Irish based promotion OTT has introduced a ‘Gender Neutral’ Championship to their ranks of titles. ‘Session Moth’ Martina became the inaugural champion at this past weekend’s ‘Being The Elite’ event from Dublin.
Martina has been pushing the concept and philosophy behind the new championship, stating that she is “very excited about the prospect of this Gender Neutral title. I have wrestled as many men as I have women throughout my career, this is OTT breaking down barriers. This opens up not only the best women in the business, but men as well. No one is off limits, everyone is equal.”
Fans of the promotion have already been suggesting challengers for Martina’s crown, including current WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne.
WWE, and its superstars, have a variety of initiatives and charities that they support and raise money/awareness for. However on this occasion, individual personalities have caught on to a viral anti-bullying video that features Keaton Jones:
This is Keaton Jones, he lives in Knoxville and he has a little something to say about bullying.https://t.co/coyQxFp33V
Jones, who is from Knoxville Tennessee, questions the reasons for bullying in a heartfelt message that was recorded by his mother. Since then, the video has hit social media and gone viral with over 37 million views.
While it has gathered support and acknowledgement from many celebrities across the globe, including Captain America and Luke Skywalker, WWE superstars have offered their voice and support to Keaton as well:
It appears to me that you go to school with a lot of insecure students. When they look into the mirror, they don’t like what they see. That’s why they choose you to pick on. Stay strong and know that you have friends that have your back, like me. Stay phenomenal kiddo. https://t.co/cNiaEjbY8b
This seriously breaks my heart. It will get better, Keaton! You have a voice to help others stay positive! Spread love, not hate. ? https://t.co/n2OXaJ0zSF
Keaton-Don't waste time wondering why a bully would be so mean-They're sad people who think hurting others will make them feel better because they really don't like themselves-They're just jealous because you're so smart & handsome??Your friend-mh https://t.co/SUMw3OoCTm
WWE encourages children to treat one another with respect through its Be a STAR campaign. In 2017, WWE started a new collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to bring a revamped Be a STAR curriculum to all Boys & Girls Clubs across the United States. For more information, visit WWECommunity.com.
Opinion:
While their in ring personalities display anger, jealousy, arrogance, as well as many other negative attitudes, it’s important to remember that this is sports entertainment; and while most adults will be able to discern between what is real and not, a younger audience may assume that acting like Kevin Owens or Baron Corbin is OK. Therefore it’s vital that superstars support videos and examples like Keaton Jones, promoting positive well-being by breaking kayfabe on social media to do so.
In case you weren’t aware, Chris Jericho made his long awaited return to New Japan Pro Wrestling this afternoon and laid a brutal beatdown on his Wrestle Kingdom opponent Kenny Omega.
Following his appearance Jericho mentioned that the Bullet Club inspired ‘Alpha Club’ t-shirt that he was sporting will be available to purchase soon via Hot Topic.
Jericho also appears to be ingratiating himself with certain members of the CHAOS faction in New Japan…Will Ospreay posted the following to Twitter from a karaoke bar with his “new best mate.”
Tonight’s edition of WWE RAW takes place from Cleveland, Ohio at the Quicken Loans Arena. The following matches have been announced for the show:
Braun Strowman vs. Kane
Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro
Seth Rollins vs. Sheamus
Dean Ambrose vs. Samoa Joe
The previously announced #1 Contender’s match between Drew Gulak and Rich Swann won’t be happening due to Swann’s weekend arrest and indefinite suspension.
Join us here tonight for our weekly WWE RAW Live Coverage!
– WWE posted the following video in which Sami Zayn reacts to SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon inserting himself as Special Guest Referee for he and Kevin Owens’ Tag Team match against Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura at Clash Of Champions. If Zayn and Owens lose the match, they will be fired from WWE. Check it out:
– FOX 5 in Washington, D.C. did an article in which they discuss the recent social media exchanges between Hulk Hogan and The Rock, teasing a possible WrestleMania rematch between the two icons. John Cena gave his thoughts on the possible rematch in the article, and had this to say:
“My thoughts are the age-old adage that is WWE: Never say never,” Cena said.
Former NXT star and Sanity member Sawyer Fulton was recently interviewed by Solo Wrestling to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Fulton discussed Killian Dain replacing him in Sanity, shares a funny story from NXT, offers his thoughts on his WWE release, and much more. You can check out the highlights here:
You signed with WWE in 2012, only 2 years after your debut as pro wrestler. Can you tell us your experience at the Performance Center? Was it tough?
