Home Blog Page 1862

Jerry Lawler: We Need Less Finn Balor & More Demon

Eric Lynch
-
12

On this week’s edition of Jerry Lawler’s podcast, Dinner With The King, the WWE Hall of Famer discusses Finn Balor’s match at SummerSlam this Sunday. Balor will be facing Bray Wyatt, and had hinted on RAW that he’ll be appearing as the “demon.” Lawler feels that Balor needs to bring out the “demon” character and ring attire more often.

“I’ve been waiting on this for a long time — Demon Finn Balor,” Lawler said. “That’s been my one gripe about Finn Balor. I think we need less Finn Balor and more Demon. I realize that’s cumbersome and time-consuming to get into that character and to become the Demon. But I think it’s worth it.”

The podcast episode was dedicated to Ric Flair, with some classic audio clips from Flair’s career. Lawler says a Tweet from Flair’s daughter Charlotte gave him hope that The Nature Boy’s situation may not be as dire as he feared earlier.

“We think the world of Ric Flair, he’s the greatest of all-time,” Lawler said. “It’s a well-deserved handle for Ric. And we wish him the best. And hopefully he’ll make a full recovery from this and be back walking past us at a bar sometime in the near future going wooo! C’mon, Ric. Kick out!”

You can listen’s to Lawler’s full podcast at PodAvenue.com

Sting Speaks On Retiring Against Rollins, Ric Flair, The nWo Changing Wrestling (Video)

Eric Lynch
-
4

Sting recently spoke with Andy Malnoske of NBC Elmira to promote his appearance for Big Time Wrestling in Syracuse, NY. Sting touched on several topics during the interview including getting his big break against Ric Flair, who is currently still in critical condition at a hospital in Atlanta as of press time.

“Ric was an established, huge, national, probably international at that time, name and I was just a young kid, a ‘curtain jerker’ kind of wrestler,” Sting recalled. “He had an opponent that got injured and the promoter, Dusty Rhodes, who was promoting and wrestling at the time, said, ‘We got to find somebody for Ric’ and so he put the kid, Sting, in there with Ric Flair at the very first Clash of the Champions.”

Sting reinvented his character in the mid-90s as the mysterious enemy of the nWo in WCW. The former WCW Champion discussed the formation of the nWo and how it changed wrestling.

“Wrestling fans and wrestling was changing, fans wanted to see something a little darker, and a little more mysterious,” he said. “One of the defining moments was in Dayton Beach, Luger and me, we’re in the ring, with Hall and Nash. Hogan becomes “Hollywood” Hogan and fans trashed the ring, [the fans] threw trash and I’m in the fetal position, just hoping I don’t get hit. But it started just a crazy time in wrestling. That was a defining moment in wrestling, characters changed.”

When asked about how his career ended, Sting said he has no complaints about going out against Seth Rollins.

“I cannot complain, the bottom line is the last match I had, yes, I got injured and it was a bad injury, but I went out wrestling one of the best, Seth Rollins, and it was for the WWE World Title,” Sting said. “I mean, what a way to go out. A world title match, I cannot complain, I have no complaints. I did everything I could possibly do in this business it seems, so I’m satisfied.”

You can watch the full interview with Sting on NBC Elmira here.

GFW Star Not Happy With How He Is Being Booked, Says He Is Not Coming To Work (Video)

Robert Lentini
-
14

Tyrus doesn’t appear to be enjoying his time in Global Force Wrestling as of late. Tyrus posted the following video earlier today and announced that he will be skipping the GFW tapings in Orlando this week, which start off with Thursday’s life Destination X special on Pop TV.

“I’ve been with Impact for over three years now and 99% of it has been mostly positive and I’ve enjoyed my time there. But the last four or five tapings for me and my fans has been terrible. We have been handcuffed and treated like a second-class citizen creatively. We’ve worked to hard to become a crossover star and to be treated like we are not. So, I am not happy creatively with the way Impact has been treating me. I’ve been playing phone-tag all day with them and I just ain’t got time for it.

So, if you do not want to use me the way that I think the way I have earned the right to be used, that’s cool.  I’m about to get my Kaepernick on and I’m taking a knee. I will not be at TNA tapings this week because I am on hold out status. If you are good with that then cool. If you are not than it is what it is. I’m not going to be there until I get treated right. Enough said.”

Brie Bella Says She Knows ‘For A Fact’ Daniel Bryan Will Wrestle Again

Robert Lentini
-
34

The Bella Twins were on Barstool Sports’ From the Top Rope podcast today. Brie Bella discussed her husband Daniel Bryan and his desire to return to the ring after having to retire due to concussions. Brie revealed during the conversation that Bryan has spent the last two years “doing every kind of testing and every experiment you can imagine for the brain”.

Brie stated that Bryan found Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and has been treated 40 times. Brie said that she will support his return to the ring if the doctors clear him as a result of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Here are Brie’s comments about Daniel Bryan on the podcast:

“And I told Bryan, ‘You do have a daughter, so always remember that. But if the doctors finally give you the green light,’ I go, ‘Go! This is your dream and passion. You have one life to live and I will never hold you back.

 Because I love to wrestle, and I would hate if someone told me you can’t do it. And if WWE doesn’t allow it, then I said, ‘Go somewhere else. It’s all on you.’ Obviously he would love to be able to get back in that WWE ring, but I know for a fact my husband is going to find his way back to the ring. He honestly is.”

Daniel Bryan is currently the SmackDown GM. He has hinted in the past that he wants to return to the ring, whether that be in WWE or not.

WWE NXT Recap & Results (8/16)

Robert Lentini
-
1

NXT General Manager William Regal came down to the ring to kick off this week’s episode of NXT. Ember Moon and Asuka came down to the ring for a contract signing for their match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III. Ember Moon complimented Asuka on being undefeated but then accused Asuka of taking shortcuts with her. Ember that said Asuka injured her and prevented her from competing at NXT TakeOver: Chicago.

Ember stated that Asuka made the biggest mistake of her life and that she will become the new NXT Women’s Champion on Saturday. Ember Moon then signed the contract and Asuka did the same. Asuka then shouted at Ember Moon and raised the title as the two had a stare down in the ring.

Lars Sullivan was backstage with William Regal. Sullivan begged for a tag match and promised not to hurt his own tag partner in the ring. William Regal said that Lars has one more chance.

Lars Sullivan & Chris Silvio vs Street Profits

Lars asked Silvio to get on the ring apron but Silvio didn’t listen. Montez Ford beatdown Silvio for a bit and then punched Sullivan on the ring apron but Lars was unfazed. Dawkins planted Silvio with a Powerbomb and then Montez connected with a Frog Splash for the victory.

After the match, Lars Sullivan got in the ring and he was very pissed off. Lars then carried Silvio on his shoulder backstage. Lars brought Silvio outside and threw him into the fence outside. Lars then slammed Silvio into a dumpster.

