Orange Cassidy is currently plagued by a shoulder injury but there is some good news.
Cassidy competed in the Face of the Revolution ladder match on March 6. He was vying for a chance to compete for the TNT Championship. “OC” lost the match and suffered a bad-looking shoulder injury when he was tossed outside of the ring by Keith Lee.
Cassidy was supposed to land on his opponents but he overshot them and landed on the floor.
“Orange Cassidy suffered a significant shoulder injury at the PPV. In the ladder match, they copied the big Biel throw by Lee but Cassidy overshot the guys catching him a little, and landed shoulder-first on the floor. He won’t need surgery but his arm was in a sling on television and he won’t be wrestling for a while.”
As mentioned in the report, the good news for Cassidy is that he will be able to avoid going under the knife. That was a big concern coming out of AEW Revolution and he managed to escape the worst outcome.
For now, it looks like “OC” will be sharing out of the ring shenanigans with Danhausen in support of Kris Statlander, Best Friends, and Wheeler Yuta.
There’s been a long standing rivalry between Riddle and Brock Lesnar, with the current WWE Raw Tag Team Champion having long advocated for a match against the current WWE Champion.
Riddle has called Lesnar out on social media on numerous occasions. The two even had what was reported to be a backstage altercation at the 2020 Royal Rumble
With both men having a history in the world of MMA, a potential match has a uniqueness to it that could certainly sell tickets and be a memorable encounter. So far, though, Lesnar has had zero interest in facing the young star in a singles match. They both were involved in the recent Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship in Saudi Arabia.
During a new interview with Adam’s Apple, Riddle brought up the topic yet again when asked about possible opponents.
“I would really like the one on one match with, you know, Brock,” Riddle said. “That would be good. But there’s a lot of talent out there. You’ve got the Edges, you know, me and Randy are partners, you never know we might wrestle one day. There’s a lot.”
Of course, a match between these two seems like it would be down the road several months, if at all. Lesnar is currently embroiled in a feud with Roman Reigns that will culminate in the main event of WrestleMania 38. Meanwhile, Riddle and Randy Orton hold the Raw Tag Team Championships; their team will eventually split and spill into a feud of its own.
The matches confirmed so far for the two-night WrestleMania 38 event include:
WWE Universal Championship vs. WWE Championship Match (Main Event for Night Two) Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar (c)
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Match (Main Event for Night One) Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
WWE Raw Women’s Championship Match Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bianca Belair
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match Queen Zelina Vega and Carmella (c) vs. Sasha Banks and Naomi vs. Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz and Logan Paul
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn
Edge vs. AJ Styles
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Would you like to see a match between Riddle and Lesnar? Let us know in the comments section below.
Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Johnny Knoxville is stepping up his psychological warfare against WrestleMania 38 opponent Sami Zayn.
Knoxville, who is celebrating his 51st birthday on Friday, reveals that Sami Zayn got a hold of his personal phone number and was “stalking him” with text messages.
Ronda Rousey is currently a babyface on WWE television, but that hasn’t stopped wrestling and sports fans from directing negativity toward her on social media.
According to this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, an independent study of abuse on women’s athletes noted that Rousey is the most abused female athlete on Twitter. This distinction was based on her receiving the highest percentage tweets classified as negative.
Becky Lynch was also on the list, coming in at third place. However, Lynch is currently portraying a heel on WWE television and plays into that role on her social media as well, so some of that makes sense. Lynch actually received a higher total number of negative tweets, but Rousey’s percentage was higher.
The study looked at the overall abuse that names such as Sha’Carri Richardson, Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Megan Rapinoe, Claressa Shields, Emma Raducanu, Paiage Spiranac and Serena Williams have received on Twitter. The study was done in conjunction with International Women’s Day. In terms of negativity percentage, Biles came in second place behind Rousey and just ahead of Lynch.
Rousey made her return to WWE at the Royal Rumble event in St. Louis back in January, winning the Rumble match to earn a championship opportunity at WrestleMania. She will face Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38 in Arlington, Texas.
Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan wishes he could have a retirement match, but unfortunately that ship has sailed.
The Hulkster appeared on the Two Man Power Trip podcast this week and said “forget it” when asked if we could see him compete one last time.
“No, no, no, no, no,” said Hogan.
The 68-year-old grappler gave his body to the sport of professional wrestling. Hogan detailed some of the health issues and medical procedures that he’s had to endure.
“In the last 10 years, I’ve had 23 surgeries, 10 back surgeries, both hips, both knees.. forget it.”
If not for his physical condition, he’d be up for it. “If I was healthy, shoot.. yeah, man, all day long,” he added.
Hulk Hogan’s Dream “Retirement Match”
Hypothetically, if he were to wrestle one more match, Hogan sees two WWE Superstars that he could draw big money with. Not surprisingly, it’s the two men who are main eventing WrestleMania 38.
“The first one I’m trying to pick off would be Roman, then I’d like to get to Brock, but good God, I’d be in a wheelchair by the time I get done with that.”
Hogan gave a little more thought to the prospect of wrestling Brock Lesnar again. He then came to his senses and joked, “I don’t need no rematch with Brock. I’m good!”
At this stage, if you want to see Hulk Hogan in the ring against Roman Reigns, your best bet is playing the new WWE 2K22 video game.
Listen to Hulk Hogan’s appearance on the Two Man Power Trip podcast:
AEW star William Regal is setting the record straight about his health.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote:
“Apparently Regal’s health issues at this stage are far more serious than have ever come out and there is an interview that will be released next week that he did for Talk is Jericho that will detail them.”
Regal says Meltzer is dead wrong about his condition and indirectly called out the veteran wrestling journalist for perpetuating rumors and gossip.
According to Regal, he’s healthier than he’s been in many years. Whatever Meltzer was referring to from Regal’s conversation with Chris Jericho, Regal says it’s old news.