“I’ve been practicing sports all my life. College Wrestling has some very extreme intense workouts, so the workload part of the PC wasn’t that big of a deal for me. The biggest part for me was learning, you spend years and years training your body to defend without thinking and showing no emotion, and all of the sudden it’s the exact opposite, that was the most difficult part of the transition for me.”
During your training, Dusty Rhodes was in charge of the promo class. Sadly, Rhodes passed away in 2015. Did the locker room notice his absence?
“The whole world notices his absence. Working with Dusty was a much more than I realized at the time. Charisma didn’t come naturally to me, but I think he must of seen something because Dusty was always hard on me. I used to get so frustrated because I didn’t understand why he would tell me things, and he told me that I may end up hating him but he will make me better. I started hitting a good stride while tagging with Dawkins, and I remember I had a really good promo, and he just sat back and smiled, told me after it took me long enough, now keep that going, and all of the sudden everything he was saying just seemed to click a bit more.
“Head writer Joe Belcastro runs the classes now. There’s more structure and his classes are great, but no one brings that thing out of you like Dusty did.”
In 2016 you joined Sanity. Your gimmick was described as Mad Max-like. Who had the idea for the character? Was it inspired by the movie?
“We got the idea a lot earlier than 2016. The idea was originally pitched to Solomon Crowe, Marcus Louis, and myself. It was a Triple H idea based around the movie Smokin Aces. We tried a few things, and nothing really clicked, then Sammi left and Marcus was released, and I was on my own again.
“On a live event in Bartow, Wolfe and I were teamed at random to face the hype bros, and that drew a lot of attention back to the idea. I made jokes about how tag teams never really worked out for me but I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Wolfe is insanely gifted, and smart in the ring, and I know I’m a better wrestler just for working with him.”
One of the first feuds the stable had was against Big Damo/Killian Dain. However, you suffered an injury and Dain became member of Sanity. Would Dain have joined Sanity if you hadn’t been injured? Which was the original plan for the feud?
“That feud started after my injury actually, as a way to fill my spot after I tore my pec. I found out about the plans as they were happening a day after my surgery, Killian actually being the first one to tell me.”
Do you think Dain is a good substitute?
“Great guy, great wrestler. I don’t think anyone else could have filled that spot other than him. ”
After your injury, you had some matches at NXT live event, but you never made your return to TV. Why? Did WWE have plans for you, joining Sanity or against them?
“I’m pretty sure they had zero plans to use me after my injury. They didn’t want Sanity getting to big, and no matter what ideas I pitched I really didn’t get any feedback. Honestly if I wasn’t working as hard as I was I think this would have happened in April. I had already decided if there wasn’t going to be plans for me by WrestleMania I was going to ask for my release, I was just getting frustrated and stressed trying to get back to TV, so the release is mostly ripping off the band-aid.”
Where do you want to work now? Lucha Underground, Impact, ROH, NJPW, NWA? Can you tell us your plans for 2018?
“I’ve always dreamed of working in Japan. I would really love to spend some time training and learning over there. I’ve even been taking Japanese lessons in hopes I can travel sometime soon. Otherwise, I just want to wrestle as much as possible and just see where it takes me.”
On the independent circuit, you have more creative freedom. Are you going to make some changes to your gimmick? Do you have new ideas?
“I think I’m going to start with a similar character to what I was on TV, then adjust where I need to. I’m excited to just work on what I want, and try out new ideas. I’ve always enjoyed the Sanity character, so now it’s figuring out how to make it better.”
Can you tell us a funny story about your time in WWE?
“There was a live event in Venice Fl, and my stomach had not been agreeing with me for most of the day. I even joked with Norman Smiley about not taking any gut shots in the match. I was wrestling Solomon Crowe with Drake as a referee. I dropped an elbow off the second rope, covered, he kicked out and I put him into a side bearhug on the ground. Just then Drake looks at us and says ‘What the hell, someone reeks!” I blamed Crowe and he even apologized for it in the ring. When we were sitting in the locker room I was just in my undershorts, when everyone left I went to take them off and saw it was me… then I saw it was on the chair I was sitting on… I snuck the chair through a side door and threw it and my undershorts in the dumpster behind the building. I think I let Crowe believe it was him for about 6 months before I finally told him!”