Winners: Street Profits

Ruby Riot vs Billie Kay (w/ Peyton Royce)

Billie Kay spent the first minute of the match avoiding Ruby and mocking her. Billie took control of the match and stomped on Ruby in the corner. Billie Kay connected with a kick for a two count and Peyton Royce screamed when Ruby Riot kicked out. Ruby Riot connected with a Dropkick and then kicked Peyton Royce off the ring apron. Ruby Riot connected with an overhead kick to Billie Kay for the victory.

After the match, Peyton Royce called Ruby Riot gross and a loser. Royce added that Ruby Riot will never be iconic.

Winner: Ruby Riot

Drew McIntyre vs Roderick Strong

McIntyre controlled the match early and slammed Strong to the mat. Roderick battled back and connected with a kick for a one count. McIntyre booted Strong in the midsection and then Suplexed him to the mat. Strong connected with two Dropkicks that sent McIntyre outside the ring.

Strong and McIntyre traded punches outside the ring. Strong then charged at McIntyre but got launched into the ring post. Strong connected with a kick to McIntyre’s head and then slammed his back into the ring apron as NXT went to a commercial break. When NXT returned, Strong was still in control of the match and stomped on McIntyre in the corner. Strong planted McIntyre with a Backbreaker for a two count.

McIntyre fought his way out of an Abdominal Stretch but Strong once again beat him down in the corner. McIntyre connected with a massive Clothesline and both Superstars fell to the mat. Both got back to their feet and McIntyre unleashed a flurry of punches and then climbed up to the top rope and clubbed Strong across the face.

McIntyre planted Strong with a reverse Alabama Slam for a two count. McIntyre went for the Claymore but Strong countered it and kneed Drew in the face. Strong hit a Backbreaker for a two count. Strong climbed to the top rope but McIntyre headbutted him and then hit him with a chop across the chest. Both Superstars were on the top rope. McIntyre was hung up on the top rope and Bobby Roode sprinted to the ring. Roode shoved Strong off the top rope and then beat the hell out of Drew McIntyre.

Roode slammed Strong into the steel steps surrounding the ring. Roode then brought the NXT Championship into the ring and then slammed McIntyre with the Glorious DDT. Roode then raised the title on the turnbuckle and taunted Roderick Strong as the crowd chanted “you suck!”. Roode then raised the title over Drew McIntyre in the ring and shouted “my NXT!”.

Drew McIntyre Talks Facing Bobby Roode At NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III, His First Run With WWE

Andrew Ravens
-
10

Drew McIntyre recently spoke with Brian Fritz of Sporting News to promote this Saturday’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III special on the WWE Network. McIntyre is scheduled to challenge Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship at the upcoming event. Here are the highlights:

Headlining NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III:

“This is what, pretty much, my entire career has led to,” McIntyre recently told  Sporting News. “So, no pressure. The 17 years, the 10 years of being in America, the past three years of building my brand and my return back home. It’s the biggest match of my life and I can say 100 percent I am ready for this. I’m excited to steal the show and have people talking about this match for a long time. I’m ready to bring something special and, as I’ve said before, we have a silent competition with ‘SummerSlam’ the next night and competition is very healthy for everybody. We’re looking to put on a show that will have people talking.”

WWE calling him the “Chosen One” during his first stint with the company:

“He [Vince McMahon] saw something in me when I was younger that I didn’t necessarily see myself and maybe others didn’t see which is a pretty cool feeling,” said McIntyre. “And finally, years later, after all the things I’ve been through and growing up, I think, finally, now it’s starting to materialize and everyone is starting to see what he saw back in the day. He had that kind of faith in me and saw something in me that he was willing to endorse me in that way and perhaps it just took a minute and took a few life experiences to actually bring out what he saw.”

You can read the entire interview here.

Bobby Lashley On Alberto El Patron Being Stripped Of GFW World Title, Wrestling Kurt Angle, More

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Bobby Lashley recently took part in a media conference to promote Thursday’s GFW Destination X special on Pop TV. Lashley talked about various topics including wrestling WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle in his final TNA match and Alberto El Patron being stripped of the GFW World Championship. Here are the highlights:

Wrestling Kurt Angle in his final match in TNA:

“I’ve done a lot of things in wrestling – big pay-per-views all across the world, from WrestleMania to everything else – but I put that match all the way at the top. Not at the top of everything, but I think it’s my top two or three. Reason being, I’ve always looked up to Kurt. I was watching him when I was in high school wrestling and Kurt was winning nationals in college.

When I went to college and was winning national championships, Kurt was winning the World and Olympic championships. I just kind of followed him all the way up. Afterwards, when I was at the Olympic training center, Kurt came to there to do a vignette and Kurt is the one that found me. He said, ‘You ever think about professional wrestling?’ We talked for a little bit and I passed my number on. The rest is history. He’s the one that got me into professional wrestling.

For 12 years I was in pro wrestling, Kurt and I never crossed paths. When I went to WWE, he went to TNA, when I went to TNA, he stepped out and was fighting, he came back and I was out and then I finally came back. This whole time he mentored me along the way, we would always talk to me on the phone and we’d talk about different matches and what to do and he’d just help me out with the politics of wrestling. Actually having an opportunity to wrestle him, towards the end, that was the one thing that I was pulling for so hard. I was telling them ‘if Kurt is getting ready to retire, you gotta get me in the ring with him.’ It was incredible. We had two big matches in each time it was like you were in the ring with your teacher. I like Kurt’s style, I mimic Kurt’s style to a certain extent so to me it was amazing.”

GFW suspending Alberto El Patron and stripping him of the World Championship:

“If we go out there and do something we have to hold ourselves accountable for the things that we do. The company has to do what they have to do. It’s an unfortunate situation. I don’t know all of the details because I try to stay out of that. My business and my contract says for me to be a performer and do that part, not to do any of the backstage or office stuff. The one thing I do know is, who needs the title? That’s me. Give me my title back. I could care less what’s going on with him. I’m just here to compete and now there’s an open title. That’s what I’m focussed on.”

H/T to Pro Wrestling Torch for the transcript of this interview.

NJPW G1 Climax Tournament Airing On AXS TV Starting Friday

Staff
-
4

NJPW’s G1 CLIMAX tournament takes over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on the award-winning series New Japan Pro Wrestling beginning this Friday, Aug. 18 at 8pm.

The 12 hours of tournament action are the most coverage of the annual G1 CLIMAX in AXS TV’s history and will be presented by legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.

AXS TV PRESENTS MORE G1 CLIMAX COVERAGE THAN EVER BEFORE WITH 12 NEW EPISODES OF ‘NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’ SHOWCASING THE TOURNAMENT FRIDAYS AT 8pE BEGINNING AUG. 18

LOS ANGELES – Aug. 16, 2017 – NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’s biggest tournament—the G1 CLIMAX—takes over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on the award-winning series NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING beginning this Friday, Aug. 18 at 8pE. The 12 hours of tournament action are the most coverage of the annual G1 CLIMAX in AXS TV’s history and will be presented by legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.

