Home Blog Page 1775

Elias Talks His Interaction With Chris Jericho At RAW 25

Jon Fuentes
-
14

WWE Superstar Elias recently did an interview with he Baltimore Sun to talk about his time with the company on the main roster. Several weeks ago Elias got the opportunity to work with John Cena on Monday Night RAW, and it looks like a feud between them is brewing. The man formerly known as “The Drifter” said when you’re working with John Cena in WWE – that’s where you want to be:

“That’s where you want to be in the WWE. John Cena has been the franchise for so long. In the ring across from John, you know you have a lot of eyes on you. As a performer, that’s where you want to be as far as I’m concerned.”

Elias also had the opportunity to work a small segment on RAW 25 with Chris Jericho. He said that Jericho annoyed him by trying to play the guitar and the whole situation rubbed him the wrong way:

“Well, I gotta say that the guy who really annoyed me on Monday Night Raw, Chris Jericho. He shows up, he wants to make some sort of claim that scarves are gimmick infringement. Though if you go back and look, I was wearing it long before him … but that’s OK. But then he pulls out a guitar and tries to play a song. So I’d definitely like to get in the ring with him. Something about the way that interaction went down on Monday rubbed me the wrong way.”

He was then asked about getting a bigger reaction on the main roster than he did in developmental on NXT:

“You know, I’ve heard that. In fact, I’ve heard Triple H himself say that in interviews, that Elias is maybe made for Monday Night Raw. But I can remember very clearly times in Full Sail where I’d sing songs and I couldn’t hear myself sing because the crowd was so loud for it. So it’s definitely an interesting dynamic, that’s for sure, being on Raw and hearing the way the crowd interacts with me. So I don’t know if that’s how I’d describe it, but I’m on Raw now and I’m doing my thing.”

You can read Elias’ full interview with The Baltimore Sun by clicking this link here.

Kaitlyn Reveals If She Has Been Contacted For The Women’s Royal Rumble

Jon Fuentes
-
8

Former WWE Superstar and Divas Champion Celeste Bonin (better known as Kaitlyn in WWE) was recently interviewed by WSVN-TV Entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet to talk about several professional wrestling topics. She has since announced that she will be returning to wrestling and explained her decision to do so:

“I retired pretty much 4 years ago and I didn’t really have any intention of going back or making any kind of come back or even wrestling for any other promotion like TNA. I was just super focused on my business and wrestling was kind of just in my past. Then when I got in the ring I was just super rusty which was a little embarrassing but I missed it so much.

“I had such a tumultuous year in 2017, I went through a divorce and a bunch of changes in my company and moving warehouses and moving where I lived. I kind of fell out of a routine and I wasn’t working out and my life was kind of upside down but when I started wrestling again I kind of felt more purpose and structure and passionate about life in general again.”

Bonin also explained why she isn’t allowed to wrestle under the name “Kaitlyn” anymore:

“Kaitlyn is dead. We had her funeral. It’s a name that WWE owns and it’s a character that they own. They built it and they put money into it. I don’t own it.”

With the Women’s Royal Rumble right around the corner there has been a ton of speculation as to who the WWE will be contacting to participate. Bonin said she hasn’t received a call from WWE to appear but knows they sometimes do so as late as two days before the event:

“I haven’t got a call or anything. As far I know I’m not going to be there. But they’ve been known to call you 2 days before and that’s what happened to me when I debuted on NXT. They called me on a Friday and told me I was going to debut on a Tuesday. So anything is possible in the world of professional wrestling.”

Since Bonin has departed from WWE the female division has seen a major revamp in how serious they take women’s professional wrestling. The newfound “Women’s Revolution” is something that she’s really proud of, but not necessarily envious of:

“It’s really cool to look at the woman’s division now, I’m not envious that I’m not part of it right now because I have so much other sh*t going on with my business and the other projects I’m working on, but it makes me really proud that it’s gotten to the point where it’s at right now. The girls are getting longer matches and cool stories and characters and I’m super proud of it.

“Last time Smackdown Live was in Miami, I went to see a few friends backstage and I was hanging out in the locker room and it was so cool in there and it’s not always like that. There’s different eras I guess and when I was there, there was some tension and a**holes and whatever. But it’s such a cool, chill vibe in the locker room now and it made me really proud of what they have going on right now.”

Bruce Prichard On Reuniting With Vince McMahon At RAW 25

Jon Fuentes
-
2

Former WWE executive Bruce Prichard was recently interviewed by 6-ABC to talk about several professional wrestling topics, including his return to the company at RAW 25 last week. Prichard was first asked about the big news of his former boss and friend Vince McMahon’s revival of the XFL. Prichard said that he’s excited for the return of the franchise, and the fact that McMahon is waiting two years for the relaunch shows maturity:

“What is there to say about the announcement of the XFL in 2020? Like everybody else, I was highly anticipating this announcement. It was met with I think a little bit of mixed reviews because I think people wanted more. But, at the end of the day, the XFL is returning. Vince McMahon is at the helm, even though he says he’s going to have the best in the business and professionals that know the football game and know that world.

“Vince will find the best. And Vince will hire the absolute best. I’m excited this time around because I don’t think Vince often makes the same mistakes too many times over. And the fact that he is taking two years to launch this league is a sign of, I don’t want to say maturity, but a sign of knowing the mistakes that he made last time and not wanting to repeat them. So already, he’s not rushing into this.”

Prichard also discussed his encounter with Vince McMahon at RAW 25 last week and described their brief reunion:

“I did get to say hello to Vince. I saw Vince right before he went out to start Monday Night Raw, in the hallway, and it was a short ‘Hello. Have fun.’ And at the very end, I thanked him and gave him a hug and that was it. Spoke to Stephanie and Shane [McMahon], as well, and it was great to reconnect with both of them. So all in all, it was an exciting day, a great night, a lot of history made, and, in a word, I had a blast, so it was it was an awful lot of fun.”

This year there’s going to be two Royal Rumble matches on the pay-per-view (PPV) card, a men’s Royal Rumble match and the first-ever Women’s Rumble as well. Prichard offered his thoughts on having two Rumbles on one card:

“Having two Rumbles in one show concerns me a little bit because those are two long matches and they’re the same type of match. It’s kind of like having a night of cage matches or a night of the same gimmick matches. It can wear on you after a while, but I’m confident that they’ll be able to make it different enough that people will enjoy it and pretty much be into everything that they do.”

You can read Prichard’s full interview with 6-ABC by clicking this link here.

Jim Ross Talks Triple H Eventually Replacing Vince McMahon Instead Of Shane McMahon

Jon Fuentes
-
6

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently did an interview with Business Insider to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. “Good Ole’ JR” was asked for his opinion on 72-year-old WWE frontman Vince McMahon and his ability to continue to run the company. Ross said that Vince isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, as he’s still very healthy for his age, but has his own idea of where the company will go without him:

“I have an opinion on where the company will go. I will say this — you know, Vince is very healthy. He still works out like a crazy man. He really takes care of himself,” Ross said. “So, he ain’t going anywhere soon. We don’t want him to go anywhere soon. He’s the rock that built that thing. He’s the rudder in the water. It’s an amazing company.”

As for who Vince’s successor would be once he decides to step away from WWE, Ross said that he’d put his money down on son-in-law Triple H rather than McMahon’s own son Shane McMahon:

“I think that, if I’m guessing, and it’s gonna strictly be a guess — that the money would be on, probably, Paul Levesque to be Vince’s successor,” Ross said.