You can read Fulton’s full interview with Solo Wrestling by clicking this link here.
– An in-ring face-off between WWE Champion AJ Styles and former champ Jinder Mahal has been announced for tomorrow’s episode of SmackDown Live. Styles and Mahal had the following Twitter exchange to hype the event:
Austin Creed has continued to develop his video-game YouTube channel with the latest matches in the 2018 FIFA and Madden tournaments. While Luke Harper showed promise in previous rounds, Kofi Kingston cemented his place in the SmackDown Live final against AJ Styles.
Early on in the match Kofi looked to get underneath the skin of Styles, who has a history of volatile outbursts. However AJ explained that he wasn’t going to become frustrated because he was playing “one of the greatest gamers”.
Unfortunately, AJ Styles’ modesty did not help him. In fact, if this were last year’s tournament, AJ would have fallen victim to the mercy rule as he trailed 24-0 at one point during the match! To the disappointment of Kofi Kingston, no controllers were thrown, which leads me to think that AJ’s skill lies in his aggressive approach; perhaps AJ should return to his brooding heel roots that saw him reach the final of last year’s tournament.
Elsewhere, the FIFA tournament continued with Grizzle Gary taking on The Dangler…? Or in normal terms: just Sheamus vs Fandango.
With 3/4 of the semi finalists competitors from the U.K. it seemed as though the tournament would be dominated by the Brits; but Apollo Crews had something to say about that as he took on Two Feet (Finn Balor) in the first of the semi finals.
The next matches will feature Sheamus VS Noam Dar, with the winner going on to face Apollo Crews in the final.
The final of RAW’s Madden tournament is between Curtis Axel and Jason Jordan, with a prize of facing Kofi Kingston in the grand-final.
Chris Jericho made a surprise appearance at Monday’s NJPW Tag League Final event on Monday from Fukaoka, Japan. Jericho ambushed IWGP United States Champion Kenny Omega, delivering two codebreakers ahead of their January 4th showdown at Wrestle Kingdom 12. (Video)
Omega’s fellow Bullet Club members the Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes reacted on Twitter:
Jericho posted the following video on Instagram following the attack. Jericho mocks Omega, telling him it was a thrill to leave him laying in a pool of his own blood.
On January 4th from the Tokyo Dome, it will be Alpha vs. Omega – Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega – and he plans to show everyone once again why he’s the Best in the World at what he does. And yes, that’s Omega’s blood on Jericho’s face.
The taped promo shown on RAW last Monday has sparked a resurgence in both Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt. The two WWE superstars appear perfect for each other as they bounce their insane personalities and gimmicks off each other.
What’s fantastic is the apparent freedom Matt Hardy has with his new WWE persona which he previously portrayed outside the company. It also looks as though WWE are willing to allow “Woken” Matt Hardy to take over their YouTube channel, which is a promising sign as the previous “Broken” gimmick became so successful due to promos and videos that Hardy put together.
The latest video follows suit in terms of insanity levels as the WWE YouTube channel released a video entitled: “Woken Matt Hardy laughs for 10 hours straight”
And it is just as creepy and awkward (in a good way) as you’d expect.
Pro Tip: Some people like to play ‘nature sounds’ as they’re drifting to sleep. Waves crashing. Birds chirping. Load up this video tonight as you’re going to bed and if you get a good night’s rest.
Opinion:
WWE and Matt Hardy are doing the right thing by releasing a video of this quality. To make the most of the opportunity in front of them, they need dive headfirst with this and allow House Hardy to do whatever they want, and this is a great step forward.
Major League Wrestling returns to Orlando, Florida on Thursday, January 11th for MLW: Zero Hour. Tickets are now on sale for the event at Eventbrite.com.
Talent confirmed for MLW: Zero Hour include Matt Riddle, Jeff Cobb, Jimmy Havoc. Darby Allin, MVP, ”Filthy“ Tom Lawlor, Shane “Swerve” Strickland and MVP.
MLW: Never Say Never took place last week and the show was a huge hit with fans in attendance. Never Say Never will be available later today for on-demand streaming over at MLW.TV.
Finally, if you’re headed to New Orleans for WrestleMania 34 weekend, you’ve gotta start the weekend off right with WaleMania IV. Tickets are now on sale for WaleMania IV, which takes place Thursday night, April 5th from New Orleans. Visit WaleMania.com for event information.
