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NXT Ratings Slump as They Hit an All-Time Tuesday Night Low

Alex Laybourne
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After NXT ratings dropped for their mid-week show, WWE made the decision to move to the Tuesday night slot. Ending the Wednesday night wars between the WWE’s black and gold brand and AEW Dynamite. While an unofficial ratings war, AEW emerged victorious.

When NXT moved to a Tuesday night, initial numbers looked good. While the move was seen initially as a good thing for the brand, the numbers now tell a different story.

However, looking back at the weeks since Wrestlemania 37, things are not looking great for the NXT Ratings. Recent figures show that ratings have dropped steadily each week since April. This week’s episode of NXT was a record low for the brand since the move pulling in just 636,000 viewers and a .13 rating in the all-important 18-48 demographic.

  • Apr. 13: 805,000 / .22
  • Apr. 20: 841,000 / .23
  • Apr. 27: 744,000 / .22
  • May 4: 761,000 / .18
  • May 11 – 697K / .17
  • May 18 – 700K / .15
  • May 25 – 698K / .13
  • June 1 – 668K / .19
  • June 8 – 669K / .20
  • June 15 – 695K / .19
  • June 22 – 665K / .17
  • June 29 – 636K / .13

The NXT ratings have arguably suffered in recent weeks as a result of the NBA playoffs, and the show will undoubtedly be hoping to turn things around in their go-home episode ahead of the next PPV.

However, WWE will be hoping that NXT ratings will improve with a solid Great American Bash pay-per-view later this month. A few matches have already been announced for the show, with Adam Cole vs Kyle O’Reilly currently the most anticipated match on the card.

Ted DiBiase Jr Explains Why He Left WWE In 2013

Anutosh Bajpai
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Ted DiBiase Jr had a successful run in WWE which started in 2007. So it was surprising for the fans when he not only left the promotion in 2013 but put a stop to his wrestling career as well.

The former WWE star recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet. He opened up about his time in the company and explained the reasoning behind his decision to leave the promotion.

DiBiase revealed that his contract had expired. While the officials had offered him a new deal, he made the call not to re-sign with the promotion because he was dealing with mental health issues:

“I was offered another 5 year deal. It was generous, but when it came down to it, I was battling some things internally; there were some mental health issues. I was going through depression and anxiety, and also being a new father. I just knew.”

Ted DiBiase Jr also talked about his experience of growing up as the son of an iconic father. He attributed this experience as another reason for leaving WWE and the wrestling world altogether.

The former champion explained that he loves his father but the wrestling veteran was not able to be present for important days in his childhood, something he didn’t want to repeat with his own son.

Bayley Wants Match Against Michael Cole: “I Will Make It Happen!”

Chris Stephens
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Bayley can often be heard yelling directly at Michael Cole during some of her matches. She recently noted in an interview with Metro that a unique part of wrestling in the Thunderdome is being able to hear the announce team. Bayley also said that she wants to make a match between her and Michael Cole happen inside a WWE ring.

“Oh, I will make it happen! Don’t even worry about! It’ll happen,” she said about a potential match with Cole to Metro.

“I don’t know if people realise it or they think I’m doing it just for fun – which it is fun, to give Cole crap. But I can literally hear them! They’re 10 feet away from me in an empty arena, so I can hear everything he’s saying, so it just felt fitting to respond to it. Why not?”

Later this month, WWE will welcome back live fans meaning Bayley will no longer be able to hear Cole on commentary. Bayley would continue to say that she is looking forward to hearing fans’ reaction to her when WWE heads out back on the road.

“I’m interested to see how they react to me when I come back,” she said. “I just feel so grateful that [WWE] gave me the opportunity to show a different side to me and show that I can be so much more. I’ve been having the best time!”

Bayley lost a title shot to Bianca Belair at Hell in a Cell recently. She got back in the win column last week, however, when her and Seth Rollins defeated Belair and Cesaro in a mixed tag match.

Lana Recalls Getting Punished In WWE After Her Engagement To Miro

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

The WWE career of Lana was a rollercoaster ride. It included highs such as getting pushed to main event status during her storyline with Bobby Lashley to lows where she got punished for her real-life engagement with Miro, who was known as Rusev at the time.

The former WWE star recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho. She opened up about her time in the company and discussed her career there in detail.