Already…. That’s why I stay out the runour mill and gossip!!! I’ve just found out that there’s things being printed about my health. I am healthier than I’ve been in many years. I talked this week to someone about things that had happened to me in 2018.
Despite Dave Meltzer’s incorrect spin on things, William Regal’s appearance on the next Talk is Jericho podcast should be a must listen.
Regal made a surprise appearance at Sunday’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view from Orlando, Florida. He is now managing AEW’s newest tag team, Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley.
Austin Theory will battle SmackDown announcer Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38. It should be an entertaining match, but it’s not what WWE originally had planned.
At one point, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was rumored to be competing against McAfee at the company’s biggest show of the year.
As of last night, Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee was listed as a match on the internal schedule for WrestleMania.
When McMahon was announced as a guest on the Pat McAfee’s Show, it seemed this would be the forum to set up the special attraction. McMahon offered McAfee a chance to compete at WrestleMania, which he accepted. On a subsequent episode of WWE SmackDown, Austin Theory revealed himself to be McAfee’s opponent.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer shed some light on how McAfee vs. Theory came to be and what the original plan was for Vince McMahon’s involvement.
Vince McMahon’s Role at WrestleMania 38
“Obviously, from the 2/28 Raw, where Theory talked about McAfee perhaps attacking Vince McMahon and he’ll be there to help McMahon if that happened him on the 3/3 episode of McAfee’s show,” wrote Meltzer. “Then nothing at all transpired and Theory wasn’t even there, indicating a major change in plans.”
WWE sources confirmed there was a significant change from the original plans. While Vince McMahon won’t be wrestling, he’s still slated to be a big part of the match and will help get heat on Austin Theory.
Meltzer added, “What appears to be the idea is that there will be an angle to get McMahon into the match, likely overseeing the match and being at ringside rather than it being a handicap match, although that has been talked of as well.”
Had the Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee match taken place, Austin theory would have been heavily involved and taking all the bumps on McMahon’s behalf.
It’s speculative, but perhaps McMahon soured on the idea because he did not feel it was right to advertise himself in a match while ‘outsourcing’ his bumps to Austin Theory.
WrestleMania 38 takes place over two nights on Saturday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Steve Austin will not be wrestling a sanctioned wrestling match at WrestleMania 38. Plans for his physical involvement are being described as a “fight sequence.”
After weeks of speculation, WWE finally kicked the Steve Austin & Kevin Owens program into high gear this week. Owens called out Austin at the conclusion of Monday’s Raw. He ran down the state of Texas once again and invited the Texas Rattlesnake to be his guest on a special WrestleMania-edition of the KO Show.
Austin accepted Owens’ invitation in a pre-recorded video promo. Austin delivered a promo that shows he hasn’t lost a step when it comes to opening up a can of verbal whoop-ass. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer shed some light on what Steve Austin will do at WrestleMania.
Austin has reportedly agreed to do a “fight sequence” at WrestleMania, indicating his physical involvement will be more than just a stunner or two. Austin has been working on his cardio conditioning and knows fans will have high expectations for his “first physical confrontation in 19 years.”
Jim Ross on Steve Austin’s Return
AEW broadcaster Jim Ross commented on Steve Austin’s return on the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast.
“He and I have talked,” said Ross, “but at the time we talked, he didn’t know what he was going to do and he didn’t sound overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it.”
JR says Steve Austin is a perfectionist. He keeps himself in good physical condition. He can still cut a great promo and he can do a photoshoot looking like the Stone Cold fans remember.
Austin has turned down multiple offers to return over the past 19 years. If he were to agree to one more match, Ross feels that Austin would want at least 6 months to train and get himself into the shape he’d be satisfied with.
The drama surrounding Cody Rhodes’ next career move continues.
The American Nightmare was once considered a sure-thing to be joining WWE, but that is no longer the case. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided an update on what’s next for the former AEW Executive Vice President.
Just a couple weeks ago, Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins was planned as one of the top WrestleMania 38 matches. WWE hoped to have Cody signed by now and recently told the creative team to stop working on ideas for the former AEW EVP.
“The creative team was only told that it was not 100 percent that he was coming in, when they believed it was a done deal with the key parts of creative having already been worked out for him to debut,” wrote Meltzer.
He added, “They were told this week to hold off on working on Rhodes vs. Rollins until Rhodes signs the contract, because they had already worked on it, and then had to stop everything when they weren’t sure if Rhodes was coming.”
This does not sound encouraging, but it’s important to note that Cody Rhodes to WWE is far from a dead deal.
Cody Rhodes is said to be fielding multiple offers regarding the next stage of his career. He very well might end up in WWE, but the odds have undoubtedly decreatd.
Is Cody Rhodes angling for a better deal with WWE? Could we see him back in AEW, or even Ring of Honor, for that matter?
We’re going to continue monitoring this story closely. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Cody Rhodes’ next move.
Swerve Strickland is All Elite but another prominent promotion was knocking on his door.
Back in Nov. 2021, Strickland was surprisingly released by WWE. He along with other members of the group, Hit Row were given their walking papers despite just being called up to the main roster.
While the release was abrupt, many were convinced that Strickland wouldn’t be out of work for long. That hunch was correct as he is now a member of the AEW roster.
NJPW Tried Signing Swerve Strickland
Appearing on Adam Silverstein’s Getting Over Podcast, Swerve Strickland revealed he was first contacted by NJPW (h/t Fightful).
“My first call was New Japan. I was on the phone with Rocky Romero and talked with Will Ospreay about it. That’s a little brother to me, he wants me to be over there as much as them.
