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New Cruiserweight Champion Crowned At WWE TLC (Video)

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Enzo Amore defeated Kalisto at tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view in Minneapolis, MN to become the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Enzo is now a two-time Cruiserweight Champion. Kalisto just won the title back on the October 9th RAW episode, defeating Enzo in a Lumberjack Match.

Below are photos and videos from tonight’s title change:


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Triple H Comments On Asuka’s RAW Brand Debut, WWE TLC Attendance & Opening Video

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– Below is the opening video package used for tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view:

– Michael Cole announced a crowd of 13,381 fans in attendance at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN for tonight’s TLC pay-per-view.

– As noted, Asuka made her main roster debut at tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view and picked up a win over Emma in the opening contest. Triple H tweeted the following on The Empress of Tomorrow arriving on the red brand:

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Asuka Makes Main Roster Debut At WWE TLC

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Former WWE NXT Women’s Champion Asuka remains undefeated after making her main roster debut at tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view. She defeated Emma in the pay-per-view opener.

Below are photos and videos from Asuka’s red brand debut tonight at the Target Center in Minneapolis:

Survivor Series: RAW vs. SmackDown Theme Confirmed, 4-Hour Show

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A promo aired during Sunday’s TLC Kickoff show confirming that next month’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view will have a RAW vs. SmackDown Live theme.

This year’s Survivor Series will be a 4-hour event with a special start time of 7pm (Eastern).

It’s also worth noting that the final two Superstars shown in the video were WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, an indication that Brock Lesnar will be accepting Mahal’s Survivor Series challenge tomorrow night on RAW.

We’ll find out soon if the card will feature additional inter-brand matches, but it seems likely based on the video below.

WWE TLC 2017 Results & Live Discussion (10/22)

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WWE TLC 2017 took place at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN on October 22nd.

TLC Kickoff Show:

– Renee Young welcomes us to the Kickoff Show panel featuring herself, Dave Otunga, and Peter Rosenberg. They hype up the TLC main event featuring Kurt Angle.

– The Miz cuts a promo in the back for his main event later, and says he’s tired of hearing about Angle’s accomplishments. Miz says he’s looking forward to demolishing Angle tonight because it’s a rare opportunity.

– Back to the Kickoff Show panel, Renee hypes up the inter-brand AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor match tonight. They mention that they’re both former leaders of “the club.” Peter Rosenberg hypes up NXT War Games on November 18th, the Saturday before Survivor Series.

– We see a promo video for Asuka’s debut. We then go to a backstage interview with Emma where she complains about how much hype there’s been for Asuka’s debut tonight. Emma says this is her first singles match on a PPV, and her spotlight is too bright for Asuka to overshadow.

– Kurt and Jason run into each other backstage and hug. Jordan wishes Kurt luck tonight and says he’s an inspiration. Elias interrupts despite Kurt asking him not to, and says the people need to hear him tonight, and he doesn’t want to be overshadowed by Kurt’s return. Elias says he wants a special musical performance tonight, and Kurt agrees but tells him to leave him alone right now. Jordan sarcastically thanks Elias for adding to the PPV, and Elias says at least he’s on the PPV tonight. Elias walks off as Kurt and Jordan look on.

– Drew Gulak has a megaphone and he takes over the Kickoff Show panel table. He says the powers that be cut him off the show tonight, and he has a plan to make a better 205 Live and cruiserweight division. He says he wants to fight chants, flying, flipping, and elaborate outfits, among other things.

– Mickie James does an interview backstage where she says she’s not the oldest female member of the roster, and says she’s confident going into her Women’s Title match tonight.

– AJ Styles does an interview backstage where he says his match with Balor is something that people want to see all over the world. He says tonight they’re going to show the WWE Universe what they’re all about.

– We go to the stage with Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Booker T who introduce the upcoming Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox match.

Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox: Alicia rolls outside for a breather early on, then back in the ring Sasha hits a Thesz Press and pummels on Fox. Sasha throws Fox around by the hair a couple times, then corners her against the turnbuckle. Fox begs for mercy, but Banks hits a big kick to the head. Fox rolls outside and throws a temper tantrum. Banks goes up top, but Fox shoves her off and she falls down to the floor. Fox hits a side walk slam on the floor at ringside, then slams Sasha’s head on the apron before rolling her back in. Fox holds Banks down in a headlock before throwing her back outside. The ref starts counting but Banks rolls back in. Fox appears to go for a headlock, but decides against it and pushes Banks down. Fox hits a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Headlock from Fox, but Banks fights out and hits a cross body. Alicia rolls up Banks, but Banks shoves her outside and Fox hits the floor hard. Back in the ring, Banks hits some right hands and then a hurricanrana. Banks throws a knee to the face, and Fox answers with a big boot. Fox goes for a scissor kick and misses, and Banks comes back with the Banks Statement for the win.

Winner via submission: Sasha Banks

– We see a video package promoting Kurt Angle’s in-ring return tonight.

– Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose do an interview backstage where the discuss teaming up with Kurt Angle tonight. Ambrose brings up that Angle hasn’t been in a WWE ring in a long time, and Rollins says they’re all ready for war.

WWE TLC 2017:

– The pay-per-view broadcast opens up with a video package going over Kurt Angle’s legacy, and his return to the ring at TLC tonight. We also see promotional videos for Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James, Asuka vs. Emma, and then footage of Kane’s return.

– Cole welcomes us to the Target Center, and we’ll be starting off with Emma and Asuka.

