cody is expected to headline this show.

ROH will be holding TV tapings in Philadelphia the following night for upcoming episodes of their television show. The Baltimore-based promotion is expected to announce more matches for this show in the coming weeks.

Updated ROH Final Battle Card

ROH World Champion Jay Lethal vs. Cody – Main Event

ROH World TV Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Adam Page

ROH Women Of Honor World Champion Sumie Sakai vs. Madison Rayne vs. Karen Q vs. TBA

Matt Taven vs. Dalton Castle

Jonathan Gresham vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Bully Ray vs. Flip Gordon – I Quit Match

What are your thoughts on this match being added to this card? Do you plan on buying the pay-per-view and watching? Sound off in the comment section.

Information On Becky Lynch’s Projected Return Date

Steve Russell
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3

With Becky Lynch having suffered a concussion and broken nose due to a heavy strike from Nia Jax, fans are eager to know when she will be medically cleared to come back to the ring.

Unfortunately, according to Dave Meltzer, it won’t be anytime soon. He noted, “Yeah, [Becky Lynch is] off of everything. No return date. Well, it’s a concussion. Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss are still waiting.”

That one punch from Jax, which took place on the Monday Night Raw before Survivor Series, would deprive the WWE Universe of the hotly anticipated confrontation between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series.

Nia Jax would receive a raucous negative reaction from the Los Angeles crowd when she made her entrance for the 5 v 5 Women’s Survivor Series clash. She would eventually lead Team Raw to victory, showing off the hand that had hurt Lynch throughout.

Despite not having a projected return date at this time, Becky Lynch has managed to maintain and grow her surge of popularity, using her social media accounts to great effect.

Whether it’s an exchange with Conor McGregor or having to remind the WWE that she is their SmackDown Women’s champion, the Lass Kicker has guaranteed she remains relevant as she strives towards her return.

Jeff Cobb Shares His Thoughts On Ring Of Honor

Steve Russell
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2

It didn’t take long for Jeff Cobb to establish himself as one of Ring Of Honor’s top stars. After ripping through the roster, interrupting matches and securing his place as a top prospect, Cobb would go on to decimate ‘Punishment’ Martinez at ROH’s 10/21 TV episode, picking up the TV title in an astounding 1 minute and 27 seconds.

Speaking with Jim Ross on The Jim Ross Report podcast, Cobb covered a range of subjects, including his previous and current experiences with both New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring Of Honor.

Effusive with his praise, Jeff Cobb shared that he was truly enjoying his time at ROH so far and that he would be a part of their roster for the “foreseeable future.”

“My time at Ring Of Honor has been fantastic!” he exclaimed. “Every taping that I’ve done, every live show, live event, that I’ve done, every pay-per-view that I’ve made an appearance in, I’ve had a blast.”

“Like, all the dudes in the back are great, from the top to the bottom, everybody has just been awesome,” he said. “Like, the staff [has] been cool, the booker’s cool, [ROH COO] Joe Koff has been super nice to me,” he said, before adding, “[…] it [has] been a great time back there and I’ll be with Ring Of Honor for the foreseeable future.”

Having made such an immediate impact within their ranks, it probably won’t be long before we see Cobb in ROH’s main event scene.

Update To Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 35 Opponent

Steve Russell
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8

As we hurtle towards ‘The Road To Wrestlemania,’ we have an update on who the WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, could be facing come April 7th. Early reports highlighted that Lesnar might clash with Braun Strowman. However, according to Dave Meltzer, this may not actually be the case.

Reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the current plan for Brock Lesnar now sees him taking on, Seth Rollins. Unless the WWE want to commit to a champion-versus-champion matchup, the implication is that Seth will drop the Intercontinental title. This could possibly take place against Dean Ambrose at TLC.

It’s reported that the Rollins vs Lesnar feud will use Roman Reigns’ unfortunate diagnosis as a narrative starting point but there are no specifics at this time.

Tabbles, Ladders and Chairs

‘The Beast Incarnate’ vs ‘The Monster Among Men’ seemed secure as Raw’s main event scene for the foreseeable future. However, with Strowman scheduled to receive elbow surgery in order to remove bone spurs, it leaves the WWE’s initial plans in limbo.

Although still slated to face off against Baron Corbin at TLC, it is unclear about the surgery’s rehabilitation time. However, the WWE appears confident in a January return.

The major stipulation for their clash would have seen Strowman receive a WWE Universal Title shot if victorious. Conversely, if Corbin were to succeed, he would gain full General Managership of Monday Night Raw.

