Samoa Joe spoke about how this process worked for him when he appeared on Kinda Funny Games Daily. He was asked about how WWE was still able to keep him in the game despite him no longer being in the company.
“Built into our contract is a licensing agreement,” he said. “I am Samoa Joe, that’s my trademark that I own. For me, it’s a little different than most guys because I have a licensing agreement and we negotiated our price based off that.
It’s essentially the same type of thing with guys who don’t have their own name. When you leave there, that character is still there for their properties.”
WWE 2K22 is now available on all platforms. Make sure to check out our WWE 2K22 Review. You can buy WWE 2K22 now from Amazon.
What’s Next For Samoa Joe?
Samoa Joe is still currently under a non-compete clause with the WWE. His 90 days will be up on April 6, 2022. Samoa Joe will be inducted into the Ring of Honor Hall of Fame as a part of the 2022 class. He will be inducted with Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, and the Briscoes.
H/T to Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription
It is time for the 2022 edition The Collective, presented by GCW, to take over Dallas, Texas.
On WrestleMania weekend, GCW will hold The Collective at Fair Park, which is the home of Big Tex and The Texas State Fair. From March 31 to April 2, The Collective will take place. It will feature live wrestling events, merchandise, food trucks, vendors, podcasts, games, stage shows, and more.
The Collective will feature 12 live wrestling events this year. Eight of those shows will be presented by GCW and the others are presented by Glory Pro Wrestling, Mission Pro Wrestling Unsanctioned Pro, and Black Label Pro.
This will be the go-to article for an updated list of the shows and matches that have been announced for this year’s edition of The Collective.
Where & How To Watch
Each of the shows are available for purchase individually on the FITE platform. However, there is also a bundle available for purchase that will host all of the events on a continuous stream. By buying GCW: The Collective 2022 bundle, you would save $37. The full bundle is available now for $139.99.
All of The Collective’s live events will take place indoors, inside The Embarcadero building at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas.
All Collective Live Events will take place indoors inside The Embarcadero building.
The GCW Wrld Fair will take place indoors in The Creative Arts Building.
The venues are connected by an interior lobby making for easy access during, before and after all live events! pic.twitter.com/JFMQzMf86g
Deathmatch for the GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Alex Colon (c) vs John Wayne Murdoch
GCW World Tag Team Championship: H8 Club (Nick Gage and Matt Tremont) (c) vs. SGC (Mance Warner and Matthew Justice) vs. The Briscoes (Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe)
Super Series of Survival Match: Team LA Fights (Titus Alexander, Bad Dude Tito, Hunter Freeman, Matt Vandagriff, Damian Drake, Jordan Cruz, Lucas Riley and Ju Dizz) vs Team JCW (Yoya, Janai Kai, Edith Surreal, Jordan Oliver, Charlie Tiger, Ellis Taylor, Bam Sullivan and Slade)
The Greatest Clusterf*ck: Maven, Jimmy Wang Yang, Jazzy Yang, Nasty Leroy, Kevin Matthews, Edith Surreal, Lord Adrean of the Walmart Dudes, Shazza McKenzie Kamikaze, Invisible Man, and Sean Ross Sapp
4-Way Tag Team Match: Pretty In Pink (Dillon McQueen & Kenzie Paige) vs Devon Monroe & Brooke Valentine vs Ashton Starr & AC Mack vs Maine State Poser (Aiden Aggro & DangerKid)
Big E and Goldberg appeared on Hot Ones: Truth Or Dab to answer questions, eat hot wings, and cut a promo on each other.
“Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat”
On the New Day: Feel The Power podcast back in 2020, Big E explained why Goldberg was his dream match while cutting the famous “big meaty men slapping meat” promo.
It seems like that promo led to the most recent edition of Hot Ones: Truth Or Dab YouTube show. Big E and Goldberg both competed in a truth-or-dare game with hot wings beginning the dare. On Hot Ones: Truth Or Dab, you must either truthfully answer the host’s question or eat a chicken wing with hot sauce on it.
Second Round: The Spicy Questions
In the second round, the host, Sean Evans brings the pressure to both Superstars by asking them spicier questions after an easy first round.
Evans says, “Big E, we’re back with you. Your tag team, The New Day, you guys have had a Hall of Fame career. But, I’m curious how you would rank yourself against your tag team partners, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, in an individual matchup.”