Emma vs. Asuka: Emma ducks a clothesline off the opening bell, but Asuka comes back with am armbar until Emma reaches the ropes. Emma slaps Asuka across he face then starts working on her arm. They wrestle around the mat and Emma hits another slap to the face. Asuka hits a butt bump and then an ankle lock. Emma counters and sends Asuka out to ringside, where Emma follows up with a baseball slide dropkick. Back in the ring, Emma continues to beat down Asuka, and hits a cross body in the corner. Emma and Asuka start trading punches and slaps in the middle of the ring until Asuka drops her and follows up with a running knee to the face. Asuka follows up with kicks and a missile dropkick off the middle rope. More kicks to the face from Asuka, but Emma comes back with an elbow to the head. Emma hits a running knee of her own for a two count. Emma starts stomping on Asuka until Asuka grabs her leg and puts her in an ankle lock. Asuka then hits a German suplex and Emma rolls outside. Asuka comes out to the apron and Emma throws her down to the floor. Back in the ring, Asuka fires back with a kick to the head and then put her in the Asuka Lock. Emma taps out and Asuka wins her WWE debut match.

Winner via submission: Asuka

– The Miz is backstage with Cesaro and Sheamus, and they’re trashing Kurt Angle. Braun Strowman walks in and tells Miz to save the pep talk and stay out of his way, he’ll handle them all tonight. Kane appears and says he does what he wants, and if there’s anyone who will take the others out tonight, it’s him. Miz says there’s enough to go around as tonight is their chance to change the face of WWE. Braun and Kane walk off, then Miz and The Bar bump fists.

– Elias comes out to the stage for a song, but as he begins he gets interrupted by vegetables being thrown at him. The lights turn on and it’s revealed to be Jason Jordan throwing the produce at him. Jordan continues to heckle Elias before he leaves with his shopping cart full of loose vegetables. Elias isn’t happy and he leaves.

Brian Kendrick & Jack Gallagher vs. Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann: Kendrick takes down Swann in the opening moments and gets control of the match. Gallagher tags in and Swann comes back with a dropkick. Cedric and Kendrick come in next, and Gallagher trips Cedric from ringside. Swann retaliates with a swanton bomb off the apron into Gallagher at ringside. Kendrick charges at Cedric but Cedric throws him outside and follows up with a big suicide dive. Back in the ring, Swann and Alexander double team Kendrick and hit a backbreaker. Swann gets distracted by Gallagher and Kendrick throws him down to the mat. Gallagher and Kendrick now take turns beating down Swann. Cedric comes in and the fight spills out to ringside where Kendrick hits a vertical suplex on Swann on the floor. Back in the ring, Kendrick hits two kicks to the face on Cedric, then locks him in the Hook. Cedric reverses into a pin, but Kendrick turns it back around into the submission. Swann comes off the top with a Phoenix Splash to break up the submission. Gallagher runs in and headbutts Swann, then Cedric takes out Gallagher and hits the Lumbar Check on Kendrick for the win. Cedric and Swann celebrate their win after the match.

Winners: Rich Swann & Cedric Alexander

– Alexa Bliss does an interview backstage where she makes fun of Mickie James for wearing mom jeans and takes shots at her age.

Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Mickie James: Bliss’ Women’s Championship is on the line in this one. Mickie takes down Bliss to the mat in the opening moments and rolls her up for a one count, and Bliss is getting frustrated. Mickie charges and Alexa and the champion retreats to the apron. Mickie pulls Alexa back in and continually throws her down to the mat by the hair. Mickie follows up with a running boot to the face for a two count. Bliss comes back with a shot on Mickie’s left arm, and she continues working on that shoulder. Mickie tries to fight back but Bliss keeps her grounded and continues to work on the bad shoulder. Mickie finally fires up and the two trade punches in the middle of the ring. Mickie hits a kick and both women are down. Mickie takes the champion down and rolls her up for a two count. Bliss hits the sunset flip powerbomb. Mickie goes up top but Bliss knocks her down and Mickie sells the shoulder again. Bliss goes up top for the Twisted Bliss, but Mickie moves. Mickie goes up top now and hits the moonsault for a two count. Mickie picks up Bliss but Bliss pulls her down face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Bliss immediately follows up with a DDT for the win to retain her Women’s Title.

Winner & still Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss

– Mickie does a post-match interview in the ring and says she gave her heart and soul in the ring tonight. She says it won’t be her last time in a Women’s Title match. Mickie high-fives fans on the way back and gets teary-eyed on the ramp.

– We see a Survivor Series promo video for November 19th featuring Jinder Mahal, Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles and others.

– Rollins and Ambrose approach Angle backstage in his locker room. Angle says he couldn’t let Rollins and Ambrose go in a two-on-five match alone, and he had to step in to help them. Rollins and Ambrose hand Angle a Shield vest and say he’s part of the team, and Angle says “believe that.”

– Elias is back out to the stage to attempt performing his song again. He sings but stops when the boos become too loud for him to hear himself. More vegetables come flying at Elias from off-screen, and it’s Jason Jordan again. Jordan continues to throw vegetables and fruits at Elias until he leaves the stage. Elias runs off and Jordan waves at the crowd then leaves with his cart again.

– We see a video package highlighting the history between Elias and Kalisto fighting over the Cruiserweight Title. Enzo comes out next and cuts a promo but he lost his voice. He says his voice is the only thing he’s losing, because he plans to take back his Cruiserweight Title.

Kalisto (c) vs. Enzo Amore: Kalisto’s Cruiserweight Title is on the line in this one. Kalisto backs Enzo into the corner and Enzo retreats to the apron. Kalisto grabs him back in and controls the match in the opening minutes. Enzo drops Kalisto off the top rope and stomps on him in the corner. Enzo throws Kalisto down to the mat then keeps him down with strikes to the head. Enzo goes up top but decides against doing a move and he just jumps down to his feet. Kalisto takes down Enzo but Enzo comes back with a kick. Enzo controls the next few moments until Kalisto throws him into the middle turnbuckle. Kalisto fires up and hits some kicks and a running hurricanrana. Enzo hits a thumb to the eye and comes back with some kicks. Enzo follows up with a boot to the jaw for the win to capture the Cruiserweight Title. After the match, Enzo gets on the mic and says he wants to give a big ‘thank you’ to himself, and a ‘no thank you’ to the crowd.