During the interview, Lana recalled the time when she got engaged to Miro and the news got leaked. She remembered how WWE officials were not happy with the news getting out and explained how the duo got blamed for it. This resulted in her ongoing storyline with Dolph Ziggler getting cut short:

“I didn’t even put up a picture. I just sent it to my friend. Then I guess, someone leaked it. I never, ever posted it. TMZ got a hold of it, and then basically TMZ said we were engaged.

“The story [with Dolph] got cut, and we got blamed for it. Personally, I got blamed. It’s insane. I got in trouble. I wasn’t on television for three months. I was made to feel that it was all my fault. I had to take the blame. For years I thought, maybe it was my fault.”

lana rusev engaged

Lana later revealed that she made up for this mistake during her storyline with Bobby Lashley. She promised Vince McMahon that she would not take pictures with someone she was feuding with. To keep this promise, she didn’t post any photos with Miro for almost a year.

The Ravishing Russian was signed by WWE in June 2013. She was originally paired with Rusev. The female star’s 8-year long stint came to an end when she was released from the company last month.

Mercedes Martinez Reportedly Suffered Concussion During NXT

Anutosh Bajpai
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NXT star Mercedes Martinez apparently suffered a concussion during her tag team match on this Tuesday’s episode of the Black and Yellow brand.

Dave Meltzer talked about the female star on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. He revealed that the veteran wrestler suffered a concussion during her match on the show

Mercedes Martinez teamed up with Jake Atlas to face Xia Li and Boa in a mixed tag match on the show. However, the bout couldn’t reach its planned ending.

The NXT star got knocked out halfway through the bout thanks to a roundhouse kick from Lee. She started bleeding from her mouth and went down, forcing the referee to stop the bout. The match was then called off due to referee stoppage.

The team of Xia Li and Boa were declared the winners. Martinez was taken to a hospital for further checkup but the good news for fans is that she was doing better by the next morning.

Neither WWE nor the female star herself has commented on her health as of now. There is no word yet on if she will miss any ring time due to the injury. We will keep you posted on her status.

Vince McMahon’s Visit To Performance Center Seen As “Breath of Fresh Air”

Chris Stephens
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Vince McMahon is reported to have visited the WWE Performance Center this week. He was joined by company President Nick Khan, Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, and WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard. According to a report from PW Insider, the group met with staff and coaches in addition to watching in-ring sessions.

Sources have stated that McMahon’s visit was actually a positive experience. Some described it as “a breath of fresh air” compared to what they were worried might occur.

WWE Looking For More Writers

Elsewhere in WWE, the company has listed several job opportunities on its corporate website. Amongst those openings are jobs on the writing and creative teams. Amongst the key qualifications WWE has listed for the position is “Understanding of WWE’s audience (demographic and psychographic) a plus but not required.”

This job listing comes on the heels of a writer being released after admitting on a podcast that she was not familiar with the product.

“So I am on the Monday Night Raw team. So there’s Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown and the people I know that are on it are Bobby — his name is either Bobby Ashley or Bobby Lashley and I really should know that,” the writer said on the Asian Not Asian podcast. “He’s like this giant Black guy and he and the people who are part of his crew, I know that they call — or at least as of last year, they called themselves The Hurt Business. The Hurt Business. They wear suits and they’re like, ‘We’re cool.’”

Impact Results (7/1): Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers Victorious In Main Event

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling this week continued the build to Slammiversary. Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers took on Tommy Dreamer’s team of Moose, Chris Sabin, and Sami Callihan in the main event.

Impact wrestling 7/1 Quick Results:

  1. Deonna Purrazzo defeated Kimber Lee (Before the Impact)
  2. Satoshi Kojima & Jake Something defeated Brian Myers & Sam Beale
  3. Rachael Ellering w/Jazz defeated Tenille Dashwood w/Kaleb
  4. Willie Mack & Rich Swann vs TJP & Fallah Bah – No Contest
  5. Chris Bey defeated Petey Williams
  6. Steve Maclin defeated Manny Smith
  7. Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson, & Doc Gallows w/Don Callis defeated Sami Callihan, Moose, and Chris Sabin w/Tommy Dreamer

W. Morrissey Takes Out Eddie Edwards Before Match With Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima was scheduled to face Eddie Edwards this week on Impact. The match didn’t happen, however. After Kojima made his entrance, W. Morrissey appeared on the big screen and said that he had attacked Edwards in the parking lot. Morrissey believes there is no such thing as friends in wrestling and he wanted to show Kojima that he is all alone, just like everyone else.

Kojima would end up wrestling in the night’s first match, however.