The future WWE Hall Of Famer currently serves as the WWE’s Executive Vice President Of Talent, Live Events, and Creative. Because of these roles and opportunities given to “The Game” Ross feels that McMahon is grooming his son-in-law to take the helm once he steps down:

“I think Vince is kind of preparing him for that in a lot of ways. You always knew that he was different from the other guys because he was very studious, and very – under control,” he said. “He didn’t drink. No drugs. He looked to be a lifer early on, and he got a lot of that from being a fan all his life growing up in the northeast — New Hampshire. Then, getting trained by Killer Kowalski who was a great, old-school guy. So, I think he’s probably the heir apparent.”

Ross believes that both Stephanie and Shane McMahon would continue to be involved with the company after Vince steps away, but in smaller roles, while Hunter is left as the right man for the job:

“Stephanie is very involved and, you know, is really more of a face of WWE. She does a lot of charity work. And she’s great at that. And you’ve got to have that in that world,” he said. “I think Shane seems to be, apparently, content with being a TV character. I don’t know where his role’s gonna be going forward or what he wants it to be. But, I think that Paul Levesque is the one that seems to be earmarked to be the next guy, if and when Vince is not in that role.”

You can read Ross’ full interview with Business Insider by clicking this link here.

6 Predictions For WWE Royal Rumble 2018

Robert Lentini
-
31

WWE Royal Rumble 2018 will air tomorrow night live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The event will feature two Royal Rumble matches (men and women), a Handicap match for the WWE Championship and a Triple Threat match for the Universal Championship. Both the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships will be defended at the event. Here are 6 predictions for WWE Royal Rumble 2018:

The Bar Will Become Champions Again

The Bar Jordan Rollins

Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan haven’t been on the same page since surprisingly winning the RAW Tag Team Championships. Jordan seems to have his own agenda and it seems inevitable that this team will implode.

The Bar can win this match by turning Rollins and Jordan against each other. Rollins accidentally struck Jordan with a knee strike on RAW and something like that will probably happen again tomorrow night. Sheamus & Cesaro will capitalize on Rollins & Jordan not working well together and recapture the RAW Tag Team Championships.

The Usos vs. Gable & Benjamin Will Be The Match Of The Night

the usos gable benjamin royal rumble

The Usos will defend their SmackDown Tag Team Championships in a 2 out of 3 Falls match tomorrow night at the Royal Rumble. Gable and Benjamin thought they won the titles on a recent episode of SmackDown but the decision was reversed because they pinned the wrong Uso.

This is a match where it doesn’t matter who wins. Both of these teams are great and I just can’t wait to see what they do in the ring tomorrow night. If given enough time, this match could easily steal the show. I’ll say Gable & Benjamin win the titles tomorrow night in an excellent match.

AJ Styles Will Escape With His WWE Championship

wwe championship styles owens zayn royal rumble

Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon have been feuding for what feels like an eternity now. AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan have now gotten caught up in it as well. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan have been involved the main event on SmackDown almost every week as of late. Shane is either coming down to the entrance ramp to restart the match or kick Owens or Zayn out from ringside. Daniel Bryan has been throwing out stipulations left and right to try to counter Shane McMahon’s vendetta against Zayn and Owens.

AJ Styles will defend his WWE Championship against both Owens and Zayn in a Handicap match tomorrow night. I have a bad feeling that we are going to see something similar to the tag match at Clash of Champions where both Shane and Daniel were special referees. Shane, Daniel or both will get involved during this match and AJ Styles will escape with his title. I’d be shocked if Kami became co-WWE Champions tomorrow night.

Brock Lesnar Will Dominate Again

lesnar strowman kane

Braun Strowman got the last laugh before Royal Rumble and slammed Universal Champion Brock Lesnar through the announce table on RAW. I don’t think we will see anything like that tomorrow night at the Royal Rumble.

I nominate Kane as the Superstar that is going to take the pinfall here. There is no reason for Strowman to be pinned by Lesnar tomorrow night. Strowman will get taken out very early and then Lesnar will hit a few German Suplexes and an F5 to Kane and retain the Universal Championship.

Asuka Will Win The Women’s Royal Rumble

womens royal rumble 1

The first ever women’s Royal Rumble match will happen tomorrow night. The winner will earn a shot at the RAW Women’s Championship or the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 34.

There are a ton of possibilities here. Nia Jax could dominate the entire match and be the last woman standing. A legend like Trish Stratus could return to the ring and prove she is still the best. Ronda Rousey could make her WWE debut and win the first women’s rumble. Becky Lynch could win it and go on to face her best friend Charlotte at WrestleMania for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Even though Asuka winning it seems obvious, I still think it should happen. RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss is already petrified of possibly having to face Asuka in the future. Since joining the main roster, Asuka has been dominant but hasn’t really had a special moment yet. I think winning the first ever women’s Royal Rumble would remind the WWE Universe that Asuka is the most dominant female Superstar on the roster.

Shinsuke Nakamura Will Win The Men’s Royal Rumble

mens royal rumble

I’ve got to be honest, I’m not confident in this pick at all. I am convinced that WWE wants Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34. They can get to that match without having Reigns win the Royal Rumble match again tomorrow night. It was a disaster last time Reigns won it in Philadelphia, yet I still wouldn’t put it past WWE to do the same thing tomorrow night.

However, I’m going with Shinsuke Nakamura. His main roster run has been so underwhelming thus far and that is through no fault of his own. He has been placed in a terrible feud with Jinder Mahal and thrown in a bunch of random tag matches with Randy Orton.

If Nakamura wins, that would set up the dream WrestleMania 34 match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. It would also give Nakamura a huge victory on the main roster and help build him up for a run with the WWE Championship. They keep referring to Nakamura as “WWE’s rockstar” on SmackDown. It is time to start booking him that way.

Seth Rollins Gets A New Theme (Video), Matt Hardy & Paige Comment On Tonight’s Rumbles

Jon Fuentes
-
1

– During last night’s WWE live event in Baltimore, Maryland Seth Rollins made his entrance to a brand new theme song. Check it out here:

– Ahead of tonight’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV), both Matt Hardy and Paige took to Twitter to comment on tonight’s main events:

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/957608693343965184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mandatory.com%2Fwrestlezone%2Fnews%2F918921-matt-hardy-is-ready-to-delete-the-competition-tonight-paige-comments-on-womens-royal-rumble

WWE Legend Picks His Royal Rumble Winners

Roderick Stedman
-
19

Since appearing on RAW’s 25th anniversary special with his daughter, Ric Flair has spoken with Sky Sports about the upcoming Royal Rumble in Philadelphia.

The interview discusses Flair’s experience and history around the rumble match, as well as who he believes will win.

Since his daughter, Charlotte, will not be competing in the first ever women’s Royal Rumble on Sunday, there is no controversy over who he selected as the winner: Asuka.

Flair stated that Asuka is “like the women’s version of [Great] Muta, with the paint and everything, and she’s very talented.”  He furthered this by saying that all the superstars who come over from Japan are technically and mechanically talented.

Asuka has to be one of the favourites to win the Royal Rumble as she enters the event undefeated in WWE.  Ric Flair’s choice for the men’s Royal Rumble continues the theme of dominance, with Roman Reigns.

Flair explains that his choice of Roman Reigns is governed by the prospect of WrestleMania, knowing that Roman will have a big part to play, it’s likely that he will be building success at this time.

“I love Roman, he’s a great character and a great guy. He deserves it.”

Opinion/Discussion:

Does Roman Reigns deserve it?  Really?  Or a better question is, who does deserve it?