The former WWE Champion said, “Yeah, you know, you know I can’t do that. Yeah, we’re gonna- we’re gonna do this,” and then took a bite of a level two hot wing.
Big E declined to answer the question and chose to eat a hot wing. He had a lasting reaction but decided to try and ‘no-sell it’ for the most part.
When it was time for Goldberg to get a harder question, the multi-time champion had no problem answering.
Sean Evans asked, “Goldberg, perhaps it’s time for you to join the party. From interviewing wrestlers in the past, I know the pre-fight rituals is the stuff of locker room legend. Is there a wrestler who annoyed you the most behind the scenes, even if you respected what they brought to the ring?”
Goldberg responded with, “Oh yeah, how much time do I have? I’d say Scott Hall may be at the top of that list. 100%. As much as I’d like to eat these wings, I’d much rather select him as the number one guy in that category.”
Final Round: Line-For-Line Promos
Goldberg has always been Big E’s dream opponent, but this is the first time we’ve seen them go face to face. Towards the end of the video, Evans challenges the two former champions to face off, eat hot wings, and cut back-and-forth promos on each other. This line-for-line promo battle ends with a simulated 2K22 matchup.
If you use the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription.
Mia Yim was released from WWE on November 4, and now her first match since being in WWE has been announced.
Mia Yim vs. Athena Booked For WrestleCon
WrestleCon has announced that Yim’s return match will take place at the March Hitchcock Memorial SuperShow on March 31. She will be facing Athena who is formerly known as Ember Moon.
This is Mia’s first match following her release from WWE. She was released by WWE on November 4. Athena was also released from WWE on that same day. She has already returned to the ring with her most notable match being against Thunder Rosa at Warrior Wrestling 19.
The new AEW signing spoke to ESPN, and revealed that she did many of her first appearances with AEW for free, which led to her falling in love with wrestling.
Paige VanZant signed her AEW contract on this past Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. After Scorpio Sky won the TNT Championship, VanZant laid out Tay Conti, seemingly setting up her first feud. VanZant is a former UFC fighter and her record was 8-5. In addition to AEW, Paige is also signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. Paige first started making appearances in AEW back in September as a part of the American Top Team faction.
Paige On Venturing Into Pro Wrestling
Paige spoke with Marc Raimondi of ESPN and talked about her interest in wrestling and how she always considered venturing into professional wrestling.
VanZant said, “The more I got involved, the more I loved it. I just realized I was meant to be a part of the show. I wanted to be one of the wrestlers for them and I knew I would be really good at it.”
VanZant On Her Pro Wrestling Journey
VanZant will begin her pro wrestling training on Monday, March 14 with David Heath, aka Gangrel. ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reports that Van Zant will be training at Coastal Championship Wrestling in Pompano Beach, Florida. One of the coaches that work at Coastal Championship Wrestling is former WWF talent Gangrel.
“My only frustration so far with my whole pro-wrestling journey is I would show up and I said, ‘Hey, I want to jump off the ropes tonight. I want to slam someone through a table tonight — someone is getting slammed through a table.’ They’re like, uh, you should probably train first.
My only concern is they don’t let me do the crazy stuff right away. I want to go in there and I want to do all the crazy stuff. I want to fully immerse myself in this world,” Paige said.
You can watch video of Paige VanZant’s conversation with ESPN here:
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships And AEW Partnership
Bernie Bahrmasel, a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships spokesperson, has said before that BKFC and AEW will work together to develop her career. She has said that she has no plans to leave the promotion, and her AEW deal will still allow for her to work with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships.
It’s unclear how VanZant will balance working for AEW and BKFC. The injuries for BKFC could be significant that could impact her wrestling career. She’s also lost two bare-knuckle boxing fights by unanimous decision. Van Zant hasn’t shared if she’s contemplated retiring from professional fighting to focus on her wrestling career. Regardless, the former UFC fighter will begin training at Coastal Championship Wrestling to become elite in the wrestling ring.
The President of BKFC, David Feldman, previously said, “If she wins this fight, then she has a future. If she loses this fight, she’s probably not going to want to do this, either, and we’ll part ways amicably. But I don’t expect that to happen. I think she’s learned this craft, and she has a lot of tenacity. I do expect her to perform even better this time.”
VanZant has also explained that she still sees MMA in her future. We are unsure when Paige will work her in-ring debut with AEW.