“My cousin, Will Washington, who helped produce ‘Who We Are’ AEW album, he talks with Tony Khan frequently and does a lot of media scrums as well. He also does the Grapsody podcast with Righteous Reg and Phil Lindsey, shoutout to them. Tony Khan reached out to him because we’re family and was like, ‘what can we do about getting him here?’
“That was the bug in the ear. I was happy about interest being there really early on. I didn’t want to just show up there. I’m glad I had the 90 days. It gave me time to go out, travel, build a team, network, meet other people.
“I went to LA for 12 days and met so many people in the industry and outside the industry, in the music industry, fashion. I’m building a podcast team, a music team.”
Swerve made his AEW debut at the Revolution PPV. He’ll have his first match with the promotion against Tony Nese on the March 11 episode of Rampage.
Brock Lesnar has shared his take on Logan Paul having a presence within the WWE Universe.
Paul ate a Stunner from Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 37 last year and he’s returning to “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” At WrestleMania 38, Paul will team with The Miz to take on Rey & Dominik Mysterio. The match will be featured on night one of the event on April 2.
Brock Lesnar Supports Logan Paul
Brock Lesnar will be headlining night two of WrestleMania against Roman Reigns in a title unification bout. Speaking to the NY Post, Lesnar said he digs what Logan Paul and his brother Jake Paul have been able to do.
“Great for YouTube. I’m happy for those guys. They worked at something. They built their name up. They thought outside the box, they promoted themselves.”
As far as whether or not Logan can hang with WWE superstars, Lesnar thinks it’s possible.
“Can he become a professional wrestler? Maybe if he puts as much ambition into that.”
One celebrity who has garnered the respect of the WWE locker room is Bad Bunny. Many have praised the Latino music star for his dedication to the wrestling business. Randy Orton has gone as far as to say he considers Bad Bunny a full-fledged WWE superstar.
Whether or not Logan Paul can obtain that same level of respect remains to be seen.
Early PPV buy estimates are trickling in for last weekend’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view from Orlando, FL.
The main event saw Hangman Adam Page successfully defend the AEW World Championship against Adam Cole. The event also had CM Punk get revenge against MJF in a highly anticipated Dog Collar Match.
According to Dave Meltzer, Revolution is estimated to have sold approximately 110,000 buys on the Bleacher Report and FITE streaming services.
Factoring in buys from traditional pay-per-view providers, Meltzer believes AEW Revolution could finish in the range of 145,000-170,000 total buys.
If AEW Revolution 2022 did on the low end of estimates, with 145,000 buys, the show would still be considered a huge success. It would be the most-purchased Revolution ever and the second-most purchased PPV in company history.
AEW Revolution Historical Buys (Estimated figures by Wrestlenomics)
AEW Revolution 2020: 90,000 buys
AEW Revolution 2021: 135,000 buys
AEW Revolution 2022: 145,000-170,000 buys
All Out Remains AEW’s Biggest PPV of All Time
AEW Revolution’s early numbers are impressive. However, the company is still hoping to surpass its biggest PPV of all time, All Out. The PPV took place on Sep. 5, 2021. at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. AEW heavily promoted the event with the in-ring return of CM Punk. All Out earned 205,000 buys and grossed over $10 million in revenue.
The company’s second-highest PPV is the Nov. 13, 2021 event Full Gear at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The big moment from the event was Page defeating AEW World Champion Kenny Omega for the title. The event earned 145,000 buys and four million in revenue.
If AEW Revolution does 146,000 buys, it will surpass Full Gear 2021 as the company’s second-biggest PPV ever. Although All Out remains AEW’s most successful PPV, their PPV numbers stay above 100,000.
AEW last PPV under 100,000 was Full Gear 2020 from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, which did 85,000 buys.
William Regal is apologizing to his new co-workers after his promo on AEW Dynamite ran a bit longer than expected.
Regal made his AEW Dynamite debut on Wednesday night. He managed Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson in their first match as a tag team. The duo defeated The WorkHorsemen, JD Drake & Anthony Henry.
After the match, Tony Schiavone hosted an in-ring promo segment, which saw Regal addressing Schiavone, Danielson and Moxley, individually. Regal profoundly thanked Schiavone for taking him under his wing roughly three decades ago in WCW. He raved about Bryan Danielson being the perfect professional wrestler and Moxley’s unmatched determination to win. Regal put every tag team in AEW on notice.
The segment went longer than scheduled, which apparently created some timing issues for what followed. On Thursday afternoon, Regal issued the following statement on social media.
“This is a Professional note from me as I have no other form of SM and would rather my new colleagues see this as I don’t like gossip. I’m am very sorry to everyone effected by my time issues last night. I apologized to everyone personally effected.”
He added, “I should be showing people by example and being a Pro and hitting my times.”
Watch William Regal’s emotional message from AEW Dynamite:
WWE Evil, a new 8-part docu-series, is coming to Peacock starting March 24th.
Executive produced and narrated by John Cena, each 1-hour episode WWE Evil looks inside the evil minds of the most iconic names in WWE history.
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan will be the subject of the first episode. Other episodes will focus on the Brothers of Destruction, Stephanie McMahon, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Ric Flair, Sasha Banks and The Miz.
Here is the official trailer:
“As Peacock continues to expand its WWE programming, we are thrilled to bring the new original series ‘WWE Evil’ to platform, working with the one and only John Cena,” said Benny Reuven, Vice President of Entertainment Unscripted Content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “There is no one better to take viewers into the minds of WWE’s fiercest villains than Cena himself. We can’t wait for WWE fans to devour this series.”
According to a press release sent in to SEScoops, each episode of this psychological exposé dives deep into a single infamous heel, unveiling rare behind-the-scenes details from some of the biggest names in the industry.
WWE Evil Episode Guide
EPISODE 1 – “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan: Hulk Hogan goes “Hollywood”, betraying his fans and beliefs to become the personification of evil.
