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Lex Luger Reveals the Inspiration for His Ring Name

Michael Reichlin
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Lex Luger is one of the most successful wrestlers of the past 30 years. The Total Package is the subject of the latest Biography: WWE Legends, premiering on A&E this Sunday night at 10/9C.

WWE has released a few teaser clips from the episode, including one of Luger telling a captivating story about how he chose his in-ring name.

Lex Luger Name Origin

Young Lex Luger
(A&E)

Lex Luger is objectively a great ring name. Lawrence Pfohl had the look, the athleticism and the charisma to back it up. According to Luger, he came up with the name less than an hour before his debut match.

Right before his television debut for Championship Wrestling from Florida (1985), he was sitting in the office and they asked what his wrestling name would be. He replied that he didn’t have a ring name. With his in-ring debut fast approaching, everyone began scrambling of what to call him.

Lex raised his hand timidly and said, “I’ve got a name.” His favorite television show at the time was Magnum P.I. Everybody just called him Magnum. If Tom Selleck could be called Magnum, Lex figured, “I should be called Luger,” after the German firearm.

They asked if he had a first name, he took a moment and replied, “Lex,” an homage to comic book supervillain Lex Luthor.

In a humorous humble-brag, he quipped, “It kind of worked out pretty good.”

Hall of Fame Bound?

Despite a storied career that includes 2 World Heavyweight title reigns in WCW, Luger is one of the biggest names who is not part of the WWE Hall of Fame.

Luger was on bad terms with WWE for many years due to the abrupt nature of his departure in 1995. At the time, he had been working for WWE without a contract. To the dismay of his former boss Vince McMahon, Luger shocked the world by making a surprise appearance on the debut episode of WCW Monday Nitro. It was the first shot fired in the Monday Night War.

Many legends have advocated for WWE to bestow this honor on Luger, including Jim Ross and Mick Foley.

Jim Ross said, “If they want to tell stories and they want a visual, Lex is obviously, thank God, still alive. Here’s a guy that will be rolled onto the stage to tell his story, he’s in a wheelchair. If you’re looking for a story, this could be a great story and a story of success because Lex found true happiness in his faith. I think that he’ll be in and I think it will be a great induction, I truly believe that. I think that some old wounds just don’t heal as quickly as others when you embarrass the company to some degree.”

Luger recently told Sports Illustrated that he’d be so honored by a WWE Hall of Fame induction, “I might pop out of the [wheel] chair for that. I would take that chance if that moment comes. That honor would be the cherry on top of my career.”

Catch Biography: WWE Legends on A&E Sunday nights at 10/9C.

Backstage News On Kevin Owens And Others Being Absent From WWE Programming

Anutosh Bajpai
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Several notable names have been missing from WWE’s premier shows the last few weeks. This list includes stars such as Kevin Owens. The former Universal champion is considered a ‘Triple H guy.’ People expected him to be featured more prominently on WWE programming after the game took over the creative duties in the company.

However, Owens was not only absent from this Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, but he hasn’t been seen all that much in the past few weeks since the Money In The Bank PPV. Fightful Select provided some update on the situation. They claimed that they haven’t heard anything about an injury that would keep KO out of action. Instead, they’re told that creative plans are being ‘cooked up’ for him moving forward.

Another notable name missing from the shows is Lacey Evans. She was scheduled to face Aliyah in a match during the July 29 episode of SmackDown but the bout was cancelled. It was said on air that Evans wasn’t cleared to compete but there are no immediate creative plans for her. Her name wasn’t discussed for the women’s gauntlet match on SmackDown this week.

Lacey Evans was a personal favorite of Vince McMahon. The boss was very hands-on and worked directly with the female star after her return to Raw earlier this year. However, there were no solid plans for her in place, and her WWE return after pregnancy in April was described as ‘chaotic and directionless.’

Finally, Omos hasn’t been featured much on Raw the last several weeks. Though the Nigerian Giant has still been on the road, being managed by MVP. The Monstrous athlete faced Ezekiel on the Main Event tapings on Monday. There is no word on when he may return to Raw or SmackDown.

The report says that several talents are in the same boat and waiting to learn their direction under the new management. Some have had meetings directly with Triple H about it, but the details of them are unavailable.

Triple H Expected To Stay Aggressive With WWE Returns

Anutosh Bajpai
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Triple H has brought a number of notable names back to WWE in the short while since he took over creative and talent relations duties, and it appears this trend will continue.