Chris Jericho made a surprise appearance at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tag League Final and delivered a brutal attack on IWGP US Champion Kenny Omega.
In 6-man tag team action, The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) defeated CHAOS (SHO, YOH & Rocky Romero) in 6-man tag team action. After the match, another Chris Jericho video was shown on the big screen while Omega was in the ring. The lights went out and Jericho appeared in the ring behind Omega. Jericho attacked Omega drawing blood and hitting two codebreakers. (Video)
Commentator Don Callis entered the ring to get Jericho to back off. He received a codebreaker of his own. The Young Bucks hit the ring to tend to Kenny Omega, with Callis being is carried out on a stretcher.
We have to admit, it’s pretty surreal to see Chris Jericho in a NJPW ring. Jericho and Omega will square off next month at Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 4, 2018 from the Tokyo Dome.
You can watch NJPW’s Tag League Final now at NJPWWorld.com.
Paige recently appeared on Lillian Garcia’s podcast and opened up about her past drug use and the reason for her WWE Wellness Policy violation last year.
Paige on Her Injury Causing Depression:
“When my neck (injury) came along and I thought ‘oh my gosh I’m not going to be able to wrestle again’ and that put me in a depression. I just felt so alone and I was in so much pain from my neck.”
Paige on Addiction to Medication for Her Neck Injury
“I was just like ‘this is fine, one more (pill) will be fine. I can do this, I’m not addicted to this pill.’ Which I’m not because I completely stopped after I got humiliated online!
I made the dumb mistake. It’s not even good, I didn’t even enjoy doing it.
It’s not me, it’s far from me.”
On Her WWE Suspensions
“It was my fault, I was very dumb. Unfortunately, I took the drug test and I popped it.
Unfortunately, I tried to cover it up a little bit. I feel very stupid, I was very embarrassed it.
The first one (suspension) that wasn’t actually from drugs, that was from not doing it (taking the test) in the allotted time, which is kind of my bad but was a confusing situation. The physical drug test I passed, but the 2nd one that was just me being stupid.”
At this point, Lillian pointed out that Paige’s drug-test failures were not just for prescription medicine even though Paige indicated as such on social media afterward.
“At that time, I was just very embarrassed and I was like “ok, I have to cover this up somehow.”
On How WWE Treated Her:
“I was just so humiliated because it was everywhere. Obviously, WWE had to cover themselves.
I was never mad at WWE for doing that, it sort of gave me the kick in the butt I needed.
They were so fantastic with me, they definitely helped me, they’re still helping me now. I get to do therapy, they are like a big family. ”
Listen to the full podcast here (drug use talks after the 1st break)
Roman Reigns had an interview with The Times of India while promoting the recent WWE Live Event in India. Below are some highlights from his interview:
If it was more satisfying to beat John Cena or The Undertaker:
“Beating Cena was more satisfying but it was bigger moment obviously for me beating The Undertaker in one of the biggest Wrestlemania’s of all time. It was just one of those moments in my career that’ll shine no matter what happens or who I get in the ring with. Being in the ring with The Undertaker in the main event, that speaks for itself but there is something very satisfying about beating John Cena.”
How much an influence The Rock has been on his career:
“To be honest, not that much. He’s such a busy guy that I don’t really get to see him that often. He’s always on the go so I can’t really say that he’s been able to mentor me as much people would think. But anytime I get to see him, It’s really good seeing him. I mean it’s the Rock. He greets you with a smile on his face; he’s always there to help with any advice or even if I just need someone to talk to. Anytime I get to see him, it’s a pleasure and it’s a positive thing. He’s been there and done everything, so the moment you think you’ve achieved a level of success just think about what he’s doing.”
The best rivalry he has had:
“I believe I and Braun Strowman made for a great rivalry. The chemistry and the stories that we were able to tell were captivating. What I like most about it is that since we’re both younger talents, it was really a need for me to be able to help him and throw some of the experience that I’ve gained to put him on the fast track. And I think it’s definitely helped. From being a Wyatt to being a main-eventer, he’s been a featured guy and a scary dude. If I can just continue to do that with any young talent that I can get in the ring with then my career would be a success.”
If he has to choose one, would he choose Dean Ambrose or Seth Rollins:
WWE has added a South African tour to their 2018 schedule. The tour will run from Wednesday, April 18th, 2018 to Saturday, April 21st, 2018.
The Raw-branded house show tour will land in Cape Town (April 18th), Pretoria (April 20th) and finally Johannesburg (April 21st).