Satoshi Kojima & Jake Something Defeat Brian Myers & Sam Beale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taXYkauAx5g

Brian Myers has been mentoring Sam Beale on how to be “the most professional” wrestler he can be. Myers came out while Kojima was still in the ring. Myers and Beale then jumped Kojima leading to Jake Something making the save. An impromptu tag-team match between the two sides was then made official. Kojima would then pick up the win for his team by pinning Beale after a big Lariat.

Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace Reconcile?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77wMAk_x9Fg

Rachael Ellering didn’t have Jordynne Grace with her at ringside of this match as the former tag champs seem to be headed in separate directions but she did have Jazz. Kaleb kept attempting to interfere during the match. All of his interference wasn’t enough, however, as Ellering got the victory with a pinning combination.

After the match, Dashwood attacked Ellering. Kaleb and Dashwood had Jazz and Ellering where they wanted them but then Grace made the save. Are the former tag champs back together?

Violent By Design Bring Chaos To Tag Team Division

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6poPX7CoLy0

Two of the division’s top teams faced off this week when Rich Swann and Willie Mack took on TJP and Fallah Bah. Violent By Design ruined the contest for everyone, however, when they caused a No Contest by attacking all four wrestlers.

Chris Bey Picks A Side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gk888uq7l4

Chris Bey’s plan to regain the X-Division title is to not pick sides with the feuding factions of babyfaces and heels in the division. This week, he took on X-Division veteran Petey Williams in singles competition. Bey would pick up the win after countering a Canadian Destroyer attempt into the Art of Finesse.

After the match, the two feuding sides of the X-Division started a melee. After weeks of not doing so, Bey then finally picked a team and sided with the babyfaces. They cleared the ring of the heels to end the segment but what does any of this mean for the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary?

Steve Maclin Wins A Squash Match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2hzv4o_Gk

Steve Maclin showed off his new intense character again this week, this time picking up a dominant victory over Manny Smith. It’s his second straight victory in the promotion but eventually, he’ll be in for stiffer competition.

The Elite Pick Up Victory As Team Dreamer Implodes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ziJnFmhAr8

The wrestlers Tommy Dreamer chose to take on the Elite this week just couldn’t seem to get along. Moose in particular showed little desire to get along with his teammates throughout the match. Finally, the finish of the match saw the trio implode when Moose mistakenly thought that Tommy Dreamer had attacked him. Moose was on the ramp and had just turned his back to Dreamer when Callis pushed Dreamer into Moose, making Moose thing Dreamer attacked him. Moose then took Dreamer out with a clothesline and Sabin then hit Moose with a suicide dive. As Sabin got back in the ring, however, he was met by Omega and the Good Brothers, who finished him off with the Magic Killer for the win.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week:

  • Kenny Omega and Sami Callihan contract signing
  • Knockouts Tag Titles #1 Contendership
    Havok & Rosemary vs Susan & Kimber Lee
  • Jake Something vs Brian Myers

Slammiversary (July 17th)

  1. Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Sami Callihan
  2. X-Division Championship
    Ultimate-X
    Josh Alexander (c) vs Rohit Raju vs Chris Bey vs Trey Miguel vs Ace Austin vs Petey Williams
  3. Moose vs Chris Sabin

Mick Foley Wants To Referee Jon Moxley vs Atsushi Onita

Chris Stephens
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Atsushi Onita is bringing back FMW. His FMWE promotion is scheduled to run its first event on July 4th. Onita mentioned in an interview recently that he would love to wrestle a match with AEW’s Jon Moxley. Mick Foley has since spoken up to say that he would like to referee that match if it takes place.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1410848166157688833

During Onita’s interview with FanByte, he was told that Moxley now uses “Wild Thing” as his ring music, just as Onita had. This led to Onita saying he would like to wrestle Moxley.

“Jon Moxley uses my theme music?” Said Onita “Thank you, Moxley. I think if he has a spirit of JADO (evil ways), we might stand in the same ring some day. It would be interesting, wouldn’t it?”

Onita would also reveal what he hopes to accomplish with his new promotion.

“I want to show American fans my original explosion match. I sometimes feel like I have to. American deathmatch fans have been disappointed twice, first with the explosion deathmatch CZW held in 2017, and secondly AEW’s. At the time of the CZW show, maybe because of costs, CZW said ‘we don’t need Japanese engineers, don’t worry, leave it to us,’ and I believed them”

Scott Random is excited:

WWE Looking To Hire New Writers And More

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE is looking to fill a number of backstage roles in the company. The listing they have put out includes jobs such as writers and managers of talent operations & appearances.