WWE Superstar Expresses Bitterness Towards 2017 Royal Rumble

Roderick Stedman
-
19

WWE released a video ahead of the 2018 Royal Rumble which airs on January 28th from the Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia.  The feature contains superstars reviewing their time in the 2017 Royal Rumble, as well as Charlotte and Becky Lynch discussing their feelings before the first Women’s Royal Rumble.

Other highlights include Mojo Rawley and Jack Gallagher offering a unique take on commentary, discussing weapons in the rumble match, and how to enter the ring.

Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch also give their prediction for the men’s rumble match, stating that Elias is the dark horse.

The most interesting and entertaining part of this video however, is how Randy Orton remembers last year’s Royal Rumble event.

On seeing Roman Reigns eliminate The Undertaker, Orton said:

“Yeah, [if] memory serves me correctly, this set up the mainevent for WrestleMania, even though I won the damn thing and if you win The Royal Rumble – you go to the mainevent of WrestleMania – this [Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker] was the mainevent of WrestleMania. So I remember that.”

Later in the video Orton re-lives his celebration after eliminating Reigns from the rumble to win the match, and explains how he was still placed behind Reigns on the match card for WrestleMania.

Opinion:

It’s such a fantastic video, and certainly one of the better promotional videos for Sunday’s Royal Rumble.  It’s very easy to understand and appreciate Orton’s frustration, however I can’t see him making it to the end this year.

Bella Twins: Behind The Scenes Of RAW 25 (Video)

Roderick Stedman
-
6

Brie and Nikki Bella have released a behind the scenes video of RAW’s 25th anniversary episode.  The video highlights interactions between superstars past and present, as well as Brie talking to Maryse about her pregnancy.

https://youtu.be/JGos0kg_d40

Among those featured in the video are: Paige, Trish Stratus, The Miz, Jimmy Fallon, Natalya, Sheamus, John Cena, and Daniel Bryan.

The video appears to avoid the negative aspects of the night which took place at the Manhattan Center.

The Bella Twins praise the event and experience which saw so superstars from multiple generations coming together.  They described their gratitude and thanks towards those who “paved the way” to enable what is seen today in the women’s division of WWE.

Opinion:

From what I’ve heard and experienced, most fans seem upset that RAW 25 promised so much, but fell flat as superstars returned for a one of appearance and announcement, without saying or doing as much as expected.  Many have described it as “gimmicky” and also “cheap”.

Matt Hardy Address Difference Between “Broken” And “Woken”

Roderick Stedman
-
9

Matt Hardy spoke to WWE 2K about the release of their DLC pack for WWE 2K18 called Enduring Icons, and was able to clear up some details regarding the difference between being Broken and Woken.

Hardy remained in character during the interview, as he has become known for, referring to his previous self as the mortal vessel, and explained that if Woken Matt Hardy were to be featured in WWE 2K18 – he would have between 140% and 150% higher stats.

However the main news came when he was asked about his new persona in WWE.  Hardy explained that “we are just starting to scratch the surface” when it comes to being Woken; he further stated that “there is so much potential for so much entertainment, and there’s going to be so much growth within being known as Woken Matt Hardy.”

This is particularly promising as Hardy has already stated that he intends to create another Final Deletion style video with WWE.

The mortal vessel known as Matt Hardy then answered the question: how does Broken compare with Woken?

“They are very similar. Basically, Broken Matt broke down the barriers in his mind and could use more of that ability. And returning back home, the reception that we received when we came out at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, it held my condition, the Broken mind, dormant for a matter of months. And then, after touching the magical creature known as Bray Wyatt, it actually houses Sister Abigail, which I was able to draw from her magic and it reignited the magic within me. So I became Woken and realized all of my broken brilliance.

“It’s very interesting. They are very similar. There’s a little bit of difference because the Woken Wisdom is the second rebirth. Now that my Woken Wisdom has finally been realized and I am conscious of everything that is going on now, I think that the wrestling fans are going to be in for a truly special run.”

Apart from where it matters, in the ring, all signs are pointing towards a dominant invasion of WWE when it comes to Woken Matt Hardy.  He continues to create and release videos on his YouTube channel, the latest being an introduction to King Maxel:

Opinion:

When it comes to Matt Hardy and being Woken, more is better.  It may seem controversial and ‘gimmicky’ but he needs to become “The Woken Champion” at some point in the next year.

More Evidence For First Women’s Elimination Chamber Match

Roderick Stedman
-
30

With the progress that is being made in the women’s division, Hell In A Cell, Money In The Bank, Royal Rumble, there has been further evidence to suggest that WWE will include a women’s elimination chamber match on February 25th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Charlotte & Sasha Banks Mainevent PPV

The Second Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match:

Kurt Angle had previously teased fans with the idea of a women’s elimination chamber match when he replied to a comment in a Facebook Q&A session in October 2017.

Only a month away from the RAW brand PPV, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas has released a promotional tweet that suggests the inclusion of a women’s elimination chamber match:

The combination of showing Alexa Bliss on the image and using phrasing that references being inside the chamber itself, rather than just featuring on the PPV, strongly suggests the inclusion of a women’s elimination chamber match.

Opinion:

It’s simple, the more the merrier!  Why wouldn’t anyone want a women’s division elimination chamber match?  If the division is growing and expanding, as it is, then it makes perfect sense to include these special occasions too.

NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo Results: IWGP Intercontinental Title Match

Fernando Quiles Jr.
-
1

Night one of NJPW’s The New Beginning in Sapporo event goes down today (Jan. 27) at 4 a.m. ET.

In the main event, Intercontinental champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defends his gold against Minoru Suzuki. Also on the card, Never Openweight tag champions Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Bad Luck Fale defend their titles against Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe, and Toa Henare.

Also featured on the card will be Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Cody, Young Bucks, and many more.

Peep the live results below:

Singles Match: Michael Elgin vs. Katsuya Kitamura

The two canceled each other out in the strength department early on. Elgin hit his stalling vertical suplex. He cracked Kitamura with a forearm for a near fall.

The two got into a battle of who can land the next suplex. This time Kitamura won that battle. He hit a gutwrench suplex for a two-count. Elgin landed a dropkick from the middle rope.

Kitamura barely kicked out of a Falcon Arrow. Elgin went for the buckle bomb, but Kitamura reversed. Kitamura ducked a clothesline and nailed the spear. He went for the Jackhammer, but Elgin rammed him into the corner.

Three hard lariats finally took Kitamura down. Elgin hit the buckle bomb, followed by the Elgin Bomb for the three-count.

Winner: Michael Elgin

10-man Tag Match: Kushida, Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Taka Michinoku, El Desperado, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Takashi Iizuka

The members of Suzuki Gun immediately attack their opposition. El Desperado choked Liger against the corner. Liger landed a tilt-a-whirl on El Desperado, while Tiger Mask hit his Tiger Driver on Kanemaru.

Taichi nailed Liger with his bell hammer.  Taichi landed an enzuigiri to Liger. Taichi did his signature routine of pulling off his own pants. Finally, Liger hit the shotei and tagged in Tenzan.

Tenzan hit Mongolian chops on Iizuka, who later bit him in the head. Kushida was tagged in, but was outnumbered by Suzuki Gun. Nakaninishi had enough and nailed a an overhead powerslam on two members of the group.

Kushida locked in the Hoverboard Lock on Taka Michinoku to force the tap.