EPISODE 2 – The Miz: From reality star to Superstar; Mike Mizanin took fame to new heights with his villainous alter-ego, The Miz.
EPISODE 3 – Sasha Banks: There’s a villain inside all of us. Sasha Banks unleashes hers to become “The Boss”.
EPISODE 4 – Brothers of Destruction: Brothers and sworn enemies The Undertaker and Kane align to become the ultimate evil duo in WWE.
EPISODE 5 – Randy Orton: Randy Orton’s “evil” evolution into the “Legend Killer” unleashes the true demons lurking within.
EPISODE 6 – Stephanie McMahon: Stephanie McMahon steps out of her father’s shadow to forge a legacy of power and corruption in WWE.
EPISODE 7 – Ric Flair: Witness how the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” Ric Flair became one of WWE’s greatest villains.
EPISODE 8 – Roman Reigns: From hated good guy to beloved bad guy; Roman Reigns finds new life by embracing his dark side.
For more information on the new WWE Evil series coming to Peacock, visit Business Wire.
WWE and 2K hope to revitalize the WWE 2K series with WWE 2K22.
After more than two years from producing a WWE game, 2K will release the ninth installment of the WWE 2K series on Mar. 11. However, if you buy the NWO edition, you could’ve played the game on Mar. 8.
Buy WWE 2K22 now from Amazon
WWE 2K22 hopes to correct the mistakes of the failure of their previous game. WWE 2K20 was barely playable upon release on Oct. 21, 2019. The game was such a failure that WWE 2K21 was scrapped entirely. 2K vowed to re-conceptualize the once-beloved franchise and provide fans the best-in-class wrestling video game they deserve.
The question is, did they succeed?
(Via 2K)
(Note: I played the NWO Edition for Xbox Series X for this review)
WWE 2K22 Graphics and Gameplay
WWE 2K22 graphics are excellent, and the best any WWE game has ever looked. 2K did an excellent job on the face models. I didn’t notice any glitches upon the first couple of matches, and the crowd models looked good compared to previous games.
WWE 2k22 gameplay is more challenging than different WWE 2K games. The game starts with a much-needed tutorial with Drew Gulak, and it introduces a new combo system where you can land several strikes and finish with the different grappling moves.
The game changed the way you reverse and counter moves. The Y button (on Xbox) allows you to counter, which I thought the animation looked smooth. In this game, Reversal is about timing, as you have to press Y at the right time of an attack. You can also hold the button to block strikes, which is the first I’ve seen in a WWE game. Depending on your character build, you can also roll out of the way or dodge.
Another gameplay feature is that an opponent can be vulnerable to big moves if they are stunned. This element makes a player think strategically about causing enough damage to make an unavoidable finishing move.
(Via 2K)
Rey Mysterio Showcase Mode
The WWE 2K22 cover star is Rey Mysterio, who also has his own WWE Showcase mode. 2K chose Mysterio because he’s entering his 20th year as a WWE Superstar. The latest 2K series game recreates Mysterio’s most memorable matches and moments. Although, wrestling fans may be conflicted about 2K’s choices to highlight.
Mysterio’s showcase breaks into four parts with 12 matches, Viva La Raza, El Campeon, Su Majestad, and La Leyenda. He narrates his early beginnings and mentions his career in ECW AND WCW. The game also shows footage from moments of his career before you play one of his matches.
WWE 2K22 only has one match from his time in WCW. You get to play Mysterio against Eddie Guerrero in their famous match from Halloween Havoc on Oct. 26, 1997. It is disappointing that you don’t get the whole experience like in past games, and you don’t get to have the players recreate the entrances. After completing the Halloween Havoc, The showcase then jumps to his match against Guerrero at Wrestlemania 21 on Apr. 3, 2005.
2K decided to have actual footage of the match instead of recreating the moments like in past games. You play the match, and then going to a cut scene could disinterest players that wanted to relive those moments by playing them. The objectives they have you do in the game don’t add to these cut scenes. You are playing a wrestling match and inflicting damage until it requires you to make a move to cause the cut scene.
Unfortunately, 2K couldn’t get other Mysterio matches from WCW or ECW. The showcase mode falls short, and it’s a shame 2K couldn’t have more moments from Mysterio’s career.
(Via 2K)
WWE 2K My GM Mode
WWE 2K22 brings back a fan favorite mode that WWE games haven’t used since the WWE Smackdown vs. Raw series.
My GM Mode allows you to play between your created character, William Regal, Adam Pierce, Sonya Deville, Stephanie, and Shane McMahon. Each character has a particular perk you can use as a general manager. For example, Regal allows you to sign a legend to your roster for free. You can choose to be a general manager for Smackdown, Raw, NXT, or NXT UK. Each brand also has unique perks.
The max that the GM Mode can last is 50 weeks. You choose another general manager to be your rival and have a draft. You start with 2.75 million dollars as your budget to draft talent for your brand.
The game gives you tips on what could help your brand. WWE 2K lets you know who is a draw, if they are babyface or heel, and how much they cost. It also allows you to see how each wrestler’s style can make a good match. After you draft your roster, you decide who your champion is and book your first show. You could also sign free agents or legends to your roster, as long as you have the budget.
Unfortunately, you can’t do different match types that don’t involve either a tag team or singles match. While it could be disappointing, the WWE 2K22 GM Mode is a step in the right direction and has the most replay value from the newest modes. WWE 2K22 fans could strategize and be creative on putting on the best show. GM Mode is rewarding and welcomed to the WWE 2K series.
(Via 2K)
My Rise Mode
My Rise is 2K’s attempt at making a wrestling career mode enjoyable. While it does introduce a new story, it still lacks ambition and creativity.
You get to create your superstar and rise from the performance center to the main roster. When creating your character, you also pick the superstar background that will give you attribute bonuses like MMA or Pro athlete.