Now in its 27th year, the G1 CLIMAX tournament is like no other televised event in wrestling, pitting 20 of NJPW’s top competitors against each other in a grueling, month-long series of matches spread across 19 separate events. For the round-robin tournament, the wrestlers are separated into two blocks (A & B), where they compete for the highest score (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw). The winners of each block then face off in the finals for the tournament championship and a right to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on NJPW’s biggest stage, Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome Jan. 4.

Each of AXS TV’s first eight episodes will feature two of the best matches from an A or B Block event, along with highlights from other matches at the event, kicking off Aug. 18 with Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito.

The line-ups for the first eight episodes of AXS TV’s G1 Climax 27 coverage are as follows (subject to change):

  • Aug. 18 – A Block – Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Aug. 25 – B Block – Minoru Suzuki vs. Kenny Omega, SANADA vs. EVIL
  • Sept. 1 – A Block – YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale
  • Sept. 8 – B Block – Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga
  • Sept. 15 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi, Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
  • Sept. 22 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL, Juice Robinson vs. Kenny Omega
  • Sept. 29 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Togi Makabe vs. Tetsuya Naito
  • Oct. 6 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki, Michael Elgin vs. EVIL

The line-ups for the final four episodes of AXS TV’s coverage will be announced at a later date.

Mahal Reacts To Corbin’s Cash In, Lana Returns To Managing, More

Staff
-
8

– As seen on SmackDown, Baron Corbin cashed in his Money In the Bank briefcase but was defeated by WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. In this SmackDown Fallout video, Jinder and The Singh Brothers reacting to Corbin’s cash . Jinder says he will go on to SummerSlam to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura, the same way he almost beat John Cena on SmackDown.

Speaking of Corbin, WWE.com is running a poll asking fans if it was a mistake for him to cash in last night. As of this writing, 75% voted, “Yes. Corbin got too anxious. Although Jinder Mahal was vulnerable, there were too many variables in play.” The rest went with, “No. Corbin went with his gut and tried to take advantage of a vulnerable champion, just like every successful Mr. Money in the Bank before him.”

– Ahead of Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, Sasha Banks trained at Amazing Red’s House of Glory wrestling school in Ridgewood, NY on Tuesday.

WWE posted this video of The Boss visiting with the former TNA X Division Champion:

– Lana made it known on last night’s SmackDown that she plans to use her “ravishing ways” to guide Tamina Snuka to the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Lana tweeted the following and stated that she plans to continue wrestling.

WWE Clash Of Champions Announced for December

Staff
-
2

Boston’s TD Garden arena announced on Wednesday that the venue will host this year’s WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view. The event takes place on Sunday, December 17th. Tickets go on sale 9/29.

WWE Clash of Champions was introduced in 2016, replacing the Night of Champions event. Clash was RAW-exclusive last year, but there’s no confirmation which brand will host the PPV in 2017.

Charlotte Talks Ronda Rousey In WWE, The “Four Horsewomen”

Staff
-
1

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair spoke with the South China Morning Post this week and commented on the possibility of Ronda Rousey stepping inside a WWE ring one day.

Charlotte says she’d welcome the opportunity to be Rousey’s first WWE opponent, but doesn’t consider the match-up a dream match.

“I would tell her to get in line,” she said while laughing. “Ronda wouldn’t be my dream opponent, but if WWE was something she would want to consider, I would definitely want to be her first competitor.”

During their time in NXT, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley were dubbed the “Four Horsewomen” of professional wrestling. As it turns out, there’s another Four Horsewomen in pro sports – led by none other than Ronda Rousey. Her squad includes MMA fighters Marina Shafir, Jessamyn Duke and Mae Young Classic competitor Shayna Baszler. Charlotte says her incarnation is the “real” Four Horsewomen and she’s got the Flair lineage to deserve that moniker.

“We’re the real four horsewomen – I have the lineage! I think it’s great, with us being a sports entertainment company, being able to highlight crossover performers is exciting. Honestly, it just draws more attention to the women as a whole. Anything that shines a positive light on women’s wrestling, and how popular it is today, is great.”

Check out the full interview with Charlotte Flair over at SCMP.com.

SummerSlam Kickoff Matches, Cena Responds To Fan Who Flipped Him Off

Staff
-
12

– WWE has announced that Sunday’s SummerSlam Kickoff show will feature two of the title matches previously announced: Akira Tozowa’s Cruiserweight championship defense against Neville and The New Day’s SmackDown tag title defense against The Usos.

– The Big Show will be replacing Ric Flair at Flair’s scheduled signing at Foot Locker Times Square at Foot Locker Times Square in NYC this Saturday.

– John Cena’s new movie The Wall was released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital this week. You can purchase the film now at Amazon.com.

– Speaking of Cena, he tweeted an inspirational message in response to a WWE fan who gave him the middle finger on this week’s SmackDown Live.

– Former WWE Superstar Joey Mercury recently returned to the ring and is now taking bookings.

https://twitter.com/WWEMercury/status/897863144231579648

Mercury’s former ‘MNM’ tag team partner John Morrison endorsed Mercury as one of the best performers he’s ever worked with.

Ric Flair’s Fiancée Provides An Update On His Condition

Staff
-
7

2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair remains in critical condition after being hospitalized in Atlanta over the weekend. Flair was later put into a medically induced coma and underwent surgery on Monday for an undisclosed condition.

Flair’s fiancee Wendy Barlow has provided an update on Flair’s health and refutes reports that he underwent colon surgery. The reporting on Flair undergoing colon surgery stemmed from a tweet by fellow Hall of Famer “Mean” Gene Okerlund.

Barlow wrote on Wednesday:

“Just want to give an update to my friends and Family as I have been unable to talk on the phone without crying and just feel shocked over events….. I took Ric to the Hospital Friday night with Severe Abdominal pain. From that moment on it all seems like a nightmare…multiple Organ problems. Not to go into too many details I want everyone to know he still needs Prayers as he is still in Critical Condition. And No he did not have Colon Surgery….It was another Surgery! I don’t know how the media comes up with their stories. I have been by his side since Friday and will continue to make sure he is getting the best care possible. Thanks for all of the support and Love.”

Brock Lesnar Announced For Monday’s RAW

Staff
-
14

Whatever transpires in the Fatal 4 Way main event of SummerSlam, WWE’s Universal Champion Brock Lesnar will be on hand the following evening for Monday Night RAW.

In addition to Brock Lesnar putting the Universal title on the line against Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman, his advocate Paul Heyman announced that he and Lesnar will leave WWE if Brock is not victorious.

We’re already seeing people on social media taking Lesnar’s advertised RAW appearance as a spoiler, but Lesnar and Heyman could hypothetically appear on RAW to bid farewell to the WWE Universe in the event that Reigns, Joe or Strowman become champion.

Join us here this weekend for our Live Coverage of WWE SummerSlam. 

https://twitter.com/barclayscenter/status/897835948368687104

Update: The Barclays Center’s tweet about Lesnar appearing on RAW has since been deleted.