Winner: Enzo Amore

– We see a video package highlighting Jinder Mahal challenging Brock Lesnar for a match at Survivor Series. Lesnar will address the challenge on Monday’s RAW.

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor: Balor comes out as The Demon and we see a staffer in the background operating the smoke machine. Collar and elbow tie up off the opening bell, and Balor takes down Styles with a side headlock. AJ wrestles his way up but Finn drops him with with a kick. AJ gets back up and levels Balor with a dropkick. Balor locks AJ in a surfboard hold and then a chin lock. Balor and Styles trade strikes in the middle until AJ levels the Demon with an elbow to the face. AJ hits a flying forearm shot next for a two count. AJ follows up with a backbreaker and a kick. Styles and Balor trade strikes in the ring until Styles drops him with a kick to the head. Styles and Balor trade chops to the chest, then Balor hits a kick to the head that sends AJ falling outside. Balor follows up with a big suicide dive on AJ at ringside. Balor hits the Sling Blade, and AJ comes back with a fireman’s carry neckbreaker. Balor dumps Styles outside and boots him in the face from the apron, then dropkicks Styles into the fan barricade. Styles and Balor brawl over the German announce table at ringside next. Back in the ring, Styles and Balor collide mid-ring and both men are down. AJ hits a series of strikes but Balor fires back with a Pele kick. Balor hits an inverted reverse DDT on Styles then goes up top. Styles hits a Pele kick on Balor and Balor is out cold on the top turnbuckle. Styles leapfrogs up on to the top rope and hits a Frankensteiner on Balor for a two count. AJ goes for a springboard 450 splash, but Balor rolls out of the way. Balor follows up with a running dropkick then hits the Coup De Grace for the three count. Balor helps up AJ after the match and they do the “too sweet” hand gesture before Styles leaves.

Winner: Finn Balor

– Elias is out once again, but this time he’s in the ring. Elias begins a song, but Jason Jordan interrupts quickly and we have a match.

Jason Jordan vs. Elias: Jordan starts off strong and Elias rolls outside. Back in the ring, Elias takes down Jordan and puts him in a side headlock. Jordan catches Elias with a side suplex for a two count. Jordan hits Elias with a dropkick, and Elias comes back with a running knee strike. More strikes from Elias and a shoulder lock. Jordan fires back with right hands and elbows, then a spear into the corner. Another spear into the opposite corner, then a belly to belly suplex. Jordan hits another spear, then a side suplex for a two count. Jordan goes for a superplex but Elias knocks him down. Jordan hops back up but Elias knocks him down again. Elias hits a knee strike, then a scoop slam into the corner. Elias goes for a vertical suplex, but Jordan reverses into a small package pin for the three count.

Winner: Jason Jordan

– The Miz is backstage giving a pep talk to Sheamus, Cesaro, Kane and Strowman. Miz says they’re going to treat their opponents like garbage, and take them to the dump.

Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Kane & Braun Strowman: Angle comes out through the crowd with Rollins and Ambrose as The Shield. Angle is wearing pants and the Shield vest. Angle, Rollins and Ambrose all hit the ring with steel chairs and they start laying everyone out. Kane and Strowman are the last two standing and they start beating down the babyfaces. Angle, Rollins and Ambrose get second winds and start teeing off on Kane and Strowman with repeated chair shots over and over. Ambrose and Rollins hit suicide dives in tandem on Miz, Sheamus and Cesaro at ringside. Angle rolls out to ringside and grabs a ladder, then beats down Strowman with the ladder. In the ring, Kane goes to chokeslam Ambrose, but Rollins makes the save with a shot off the top rope. Rollins and Ambrose hold back Kane and Angle hits him with a ladder. Sheamus and Cesaro get their second wind and start attacking the babyfaces. Strowman gets up too and starts laying out Angle, Rollins and Ambrose. Strowman goes to powerbomb Angle, but Rollins breaks it up with repeated chair shots on Strowman. More chair shots on Strowman, then they throw him into the ring post. They lay Strowman on one announce table, and Kane is on the other announce table. They then set up ladders right in front of the tables, and Rollins and Ambrose start climbing. Rollins and Ambrose come flying off the ladders, and they each crash into Strowman and Kane respectively through the tables. Angle grabs a steel chair and starts teeing off on The Miz with it at ringside. Cesaro and Sheamus throw Angle in the ring and start beating him down with a steel chair. They group up to powerbomb Angle, but Rollins and Ambrose make the save. Rollins and Ambrose take Sheamus and Cesaro out to ringside, while in the ring Angle hits a series of German suplexes on The Miz. Sheamus and Cesaro run in and Angle takes them both out with a series of German suplexes. Kane runs in and goes to chokeslam Angle, but Angle escapes and puts Kane in the ankle lock. Strowman makes the save and pulls Angle outside, then hits a running powerslam on Angle through a table at ringside. Medics come to check on Kurt as the heels beat down Rollins and Ambrose at ringside. The heels take Rollins and Ambrose into the ring for more beatings, as Kurt Angle is walked to the back by trainers. The heel take turns passing around the steel chair to beat down Rollins and Ambrose. On commentary, Booker T says Kurt Angle has been out of the ring for 11 years. Strowman misses a spear in the corner and Rollins starts firing up. Kane swings a chair for Rollins, but Rollins ducks and Kane accidentally hits Strowman. Strowman is not happy, and he shoves Kane across the ring. Rather than letting Kane and Strowman fight, Rollins and Ambrose jump in. Sheamus and Cesaro pull off Rollins and Ambrose, and they powerbomb Amborse into a table. The table doesn’t break, so they throw him into another table propped up in the corner of the ring. The Miz orders for Sheamus and Cesaro to take Rollins and Ambrose up to the stage. A garbage truck comes out from around the stage, and Miz instructs them to throw Rollins and Ambrose in the garbage truck. Rollins and Ambrose climb up to the top of the truck and jump off onto the heels below. Rollins and Ambrose chase Miz down but Kane attacks them from behind. Strowman comes over, but Kane still remember Strowman shoving him earlier so he starts fighting Strowman. Kane beats down Strowman and chokeslams Strowman through a section of the stage by the announce table. Strowman climbs up out of the hole, so Kane pulls down a whole string of chairs hanging form the ceiling onto Strowman. Rollins and Ambrose get up and attack Kane and Miz. Kane grabs Rollins and Ambrose and double chokeslams them through tables. Ambrose’s table didn’t break, just slide out from under him, and Ambrose landed hard on the stage floor. They go to throw Rollins and Ambrose into the garbage truck again, but they hear Strowman coming up out of the hole in the stage. The Miz begs Strowman to help him finish the match, but Strowman throws Miz into the stage screens. Strowman lays out everyone in his way towards Kane. Kane drops Strowman with a big boot, then the heels all start stomping on Strowman. They decide to throw Strowman in the garbage truck, and then The Miz instructs the garbage truck operator to hit the switch. The operator hits the switch, and Miz has a disturbed look on his face as the truck crushes Strowman with the garbage. Apparently Braun Strowman has been murdered. The heels take Rollins and Ambrose back down to the ring. They hit a DDT on Rollins, then a double team White Noise. Ambrose breaks up the pin, then gets stomped down for it by the heels. Kane goes for a chokeslam on Ambrose, but then Angle’s music hits and the Olympian comes down the ramp. Angle drops Cesaro, then hits an Olympic Slam on Sheamus on the ramp. Angle hits an Olympic Slam on Cesaro through a table on the ramp, then he hits the ring. Angle clothesline Miz to the outside, then Kane cotheslines Angle down. Kane goes for a tombstone, but Rollins and Ambrose hit the ring with chairs and they tee off on Kane. Rollins and Ambrose double spear Kane through the fan barricade at ringside. Back in the ring, Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Angle for a two count. The crowd chants USA as Miz goes for another one, but Angle escapes and puts Miz in the ankle lock. Miz kicks off Angle to the outside, and Miz sells his ankle in the ring. Angle gets on the apron, and Rollins and Ambrose get on the opposite aprons. They hit the ring and Rollins hits a knee to the face, Ambrose hits the Dirty Deeds, then Angle hits the Olympic Slam on Miz. They then hit the triple powerbomb on Miz and Angle pins him for the three count.

Winners: Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose

– Angle, Rollins and Ambrose celebrate in the ring after the match. Rollins and Ambrose raise Angle’s arms in the air as TLC goes off the air.

Triple H Returns To Action, Dances With New Day (Videos)

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Triple H returned to action at Sunday’s WWE Live Event from Santiago, Chile. It was his first match since losing to Seth Rollins back in April at WrestleMania 33 in a ‘non-sanctioned’ fight.

Despite United States Champion Baron Corbin calling him out earlier today, The Game defeated Rusev.

As you’d expect, Triple H got the win after delivering his signature move, the Pedigree.

After the match, New Day hit the ring and convinced Triple H to dance with them. He obliged, before laying out Kofi Kingston with a Pedigree.

Here are some photos and video of Triple H’s entrance:

Alexa Bliss On Not Having A Stipulation In Her TLC Match With Mickie James

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WWE Monday Night RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss recently did an interview with NBC Sports to promote her title defense against Mickie James at tonight’s (Sun. October 22, 2017) Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC) pay-per-view (PPV). “Little Miss Bliss” discussed how she found her voice while in NXT, her match with Mickie  James tonight not having a stipulation, and how she adjusted her personality when she was cast as a member of the Total Divas reality show. You can read the highlights here:

How she found her voice in NXT:

“I watched back our first few NXT matches together when I was managing them and realized that I was just silent. I wasn’t doing anything, I wasn’t saying anything. I was just looking at them in silence. And I was like ‘Hmm, well that’s nothing.’ I remember specifically trying more and more to be mean and I was trying to think of a character that’s relatable and I was like oh my gosh, a mean girl from high school. Everyone knows her. Everyone had one. Some people were her and no matter how mean she was, you still voted for her for homecoming queen.

“I was like I want to be that girl because I knew that girl in high school. I knew a few of those girls in high school. I knew that everyone did. So that was my main motivation was to be that girl. I get my inspiration from movies and a lot of the time I’ll actually people-watch when I’m at the airport. William Regal told us to people-watch because you can get your best motivation from them. I’ll notice little mannerisms that irritate me and I know they will irritate other people.”

Her match with Mickie James tonight not having a stipulation:

“I’m OK with it being a normal one-on-one [match]. Of course stipulations are always cooler and more fun, but I feel like if we were to do a stipulation match it would have to be something that was driven towards the storyline that we’re doing right now. I’m talking about her being old, so it should be like a walker match.”

Adjusting her personality after being cast on Total Divas:

“I had a little bit of an adjustment period for sure because I’m so used to when the camera is on, I turn into Alexa Bliss, this mean, ‘attitudy’ character. So I had to get out of that because our first filming was at TV. So, I’m in a work environment and it was just a different camera, so as soon as the camera came on I was thinking ‘Wait, I can’t be that way, I have to be me.'”