Supposedly, the original outcome would have seen Braun win in order to challenge Lesnar going forward.

Contractual Obligations

With only a handful of matches left on his renewed contract, the WWE will want to pair up their Universal Champion against top contenders as we head towards April.

Post-WrestleMania, it is expected that Lesnar will wrap up all WWE commitments and return to the UFC, where it is speculated he will compete against the champ-champ, Daniel Cormier.

What do you think of this matchup? Would you prefer Beast vs Monster or Beast vs Architect? 

WWE To Keep Brand Separate When SmackDown Moves To Fox

Chris Stephens
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2

There has been some speculation that the brand-split could end in 2019 when Smackdown moves to Fox next October. Speculation has been that WWE will want the ratings for both shows to be high initially after the move.

According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer, however, Fox does not want to co-promote the same talent which will be on Raw every week.

“There was speculation going around that with the move to FOX that they would go to one brand because they would need all the top stars on FOX because of how important network primetime numbers are,” Dave Meltzer wrote. “That was denied to us and said that FOX doesn’t really want to cross-promote the same talent as NBC Universal and the expectation is split crews would remain.”

There are no plans at the moment to move back to single-brand PPVs, however.

WWE New Television Deal With Fox

WWE’s new television deal with Fox begins on October 4th, 2019 when Smackdown will move to Friday nights. Vince McMahon released the following statement shortly after the 5-year deal was made official.

“Fox and WWE are a perfect match. Moving SmackDown Live to broadcast TV and having the ability to leverage Fox’s extensive portfolio of world-class sporting events will expand the reach of our flagship programming.”

Hiromu Takahashi May Never Wrestle Again

Chris Stephens
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1

Upsetting news coming out of New Japan Pro Wrestling at the moment. A recent report from the Wrestling Observer is stating popular junior heavyweight, Hiromu Takahashi, may never wrestle again.

“The updated word is that it is not certain when or if Hiromu Takahashi will be able to return to the ring,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Takahashi was injured at the G1 Special in San Francisco during a match with Dragon Lee. Takahashi landed on the top of his head from a cradle-suplex spot. Although he finished the match, Takahashi collapsed backstage and was taken to hospital. Early reports had Takahashi being out anywhere from 9-12 months.

Hiromu Takahashi Injury Update

Earlier this month, it was reported that Hiromu was around 93% recovered and was up to 207lbs. Whether he will ever be recovered to the degree he is able to return to the ring, however, does not appear to yet be known.

Takahashi won the Best of the Super Juniors earlier this year and then went on to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. He successfully defended the title twice during his second reign with the belt. He defeated El Desperado at Kizuna Road. Following that win, his next title defense was against Dragon Lee at the Cow Palace. Many are hoping that match won’t turn out to have been his last.

Becky Lynch Hints At WrestleMania Role For Conor McGregor

Chris Stephens
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14

SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and UFC star Conor McGregor’s interactions on Twitter have taken an interesting turn.

Earlier this week, The Man commented on an article comparing her to the former 2-division UFC Champion. Lynch refuted the notion that she has been “channeling” McGregor as of late. She acknowledged that they have a bond as premiere Irish athletes, but stated that she’d break that bond (and his arm) if they ever got within 2 miles of each other.

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1065644632921513990

McGregor, one of the biggest trash talkers in all of sports, responded with a show of respect. Instead of firing back with tough talk of his own, McGregor told her to call him if she ever needs backup.

Anybody else hear a cash register sound just now? Upping the ante once again, Becky Lynch told Conor McGregor that New York is nice in the spring time, a not-so-subtle reference to WrestleMania 35.

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1065752262599942144

Conor McGregor Becky Lynch

Lynch has trained with Conor McGregor’s team in Ireland before. WWE.com followed Becky around as she trained with the famed-coach John Kavanagh, during a WWE trip to Dublin in 2017.

“(Conor) would absolutely be a success. He is WWE,” Lynch told Newshub earlier this year. “A lot of his influence, a lot of his popularity and success is from taking elements of pro-wrestling and putting them into his UFC character and persona you see.”

New WWE Performance Centers To Be Announced Soon

Chris Stephens
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1

WWE is hoping to announce new Performance Centers in the near future. The first will likely be located in the United Kingdom to serve as a feeder system to NXT UK. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, an announcement could come at this weekend’s tapings in Liverpool.