Dakota Kai recently revealed that her WWE return at the SummerSlam PPV was a last-minute call. She joined a faction that was originally shot down by Vince McMahon.

Like Kai, Karrion Kross and Scarlett made their surprise return at SmackDown this week. Fightful Select noted that their comeback also came together very quickly.

In addition to these signing, the site claims that there has been talk among Triple H and other higher ups about ‘bolstering’ the main roster. Both Kross and Scarlett were mentioned in these talks.

The Game is not expected to slow down anytime soon. Several other talents have been discussed for a return and a ‘feeling out process’ has occurred.

In his very first week as the head of creative, Triple H has already held private meetings with several talents in his quest to add depth to the WWE roster.

While the report doesn’t state any names, people like Bray Wyatt and Johnny Gargano are heavily rumored for a potential return now that Vince McMahon has stepped down.

Vince McMahon Was ‘Blown Away’ By Recent Work Of WWE Star

Anutosh Bajpai
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Finn Balor originally made his name as the leader of the Bullet Club. So it’s no surprise that Vince McMahon was impressed by his heel work.

The former Universal champion recently spoke to Cheap Heat podcast. He discussed things such as changing his ring gear and more.

When asked if things will change for him now that Triple H is in charge of creative instead of Vince McMahon, Balor mentioned how he gets a feeling of familiarity with The Game because of their history:

“Yeah, obviously I have a very good relationship with Triple H, but with most of the people in the company too. We have worked together a lot in NXT, you know, first and second run in NXT. So I definitely have like a familiarity, more so than I did with Vince.”

However, Finn Balor later explained that Vince McMahon was always good to him too. Balor claimed that McMahon was ‘blown away’ by his heel work as part of the Judgement Day faction:

“But, you know, Vince has always been great to me. He was absolutely blown away by my heel work, which he didn’t think I had in me. So that was nice to hear.”

The Judgement Day is currently feuding with The Mysterios. Balor is scheduled to compete in a match against Rey Mysterio on Raw this Monday.

Quotes via RingSidenews

Kevin Nash Discusses Problem With Raw That Led To Demise Of WCW Nitro

Anutosh Bajpai
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The oversaturation of TV programs is a big problem with wrestling nowadays. Kevin Nash thinks that it’s one of the big issues with WWE.

The wrestling veteran talked about things such as his friend Triple H taking over the WWE creative and more in the latest episode of Kliq This.

Discussing the problems with WWE, Nash mentioned how Raw being three hours long is a big issue. Per Kevin, it’s just too f**king long:

“I think one of the problems that the company has right now is that Raw is three hours long. I thought that was the demise of Nitro when it went three hours.

Three hours is too long, it’s like asking your fanbase every Monday to watch fucking Titanic or Avatar.” said Kevin Nash, “It’s just too fucking long.”

The former nWo member later claimed that he would like Raw to be a mature M-Rated show and be played on Friday nights on FX.

Kevin Nash noted that he is tired of seeing more aggressive language from third graders compared to WWE stars.

What do you think of Nash’s comments about Raw being too long? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Quotes via Fightful

Logan Paul Details WWE Experience: “I’ve Never Felt More Accepted”

Anutosh Bajpai
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Logan Paul has had a couple of matches with WWE so far. The YouTube star seems to be enjoying his experience in the company both on and off screen.

The internet sensation recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show. He talked about things such as his much-talked Frog Splash at SummerSlam and more.

Speaking about his WWE experience, Paul claimed that he has never felt more accepted as an employee. He called WWE a ‘well-oiled machine’:

“I’ve never felt more accepted as an employee, like I work for the WWE. They’re so good man. It is a well-organized machine, and I’m continually surprised by how much they can do. Effectively, too. Some of the sh-t they pull off is unreal.”

Logan Paul also revealed that Triple H has given him advice about moves and the audience. Other people who have helped him include Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan and Kevin Dunn.

Paul has signed a multi-year deal with WWE and he is expected to return to the ring. Though latest report suggests that it won’t be happening anytime soon, and the 27-year-old will likely not be seen in WWE before December.

You can check out Logan Paul’s full interview below:

Quotes via WrestleZone

Miro Suggests He ‘Had It Better’ In WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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Many thought Miro will be presented as a monster and reach main event status in AEW but things haven’t exactly gone the way people expected.

The former US champion hasn’t been featured much on AEW TV in recent times and it appears that he is starting to get frustrated with his spot.