In 2013, Randy Orton was attacked by a fan at a show from Cape Town:
WWE South Africa
“WWE’s family-friendly Live Events will feature Raw Superstars Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, Asuka, Raw Tag Team Champions Cesaro & Sheamus, and many more
Following the overwhelming demand from our fans in South Africa, we are excited to return to Cape Town and Johannesburg, and bring WWE Live to Pretoria for the first time,” said Stefan Kastenmüller, Senior Vice President & General Manager, WWE Africa, Europe & Emerging Markets. “WWE fans in South Africa can look forward to spectacular, non-stop, family-friendly entertainment featuring their favorite WWE Superstars.”
There is a new NWA World Heavyweight Champion and his name is Nick Aldis.
The former champion, Tim Storm, opted to defend the title against Aldis at CZW’s show over the weekend. He did so despite having been the recipient of a post-match attack just days earlier.
Storm was attacked by Jocephus last weekend following their non-title match from Championship Wrestling from Hollywood.
View highlights of Aldis’ win below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn_5oD7ePIs
Billy Corgan’s National Wrestling Alliance
Corgan and his team officially took control of the organization on October 1st of this year. Since that time they have been releasing documentaries on their YouTube account as they follow the NWA champion on his travels.
Aldis’ title win will be the focus of the next episode of “10 Pounds of Gold”.
Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi recently appeared on AfterbuzzTV Total Divas Aftershow where she talked about a number of wrestling related topics and more. Below are some highlights from her interview:
Which celebrity she would like to wrestle:
“I would have to say Beyonce, because she’s my idol. Beyonce is great at everything; you can’t be great at wrestling too. I think that is one thing she’s not good at and I would be better at her.”
How some female wrestlers from Attitude Era didn’t get the credit they deserved:
“I would bring back some woman from the Attitude Era. Lita, I think she’s freaking amazing! Melina, that is definitely someone who influenced me. Trish of course! I thought some of those woman were killing it back then and I feel like because of the time period, a lot of those woman didn’t get the credit they deserve but they were kicking ass back then and also opened a lot of door for us.
Future plans with her husband Jimmy Uso:
“[Jimmy] and I eventually want to open some business. We’ve been talking about having our own bar, naming it the square circle, but it would be wrestling vibe and something relatable to us and for our fans.”
You can watch her full interview in the video below:
Have we seen the last of Hulk Hogan in WWE? Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross is absolutely convinced we haven’t. Good ‘ol JR spoke with Business Insider this past week to promote his best selling book, Slobberknocker: My Life In Wrestling and says he will be “shocked” if Hulk Hogan is not back in WWE next year.
Hogan has been persona non grata since 2015 when audio leaked of him making racist comments about African Americans. The Hulkster has been keeping a relatively low profile since then. Whatever business opportunities exist in his future, a return to the WWE Universe and plugging back in to global WWE marketing machine has to be the best case scenario for him.
JR says, “The world has an interesting way of forgiving others. The guy paid his price. He had a trial. He lost jobs. He had a court case. I don’t know what more he needs to do. And why are we his judge and jury? It seems right for, arguably the greatest alumnus of WWE ever with the most global name identity, will make his presence felt in WWE in some way.”
As the former head of WWE’s talent relations division, Jim Ross says, “If I were there, I would encourage that development.” If fans aren’t ready to welcome Hogan back into the fold after a 2 year exile, Ross says those fans don’t have to watch. He believes Hulk Hogan belongs in WWE and expects it to happen some time next year.
“I don’t know what Terry – Hulk Hogan is able to do physically,” Ross said. “I know he’s still training. He’s about my age — 64, but he’s in really good shape. He looks awesome. So, I would say that Hulk is – there’s a ticket for Hulk to punch somewhere to get back in WWE, at least on a reoccurring role-type basis, in my opinion.”
You can watch JR’s comments about Hulk Hogan returning to WWE here:
WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler recently took to his podcast, Dinner With The King, to offer his thoughts on the sexual misconduct allegations that have been sweeping through Hollywood and taking over the mainstream media. Here are some of the highlights:
Sexual impropriety in Hollywood could be linked to heightened sensitivity amongst Americans today in many cases:
“It appears that anybody that [has] ever flirted with anybody or had any kind of sexual contact all-of-a-sudden, you could potentially be a target in the future. I’ve seen pictures in the past of wrestlers, I’m not going to say who or whatever, but, like, this was a guy’s joke, as a prank, like a wrestler falls asleep and then another guy goes over and says, ‘look, take a picture of this!’