“They are actually working very hard right now to get things going and there is likely to be an announcement within the next few weeks,” Dave Meltzer wrote on the situation. “Actually I expect it on 11/24 or 11/25 in Liverpool at the TV tapings, regarding a second Performance Center, likely the U.K.”

Triple H has previously said Takeover specials will be apart of the NXT UK brand in 2019.

New Performance Centers

Following a new WWE Performance Center in the UK, WWE is hoping to open Centers in every major part of the world.

“Plans are on board for them within a few years to be in every major wrestling geographical area in the world, as well as Saudi Arabia with the long-term goal of running a regular regional promotion in that area,” Meltzer continued. “This does include Japan, as well as Germany, South America and Australia.”

An NXT Germany brand is something which has been rumored to be not too far off.

NJPW World Tag League Kanagawa (11/23) Full Card

Jake Skudder
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0

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s November scheduling is usually dominated by the World Tag League shows – and 2018 is no different. This year’s lineup of shows will of course feature some of NJPW’s top stars, but there are some notable exceptions. Some of the shows will be available on NJPWWorld.

The headline grabbers are the of course in the continuation of the World Tag League. Shota Umino and Ayato Yoshida will be taking on Chuckie T and Beretta. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata face Takashi Ilzuka and Minoru Suzuki. David Finlay and Juice Robinson take on Jeff Cobb and Michael Elgin. Toa Henare and Togi Makabe will also face SANADA and EVIL.

Here’s the full card for the World Tag League in Kanagawa (11/23):

  • Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji vs Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa
  • Ren Narita, Tomoaki Honma, Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr, Davey Boy Smith Jr and Lance Archer
  • 1st WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2018: Tournament Match – Shota Umino and Ayato Yoshida vs Chuckie T and Beretta
  • 2nd WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2018: Tournament Match – Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata vs Takashi Ilzuka and Minoru Suzuki
  • 3rd WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2018: Tournament Match – David Finlay and Juice Robinson vs Jeff Cobb and Michael Elgin
  • 4th WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2018: Tournament Match – Toa Henare and Togi Makabe vs SANADA and EVIL
  • Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto vs Yujiro Takahashi, Hangman Page and Kota Ibushi
  • SHO, YOU and Kazuchika Okada vs Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito

Becky Lynch Comments On Bond Between Her And Conor McGregor

Chris Stephens
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2

Don’t tell Becky Lynch that she is channeling her inner “Conor McGregor”. The Man isn’t channeling anyone and she wants to make sure people know.

Lynch responded to an article by Apple News earlier today, refuting that she is doing a Conor McGregor impersonation.

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1065644632921513990

“The Man channels no one. & me are bonded as Irish brother & sister. But if I ever got within 2 miles of him I’d break that bond, and his arm, in three short seconds.
I’d be too tempting; he’d completely understand too. Proper12 after.”

Becky Lynch And Conor McGregor

In 2016, Lynch responded to Conor McGregor’s early retirement claims by inviting him to join her in WWE.

Later that year, Becky beat Conor out for an Irish sportsperson of the year award and she made sure to let Conor know about it:

The radio station then offered up the following post to explain their decision to pick Becky over Conor:

https://twitter.com/98FM/status/762969292690382848

Earlier this year, however, Becky Lynch said she believes Conor McGregor would be a big success if he ever came to WWE.

“He would absolutely be a success. He is WWE,” Lynch told Newshub. “A lot of his influence, a lot of his popularity and success is from taking elements of pro-wrestling and putting them into his UFC character and persona you see.”

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1065275806308548608

Becky Lynch is currently on the shelf with a concussion. As of this writing, there is no timetable for her return to the ring.

Impact Wrestling 11/22 Preview

Chris Stephens
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1

Impact Wrestling will air another show from Las Vegas tonight. Tonight’s Thanksgiving-themed show will feature the return of the famed Turkey suit.

Impact Wrestling 11/22 Preview

Not much is advertised for tonight’s episode of Impact. This likely means much of what occurs on the show will be decided on the show. Two segments have officially be confirmed by the promotion for tonight, however.

The Fate of the X-Division Is Decided

Last week on a notable episode of Impact Wrestling, Brian Cage declared he is cashing in “Option C”. This means he is vacating the X-Division Championship in order to receive a shot at the Impact World Championship at Homecoming on January 6th.

Tonight, Impact officials have said they will reveal the fate of the X-Division and likely how they will determine a new champion for the division. Rich Swann, Petey Williams, and former champion Matt Sydal will all likely be in the mix as the company looks to crown a new champion, likely at Homecoming.