This Friday’s episode of Rampage saw the Interim AEW champion Jon Moxley defeating Mance Warner in a singles match. Miro responded to this bout with a sarcastic tweet, asking who Mox’s opponent was.

A fan then responded to this, referencing the former Rusev’s absence from AEW programming. He suggested that he ‘had it better in WWE’, and the AEW star actually liked this tweet:

Miro was part of the WWE roster from 2010 to 2020. He won the United States title three times during his run with the promotion and was featured regularly on WWE programming.

The heavyweight star has had a run with the TNT championship after joining AEW in 2020. Though fans believe that he is still underutilized in the company. He has not wrestled since the Forbidden Door PPV.

This isn’t the first time Miro has made a move that expresses his disappointment with his spot in the company. Earlier this year, he discussed how his debut in the promotion wasn’t what he was expecting.

Britt Baker has Big Plans for the Future of AEW

Thomas Lowson
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Since AEW launched in 2019, the company has been a hit with fans of professional wrestling.

Fans have appreciated that the promotion provides an alternative to WWE, with several top former Superstars starting over in the All-Elite company.

AEW is also host to homegrown talent, who regularly prove they are able to hang with their former WWE counterparts.

Big Plans

AEW has undoubtedly become a success in professional wrestling, but the promotion is still seen as second to WWE.

Not only has WWE been around for longer, but the Stephanie McMahon/Nick Khan company continues to have a more recognizable brand, both within the United States and internationally.

Appearing on the Absolute Geek Podcast, Britt Baker explained how she plans on AEW growing to the point that it is as mainstream as WWE (via Sportskeeda.)

“For most people in the world, WWE is the number one wrestling promotion. You can pick out anybody on the street, they know what WWE is. Not everybody knows what AEW is yet, and I wanna get to a point where it is super mainstream and we do more entertainment and mainstream crossovers so that they can see one of our stars and they go, ‘Oh, that person’s a wrestler from AEW,’ not just, ‘who is that person?”

“I wanna get to a point where it is super mainstream and we do more entertainment and mainstream crossovers.”

Britt Baker on future plans for All Elite Wrestling.

AEW has already had several partnerships, including with the American Heart Association and Diamond Select Toys.

What Does Triple H Regret About Feuding with The Rock?

Thomas Lowson
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In the Attitude Era, Triple H and The Rock established themselves as two of the biggest names in wrestling.

Their careers were in many ways a mirror, with both winning the Intercontinental Championships early in their career, and both later leading their own stables.

The two would have several high-profile Pay Per View matches, including a Ladder match at Summerslam 1998, and WWE’s second-ever Iron Man match at Judgment Day 2000.

The Regret

The Rock and Triple H had plenty of Pay Per View singles matches, but they never faced off one-on-one at WrestleMania.

Speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Triple H was asked about his feuds with “The Brahma Bull” and said he regrets not getting a one-on-one match at WWE’s biggest event of the year (via Wrestling Inc.)

“My only regret of the whole thing with Rock is in 2000, we were poised to have a match at WrestleMania one-on-one. I think that would’ve been an epic thing for both of us in that moment.”

Triple H reveals his regret over feuding with The Rock.

Instead of a singles match, WrestleMania 2000 saw Mick Foley and The Big Show added to the main event to make it a fatal four-way.

The Sequel

The Rock and Triple H would get their one-on-one WWF Championship main event, but it’d come a month later at Backlash 2000.

The match was heavily stacked against The Rock, with Vince, Stephanie and Shane McMahon all on the side of “The Game.”

Despite this, The Rock would win the title, thanks in part to the return of ‘Stone Cold’s Steve Austin, who had been out since November 1999 after being ‘run down’ at Survivor Series.

Backstage News on What’s Changed Since Triple H Took Over WWE Creative

Injury At AEW Battle Of The Belts III

Anutosh Bajpai
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The AEW Battle of The Belts III featured some interesting matches. It appears that it also resulted in a legitimate injury for one of the competing stars.

The show that was taped in advance on Friday featured a match for the AEW women’s championship between Thunder Rosa and Jamie Hayter.

After competing at the Battle of The Belts III on Friday, Hayter was pulled from an indie event scheduled for Sunday. Icons of Wrestling promoter Jerry Sorrentino made the announcement:

“I just got a text and a call from Jamie Hayter. She won’t be able to make it tomorrow. I am really sorry as well as Jamie. She really wanted to come and meet everyone. Refunds will be issued. Jamie will be with us for all of the other shows scheduled this year.”