“He takes his genitals out and puts it near the guy’s face! I mean, it’s a prank. It’s done in jest, but hey, it’s like a college kid prank. I’ve actually seen that done before. And at the time, you’re thinking, ‘this is entirely harmless,’ but then, all-of-a-sudden, 15 years later, the photograph shows up somewhere and it’s going to offend somebody and that’s the way the country has become, that everything that 99% of the people may think is done in jest or whatever, but then, all-of-a-sudden, that 1% there is going to be offended by it and that 1% can speak as loudly as all the other 99% cannot.”
If he knows of anyone in high power in the wrestling business using that power for sexual favors:
“I don’t know. I’ve don’t know of anything. I haven’t heard of anything like that happening before. But, gosh, the times have just changed so much. Good grief! I remember the stuff on commentary, the things we would be able to get away with saying that, God, nowadays, people’s heads would explode! Can you imagine going out [on WWE TV now] and saying, ‘oh, we have a bra and panties match coming up tonight!’ My gosh, that used to be a highlight of the show, the bra and panties match! I remember one of my favorite lines was, ‘panties aren’t the greatest thing in the world, but they are next to it!'”
If he’s upset by fans of The Attitude Era thinking that he really believed everything he said on commentary:
“No, not at all. It really [does not]. Everybody, I mean, to a man or a person, really, that ever talks to me about things that we said or did during ‘The Attitude Era’, they talk with fondness. They loved it. I mean, they say, ‘man, it’ll never be that good again,’ so I don’t know. It was just that at that time, it didn’t offend people. I don’t know how the country and people’s attitudes have changed so much over a short period of time that now those things are just taboo, but back during that time, that’s all I hear about now, ‘oh my gosh, I used to love it when you’d commentate on a bra and panties match’ or with the Divas. I mean, good grief, we’ve gone so far now, you can’t even refer to them as Divas. The women have to be treated the same as the men and I don’t know. That’s just the way times have changed.”
You can listen to Lawler’s podcast, Dinner With The King, by clicking this link here.
WWE has suspended 205 Live star Rich Swann following his Sunday morning arrest for battery and kidnapping/false imprisonment. via WWE.com:
“WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, and per our policy, Rich Swann has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest.”
Swan’s future with the company depends on whether or not he is convicted of the crimes he was arrested for. As per WWE’s talent wellness policy,
“WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Upon arrest for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately suspended. Upon conviction for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately terminated.
WWE’s ability to fine, suspend or terminate a WWE talent will not be, however, limited or compromised in any manner in the event incontrovertible evidence of such illegal misconduct is presented to WWE. Section 9.13(a) of the WWE booking contract, commonly known as the ‘morals clause’, provides WWE with broad discretion and authority to act under such circumstances.”
The former Cruiserweight champion was scheduled to face Drew Gulak in a #1 Contender’s match on Monday’s RAW. We’ll see how WWE handles that situation tomorrow night.
WWE has previously stated that it will not be holding any further “Superstar Shake-ups” or brand tradesin 2017. However, after Survivor Series, the RAW roster was told to be prepared to move brands and change things around.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte appear to have been most successful after their moves earlier in the year, as they have become Champions of both brands. While on the other side of the coin, Heath Slater and Rhyno have been the least successful and hardly appear on taped shows anymore.
With this in mind, who could WWE look to move around to make the most out of all opportunities available? Here is a list of 5 Superstars who could benefit from switching brands.
Breezango
Ok, I admit, this should actually be 6 Superstars who could benefit from switch brands, but I’m counting Breezango as 1. Anyway.
There was a moment when Breezango could have been something more than a comedy duo. However, their efforts have resulted in a spat of tag team title loses, and some backstage parody videos. Breezango are very entertaining and could look to explore YouTube, but as WWE superstars they need a fresh start to rekindle a genuine title opportunity or some entertaining in-ring action.
The perfect way of doing this, while continuing the Fashion Police gimmick, is to switch brands and explore the world of RAW. The other bonus with this pick comes in the form of RAW’s lack of tag team partnerships compared to SmackDown Live – no one would need to move over to replace them if Breezango left because Rusev & Aiden English have just been added to the tag team title scene, alongside the return of Rowan & Harper (The Bludgeon Brothers).