Gravy Train Turkey Riot

The only other announced segment for tonight is Eli Drake’s annual “Gravy Train Turkey Riot”. A 10-person tag-team match will take place on tonight’s show. The wrestler who is pinned will have to wear the infamous turkey suit.

Other Possible Segments

  • Last week, Johnny Impact turned down an offer from Killer Kross to watch his back. It’s possible we hear from either Johnny or Kross tonight on the matter.
  • Tessa Blanchard and Taya Valkyrie will meet for a 3rd time at Homecoming. We could hear from champion and/or challenger tonight as well.

Speculation On Backstage Heat With The Usos

Steve Russell
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9

One of the most consistent tag teams that the WWE have to offer at the moment are the Usos. This became especially true once they adopted their Day One gimmick, leaving the face paint in the past.

However, much like other talented teams on the WWE roster (The Revival, for instance) the Usos just haven’t been able to break through in recent months. Even when they were champions, their latter reigns weren’t particularly memorable. Through no fault of their own, the initially stellar and then overextended feuds with the likes of The New Day became unintentionally stale.

Down Since Day One

Speaking on the ‘Oh, You Didn’t Know’ podcast, reporter Brad Shepard speculated on the Usos’ current position within the WWE.

He said that he had an “[…] interesting conversation with a source in WWE about the Usos” before proclaiming them to be his pick as the “the greatest tag team of this generation.”

When questioning his source about the Usos’ current placement on the roster and Network events, his source supposedly agreed with Shepard when asked: “Who the hell have the Usos pissed off?”

“[…] they still manage to be on the kickoff show so much, yet they’re having legitimate exceptional matches by today’s standards,” he said. “They do well, yet they always end up, it seems like, in every case, they end up on the kickoff show and I don’t understand that one at all.”

Kenny Omega Explains Why He Hasn’t Signed With The WWE

Steve Russell
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9

Ever since Kenny Omega usurped AJ Styles to become then then-leader of the Bullet Club, prior to forming The Elite along with the Young Bucks, his career has been on an impressive upward trajectory.

Whether it’s racking up victories in the ring, picking up prestigious championship titles, or growing his audience via his Twitch streams and competitive video game appearances, Kenny Omega is consistently at the forefront, his stock, seemingly, still rising.

So, when interviewed by The Business Times and asked why he hasn’t signed with the WWE, ‘The Best Bout Machine’ had a lot to say on the matter, making sure to highlight that he is “very much a part of representing an alternative.”

Viable Alternatives

“If my motivation was money, I would already be in the WWE,” he stated, frankly. “I was down on the current product and I wanted to create a style and have matches that my friends, my family and other athletes could watch and enjoy.”

He extrapolated his point, asserting that “[…] there’s a certain kind of wrestling fan that will only like a certain style. They think that’s the right way, and that’s okay, but I’m not trying to impress those people. Those people are already kind of set in their ways. I’m trying to open the world to a different style, what pro wrestling has the potential to be.”

Omega then stressed the importance of choice for fans, saying, “Everyone has a choice to watch whatever they want. It’s okay to like both or other promotions, too.”

“When I was growing up, I thought there was only WWE,” he confessed. “That’s it. One promotion in the world. And then, as I grew up, I found that there’s local wrestling. There’s WCW, there’s ECW. In Mexico, there are the luchadores. And then, finally, I realized there’s wrestling in Japan. I think for many people, they think there’s one giant promotion and that’s all that there is. It must be the best. But as they expand their palate and their horizons, they realize that, oh, there’s other wrestling out there. They might not necessarily like it more but it’s an option now.”

With the advent of streaming services, the rise of true, viable alternatives has become all the more prevalent, with fans who are bored or unsatisfied with the WWE’s product quickly finding a promotion more in line with what they enjoy — a fact Kenny is well aware of as he wrapped up his thoughts on the matter: “It’s cool that there are so many options for people all over the planet.”

Kalisto Shares Story Of Meeting Rey Mysterio For The First Time

Ethan Renner
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2

In an interview with Steve Austin, Kalisto credits Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio with inspiring him to pursue a career in wrestling.

Kalisto sat down with Stone Cold Steve Austin at 317 Gimmick Street on the latest episode of The Steve Austin Show, and discussed what Eddie and Rey meant to him as he was starting out in the wrestling business.

“Eddie not only made noise in the Latin community, he made noise everywhere. Same with Rey,” Kalisto said. “Eddie and Rey set the world on fire and they made some noise. You know what? That inspired me to actually follow my dream,” he said.