WWE 2K18 Roster Reveal: 47 Playable Characters Announced (Video)

Staff
-
20

IGN.com has kicked off their annual ‘roster reveal’ series for WWE’s 2K games and we now have 47 playable characters confirmed for WWE 2K18. The premiere of their 4-part special is now available:

[vc_btn title=”Pre-Order WWE 2K18 from WWEShop & Get Kurt Angle as a Bonus Character” align=”center” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-cart” button_block=”true” add_icon=”true” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F5810028%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fshop.wwe.com%2Fwwe-2k18%2F|||”]

2K has been touting this year’s game will have the biggest roster in the history of wrestling video games. Here’s the list of the 47 characters confirmed so far:

  • Bray Wyatt
  • Dolph Ziggler
  • Sami Zayn
  • Dean Ambrose
  • Baron Corbin
  • Kalisto
  • Akira Tozawa
  • Sin Cara
  • Hideo Itami
  • Eric Young
  • Jinder Mahal
  • Bushwacker Butch
  • Bushwacker Luke
  • Konnor
  • Viktor
  • Cesaro
  • Sheamus
  • Karl Anderson
  • Luke Gallows
  • Nikki Cross
  • Alundra Blayze
  • Emma
  • Lita
  • Summer Rae
  • Paige
  • Brie Bella
  • Nikki Bella
  • British Bulldog
  • Buddy Roberts
  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Big Boss Man
  • Mark Henry
  • Bam Bam Bigelow
  • Bret Hart
  • Dusty Rhodes
  • The Undertaker
  • Big Show
  • Andre the Giant
  • Kane
  • Diesel (and Kevin Nash)
  • Luke Harper
  • Erick Rowan
  • Sawyer Fulton
  • Alexander Wolfe
  • Killian Dain
  • Braun Strowman
  • Goldust

Bayley Provides An Update On Her Shoulder Injury

Staff
-
6

It’s SummerSlam Week and the Superstars of WWE are doing the media rounds and participating in community events ahead of Sunday’s big event. Bayley, who will miss SummerSlam due to a shoulder injury, attended Tuesday’s Be A STAR rally in the Bronx and spoke to Mike Johnson of PWInsider about her recovery.

“I just started physical therapy. So, for right now, I’ve never had an injury before that’s kept me out before, so I’m kind of taking it day to day,” she said. “I’m not really sure how long [I will be out]. It’s a couple of months or if it’s a few months of what’s it going to be right now. But, it’s separated, it’s a grade-two separation. It’s like the AC joint and the ligaments and all that stuff, so it’s not easy.”

Bayley said she’s already seeing the swelling in her shoulder go down and she’s regaining some range of motion, but the injury still prevents her from doing everyday tasks.

“Just within the past couple of weeks, I think it’s been two weeks now, I’ve actually been able to move it a little bit and the swelling has gone down a lot. So, the motion is coming back a little bit more, but it’s more about getting the strength and being able to lift my arm in front of me. Like I can’t do my own hair and it’s really hard to do certain things, but I’m just trying to get back as soon as possible, but at a safe pace as well.”

Bayley had been scheduled to face RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam, but Sasha Banks is getting the title shot after defeating Nia Jax on RAW.

Join us here this weekend for our Live Coverage of NXT Takeover and WWE SummerSlam.

Backstage News On Why Baron Corbin Failed To Cash In His Money In The Bank Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
-
43

It was a surprising moment for fans when Baron Corbin decided to cash in his Money In The Bank contract just 5 days prior to SummerSlam PPV and almost nobody expected him to lose.

After his unsuccessful cash in, Corbin became the third superstar in WWE History to win the Money In The Bank but fail to win the title after John Cena and Damien Sandow.

This led to a lot of rumours about why WWE rushed the cash in just 5 days before the upcoming PPV and more importantly why they called for Corbin to lose the match in such a quick manner.

Many believed he may be injured or have some backstage heat. Though now Dave Meltzer has revealed a completely different reason behind the surprising decision.

A fan jokingly asked Meltzer on twitter if the heated verbal exchange between him and Corbin was the reason why Baron lost his Championship match, replying to which he revealed that John Cena and Mojo Rawley are the reason behind it:

While Dave didn’t open up much about the issue, another report from Cage Side Seats shed some more light on how the two mentioned stars were responsible for it.

According to it, Officials lost faith in the Money In The Bank winner because he couldn’t stand in the verbal battle against John Cena. His twitter rant with fellow SmackDown roster member Mojo Rawley only contributed to Official’s distress.

While it’s widely believed that Corbin wasn’t ready to hold the WWE title, it’s also true that there were many other ways to take the contract away from him and the quick defeat which added nothing to any of the involving star’s profile could have been avoided.

We expect to receive some more updates on Baron Corbin’s failed cash in, in the next few days and we’ll keep you posted as new details come to light.

Former Champion Possibly Injured

Anutosh Bajpai
-
8

In the past several weeks, Bayley and Scott Dawson have been unfortunate enough to suffer an injury and now it appears another former Champion has joined this list.

Former Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins, who is now simply built as TJP has apparently suffered some sort of leg injury. While the exact date when he got injured is not known, it apparently happened within the past week as he wrestled in a match on last week’s episode of 205 Live.

The talks of his injury began after he was pulled from his match against fellow 205 Live Star Rich Swann yesterday night and was replaced by the former Cruiserweight Classic Competitor Ariya Daivari.

However, he didn’t stay out of the match completely and appeared on the stage when the bout between Daivari and Swann was still in progress. During his appearance, he was on Crutches and wearing a knee brace, which further fuelled the rumours of his injury:

This resulted in Rich getting distracted and it allowed Ariya to pick up the victory. The segment ended afterwards but left fans questioning about TJP’s status.

Though so far WWE has been quiet on Perkins’s injury and they have yet to release any official statement on it. Due to this many believe it can be a work and a way to take the ongoing rivalry between him and Rich Swann to the next level

The only mention of his injury is seen on WWE.com in the article about the match between Daivari and Swann and that too, doesn’t provide any details on his condition.

Triple H Speaks On Why WWE Pushed Jinder Mahal, Wrestlers Leaving & Returning

Eric Lynch
-
1

On a recent conference call to promote Saturday’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III event, Triple H discussed Jinder Mahal’s success story. Triple H says that they always thought Mahal had the potential to be the WWE Champion.

“He was one of the last two guys in the finals for me at the first, to determine the first NXT Champion,” Triple H recalled. “People forget that. I thought he had that ability. He came right up to main roster, things didn’t pan out the way we wanted them to pan out. You can talk to him about that, he’ll kind of give you his take on it too as well. Part of that’s him, part of that’s us, part of that being not ready for it.”

Triple H says that Jinder’s time away from the company helped him grow as a performer, and he feels that sometimes talent leaving to work other places ends up helping them for future runs in WWE. As for wrestlers currently on the roster who need freshening up, he says NXT or the WWE Network’s UK shows may be options for them to “rebuild.”