Jeff Hardy
When it comes to Matt and Jeff Hardy, the WWE Universe knows that Jeff is more valuable and has greater longevity than Matt. It’s great that Matt Hardy has finally been able to reveal his Broken gimmick to WWE, but the greatest potential comes in the form of Jeff Hardy and his road to gaining the WWE Championship again.
Jeff is currently injured and is unlikely to return before WrestleMania 34, therefore WWE has a great opportunity to move Jeff across to the SmackDown Live brand without anyone knowing, enabling them to make a surprise or shock return for him.
The other route for Jeff is to have him retrun as Brother Nero, but to make the Broken gimmick last, Matt surely needs to adventure on a quest to seek out his lost brother.
Bayley
If WWE created a Women’s Tag Team Division, Bayley would be perfect with Sasha Banks; however this isn’t the case and she has become lost while Alexa Bliss dominates.
What’s the reason to move Bayley rather than anyone else? It’s too soon, and currently unbalanced to have Nia Jax and Tamina in the same brand, while others like Alicia Fox wouldn’t have an impact by moving brands. There is an argument for moving Sasha Banks instead but I think Bayley would be a better fit overall. If this was to be a swap rather than a move, Becky Lynch or Naomi seem to work best as replacements for Bayley on RAW.
The main question/problem to think about is: Who will defeat Asuka? Once The Empress of Tomorrow becomes RAW Champion, her reign and undefeated run will surely come to an end, but when and who? The issue RAW faces is the competition between Alexa, Paige and Asuka; all three women are worthy title holders and look to present themselves as invincible. This is yet another reason why Bayley would benefit from moving from the over-crowded RAW roster.
Big Cass
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Much like Jeff Hardy, a move for Big Cass to SmackDown Live could be made without anyone noticing while he recovers from a torn ACL.
There are two main arguments for switching Big Cass over to SmackDown Live: Firstly, it would distance himself from Enzo Amore who features on RAW as part of 205 Live. Secondly Big Cass would be closer to his partner – Carmella. This would benefit WWE, Big Cass and Carmella, as well as the rest of the WWE Universe. Win, win, win?
While there is a lot of negativity around tearing an ACL, the words “career ending” can be thrown about, Big Cass appears to be recovering well and, with the help of WWE, could make his return after injury into a huge dominant challenge for the US title. If Baron Corbin is still champion, that’s one match that I can genuinely see working for both parties.
Randy Orton
Randy Orton (Photo credit: @WWE Instagram)
It’s not that Randy Orton would significantly benefit from being moved to RAW, but WWE as a whole could benefit if they were to move The Viper and change the chemistry among the RAW superstars.
Randy has reached a point where he has feuded or come face-to-face with most superstars on SmackDown Live; he is currently being used as the SmackDown Live muscle, dealing with KO and Sami Zayn. He could easily continue in this fashion on Team Blue and that would be fine.
But there is more potential for him if he were to move over to RAW, especially if Brock Lesnar loses the Universal Title to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34.
In the meantime, Randy Orton vs Samoa Joe/Braun Strowman/Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns/Finn Balor – these all contain potential feuds that could easily run for numerous weeks while maintaining good ratings. That’s why it would benefit WWE more than Randy Orton.
Orton already knows that he’s one of the greatest WWE superstars, he doesn’t need to prove that, he’s the perfect guy to bring over to RAW to freshen up the whole locker room, without even doing very much.
205 Live has not been the major success that WWE had envisioned, there are a multitude of reasons that the Cruiserweight show has drawn poorly; the time slot behind Smackdown Live, the lack of genuinely intriguing storytelling and the poor promotional efforts from the company being just a small cluster. Many have suggested that WWE cut it’s losses and look to redistribute the Cruiserweight stars amongst the RAW & Smackdown brands, but with the recent announcement of 205 Live touring shows it is clear that WWE do not want to put this project to bed just yet. So, who could WWE bring into the ‘purple brand’ to attempt to revitalise and boost the programme? We’ll take a look at three names now.