“Rey, when he won his world title, he did a book signing at my college in Chicago. I met up with him. I was five months in wrestling,” Kalisto said. “When I saw him, I said ‘I’m in the process of being a luchador, I’m learning so much, and you’re a good inspiration.’

Kalisto continued.

“At the time, I didn’t know he was going to win the title. And when I met him, he’s a little shorter than me, and that gave me inspiration. If he could do it, I could do it.”

Kalisto said that he would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet Eddie as well, but that in a sense, he can tap into Guerrero’s knowledge now, through his friendship with Mysterio.

“Rey, right now, he’s giving me so much advice. I told him I wish I could have met Eddie and picked his brain. And he taught Rey so much, and now I’m picking his brain.”

Kalisto also discusses being able to provide inspiration for the next generation, breaking in, his career, and much more. The full interview can be heard below.

When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

https://youtu.be/DNOtwNBLgFs

Dolph Ziggler Injury Update

Chris Stephens
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0

There were concerns Dolph Ziggler was dealing with a broken foot coming out of Survivor Series. Ziggler didn’t wrestle the night after the PPV but could be cleared to compete as early as this weekend according to a report on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“Ziggler’s got a foot injury and he may be back within a week,” Dave Meltzer said. “He’s going to be evaluated again on Saturday. I believe he’s going to Cincinnati for Starrcade, he’ll be evaluated there. There’s a chance he may even be on that show if he’s ok.”

“They thought it was a break, which would have been a somewhat serious injury,” Meltzer continued. “He did not have a broken foot so whatever it is, it’s not that bad and they expect him back pretty soon.”

Other WWE Injury Updates

Unfortunately, there is still no timetable for the returns of Alexa Bliss or Becky Lynch at the moment. Lynch is dealing with a concussion suffered a week ago Monday. Bliss has been on the injured list since an October 20th house show when she is thought to have suffered a concussion. WWE is believed to be approaching Bliss’ return cautiously. The multi-time champion is said to have suffered multiple concussions within a short period of time.

Jim Ross Says There Are Too Many Dives In Wrestling Matches

Ethan Renner
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9

On the latest edition of The Jim Ross Report, JR takes issue with the overuse of dives in wrestling matches today.

“One thing that is on my mind is the overuse of a variety of dives,” Ross said. “Now before you think ‘there he goes again, that old bastard, he just hates those acrobatics’, no, I don’t. Not at all.”

Ross went on to clarify his statement.

“Here’s my issue. It’s not the dives. It’s the overuse of the dives. Especially this past weekend, it just seemed to be enough is enough.’ The more they’re used, the less they mean.”

Ross further elaborated, with his key thought being that dives are used as spots and transition moves in matches, rather than being used to set up finishing moves.

“I’m not against dives. But they’re high-risk, low-reward. A dive rarely leads to a finish,” Ross said. “So, I guess the guys who are doing all the diving aren’t good enough at their diving to beat somebody with it.”

“I just think the overuse of it is making it hard to get that ‘holy shit’ moment, ‘this is awesome’, all that stuff.”

To hear JR’s full comments on dives, including Seth Rollins using them too often, you can listen to the full episode of The Jim Ross Report below.

When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Do you agree with JR? Are there too many dives in wrestling? 

Sean Waltman Praises Johnny Gargano

Ethan Renner
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0

Sean Waltman praises Johnny Gargano for his performance at NXT TakeOver WarGames II, and talks about the behind the scenes atmosphere at the event, all on the latest episode of X-Pac 123660.

Sean Waltman Praises Johnny Gargano

Waltman, who sat backstage in the gorilla position for the bulk of the event, says that Gargano approached him for feedback and advice after his match with Aleister Black, but Waltman was at a loss for words.

“I said man, the shit you guys are doing now is so next-level, cutting edge, I’m just going to stand back and enjoy it,” Waltman said. “We can pick shit apart at a later date if there’s anything to pick apart.”

“It was just about as flawless of a match as it gets these days,” he said. “I watched that match and it was the one that I liked the most.”

Backstage At WarGames

Waltman also revealed some of the backstage discussion about Matt Riddle’s TakeOver debut.

“I was sitting there talking with Hunter before he went on. I was like, ‘Hey, have you ever seen Riddle and Kassius Ohno work before?’ because they’ve had matches before, and really good ones. He was like, ‘yeah, but they aren’t going to do a match tonight’ and he kind of told me the whole thing,” Waltman said.