Jamie Hayter Injured

A report from Fightful Select revealed the reason behind this change. They noted that Hayter sustained a broken nose during her bout.

It’s unknown whether the female star will be missing any extended ring time due to the injury. Though she was able to finish the championship match at the show.

Apart from this, the Battle of The Belts III featured matches such as Wardlow vs. Jay Lethal and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita. You can check out the complete results from the show here.

WWE Star Injured At Live Event On Saturday

Anutosh Bajpai
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It appears that former SmackDown women’s champion Carmella suffered an injury during the most recent WWE Live Event from North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC.

The event that took place Saturday night featured a triple threat match involving The Staten Island Princess, The Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and Asuka.

Early in the match, Carmella got out of the ring and wouldn’t get back in. Her opponents started calling her chicken and the audience started chanting it too.

However, when Bianca tried to do a backflip over her, the WWE star appears to have hit her head in the corner and suffered a legitimate injury.

The referee threw the x sign and medical staff arrived to check on the female star. The good news is that she was able to walk back on her own, though the staff was shielding her eyes from bright lights:

Carmella’s husband and WWE announcer Corey Graves wasn’t happy that he found out about the injury via Twitter. He made a post about it, though it was deleted quickly:

graves

Bianca Belair went on to win the match and she celebrated with the fans. There is no word yet on if Carmella’s injury is anything serious but we’ll keep you posted on her status.

AEW Battle of the Belts III Results (8/6/22): Three Championship Matches

Robert Lentini
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AEW Battle of the Belts airs tonight on TNT. The show was taped after last night’s live episode of Rampage and featured three title matches.

Quick results for Battle of the Belts III:

  • TNT Championship: Wardlow (c) def. Jay Lethal to retain
  • AEW Women’s Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) def. Jamie Hayter to retain
  • ROH Championship: Claudio Castagnoli (c) def. Konosuke Takeshita to retain

Here are the takeaways from Battle of the Belts:

Wardlow Retained The TNT Championship, Satnam Singh Attacked After The Match

Wardlow defended the TNT Championship against Jay Lethal in the first match of the night. Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt accompanied the challenger to the ring. The champion dominated early and knocked Jay out of the ring to begin the action. Wardlow followed Jay out of the ring and got distracted by Satnam and Sonjay.

Jay capitalized and brought the champion back into the ring. Lethal connected with an Enziguri but the TNT Champion responded with a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker for a near fall. Wardlow lifted Jay up on his shoulders but he escaped. Lethal hit a couple of Dropkicks but Wardlow didn’t go down.

Lethal pretended to be injured and tried to roll up Wardlow but the champ kicked out. Jay knocked Wardlow out of the ring and caught him with a Suicide Dive. Jay then did a strut on the entrance ramp to mock the crowd as Battle of the Belts went to a commercial break.

When Battle of the Belts returned, Wardlow battled back and hit Jay with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory to retain the TNT Championship. After the match, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh attacked the champion from behind. Satnam put his gigantic boot on Wardlow’s chest and Jay stomped on him. The TNT Champion tried to battle back but Jay put a stop to it. Satnam then Chokeslammed Wardlow through a table and Jay posed with the TNT Championship as if he won the match.

Thunder Rosa Retained The AEW Women’s Title

Thunder Rosa defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Jamie Hayter tonight at Battle of the Belts III. Britt Baker and Toni Storm were ringside for the title match. Hayter attacked right when the bell rang and stomped the champion down to the mat in the corner of the ring.

The action spilled out of the ring and the AEW Women’s Champion hit a DDT on the floor. Jamie slammed Thunder Rosa onto the steel steps and Britt Baker taunted the champion as Battle of the Belts went to a commercial break.

When Battle of the Belts returned, Thunder Rosa hit a Blockbuster off the ring apron and rolled Jamie back into the ring. Hayter connected with a Suplex and went for the cover but Rosa kicked out at two. Toni Storm planted Britt Baker with a DDT outside the ring as Thunder Rosa rolled up Hayter for the pinfall victory. Thunder Rosa retained the AEW Women’s Championship.

Claudio Castagnoli Retained The ROH Championship

Claudio Castagnoli defended the ROH Championship against Konosuke Takeshita in the main event of Battle of the Belts III. William Regal and Wheeler Yuta accompanied Claudio during his entrance and the ROH Champion got a great reaction from the crowd. Regal joined commentary for the main event.