“Rather than them not being here, it’s like, okay, we’re gonna bring you over to UK for a little while or we’re gonna bring you down to NXT and you’re gonna do a little run there, freshen you up a little bit, bring you back,” Triple H explained.

“I think those opportunities are there in some way, for everybody on the roster, to be able to move around and be able to do the things that are meaningful,” he continued. “Whether main roster, whether NXT, whether localized some place else where they can go teach other people, learn themselves and sometimes taking a step back out of it makes you realize things that you had forgotten or that make you think, ‘I don’t do that anymore at all. I gotta get myself back in gear.’ It’s real easy in this industry where you do things every single day over and over — sometimes stepping out of it is the best way to realize you need to reinvigorate your passion and get back in there and dig in.”

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III takes place on Saturday, August 19th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, with live play-by-play coverage and discussion all night on SEScoops.

GFW Star Reveals Why He Rejected An Offer From WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
-
10

Last year when WWE was hiring several former TNA performers amidst the company’s financial crisis, there were still some stars who decided to remain with the company through its most uncertain times. One such star who made the decision to return to the company now known as GFW despite having an offer from WWE is the Indo-American professional wrestler Sonjay Dutt.

During his recent Interview with Wrestlinginc, Dutt spoke up about his decision to choose GFW over WWE and revealed the reason behind his move.

According to the GFW star, he has to put his family first while making any serious decisions in his life and it was also an important reason behind it among other things:

“A lot of factors played into that, I’m 35, I’ve got a wife, I’ve got two kids and I’ve got a family that I have to put first before my decisions in life. That took a good chunk of the decision-making process, what is best for them. You know, uprooting my family and two young children, that was a huge part of it.”

In previous interviews, Dutt has also mentioned that his relationship with the GFW founder Jeff Jarret was also a reason for his GFW return.

It’s worth noting here that Sonjay Dutt worked as a guest trainer at WWE Performance Centre last year and he was later offered a contract by the company.

Though he rejected the offer and signed with GFW as a full-time producer instead. He later also made his in ring return for the company and became the X-Division Champion for the first time during the recent GFW tour of India.

Baron Corbin Cashes In His MITB Contract (Video)

Robert Lentini
-
48

WWE Champion Jinder Mahal faced John Cena in the main-event of this week’s episode of SmackDown. During the match, the Singh Brothers got tossed out from ringside as they kept interfering in the match. Cena then dominated the rest of the match and connected with an Attitude Adjustment. Mahal kicked out, but Cena connected with another Attitude Adjustment off the second rope and had the match won.

Baron Corbin attacked Cena during the pinfall and the match was over. Corbin was about to leave but stopped on the entrance ramp. Mahal was still down in the ring after the Attitude Adjustment from Cena. Corbin cashed in his MITB contract and waited as referee Mike Chioda checked on Mahal to see if he was ready for the match to start.

The bell finally rung and Corbin punched Cena who was on the ring apron. Mahal then quickly rolled up Corbin for the victory. You can check out Corbin’s failed attempt at cashing in the MITB contract in the video below.

WWE SmackDown Recap & Reaction (8/15)

Robert Lentini
-
10

The Singh Brothers came down to the entrance ramp to introduce WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Jinder came out in a suit and tie and raised the WWE Championship. Mahal and the Singh Brothers entered the ring as WWE hyped up the match between Jinder Mahal and Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE SummerSlam this Sunday.

Mahal stated that today was Independence Day in the great nation of India. Mahal said that his strength and pride comes from his people. Mahal referred to himself as the greatest WWE Champion of all time and the crowd booed. Dancers and a drummer then performed down the entrance ramp as the Singh Brothers danced in the ring.

A woman then performed the national anthem of India as the crowd booed her out of the building. The dancers and drummer once again performed after the anthem. Jinder scolded the crowd for booing and vowed to defeat their hero John Cena later tonight. The crowd started chanting “USA!” as Mahal claimed that he was the reason people all over the world are subscribing to the WWE Network.

Jinder Mahal stated that he was going to beat John Cena more convincingly than Shinsuke Nakamura ever could. Mahal then instructed the crowd to keep quiet as he spoke in Punjabi. Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme hit and the crowd sang along to his theme as he made his way down the entrance ramp.

Shinsuke entered the ring and had a stare down with WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Jinder was disgusted that Nakamura disparaged his people on their day. The crowd started to chant “Nakamura”. Shinsuke said that today in Japan is the day we commemorate those that died in war and pray for peace. Shinsuke stated that Sunday at SummerSlam will be the day that Jinder Mahal loses the WWE Championship.

Reaction: This was one of the strangest promos I’ve seen in a long time. The lady that sang the national anthem fought through the boos and it was hilarious. Shinsuke Nakamura sang “to me” at the end of the promo when he claimed Mahal will lose the WWE Championship to him at SummerSlam. It was a bizarre as hell but I enjoyed it.

Becky Lynch vs Natalya

Naomi joined commentary for this match. Becky Lynch knocked Natalya to the mat with a shoulder tackle. Natalya responded with a slap across Becky’s face and Becky connected with a right hand. Lynch then went for the Dis-Arm-Her but Natalya escaped outside the ring. Becky then connected with a Dropkick through the ropes as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

During the break, Natalya once again rolled out of the ring to avoid Becky. Lynch then called Natalya a chicken and started doing the chicken dance in the ring. Natalya then shouted at a fan. Natalya tried to get back in the ring but Becky knocked her off the ring apron. Becky followed Natalya outside the ring and Natalya called for a timeout. Becky laughed but Natalya used this distraction to slam Becky into the barricade.

The action returned to the ring and Natalya beatdown Becky in the corner. Natalya took a break to pose in the ring before applying a Chin Lock. Natalya shouted at Naomi while applying the hold. Becky powered to her feet but Natalya slammed her back to the mat and continued to shout at Naomi while doing so.

Natalya had Becky locked in an Abdominal Stretch as SmackDown returned from the break. Becky fought out of the hold and planted Natalya with an Exploder Suplex. Becky screamed “straight fire” and connected with a forearm for a two count. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter but Becky countered it and went for the Dis-Arm-Her. Natalya blocked the Dis-Arm-Her but got kicked in the face for her troubles.

Lynch went for a Leg Drop off the top rope but Natalya got out of the way and Becky crashed to the mat. Natalya then locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring and Becky Lynch tapped out.

After the match, Natalya appled the Sharpshooter again and Naomi got in the ring. Natalya retreated and laughed on the entrance ramp. Carmella and James Ellsworth then came down to the entrance ramp. Carmella moonwalked and then cackled into the microphone. Carmella raised the MITB briefcase and sarcastically wished Naomi and Natalya luck in their match at SummerSlam. Carmella said “may the best woman win” and Ellsworth chimed in with “and to whoever wins, you lose” and then pointed to the MITB briefcase.