“I liked that. I like where they’re going with that,” he said. “It’s going to give Ohno something to light a fire under his ass about, and turn it up a notch or two for him.”

Waltman also talks about his cameo on the WarGames show, the setting at the gorilla position, and breaks down each match on the event on this week’s show.

The full episode can be found below. When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Do you agree with X-Pac on Johnny Gargano’s match?

Main Roster Plans For Lars Sullivan

Steve Russell
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11

It was revealed during Survivor Series weekend that Lars Sullivan would be moving up from NXT to the main roster, despite still being embroiled in feuds with members of the NXT locker room, including Keith Lee.

Since then, new details have emerged about which brand he is heading to, and what the initial plan for Sullivan would be.

Freak Accident

Speaking on the ‘Oh, You Didn’t Know’ podcast, reporter Brad Shepard commented on WWE’s decision in drafting Sullivan to SmackDown Live.

He stated that “[…] they believe that he would be overlooked on the main roster, especially if he goes to RAW because, basically, Strowman is a bigger Lars Sullivan right down to the mountain man look and beard.”

It’s a fair comparison, though the decision does deprive fans of a potential Sullivan vs Strowman confrontation. That is until the WWE decide they want to see such a showdown take place.

Shepard adds that “They [the WWE] believe Lars would start on SmackDown and work with some smaller talent, in the beginning, to be successful.”

Sounds like Lars may be booked much in the same way as Strowman was (post-Wyatt Family breakup), with squash matches demonstrating his brute power and aggression before moving onto deeper storylines and feuds.

What do you make of this? Would you have preferred Lars on Raw, eventually feuding with Strowman? Is this the kind of performer that SmackDown has been missing?

Information On AJ Styles’ Current WWE Status

Steve Russell
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4

AJ Styles has proven himself a consistently popular superstar ever since his phenomenal debut during the 2016 Royal Rumble. He has had a plethora of main event matches and some fantastic feuds during his time within the WWE, breaking records and rubbing shoulders with the greats along the way.

With supposed renewed interest from NJPW in bringing back a number of superstars that signed with the WWE, and AJ Styles’ contract due for renegotiation come April 2019, it’s fair to speculate over where the Phenomenal One will end up once his initial WWE contract has expired, especially as he just recently dropped the belt to Daniel Bryan, ending an impressive streak as WWE Champion.

Commenting on the subject recently was Mike Johnson, who addressed Styles’ current status with the WWE.

He observed that “[…] traditionally when someone’s deal is coming due they’re not really featured in a major way in a pay-per-view. Although there are exceptions to that,” he admitted. “Jeff Hardy being against CM Punk a few years ago and things of that nature, and Punk against John Cena where Punk could have left, so there are exceptions to the rule. It’s not a hard-rule.”

“But one would think WWE will start to downplay him a little bit if they don’t lock him into a longer-term deal. Those discussions are on-going now so we’ll see what happens.”

With real alternatives beginning to rear their head, it would be interesting to see where a number of these talents, including AJ, decide to call home in the future.

What do you think? Would you prefer AJ Styles to stay in the WWE? Maybe go back to New Japan, or potentially even All Elite Wrestling?

Popular Superstar Predicated To Replace Baron Corbin As Raw GM

Steve Russell
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2

With Baron Corbin having been Raw’s main authority figure for months now, going so far as to adopt the nickname ‘Constable’ Corbin, he appears to have secured a top position helping Stephanie McMahon run the red brand.

WrestleMania Bound

That could all change after his match up against Braun Strowman at December’s TLC event.

The stipulation for their confrontation is simple: if Strowman wins, he receives a Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar. If Corbin wins, his position as Raw General Manager becomes permanent.

It’s predicated that Strowman will be getting his hand raised in order to feud with Lesnar into WrestleMania. If that’s the case, the immediate question becomes: who will replace Corbin as Raw GM?

Lil’ Miss.

According to Mike Johnson of PWInsiderElite, it could be none other than Lil’ Miss Bliss, Alexa Bliss.

Johnson states that Bliss went through medical testing whilst out in Los Angeles, highlighting there was “no clearcut indication that she was returning to the ring anytime soon.”

He clarified his statement, adding, “it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen. […] to the best of my knowledge, it’s not a Paige situation where she’s been permanently sat out, but it did seem like, ‘Ok in two weeks you’re going to be good to go, or in three weeks you’re going to be good to go.”