You can read Bliss’ full interview with NBC Sports by clicking here.

John Morrison Explains How Prince Puma’s In-Ring Talent Has Challenged Him

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Lucha Underground star Johnny Mundo (a.k.a. John Morrison or Johnny Nitro) recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Mundo discussed how Prince Puma’s (a.k.a. Ricochet) in-ring talent has challenged him, his life after leaving WWE, and how much of a help his fiancee, Taya Valkyrie, has been to him. Here are the highlights:

How Prince Puma’s in-ring talent has challenged him:

“Prince Puma is one of the most talented people in the history of the business. He can do anything. He’s so ridiculously talented. When you’re in the ring with someone like him, that means that anything is possible. I mean, I could pretty much do anything I want to, so you’re dealing with two ridiculously talented performers who are gunning to steal the show, who both have a chip on their shoulder, who both have something to prove.

“He is just so strong, agile and quick that it’s impressive and sometimes scary to be in the ring with somebody that talented. On the other side of it, I love it because sometimes I’m in the ring with people that don’t challenge me in all those aspects — creatively, with their quickness, with their agility, with the way they think about things. So when I’m in the ring with somebody like Puma, it really forces me to level up and rise to the top of my game. It’s sometimes just face-melting, the kind of stuff that he can do.”

His life after leaving WWE:

“I thought things we’re gonna go much better, much faster [when I left WWE]. I worked on Boone: The Bounty Hunter for five years. I tried to find money for it. I couldn’t. I ended up selling my house to finance it personally. Lucha didn’t start until 2014. Impact, I just started with. I feel like I’ve been busting my ass since I left WWE to create opportunities. There are some things I did that I’m proud of that didn’t take off. I’ve tried to keep in mind throughout this whole journey, instead of taking the path of least resistance, take the path that I’m most passionate about. That’s been my guiding force.”

How much his fiancee, Taya Valkyrie, has helped him:

“Taya’s got my back. I can’t begin to tell you how helpful she is with the juggling of all the responsibilities. There’s a lot on my plate, but the cool thing is everything that I’m doing I’m really into. I love Lucha Underground. I love Impact. I love wrestling every weekend all over the world. I love promoting ‘Boone: The Bounty Hunter.’ I truly believe in all these things. Maybe most of all, my wedding with Taya. It feels like I don’t have a lot of free time these days, but the time that I spend is well-used.”

You can read Mundo’s full interview with ESPN by clicking this link here.

The Ridiculous Reason Vince McMahon Changed His Mind About Turning John Cena Heel

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For the past several years WWE fans have grown annoyed by John Cena’s old over-the-top babyface gimmick, with many wrestling fans claiming they’d like him a lot more if he turned heel. Cena has been very vocal on not wanting to turn heel over the years, especially with the immense following of children “The Leader Of The Cenation” has behind him. While a heel turn for Cena seems to be a big no no with WWE officials right now, it turns out Vince McMahon actually came very close to pulling the trigger on the move.

Former WWE writer Kevin Eck was recently a guest on The Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast and revealed that a heel turn for Cena was actually nearly pulled off as he would enter a program with Sheamus. After realizing Cena had just landed a new clothing deal with K-Mart, however, the plan was quickly trashed:

“Vince had agreed to do it, but then he changed his mind and said that we can’t do it,” Eck said. “This was back around the time when McMahon was really looking at Sheamus to get his push. The question was if we turn John Cena heel then who is he going to work with, who will be the top babyface?

“That was the feeling back then, then we came up with some scenarios, and believe it or not, Cena was on board with it, but right around that time there was a big clothing line for John Cena at K-Mart, and Vince McMahon was like, ‘Oh Jesus Christ, he has a deal with KMart, and now we’re going to turn him heel?’ So, KMart is to blame for Cena not turning heel,” Eck said. “During a meeting once Vince had a huge smile on his face, and he tells everyone that I know you’ve wanted John Cena as a heel for a long time, but we just can’t turn him heel and that was the end of that.”

You can listen to Eck’s interview on The Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast by clicking here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Karl Anderson Shoots Down The Club Reuniting At TLC Rumors

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With SmackDown Live’s AJ Styles stepping in tonight (Sun. October 22, 2017) against Finn Balor at the WWE’s Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC) pay-per-view (PPV), there have been rumors going around that The Club could use this opportunity for a reunion. Karl Anderson took to Twitter to respond to a fan’s question about a possible reunion, saying he will be enjoying the PPV from Green Bay on the WWE Network like everyone else:

https://twitter.com/TheBrianSison/status/921936985052155904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ringsidenews.com%2F2017%2F10%2F22%2Fkarl-anderson-shoots-speculation-club-reuniting-wwe-tlc%2F

3 Stars Neville Should Wrestle Outside Of WWE

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It seems that every source going has confirmed Neville’s departure from WWE, except for the man himself and the company that he is likely still contracted to.

However, with the speculation being ramped up more and more by the minute we felt that it would be a good time to list three of the top stars outside of WWE that Neville should step in the ring with.

Will Ospreay

Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay (photo credit: Forbes)

The similarities between Neville and British sensation Will Ospreay cannot be overlooked. Besides their shared homeland both men have seen success throughout the British independent scene as well as Japan. Ospreay’s current performances for New Japan and Neville’s run on the japanese scene as PAC produced some incredible matches for Dragon Gate and NJPW, including the bout with Finn Balor that supposedly convinced Triple H sign both men.

The build to this encounter would write itself, who is the better British high flyer?  I can easily see this match happening on a Revolution Pro Wrestling card at some point in 2018 and it would be a blockbuster affair.