Winner: Natalya

Reaction: I haven’t been interested in Naomi’ and Natalya’s feud simply because WWE has provided no reason to be. They are both great in-ring performers, so I’m sure the match will be fine. The only intrigue here is whether or not Carmella will cash in the briefcase this Sunday.

Tamina and Lana had a conversation backstage. Tamina was pissed off that Lana didn’t use her ravishing ambition to get a match tonight. Lana said that Tamina wasn’t ready and that nobody fears her. Lana stated that if Tamina follows her lead, she will become a destructive force with one single purpose and that is to crush. Lana claimed that together they will become unstoppable and Tamina will be SmackDown Women’s Champion.

The Usos approached Daniel Bryan backstage and Bryan asked if he could be the third member in their rap group. The Usos asked SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan which two members of New Day they were facing at SummerSlam. Daniel Bryan revealed that The Usos will face Big E and Xavier Woods. The Usos then asked for a match against New Day later tonight and Daniel Bryan said that he could “hook them up”. The Usos tried to give Daniel Bryan a fist-bump, but Bryan grabbed both of their fists and shouted “yeah!”. Bryan then pulled his hands away and screamed “boom!” and The Usos walked away. Bryan then stated that The Usos are cool and started dancing.

Rusev vs Chad Gable

Rusev booted Gable in the chest and beat him down against the turnbuckle to start off the match. Rusev connected with a big right hand and then slung Gable into the corner. Gable planted Rusev with a massive overhead Belly to Belly Suplex and Rusev rolled out of the ring.

Gable followed Rusev out of the ring and Rusev launched Gable into the steel steps. Rusev then bounced Gable’s head off the steel steps and launched Gable over the announce table. The referee then counted both Superstars out and the match was over.

Rusev cleared off the announce table and applied the Accolade to Gable on the announce table. The crowd started chanting “Randy” as Rusev let go of the hold. Rusev hopped down from the announce table and grabbed a microphone as the crowd booed. Rusev took his time getting back to the ring as the crowd chanted “USA!”.

Rusev then said “Randy” and Orton slithered into the ring and planted Rusev with an RKO out of nowhere. Orton then posed on in the corner as the crowd cheered.

United States Champion AJ Styles made his way down to the ring to apologize for hitting SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon with a Pele Kick last week. The kick was meant for his opponent at WWE SummerSlam Kevin Owens. Styles asked Shane McMahon to come down to the ring and McMahon danced his way down the entrance ramp to a great reaction from the WWE Universe.

Shane got into the ring as the crowd chanted his name. Shane thanked the crowd and then addressed AJ Styles. Shane McMahon stated that their is no reason for Styles to apologize for anything. Shane stated that the reason he is refereeing the US Title match at SummerSlam was because he can take a hit from either Owens or Styles and keep going.

AJ Styles asked Shane if he was going to use this kick as some kind of incentive to screw AJ over at SummerSlam. Shane warned Styles that if AJ puts his hands on him at SummerSlam, he will retaliate on Sunday. Shane then paused for a bit as if Owens was supposed to come down to the ring sooner. Owens’ music hit and Owens came down to the entrance ramp.

Owens scolded Styles for getting upset and stated that he loved Shane McMahon’s rules for the US Title match on Sunday. Owens said that if he made contact with Shane McMahon at WWE SummerSlam that it would be accidental. Owens said that he was thrilled that Shane is the ref on Sunday because it means that the match will be called down the middle. Owens offered to shake Shane’s hand and Shane said that would not be appropriate and that he should shake Styles’ hand.

Styles and Owens started to trade punches and Shane McMahon tried to break it up. Owens ducked a punch from AJ and Shane caught Styles’ arm. Styles and Shane then started arguing and Owens laughed in the corner. Owens then tried to boot Styles in the back of the head and AJ ducked and Owens accidentally kicked Shane McMahon. Owens then put his head in his hands and left the ring.

Reaction: Shane either had a tough time remembering his lines during this promo or there was some confusion as to when Owens was supposed to come down to the ring. There was a 15 second pause where Shane looked confused and nobody was saying anything. Owens finally came down to the ring and salvaged the promo. This feud was stale leading into this match. The inclusion as Shane McMahon as the special referee certainly adds to the feud, but I’m hoping that it comes to an end after SummerSlam. It sure looks like Shane McMahon will somehow be involved in the finish of the match this Sunday.

The Usos vs Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston

New Day came down to the ring and cut a promo before the match. New Day claimed that they will be the SmackDown Tag Team Champions after SummerSlam. Kofi started out the match and quickly tagged in Woods. Kofi and Woods hit a series of Elbow Drops and Sentons on Jey Uso as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

During the break, The Usos took control outside the ring and beatdown Woods and Kofi. Kofi was isolated in the ring and Jimmy and Jey took turns stomping on him in the corner. When SmackDown returned, The Usos were still in control of the match. Jey slammed Kofi to the mat and then casually walked across his chest.

Kofi battled back and planted Jey with a Back Body Drop. Jimmy and Woods were then tagged in and Woods hung Jimmy up on the second rope and connected with a Dropkick. Kofi was tagged in connected with a kick to Jimmy’s face. Jimmy dumped Woods out of the ring and Kofi connected with Backbreaker.

Woods climbed to the top rope but Jey Uso shoved him off and Woods bounced off the ropes. Jimmy Uso then clipped Kofi’s knee and tagged in Jey. The Usos then connected with a double Superkick on Kofi for the victory.

Winners: The Usos

Finale of Fashion Peaks

Fandango discussed his mental probing by aliens to start off the episode. Breeze showed up in a blonde wig. Fandango held up a rock from space and claimed that the aliens left it his back pocket after he probed him. Fandango threw the rock and hit The Ascension. The Ascension returned the pie that they took from Breezango last week and said that it was terrible. Fandango sifted through the pie and found hair, a used bandaid and gluten. The Ascension flipped out because they live a gluten free lifestyle and left.

Fandango found a note that read “Two B” and said that he feared that the entire tag team division is in danger. Fandango then licked the paper and a message appeared that Breezango will return in 25 years. It then changed to two weeks.

Jinder Mahal vs John Cena

Dueling “lets go Cena” and “Cena sucks!” echoed throughout the arena as the bell rang. Jinder and Cena tied up to start off the match. Mahal showed off his strength and brought Cena to a knee. Super Cena powered back to his feet but Jinder booted him in the mid-section.

Cena responded with a shoulder tackle that knocked Jinder to the mat but Mahal quickly got back to his feet. The referee was distracted and Samir Singh punched Cena in the face on the ring apron. Jinder then raised his fist in the air and tossed Cena outside the ring. The Singh Brothers mocked Cena outside the ring and Mahal posed in the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Mahal was still in control and planted Cena with a Suplex. Jinder once again raised his fist and then charged at Cena in the corner. Cena got out of the way and then leveled Mahal with a couple of shoulder tackles. Cena then posed in the ring and connected with the Five Knuckle Shuffle.