Winners: Kushida, Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Tag Team Match: Tomohiro Ishii & Toro Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens

Takahashi tried slapping Ishii, but it failed miserably. Ishii sent Takahashi crashing to the mat and crawling to Owens for a tag. Owens asked for Yano and his wish was granted.

Yano went for the padding in the corner, but was kicked by Takahashi. Yano was choked by Takahashi’s walking stick. Yano kicked out of a leg drop.

Takahashi and Owens doubled teamed Ishii. Owens became the legal man at this point. He landed a knee to Ishii for a near fall. Owens went for the Packagage Piledriver, but couldn’t get it.

Owens inadvertently cracked Takahashi with a kick. This allowed Ishii to hit the brainbuster for the win.

Winners: Tomohiro Ishii & Toro Yano

Never Openweight 6-Man Tag Title Match: Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale (C) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe & Toa Henare

Taguchi and Loa got things started. Taguchi’s hip attack had no effect on Loa. He dropkicked Loa low and landed multiple hip attacks with Loa on the bottom rope.

Now Henare and Tonga were the legal men. Tonga blasted Henare with a dropkick and multiple legdrops. Fale threw Makabe into chairs in the crowd and choked him with a cable.

Loa landed a Jackhammer on Henare, but Taguchi broke up the pin. Fale was now in and chopped the chest of Henare. Fale charged at Henare in the corner, but missed.

Makabe was now tagged in. He nailed Fale with his signature punches in the corner. Fale ran into a hip attack from Taguchi. Makabe hit a lariat on Fale, but Loa broke up the pin.

Henare got a near fall off a top rope shoulder block. Taguchi played coach and sent his teammates to attack Tonga in the cormer. Henare nailed the spear, but Fale broke up the pin.

Henare barely kicked out of Tonga’s flapjack. He locked in a half nelson submission hold on the ground to force the tap.

Winners And STILL Never Openweight 6-Man Tag Champions: Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale

6-Man Tag Match: David Finlay, Juice Robinson & Kota Ibushi vs. Marty Scurll, Hangman Page & Cody

Finlay and Scurll got the match started. Finlay got a hold of the arm and Scurll couldn’t find a way to break it until hitting a back elbow. He bounced off the rope and ran into a dropkick.

We now have Cody and Ibushi in the ring. Instead, Cody decided to tag in Page. Ibushi landed a kick to the body and a standing moonsault for a two-count.

Juice was tagged in and landed some punches. He connected with a spinebuster. Scurll was now the legal man and he ate some punches. Cody distracted Juice and Scurll landed a superplex.

Cody was tagged in and worked on the leg. Finally Ibushi and Cody were in the ring. They exchanged strikes. Ibushi went for a standing moonsault, but Cody got the knees up. Ibushi got the upperhand and landed a standing corkscrew.

Cody accidentally nailed Scurll with the Disaster Kick. Juice then landed his axe kick on Ibushi by accident. The bevy of miscommunication continued with Finlay spearing Juice. Page landed Rite of Passage on Finlay for the win.

Winners: Cody, Mary Scurll & Hangman Page

Tag Team Match: Will Ospreay and Yoshi-Hashi vs. Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito

Hiromu and Naito attacked their opponents before the bell rang. Naito hit Yoshi-Hashi with his own stick. Naito wanted Japanese commentator Milano to hit Yoshi-Hashi with the stick.

Yoshi-Hashi threw Naito into the barricade. Back in the ring, Ospreay was tagged in. Hiromu dropkicked Ospreay in the knee. Naito stomped Yoshi-Hashi in the crowd.

Naito and Yoshi-Hashi would later be back in the ring. Naito landed his signature dropkick with his opponent in a sitting position. He tagged in Hiromu, but Yoshi-Hashi gained the edge and tagged in Ospreay.

A hard kick was there for Ospreay. He landed a modified 619. Hiromu landed a dropkick to the knee. Ospreay responded with a dropkick in the corner. Hiromu stopped the momentum with a pop up sitting powerbomb.

Naito was tagged in, but ate a springboard forearm. Naito went for a top rope hurricanrana, but Ospreay landed on his feet and landed a German suplex.

With the referee distracted, Naito landed a low blow on Ospreay and pinned the IWGP juniro heavyweight champion.

Winners: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito

After the bout, Naito kept ignoring Yoshi-Hashi and was attacked for it. For the most part, Naito didn’t even bother responding to the attacks in the crowd. In fact, he went back in the ring and posed with Hiromu.

6-Man Tag Match: Gedo, Hiroki Goto & Kazuchika Okada vs. Bushi, EVIL & Sanada

Okada and Sanada got the match started. The two canceled each other out and soon we saw Gedo and Bushi in the ring. Goto, Okada, and Goto triple teamed Bushi and did their Chaos pose.

Gedo tried unmasking Bushi, but Sanada grabbed a hold of his beard. The action spilled to the outside. Sanada trapped Gedo in the Paradise Lock and nailed him with a dropkick.

Goto was in and he suplexed Bushi on top of EVIL. Goto landed a clothesline on Sanada and tagged in Okada. A DDT was there for the IWGP heavyweight champion.

Sanada reversed the Rainmaker with a high angle back suplex. Bushi was tagged in and landed a missile dropkick followed by the Bushiroonie. Okada got triple teamed, but Goto broke up the pin attempt.

Bushi went for the middle rope codebreaker, but was cut off. Okada and Goto teamed up on Bushi. Okada locked in a cobra clutch hold and forced the tap.

Winners: Gedo, Hiroki Goto & Kazuchika Okada

After the match, Okada called Sanada into the ring to get him to speak. Sanada got in the ring and threw the mic. Okada chased after Sanada and threw him to the ring post.

Okada went under the ring and threw a bag inside. Okada nailed Sanada with a tombstone. He shoved Okada bucks in Sanada’s mouth and choked him out with the cobra clutch.

6-Man Tag Match: Sho, Yoh & Jay White vs. Young Bucks & Kenny Omega

Jay White wasted little time, taking out Young Bucks and attacking Omega from behind. A big boot was there for Omega. Sho and Yoh were in the ring with the Young Bucks.

Yoh was triple teamed in the corner with kicks. Omega teased his Terminator dive, but White put a stop to that. Sho and Yoh took out the Bucks with sentons.

Omega went for a knee, but Yoh pulled his leg. White reluctantly tagged in Sho. Omega was able to bulldog both men. He tagged in Nick Jackson, who dropkicked White and went to town on Sho and Yoh.

Omega took out Sho, Yoh, and White with snap dragon suplexes. The Bucks and Omega nailed Sho with superkicks. White broke up a sharpshooter on Sho.

V-Trigger found the mark on Sho. Omega went for a One-Winged Angel, but White interrupted. Bucks went for a Meltzer Driver assisted by Omega on Yoh. They nailed it for the three-count.

Winners: Kenny Omega & Young Bucks

After the bout, White nailed Omega with the Blade Runner.

IWGP Intercontinental Title Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi (C) vs. Minoru Suzuki

The two were in a feeling out process early in the match. Tanahashi targeted the arm and Suzuki returned the favor. Suzkui actually didn’t cheap shot the champion on a break.

Suzuki locked in a leg lock. Tanahashi stood up to reverse it into his own submission. The champion stomped the challenger’s leg, but Suzuki laughed. Suzuki connected with a headbutt, followed by his signature armbar using the ropes.

Suzuki threw the champion into the barricade. He grabbed a chair and attacked Tanahashi with it. The challenger landed some hard kicks to the body. Tanahashi got back in the ring and Suzuki continued his kicking spree.