Castagnoli and Takeshita went back and forth to start off the match before circling each other. The champ and challenger locked up in the middle fo the ring and Claudio got the better of it. Claudio took Konosuke down to the mat and applied a Headlock.

Konosuke battled back to his feet but Claudio got him back in the Headlock before transitioning to a Wrist Lock in the middle of the ring. Claudio kept Konosuke grounded before sending him flying across the ring in a great sequence.

Claudio hit a Backbreaker and followed it up with a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker for a two count. Back from a break, Konosuke hit a Crossbody that knocked the champion down in the middle of the ring. Claudio rolled out of the ring to try and regroup but Konosuke flipped onto him.

Back in the ring, Konosuke climbed to the top turnbuckle but Claudio broke it up. Castagnoli hit a Gutwrench Suplex off the top rope for a near fall. The ROH Champion followed it up with the Swing for another two count. Konosuke responded with a Blue Thunder Bomb and went for the cover but the champion kicked out at two.

Claudio and Konosuke battled in the corner of the ring. Claudio hit some strikes to the face but Takeshita shrugged them off. Konosuke bashed Claudio’s face off the turnbuckle and followed it up with a Frog Splash for a near fall. Castagnoli booted Takeshita in the face several times but it just fired up the challenger.

Castagnoli unloaded some uppercuts but Konosuke responded with a German Suplex. Claudio rolled through and leveled Konosuke. Takeshita planted Claudio with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but the champion kicked out at two. Castagnoli went for the Ricola Bomb but Takeshita awesomely countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

Konosuke went for a Powerbomb but Claudio countered into a Back Body Drop. Castagnoli and Takeshita traded punches in the middle of the ring. Claudio hit a springboard uppercut and followed it up with a Clothesline. Castagnoli then planted Konosuke with the Ricola Bomb for the pinfall victory and retained the ROH Championship.

Photos: Sasha Banks Makes First Appearance Since WWE Walkout

Michael Reichlin
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Sasha Banks and Naomi made their first public appearances on Saturday since ‘walking out’ of WWE back in May.

The duo held autograph signings at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) at McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America.

Wrestling fans were eager to see the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions for the first time in months. They will be back again on Sunday for another round of signings.

It’s interesting to note that Sasha Banks is advertised by her real name, Mercedes Vernado. However, as seen below, she’s sporting multi-colored hair, a signature of WWE’s Sasha Banks character.

Sasha Banks and Naomi were ‘suspended indefinitely’ by WWE after reportedly walking out of a Monday Night Raw taping due to creative difference. A lot has changed since then, most notably Vince McMahon’s retirement. More recently, it’s been rumored that Sasha Banks and Naomi are in talks for a return.

Other WWE legends in attendance for C2E2 include Mick Foley, Trish Stratus and Lita, who participated in a panel.

Here are some photos of Sasha Banks and Naomi from C2E2 2022:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg7eeShJ9Wt/

Matt Cardona’s In Ring Return Date Confirmed

Joey Galizia
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Matt Cardona is making his return to the ring.

The former multi-company world champion will be competing at the August 27th NWA 74th Anniversary show from the Khorassan Ballroom in St. Louis Missouri, where he will be choosing his own opponent. The National Wrestling Alliance later confirmed the news on Twitter.

Cardona has been out of action since early June with a torn bicep, an injury that required surgery and forced him to relinquish the NWA world championship. Despite not being cleared to compete Cardona still remained active with appearances and signings, including most recently at Ric Flair’s Last Match with Jim Crockett Promotions.

Cardona would write the following on Twitter hyping up his return: “I’M BACK! I will make my return to the ring at #NWA74 on August 27. I will handpick my opponent from the incredibly talented @nwa roster. Who’s it gonna be?!”

The Undertaker Spotted With AEW’s Andrade El Idolo At Ric Flair’s Last Match

Thomas Lowson
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For 30 years, The Undertaker made his ominous presence felt in WWE, refusing to break character both in and out of the ring.

Since his final farewell, the former World Heavyweight Champion has appeared out of character at various conventions and appearances, allowing fans the chance to meet him rather than the character.

Photo with Andrade

The Undertaker has been a symbol of the WWE for decades, but he recently made his presence felt outside the company.

“The Phenom” was present for Ric Flair’s last match last weekend, which saw the 16-time World Champion team with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.

Following the event, The Undertaker posed for a photo with El Idolo backstage, who was immensely pleased that he got a picture with the WWE Hall of Famer.