The Singh Brothers dragged Jinder out of the ring and Cena chased after him. Mahal returned to the ring and the Singh Brothers grabbed Cena’s leg as he was trying to get into the ring. Mahal booted Cena in the face and referee Mike Chioda kicked the Singh Brothers out. Mahal flipped out as the Singh Brothers made their way up the entrance ramp.

Cena quickly locked in the STF on Mahal in the middle of the ring as the crowd erupted. Jinder made his way to the bottom rope to break the hold. Cena charged at Jinder but Mahal got his elbow up. Cena went for the Attitude Adjustment but Jinder grabbed the top rope. Mahal then connected with a running knee for a two count.

Mahal fired himself up as Cena slowly made his way back to his feet. Mahal grabbed Cena and went for the Khallas but Cena used his strength to pry himself free of Mahal’s grasp. Cena then planted Mahal with the Attitude Adjustment and went for the pinfall. Mahal got his shoulder up at the very last moment and the match continued.

Cena had a grin on his face as he walked towards Mahal in the corner. Cena perched Mahal up on the top rope and then joined him up there. Cena then hit an Attitude Adjustment off the second rope and went for another cover. Baron Corbin then sprinted to the ring and broke up the pinfall and Mahal was disqualified.

Corbin bashed Cena in the face with the MITB briefcase and then slowly walked up the entrance ramp. Corbin stopped and then cashed in his MITB briefcase.

WWE Championship: Jinder Mahal (c) vs Baron Corbin

The bell rang and Corbin punched Cena off the entrance ramp. Mahal then capitalized and rolled up Corbin for the victory. After the match, Cena laughed as Corbin flipped out and destroyed the announce table.

Winner & Still WWE Champion: Jinder Mahal

Reaction: I certainly didn’t see this ending coming. This episode of SmackDown was entertaining. The match between Corbin and Cena now means more because Cena cost Corbin his shot at the WWE Championship.

What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.

WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (8/15)

Eric Lynch
-
254

The August 15th edition of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI, and was the go-home show for SummerSlam 2017.

– The Singh Brothers come out to the stage to introduce WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and kick off the show. Jinder points out that today is India’s Independence Day, and he brings out a bunch of people dressed in the classic garments of his country. The WWE Champion introduces a woman to the ring who begins to sing the Indian national anthem. All of the people around the ring start dancing and playing drum music, then Jinder tells the fans he knew they would boo and they’ll boo again when he beats their hero John Cena. Mahal says he’s the reason why people all over the world are subscribing to the WWE Network. Mahal shakes his head at last week’s Cena vs. Nakamura dream match, and says tonight will be reality when he beats Cena worse than Nakamura ever could. Mahal says Nakamura’s destiny is to lose to him at SummerSlam, and then he begins to speak to his people in his language. Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hits and he comes out to interrupt. Nakamura steps in the ring and Mahal asks him how dare he disparage Mahal’s people on their day. Nakamura says in his country today is a holiday when they pray for peace, and Sunday in America is SummerSlam when Jinder loses the WWE Title to him. Nakamura’s music hits and he leaves while the Singh Brothers yell at him from the ring.

– The announce team says that Ric Flair is resting comfortably in Atlanta but is still considered in critical condition. They wish him well and a speedy recovery.

– Natalya def. Becky Lynch: Naomi coms out before the match and dances down to the announce table. Natalya slaps Becky across the face and Becky returns the favor. They brawl to the outside early on, then back in the ring Becky takes control of the momentum. Becky goes up top and misses a leg drop, leading to Natalya putting her in the Sharpshooter. Natalya stares down Naomi at ringside as she locks Becky in the Sharpshooter, and Becky taps out.

– After the match, Natalya tries to put Becky back in the Sharpshooter, but Naomi comes in to make the save. Before Natalya can make it backstage, Carmella comes out to the stage with James Ellsworth. Carmella and Ellsworth says it doesn’t matter who wins the Women’s title at SummerSlam, because with her Money In the Bank briefcase Carmella will be the ultimate winner.

– Tamina is backstage yelling at Lana about her lack of opportunity. Lana says Tamina is isn’t ready and the roster doesn’t fear her, yet. Lana says if Tamina listens to her, people will fear her because Lana will use her smarts to help her, and then Tamina will be ready to become Women’s Champ.

– The Usos approach Daniel Bryan backstage and ask him which New Day members they’ll be facing at SummerSlam. Bryan says they’ll be facing Big E and Xavier. The Usos say that’s cool, but tonight they want Kofi and Xavier, and Bryan grants them the match.

– Chad Gable def. Rusev via DQ: Rusev overpowers Gable in the opening moments until Gable comes back with a boot to the face and a belly to belly overhead suplex. The fight spills out to ringside where Rusev throws Gable into the steel steps. Rusev throws Gable over the announce table and he crashes into the announcers’ chairs, prompting the ref to call for the disqualification. Rusev pulls Gable up onto the announce table and locks him in the Accolade for a minute as the crowd chants for Randy Orton.

– After the match, Rusev steps into the ring with a mic. Rusev only gets out one word, “Randy,” then Orton runs in the ring and hits an RKO on Rusev out of nowhere. Orton poses on the corner and stares at Rusev on the mat.

– AJ Styles comes out to the ring and we see a video recapping what transpired between him, Shane McMahon, and Kevin Owens last week. AJ says that after seeing the footage, he wants Shane to come out to the ring. Shane says there’s no need for AJ to apologize for accidentally kicking him last week, and the reason he’s the ref is because he can take a shot and still finish the match. Shane says he’ll be a WWE official on Sunday, and if AJ pushes or shoves him, it’s a different story. Shane says if AJ puts his hands on him again, Shane will return the favor. Kevin Owens’ music hits and he comes out to the stage to interrupt. Owens says AJ hit Shane on purpose last week, and thinks AJ has something planned for SummerSlam. Owens says if he were to collide with Shane in any way, it would be a complete accident. Owens says he’s thrilled that Shane is the ref at SummerSlam, because Shane will call it down the middle and Owens will get his U.S. Title back. Owens goes to shake AJ’s hand, but they end up getting in a shoving match. Shane gets in between them again, and AJ almost accidentally punches Shane but Shane blocks it. Owens tries to superkick AJ from behind, but AJ ducks and Owens kicks Shane instead. Owens heads backstage while AJ and Shane stare each other down. AJ leaves next as Shane slowly gets up and heads to the ramp.

– The New Day comes out to the ring and accepts The Usos’ match request they made to Kurt Angle earlier. The New Day says The Usos can get it any time, whether it’s tonight or Sunday.

– The Usos def. Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston: Big E is at ringside for this one. Kofi and Xavier take turns hitting repeated knee drops, leg dops, and sentons on Jey Uso in the opening minutes. The New Day members hit sliding dropkicks in tandem on the Usos at ringside, then brawl with them in front of the announcers’ desk. Kofi takes a shot to the ring post, and the Usos turn the momentum in their favor. Back in the ring, Jey works over Kofi and hits two powerslams. Kofi comes back with a back suplex, then Xavier and Jimmy get the tags. Xavier hits some kicks to the head, then Kofi tags back in. Xavier and Kofi hit a double superkick on Jimmy, then Kofi hits a backbreaker. Jey dumps Xavier off the top rope, then Jimmy takes out Kofi’s knee from behind. Jey tags in and The Usos hit a double superkick on Kofi for the win.