They got into a brief chop battle until Suzuki reversed a chop attempt into a Fujiwara armbar. Tanahashi egged Suzuki on to keep kicking him. The champion downed the challenger with a forearm.

Tanahashi landed a senton off the top rope for a two-count. Suzuki threw his opponent into the corner and landed a big boot. Tanahashi caught a kick, but lost the dragon screw. They engaged in a striking battle that ended with Tanahashi getting the dragon screw.

Tanahashi locked in the Texas Cloverhold. The challenger was able to get to the bottom rope. Suzuki delivered a dropkick right to the jaw of the champion. He applied the sleeper hold, but was pushed off.

Tanahashi connected with the slingblade. He went for the crossbody and got it. The champion couldn’t follow up because of the way he landed on his knee.

The champion struggled to climb the top rope. He went for High Fly Flow, but Suzuki got the knees up. He applied a heel hook. Tanahashi finally got to the bottom rope.

Suzuki locked in the figure four. Tanahashi rolled over and found the ropes again. Suzuki landed his trademark clap combination. He locked in the sleeper hold and went for the Gotch Piledriver. Tanahashi swept the legs and locked in the Texas Cloverhold.

Suzuki countered into an inside cradle for a two-count. Tanahashi hit slingblade for a near fall. Tanahashi was dropkicked in the knee. Suzuki once again applied the heel hook. The champion made it to the bottom rope.

Suzuki shoved referee Red Shoes aside and kicked the champion in the leg numerous times. He went for the Gotch Piledriver again, but hit it this time. Instead of pinning Tanahashi, he locked in the heel hook again.

The challenger readjusted and applied the heel hook yet again. Red Shoes had seen enough, we have a new IWGP intercontinental champion.

Winner And NEW IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Minoru Suzuki

After the match, Tanahashi was taken out on a stretcher. Suzuki talked about his title win to close out the show.

UK Title #1 Contender’s Match Announced For NXT

Robert Lentini
-
3

Tyler Bate will face Roderick Strong next week on NXT to determine the #1 contender for Pete Dunne’s U.K. Championship. The match between Strong and Bate will be taped this Saturday before NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.

WWE.com writes,

“Bate gave Dunne the fight of his life last month in a U.K. Title Match but came up short of regaining the championship. A win against Strong would put the English prodigy back on track for another showdown with his familiar foe and potentially a second reign as U.K. Champion.

The veteran Strong, in contrast, is still in search of his first championship since joining WWE. If he were to advance past Bate and dethrone The BruiserWeight, The Messiah of the Backbreaker would not only accomplish that goal, but he would make history as the first American to win the U.K. Title.”

Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate have already had some classic matches in NXT. Last year at NXT TakeOVer: Chicago, Pete Dunne connected with the Bitter End on Tyler Bate to become the new U.K. Champion. WWE recently uploaded the entire match called by Nigel McGuinness and Jim Ross on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WukMTB6SOeo

Jonathan Coachman Explains How ESPN ‘Dropped The Ball’

Jon Fuentes
-
13

Former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman was recently interviewed on Busted Open Radio to talk about a variety of topics. One topic of discussion was how ESPN, Coachman’s now-former employer, helped bring WWE back into mainstream sports media:

“I feel a lot of pride. When we decided to push the envelope a little bit, I got a call from the office and they said ‘can you help us’. That’s one of the biggest criticisms of Vince over the years is he always felt like the superstars are all we need. These days with social media, you need crossover all of the time. They realized that. There is no more crossover at the time than ESPN.

“I’m very proud of the fact that we not only got a segment every week on Sportscenter, but it became the highest rated segment on social media. We created a dropdown on ESPN that when you go there today, it’s right there next to the NBA, NFL, WWE is right there at the top.”

Coachman got in trouble during his days with ESPN for issuing out a Tweet that stated ‘journalism is dead.’ He explained what happened between himself and his bosses after the Tweet:

“I got in trouble when I tweeted this. I said ‘journalism is dead as we know it. Anybody that wants to go to college to be a writer and write for the Washington Post, stop right now, because your career will never take off’. If you don’t entertain me, I’m turning the channel. Entertainment needs to be the #1 priority. That’s what I told my bosses at ESPN. This is entertaining. Who cares where the eyeballs come from?”

When answering the question of why he left ESPN, Coach explained how the sports media juggernaut ‘dropped the ball’:

“They dropped the ball. They could have done so much more. Every single project I’m about to start doing, I pitched to ESPN, and they said no to. It was very frustrating near the end. I said to my boss ‘you are so shortsighted on what we need to be doing, that it’s incredible to me’. The night before Summerslam 2016, Conor McGregor fought Nate Diaz for the 2nd time. I said to them, ‘I will go to Vegas, cover the fight, then fly to New York, cover Summerslam, and put both stories into a package to celebrate the biggest weekend in combat sports’.

“My boss said, ‘can’t do it. Nobody’s gonna want to watch that. I’ve already sent 3 cameras to preseason football.’ I said you gotta be kidding me. When I was getting ready to leave, I went to his boss and asked if this idea ever came across your desk. He said ‘No. We would have absolutely ran with that.'”

Coach then described what it’s really like working with “The Chairman Of The Board” Vince McMahon. Apparently McMahon really likes his former storyline executive assistant:

“He liked me a lot. For that, I was very close to him. He’s very difficult to be around sometimes, but there’s no-one else I’d rather work with. Part of the reason I was able to be at ESPN for almost 10 years is because what I learned from Vince, and that’s business comes first, you never burn any bridges, and you do what’s always right for the business. You also show up. The one thing that Vince taught us was you show up. I’ve actually seen him fire talent because they went out on an autograph session on Tuesday, and saw a blizzard coming to their hometown, they went home, and then couldn’t make the TV taping.

“The one thing you do in this business and for Vince is you show up. He was also the orchestrator of an incredible rib on me in North Carolina that I was arrested and jailed. When he really likes you, that’s what he does to show you. He’s very difficult to work for. He demands excellence. He is very demanding. He always doesn’t make the right call, but when you do TV 51 weeks a year, it’s hard to make things right every single time and make it hot. As far as leadership goes, I don’t know if there is a better leader, because you always know which direction you’re going. It may not always be the right direction, but you know which direction you’re going. There was no waste of time proposing ideas to him. He loves hungry talent. If you don’t want to sit on the sidelines, come prepared and pitch him ideas.

“Take The New Day for example. These are three guys whose careers were basically over, and here they come with this act, and Vince signed off on it. He is a guy who you better be prepared to talk to, don’t stumble over yourself and have your thoughts together. He will die on the road. There will not be a Vince McMahon who sits at home and watches the show. That’s just who he is. If you have a baby, you want to watch that baby grow. That’s just who he is.”

Rich Swann’s Lawyer Issues Statement About Charges Being Dropped

Staff
-
7

Last month, WWE Superstar Rich Swann was arrested after an incident with his girlfriend (wrestler Su Young) that resulted in domestic violence charges, including batter” and kidnapping/false imprisonment.

The charges were dropped this week, reportedly due to lack of evidence. Swann’s lawyer Ian Pickens has since issued a statement hoping that WWE will lift Swann’s suspension and bring him back to television in the near future:

“We are very pleased with the resolution of these charges. We would like to thank the State Attorney’s Office for conducting a thorough investigation, as well as Mr. Swann’s family, friends, and fans that supported him through this.”

The statement continued, “During our representation of Mr. Swann, we have come to know him as a kind and humble young man, who we believe has a bright future ahead of him. We are hopeful that with the dismissal of these charges Mr. Swann will be able to return to the WWE and our firm will do everything we can to assist him in returning to the ring. Thank you.”