1deadMan Show

Appearing at Flair’s last match was a big moment for The Undertaker, but not his only notable appearance over the past week.

Two days prior to Flair’s final match, Undertaker did the 1deadMan Show, a one-night talk with fans in Nashville.

The show saw “The Deadman” joke that he’s ruined some childhoods by breaking kayfabe after 30 years in character.

He also spoke about working with the likes of ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Bret Hart, as well as how he unwinds when not working.

Ric Flair’s Next Appearance

Ric Flair’s Last Match was (as you’d expect) advertised as the final time Ric Flair would wrestle, but the “Nature Boy” has something planned.

Flair took to Twitter to share with the world in his signature style, that he and Andrade El Idolo are the dirtiest players in the game and that he would be back at it again this weekend in Puerto Rico.

It was later explained that Flair will be in his son-in-law’s corner when he faces Carlito in Puerto Rico.

The Undertaker Once Squashed Michelle McCool WrestleMania Storyline

Big Name Scheduled For This Week’s Raw

Joey Galizia
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This Monday WWE will be invading the Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse in Cleveland Ohio for another edition of their weekly episodic, Raw, and fans in attendance can expect to see a big name at the show.

WWE Hall of Famer Edge is set to appear for the red-brand, his first television appearance since he was kicked out of the Judgement Day faction on June 6th.

In fact, Edge is now scheduled to appear at every RAW in the lead-up to Clash at the Castle. While not officially announced, a showdown with Finn Balor at the Cardiff stadium show seems likely.

The R-Rated superstar returned at last Saturday’s SummerSlam to confront his former group, with the report stating that he will continue to feud with them moving forward.

Edge has been a prominent player for WWE since coming out of retirement at the 2020 Royal Rumble. In that time he has won another Royal Rumble, headlined WrestleMania 37, challenged for the world title on several occasions, and been involved in some blood feuds with Seth Rollins and AJ Styles.

CM Punks Feels ‘Solidarity’ With Sasha Banks Over WWE Walk Out

Anutosh Bajpai
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CM Punk is one of the faces of the anti-WWE movement. He has been critical of the company’s policies since infamously walking out in 2014. Punk has been taking shots at the promotion regularly since his return to pro wrestling last year.

The Straight Edge Star recently spoke to The Hashtag Show. Talking about Sasha Banks taking a path similar to his own, the AEW world champion mentioned how he was the first guy to go ‘through the wall.’ Punk claimed that he feels solidarity with Banks, and he is always going to support anyone who stands up against WWE:

“Somebody on Twitter is gonna be mad at me. My thing is always I can’t listen to people criticise me if I wouldn’t ask advise from them. You can’t lead people somewhere you’ve never gone; I try to be as humble as I can be and I don’t like talking about myself but I was the first guy through the wall. I got fucking bloodied for it, you know what I mean?” asked CM Punk,

He continued “To watch somebody else stand up and walk out, I’m always gonna support that. One hundred fucking percent. I’ve never met Mercedes. I don’t know her, but I definitely feel solidarity with her. I know how that place is, I know how women are treated there. I’m not a woman myself, so I can’t put myself in those shoes, but there’s probably a lot of reasons why she peaced out.”

CM Punk also discussed topics such as the current landscape of pro wrestling. You can check out his interview below:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

CM Punk Reveals Thoughts On Current Pro Wrestling Landscape

Anutosh Bajpai
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The landscape of pro wrestling has seen a major shift in the last few years. On one hand, companies like AEW have risen that have reignited the interest of many lapsed fans. On the other hand, the ever-declining TV ratings of WWE have led many to believe that we are witnessing the death of pro wrestling. CM Punk is aware of both these sentiments.

The AEW champion spoke to The Hashtag Show over the Starrcast weekend. He was asked for his thoughts on the current pro wrestling landscape. Replying to it, Punk said that he thinks pro wrestling is thriving, though he acknowledged the different opinions:

“It depends on your perspective. It depends on how grumpy I am that day. You can go either way. You can say that, ‘Oh man, wrestling’s dying.’ Or you can say ‘Well look at it, it’s thriving.'” For the first time there’s a second company that’s viable and I’m not gonna say it’s a viable threat.” said CM Punk,

He continued, “It’s just a viable, healthy company. A second place where men and women can get paid to wrestle in ring on television. I know there’s people that think dynamite is the greatest thing in the world. There’s people that think dynamite isn’t good. People that think it’s somewhere in the middle, it could be better.  But because we’re having that conversation, I supposed pro wrestling is thriving.”