Hiromu Takahashi

takahashi

Keeping with the theme of New Japan, Hiromu Takahashi is another name that should be given a shot against Neville.

While Hiromu has been taking time to establish his ‘therapy cat’ gimmick it is important to remember that he is one of the most explosive and dynamic performers in NJPW’s Juniors division.

Stylistically I believe that these two men would mesh well and Hiromu’s ‘dangerous’ character traits could lead to a bout that showcases technical proficiency as well as some outstanding high flying moments, hopefully Neville returns to Japan and the powers that be at NJPW make this bout happen!

Cody Rhodes

cody
Ring of Honor World Champion Cody Rhodes

Finally, why not let Neville have a shot against the Ring of Honor Champion? Both men have a similar past with their shared experience in WWE and it would be a perfect opportunity for both to prove their worth to a company that seemingly let them fall between the cracks.

Cody has been building his reputation on the independent scene and is now the reigning World Champion in ROH, his platform as part of the Bullet Club has seen a division between fans of stable and New Japan in general, he is either loved or hated within the group.

Many fans of WWE lauded the abilities of Neville during his ‘King of the Crusierweight’ run and believed that he should’ve transitioned to a place higher on the card, this may well be his opportunity to break out on the heavyweight scene.

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Who would you like to see Neville face outside of WWE? Let us know in the comments.

WCPW Release Kurt Angle vs Alberto El Patron for Free on YouTube

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Kurt Angle will be making his long awaited in ring return for WWE when he joins forces with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose tonight at TLC.

Before Angle made his return to WWE to act as the RAW General Manager he made a few appearances for independent promotions, most notably in the UK for Rev Pro and WCPW. To celebrate his in ring return WCPW has released Angle’s match against controversial figure Alberto El Patron from their True Destiny PPV event. The match is available to watch in full below:

Big Spoiler From Sunday Night’s PWG All Star Weekend Night 2

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New Japan Pro Wrestling star Ricochet captured the PWG World Championship at PWG’s All Star Weekend Night 2 yesterday after defeating Chuck Taylor in the main event.

The match had to be restarted after Ricochet cheated to win however he eventually won cleanly. Ricochet cut a post match promo claiming that he was not “going anywhere” and that “Daddy is here to stay.”

There have been reports recently claiming that Ricochet is WWE bound after his contract with Lucha Underground finishes, whether his promo after the championship win is a rouse remains to be seen.

https://twitter.com/KingRicochet/status/922024877208375296

Jeff Jarrett Misses Scheduled Appearance, Promoter Issues Statement

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Jeff Jarrett was scheduled to appear Royal Canadian Legion’s Rise of Legends: War Games event on Saturday night from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Unfortunately, he did not compete at the event as advertised due to ‘personal issues.’

RCW promoter Steven Ewaschuk issued a statement on Facebook explaining the situation.

“RCW has the unfortunate news to report that Jeff Jarrett will be not appearing at tonight’s event in Edmonton due to reasons beyond the company’s control as Jeff Jarrett has boarded a plane and left the country on his own accord this morning. Jeff Jarrett did appear last night in Calgary at the RCW event but again has chosen to leave the country due to his own issues.”

Jarrett had been scheduled for a VIP Meet and Greet event, but was replaced by Davey Boy Smith Jr. Ewaschuk explained that fans who purchased a VIP Package would be offered a free ticket to their next show to make up for Jarrett’s cancellation.

“Once again on behalf of the RCW office and management we greatly apologize to all the great Edmonton Wrestling fans.”

In response to a fan who commented on the Facebook post, Ewaschuk replied,

“I understand and your entitled you opinion as you are a paying fan who supports indy wrestling and it’s stars. I personally though highly of Jeff Jarrett as well until yesterday. once again I personally respect your opinions and hope you attend tonights show and enjoy it.”

RCW performer Duke Durrango commented on the situation:

Jarrett posted the following Steve Jobs quote on Instagram on Sunday:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BajOQuZngTP/

Chris Jericho Criticises Kenny Omega, ‘The Cleaner’ Responds

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Chris Jericho appears to be the latest WWE affiliated superstar taking shots at the Bullet Club…

Jericho responded to a tweet claiming that Kenny Omega was the best performer in the world and well…you can see his response below:

While Jericho’s tweet may have been in humour it certainly doesn’t appear to have been taken that way by New Japan’s IWGP US Champion. Following the recent issues between WWE and The Young Bucks as well as Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns it seems only likely that the bad blood between the two camps will not go away anytime soon.

What do you make of Jericho’s comments? Let us know in the comments.

 

NFL Player Wears Undertaker Custom Cleats (Video)

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You may recall earlier this month when several players of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons paid tribute to Ric Flair with custom airbrushed cleats bearing his likeness.

Now, The Undertaker is the latest WWE legend to get the ‘custom cleats’ treatment.

Courtesy of Mache Custom Kicks, Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle ‘Big Country’ Rudolph will be “Dead Man Walking” later today for their game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The game kicks off at 1pm (Eastern) from Minneapolis, site of tonight’s WWE TLC PPV.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaXdzvKFso6/?taken-by=mache275

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bajdu58FaBn/?taken-by=mache275

Final Card For Tonight’s WWE TLC PPV

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WWE Tables, Ladders and Chairs takes place from Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Target Center. The lineup was thrown into turmoil with just days leading up to the event, with Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt sidelined due to “medical reasons.”

With Reigns and Wyatt out, WWE pulled out all the stops to ensure fans get a memorable show. The big Shield reunion has been derailed, but WWE made a substitution that actually upped the stakes of tonight’s main event. Filling in for Reigns, WWE Hall of Famer and RAW General Manager Kurt Angle is returning to action for his first WWE match in 11 years.