Hulk Hogan Almost Joined The Bullet Club

Jon Fuentes
-
14

We reported earlier this month that WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan told The Associated Press that he is a fan of what The Bullet Club has been doing over in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). “The Hulkster” spoke to The AP to discuss RAW 25 and whether or not he’d be appearing. During the interview he said he’d love to jump on a plane and go over to Japan and ‘get involved with that Bullet Club.’:

“I’m about ready to jump on a plane and fly to Japan and get involved with that Bullet Club, man. I’m so excited about those kids.”

Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks, and Bullet Club member, told Sports Illustrated this past September that he’d love to have the opportunity to work with Hogan:

“I’d love to welcome Hulk in. He’s honestly my favorite wrestler of all time, so working with him in any capacity would be fun.” His brother Nick added, “I’d love to have him walk us down the aisle at the Tokyo Dome while the three of us play air guitar. That would be a dream come true.”

Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that negotiations actually took place to possibly have Hogan associated with The Bullet Club, however, Hogan was asking for too much money and members of the faction were hesitant to welcome him out of fear he’d jump right back to WWE the moment they showed any interest.

6 Surprise Entrants We’d Love To See At WWE Royal Rumble 2018

Robert Lentini
-
15

The Royal Rumble always has a few surprise entrants during the match. With the addition of the women’s Royal Rumble, we should see even more Superstars return or debut in WWE. Superstars like Lita, Rey Mysterio, Ricochet, Aleister Black, Adam Cole, Beth Phoenix, Bobby Lashley and many more have been rumored to appear at the Royal Rumble and could also be on this list. Who do you want to see return or debut this Sunday? Let us know in the comments below.

Here are six Superstars it would be great to see come down the entrance ramp this Sunday at the Royal Rumble:

Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus

Stratus made a brief appearance Monday night on RAW when WWE honored some of the greatest female Superstars of the past. Stratus stood out during the Attitude Era and remains very popular amongst WWE fans.

The first ever women’s Royal Rumble match will feature 30 Superstars. I’d expect to see a bunch of wrestlers from the past and from NXT show up for the match. Trish Stratus seems like a pretty safe bet to make an appearance at the Royal Rumble. She is actually one of the favorites in terms of betting odds to win the women’s Royal Rumble this Sunday.

Batista

Batista
Batista

Batista returned to WWE four years ago at Royal Rumble 2014. He wound up winning the whole thing and the crowd absolutely hated it. The majority of the audience wanted to see Daniel Bryan win the Royal Rumble. As it turned out, Bryan wasn’t even in the rumble and also lost his match against Bray Wyatt earlier in the night.

Bryan went on to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 30 after forcing Batista to tap out via the Yes Lock. Batista was gone shortly after that and his return to WWE was ultimately a letdown. Things would go a lot better for Batista if he returned this Sunday and the crowd would be more excited to see him.

Kharma

kharma wwe

WWE posted a list on YouTube back in December of Superstars that fans would like to see return one day. Kharma was on that list and it would be awesome to see her return for the women’s Royal Rumble.

Kharma would be a tough Superstar to eliminate and could have an epic showdown with Nia Jax. Kharma caused chaos in the 2012 men’s Royal Rumble where she was a surprise entrant. It would be cool to see what she could do in the first women’s Royal Rumble match on Sunday night.

Daniel Bryan

daniel bryan 1

There is a 99.99% chance that this won’t happen. However, if it did it would be an unbelievable moment. Daniel Bryan is currently the GM of SmackDown and is in the middle of several disagreements with SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon.

On the 25th anniversary of RAW this past Monday night, Daniel Bryan and The Miz had a staredown on the entrance ramp. Bryan and The Miz have had several shouting matches on Talking Smack. The Miz captured the Intercontinental Championship from Roman Reigns on Monday night.

It would be amazing to see Bryan eliminate The Miz and then go after the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania. Bryan returning to the ring on Sunday is very unlikely, but it would steal the show if he was one of the entrants in the Royal Rumble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBcAnDC4wuM

Ronda Rousey

rousey myc 1

It just make sense for Ronda Rousey to show up this Sunday at the Royal Rumble. However, TMZ recently caught up with Rousey and she shot down rumors that she will be in the women’s Royal Rumble Sunday. The reporter asked her if she would be there and here was Ronda’s response:

“I appreciate everyone’s confidence, but I’m actually leaving to Colombia right now to finish shooting “Mile 22″ and won’t be back until mid February. I appreciate you saying that and it’s a real honor to hear it.”

While Rousey is saying that she wont be there Sunday, I don’t think too many would be shocked if Rousey was one of the entrants in the women’s Royal Rumble match. Asuka and Rousey are currently the two favorites to win the women’s rumble on Sunday night.

Ethan Carter III

ec3

WWE already dropped the ball with EC3 when they decided to make him a comedy act and a midcarder as “Derrick Bateman” on NXT. He was then released from WWE on May 17th, 2013.

Carter made his debut in TNA as Dixie Carter’s obnoxious and spoiled nephew. It was a gimmick that seemed destined to fail, but Carter made it work and eventually made a name for himself. He won titles and was one of the bigger stars in the company. Carter recently lost a “Feast or Fired” match during Impact tapings and is a free agent.

He also was scheduled at an indy event this weekend, but backed out of it. It would be great to see a once overlooked talent get another shot in WWE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZY8cWZaGZI

NXT Star Returns To Action In Albany (Photos), Alexa Bliss On The Women’s Revolution

Jon Fuentes
-
0

– Inaugural Mae Young Classic winner Kairi Sane returned to action inside the squared circle at last night’s NXT live event in Albany, New York. Sane defeated “The Lady Of NXT” Lacey Evans in one-on-one competition after hitting an Insane Elbow. Sane hadn’t competed since November at NXT TakeOver: WarGames when she took part in a Fatal 4-Way Match against Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, and Ember Moon for the vacant NXT Women’s Title.

Moon eventually won the match. No specifics have been reported on Sane’s hiatus from competition, but Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter did note on Twitter recently that she was “banged up.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeZMPYOBEc_/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://twitter.com/thesteveorlando/status/956690099860901889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/jkulchinsky/status/956692810568208391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

– Monday Night RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss recently did an interview with Sky Sports to promote this weekend’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) and the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match. Bliss said that the Women’s Revolution is isn’t done yet, and has here eyes on a future female WrestleMania main event:

You’re never done,” Bliss said. “The WWE has been at the forefront of promoting women in sports entertainment and athletics. But it would be awesome if one day we main event WrestleMania. That would be amazing. At the moment, the fact that we’re making history is very exciting. I’m very excited by this Royal Rumble Match because the revolution didn’t start with just one or two women. So the fact you have every woman included is awesome.”

Read Bliss’ full interview with Sky Sports by clicking this link here.

Accused Steroid Dealer Claims To Have Evidence Roman Reigns Was His Client

Jon Fuentes
-
28

Last February steroid dealer Richard Rodriguez was arrested by the DEA following a year-long investigation after having his gym, Iron Addicts Gym, raided in Miami. Rodriguez is being accused of importing goods from China, manufacturing illegal steroids in Arizona, and distributing them in Miami. Forbes reports that Rodriguez’s Wellness Fitness Nutrition LLC (WFN) company had “at least 50 customers in the Eastern District of New York” and made over $10 million off the distribution of illegal steroids.