H/T to Tyriece Simon for context regarding Paige’s training school and BKFC career
AEW Rampage aired tonight on TNT. Swerve Strickland made his AEW in-ring debut against Tony Nese. Mercedes Martinez battled Jamie Hayter, Darby Allin squared off against Marq Quen of Private Party, and Keith Lee battled QT Marshall on tonight’s show. In addition to the takeaways below, Scorpio Sky vowed to keep his undefeated streak alive and retain the TNT Championship against Wardlow on next week’s Dynamite.
Will @realwardlow be another footnote for TNT Champion @ScorpioSky's winning streak? We find out next WEDNESDAY on #AEWDynamite St. Patrick's Day Slam LIVE from San Antonio, TX!
Darby Allin Tapped Out Marq Quen, The Hardys Appeared
Darby Allin faced Sting in the first match of the night. Isiah Kassidy and Sting were ringside for the match. Quen controlled the action early and kept Allin grounded. Darby battled back and made his way up to the top turnbuckle for the Coffin Drop but Kassidy provided a distraction.
Sting took out Kassidy but Marq capitalized on the distraction and knocked Allin off the turnbuckle and to the floor. Quen climbed to the top rope and hit a crazy 450 Splash onto Darby below. Quen quickly got back into the ring but Darby was able to make it in as well just before a ten count and the match continued. Quen went for a Shooting Star Press but Darby dodged it and applied an Armbar for the submission victory.
After the match, Andrade El Idolo and his crew rushed the ring for an attack but Matt & Jeff Hardy made the save. The Hardys came down to the entrance ramp and Andrade Family Office retreated. Matt & Jeff were in matching ring gear and had another brief stare down with Darby Allin & Sting before Rampage went to a commercial.
Jamie Hayter faced Mercedes Martinez tonight on Rampage. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker & Rebel were in Hayter’s corner for the match. Martinez dominated the action early and leveled Hayter with a Clothesline as Rampage went to a commercial break.
When Rampage returned, Martinez hit a couple Suplexes and went for the cover but Hayter wouldn’t stay down. Martinez and Hayter battled to the top rope and Mercedes connected with a German Suplex. Jamie had a rough landing on her neck during the move but was alright. Baker tripped up Martinez off the top rope and Hayter capitalized with a Clothesline for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Thunder Rosa rushed the ring to break up the post match beatdown. Baker retreated and will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Thunder Rosa on Dynamite in a Steel Cage match.
Keith Lee faced QT Marshall tonight on Rampage and this one went just about as you’d expect. Lee launched QT around the ring like he was nothing to start off the match. QT battled back and was able to hit a missile Dropkick off the top turnbuckle. QT went for a Cutter but Lee countered into the Powerslam for the pinfall victory. After the match, Solo & Commorato went for an attack but Keith Lee fought them off with ease. Ricky Starks & Powerhouse rushed the ring and attacked Lee. Powerhouse Hobbs sent a message and planted Lee with a big Spinebuster to end the segment.
Swerve Strickland faced Tony Nese in the main event of this week’s edition of AEW Rampage. It was Strickland’s in-ring debut in All Elite Wrestling. Strickland appeared at Revolution this past Sunday and announced that he had signed with the promotion in an interview with Tony Schiavone. Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers before the match. Nese mocked Swerve and said that this isn’t a hip hop show. Strickland said he was a mogul and not just a rapper as Nese called him.
Nese and Strickland started off the match back and forth with neither wrestler gaining and advantage. Strickland caught Tony with a Dropkick to the face but Nese battled back. Tony got Strickand caught in the ring skirt and beat him down as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night.
When Rampage returned, Strickland dodged a Moonsault and unloaded some chops to Tony’s chest. Swerve followed it up with an uppercut and a Brainbuster for a close two count. Nese and Strickland battled to the corner of the ring. Nese slammed Strickland to the canvas and connected with a 450 Splash but Strickland somehow kicked out at two.
Strickland connected with a standing Double Stomp and went for the cover but Nese was Abe to kick out at two. Swerve hit an Enziguri and made his way to the top turnbuckle and connected with another Double Stomp for the pinfall victory.
WWE SmackDown aired live from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. In addition to the takeaways below, Jackass star Johnny Knoxville gave out Sami Zayn’s phone number ahead of their matchup at WrestleMania 38.