SmackDown Live’s AJ Styles is stepping up to challenge Finn Balor in a battle of the former Bullet Club leaders that’s got the potential to steal the show.

After months of hype, former NXT Women’s Champion Asuka will make her long-awaited main roster debut against Emma.

Here’s the updated card for tonight’s WWE TLC PPV:

Main Event: 5-on-3 Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match
Kurt Angle, Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins vs. Intercontinental Champion The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman & Kane

Raw Women’s Championship Match
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Mickie James

Interbrand Dream Match
“The Demon” Finn Bálor vs. AJ Styles

WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match:
Kalisto (c) vs. Enzo Amore

The Empress of Tomorrow’s Main Roster Debut
Asuka vs. Emma

Cruiserweight Match:
Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann vs. Jack Gallagher & The Brian Kendrick

The Kickoff Show will see Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox and Drew Gulak presenting a ‘WWE Cruiserweight Championship PowerPoint Presentation.’

Join us here tonight for our WWE TLC Live Coverage!

Baron Corbin Calls Out Triple H Ahead Of His In-Ring Return Later Today

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Later today, WWE COO Triple H is returning to action at the SmackDown brand’s live event from Santiago, Chile. He’s filling in for AJ Styles and Kevin Owens, who both left WWE’s tour of South America early. Styles will be competing tonight against Finn Balor at the RAW brand’s TLC pay-per-view while Owens returned home for personal reasons.

WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin has commented on the news of Triple H lacing up his boots for the first time since WrestleMania 33.

The tweet indicates Corbin might be Triple H’s opponent at #WWESantiago.

Check back later today for results and photos from Triple H’s return to the ring.

The Miz Reacts To Kurt Angle And #ItBaby Gender Reveal On Twitter (Video)

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The Miz has appeared on his own in recent weeks at RAW shows as Maryse is off pregnant with the #ItBaby.  Fortunately for The Miz, he’s had the company of Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman, and now Kane as he prepares for the main event at TLC against the reunited make-shift Shield.

Due to viral illness, Kurt Angle has stepped up in place of Roman Reigns.  AJ Styles has also had to cover for Bray Wyatt, while Bo Dallas has been off for a while recovering.  Miz took to twitter to make sure everyone knew who’s show TLC really was:

https://twitter.com/mikethemiz/status/921789249250299904

In his tweet, Miz refers to the confrontation between himself and SmackDown Live general manager: Daniel Bryan.  Let’s remind ourselves of THAT episode of Talking Smack in 2016.

Sadly, these two superstars were never able to confront each other in the ring over this heated dispute as WWE will not allow Bryan to come out of retirement due to medical reasons.  But if things became as fractious as this with Kurt Angle, there may be different results.

Later that day, The Miz and Maryse dressed up as Prince Charming and Cinderella to post a video as they cut the now traditional cake to reveal the gender of their unborn baby.

https://twitter.com/mikethemiz/status/921847681449938954

Opinion:

Will The Miz becoming a father change his in-ring persona?  I don’t think so, he works best as a heel.  The more immediate question is, will Miz fall out with RAW gm Kurt Angle like he did with Daniel Bryan?  With RAW talent struck down, Kurt may be called up again to fill in for a more physical feud after TLC.

 

Brie Bella Believes Women Will Headline WrestleMania One Day

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Former WWE Divas Champion Brie Bella recently spoke with The Belfast Telegraph to talk about various topics. Here are the highlights:

WWE signing the women from India and the Middle East:

“I think it’s incredible. I just love when you see how the world is becoming more open, and you’re seeing women in WWE especially breaking these barriers. We’re literally witnessing history. It’s open to any country in the world to now be a part of WWE.”

Women possibly headlining WrestleMania:

“I feel like for women, we’re on the way to main eventing WrestleMania. I feel like we’re on the way to where it won’t even be about the women and the men, but just Superstars. I really love that, and I couldn’t be more proud of the women in WWE.”

You can read the entire interview here.

Rusev Trolls AJ Styles On UpUpDownDown

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The Bulgarian Brute showed his lighter side as he laughed, mimicked and joked around with a quieter AJ Styles on the UpUpDownDown Madden Tournament.  The two superstars played out a rematch of the 2017 Super Bowl between AJ’s home town team: the Atlanta Falcons; and Rusev’s choice: the New England Patriots.

Before watching the amusing match up, it is worth checking out the final from the previous tournament that featured AJ Styles and Seth Rollins which became heated in the final moments of the game.

AJ walked out before the game had finished, exclaiming that his loss came from the match being played on PS4 rather than Xbox.  Style’s then threw his runner-up trophy on the floor, breaking it and causing a piece to fly off and injure a WWE official!

A rematch was declared using an Xbox instead:

Sadly this did not favour the Prince Of Phenomenal as The Champ (Seth Rollins) picked up the big W again.

In contrast, safe in the knowledge that Rusev has little NFL knowledge, AJ appeared much more relaxed and tolerant of the Bulgarian’s comedic value.

Throughout the encounter Rusev provided an unorthodox style that contrasted AJ’s methodical dominance, resulting in a secure win for the Prince Of Phenomenal.  However, from the moment the camera’s started rolling, AJ couldn’t keep a straight face.  Rusev even broke into song, serenading AJ with his own version of “I Believe I Can Fly”.

The beauty of UpUpDownDown’s Madden Tournament is seeing superstars in their natural environment backstage.  Sometimes it’s possible to tell when an act is being put on, but it’s great to see Seth Rollins nervous, or Rusev laughing and joking as he clumsily tries to play a game that he’s learning properly for the first time.