Jon Bravo is doing a documentary on the Iron Addicts Gym and recently did an interview with Rodriguez. Last week Rodriguez implicated WWE Superstar Roman Reigns and actors Mark Wahlberg and Josh Duhamel as clients of his. Reigns released this official statement denying any involvement in the scandal:

“I have never heard of Richard Rodriguez or Wellness Fitness Nutrition,” Reigns stated. “I learned from the mistake I made nearly two years ago and paid the penalty for it. Since then, I’ve passed 11 tests as part of WWE’s independent drug testing program.”

Both Wahlberg and Duhamel also denied the allegations in statements of their own. In a new video released by Bravo, Rodriguez stated that he named Reigns, Duhamel, and Wahlberg as clients of his specifically in order to get a better plea deal. There are also bigger names involved that apparently won’t be revealed until the release of the documentary. Rodriguez also teased members of President Donald Trump’s administration are involved as well.

Rodriguez claims that he was introduced to Reigns a few years back by a wrestling enthusiast, and claims he will soon be releasing texts proving he was in contact with the three stars.

“That information with us communicating with Roman via text messages will be provided to the appropriate party, which will then be disclosed prior to our documentary that’s going to be filmed soon,” Rodriguez said.

More specifically Rodriguez claims he will be providing “snippets of proof” in the next week; including text messages, tracking numbers and addresses where he had the products shipped to his clients. The addresses are said to be on movie sets in London and various other locations where the pickups would be able to be made.

The video of Rodriguez’s recent claims can be found here:

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…..

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Premiere Date & Trailer Released For HBO’s Documentary On Andre The Giant

Andrew Ravens
-
2

On Friday afternoon, HBO released the official trailer for the documentary on the life and career of WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant. The new film will be released on April 10th. Here is the synopsis of the documentary:

“Andre the Giant was literally the biggest celebrity in the world. HBO Sports, WWE, and the Bill Simmons Media Group present Andre The Giant, a documentary examining the life and career of one of the most beloved figures in wrestling history. Andre the Giant premieres April 10 on HBO.”

The Reason Jason Jordan Has Been Out-Of-Action, WWE Releases Rusev Day Calander

Jon Fuentes
-
8

– One-half of the Monday Night RAW Tag Team Champions, Jason Jordan, has been out-of-action for the past few weeks with an undisclosed injury. Per a report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Jordan is actually dealing with a back injury, but he’s still scheduled to team with his partner, Seth Rollins, to defend their RAW Tag Titles against The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) at this weekend’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV).

– Rusev followed through on his promise recently, as WWE Shop has released a new “Rusev Day Calendar” for just $9.99. Both Aiden English and Rusev Tweeted out photos of the calendar, which features Lana as well:

Edge Wants Shinsuke Nakamura To Win The Royal Rumble

Jon Fuentes
-
3

This weekend the 2018 Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) will go down from Philadelphia, which means that the 30-man Battle Royal to determine who will headline WrestleMania 34 will also be going down. There are a lot of favorites to win this year’s Rumble; such as Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Shinsuke Nakamura, and more. Recently WWE Hall Of Famer Edge did an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard and was asked about the Rumble.

“The Rated-R Superstar” gave his pick for this weekend’s main event, and said that he’d like to see former New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Shinsuke Nakamura punch his ticket for WrestleMania – likely setting up an AJ Styles vs. Nakamura match for the WWE Title:

“I think it would be awesome,” said Edge. “Nakamura has that kind of Jeff Hardy intangible, and then you add in the history with him and AJ. The North American audience and, to an extent, the worldwide audience, has not seen what Nakamura brings to the table. We’ve seen flashes of it in his matches against Sami Zayn and Randy Orton. As evidenced by his New Japan work, he can be a very special performer. It would be nice to see him at least given that shot. From there, it’s up to him whether he sinks or swims. Sometimes, not everyone adapts to the style.

“It’s a different company, it’s a different audience, it’s an entirely different hurricane. Sometimes styles don’t translate. Rey Mysterio was a master of doing that. No matter where he went, Rey could make his style adapt. But not everyone is Rey Mysterio. I love Nakamura, but it’s a transition for anybody who comes to WWE. You start him off with Sami at NXT, and talk about having the ultimate meal set for you: you get this amazing selling babyface and get to have this spectacular match. As I’ve talked about on the podcast, NXT is a different beast from WWE.

“But I think he and AJ can be one of the main events, and I also know the people want it. With the proper build, AJ-Nakamura could be the match on last. That’s why I’d like to see Nakamura win the Rumble. He and AJ would have an amazing match, and that would give a different flavor to WrestleMania. You’d also have Brock-Roman and maybe Cena-Taker, as well as the women’s division, so then you’re pretty much set with a solid card.”

You can ready Edge’s full interview with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard by clicking this link here.

WWE Announces Matches For Royal Rumble Kickoff Show

Andrew Ravens
-
11

WWE has announced several matches for the Royal Rumble Kickoff Show.

Newly crowned United States Champion Bobby Roode is slated to hold an Open Challenge for his title. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. The Revival and Kalisto, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik vs. TJP, Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Drew Gulak have been announced as well.

Also, alongside Samoa Joe, Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze and two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will be appearing on the panel as analysts.

The Royal Rumble pay-per-view event takes place on Sunday, January 28, 2018, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center and will air on the WWE Network and some traditional pay-per-view outlets. Both Raw and SmackDown brands will be featured. Here is the updated card:

– 30-Man Royal Rumble Match: John Cena, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Elias, Baron Corbin, Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, Aiden English, Rusev, Titus O’Neil, Apollo Crews, Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods, Tye Dillinger, WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz, TBA

– WWE Universal Title Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar © vs. Kane vs. Braun Strowman

– WWE Title Handicap Match: AJ Styles © vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

– Women’s Royal Rumble Match: Asuka, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Bayley, Naomi, Natalya, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Lana, Carmella, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox, TBA

– Raw Tag Team Title Match: Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan © vs. Sheamus & Cesaro

– SmackDown Tag Team Title Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Usos © vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin

– Kickoff Show: United States Champion Bobby Roode will hold an Open Challenge for his title.

– Kickoff Show: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. The Revival

– Kickoff Show: Kalisto, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik vs. TJP, Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Drew Gulak

Looking At 5 Unlikely Winners For The Men’s Royal Rumble On Sunday

Roderick Stedman
-
22

We all have a fair idea of who is likely to win the 2018 Royal Rumble.  Names like Shinsuke Nakamura, Roman Reigns and John Cena seem to dominate the top 3 spots on most lists, while Randy Orton, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens float underneath.

However let’s take a moment to explore the unlikely winners, the superstars who could have genuine claims to the grand prize at WrestleMania 34, but probably (definitely) won’t win.

Rusev

rusev

Why?

If anyone is deserving of winning the Royal Rumble based on recent form and popularity among fans, this man is surely one of the main contenders.  His “Rusev Day” T-shirt sales have topped the merchandise lists, and he appears to have made something out of nothing since joining SmackDown Live.

He is a strong fan favourite, but there’s concern over another feud with Roman Reigns in the future, which might become old very quickly if we remember their battle over the US Title.

Why not?

Rusev VS WWE Champion (currently AJ Styles) – it just doesn’t scream WrestleMania…

He’s not on WWE’s radar as a singles division champion either.  However, he is doing good work with Aiden English on the tag-team scene which will hopefully result in a number 1 contender position and, eventually, the titles.

Probability Score: 2/10

Kurt Angle

kurt angle

Why?