CM Punk later mentioned how Dynamite is a show where you can watch different styles of wrestling in one place. You can check out his interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

“I’m Not Sure I Belong in the Ring” Claims Ex-WWE Superstar

Thomas Lowson
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In 2012, Matt Rehwoldt signed with WWE and spent his time with the company under the name Aiden English.

One-half of the Vaudevillains, his sole championship win in WWE came as part of the NXT Tag Team Champions in 2015.

Rehwoldt held several roles in addition to being a wrestler before his release in April 2020.

Rehwoldt’s Statement

Before leaving WWE, Rehwoldt had slowly transitioned into a role outside of the ring.

In 2018, he became part of the Rusev Day stable with Rusev and Lana, and became a color commentator for 205 Live and NXT UK a year later.

Taking to Twitter this week, Rehwoldt explained how he will no longer be taking bookings as a wrestler, as he does not believe he belongs in the ring anymore.

Rehwoldt still believes he can being something and has encouraged anyone seeking him for non-wrestling roles to contact him.

“So here you go: I will no longer be taking bookings to wrestle going forward. I’ve always been most at home with a mic in front of me and am in love with the broadcast side of the biz. I’m not sure I feel I belong in the ring anymore and this year has taught me that. But I love what I’m doing now and am still technically a free agent so if you have a company/promotion that needs an entertaining and experienced voice on the mic hit me up! All in addition to continuing to explore esports/gaming, VO, and content! I DO ALL THE THINGS.”

In a follow-up post, Rehwoldt clarified that he is not leaving the wrestling industry, but just will not be wrestling anymore.

Released Star Is Glad To Not Be Working In WWE

Bayley Reveals Which NXT Star She Considers Her ‘Wrestling Baby’

Anutosh Bajpai
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Bayley made her wrestling debut in 2008 and joined NXT in 2013. Since then, the former women’s champion hasn’t looked back and she has only become more successful with each passing year. In her almost decade long WWE career, the former women’s champion has also inspired many young talents to pursue wrestling. One such talent is the current NXT star Indi Hartwell, who Bayley considers to be her ‘wrestling baby.’

The female star recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast. Speaking about her rehab from the recent ACL injury, the former champion discussed how she worked with NXT 2.0 stars in the performance center during her recovery. She also explained why she has a soft spot for Hartwell:

“At first I went in just wanting to train with Indi Hartwell because she is, to me what I call our little wrestling baby. Because she is the first person, at least in my knowledge that [started] training because of the match I had with Sasha [Banks] at [Takeover] Brooklyn.

She said she watched that match and the next day she signed up for wrestling training.” revealed Bayley, “So the fact that she made it to NXT and she’s been there for a few years has been [incredible]. When she got signed, I couldn’t believe it. I’m like ‘Our little baby made it!’ So I always had a soft spot for her.”

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WWE Pressed to Split Up Roman Reigns’ ‘Undisputed’ Championships

Thomas Lowson
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The days of one “Undisputed WWE Universal Champion” are numbered.

At WrestleMania 38, Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to unify the company’s top World Championships.

Called ‘the biggest main event in WrestleMania’ history, the win saw Reigns be crowned the ‘Undisputed WWE Universal Champion,’ a title he holds to this day.

Since unifying the two championships at WrestleMania, Reigns has been carrying the two title belts to symbolize being the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

That could all change very soon however, following Karrion Kross’ return to WWE during last night’s SmackDown.

Undisputed No More?

Fightful Select reports that Kross’ impactful return, attacking Drew McIntyre and having a face-off with Reigns, is the sign of a big push for the two-time former WWE NXT Champion.

An idea suggested backstage is for Kross to be inserted into the current feud between Reigns and McIntyre.

There has also been a pitch for Kross to challenge Reigns, but for one of his championships, effectively ending the title unification.

De-Unifying the Titles

It was Vince McMahon who made the decision for the WWE and Universal Championships to be unified, but its the USA Network who are in support of the titles being split.

USA Network executives are said to be unhappy with how few appearances Reigns makes on Raw and wants a World Championship of their own.

Per Fightful, the network has also pitched the idea of having an interim World Champion, similar to Jon Moxley being the interim AEW World Champion due to CM Punk’s injury.

The report notes that it’s unclear how seriously WWE considered the idea, as Reigns is not injured, and having an interim Undisputed WWE Universal Champion would make little sense.