The promotion posted about a number of openings they are looking to fill on their corporate website yesterday including full time opening for new backstage writers and more.

The key responsibilities for the writing job include developing “clearly defined, yet emotionally sophisticated, characters for a diverse group of WWE Talent.”

The qualifications include 5+ years of experience of writing TV or film content as well as the experience of working with on-screen talents and creative writers.

The listing interestingly does not require the candidate to have previous knowledge of wrestling. According to it, understanding of WWE’s audience is “a plus but not required.”

Other openings posted alongside the writer role include a full-time position as the manager of talent operations and appearances as well as a cybersecurity engineer for a remote consultant role.

WWE recently faced some criticism when a company writer revealed that she was not required to know anything about wrestling before joining the promotion. The officials have not changed the requirements for the job despite it.

‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes Passes Away At 59

Anutosh Bajpai
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Veteran wrestler and former WWE and WCW star Del Wilkes better known to wrestling fans as The Patriot passed away this Thursday. The retired professional wrestler passed away due to a heart attack according to The Charleston Post & Courier. He was 59 years old.

The Patriot made his wrestling debut back in 1988 and competed for promotions such as the American Wrestling Association and Global Wrestling Federation during his early years. He wrestled a few matches for WWE in the early 90s. The late star wrestled under various personas including The Trooper, Del Wilkes, and The Patriot for the company but his bouts didn’t transpire in a long run.

The Patriot Del Wilkes

The Patriot Del Wilkes

The former wrestling star first gained fame when he signed a WCW contract in 1994. He formed a team with Marcus Alexander Bagwell. The duo started wrestling as Stars and Stripes and they won the WCW tag titles a couple of times.  His WCW run lasted until 1995 after which he returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling, the promotion he was wrestling for before his signing with WCW.

The Patriot finally signed a WWE contract back in June 1997. The former champion stayed with the company then known as WWF until early 1998. After leaving WWE, Wilkes retired from professional wrestling due to a torn triceps. We at SEScoops send our deepest condolences to the family of Del Wilkes.

Shaquille O’Neal Teases Paul Wight Match In AEW, Wight Responds

Anutosh Bajpai
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Fans have been wanting to see a proper pro wrestling match between NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Wight (Big Show) for years. It appears that we might finally get to see this bout soon.

The former basketball player recently had an interview with PopCulture. He was asked about some recent comments from the former WWE star and replying to it, he teased a confrontation between the two for near future:

“I hear Paul Wight’s still talking trash, so I’m going to work out really hard this summer,” said Shaq, “And maybe we could do something very, very soon,”

A match between the two was rumored in WWE for a while but they ended up only having a brief confrontation during the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.

Discussing why their rivalry couldn’t culminate in a one on one fight at the time, Shaquille O’Neal claimed that it was because of a lot of bureaucracy and red tape:

“Shouldn’t be any problems for us getting together now. Last time it was lot of bureaucracy and red tape, now there is no red tape. So, I’m going to go on because I’m still kind of sore from the table, so I’m going to go for it this summer, pump these muscles up here. I’ll be waiting for you, Mr. Paul.”

Shaquille O’Neal made his in-ring debut for AEW back in March. He teamed up with Jade Cargill to defeat the team of Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet in a well-received mixed tag match on Dynamite.

Paul Wight made his debut for the promotion on the same night. He has signed a deal to work as both a commentator and wrestler. The former world champion hasn’t made his in ring debut for the promotion yet and we will have to see if Shaquille O’Neal ends up being his debut opponent.

Update: Paul Wight seems to have taken note of Shaquille O’Neal’s for a match. The heavyweight star responded to the comments from the giant on Twitter and claimed that is not hard to find:

Bea Priestley Signs With WWE, Now Known As Blair Davenport

Chris Stephens
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Bea Priestley has signed with WWE. She is headed to the NXT UK brand where she will go by the name Blair Davenport. Last week on NXT UK, a woman named Blair Davenport signed an NXT UK contract only her face was not shown. Another video aired this week and this one showed that Blair Davenport is Bea Priestley.

“I have wrestled all around the world, I have sacrificed everything to get to where I am today. I have given up friends, I have given up family, to master what I do. Did you really think that I wouldn’t end up a part of the greatest women’s division on Earth? Blair Davenport has arrived in NXT UK.”