Kurt Angle can do no wrong.  OK, well sometimes he does mess up… like talking over The Shield entrance music… But the Hall of Fame GM of RAW is celebrated by WWE and represents stability and authority on a weekly basis.  He steps up when he needs to and seems to give everything 100%.

Why not?

Kurt Angle VS Universal Champion (currently Brock Lesnar) – Angle and Lesnar has already been done, and no one needs a rematch.  As for Strowman or Kane, it just doesn’t seem right.  However, I wouldn’t say no to Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles if that were to be arranged.

The main point though, and I hate to say it, is that he’s past his prime, and WWE need to focus on young talent.  While Kurt Angle has already been used to boost Jason Jordan, he should continue take a supportive role, not one of the main spots at WrestleMania.  WWE’s age problem has already been highlighted, and as much as I enjoy the Olympic gold medalist – it would feel like a backwards step to have Kurt Angle anywhere near a title opportunity.

Probability Score: 3/10

Broken Matt Hardy

broken matt hardy raw 12 11

Why?

Broken Matt Hardy represents a supernatural force, and has the simplest of all reasons to win the Royal Rumble: DELETE.

While it’s very simple, the story-line is effective and works well with Hardy’s fresh gimmick that no one has ever done in the same way he has in WWE.  The Obsolete Champion becomes the Woken Champion, seriously, this stuff writes itself.  Now that Matt Hardy owns the intellectual rights to everything “Broken” WWE should let him run wild and free with it.

Why not?

Matt Hardy VS Universal Champion (currently Brock Lesnar) – Matt Hardy just lost to Bray Wyatt at RAW 25… I don’t see him defeating Brock Lesnar or Braun Strowman (sorry Kane).

But before considering a match up a champion, Hardy is still tied up in a feud with Bray Wyatt, and unless they are going to bring The Eater of Worlds into a title feud as well (look how that turned out last time, thank you Randy Orton), this will be a no go.

Probability Score: 1/10

Jeff Hardy

jeff hardy

Why?

Jeff Hardy VS Universal Champion (currently Brock Lesnar) – I feel as though Jeff Hardy could make a big match like this work.  I’m not immediately excited by it, but I think the idea and prospect of the match would build into something more exciting than Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar.

Although Jeff Hardy is out injured at the moment, WWE may want to utilize his abilities in the singles division sooner rather than later.  Starting a story-line early before fully returning to official in-ring action may be the best way to do this. With the hard work out of the way, Jeff Hardy can sit back and relax until WrestleMania, shooting promos and getting underneath the skin of the Champion.

What also works about this is Jeff’s ability to move quickly, think on his feet, and cause a surprise without anyone seeing it coming in the rumble match.

Why not?

The question for WWE is, will Jeff Hardy return as he is, or will he come back as Brother Nero?  Jeff will add significant value as Brother Nero with Matt Hardy, but they can’t stay in the tag team division forever.  So who takes the lead roll?  There are a lot of questions that require answers before secure development can take place.

Probability Score: 1.5/10 

Daniel Bryan

daniel bryan
Daniel Bryan (Photo Credit: WWE.com)

Why?

Daniel Bryan VS WWE Champion (currently AJ Styles) – Yes. Please.

The rumours are flying, left, right, centre, off centre, diagonal, EVERYWHERE.

Who would say no to Daniel Bryan having one more Royal Rumble appearance, with one more WrestleMania moment?… apart from WWE medical staff…

But on a serious note, it almost feels as though Daniel Bryan has unfinished business in the ring.  So much potential waiting to be unleashed.  I know he doesn’t help the “WWE Age Problem” that was mentioned with Kurt Angle previously, but I’m willing ignore that if we get AJ Styles vs Daniel Bryan in WWE.

Why not?

As stated above, WWE medical staff may have something to say about this one.  The main theory that is being concocted on forums is the idea that Bryan’s health concerns are all part of kayfabe.  The concept is pretty outrageous and I think it’s more likely that Daniel Bryan’s in-ring career will start back up outside WWE when his contract is over.

Probability Score: 0.1/10 

Jim Ross On XFL Reboot, Stephanie Calling Women’s Rumble, Roman Reigns

Staff
-
4

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross was on Busted Open Radio on Thursday to discuss the news of Vince McMahon re-laumnching the XFL, how he would run the league, Stephanie McMahon commentating the women’s Royal Rumble match & whether Vince would book Reigns to win it again in Philly. Here are some highlights sent in by the show’s producer:

If he ran the XFL, what would he change about the product vs the 2001 product:

“You’ve got to be very selective of your cities and how those cities and franchises are going to be managed and promoted. You need to sell tickets, and generally local promoters have a better handle on getting tickets sold vs outsiders, so local promotion is important.

Stadium selection is important. The LA Chargers are playing in a soccer stadium and no one seems to care. It will hold the costs down in that regards.

There was no kickoffs. I like punts and kickoffs because there’s a chance for a big play.

Another issue is where do you get good officials from? The NFL sure as hell doesn’t have a monopoly on them, because you see what they’re using.”

How important is talent for the new XFL:

“It would be a good move (referencing signing RG3, Tim Tebow, Tony Romo) if you’re creating a football league from scratch. We had Tommy Maddox. He was a UCLA QB, got drafted and cut from the NFL, got picked up for the XFL and was resigned to the Steelers. I think those are the kind of stories he would be looking for.

For me, any player that plays in the XFL would want to eventually end up in the NFL. To me, that’s a great selling point. The NFL won’t admit it because they will say ‘we get our players from college football’. The XFL doesn’t have to follow those rules.”

What went wrong with the XFL the first go-round:

“The teams didn’t have enough time to practice, gel and develop chemistry. They had very little time to practice. There was very little quality football. This will be interesting to see, to see who Vince brings together. This, I’ll bet, will be a who’s who in Vince’s inner circle.”

Why he believes Vince bringing back the XFL:

“He loves taking calculated risks. I had the first meeting with him after the first XFL went down, and I think we lost 50 million or something like that. We had a regular meeting and we talked about the XFL for a minute or two. He said ‘JR I took a calculated risk and it didn’t go down. I still believe in the concept.’

I don’t have an issue with the concept. I don’t know if he’s bored or he just loves the challenge. I know that was a challenge that went unfulfilled, didn’t succeed at it, and maybe there’s something to be said about his competitive nature. I can tell you that he sees something that is different than the last go-round. It should be exciting as it progresses.”

Stephanie McMahon announcing the women’s Royal Rumble match:

“To me, it’s a booking. It’s a casting. I see it as a special guest appearance. Simple as that. In my days I’ve worked with many people, some good and some bad, but we’ve always seemed to have worked through it. She will be produced just like anyone else out there, having someone in her ear. Let’s see how it plays out.”

If Vince would book Roman Reigns to win the Royal Rumble in Philly again:

“Hell yeah he would. If he thought it was the right thing for business. I don’t have an issue with marking a talent and going all the way with them. Promoters these days love 50/50 booking. He has a star appeal. I’ve always loved this kid. I worked with him in Florida Championship Wrestling when he was a large nose tackle and needed to work on his body to get to where he is today. If it’s the right thing for business, Vince will book him.

We can’t deny the fact that Reigns gets reactions. There’s a lot of guys in wrestling that don’t get the reactions we’d like them to get. They’re not over. Reigns is over. Maybe as a heel or a controversial figure, but they damn sure like to boo him, and as long as there’s an ass every 18 inches in the seats, I don’t care.”

Busted Open airs live every Monday–Friday 9am-12pm EST on SiriusXM Rush 93

1...1,7741,7751,776...3,097Page 1,775 of 3,097