My Rise doesn’t offer an improvement on the WWE version of my career. The character model during cut scenes is terrible. For example, the people you interact with barely change their facial expressions, and the voice acting doesn’t really synch up with the character. While My Rise may be a step up in the 2K Series, fans should keep in mind the work 2K does for the NBA2K series.
When you compare the two, you can tell 2K isn’t putting enough attention to detail or creativity into WWE’s career mode. NBA 2K series feels like your created character is playing in the NBA and dealing with potential issues basketball players face. WWE 2K22 feels like your playing a story that doesn’t resemble a wrestler’s rise to WWE stardom.
(Via 2K)
MY Faction Mode
My faction mode is 2K’s experiment into copying the success of NBA2K’s My Team. Like NBA 2K’s version, my faction mode is a collectible card game that allows you to create your faction. You can either win challenges or buy card packs to continue to add new wrestlers into your faction.
WWE 2K22 version of a collectible card game is a fascinating concept. The mode can make you want to go through challenges to unlock rewards. However, the downside is that it’s single players only. Hopefully, the next WWE 2K game allows players to use their factions online to compete against each other.
Overall Thoughts & Score for WWE 2K22
WWE 2K22 is a significant improvement from their last game and could arguably be one of the best in the WWE 2K series. It seems 2K wanted to redeem themselves for WWE 2K20, which fans may believe they did. However, that’s not to say that WWE 2K22 doesn’t have flaws. The Mysterio showcase and the lack of new match types could disappoint wrestling fans. While the My GM mode could be a fun addition to the new game, it still has room for improvement.
Regardless, fans may believe the gameplay and the graphics are worth trying WWE 2K22 alone. I played several matches, and I can’t wait to play with others. If you like wrestling games and the WWE 2K series, WWE 2K22 is a satisfying ninth installment.
2K has announced all the WWE 2K22 DLC packs, introducing 28 new Superstars and celebrity guests to the roster.
In the months following WWE 2K22’s launch, all-new content will be made available for purchase in five different content packs, each loaded with notable stars such as Stacey Keibler, Mr. T, Logan Paul, Ronda Rousey, and more.
Below, you’ll find the release date of each content pack available post-launch, as well as the Superstars and celebrities they contain.
Banzai Pack*
Release Date: April 26
Yokozuna
Umaga
Rikishi
Omos
Kacy Catanzaro
Most Wanted Pack*
Release Date: May 17
Cactus Jack
The Boogeyman
Vader
Ilja Dragunov
Indi Hartwell
Stand Back Pack*
Release Date: June 7
Hurricane Helms
Stacy Keibler
A-Kid
Wes Lee
Nash Carter
Clowning Around Pack*
Release Date: June 28
Doink the Clown
Ronda Rousey
The British Bulldog
Mr. T
Doudrop
Rick Boogs
The Whole Dam Pack*
Release Date: July 19
Rob Van Dam
Logan Paul
Machine Gun Kelly
LA Knight
Xia Li
Commander Azeez
Sarray
*All DLC packs are included in the Season Pass be purchased separately. DLC packs are also included in the Deluxe and nWo Editions.
WWE let go a lot of stars for budgetary reasons last year. However, Lince Dorado was one of the few names who actually went ahead and asked for his release from the promotion. Per the former Lucha House Party member, he was very frustrated with the lack of collaboration in WWE’s storytelling. He couldn’t continue bringing the frustration home to his family, so he decided to quit the company.
The high flyer appeared on The Sessions with Renée Paquette. He discussed how he had a well-paying job with the promotion and it was difficult to quit. According to him, for somebody who loves pro wrestling, the job of showing up and doing what you were told was very easy. On the same time, it was very frustrating for someone who wanted to contribute more than that.
“Of course, it was difficult to say I quit, right? Because that’s ultimately what I did. I quit. I said, ‘this is not for me, because you’ll not fulfilling me creatively.’ The job was easy, Renee. The job is easy for somebody who loves pro wrestling, the job is easy, but [for] somebody who loves pro wrestling, the job is very frustrating.” said Lince Dorado, “Because WWE is not a wrestling company. They’re a movie company. Somebody who loves pro wrestling and understands that and wants to contribute, it’s frustrating.
I kept going home and bringing home back [that frustration], taking that frustration back on my family and being so secluded. Just not wanting to be around anybody. Even to the point of my kids, they know not to watch my matches. They don’t watch my matches [because] daddy loses. They’re just so numb to wrestling because of that feeling. It’s just frustrating. [With all that] I was like, ‘You know what? fuck that. I would never ever jeopardize my family’s integrity and mood because I feel like I’m not getting what I deserve or what we deserved.'”
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Bron Breakker made an impressive Raw debut this week. Though the one thing that many noted was uncharacteristic for the former NXT champion was his smile.
The rising superstar recently had an interview with Jon Alba on One-On-One. Among other things, he discussed his appearance on the red branded show.
Breakker claimed that being part of show was a great experience. According to him, just being on Raw was a unique feeling and it was an honor:
“It was such an honor for me to be there. So cool. I got to meet and talk with a ton of the superstars, they gave me all kinds of tips and helps, things they wanted to extend to me to help me be successful. It was a blast,”
When asked about the piece of advice that stood out to him, Bron Breakker said “Probably smile more.”
Though the NXT star didn’t take specific names. He claimed that everyone was telling him that. He said that it’s one of the things that he has to work on.
Breakker explained that he has to take the advice and figure out how to make it his own. He has to find out how to make it unique in his own way.
When MVP underwent a knee surgery back in September last year, it was estimated that he would stay out of action for 4 to 6 weeks. However, 6 months later, the former US champion is yet to return to in-ring action for WWE. This has made many wonder about his health and recovery.