Sheamus & Ridge Holland def. Big E & Kofi Kingston
Sasha Banks & Naomi def. Natalya & Shayna Baszler
Rick Boogs def. Jey Uso to earn a shot at the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Ricochet def. Sami Zayn to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Paul Heyman Escaped Brock Lesnar
WWE Champion Brock Lesnar kicked off the show and didn’t stop on the entrance ramp to tip his cowboy hat this week. Lesnar was pissed about Roman Reigns attacking him at the WWE Live Event at Madison Square Garden and marched down to the ring. Brock raised the WWE Championship and grabbed a microphone.
Lesnar stood in silence for a bit before shouting “Roman Reigns!”. Brock said that Roman has changed the game and showed the wounds from the attack from the Tribal Chief. Lesnar said he doesn’t care about WrestleMania contracts or the WWE Championship right now and threw it out of the ring. Lesnar demanded that Reigns get his ass out here for a fight.
Paul Heyman interrupted to a chorus of boos. Heyman told the crowd to relax and announced that Universal Champion Roman Reigns was not here tonight. Lesnar told Heyman to shut up and chased him backstage. Lesnar tackled a few security guards and beat them down as Heyman escaped in a limo. Later on SmackDown, it was promoted that both Lesnar & Reigns will be at SmackDown next week.
Sheamus & Ridge Holland faced Big E & Kofi Kingston tonight. Pete Dunne, now known as “Butch” on the main roster, was ringside for the match. Butch was wearing a top hat, suspenders and was aligned with Holland & Sheamus.
Big E & Kofi dominated early but Big E missed with a Splash on the apron. Sheamus leveled Big E with a knee to the face and posed with Ridge as SmackDown went to a commercial.
When SmackDown returned, Kingston hit Sheamus with SOS and went for the cover but Holland broke it up at two. Ridge knocked Big E to the out of the ring and hit an overhead Suplex and Big E landed hard on his head. Butch provided a distraction and Sheamus capitalized with a Brogue Kick on Kofi for the pinfall victory. Big E looked to have been legitimately injured during the match and was stretchered out during the break.
*Big E provided an update that he has broken his neck but has all movement. You can check out Big E’s video message below.
Drew McIntyre was set for a match but Shanky & Jinder Mahal attacked him. Happy Corbin joined in on the attack and slammed McIntyre into the ring post. Madcap Moss joined the beat down but McIntyre battled back and hit him with a headbutt. Corbin retreated and McIntyre sent Moss to the outside. McIntyre planted Shanky with a slam and stared at Corbin. Drew grabbed Angela the sword and Shanky retreated. McIntyre will battle Happy Corbin at WrestleMania.
Sasha Banks and Naomi faced Natalya & Shayna Baszler tonight on SmackDown. Women’s Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella joined commentary for the match. Natalya connected with a Falcon Arrow for a two count and tagged in Baszler. Shayna applied a submission hold but Naomi was able to escape. Banks and Natalya tagged in and battled in the corner of the ring.
Banks connected with Double Knees and then slammed both Natalya & Shayna to the mat. Sasha followed it up with a Hurricanrana that sent Natalya onto the champions outside the ring. Sasha got distracted and Natalya hit a lariat for a near fall. Queen Zelina hopped on the apron again and Sasha launched Natalya onto her. Sasha then hit Natalya with a Codebreaker for the pinfall victory.
Ronda Rousey Vowed To Leave WrestleMania With The Title
Ronda Rousey cut a promo in the ring about her SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38. Rousey noted that Charlotte called her a “one trick pony” with her Armbar submission. Ronda said that she knows a thousand ways to get to that hold and has also picked up the Ankle Lock from Kurt Angle.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair interrupted and told Ronda that she shouldn’t be concerned with honoring her mentor (Kurt Angle) at WrestleMania, she should focus on trying to win on the biggest stage. Charlotte promised that she will not tap out to Rousey and Ronda noted that she has already made her tap. Charlotte then vowed to tap out Ronda at WrestleMania and exited the ring. Ronda told Charlotte that she cannot run away at WrestleMania and she’s leaving with the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Nakamura & Boogs Earned A Title Shot At WrestleMania
The Usos came to the ring for a promo about what their plans are at WrestleMania 38 as SmackDown Tag Team Champions. Jimmy & Jey claimed that nobody can step up to their level and beat them at WrestleMania. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs then interrupted. Jimmy suggested a singles match, if Boogs can beat Jey Uso, they will get a title shot at WrestleMania. Boogs revealed that his knee was no longer injured and quickly planted Jey with a Powerslam for the pinfall victory. Boogs & Nakamura will face The Usos at WrestleMania. After the match, The Usos beat Boogs down and smashed his guitar.