Before signing with WWE, Priestley was with World Wonder Ring Stardom from 2017 to 2021. She also was briefly part of Will Ospreay’s United Empire faction in New Japan Pro Wrestling before she was kicked out of the faction in rather dramatic style. Ospreay gave his partner the Oz-cutter, something some fans were upset about.

Will Ospreay On Giving Bea Priestley the Oz-Cutter

In an interview with the Two Man Power trip earlier this year, Ospreay explained that it was Priestley’s idea to take the move.

“I understand the triggering that can have with a lot of people, but people need to realize that me and Bea are still together, said Ospreay (transcriptions via Fightful). “Everyone realizes this, right? She’s just gone home. She realized she was done and going home. Her idea is, ‘what better way to send a message than driving home the fact that you will do anything to take the IWGP World Heavyweight Title?’”

“It was her idea to take the Os-cutter. She put herself forward for that. She’s a pro wrestler and a very very good pro wrestler. The fact that she was willing to take a bullet for me, I can’t say enough good things about her. A lot of people were obviously annoyed by it, but people need to remember that there is talking between us and nothing is done without the other person knowing,”

Bronson Reed Discusses Potential Main Roster Call-up

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Former NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed seems to be one of the prospects WWE is eying for a move to main roster during the upcoming drafts.

The NXT star recently appeared on El Brunch de WWE where among other things, he also shared his thoughts on a potential move to Raw or SmackDown.

Reed was asked which brand he would like to join if the company does decide to bring him up. Replying to it, the former champion picked up the blue brand as his preferred destination:

“That’s a tough choice, I think both [RAW & SmackDown] have benefits but if I had to choose, if I had to leave the black and gold NXT, I’d probably say the blue brand. I would say Friday Night SmackDown.”

Bronson Reed also discussed his experience of working WWE Main Event. He mentioned how he got to wrestle Drew Gulak during the bout and said that it was an opportunity to get more eyes on him:

“I feel great, I think it’s another opportunity to get more eyes on ‘The Colossal’ Bronson Reed. So I got to wrestle Drew Gulak and I hit my Tsunami Splash and beat him, one, two, three, so feeling very happy about it.”

Another NXT star WWE officials seem to be interested in bringing up is the NXT champion, Karrion Kross. You can check out the latest backstage news on potential future plans for both these names here.

WWE Confirms Return to Madison Square Garden On 9/10

Alex Laybourne
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The end of the Pandemic Era of professional wrestling is fast approaching. More and more companies are announcing their return to live, fan attended events.

WWE has recently announced a long list of tour dates, including their highly anticipated return to Madison Square Garden.

Arguably one of the most famous and prestigious wrestling venues in the world, Madison Square Garden has seen its fair share of WWE events over the years. However, very few will carry with them the atmosphere of this return.

WWE will return to MSG for an episode of Smackdown on Friday, September 10th. Tickets for the event will be available through Ticketmaster and are scheduled to go on sale on Friday, July 9th at 10 am.

WWE Has a Long History with Madison Square Garden

The WWE has long used the Garden as a stop during their tours. However, this will mark the first time since October 3rd, 2015, that WWE has made a stop there. In the main event, John Cena defeated Seth Rollins for the United States Championship. With both Cena and the Garden returning to WWE programming, things are starting to get that normal feel once more.

Madison Square Garden has been home to many WWE firsts, including the debut Wrestlemania and Summerslam events. It was also the place where Mr McMahon tasted his first Stone Cold Stunner during the debut RAW taping in the arena.

While it will not be the first place WWE go with returning fans, the Garden will always be a memorable location for any WWE event.

Interestingly enough, the WWE title has changed hands sixteen times at Madison Square Garden, which is more than at any other wrestling venue.

John Cena On Sleeping In His Car, Changing His Mind About Fatherhood

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

John Cena is one of the most successful wrestlers in the history of the business. Not only was he the face of WWE for more than 15 years but he has carved a place for himself in Hollywood after moving on from the company as well.

However, his rise to the top was not an easy journey. The former world champion recently had an interview with The Sun where he opened up about his struggles before becoming a professional wrestler.

Cena recalled the time he left his home in Massachusetts and went to Los Angeles to pursue a career in bodybuilding. Due to the lack of resources, the former world champion slept in his car and showered in a gym he worked at:

“I slept in my car for a while, which happened to be a very roomy 1991 Lincoln Town Car. I had my clothes in the trunk and I slept in the back seat. I’d wake up, use the locker rooms and the shower and repeat the process all over again.”