– In what we’re told is the finale of Tyler Breeze and Fandango’s backstage segment saga, we go to their office and see a poster examining the Diesel and Razor Ramon imposters from the 90s. Breeze walks in once again wearing a wig and women’s clothing. Fandango says the aliens left a rock in his pocket, and it will help them see the future. He throws the rock, and it hits a member of The Ascension. They say they just came back to return Breezango’s pie because it’s horrible. Fandango examines the pie for evidence, and The Ascension yells that they live a gluten-free lifestyle. They find a piece of paper that says “two B,” and Breeze says “it’s happening again.” The segment ends with “Breezango will return in two weeks” appearing on the screen.

– Jinder Mahal vs. John Cena – No Contest: The Singh Brothers are at ringside for this non-title match. Jinder challenges Cena to a test of strength and does momentarily get the better of Cena before kicking Cena in the midsection. Jinder chokes Cena over the top rope, then one of the Singh Brothers cheap-shots Cena behind the ref’s back. Jinder stomps on Cena then throws him through the ropes to the outside. Back in the ring, Jinder continues the offense with a stalling vertical suplex. Cena comes back with some shoulder blocks and a back suplex, then hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Jinder rolls outside and the Singh Brothers get another cheap-shot in on Cena, leading to Jinder kicking Cena in the head. The ref ejects the Singh Brothers from ringside and the Champion is not happy about it. When Jinder turns around, Cena catches him in an STF but Jinder reaches the ropes to break the hold. Mahal hits an elbow to Cena’s head and drops Cena’s throat over the top rope. The Champion hits a running knee to the face of Cena for a two count. Mahal goes for the Cobra Clutch but Cena reverses into an AA for a two count. Cena takes Mahal up to the top turnbuckle and appears to be going for an AA off the turnbuckle. Cena hits the AA off the middle rope, but Baron Corbin runs in out of nowhere and breaks up the pin. Corbin hits Cena with the briefcase and Cena falls out to ringside. Corbin starts heading to the back, but then he looks at his briefcase, then looks at Jinder who is still down from the AA. Corbin hands over his briefcase to the ref and he’s officially cashing it in.

– Jinder Mahal vs. Baron Corbin: The referee holds Corbin back until Mahal gets up to his feet. When Mahal gets to his feet the ref calls for the opening bell. Cena gets on the apron and Corbin punches him off, which leads to Mahal capitalizing on the distraction by rolling up Corbin behind for the three count. Mahal wins to retain his WWE Championship, and he rolls out of the ring and escapes up the ramp. The Singh Brothers meet Mahal on the ramp and they celebrate with his WWE Title belt. Corbin is not happy, and he freaks out at ringside about losing his Money In the Bank cash-in match. Mahal and the Singhs laugh at Corbin from the stage as he trashes the ringside arena. Cena gets to his feet and also laughs at Corbin’s loss. SmackDown goes off the air with Corbin looking distraught at ringside.

Jim Ross On Ric Flair’s Hospitalization, WWE SummerSlam, More

Andrew Ravens
-
2

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry over at his official website where he gives his thoughts on various topics. Here are the highlights:

Ric Flair being hospitalized:

“The word that my long time friend and the greatest pro wrestler to ever live, Ric Flair, is in the hospital in intensive care has many of us concerned. As I write this, no official info has been released on the nature of Ric’s condition but heart issues are reportedly in the mix. Our thoughts are with Natich and his entire family on a speedy and full recovery.  Ric and I were sitting next to each other on a USAirways flight in the late 80’s when we both met my late, wife Jan. Ric likes to tell the story of how he “introduced Jan and me” of which I encourage because it makes him smile.”

This Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam PPV:

“Regarding Summer Slam, of which I have high expectations, I am anxious to see how Jinder Mahal and Shinsuke Nakamura mesh bell to bell as this one could be a sleeper. Both men have much to prove, IMO, on this stage and in this specific match.  Also, I am not of the mindset that it is automatic that Brock Lesnar will lose the Universal Title Sunday. I could see, however, this huge main event setting up Lesnar vs Strowman down the road on another big stage. I will be dropping by the Barclay Center Saturday night to watch the NXT Takeover which has quite the lineup itself. The Takeover events seemingly never disappoint. Great weekend of TV on the @WWENetwork.”

Ross also talked about NJPW and more. You can read the entire blog here.

Carmella Opens Up On Winning Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match, SummerSlam, More

Andrew Ravens
-
3

Carmella recently spoke with Gorilla Position to talk about various topics including the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match and working with James Ellsworth. Here are the highlights:

Winning the Women’s Money in the Bank Match:

“When I first found out that we were having a ladder match I was a little scared. I’m kind of a small girl so I was a little nervous about jumping off ladders and taking big falls, but I persevered and not only did I get to be part of the match but I got to be the winner – not once but twice. It was exciting, fun and scary all rolled into one. It was the best feeling ever, and I’ve loved shoving in everyone’s face that didn’t believe in me, everyone who told me I would never do anything in WWE other than a cheerleader. It really cemented myself in the history books, and whatever happens from now on I’ll always be Ms. Money In The Bank. It was a really satisfying moment.”

Enjoying the past year on SmackDown Live:

“What a year for the SmackDown women’s division and for me personally, I can’t believe what we’ve done. The girls main evented SmackDown with a cage match, we had the first ever women’s Money In The Bank match and the No DQ match I had with Nikki Bella. If you would have asked me this time last year all of the things that would happen I wouldn’t have believed you, but it’s happening and we’re making history. I’m the first ever two-time Ms. Money In The Bank, I’ve been able to have matches with some incredible talent, it’s like a dream come true.”

Being paired with James Ellsworth:

“He’s the man, he’s a really good friend of mine and because of him, I’m at where I’m at, because of our friendship. I don’t think anyone saw me being with James Ellsworth coming, but it got people talking and it’s different, you really see a woman with a male manager. I really enjoyed the controversy around the Money In The Bank Ladder Match because everyone was so upset about, and I loved it. It’s been a lot of fun and I think we make a great team.”

Looking forward to SummerSlam:

“I can’t wait for SummerSlam and especially as it’s in New York, which is always very special. Summertime in New York is always a lot of fun and I can’t wait for my second SummerSlam. At the moment my plan is to hold onto the contract as long as I can. I’m messing with Naomi right now because she has the title, but who knows how long she’ll have that and maybe I’ll cash it in soon or maybe I won’t. I like to catch whoever it will be off-guard, so I’m not going to reveal my plans just yet.”

You can read the full interview here.

1...1,8611,8621,863...3,404Page 1,862 of 3,404