MVP himself provided some update on his condition on Wrestling With Freddie podcast. He claimed that he is going through physical assessment to get cleared:
“I’m going through my physical assessment to get cleared to get back in the ring because I had that knee injury for a while. It’s all healed up, it’s just a matter of me jumping through hoops to make sure I’m physically capable of performing in the ring. I’m feeling good. “
MVP revealed that his torn meniscus is healed completely. Now it’s a matter of rebuilding the strength in the leg. Per the Raw star, his teardrop is gone and they are working on building that back up:
“My cardio is much better than I thought it would be because I actually hired a trainer and have been working on it. I’m further along than I thought I would be, fortunately, my back isn’t gasping for air. I feel pretty damn good.”
The former champion last wrestled during the September 6, 2021 episode of Raw. He teamed up with Bobby Lashley to win a tag team turmoil match.
Natalya is still very active in the wrestling business. It doesn’t appear that she is looking to wind down anytime soon, but Dana Brooke believes that right now is the perfect time to induct her into Hall Of Fame.
The 2-time 24/7 champion had an interview with NBC 5 Chicago. Among other things, she also explained why the wrestling veteran should be inducted right now.
Brooke was asked who should be the next female to be inducted into Hall Of Fame. Replying to it, she mentioned how Natalya recently made a Guinness world record:
“She’s a current WWE Superstar, but she’s been here for so, so long; it would have to be Natalya. You know, I know that she’s not retired but she is a legend, a living legend.
And that’s exactly who she is, she’s in the Guinness Book of World Records right now, and she has paved the way from where she started to where she is now.”
Dana Brooke explained that a Hall Of Fame induction doesn’t have to be the end of Natalya’s career. According to her, the current time is the best moment to capitalize on the buzz around her:
“It doesn’t mean that she can’t wrestle in the future, but I feel that the time is now and you have to capitalize on that moment. And that’s what we should do, is capitalize on Natalya’s moment.”
Brooke said that it would be amazing for Natalya to be inducted right now. She claimed that the best is yet to come for the Hart Dynasty member.
How would you feelabout Natalya being inducted into Hall Of Fame this year? Let us know in the comment section
The wrestling fans can be very tough on wrestlers or companies they do not like, and Matt Jackson recently had one such unpleasant experience with some fans. The AEW EVP appeared on the What Women Binge podcast. During the talk, he revealed that his brother recently lost one of his bags full of shoes:
“The other week, my brother’s bag disappeared. Entire bag, gone. He’s still — he’ll never get it back, like, the whole bag is gone and the number is erased so we think someone’s onto us now at the airports. Like, I think we did a little too much bragging online about, ‘Look, we have all these great expensive shoes‘. I think they found us.”
Matt Jackson went on to mention how wrestling has the most toxic fanbase in the world. While there are good fans, there are others who are only here to spread hate:
“Wrestling has the most toxic fanbase in the world. They’re the worst. Honestly, like, there’s a lot of good fans. The ones that love you, love you. But the ones that hate you, they hate you.”
The Young Bucks won a tag team casino battle royal during the March 2 episode of Dynamite to earn a shot at the tag team championships. However, they were unable to capture the championships during the Revolution PPV.
Tonight’s episode of Dynamite was filled with many surprises and one of them was Scorpio Sky beating Sammy Guevara to become the new TNT champion.
This match was the main event of the night. The two men wasted no time and the match was taken outside the ring not too long after the bell rang.
Guevara broke out a table very early in the match. He set up Sky on the table and launched himself. However, Scorpio moved away, leaving Sammy to take the damage.
After this spot, Tay Conti came down to check on her boyfriend. The doctors decided to take the champion out but he argued and made his way back into the ring.
Sammy spat on his opponent and they started brawling again. Conti on the other hand got into an argument with the newest AEW signee Paige VanZant at the ringside.
The ending of the match saw Dan Lambert coming out and getting on the apron. Ethan Page tried to interfere in the match but Conti stopped him.
This led to VanZant attacking the Brazilian star and launching her into the stairs. The attack distracted Guevara, which allowed Sky to hit the TKO and pin Sammy to become the new champion.
This is Scorpio Sky’s first singles title in AEW. The title change ends Guevara’s 42 days long reign with the belt, which he won from Cody Rhodes.
AEW had been teasing tensions between Chris Jericho and Inner Circle’s Santana and Ortiz for a while. This storyline came to an unexpected conclusion on tonight’s episode of Dynamite.
Sunday’s Revolution PPV saw Eddie Kingston picking up a victory over the former AEW champion. Y2J opened tonight’s show right from where he left things during the PPV.
Jericho called out Kingston to the ring. He offered to shake the hand of The Mad King and Eddie took the offer. Though 2point0 and Daniel Garcia jumped the two men immediately afterward.
Santana and Ortiz hit the ring to make the save. They brought a bat with them to get the upper hand. The duo handed the bat to Jericho as they held Garcia.
However, Chris Jericho attacked his Inner Circle teammates instead. Both 2point0 and Garcia joined him in the attack.
Jake Hager came down the ring next and he first questioned the Inner Circle leader. He then blasted Santana and Ortiz as well. He smashed Kingston with the bat and power bombed him through a table.
Chris Jericho finally took the mic and dubbed this new alliance the Jericho Appreciation Society. You can check out videos of the segment below:
AEW Dynamite aired live from the Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. It was the first episode of Dynamite following AEW Revolution. In addition the takeaways below, FTR fired Tully Blanchard as their manager during a backstage interview.