Dad told me I would be home with my tail between my legs in two weeks. Sure enough, I went through my resources quickly and had to think on my feet. I didn’t want to go home crying.”

John Cena Is Not Ruling Out Fatherhood

John Cena had previously ruled out the possibility of having kids. This is one of the primary reasons why his engagement with fellow WWE star Nikki Bella ended.

However, now that Cena is a little older and has a lot more experience on his hands, he is considering a change to his stand. Talking about it during the interview, he didn’t rule out the possibility of fatherhood completely:

“I’m a little bit older, a bit wiser. I’m realising there is life and life exists and it’s beautiful — and I think part of that is being a parent, so we’ll see.”

John Cena started dating Canadian engineer Shay Shariatzadeh in early 2019 after his breakup with Nikki Bella. The couple got married in a private ceremony in October 2020.

Roman Reigns On Replacing John Cena As Locker Room Leader, Who Can Replace Him

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

WWE has the long-standing tradition that the top star of the company also serves as the locker room leader. This creates some interesting dynamics when a former locker room leader returns and has to adapt to the change. One such scenario is likely to be presented when John Cena returns to the company later this month and confronts the current face of the company – Roman Reigns.

The Big Dog discussed this during a recent interview with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg on Hot 97. The Tribal Chief was asked about this change and whether he sees himself being in a different position in the relationship with the Cenation Leader now that he has taken up the mantle. Replying to the question, the Universal champion reminded everyone that this won’t be the first time he is crossing paths with Cena after becoming the locker room leader:

“So I think there are a couple of different folds to this scenario because even before, I forget which year it was, I know it was at No Mercy, when me and John went to [fight for the] first time. I had already been in that position. John had been around periodically jumping in kind [of] on interval, stretches but I was still the main event. If he jumped in to a live event to help out a show he would go on before intermission. He would find himself in a different position. I would close us out.”

Roman Reigns admitted that things are different now after he has spent a lot more time in the top position. However, he claimed that they have respect for the superstars who came before them. Reigns said that it would be a lie if someone said that John Cena didn’t toe the train for a long time.

The reigning champion explained that their return is a good thing because the people who have moved on from WWE only bring new eyes to the product when they come back:

“What’s beautiful about it is the respect everyone has for our history and the respect we have for the superstars who pull that wagon and there is no question you know. It would be a bold face lie if anyone ever say [that] John Cena didn’t toe the train for a long time and we’re gonna always have respect for that, Vince will always have great respect for that. Guys like The Undertaker, that’s why we have these legendary contracts where we keep these guys. They paid their dues. They guided our business. They laid the foundation for us to continue this journey and continue this success that we have.

“So I think there is always gonna be that scenario out of respect. When they come back, it’s only to bring more eyes and kind of lift the tide up to make it a bigger event. But when you have someone like myself and John was in the same position with Dwayne. Hopefully one day I will be in the same position coming back and there will be a new head guy. There will be a new top dog. That’s what drives the business and that’s what makes us even greater is when our guys go out and find great success, and then they bring that limelight. They bring that shine back to what started them, back to their first love.”

The Next Roman Reigns

On the topic of the people who can replace him as the face of WWE and locker room leader, Roman Reigns said that currently there is no one on his level. He was asked which current star has the potential to be the next face. He named the former WWE champion Drew McIntyre. Reigns claimed that McIntyre is the number two guy in the company currently but he is not on his level yet:

“There ain’t nobody. I can say my favorite number two [is] Drew. He’s my favorite number two. There’s a bunch of number twos, threes, whatever you wanna call them, we can rank them [but] it really doesn’t matter. They are under me. How far under? Who knows. Who really cares. I mean how strong of a number two do you wanna be? At this point, my favorite is Drew McIntyre,

“In a perfect world if there is an opportunity to pass the torch. He is the one guy that has captivated my attention in that manner but at the same time he ain’t there and it’s only because I am still here so solid within my foothold. The flag is fully planted in so I can’t even think about it now. Like John needed somebody to come in so he could move on and try new things and take care of his body. I would eventually need that but there is just nobody at this point.”

Subscribe to Cheap Heat on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to listen to the full interview. Please credit SEScoops for h/t if you use any quotes from this article.