“[…] They’ll probably still keep testing her,” he said. “There was some expectation backstage at Raw that, when they come out of TLC, Alexa Bliss will probably end up the General Manager of Raw, which makes sense when you think about it. But given how they change ideas so quickly I don’t know that’s definitely 100% the plan.”

WWE SmackDown Live Viewership Declines For Post-Survivor Series Show

Andrew Ravens
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3

Tuesday’s edition of WWE SmackDown Live from Los Angeles, CA at the Staples Center on the USA Network averaged 2.150 million viewers, down from 2.312 million the previous week, according to ShowbuzzDaily. The episode was the post-show for Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

SmackDown had some notable moments including Charlotte Flair vs. Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) & The Big Show, Daniel Bryan talking about his heel turn, Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio serving as the headliner. 

WWE featured the fallout from Survivor Series as well as hyped the upcoming TLC PPV and the matches taking place at that show. In case you missed the show, you can check out the results here.

Despite WWE putting some together some intriguing segments for the show, this episode faced some solid competition. The show had to go up against was Hannity Rachel Maddow Show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Last Word, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report and The Story.

WWE will attempt to keep this momentum going with next week’s episode. As of this writing, there are no matches or segments announced for the show.

Watch: Top 10 Moments from Tuesday’s SmackDown Live (11.20.18)

WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/21)

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Keith Lee Picked Up An Easy Win

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Keith Lee squared off against Fidel Bravo on this week’s episode of WWE NXT. The crowd in the Staples Center chanted “Keith Lee!” as the two Superstars locked up in the middle of the ring. Lee shoved Bravo to the corner as the crowd sang “bask in the glory!”.

Lee posed in the ring and Bravo got pissed off and got in Keith’s face. That was a big mistake as Lee blasted him in the face and followed it up with a double slap to Bravo’s chest in the corner.

Bravo ducked under Lee’s Clothesline and wound up getting leveled by a massive Crossbody. Lee lifted up Bravo in a Fireman’s Carry and then planted him with a Jackhammer for the pinfall victory.

Keith Lee Confronted Lars Sullivan

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Lars Sullivan absolutely squashed his opponent on this week’s episode NXT. Sullivan connected with a Splash and then the Freak Accident for the quick pinfall victory. After the match, Sullivan grabbed the microphone and said let that serve as a warning of what is going to keep happening until he gets an NXT Championship match.

Keith Lee sprinted down to the ring and shoulder tackled Sullivan to the outside. Lee then stood tall in the ring as Lars retreated up the entrance ramp. Lars Sullivan is scheduled to make his main roster debut in the near future.

Keith Lee and Sullivan then had a confrontation backstage later on the show. Sullivan vowed to take week Keith Lee on next week’s show. NXT GM William Regal made it official and Sullivan will battle Keith Lee next Wednesday night.

Nikki Cross Defeated Candice LeRae

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Photo Credit: WWE.com

Candice LeRae battled Nikki Cross in the main event of this week’s episode of NXT. Candice LeRae vowed to get revenge on Nikki for revealing that her husband, Johnny Gargano, was the one who attacked Aleister Black.

Cross and LeRae locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the bout. Nikki drove LeRae to the corner and cackled in her face. LeRae tacked Cross to the mat but Nikki got right up and charged at her.

Nikki trapped LeRae in the ring skirt and beat the hell out of her. LeRae battled back with a running knee off the apron and brought Cross back inside. Cross went for a roll-up and followed it up with a Dropkick to Nikki’s face for a two count.

Cross hit a Belly to Back Suplex and then went for a Bulldog but LeRae blocked it. Candice hit a Neckbreaker and then a Splash in the corner of the ring. LeRae springboarded off of Nikki’s back and hit a Senton for a near fall.

LeRae connected with the Unprettier and went for a springboard Moonsault but Cross got out of the way. Nikki Cross hit the Purge and LeRae became the first Superstar to kick out of the move. LeRae hit an awesome German Suplex off the middle turnbuckle for another two count.

Nikki started laughing in LeRae’s face and Candice got pissed off and beat Nikki down in the corner of the ring. Candice bounced Nikki’s face off the canvas and locked in the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring. Nikki got her foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Cross then planted Nikki Cross with a twisting Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1065424427247124480

The majority of tonight’s broadcast was spent recapping this past Saturday’s epic NXT TakeOver: WarGames II event. The following awkward moment between Aleister Black and Candice Lerae was shown during tonight’s show. Black defeated Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II.