Hangman Page def. Dante Martin to retain the AEW Championship
Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley def. The WorkHorsemen
PAC def. Wheeler Yuta via submission
Jurassic Express def. The Acclaimed to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
Thunder Rosa def. Leyla Hirsch to earn a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship next week
Scorpio Sky def. Sammy Guevara to become the new TNT Champion
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Chris Jericho Attacked Eddie Kingston, New Faction Formed
Chris Jericho kicked off the show to a great reaction. Jericho said he had the best match of his AEW career against Eddie Kingston at Revolution. Chris thanked Kingston for bringing the best out of him and congratulated him on winning the big one. Jericho claimed that he refused to shake Eddie’s hand out of frustration and a loud “shake his hand” chant broke out. Jericho said he wanted to apologize Kingston face to face and shake his hand. A very loud “Eddie!” chant broke out and Kingston made his way to the ring.
Kingston claimed that he didn’t want to show up at the PPV and go out and drink to forget about his problems. Eddie said that Jericho got in his head because he has lost every big one. Kingston shouted at a fan chanting “what” every couple seconds to show some respect and noted that Steve Austin isn’t here. Kingston was inspired by the people who were moved by the Players Tribune article and hoped that he did them proud at Revolution.
Eddie told Jericho that it’s not his fault that he got frustrated and didn’t shake his hand. Jericho told Kingston that he couldn’t sleep for the past two nights and told Eddie that he respected him. Jericho thanked Eddie for giving him one of the best matches of his career and extended his hand. The two shook hands before 2point0 and Daniel Garcia attacked them.
Chris Jericho then attacked Santana & Ortiz with he baseball bat and Jake Hager rushed the ring. Hager joined in on the beat down of Santana, Ortiz, and Eddie Kingston. Hager then Powerbombed Eddie Kingston off the ring apron and through a table below. Chris grabbed a microphone and said “this is the Jericho Appreciation Society and that is entertainment” while pointing the baseball bat at Kingston on the floor.
Hangman Adam Page defended the AEW Championship against Dante Martin in the first match of the night. Dante showed off his athleticism and flipped out of a wrist lock to begin the action. The two locked up in the middle of the ring before Hangman connected with a couple shoulder tackles. Martin shrugged them off and hit a Dropkick that sent Page to the corner.
Page kept walking forward as Dante was unloading chops to his chest. Dante went for a Crossbody but Hangman caught him (eventually, he fell down at first). Page then hit a Fallaway Slam and sent Dante Martin out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Dante hit an Enziguri and climbed to the top turnbuckle for a Dropkick. Dante went for the cover but Hangman powered out at two and the world title match continued. Dante knocked the champion out of the ring and hit a springboard Moonsault on the outside.
Back in the ring, the high-flying challenger went back to the top turnbuckle and leaped into a Powerbomb from the champion for a close two count. Page paced around before Dante grabbed onto his boot. Hangman booted him away and eventually caught him with a Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall victory. Dante did his best to avoid it but in the end the champion connected to retain the AEW World Championship.
Tony Schiavone got in the ring with the champion after the victory and asked him about his victory over Adam Cole at Revolution. Hangman asked that Dante Martin get into the ring and complimented him on making it to a world title match after his brother’s injury forced him to become a single’s competitor. Page told Dante Martin that he’d be glad to do it again if he ever made it back here.
Adam Cole interrupted and told Hangman Page that he proved that he was not untouchable at Revolution. Cole said that Hangman got lucky and called it a fluke win. Cole challenged Hangman Page to a 6-man tag match next week and said that his partners know Page better than he knows himself. Cole claimed that Page’s days as AEW Champion are numbered because he is going to take the title from him.
William Regal Spoke After Moxley & Danielson’s First Win As A Team
Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley faced JD Drake & Anthony Henry tonight on Dynamite. William Regal accompanied Bryan Danielson to the ring.
Moxley sent Drake to the corner and stomped on him several times. Danielson tagged in and unloaded some kicks to JD’s chest. Anthony Henry tagged in and unloaded some kicks but Danielson shrugged them off. Moxley tagged back and beat the hell out of Henry in the corner of the ring. Bryan got the tag and connected with some chops and kicks to Henry’s chest.
Danielson locked in a submission hold before tagging in Moxley. Jon hit a release Suplex and went for the cover but Anthony Henry kicked out at two. Henry hit a boot to the face and followed it up with a missile Dropkick off the top turnbuckle. JD Drake tagged in and traded strikes with Moxley.
Jon got the better of the exchange. and leveled Drake with a Clothesline Moxley tagged out and hit Henry with a Suicide Dive. Moxley then hit a Suplex as Danielson connected with he running knee to JD Drake’s face. Danielson stomped on his face a couple times before applying the LeBell Lock for the submission victory.
Tony Schiavone and William Regal got into the ring after the match for an interview. The crowd loudly chanted “Regal” as William told Tony that it has been 29 years since they have been on TV together. Regal noted that he is not long for this world, there are too many empty bottles and joked “a few broken hearts”. Regal got emotional and thanked Tony for being one of the first people to really help him.
Regal joked that he is no longer required to be at his old job and he completely checked out of the industry. William said it peaked his interest that Bryan Danielson mentioned him on Dynamite. Regal added that Danielson is the wrestler that he should of been and he is the perfect professional wrestler.
William added that Danielson never had the addiction problems he had and turned to Moxley. Regal noted that Moxley is a sadistic person that will take things to another level. Regal warned the rest of the teams to step up or they will get stepped on.
PAC faced Wheeler Yuta tonight on Dynamite. Best Friends and Death Triangle were ringside for the match and Orange Cassidy had his arm in a sling. PAC and Yuta went back and forth as Dynamite went to a commercial break before the match really got going.
When Dynamite returned, Wheeler connected with a release German Suplex that sent Pac flying across the ring. Yuta followed it up with an Atomic Drop, Enziguri, and a Crossbody off the top turnbuckle for a near fall. Pac responded with a kick and then a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Pac planted Wheeler with a big Superplex and then applied the Brutalizer for the submission victory.
Jeff Hardy Made His AEW Debut & Helped His Brother
Andrade El Idolo tried to get the rest of the members of Hardy Family Office to vote Matt Hardy out of the group. Private Party initially gave the thumbs up and turned it to a thumbs down. Butcher, Blade, Private Party, and Andrade El Idolo then beat Matt Hardy down. Andrade leveled Matt with a running boot to the face.
Darby Allin & Sting showed up and made their way down the entrance ramp as Andrade grabbed a steel chair. They got into the ring and a brawl broke out. The numbers game eventually caught up to them and they were beaten down. Jeff Hardy’s theme hit and he rushed the ring to a big pop from the crowd. Jeff hit a Jawbreaker on Butcher before everyone surrounded Blade. Matt hit a Twist of Fate on Blade and Jeff climbed to the top turnbuckle for a Swanton Bomb. Jeff and Matt had a brief stare down with Darby & Sting to end the segment.
Wardlow Spoke Ahead Of His TNT Championship Match Next Week
Tony Schiavone interviewed Wardlow tonight on Dynamite about turning his back on MJF at Revolution. Wardlow said he found himself making sure Max was fulfilling his dreams and asked the crowd to forgive him for associating with such trash. He admitted that he grew up very poor and Max saved him from that, but that doesn’t give MJF the right to disrespect him.
Wardlow noted that he was still under contract with Max but doesn’t give a damn and wants to move on from The Pinnacle because he is finally free. Wardlow warned Max to just be smart and let him out of his contract. He closed the promo by saying he wants the TNT Championship next week and will not stop there because AEW is “Wardlow’s World”.
The Acclaimed (Caster & Bowens) faced Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) tonight on Dynamite in a AEW Tag Team Championship match. Bowens and Caster controlled the action early and isolated Jungle Boy in the ring. Caster connected with an Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Luchasaurus broke it up at two.
Caster Dropkicked the boombox into Luchasaurus’ face and The Acclaimed followed it up with a double team move for a near fall. Caster wrapped a chain around his fist but Christian Cage dragged him out of the ring. Luchasaurus leveled Max with a Clothesline and got Bowns up in the Electric Chair in the ring. Jungle Boy climbed to the top rope for a Clothesline for the pinfall victory. Jurassic Express are still the AEW Tag Team Champions.
Thunder Rosa Earned Another Shot At Britt Baker Next Week
Thunder Rosa squared off against Leyla Hirsch tonight on Dynamite. The winner of the match will face Britt Baker next week for the AEW Women’s Championship. Leyla controlled the action early as Dynamite went to a break. When Dynamite returned, Hirsch climbed to the middle turnbuckle but Rosa struck her from behind.
Rosa joined Hirsch up on the top turnbuckle and connected with a Superplex. Thunder Rosa followed it up with a Clothesline and went for the cover but Leyla powered out at two. Hirsch slammed Thunder Rosa’s wrist onto the canvas and grabbed a steel beam from under the ring. Red Velvet broke it up and rolled Ley back into the ring. Hirsch got Rosa in an Armbreaker but she got to the ropes. Rosa hit the Fire Thunder Driver for the pinfall victory and will face Britt Baker next week for the AEW Women’s Championship in her hometown. Tony Schiavone then made yet another on screen appearance to announce that it will be a Steel Cage match. Britt Baker responded in a backstage promo and vowed to retain her title next week.
Scorpio Sky Captured The TNT Title, Paige VanZant Signs With AEW
Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky in the main event on tonight’s show. The winner of the match will defend the title next week against Wardlow. Dan Lambert and Ethan Page were ringside and set up a table. Sammy took control and put Scorpio on top of the table. Guevara motioned that he is crazy and climbed to the top rope. Guevara then went for a 630 Senton and crashed through the table after Scorpio Sky rolled out of the way. Tay Conti ran ringside to check on him.
Guevara was helped up the entrance ramp by Conti and a member of the medical staff during the break. However, once Dynamite returned from a commercial the TNT Champion refused to end the match and marched back to the ring. Scorpio Sky continued the beatdown and mocked Tay Conti. Paige VanZant was in the front row and traded words with Tay as Sky hit a Backbreaker.
Scorpio applied a Headlock as Tay slammed on the ring apron like a maniac to try to fire up Sammy. Guevara battled to his feet and broke the hold. Guevara connected with a springboard Cutter and went for the cover but Scorpio Sky kicked out at two. Dan Lambert hopped on the ropes for a distraction as Ethan Page tried to get into the ring. Tay stopped her but Paige VanZant attacked her. VanZant sent Tay into the steel steps as Sky hit the TKO for the pinfall victory. Scorpio Sky is the new TNT Champion. Paige VanZant signed her AEW contract on Tay Conti’s backside and posed with Men of the Year & Lambert to close the show.
Sting and Darby Allin ran out to make the save, but they were out numbered. The former WWE star came out to the classic Hardy Boyz music to clear the ring and hit a Swanton Bomb.
Ever since he was released by WWE, AEW has been the most likely place where he would end up as it’s the second biggest promotion in the United States, and his brother, Matt, works for the company.
Last December, Hardy was released in December following a situation at a live event where he teamed with Drew McIntyre and King Xavier Woods where he looked sluggish before the match and left in the middle of the match through the crowd.
Once Hardy turned down WWE’s offer for help to go to rehab, the company released him. WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis called Hardy to get him back, which included an offer to put him in the 2022 Hall of Fame class. He turned down the offer and asked for the results from his drug test, which took six weeks to get back.
Hardy stated in an interview last month that he was headed to AEW and excited about it only to have to walk back those comments by stating on Twitter that nothing had been signed yet as Hardy was still under contract with WWE. If Hardy didn’t dismiss what he said then it could be viewed as proof of AEW tampering with a contracted WWE star as his non-compete clause didn’t expire until March 9th.