Marty Scurll Teased For XPW Reboot Show

Chris Stephens
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0

When the 2nd half of Dark Side of the Ring’s season 3 airs later this year, one episode will focus on XPW. Xtreme Pro Wrestling was a promotion run by Rob Black (Rob Zicari) from 1999 until 2003.

Black recently announced plans to reboot the promotion with a tournament on November 7th, 2021. In a video released by Black yesterday, Marty Scurll was teased as the first entrant in the tournament. It is not clear if Scurll will have anything at all to do with the show, however.

https://twitter.com/therobblackshow/status/1410301264378925061
https://www.facebook.com/RobZicariShow/posts/2146908668785356

No venue or broadcast deal has been announced for the show.

UPDATE:

Others have reached out as well to say that Marty Scurll will not be on the show. Rob Black has continued to Tweet on the matter:

XPW – Dark Side of the Ring

It is possible Black is hoping to build on the publicity his former promotion will gain from the Dark Side of the Ring episode scheduled to air later this year. The following topics will air in the second half of season 3:

  • The WWE Steroid Trials
  • FMW
  • Luna Vachon
  • WWE’s Plane Ride from Hell
  • XPW
  • Johnny K-9 (Bruiser Bedlam)
  • Chris Kanyon

The other promotion scheduled to be featured in the second half of season 3, FMW, has also announced a reboot. Atsushi Onita has announced FMWE will run a show later this month.

“The meaning of E is explosion,” Onita said. “It is an explosion. It is an organization specializing in hardcore that is said in the world. There is a request to see an electric current blast in the United States, and we are doing an electric current blast all over the world.”

Sonjay Dutt Joins AEW As A Producer

Chris Stephens
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It was reported earlier this week that Sonjay Dutt had left WWE after having worked in a producer’s role for the company since 2019. According to a report from PW Insider, Dutt was backstage at AEW Dynamite last night. He is believed to have signed on to work full-time in a producer’s role.

According to the Wrestling Observer, Dutt left WWE on his own accord a couple of weeks ago. He had been with the company since early 2019. In addition to working backstage as a producer in WWE, he also worked at the Performance Center as a trainer. He left Impact Wrestling in January of 2019 and began work backstage in WWE shortly after.

Dutt hasn’t wrestled since 2017. He underwent surgery for a torn right achilles in early 2018 and quietly retired after. He then started working as a commentator and backstage in Impact Wrestling.

During his in-ring career, Dutt is a former 1x X-Division Champion in WWE. He’s also a 2x CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion and was inducted into the promotion’s Hall of Fame in 2019. Dutt also held the GFW NEX*GEN Championship in Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling. He began his career in 2000 and broke out in 2003 with Major League Wrestling and would then debut for TNA Wrestling later that same year.

Roman Reigns Not Interested In A Shield Reunion: ‘It’s A One Man Show Now’

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Shield helped launch the career of Roman Reigns as a main event star. He has only achieved new heights since then. The Big Dog has claimed WWE as his yard and he has become the face of the company. While many fans still have hope to see the group reuniting sometime in the future, the Tribal Chief is not interested in sharing the spotlight with his former teammates anymore.

The reigning Universal champion recently spoke to Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg for Hot 97 radio. The WWE star discussed a variety of things during the talk and also commented on a potential Shield reunion. Reigns was asked if he has any interest in reuniting with his old teammates in future. He replied with a straight ‘no’ for an answer. Roman Reigns explained that while he has respect for the time he spent as a part of the group, it’s a one man show for him now:

“No. I have respect for everything we did now. A lot of that time was really pivotal for me to learn and gain experience. Be around other performers. See their processes and how they attack things and how they think about things. But where I am at now it’s a one-man show. I have the family dynamic with my cousins but at the same time, I call the shots. It’s my thumb that’s down on this pole. So yeah, I don’t think I can share it anymore.”

Roman Reigns Wants To Work With Seth Rollins Again

A Shield reunion will also be hard because Jon Moxley has moved on from WWE and found a new home in AEW. What we can be certain about is that we will see the other two Shield members crossing paths sooner or later, something which WWE also teased recently. When asked if he thinks he and Seth Rollins can still pull off something special at a stage such as WrestleMania, Roman Reigns explained that the two can make anything special:

“Seth is a special performer, especially in ring. It can be a cold situation, you give us a crowd, you give us a ring and we’re gonna make something special happen. So you put us in a scenario like Wrestlemania or SummerSlam, a big PPV, no question. I mean that chemistry, that stride for greatness, the ambition for greatness between the both of us, it’ll always be there. So that’s what’s always gonna make it special. So that’s easy, that’s like insurance policy. When in doubt, throw me and him together.”