Hideo Itami
Hideo Itami
This is basically cheating…Hideo Itami has been confirmed for 205 Live but I wanted to highlight how the switch massively helps both Hideo and the Cruiserweight show. Itami has been flagging on NXT for an extremely long time and his presence on the de-facto ‘developmental brand’ no longer carries the weight of a major independent star who can shift ticket sales. When Hideo is transitioned to 205 Live (and essentially RAW) then he can be repositioned as an absolute killer amongst the more high flying elements of the show because fans from his KENTA days will tell you he can be absolutely brutal, vicious and devastating inside the ring when the time calls. Whilst Hideo may not necessarily attract the numbers that WWE would be looking for he will be a welcome asset, the prospect of Itami against Gulak, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa is more than exciting and perhaps he can lend a certain in ring credibility that the show (and title) are perhaps looking for.
Finn Balor
Finn Balor
It’s quite incredible to consider where both Hideo and Balor are at this point in their careers, with Finn debuting in NXT to team with the already somewhat established Hideo. That being said a move to 205 Live for the Irish star would be seen by a large majority as a step down, but what needs to be considered is how and where Finn could be used on RAW in the foreseeable future. A rumored nixing of the Universal Title match against Brock Lesnar due to Vince McMahon believing Finn wasn’t ‘over’ has seen Finn referencing and mocking this idea on social media…but realistically what can Finn do between now and next year’s Wrestlemania? There’s certainly opportunities for Finn on RAW but how much of a benefit would Balor be as a temporary star on 205 Live? I really believe that you would see a rise in interest and he would generate a buzz around a completely stagnant show. It wouldn’t be for long and I wouldn’t advocate him winning the Cruiserweight title but a nice run against some of the better in ring stars on 205 Live could do wonders for that show.
Chad Gable
Chad Gable
Last and certainly not least would be Chad Gable. Gable’s isn’t a name that I have heard suggested for 205 Live but at 92kg (202 pounds) he certainly could be on the roster. Whilst his run with Shelton Benjamin has been entertaining within the Smackdown Live Tag Division there does need to be time to transition the former Olympic athlete into singles competition. Instead of possibly getting lost in the shuffle of the Smackdown mid card why not give Chad a run amongst the Cruiserweights? Gable’s unique style would set him apart from other performers on the roster and he could mesh well with the likes of Jack Gallagher (who himself has not had the chance to truly shine), Noam Dar and funnily enough Enzo Amore. Chad has a charisma and ability on the microphone that the other two performers suggested actually lack, his original stint in NXT alongside Jason Jordan garnered praise and comparisons to a young Kurt Angle. Gable has a great sense of timing, humour and could trade off well against Enzo in his own wheelhouse.
Who would you like to see brought over to 205 Live? Let us know in the comments
PROGRESS will be holding their 59th Chapter event this afternoon from the O2 Academy in Sheffield, England.
One of the feature bouts on this already stacked card was Pete Dunne vs Joseph Conners for the WWE UK Championship, this was due to be the first time that the WWE UK title was defended in the company on UK soil and a major part of the event’s eventual On Demand ‘drawing power.’
WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne and Trent Seven took part in an OTT event this weekend in Dublin Ireland and due to the snowy weather conditions in Europe both British Strong Style members will be unable to make the PROGRESS show this afternoon.
Myself & @trentseven are stuck in Dublin due to the weather. Very unlikely we'll make it to @ThisIs_Progress ?
WWE RAW is set to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary in January 2018. The landmark occasion will feature Superstars from SmackDown Live and RAW, as well as “special appearances by WWE Legends The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash, among others”
However there are 2 live shows of historic significance before the 25th anniversary. For the first time in it’s history, RAW is set to air on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Alongside the likes of The Shield, Kurt Angle, Alexa Bliss, The Bar, Kane, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt, two others have been revealed to feature.
The first is John Cena, who last appeared as part of the SmackDown Live Survivor Series team that lost to RAW.
Cena is speculated to make an announcement about his participation at 2018’s Royal Rumble, or at least set up a feud to see him into WrestleMania 34. The second superstar who is set to feature is The Miz.
The Miz had previously lost his Intercontinental Championship to Roman Reigns, before leaving to fulfill his commitments to latest Marine film with Becky Lynch and Shaun Michaels. The Christmas Day episode of RAW could see The Miz claim his rematch clause against Reigns, but no plans have been revealed as of yet.
Opinion:
It seems a little pointless for The Miz to claim his rematch on Christmas Day as he is still filming the latest Marine movie. Therefore, if he did claim his rematch, it’s quite obvious that he would not be gaining the title. He could make his intentions clear for the future, like John Cena might, but it’s also important to remember that The Miz is due to become a father which will impact on commitments and priorities.