Roman Reigns Retains Undisputed WWE Universal Title at SummerSlam

Cain Velasquez Enters Plea in Attempted Murder Case

Thomas Lowson
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Earlier this year, UFC legend and one-time WWE Superstar Cain Velasquez was involved in a shooting.

It is alleged that Velasquez fired a weapon at a vehicle, aiming to hit a man who it is alleged molested a relation of the fighter.

Instead, the stepfather of that man was hit, resulting in the man being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Velasquez has remained incarcerated since the incident, and has now made his plea related to a charge of attempted murder in the first degree.

The Plea

Appearing in a San Jose, California, courtroom on Friday, Velasquez pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge against him.

This is the most serious charge Velasquez is facing, but he also pleaded not guilty to the other charges.

These include shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft, assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.

What’s next for Cain Velasquez?

With this not guilty plea in, Velasquez will have his next hearing on September 26.

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion has been denied bail on three occasions, as the belief is that he would be a danger to the public if released.

Several fighters and other personalities have come forward in support of Velasquez.

WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey has said that she would have done the same thing, if not worse, had she been in Velasquez’s position.

If convicted, Velasquez faces anywhere between 20 years to life behind bars.

Cain Velasquez Isn’t Bitter Over WWE Release, Expresses Gratitude

Spoiler: AEW Battle of the Belts III Results

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW announced the Battle of the Belts III for this Saturday night featuring the first title defense of the new ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli and more.

All three of the championship matches announced for the show were taped in advance from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday.

The first match of the show was Wardlow defending his TNT championship against Jay Lethal. The champion retained the title after pinning Lethal with a powerbomb.

Thunder Rosa then defended her AEW women’s championship against Jamie Hayter. Toni Storm was in the champion’s corner for this bout.

This Battle of the Belts III match saw Rosa successfully defending her title. This extended her reign to 144 days.

The main event of the show was Claudio Castagnoli defending his ROH title against NJPW’s Konosuke Takeshita. This was Castagnoli’s first title defense after winning the championship at Death Before Dishonor.

The two reportedly put on a great match that the audience enjoyed. Castagnoli ultimately came on top and defeated the Japanese star to keep his championship.

AEW Battle Of The Belts III is scheduled to air on TNT this Saturday at 8pm ET/7pm CT & 8pm PT.

What Happened With Bobby Lashley After SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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This week’s episode of SmackDown ended on a high note with Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre and the WWE return of Karrion Kross & Scarlett.

The returning star attacked The Scottish Warrior from behind. He then sent a message to the current WWE Universal Champion, hinting at a future feud.

Though this wasn’t the end of the night, and fans in the Bon Secours Wellness Arena got to see the United States champion Bobby Lashley defending his title against Ciampa in a dark match after SmackDown.

The bout was about 10 minutes long, and it saw the former NXT champion playing the heel. He gained the upper hand over Lashley early on after rolling out of the ring and making the champion run after him.

The ending of the bout then saw the All Mighty reversing a move from his opponent and delivering a big spear to win the match and retain his title.

Tommaso Ciampa had been paired with The Miz early in his main roster run and presented as a mid card talent, but things have changed since Triple H took over the WWE creative.

There have been reports that Ciampa will be presented as a big star moving forward. This past Monday’s Raw was a testament of things to come.

The episode saw the former NXT star picking up not one but two big victories to become the new #1 contender for the US title. He is now scheduled to challenge Lashley in a Televised match on Raw next Monday.

WWE Announces Starting Date For Women’s Tag Team Title Tournament

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE has confirmed that the announced tournament to crown new Women’s Tag Team Champions will finally begin on Raw this Monday.

The tag titles have been vacant since the last champions Sasha Banks and Naomi infamously walked out of the May 16 episode of the Red Branded Show.

The duo reportedly left the women’s tag titles on the desk of the then Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.

WWE went on to bury both Banks and her partner on TV after this, and they announced a tournament to crown new champions.

However, the company provided no update on the announced tournament in the following weeks, leaving fans puzzled about the future of the titles.

WWE saw a big behind the scene change between this, with Vince McMahon retiring from the company and Triple H taking over the creative duties.

Now the promotion has confirmed that the tournament will finally begin on Monday. Though they have not revealed the brackets for the same just yet.

There has also been reports that both Sasha Banks and Naomi could be returning to WWE soon but there is no update on if any creative plans are in place for the former champions.

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