The following recap of the incredible WarGames match at the PPV was also shown during tonight’s broadcast:

AXS TV To Cover Wrestle Kingdom 13 On January 4th

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AXS TV sent in word that for the first time ever, the network will present NJPW Wrestle Kingdom with a same-day “near-live” two-hour broadcast on Friday, January 4 at 8pm (Eastern). Here’s the official press release, including a full schedule of their New Japan coverage through February.

AXS TV KICKS OFF REAL-TIME COVERAGE OF NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING WITH ITS FIRST EVER SAME-DAY BROADCAST OF WRESTLE KINGDOM 13 ON FRIDAY, JAN. 4 AT 8pE/5pP

Los Angeles (Nov. 21, 2018) – AXS TV ushers in a new era of its NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING (NJPW) coverage with real-time same-week coverage of the promotions’ biggest events in 2019. The new schedule kicks off with a same-day near-live two-hour broadcast of NJPW’s biggest event of the year, Wrestle Kingdom 13, on Friday, Jan. 4 at 8pE/5pP.

The Wrestle Kingdom special is headlined by IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho vs. Tetsuya Naito, and will feature the network debut of the NJPW commentary team of Kevin Kelly and Don Callis.

“Same-day coverage of NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 ushers in a new era of NJPW on AXS TV,” said AXS TV FIGHTS CEO Andrew Simon. “Based on the tremendous growth of NJPW on AXS TV, we are making major changes to reward wrestling fans by delivering NJPW in primetime on Friday nights as close to when it takes place as possible.”

AXS TV produces the English language version of NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING in association with TV ASAHI CORPORATION, the distributor of NJPW.

AXS TV’s upcoming NJPW schedule is as follows (subject to change):

  • Jan. 4 – Wrestle Kingdom 13 (2 hours)
  • Jan. 11 – Wrestle Kingdom 13 (2 hours)
  • Jan. 18 – Wrestle Kingdom 13
  • Jan. 25 – New Year Dash
  • Feb. 1 – New Year Dash
  • Feb. 8 – New Beginning in Sapporo
  • Feb. 15 – New Beginning in Sapporo
  • Feb. 22 – New Beginning in Sapporo

Shinsuke Nakamura Discusses His Goals In WWE, Okada & Tanahashi

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WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura spoke to Sports Illustrated about various topics including his adjustment to the WWE style.

“WWE is a different form of wrestling,” explained Nakamura. “It’s different than New Japan. I wrestled a different style with New Japan, but WWE is a live TV show. I’m still learning,” said Nakamura. “My family speaks the language better than me, and they’re trying to fix my English. It’s so different from Japanese.” Nakamura continued by stating that the moving side of the transition from Japan to America was tough and it’s rare for him to be in the spot.

That NXT experience was a first-time for him and he studied hard. He stated that for a chance in the WWE, he learned English and the WWE style while training at the Performance Center. He added that it wasn’t humbling, because he was too busy enjoying the moment.

Nakamura also talked about his goals in the WWE. “I love wrestling and I love telling a story to the audience,” said Nakamura. “I’m always looking for something new, even small things. My wrestling style changes, but I try to control the audience.” He added that he wants to give energy to the audience and they give him energy, which he loves and what he’s doing.  

Finally, the SmackDown star shared his opinion on Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi. “Okada is really, really good,” said Nakamura. “I feel sympathy with AJ Styles and Tanahashi with the way they wrestle. They are all great wrestlers.”

Miz TV Segment Announced For WWE Starrcade

Andrew Ravens
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WWE continues to load up the card for this year’s Starrcade event. On Wednesday, it was revealed that United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Rey Mysterio would be appearing on Miz TV. It should be noted that Nakamura will defend his US title against Mysterio and The Miz vs. Rusev is also listed on the most recent advertised card for this show.

WWE will be airing a Starrcade special on Sunday, November 25th at 8 p.m. ET. The one-hour special will feature some of the matches that will take place.

For the second straight year, WWE has decided to bring back Starrcade for a special dual-branded live event as it takes place Saturday, November 24th from Cincinnati, Ohio at the US Bank Arena. The arena website is advertising the following matches:

Updated Starrcade Card

  • Street Fight for the WWE Intercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
  • WWE United States Title Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
  • SmackDown Tag Team Title Match: The New Day vs. The Bar
  • Steel Cage Match: Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles
  • Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin
  • Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre
  • Rusev with Lana vs. The Miz
  • Elias performs a special concert with WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair
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