Ricochet Retained, Charlotte Flair Attacked Ronda Rousey Backstage
Ricochet defended the Intercontinental Championship against Sami Zayn tonight. Before the match started, Austin Theory showed up in a chair next to Pat McAfee and started taunting him. Pat wound up leaping onto Theory and getting in some punches before security separated them. McAfee will battle Austin Theory at WrestleMania 38.
Sami applied a Headlock to begin the action but Ricochet quickly escaped. The champion leveled Zayn with a Dropkick but Sami responded with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Sami knocked Ricochet to the floor outside the ring as SmackDown went to a final commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Sami went for a Powerbomb but Ricochet countered into a Hurricanrana for a close two count. Ricochet and Sami traded punches in the middle of the ring. The champion connected with a boot to the face and lifted Zayn up in the Fireman’s Carry. Sami escaped and hit another Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Zayn went for a Superplex but Ricochet knocked him off the turnbuckle with some punches to the face. Ricochet went for a move but Sami tripped him up and hit an Exploder Suplex off the top rope. Ricochet battled back and made his way to the top rope again. Ricochet connected with a 630 Senton for the pinfall victory and retained the Intercontinental Championship.
After the match, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey were show battling in the parking lot. They kept fighting off security guards and throwing strikes at each other. Rousey booted Flair in the midsection but Flair battled back. Charlotte punched Pat Buck in the face and Suplexed Ronda onto a car. Flair locked in a Crossface before bashing Ronda’s face off the windshield to close the show.
Big E took two hard bumps on SmackDown and one resulted in him being stretchered out of the arena.
The former WWE Champion worked a tag team match alongside Kofi Kingston against Ridge Holland and Sheamus. At one point, he fell hard outside of the ring, but seemed to be okay. However, moments later, he landed right on his head during a belly-to-belly suplex from Holland.
In late 2020, WWE decided to push Big E as a singles star as they split him away from Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in that year’s Draft. He would go on to have a run as the Intercontinental Champion and later won the Money in the Bank match back in July 2021. He would win the WWE Title from Bobby Lashley on an episode of Raw after cashing in the Money in the Bank contract. He held it for 110 days before losing it to Brock Lesnar at the Day 1 event.
Pete Dunne is now a member of the main roster as part of WWE SmackDown. The former NXT UK star was shown on this week’s episode of SmackDown in a backstage segment where he was introduced by Sheamus with a new name, which is “Butch.”
Sheamus stated that he goes way back with Butch and called him more powerful than two sledgehammers combined. The former Pete Dunne is now in a group with Sheamus and Ridge Holland as the fellow former NXT star has been teaming with Sheamus for several months on SmackDown.
Butch and Holland had an alliance while in NXT before Holland was moved to SmackDown.
Butch accompanied Sheamus and Holland to the ring for their match with Big E and Kofi Kingston where the heels went over. During it, Big E had a rough fall for his bump outside of the ring and he landed right on his head. Post-match, Butch attacked Kingston.
Butch has found success since arriving in WWE back in 2016 as he is a former WWE United Kingdom Champion and also a former NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Matt Riddle.
WWE finds itself in an interesting time as they are making more money than ever thanks to lucrative television deals with NBCU and FOX in addition to the big money they receive twice a year for holding two events per year in Saudi Arabia.
WWE made a new SEC filing that revealed the salaries for Vince McMahon and Nick Khan. The WWE Chairman made 1.4 million last year while now he is making $2 million per year while the WWE Chief Revenue Officer is making 1.2 million.
Khan also has a sign-on equity grant, which was previously $9 million. It has risen to $7.5 million this year, which makes it a total of $16 million. McMahon has 42% stock of the company and also has 83% of the company’s voting power.
Related disclosures from last year's proxy statement:
– WWE's top 5 executives' salaries (p. 21), – their summary compensation table (p. 28), and – the relevant footnotes about Nick Khan's equity grant (p. 29).
Last year in an SEC filing, WWE revealed that Stephanie McMahon was making $730,000 as Chief Brand Officer while EVP, Global Talent Strategy & Development Triple H earned $730,000.
Last month, WWE reported its 2021 earnings. Revenue increased 12% to $1.095 billion, which is the highest in the company’s history, in which they netted $63.9 million. In the fourth quarter alone they made $310.3 million of which they netted $180.4 million
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.