If you watch all of the rounds, it’s easy to catch guest appearances from other superstars who just walk into the room by accident.  Titus O’Neil, Jimmy & Jey Uso, and the rest of The New Day all make regular appearances as they take sides and cause chaos, while also giving us a unique insight behind the scenes of WWE superstars.

Here is a bonus video that hi-lights the beautiful hilarity which UpUpDownDown captures:

Jim Cornette Corrects Accusation Regarding Santino Marella Incident

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Former WWE Superstar Santino Marella and Jim Cornette got into a heated altercation earlier this month at a wrestling convention where they exchanged some words with one another. Marella wrote an open letter explaining what happened at the convention and Cornette responded on an episode of his podcast, Talking Sense.

When video emerged of the altercation Marella called Cornette “a racist mother f***er,” while Cornette said that he has slapped Marella multiple times in the past and would do it again. Their beef with one another stems back to 2005 when Cornette slapped Marella at WWE’s then-developmental program of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). The incident led to Cornette losing his job as OVW booker.

Marella’s letter explaining the incident claimed that Cornette had left him a scathing message. Cornette originally denied that accusation, but it seems that he’s now changing his tune on the matter:

“I may have very well called Santino Marella and left him a nasty message (laughs),” Cornette said. “As I said, I have no memory of this and I’ve never had this guy’s phone number, etc., etc. But he gave more details, he said that a friend of his immediately texted him afterwards and said, “Oh my God, dude, I didn’t know he was going to do that.” … So apparently by that evidence I’m able to at least entertain [that I did that].”

Cornette claims that fans regularly come up to him and ask him to cut promos on their friends over the phone, noting it’s also possible a fan approached him with the opportunity to do this to Marella:

“So I assume now, since I have no memory of this because it was so important to me, that some knucklehead came up [to me] and said ‘Hey, I’ve got Santino Marella’s phone number,'” Cornette said. “At which point did he ask me to cut a promo on him, or he thought I wouldn’t do it, or was I in a grumpy mood, or did I even believe it? I don’t f***ing know because I don’t remember it. But it is a correction that I will admit that I could’ve happened.”

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Alexa Bliss Talks Not Being The Best In-Ring Performer

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WWE Monday Night RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss was recently interviewed by Bleacher Report to promote her title defense against Mickie James tomorrow night (Sun. October 22, 2017) at the Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC) pay-per-view (PPV). “Little Miss Bliss” discussed wanting to improve inside the ring, being drafted to the WWE main roster, and being a part of Triple H’s WrestleMania 30 entrance. You can check out the highlights here:

Wanting to improve inside the ring:

“I’m still working on my in-ring ability. I know I’m not the best in [the] ring. I try to get better with every match. I go to the [WWE Performance Center] and try to refresh my skills and learn new ones and bring that into my matches.”

Being drafted to the WWE main roster:

“Opportunities, you have to make the most of them. You have to run with it. And I know I was one of the most underwhelming draft picks because I hadn’t done much on NXT. I hadn’t had a TakeOver match. I hadn’t won the title. I had valeted the majority of my career. And I knew I just had to just kick down the door.”

Participating in Triple H’s WrestleMania 30 entrance alongside Sasha Banks and Charlotte:

“That was one of the best moments ever. I remember walking out and just hearing 80,000 people, and Triple H turned to all of us and told us, ‘This is just the beginning for you guys.’ Eighty-thousand people are here to see this match, to watch this show. To have that moment, it was definitely very motivating. I want that moment. I want to work my way up and have a match where that many people are cheering for me. It was really eye-opening.”

You can read Bliss’ full interview with Bleacher Report at this link here.

Kalisto Reveals The Only Thing Enzo Amore Is Bringing To The Cruiserweight Division

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WWE Cruiserweight Champion Kalisto recently did an interview with Bleacher Report to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Kalisto discussed Enzo Amore and what he thinks he brings to the Cruiserweight division, who he’d like to share the ring with on 205 Live, and what it was like to win the Cruiserweight Title. Here are the highlights:

What Enzo Amore brings to the Cruiserweight division:

“The only thing that I believe he brought to 205 Live was his catchphrases. How long is that going to last? It’s going to get old. It’s going to get boring. And people are going to know, that dude can’t go. It’s just a matter of time.”

Who he’d like to share the ring with on 205 Live:

“I want to work with all of them. I want to go against everybody. Everybody’s a world traveler. They all have experiences. They have all wrestled against the best. He’s [Gran Metalik] a really known luchador in Mexico. He can go. He can even teach me a thing or two. I can’t even imagine the things we can do inside the ring.”

What it was like winning the Cruiserweight Championship:

“I was really emotional when I won. I didn’t expect for me to win that day, that fast. What a special day. It was on the birthday of Eddie Guerrero, one of the great Latino inspirations of all time. Rey [Mysterio] and Eddie, they’re one of the reasons I’m here, They opened doors for luchadors like me to step foot in the WWE ring. Everyone deserves a shot. Enzo was closing those doors. I’m opening them.”

Check out Kalisto’s full interview with Bleacher Report by visiting this link here.

Daniel Bryan & Finn Balor React To TLC Changes

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– Bray Wyatt has been forced out of tomorrow night’s (Sun. October 22, 2017) Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC) pay-per-view (PPV) event, which means that SmackDown Live’s AJ Styles will step in to fill his spot against “The Demon King” Finn Balor. WWE posted the following video in which Balor responded to his new challenger on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BafakvAAw_Z/

– In addition to the shuffling the TLC PPV card has undergone, the evening’s main event has seen the removal of Roman Reigns, who will no be replaced by Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle. Angle will make his return to the WWE ring in over a decade to team up with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose; taking on the team of The Miz, The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro), Braun Strowman, and Kane. SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan – who has been hoping to make an in-ring return of his own soon – had this to say about the news: