Hart Family member Smith Hart, Stu and Helen Hart’s oldest son, took to his official Facebook page to announce that he has entered Hospice care. Hart has been battling terminal prostate cancer for the past few months and had this to say:
“I am now more comfortable after being moved into Hospice care. I would like to end any strife or suffering I have been involved with over my life. To anyone and everyone, cherish the moments you have in this world. Do not waste your time with hate or anger.
“To anyone I have offended, mistreated or been at odds with, please accept my humblest of apologies. While I may not have always been everyone’s cup of tea, I always did my best to be the person I was most inspired by, my father. I would also like to thank my dear friend Carl Leduc, for making the visit from Montreal to come see me. It meant the world and I really like the new phone.”
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was recently a part of a media call last week and was asked a variety of questions regarding his recent push in the WWE since returning to the company. You can check out what “The Maharaja” had to say here below:
In the past, people have hailed SmackDown Live as the land of opportunities, and we have seen that with you and Breezango. When you moved to SmackDown Live, did you think you’d be able to climb the proverbial mountain in such a short period?
“I knew that I’d be able to climb the mountain, but in such a short period? I didn’t think so. I mean, SmackDown Live is the land of opportunity, and I’m a living proof of that. But you know what? I was given the opportunity during the number one contender’s match, and I took advantage of the opportunity.
“I could have the opportunity that was given to me, and I am very thankful for the opportunities. I was very excited when I was moved to SmackDown Live, because I knew it would be a fresh start. You know which it was, and it turned out to be (true). SmackDown Live is a great place, with a great roster, and many talented Superstars. I’m very excited to be a part of SmackDown Live.”
Your title win was monumental for the Indian fans, and for the country itself. When you realised your dreams of becoming a champion, did you imagine the response that your victory evoked back in India?
“Uh, no, I didn’t think it would be this huge. But, I know the Indians are very proud, and Indians have been waiting a long time for another WWE Champion. You know it’s been seven years since – I think seven years since The Great Khali was champion. So I think it was about time the WWE – you know, India is a very proud country and India does have many world class athletes. But sometimes, we’re not given the opportunity, so I was very fortunate, very lucky to be given the opportunity to not only shine, but also to let India shine.”
You will be facing Randy Orton at the Money In The Bank PPV. More than when you won the title, do you think more pressure will be on you at the PPV for your first title defense (regarding the match, the PPV doing well etc)?
“Yeah, of course. Winning it is one thing. But retaining is another. You know I plan on being a long term champion. I don’t think, ‘Get through one Pay – Per – View match’. I’m thinking, ‘I want to be champion for years to come.’ I want to be one of the greatest champions of all time. And it’s a good pressure – I need this pressure. Because if pressure is making me work, if it’s making me work harder – it was hard work to get to the championship, to win the championship. But now, truly the hard work starts now. It’s going to be harder. I’m going to be training, more preparation into my matches, because I plan on staying the champion for a long time.”
Triple H recently commented that when you first worked for WWE years ago, you were still young and weren’t really mature to thrive in the company, and you agreed about the same. How far do you think you’ve come along in the past couple of years?
“Yeah, that’s true. When I came to WWE – I got signed when I was 23. When I was on SmackDown roster, the main roster, I was 24. I wasn’t ready for those responsibilities. I wasn’t – I wasn’t seasoned enough as a wrestler, as an in – ring performer. But now that I’m 30 – you know, I still haven’t even hit my prime yet. I’m still getting better (with) every match. I’m still coming back every week in better shape.
“So to think what I’m going to be in a year from now, or three years from now or five years from now – I truly believe that I will be one of the all time greats. And yes, Triple H did mention the fact that – he mentioned that me and Drew, we both were just a couple of kids trying to make it before. But, you know, now we’re grown men. Now we’re mature outside of the ring, and in everything.
“I have my focus, I have my drive. Which I believe is very important. I believe that I haven’t hit my peak. I’m just starting.”
Today on the show Brad Gilmore discusses the latest RAW brand pay-per-view, Extreme Rules. He gives his opinion on the Fatal 5 Way main event, the lack of excitement in the RAW women’s and cruiserweight divisions, and where The Miz ranks in history as the new Intercontinental Champion.
The June 5th, 2017 edition of WWE RAW was the first episode after Extreme Rules, and aired live from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
– RAW opens up with pyro and Michael Cole welcomes us to the sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena. Graves announces that we’ll hear from new #1 contender Samoa Joe tonight. Booker T is also on the commentary team tonight, with no sign of Otunga.
– Bray Wyatt’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring to kick off RAW. Wyatt cuts a promo saying he’s still a God after losing at Extreme Rules last night. He says he’s here to cast judgment on his enemies tonight. He says Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are all guilty. Reigns comes out, and Wyatt says he was right on queue. Reigns snatches the mic away from Wyatt and announces that the mixed crowd reaction is why he’s “the guy.” Reigns says he’s going to show Wyatt what happens when you run your mouth in his yard, and hits Wyatt with a right hand. With that, we have a match.
– Roman Reigns def. Bray Wyatt: Wyatt goes for a Sister Abigail attempt early on, but Reigns gets out and drops Wyatt with an elbow to the face. Wyatt comes back and hits a DDT on Reigns to take control of the match. Wyatt holds Reigns in a chin lock until Reigns fights out and hits a couple right hands. Reigns follows up with a Samoan Drop for a two count. Reigns hits a series of clotheslines on Wyatt, but Wyatt comes back with a boot to the face then throws Reigns into the ring post and outside. Wyatt rolls outside and hits a senton drop on Reigns on the floor. Back in the ring, Wyatt and Reigns exchange strikes until Reigns throws Wyatt to the outside. Back in the ring, Reigns throws some kicks and a clothesline at Wyatt, then hits a series of clotheslines on him in the corner. Wyatt comes back and hits a splash in the corner, then takes things to the top turnbuckle. Wyatt delivers some more punches to Reigns, but Reigns fights back with headbutts. Roman slides down and powerbombs Wyatt for a two count. Reigns goes for a Superman punch but Wyatt side-steps and Reigns crashes into the corner. Bray charges forward and Reigns Superman punches him down for another two count. Reigns gets ready for a spear, but Wyatt sees it coming and rolls outside. Reigns hits the Drive By on the apron, but Wyatt comes back with a clothesline on the floor. Back in the ring, Reigns hits a Superman punch then a Spear for the win.
– Enzo and Cass do an interview backstage where Enzo says he’s going to find out who attacked him. Cass says they don’t know who the attackers are, but that he’s insulted some people think it was him. Cass says Enzo is like a brother to him, and from now on he’ll be watching his back at all times.
– Kurt Angle is looking at his phone when Alexa Bliss comes in and expects Kurt to congratulate her. He doesn’t, so she goes ahead and says she’s going to cekebrate her life tonight. She says tonight we’ll see “Alexa Bliss: This Is My Life,” but Kurt Angle shoots it down. Angle says her segment last week was one of the worst segments in the history of RAW, which gets a pop from the crowd. Kurt points out that Alexa owes Nia Jax a title shot, and that match is happening tonight. Alexa walks off and Kurt goes back to his phone and looks troubled.
– Dean Ambrose is backstage getting ready to come out to the ring.
– Elias Samson is in the ring singing a song about Wiles-Barre and Dean Ambrose. Ambrose comes out and beats down Samson, but is interrupted by The Miz on the big screen. Miz says Ambrose won’t be getting a rematch for the IC and Miz is planning a celebration tonight, then Samson attacks Ambrose from behind. Samson leaves Ambrose laid out in the ring then heads to the back.
– Back from commercial, Dean Ambrose is storming through the backstage area looking for Samson or The Miz. He finds Kurt Angle, and asks where Miz is. Angle says The Miz is getting ready for his IC Title victory ceremony tonight, and tells Ambrose to take the rest of the night off.
– Samoa Joe comes out to the ring and says he has no fear of Brock Lesnar. Joe says he’s envious of everything Lesnar has, and he wants to take it from him. Joe says he wants Lesnar’s light schedule, his ability to instill fear in others, he wants Paul Heyman to be his advocate and run his errands, and most importantly he wants the WWE Universal Title. Joe says at Great Balls of Fire he will take the Universal Championship from Lesnar, and with that, Paul Heyman interrupts. Heyman comes down the ramp and introduces himself. Heyman puts over Joe as a “destroyer and a badass” who destroyed his competitors at Extreme Rules. Heyman says he understands that Joe doesn’t fear Lesnar, and he adds that Lesnar doesn’t fear Joe either. Heyman says Lesnar has beaten everyone from The Rock to Goldberg. Heyman says he originally wanted Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar because of the story behind it, and he says that Samoa Joe is the worst case scenario because he wants to go to war with Lesnar. Heyman says that even if Lesnar beats Joe, Joe is going to take a piece of Lesnar with him. Heyman says it’s his job at Great Balls of Fire to make sure Lesnar is Joe’s worst case scenario. Heyman and Joe shake hands and Heyman goes to walk away, but Joe stops him. Joe drops his mic and Heyman’s mic, and gets in Heyman’s face. Joe threatens Heyman and says he has a message for Lesnar, then locks Heyman in the Coquina Clutch. Joe takes Heyman down to the mat and Heyman taps out until he goes unconscious. Referees come out and try to pry Joe off Heyman but have no luck. Joe lets go and heads to the back as Heyman sells in the ring.
– Kurt Angle confronts Joe backstage about what happened in the ring. Joe says he’ll do that to anyone in his way, and gets nose-to-nose with Kurt and asks if he’s in his way. Kurt doesn’t flinch, but then Seth Rollins pulls them apart. Rollins says he’s in his way, and he’s still pissed off about what Joe did to him. Kurt makes the match, and Joe vs. Rollins will be happening later tonight.
– Sheamus & Cesaro def. Heath Slater & Rhyno: This one is a non-title match. Sheamus and Cesaro take turns on the offensive against Slater, with Cesaro mocking the Hardy Boyz’ taunts. Slater almost gets the tag to Rhyno, but Cesaro pulls Rhyno off the apron and brawls with him at ringside. Meanwhile in the ring, Sheamus hits the big boot on Slater for the win after a short match.
– After the match, Sheamus cuts a promo saying that’s how and intelligent team wins and that’s why they beat the Hardys last night. Sheamus asks who in the crowd is happy the Hardys are back. Cesaro says Matt and Jeff aren’t happy they came back now. Sheamus says Matt and Jeff are probably at home dreaming about their rematch, but they should think twice about that.
– TJ Perkins is shown walking backstage and he runs into Neville. TJP says he wants the Cruiserweight Title shot he deserves. Neville says if Perkins handles Mustafa Ali tonight, he’ll talk to Angle about setting up the Cruiserweight Title shot.
– TJP def. Mustafa Ali: Ali hits a springboard moonsault early on for a two count. Perkins grabs the hair to drop Ali and follows up with a diving senton. Perkins stomps on Ali and keeps him grounded with a chin lock. Ali fights out and jumps off the middle turnbuckle with tornado DDT. Ali goes up top but Perkins knocks him off and follows up with the Detonation Kick for the win.
– Before Perkins can make it backstage, Neville’s entrance music and pyro hits and the Cruiserweight Champ makes his way out. Neville says he talked to Kurt Angle, and he has some unfortunate news. Perkins says they’re going to go talk to Kurt Angle together right now, then Neville attacks Perkins from behind. Neville yells at Perkins that they’ll have the Cruiserweight Title match tomorrow night on 205 Live.
– Time for another Shattered Dreams Production. Goldust says that to R-Truth, this is all one big game, but it’s not to Goldust. He says he sees the truth and sees the bigger motion picture here. He says the biggest names in Hollywood and the brightest stars in the sky will be glittered in gold. He reminds us that the golden age is back.
– We go backstage where Mickie, Dana and Sasha are talking. Alexa Bliss walks in and says hi, and they all start to walk away from her. Mickie and Dana stay, and Alexa asks them if they’re insulted that Nia Jax is cutting the line to get a Women’s Title shot tonight. Alexa says “we have a Nia Jax problem,” but Dana corrects her and says Alexa is the one with a Nia Jax problem. Dana and Mickey says they’ll be ringside watching tonight.
– At the announce booth, Kurt Angle runs in and grabs Graves. They go talk off-mic while Cole and Booker look confused. Graves comes back and Cole asks what’s going on, but Graves changes the subject.
– Kurt Angle runs into an interviewer backstage who asks Angle what he talked to Graves about, and where he’s going. Kurt apologizes and says it’s a personal matter, then exits to the parking area. Dean Ambrose is shown sneaking back in the arena as soon as Kurt walks out.
– Kalisto vs. Titus: Apollo Crews is at ringside in Titus’ corner. It’s all Titus in the opening minutes, and he tries to pin Kalisto by pulling on his tights for the second week in a row. Kalisto reverses the pin, and he rolls up Titus with a hand full of tights for the win after a very short match. Titus and Apollo argue after the match and Apollo leaves first.
– The Miz and Maryse are shown backstage getting ready for their IC Title celebration tonight, when The Miz spots Big Cass laying on the ground under some equipment. A referee and Enzo run in to check on Cass. Cass regains consciousness and hands Enzo a gold chain, but doesn’t say anything.
– After the commercial break, Enzo reveals that the chain is his and says whoever attacked him brought his chain with them. The referees say Cass can’t compete tonight due to his condition.
– The carpet is down on the ring and Maryse is in there to introduce the Miz. Also in the ring are balloons, champagne, and a guy in a bear suit holding a “congratulations” sign. The crowd chants “you deserve it,” and Miz says that chant would mean more if the fans didn’t chant it for anyone who wins anything in WWE. Miz asks everyone to raise a glass, or Styrofoam cup, and he proposes a toast to him being IC Champion and his wife. Miz tells Maryse the bear was a great idea, but Maryse says she didn’t get the bear. The Miz says he didn’t get the bear either, so Miz attacks it. Miz gives the bear the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz gets on the mic and says it’s Ambrose and he pulls the bear’s mask off. It wasn’t Ambrose, so Miz throws him outside and tells him he’s lucky for getting beat up by the IC Champion. Next, someone wheels down a big box to ringside. Miz says anyone could be in there, so he grabs a steel chair and attacks the box. Maryse tells Miz to stop, but he keeps dropping elbows on the box He opens it up to find a smashed grandfather clock. Maryse tells him he ruined the celebration and she leaves. The Miz looks devastated and he says this is all Ambrose’s fault. He asks Ambrose to show himself, and it turns out Ambrose was the camera man standing in the corner of the ring. The Miz realizes it’s Ambroe on the Titantron, and he turns around right into a Dirty Deeds. Ambrose drinks Miz’s champagne out of the bottle and leaves.
– Enzo is shown backstage getting ready to head out to the ring. He has to find a partner to take on Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson tonight.
– Enzo Amore & The Big Show vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson: Enzo announces before the match that his partner is 7-feet tall and you can’t teach that, which brings out The Big Show. Enzo cuts his usual pre-match promo, but Big Show doesn’t look amused. Big Show says he’ll loosen up and he does the S-A-W-F-T thing. The opening bell rings and Gallows and Anderson control things against Enzo until he gets the hot tag to Big Show. Big Show clears house and hits a splash on both Gallows and Anderson in the corner. Big Show hits a shoulder block and a chokeslam on Anderson. Big Show tags in Enzo and they go for the Bada Boom. Big Show picks up Enzo and waits for Anderson to get up before he throws Enzo at him for the win.
– Enzo and Big Show approach Cass after their match backstage. Cass immediately confronts Big Show about being Enzo’s attacker. Big Show says he isn’t very sneaky and it wasn’t him. Enzo and Cass walk off and leave Big Show behind.
– We go to a pre-taped R-Truth segment in black-and-white where Truth cuts a promo on Goldust for turning his back on him. Truth cuts some of Samuel Jackson’s promo from Pulp Fiction, and says Goldust is gonna get got.
– Alexa Bliss does an interview backstage where she says she deserves way better than how the RAW brand treats her.
– Nia Jax def. Alexa Bliss (c) via DQ: The Women’s Title is on the line in this one. Dana Brooke and Mickie James are at ringside for a closer look. Alexa slaps Nia across the face to start off, and Nia throws her across the ring. Nia hits a splash in the corner then some elbow drops. Bliss rolls outside and starts a fight with Dana and Mickie to get Nia disqualified. Nia lays out Mickie and Dana, then gets into it with Alexa. Alexa escapes and leaves Nia, Dana and Mickie in the ring. Dana and Mickie stand next to Nia looking at Alexa, then Nia attacks them and leaves.
– Paul Heyman is being checked on by a trainer backstage when he gets a call from his client, Brock Lesnar. Heyman tells Lesnar it’s time to instill fear into Joe, and show up next week which gets boos from the live crowd. Heyman says next week, it’s time to unleash the beast.
– Samoa Joe def. Seth Rollins: Joe throws his towel at Rollins’ face and lays into him with strikes. Rollins comes back and sends Joe outside, then goes for a suicide plancha but Joe stops him with a kick to the head. Joe throws Rollins against the fan barricade before taking him in the ring for a series of punches and knees. Rollins comes back with punches and chops, then a jawbreaker. Rollins goes up top the top rope but Joe pushes him off. Joe follows up with a splash in the corner and a Pele kick. Rollins attempts a Sling Blade but Joe blocks it and continues wearing down Rollins. Rollins finally comes back with punches and a kick, but when he runs the ropes Joe comes right back with a spinning powerslam. Joe throws Seth in the corner and hits a series of chops to the chest. Rollins stuns Joe with an enziguri and Joe rolls outside. Rollins follows up with two suicide planchas, then he takes Joe back in the ring for a Blockbuster. Joe rolls outside and Rollins hits a third suicide plancha. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a flying clothesline off the top rope for a two count. Joe elbows Rollins in the face then goes for the Coquina Clutch, but Joe gets out and hits the Falcon Arrow on Joe for a two count. Rollins superkicks Joe then goes up top, but Bray Wyatt’s graphics flash across the screen and the lights go out. The lights come back on and Rollins is looking around, but there’s no Bray Wyatt. Joe grabs Rollins from behind off the distraction, and he locks the Coquina Clutch in for the win.
– Brock Lesnar is advertised for next week’s RAW, which will be his first appearance since the night after WrestleMania.
David Finlay, Shota Umino and Tomoyuki Oka vs. Hirai Kawato, Katsuya Kitamura and Tetsuhiro Yagi
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi and Satoshi Kojima vs. Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W, Togi Makabe and Yuji Nagata
NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championships Gauntlet Match Los Ingobernables (Bushi, Evil and Sanada) (c) vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Hangman Page and Yujiro Takahashi) vs. Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano and Yoshi-Hashi) vs. Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Zack Sabre Jr.) vs. Taguchi Japan (Juice Robinson, Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi)
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) (CHAOS) (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (Bullet Club)
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Rowe) (c) vs. Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa) (Bullet Club)
Cody (Bullet Club) Vs. Michael Elgin
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Hiromu Takahashi (c) (Los Ingobernables) vs. Kushida
NEVER Openweight Championship Lumberjack Deathmatch Minoru Suzuki (c) (Suzuki-Gun) vs. Hirooki Goto (CHAOS)
The WWE continues to grow its roster by signing multiple talents from around the world. And per a recent report from Pro Wrestling Sheet, the WWE just signed a couple of Impact Wrestling alumni.
The report suggests that former TNA Knockout Thea Trinidad, formerly known as Rosita, will be reporting to the WWE Performance Center after signing a WWE deal. Trinidad is currently in a relationship with WWE Cruiserweight Austin Aries and is also playing the role of WWE Superstar Paige in the upcoming biopic of her family, “Fighting with My Family.”
It is also reported that former Impact star Gunner has also signed with the WWE, in addition to independent female wrestlers Evie and Nixon Newell. The WWE has also reportedly signed Cruiserweight Classic competitor Fabian Aichner and German wrestler Axel Dieter Jr.
After winning the No. 1-contenders Fatal Five Way main event match at the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) last night (Sun. June 4, 2017), Samoa Joe will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title in the main event of the Great Balls Of Fire PPV next month from Dallas, TX.
Following his win, Joe joined RAW commentator Corey Graves and Renee Young on RAW Talk to discuss his big win and his upcoming match with Lesnar. He then proceeded to issue a warning to Brock Lesnar, saying that no matter what “The Beast” does in his training camp – he won’t be ready for what “The Destroyer” is bringing to the table:
“To Brock Lesnar, you start your training camp up right now. You climb those mountains and carry those logs, you throw people around, you beat up every sparring partner that you can bring into your camp and I can guarantee you still won’t be prepared for what I do to you.”
WWE Superstar Jeff Hardy was recently a guest on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho, alongside the now-former Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose, as the whole angle of the episode was for Jeff and Dean to meet one another. During the appearance, Hardy was asked by Jericho about the possibility of using the “Broken” gimmick in WWE. Here’s what Jeff had to say:
“No [there was no talk of using the Broken gimmick in WWE], because we did the Ring Of Honor pay-per-view. That’s when we got the whole cease and desist letter. They said if we use it, ‘we’re going to sue you’ and sue Ring Of Honor. I think Dish Network, they didn’t air the pay-per-view because of the threat or whatever because it said the Broken Universe characters were specifically developed for Matt and Jeff Hardy and that is so far from the [truth].
“Yeah, [the Hardys developed the characters] and even Billy Corgan. I love Billy, man. He was right out there with us, man, throughout two long nights of filming. Yeah, yeah, he almost owned it. And I think, honestly, I’d probably still be there now if it still would have worked out.” Hardy “It’s cool to hear people chant [‘Brother Nero’] even here. Hopefully, one of these days, I will emerge as The Brother Nero.”
Yesterday, former WCW Champion and WWE Superstar Vader took to Twitter to hint at a possible retirement from professional wrestling. Vader said that he was saddened to leave the love of his life in hopes of one day being able to see his grandchildren:
With Great Sorrow I leave my first born my greatest love of All for a chance to exist inthe same plain of existance of my Gr Ch yet to exist
Vader soon responded to his own Tweet and seemed amused by all the attention it received initially and stated that he has yet to wrestle in his last match:
As usual some one got it wrong I have not wrestled my last match Lord wilinng not for yrs yet Love it when u got them guessing https://t.co/0s5ozMmDK5
Vader is currently being advertised for WLW’s show on June 17th in Troy, Missouri, as well as AML Wrestling’s show in Hickory, North Carolina on June 25th.
Since making his return to the WWE, Jinder Mahal has been heavily criticized for his new physique. The drastic change in the current WWE Champion’s look has sparked accusations that the former Three Man Band (3MB) member is abusing steroids. Last week, one natural body builder released a video detailing a few reasons why he believes Mahal is in fact on steroids.
Former WWE Superstar and current Impact Wrestling star Matt Morgan responded to these claims on yesterday’s (Sun. June 4, 2017) episode of the Wrestling Inc. podcast, and was quick to jump to Mahal’s defense:
“I read something about some ‘natural, all natural bodybuilder,’ that’s an oxymoron by the way. Um no, there is a real such thing… Talking about how he could tell all the telltale signs that how Jinder Mahal is taking enhancements,” Morgan said. “Ok. Put this out there one last time to anybody that thinks this is true.
“I want you to go back and I want you to come up with all the stars that failed this Wellness policy,” Morgan implored. “There are so many guys that failed this thing… That lost time, that they had to take the title belts off of, they had to do all types of things to recreate their TV because these guys were either on the gas or part of that pharmacy, Signature Pharmacy bust all the guys got screwed through… Where they were ordering steroids online, ” Matt recalled. “…But a bunch of things have happened over time that cost guys time but more importantly, WWE their storylines. We’re talking heavyweight champions here.
“So I’m just trying to make sure I’m understanding this correctly,” Morgan stated. “Out of them all… all of them, right? We’re going to let Jinder Mahal take steroids?! Are you high? Are you high? It makes no sense at all.”
Morgan continued on and stated that TV adds weight to the performers you watch on a weekly basis, and if fans saw Mahal in person they wouldn’t think he’s as big. Morgan believes Mahal is clean and stated that it makes no sense as to why the WWE would allow him to take steroids.
You can listen to the full segment in the video player above (around the 47:31 mark).
Ambrose hit a wall on SmackDown and I thought switching over to RAW would be a positive for his character. That hasn’t been the case and Ambrose is still the same old character that people got bored of on SmackDown. If Ambrose gets a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship, I hope that it happens tonight so it is out of the way. Ambrose didn’t do anything with the IC Title and has needed to hit the reset button for a long time.
Ambrose needs to get away from the IC Title picture and enter in a feud with someone else. The most likely candidate for his next feud seems to be Elias Samson. I honestly don’t care which WWE Superstar it is at this point. I just want to see Dean Ambrose do something else besides fight for the Intercontinental Championship.
Bayley Needs To Get Pissed Off
Alexa Bliss has beaten the hell out of Bayley for several weeks now. While the promo was a disaster, Bliss attacked Bayley’s personal life during the “This Is Your Life” segment on last week’s RAW. Last night at Extreme Rules, Bliss defeated Bayley in a five minute Kendo Stick On A Pole match. Bayley hit the Bayley to Belly and that was pretty much her entire offense in the match. Bliss just dominated the entire match and Bayley has never looked weaker as a character.
Bayley has gotten destroyed by Bliss and has barely fought back. I thought Bayley was going to be a massive star when she arrived on the main roster. She is a character that is pretty much impossible to dislike. Amazingly, WWE has found a way to turn fans against her. The only way to rectify that problem is to have Bayley finally flip out and attack someone tonight on RAW. I’m not saying turn Bayley heel, I’m saying show the WWE Universe that Bayley isn’t weak.
Samoa Joe Needs To Be Built Up As A Monster Again
Samoa Joe won the Fatal 5-Way last night at Extreme Rules and became the #1 contender for Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship. If you haven’t watched NXT or Impact Wrestling, you wouldn’t know that Samoa Joe is a badass. The way WWE has booked Samoa Joe since joining the main roster has been boring. He lost a match to Seth Rollins via a roll-up. That should have never happened. Samoa Joe needs to appear unstoppable for everyone to become invested in his match against Brock Lesnar.
Personally, I think Samoa Joe versus Brock Lesnar is a match that shouldn’t feel like a one-off. It is a big time match and should feel special. It cannot be half-assed. Joe needs to start destroying people on the road to the ridiculously named Great Balls of Fire PPV. I doubt Samoa Joe will defeat Brock Lesnar, but I’d at least like to see a competitive match. Samoa Joe made NXT commissioner William Regal’s life a living hell during his time in NXT. I’d like to see Samoa Joe cause some chaos and I’d like to see that start tonight on RAW.
WWE has officially announced that NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III will take place on August 19th at the Barclays Center during SummerSlam weekend. Tickets will go on sale this Friday. Here is WWE’s official announcement:
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn returns to Barclays Center on Aug. 19
For the third year in a row, Brooklyn, N.Y., will host NXT’s hottest event of the summer.
TakeOver: Brooklyn III comes to the Barclays Center Saturday, Aug. 19, one night before WWE SummerSlam emanates from the same building.
WWE COO Triple H made the announcement on Twitter:
Tickets for the WWE Network special event go on sale this Friday, June 9, at 10 a.m. ET, exclusively at www.NXTtickets.com.
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn has played home to such historic showdowns as Finn Bálor vs. Kevin Owens, Bayley vs. Sasha Banks and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Samoa Joe in previous years. There’s no telling what huge matches will go down this August, but this much is certain: Takeover: Brooklyn III will have the entire WWE Universe buzzing!
Don’t miss out on witnessing the action live in person — secure your ticket this Friday.
Kenny Omega was a guest on Live Audio Wrestling recently, and spoke on many things relating to his career.
Omega will be wrestling Kazuchika Okada next weekend at NJPW Dominion. It will be a rematch of their epic Tokyo Dome match from WrestleKingdom on January 4th.
Afterwards, Omega will play a big role at the G1 USA specials from Los Angeles on July 1st and 2nd.
Here are some of the highlights from his interview with the LAW:
On using big moves in his matches:
“I think a lot of people, unfortunately in this day and age, rely too much on the flash of the move itself. So many moves now look prettier than they ever did when they were first performed. The Shooting Star [Presses] of today look so much prettier than the Shooting Stars of the 90’s, but the Shooting Stars from the 90’s arguably meant more because it was always a finish. Now, I can name 25 guys that are doing Shooting Star Presses and a lot of times it doesn’t mean anything. I think that’s sort of the plight of today’s pro wrestling: Our every day athlete has actually gotten better; however, because it’s so easy to rely on your physical ability, the intellect has been sort of ignored […] As a professional wrestler in the position I am in, I would rather have people remember my matches for an emotion or for a certain thought it evoked when they saw it. I don’t want people to look back at my matches and say, ‘When you did that move it was good and I liked it because it was cool,’ I want people to sort of remember a rush of images and the emotion that they felt when they saw it. That’s when I think you have a real masterpiece in your hands.”
On Shibata’s Injury, and “Strong Style” Wrestling:
“Everything we do in general, there’s gonna be a percentage of risk. Me, making my entrance to the ring, there’s actually a percentage of risk I’m going to trip and fall and hurt myself. Me, getting up on the apron, there’s a percentage of risk. It’s [asking ourselves], ‘How do we keep that percentage as low as possible at all times?’ […] Shibata had been battling injury and toughing out tours, probably for a long time. […] When you’re just generally tired and you’re already battling a myriad of injuries, that percentage is naturally going to creep up. […] It’s not something I would ever do. I do feel that Shibata probably felt comfortable in doing it and that he probably felt that, ‘It’s a big match, so I need to express myself in this manner.’ I get that. But, we sometimes as performers don’t even know our limits.”
On What is Strong Style Wrestling Exactly:
“There’s actually a very safe way to do ‘Strong Style’ and it doesn’t necessarily have to be how I see people mimicking it. I see a lot of folks on the indies that don’t quite know the secret to what ‘Strong Style’ really is, and they’re killing each other with elbows, they’re killing each other with head butts, they’re killing each other with kicks as hard as they can, and that actually isn’t the true art form of what ‘Strong Style’ is. What true ‘Strong Style’ really is, is the battle of the heart of man. It’s not about how strong and how forceful you’re throwing your blows. It’s showing the never-say-die attitude of the human spirit. As long as it looks like you’re fighting and giving your all, people will believe.”
On his rematch with Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Dominion:
“Much like I do with all of my matches, I’m not really one to ‘rinse, wash and repeat’ things. I think that rather than trying to force fans into drawing a direct comparison to [ask themselves] which match is better, I would rather give them two completely different stories that they can appreciate on their own. So whether they like the first one better or not, I want the stories to be so different from each other that you can watch them apart and have something that you like [about both of them]. That’s my goal.”
On his future goals in wrestling:
“Right now, I’m 100% content with where I am because I would love to be the driving force behind New Japan in the global market. However, generally, I’m just guided by how I feel, where my heart’s at and where I’m needed, if that makes sense. I’m not gonna lie, there are things that I haven’t been able to do that I would love to do at some point in time. One of those things is, I really feel I need to have a high stakes main event with AJ [Styles]. I really feel I have to. I’m not sure where it will be, I’m just saying that it’s always in the back of my mind.”
The Miz achieved a significant milestone at Extreme Rules, winning his 7th Intercontinental championship. While the statistic of how many times a wrestler wins a title is somewhat flawed, it is treated as important in WWE storylines.
With the win last night, the Miz moves passed Jeff Jarrett and Rob Van Dam for 2nd most IC title wins all-time. He is behind only Chris Jericho, who has won the title on 9 occassions.
Miz and the Intercontinental Championship
The Miz is also moving up the ladder in terms of his “Most Days Spent as Intercontinental Champion” statistics.
Currently the Miz has held the title for 354 total days, ranking him 12th all time. If he gets through Raw tonight as champ he’ll move passed Shelton Benjamin as the 11th most days as champ. He needs just 100 more days to move all the way into the #3 spot.
Top 10 IC champions of all time:
Pedro Morales – 2x champ – 619 total days Don Muraco – 2x champ – 541 total days the Honky Tonk Man – 1x champ – 454 total days Tito Santana – 2x champ – 443 total days Razor Ramon – 4x champ – 437 total days Ultimate Warrior – 2x champ – 432 total days Randy Savage – 1x champ – 414 total days Shawn Michaels- 3x champ – 406 total days Mr. Perfect – 2x champ – 406 total days Wade Barrett – 5x champ – 397 total days Shelton Benjamin – 3x champ – 354 total days the Miz – 7x champ – 354 total days the Rock- 2x champ – 339 total days Jeff Hardy – 4x champ – 329 total days Chris Jericho- 9x champ – 318 total days Dolph Ziggler – 5x champ – 310 total days Jeff Jarrett – 6x champ – 298 total days Bret Hart – 2x champ – 290 total days Greg Valentine – 1x champ – 285 total days Kofi Kingston – 4x champ – 285 total days Cody Rhodes – 2x champ – 257 total days Pat Patterson – 1x champ – 233 total days
Impact Wrestling held a series of tapings last night. The episodes filmed are expected to air on July 13th and 20th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGDi4Fkk5tQ
July 13th Episode (assuming parts weren’t filmed out of order):
LAX comes out, and Konnan cuts a promo about adding a new solider. He introduces Alberto El Patron, who asks what he is doing. Konnan tells Alberto he should join LAX so they can protect him, and that they can start a Latin revolution. Alberto again says no so the group attacks him. Bobby Lashley makes the save, hands Alberto back his title and then leaves.
Naomichi Marufuji faced Moose for the Grand Championship, but EC3 ran in and hit Marufuji with the belt, busting him open. The match was waved off.
Trevor Lee defeated William Weeks in a singles match, while wearing the stolen X-division title the whole time.
Laural Van Ness won a singles match over Ava Storie. Grado Park asked Van Ness out for some #NetflixandChill, but Kongo Kong ran in and scared him and Joseph Park away.
Bobby Lashley and Alberto El Patron teamed up to defeat members of LAX in a non-title match. After the match El Patron said they made a good team, but then Lashley just left and allowed El Patron to get beaten down by LAX.
July 20th Episode (assuming parts weren’t filmed out of order):
Drago beat Sammy Guevara in a singles match.
Sienna defeated Amber Nova in a singles match (non-title). She cut a promo saying Karen Jarrett didn’t believe in her, which brings Karen out. Allie also came out however and beat Sienna down with a kendo stick. Laurel Van Ness comes out to make the save, then so does Gail Kim. Karen Jarrett announces Rosemary vs. Sienna in something referred to as a “Last KO standing match” next week.
Garza Jr, Laredo Kid and Octagoncito defeated Trevor Lee, Idris Abraham and Demus 3:16.
Matt Sydal pinned Low-Ki and then called out Bruce Prichard to give him a title shot. Lashley came out and said the only one who deserved a title shot was him, and then he speared Sydal.
2 unknown assailants came out of the crowd and attacked Chris Adonis and Eli Drake.
LAX then came to the ring with Alberto’s father, Dos Caras and his 29 year old brother, El Hijo De Dos Caras. Konnan threatened to rip Alberto’s father’s mask off if he didn’t join LAX. Alberto finally relents and puts on the LAX t-shirt. He then attacks LAX, showing he hadn’t actually joined the faction.
Samoa Joe is the new #1 contender to Brock Lesnar’s RAW Universal Championship after winning the Fatal 5 Way main event of Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Joe defeated Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt to earn the shot at Lesnar, which is scheduled for next month’s Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view.
On the RAW Talk post-show that took place after Extreme Rules, Joe says he’s fully prepared for his ‘dream match’ with the Beast Incarnate.
It’s been a quick rise to the top for Joe, who made his main roster debut back in January as the hired gun of Triple H. Brock Lesnar will have his hands full in his first title defense, as Joe is one of the most physical athletes on the RAW roster.
Great Balls of Fire takes place on Sunday, July 9th from Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. WWE released this promo video hyping the show:
As reported previously, WCPW’s recent ‘Fight Back’ live event stream saw the company lose their streaming privileges due to a strike on their YouTube account.
WCPW has since confirmed that the strike is still being upheld and that the show will now only be available to view via Facebook and the WhatCulture Extra on demand streaming service.
The nature of the strike has still not been officially confirmed. The original claim stated ‘violation of YouTube’s policy on spam and deceptive practices’ so it is likely that the parody image that the company used to promote the show may have caused the issue.
Top UK Independent promotion Rev Pro has announced the first match for their Summer Sizzler event that takes place in York Hall, Bethnal Green on Thursday 17th August.
Former WWE/WCW star Rey Mysterio will be taking on ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll. Mysterio has made some sporadic appearances across the UK this year, including dates for WCPW and World Association of Wrestling. It appears as though Rey may be taking more UK dates going forward and he sees the region as a home away from home.
‘The Villain’ on the other hand has been touring the globe and has not featured on many UK based cards this year. His recent debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament has impressed many and this match against crusierweight legend Mysterio will only help to boost his already impressive resume.
Kalisto defeated Apollo Crews in a solid match. Titus O’Neil got up on the ring apron and started arguing with Crews. Kalisto took advantage and hit the Salida del Sol on Crews for the victory. The crowd was surprisingly hyped for this match. Hopefully that energy continues throughout the night.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs The Miz (Ambrose Loses Title If Disqualified)
Ambrose started out the match in control and applied a Chin Lock. The Miz fought out of it but Ambrose knocked him to the mat. The two Superstars locked up in the center of the ring and Ambrose once again got to the upper-hand. Ambrose beat the hell out The Miz in the corner until the referee broke it up. The Miz shouted at the referee to disqualify Ambrose but the referee wasn’t having it. Ambrose Clotheslined Miz out of the ring and followed it up with a Suicide Dive.
Ambrose continued to assault Miz and slammed him into the barricade. Dean then drove Miz into the ring apron and rolled back into the ring to break up the referee’s count. Ambrose then grabbed a chair and the referee got in his face. The Miz capitalized on the distracted and booted Ambrose in the chest. Maryse distracted the referee and Miz grabbed the chair. Ambrose knocked the chair out of Miz’s hands and the action returned to the ring.
The referee once again shouted at Ambrose because he wouldn’t stop attacking Miz while he was leaning against the ropes. Miz once again capitalized and spiked Ambrose’s head off the ring apron with a DDT. The Miz slowed the match down and applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Dean battled out of the hold and connected with a flurry of right hands. Ambrose went for the Lunatic Lariat but Miz was ready and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count.
Miz connected with a knee that knocked Ambrose to the mat and followed it up with a boot to the face for a two count. Miz yanked Ambrose to the mat by his hair and then punched him in the face a few times. The Miz then posed in the ring as Maryse applauded ringside. Miz hit three Dropkicks on Ambrose in the corner and then knocked Ambrose to the mat with a Clothesline.
The Miz had an intense look on his face as he ascended to the top rope. Ambrose groggily stumbled around in the ring and Miz attempted to leap onto him. Ambrose countered the aerial attack with a kick to the chest and then knocked Miz out of the ring. Ambrose climbed to the top rope and connected with an elbow onto Miz outside the ring. The referee started counting as both Superstars were on the floor outside the ring. Ambrose was the first to his feet and rolled Miz back into the ring at the count of eight.
Ambrose hit a Clothesline and followed it up with a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count. Both Superstars got back to their feet and Ambrose went for a Bulldog but Miz countered and knocked Ambrose to the mat. Miz attempted a kick but Ambrose avoided it and rolled Miz up for a two count. Ambrose then planted Miz with a swinging Neckbreaker for a two count. Dean once again climbed to the top rope but Miz charged at him and Ambrose jumped back to the mat. Ambrose tweaked his knee and Miz focused his attack on the injury.
Miz applied the Figure Four in the middle of the ring and Ambrose writhed in pain. Ambrose fought through the pain and slowly made his way to the bottom rope.The crowd cheered as Ambrose grabbed the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Ambrose tried to get back to his feet but his injured left leg gave out. Miz once again went for the Figure Four but Ambrose countered it into a roll up for a two count. Ambrose returned to the top rope but Miz swept out his feet and Dean landed crotch-first on the top turnbuckle.
Miz went for a Superplex but Ambrose blocked it and punched Miz in the chest. Dean then connected with three headbutts and went for a Powerbomb off the top rope. Miz removed the top turnbuckle pad during the sequence. Ambrose went to slam Miz’s head into the exposed turnbuckle but caught himself before he went through with it. Miz connected with a knee to Dean’s face for a two count. Miz hit a few Yes! Kicks as the crowd chanted along with every strike.
Miz went for another kick but Ambrose caught him and locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Miz battled his way to the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Miz went for a quick Skull Crushing Finale but Ambrose avoided it and hobbled his way to a Lunatic Lariat. Both Ambrose and Miz almost ran into Maryse on the ring apron. Miz knocked Ambrose to the mat and instructed Maryse to slap him. Maryse slapped Miz in hopes that the referee would disqualify The Miz. The referee didn’t buy it and kicked out Maryse.
Maryse wouldn’t leave and the referee started shouting at her. The Miz then threw Ambrose into the referee and knocked him out of the ring. Ambrose pleaded with the referee to not disqualify him as the ref made his way to the timekeeper’s area. The Miz then creeped up behind Ambrose and planted him with a Skull Crushing Finale. The referee then rolled back into the ring and counted to three.
Winner & New Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Reaction: The interactions with the referee throughout this match got annoying but this match was much more entertaining than I thought it would be. The Miz is now a 7-time Intercontinental Champion and Extreme Rules is off to a good start.
Bayley was interviewed backstage about her Kendo Stick On A Pole match against Alexa Bliss. Bayley poked fun at Alexa’s horrible “This Is Your Life” segment on last week’s episode of RAW. Bayley stated that she has been studying for this match by watching Sandman and Steve Blackman. Bayley also said that she saw Wonder Woman and felt inspired. Bayley then stated that she is ready to do whatever it takes to recapture the RAW Women’s Championship.
Sasha Banks and Alicia Fox started out the match. Alicia immediately tagged in Dar which meant that Swann had to get in the ring. Dar charged at Swann in the corner and Swann avoided him. Dar then ran over to Fox and hugged her on the ring apron. Fox and Banks then battled in the ring and traded punches. Sasha locked in the Bank Statement quickly but Dar dragged Fox’s leg to the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Fox then connected with a kick to Sasha’s face for a two count.
Fox then danced in the ring and mocked Rich Swann. The crowd chanted “lets go Sasha” as Fox hit a Backbreaker for a two count. Fox then applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as the crowd once again got behind Banks. Sasha batted to her feet and connected with an elbow to Fox’s face. Alicia went for a kick on Sasha in the corner but Banks got out of the way.
Swann and Dar then got back in the ring and Swann knocked Dar to the mat. Swann then flipped and connected with a kick to the back of Dar’s neck for a two count. Dar went for a roll-up but Swann kicked out at two. Both Superstars traded punches in the middle of the ring. Swann connected with a spinning kick and both Superstars fell to the mat. Alicia Fox and Sasha Banks started battling outside the ring. Sasha slammed Fox into ring apron as Dar launched Swann into the barricade outside the ring. Sasha Banks climbed to the top rope and hit Double Knees onto Noam Dar. Swann then rolled Dar into the ring and climbed up to the top rope and hit a Phoenix Splash for the victory.
After the match, Sasha Banks and Rich Swann danced around in the ring.
Winners: Rich Swann & Sasha Banks
Reaction: I’m glad this match was quick because I honestly had zero interest in it. One can only hope that this marks the end of this feud.
Elias Samson strummed his guitar in the ring and performed a song. Samson demanded that the crowd hold their applause until after he is finished performing. Samson then performed a song that bashed the city of Baltimore and the crowd in attendance.
Reaction: I thought there was going to be a filler match here but that wasn’t the case. It was just a random performance by Elias Samson and that was it.
RAW Women’s Championship Kendo Stick On A Pole Match: Alexa Bliss (c) vs Bayley
Alexa Bliss folded her arms and then instructed Bayley to climb up the turnbuckle to grab the kendo stick. Bayley obliged and Alexa Bliss knocked her to the mat. Bayley battled to her feet and bounced Alexa’s head off the top turnbuckle. Alexa knocked Bayley out of the ring and started climbing the turnbuckle. Bayley joined Alexa on the turnbuckle and Bayley grabbed the kendo stick. Bayley then dropped the kendo stick in the ring and both Superstars fell to the floor outside the ring.
Alexa went for the kendo stick but Bayley cut her off and slammed her into the barricade. Bayley then hit a Belly to Back Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Bayley then got in the ring and grabbed the kendo stick. Bayley chased Alexa around with the kendo stick. Bayley backed Alexa up into the corner and went to hit her and Alexa tackled her. Alexa then grabbed the kendo stick and struck Bayley in the back several times. The camera cut to a small child who seemed to be devastated.
Alexa went for another shot with the kendo stick but Bayley grabbed her and connected with the Bayley to Belly. The kendo stick was propped up in the corner and Alexa shoved Bayley into it. Alexa then hit Bayley with the kendo stick and hit a DDT for the victory.
Winner & Still RAW Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Reaction: I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I thought this match absolutely sucked. It had an awful build up and the match fell completely fell flat. I guess the takeaway from this match is that Bayley can’t get extreme? I have no idea. This feud ultimately damaged both Bayley and Alexa Bliss. Bayley’s character has been buried since joining the main roster and that is a shame. I thought WWE gave her the Women’s Championship way to early and didn’t build her up enough as an underdog.
Alexa Bliss was excellent on SmackDown and was one of the main reasons to watch that show every week. She took a hit because she was wrapped up in one of the worst promos everyone has seen in a long time last week on RAW. This wasn’t just a bad match, it was a total failure of a feud. I hope that WWE figures out a way to build Bayley back up because she should be much more popular on the main roster than she is right now. Alexa Bliss deserves to be the champion. However, if WWE is going to keep putting on garbage feuds like this, it simply does not matter how charismatic the person is that is holding the title. Bayley and Alexa Bliss can put on much better matches than this. The WWE Universe has seen both of them perform at a high level. The stipulation, the feud and the nauseating promos resulted in this feud being an unforgettable disaster.
RAW Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match: The Hardy Boyz (c) vs Sheamus & Cesaro
Everyone tried to escape the cage early. Matt Hardy grabbed Cesaro as he straddled the top of the cage. Matt brought him back into the ring and applied a Chin Lock. Jeff connected with a Leg Drop to the midsection of Sheamus and then Clotheslined him onto the ring apron. Cesaro fought out of the Chin Lock and launched Matt into the steel cage. Sheamus then hit an Irish Curse Backbreaker to Jeff and then launched him into the steel surrounding the ring.
Sheamus and Cesaro teamed up to throw Matt into the cage. Sheamus and Cesaro tried to climb the cage but Matt and Jeff dragged them down. All four Superstars were standing on the ropes and battling to climb up the cage. Matt and Jeff knocked Sheamus and Cesaro to the mat and followed it up by bouncing their heads off the cage. Matt and Jeff connected with Dropkicks onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
Jeff connected with Poetry in Motion onto Sheamus and Cesaro on opposite sides of the ring. Matt and Jeff tried to climb up the cage but were quickly joined by Sheamus and Cesaro. Sheamus and Cesaro Powerbombed Jeff off the cage and Matt Hardy connected with an Elbow Drop onto Cesaro. Matt then climbed the cage and reached the top. Cesaro got back to his feet and grabbed Matt’s leg and brought him back into the ring.
Sheamus then brought Matt down and hit a rolling Senton. Sheamus tried to escape through the door of the cage but Matt prevented him. Cesaro then stomped on Matt and tried to escape through the door but Matt was able to prevent him. Sheamus and Cesaro then picked Matt up and launched him face-first into the cage. Jeff Hardy scaled the cage on the opposite side of the ring but Cesaro was able to grab his leg.
Cesaro then tried to escape but Jeff prevented him. Sheamus knocked down Matt and went for a Brogue Kick to Jeff but missed. Matt then planted Sheamus with a Tornado DDT. Matt and Jeff tried to escape but Sheamus and Cesaro met them at the top. Jeff kicked Cesaro off of him and escaped the cage. Matt Hardy was knocked back in the ring but connected with a Side Effect onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
Matt then climbed to the top of the cage but Cesaro grabbed him. Jeff then scaled the cage outside the ring and a tug of war broke out. Cesaro headbutted Jeff off the cage and Matt Hardy was brought back into the ring via double team Razor’s Edge. Jeff slammed the steel cage door onto Cesaro’s head but got a Brogue Kick to the face for his troubles. The steel door then bounced off Jeff’s head and Jeff fell to the floor outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Matt connected with a Twist of Fate onto Sheamus. Matt then slammed Cesaro to the mat and once again climbed the cage. Cesaro caught him at the top and connected with an uppercut. Sheamus then planted Matt Hardy with the White Noise off the top rope. Jeff Hardy then removed his shirt and climbed back up the cage from outside the ring. Jeff stood at the top of the steel cage and leaped off and hit the Whisper in the Wind onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome” as all four Superstars got to their feet. Cesaro and Sheamus climbed out of the cage as Matt tried to drag Jeff out of the ring through the steel cage door. Sheamus and Cesaro wound up hitting the floor first and won the match.
Winners & New RAW Tag Team Champions: Sheamus & Cesaro
Reaction: I was looking forward to this match and I thought it delivered. It started out slow but turned into absolute chaos towards the end. I find it amazing that Jeff Hardy is still willing to put his body on the line the way he does. He is just a tremendous athlete. This was easily the match of the night so far in my opinion.
Cruiserweight Championship Submission Match: Neville (c) vs Austin Aries
Neville targeted the injured left knee of Aries to start off the match. Neville then locked in an Arm Bar but Aries battled out of it. Neville then rolled out the ring and shouted at the crowd. Aries laid across the top rope and waited for Neville to get back in the ring. Aries and Neville locked up and Neville went for Arie’s knee again. Aries blocked it and slapped Neville in the back. Neville then drove Aries into the corner and hit him in the midsection.
Aries connected with an elbow and followed it up with a Senton. Aries went for the Last Chancery but Neville rolled out of the ring again. Aries followed him out there and launched Neville into the barricade a couple of times. Aries picked up Neville onto his shoulders and dropped him face-first off the ring apron. Aries rolled Neville into the ring and Neville once again escaped to the outside.
Aries climbed to the top turnbuckle and leaped onto Neville. Aries came up hobbling after he landed on his injured knee. Aries rolled Neville into the ring and hopped up onto the ring apron. Neville then got to his feet and kicked Aries in the knee as he was entering the ring through the ropes. Neville then slowed the match down and attacked Aries’ knee.
Neville charged at Aries but Austin connected with an elbow and then a chop to Neville’s chest. Aries then hit three Shinbreakers in a row and then launched Neville over his back and Neville fell to the mat. Aries went for the Discus Fivearm but Neville blocked it. Neville then connected with a Dropkick to Aries’ knee and Aries fell to the floor outside the ring. Aries appeared to hurt his shoulder while falling out of the ring and Neville attacked it.
Neville brought Aries back into the ring and stomped on his shoulder. Neville then taunted the crowd and connected with a kick to Aries’ shoulder. Neville climbed to the top turnbuckle and went to leap onto to Aries but Austin was ready. Aries knocked Neville to the mat and applied the Figure Four in the center of the ring. Neville rolled through but Aries maintained the hold. Neville was able to reach the bottom rope and the hold was broken.
Aries limped back to his feet but Neville threw him to the ring apron. Aries grabbed Neville and connected with a Neckbreaker onto the second rope. Aries climbed to the top rope and went for a Crossbody but Neville dodged it. Neville then locked in the Rings of Saturn in the middle of the ring. Aries battled through and got his foot on the bottom rope. The crowd was apparently bored and booed that the match didn’t end.
Neville went for the Rings of Saturn but Aries countered it into a Rings of Saturn of his own. Neville got out of the hold and connected with a Superkick. Both Superstars were on the top turnbuckle and Neville went for a Superplex but Aries fought him off and knocked him to the mat. Neville got right back up joined Aries again on the turnbuckle. Aries connected with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb and applied the Last Chancery but Neville rolled out of the ring. Aries didn’t break the hold and applied the Last Chancery outside the ring. Neville tapped out but the match cannot end outside the ring.
Aries connected with a Discus Fivearm while Neville was on the ring apron and knocked him out of the ring. Aries then went for a Suicide Dive but Neville dodged it and Aries landed on the floor. Neville rolled Aries into the ring and climbed back to the top rope. Neville hit a Red Arrow onto the back of Aries and then locked in the Rings of Saturn for the victory.
Winner & Still Cruiserweight Champion: Neville
Reaction: I felt bad for Aries and Neville because they put on a hell of a match. The crowd flat out rejected the match and didn’t provide the energy that the match deserved. I also find the Cruiserweight division boring right now, but that shouldn’t prevent an audience for acknowledging two Superstars busting their ass in the ring. I am surprised that Aries didn’t win the title here. Neville has now defeated Aries three times in a row in Cruiserweight Championship matches at WWE PPVs. 205 Live and the Cruiserweight division hasn’t gained any popularity since it debuted. I just assumed that giving Aries a run with the title would be worth a shot, just to see if would breath some life into the division. Neville is a great heel champion, but I thought it was time to change things up. Apparently I was wrong and things will just remain the same. I honestly do not understand that logic when hardly anyone is watching 205 Live on the WWE Network.
Fatal 5-Way Match To Determine #1 Contender For The Universal Championship: Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe vs Seth Rollins vs Bray Wyatt vs Roman Reigns
The match started out with everyone brawling as Roman Reigns stood and observed. Balor, Wyatt, Rollins and Joe battled outside the ring as Reigns paced around in the ring. Bray Wyatt got back in the ring and had a stare down with Reigns. Wyatt went for a punch but Reigns blocked it and smacked him in the face. Reigns lifted Bray up onto his shoulders and dropped him with a Samoan Drop. Samoa Joe went at Reigns but suffered the same fate as he was greeted with a Samoan Drop.
Finn Balor got into the ring and was sent into the corner by Reigns. Roman connected with a right hand and knocked Balor to the ring apron. Rollins then got into the ring and circled Reigns. Wyatt and Joe then charged at Reigns and beat him down in the corner. Wyatt then drove Reigns’ shoulder into the ring post and then went after Rollins. Joe threw Rollins out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Rollins avoided it and then hit a Suicide Dive of his own onto Joe.
Balor connected with a Dropkick onto Bray and then stomped onto him several times. Balor then stomped on Rollins and Joe as they tried to get back into the ring. Balor bounced off the ropes and flipped onto Joe, Rollins and Wyatt. Reigns then entered the frame and blasted Balor in the face with a right hand. The crowd booed as Roman launched Balor into the barricade and bounced his head off the ring apron.
Bray grabbed Roman’s hair but got a fist in the face for his troubles. Reigns went for the Drive By on Wyatt but Joe hit Roman in the chest and then threw him into the barricade. Wyatt and Joe then shared a laugh as they took turns beating down Reigns. Wyatt and Joe then slung Roman into the steel steps outside the ring. Wyatt then laid on the announce table with a smirk on his face.
Joe and Wyatt then picked up the stairs and bashed Rollins in the face with it. Wyatt and Joe then circled the ring and hit Balor and Reigns with the steps. The crowd cheered as Wyatt and Joe were in control of the match. Joe then kicked Balor, but grew concerned with Wyatt lurking behind him. Bray told Joe to “play it cool” and they continued their alliance to beatdown Balor. Wyatt took a break from assaulting Balor to boot Rollins in the face and then casually stepped on his chest on his way back to the ring.
Back in the ring, Joe and Bray took turns punching and stomping on Finn Balor. Joe and Bray then slapped Balor in the face. Finn fought back but was knocked back down to the mat by Wyatt and Joe. Bray brought Balor back to his feet and punched him in the face. Rollins got back in the ring and hit a Dropkick onto Wyatt. Rollins then slammed Joe’s face into the second turnbuckle. Rollins went for a Suicide Dive onto Wyatt but Bray was ready and punched him in the face. Bray then knocked Reigns back to the floor and hit Rollins with a DDT onto the steel steps.
Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch onto Balor in the ring. Balor got out of it and hit a Double Stomp onto Joe. Wyatt entered the ring toting a steel chair and hit Balor with it. Reigns tried to get back into the ring but was greeted with a chair shot from Wyatt. Bray then hit Balor in the back with a chair, rolled him over and placed the chair across his chest. Samoa Joe then hit a Senton onto Balor and the chair. Joe then placed the chair onto Balor’s chest and Wyatt hit a Senton of his own.
Balor slammed Joe’s face into the chair that was perched up on the turnbuckle. Balor then knocked Wyatt to the ring apron and Reigns hit the Drive By. Reigns then planted Balor with a Powerbomb and leveled Samoa Joe with a Clothesline. Reigns clubbed Bray in the chest several times in the corner. Joe charged at Reigns but Roman got out of the way and Joe slammed into Wyatt. Reigns then booted Joe in the face and knocked Bray to the mat with a Clothesline.
Reigns geared up for a Superman Punch but was dragged out of the ring by Samoa Joe. Wyatt attacked Reigns from behind and slammed Roman onto the announce table that was ringside. The crowd chanted “one more time” as Bray Wyatt climbed to the ring apron. Rollins attacked Wyatt and hit a springboard Clothesline for a two count. Joe charged at Rollins but Seth got his foot up. Rollins then hit a double Blockbuster onto Wyatt and Joe. Rollins tried to pin Bray but Wyatt kicked out at two. Rollins hit a Suicide Dive onto Joe outside the ring and then hit another one onto Joe because Wyatt shoved Joe in the way.
The action returned to the ring and Bray Wyatt connected with a Clothesline to Rollins. Wyatt went for a Suplex but Rollins reversed it into a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Wyatt responded by planting Rollins with a Sister Abigail. Joe broke up the pinfall and started shouting at Wyatt for shoving him in the way of Rollins’ Suicide Dive a few minutes ago. Joe connected with a series of kicks to Wyatt but Bray got the upper-hand and knocked Joe to the mat.
Wyatt went for a Sister Abigail but Joe countered it into the Coquina Clutch. Balor entered the ring with a chair and hit both Joe and Wyatt with it. Balor then hit a Double Stomp onto Wyatt while the chair was across his chest. Balor hit Reigns with a Dropkick and then punted Roman’s head from the ring apron. Finn then sprinted and hit Joe and then Wyatt with a Dropkick that sent them both in the barricade. Finn brought Bray to the announce table and bounced his head off the table a dozen times.
The crowd roared as Balor cleared off an announce table. Balor laid Wyatt across the announce table and pointed to the turnbuckle. Joe tried to apply the Coquina Clutch onto Balor outside the ring but Finn was able to block it. Reigns then hit a massive Spear onto Joe and Balor that sent the three Superstars crashing through the barricade. Rollins then ascended up the turnbuckle and connected with a Frog Splash onto Bray Wyatt through the announce table outside the ring.
The crowd chanted “holy sh**!” and then transitioned into a “this is awesome!” chant as the five Superstars were on the floor. Rollins and Reigns were the first Superstars to their feet. Reigns’ lips and nose were covered with blood as the two Superstars slowly made their way back to the ring. Reigns and Rollins got in each other’s face and Rollins hit a flurry of punches. Reigns halted his momentum with an uppercut. Roman went for a Clothesline but Rollins ducked it and kicked him in the face. Reigns connected with a Superman Punch but Rollins powered out at two.
Reigns got back to his feet as the crowd booed. Reigns screamed and went for the Spear but Rollins countered it into a roll up for a two count. Rollins bounced off the ropes and connected with a kick to Reigns’ face for a two count. Rollins went to the top turnbuckle and hit a Frog Splash onto Reigns for a two count. Rollins once again climbed to the top rope and went for a Phoenix Splash. Reigns got out of the way and Rollins landed on his feet. Wyatt got back in the ring and went for Sister Abigail onto Rollins but Seth avoided it. Rollins was then launched out of the ring.
Wyatt then went for a Sister Abigail onto Reigns but Roman blocked it and hit a Spear. Reigns then leveled Balor with a right hand and geared up for a Spear. Balor was ready for it and hit a Slingblade. Balor then climbed to the top rope and hit a Coupe de Grace onto Reigns. Balor went for the pinfall but Joe got back into the ring and applied the Coquina Clutch. Balor passed out and Samoa Joe won the match.
Winner & #1 Contender For The Universal Championship: Samoa Joe
Reaction: Extreme Rules ended on a high note with a terrific Fatal 5-Way match. This match was close to forty minutes and there wasn’t a dull moment. Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar sounds like a great match and it will take place at Great Balls of Fire. Overall, Extreme Rules was a solid show. The main-event was the match of the night and the steel cage match was also very entertaining.
Unfortunately, the same issues continue to plague WWE shows. If this PPV had a better build, the matches would have been much more entertaining. Some of the matches tonight were very entertaining, but I think they would have been so much better if their was a storyline to get invested in. The Cruiserweight Championship match is a great example of a match that should have had the crowd on their feet. The crowd simply did not care and it became impossible for Neville and Aries to win them over. Bayley and Alexa Bliss competed in a match that was dead on arrival. The Intercontinental Championship match was also good but the crowd wasn’t all that into it.
I’ve said this word a few times in this post but WWE shows aren’t generating enough energy from the crowd in attendance. The main-event was an example of how much better a match can be when the crowd is engaged. It is hard to get pumped up for a show when you spend weeks struggling to get through episodes of RAW and SmackDown. When that happens, the audience winds up overlooking a great match like the Cruiserweight Championship match tonight at Extreme Rules. To make matters worse, they also had to sit through a terrible Women’s Championship match that had two excellent performers in it. While Extreme Rules ended well, I cannot help but be frustrated with the WWE product in general.
Jeff Jarrett recently did an interview with Sportskeeda during Impact Wrestling’s tour of India. Jarrett talked about India being an important market for Impact to tackle, ‘Slapnutz’, and a possible in-ring return. Here’s what he had to say:
Where the term ‘Slapnutz’ originated from:
“Oh Slapnutz. That is a legendary term that, to this day, continues to garner quite a bit of interest. Whether it’s Beetlejuice or Mae Young and Moolah, they’ve all been smacked on the head with a guitar and called a Slapnut. I remember in the early days of Slapnutz, we were in Detroit, Michigan and I was working for WCW where I was pulled into a small room, and Standards and Practices looked at me and said, ‘Jeff, we want you to explain something to us.
“We really want to know what’s going on, because we have been called from the North Tower of the Turner Organization and asked what actually is a Slapnut, We feel this needs to be censored.’ So, Slapnutz was derived from my grandmother Christine Jarrett and she used to call people slappy. A slappy was someone who slapped their gums together. She would say, they know more and more about less and less every day.
“Let that sink in. So you put that in 1999 language and you turn it into a slapnut, with a Z. It sort of just took off, sold a lot of t-shirts, had a lot of fun. It’s funny. Here we are in 2017, in Mumbai, India and you’re asking me about Slapnutz. You’re the crazy one (Laughs).”
If he’ll be getting in the ring again:
“I’ve got my promoter cap on. Firstly, my wife doesn’t want me in the ring. Karen is like- ‘Stay out of it’. Obviously, being inside the ring and wrestling is my first love. It’s something I grew up dreaming about and then [I] got to step into the ring with all the greats. Before I was a wrestler, and certainly before I was a promoter, I was a wrestling fan. It’s something I still love. You know, I’m just past my 31st year in the business…that does make me feel old…but no, my in-ring days are far behind me. [However, you can] Never say never in this business.”
India being an important market for Impact:
“It’s very important. You know, we are here at The Westin, minutes away from Film City (site of the Impact Zone in Mumbai) and this isn’t my first time in India producing professional wrestling but it’s very obvious that over the last 120 days, Anthem Wrestling and the new ownership and the new regime…it’s a rebuilding of the brand and it’s a priority. With the United States, it’s our home base but with the United Kingdom and India, both of them are our top priorities. Impact coming to India and producing content has been talked about for a long time and here we are.
My family’s been in the business for over 70 years, so to do something that is a first is very hard. And so producing Impact on Indian soil is truly history making. It’s something that no one takes lightly. We are very, very excited, from the production to the administration to the talent, every facet of our organisation is truly excited. How ironic is it that we’re producing 4 episodes of Impact that lead up to our fifteen year anniversary. In the States, Slammiversary coming up on July 2nd, is a pay-per-view. Around the world, it is premium content. We’ve been here two days and couldn’t be more excited.”
You can read Jarrett’s full interview with Sportskeeda here.
The WWE has announced that WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race suffered two broken legs after a bad fall at home in Troy, Missouri. Race reportedly fractured his right femur in addition to suffering breaks in his left fibula and tibia. He also has a spiral break of his left ankle.
Race required surgery to relieve the swelling in his legs and also received four blood transfusions. You can check out the WWE’s full statement on the matter here:
“Harley Race injured in fall
“WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race has broken both legs after a fall in his home in Troy, Mo. on Tuesday, WWE.com has learned.
“Race sustained a fracture to his right femur and suffered breaks in his left fibula and tibia, as well as a spiral break of his left ankle. The WWE Hall of Famer required emergency surgery to relieve the swelling in both legs late Tuesday night. He subsequently received four blood transfusions and underwent surgery on Friday to reset the fractures.
“WWE wishes Harley Race the best on the road to recovery.”
Former WWE European Champion William Regal recently did an interview with Metro to talk about NXT, his friendship with Triple H, and much more. You can check out some highlights from their conversation here:
About his friendship with Triple H:
“We have a very odd friendship in the fact that I probably speak to him less than anyone in the company. He trusts me with what he needs to trust me with. He can literally look at me from across the room, and we know that have the same kind of mindset.”
Triple H getting an offer to go to WWE in 1995:
“We got put together as a team, so we trained together all the time at the old Power Plant in WCW. I didn’t know how long the British wrestling style would last at that time because it was dying off then, so I started teaching him some of that stuff that I knew. It just went from there, the team worked well for a short period but his contract was coming up and he got an offer from WWF. I said to him he had to go, he wanted to go anyway, but he asked me and I said he had to because they were working nearly 300 dates a year at that point.I’d done all my work working every day, and I told him he could only get better doing that. Some people are good from the get go. I wasn’t, and he wasn’t. We had to learn everything that we ever got. The only place to get better is to work in front of a crowd every night, that’s when you’ll find what really works and what doesn’t.”
What NXT stars to look out for:
“I know people have been seeing Drew McIntyre for the last few years in the UK, and now you get to see him in NXT with the new way he’s going to get presented. The experience that he has got over the last three years and the confidence he has gained means he’s like a whole new person with how good he is. Bobby Roode is a star, he’s great for the brand, while Aleister Black is somebody who if you’ve never seen him, you’ve got to see him. It’s hard to explain, he just has a presence. Some people are great wrestlers and some people just have a presence about them, and he’s got both. To get to see Roderick Strong and Kassius Ohno as well, they’re exceptionally good pros and they’re going to have excellent matches. The best of the best keep being brought here, and NXT has its own rawness and special quality to it.”
Former WCW Champion Vader is reportedly retired from professional wrestling. Vader took to Twitter and stated that he was saddened to leave the love of his life in hopes of one day being able to see his grandchildren:
With Great Sorrow I leave my first born my greatest love of All for a chance to exist inthe same plain of existance of my Gr Ch yet to exist
If Vader truly is done competing his last match would have been a Six Man Tag Team bout at the Korakuen Hall in Japan last April, where he teamed up with Keiji Muto & AKIRA against Fujinami, Riki Choshu & Shiro Koshinaka. After the match, however, Vader passed out due to a head injury he suffered in the match.
It should also be noted that Vader announced on Twitter that he only has two years left to live last November as he is suffering from congestive heart failure. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…..
Back in 2015 WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan was let go by the WWE after some viciously racist comments made by “The Hulkster” were leaked out online. Virtually all references to Hogan were removed by the WWE after he was fired, and Hogan won a $115 million lawsuit against Gawker for releasing the tape without his permission.
Recently, HBO late-night host Bill Maher has been taking some heat after using the N-word on TV over the weekend in a joke while interviewing a Senator. Shortly after, Maher released the following apology for his actions:
“Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show,” Maher stated.
“Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYp4Vh9FGKs
HBO also commented on the incident:
“Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”
Hogan didn’t seem too happy with Maher’s actions or his apology, as he said the following on Twitter:
Last year, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes made the decision to walk away from the company citing creative differences and a displeasure with his then-role on the roster dubbing his Stardust gimmick. He has since solidified himself as one of the biggest names in the sport and the most sought after free agent in professional wrestling.
Rhodes has done work for Impact Wrestling, Ring Of Honor, and New Japan Pro Wrestling since his departure, but according to his wife Brandi, he’s done working for Jeff Jarrett and company:
Rhodes made his Impact debut back in October of last year when he signed a non-exclusive deal with the company and made his debut at Bound for Glory. He last competed on Impact Wrestling Television back in March where he lost to Moose in an Impact Grand Championship match.
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Rhodes revealed that he’s in the process of looking for a permanent home after jumping from promotion to promotion the past year (quotes via CBS Sports):
“I guess I spoke too soon.” Rhodes said. “It’s probably not time to make a decision. But if I did make a decision, it’s just a matter of trust. There’s so little trust in pro wrestling. So little. And there should be. We all love this thing and want to put on the best show and fill all of the seats in the house. But it’s trust and being around people in the office that I trust. I trust every guy in the locker room for the most part. But it’s finding that top brass in most companies that I know, if I put my name on the dotted line, that I’ll be taken care of. Honestly, any offer that came my way I haven’t really looked at. My date book is still pretty deep — all the way through September. It goes everywhere. We’ll probably revisit it then.”