The Shield made their surprise debut in November 2012. The group’s original WWE run lasted until June 2014, when Seth Rollins betrayed his friends and joined The Authority. The following years saw the trio reuniting for a number of times. However, their final reunion took place in late 2018 after Jon Moxley chose not to renew his WWE contract. He subsequently left the promotion in April 2019 to join AEW in May.

Subscribe to Cheap Heat on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to listen to the full interview. Please credit SEScoops for h/t if you use any quotes from this article.

WWE returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City Friday, September 10th for a live SmackDown TV taping. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 9 at 10 AM ET at Ticketmaster.

Jim Ross Makes Unfortunate Error on Dynamite Commentary

Alex Laybourne
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Jim Ross is the voice of wrestling, for many fans. He has been there for many iconic moments for several different organizations through the years. However, being a veteran of anything does not make you immune to errors.

Since making the move over to AEW, Jim Ross has made a couple of blunders, but none quite so large as at the end of this week’s AEW Dynamite. JR accidentally referred to the show by the wrong company moniker just as they were going off the air.

As the show was going off the air Good ‘ol JR said “Tickets available at AEWtix.com. Folks, there’s nothing in your life that will top seeing a live WWE Dynamite,”

It is an easy mistake to make, especially for a man who has been in the business for so long. Especially when thinking about how many years he spent in WWE before joining AEW.

Naturally, fans were quick to jump on the error, many raising questions as to whether Jim Ross would face repercussions for his faux pas. Not one to hide from things, Jim Ross took to Twitter to address his slip of the tongue.

There were also those that came to JR’s defence, including Busted Open Radio host David LaGreca, who also took to social media to voice his support for the legendary voice of wrestling.

Jim Ross has been with AEW since its inception and is widely regarded as being the best commentator in the business. Usually flanked on commentary by Tony Schiavone and Excalibur, he has seen AEW through the pandemic era and back out onto the road.

Mistakes in the commentary booth are common, with all of the different AEW team members making them frequently. However, they do seem to stick longer when uttered by Jim Ross.

AEW Dynamite Results (6/30): MJF vs. Sammy Guevara, TNT Title Match

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite returned to Wednesday this week and aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. MJF squared off against Sammy Guevara tonight and Miro defended the TNT Championship against Brian Pillman Jr. Eddie Kingston & Pentagon Jr. faced AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks tonight. If they defeated the champs, Kingston & Penta would earn a future shot at the tag titles. It was also announced that Andrade El Idolo will face Matt Sydal next week at Road Rager.

Dynamite Results (6/30)

  1. Eddie Kingston & Pentagon Jr. def. The Young Bucks to earn a future title shot
  2. Jungle Boy def. Jack Evans via DQ
  3. Miro def. Brian Pillman Jr. to retain the TNT Championship
  4. Britt Baker & Rebel def. Nyla Rose & Vickie Guerrero
  5. MJF def. Sammy Guevara

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Eddie Kingston & Penta Earned A Title Shot

Eddie Kingston and Pentagon Jr. faced Young Bucks in the first match of the night. Kingston and Penta would get a future title shot if they won the match. Brandon Cutler and Alex Abrahantes were ringside. Young Bucks took control of the action early and isolated Penta in the corner. Penta battled back with a Backbreaker outside the ring and then a Crossbody onto Nick Jackson.

Kingston tagged in and hit Nick with a Powerslam for a near fall. Eddie brought Nick up to the top rope and delivered some headbutts. Kingston connected with a Superplex and tagged in Pentagon Jr. Penta connected with a DDT on Matt and followed it up with Code Red for a two count.

Pentagon hit Nick with a Backstabber and went for the cover but Matt broke up the cover at two. Nick hit a low blow while the. referee was distracted and Young Bucks followed that up with a Piledriver/Stomp combo and went for the cover but Eddie broke it up at two.

Good Brothers made their way to the ring as Young Bucks hit Kingston with a couple Superkicks to the face. Good Brothers distracted the referee and Brandon Cutler tried to spray the cold spray in Penta’s face but wound up hitting Matt. Frankie Kazarian attacked Cutler as Eddie hit Backfist to the Future for the pinfall victory. Kingston and Pentagon are in line for a rematch against the Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

Ethan Page Canceled The Coffin Match At Road Rager

Tony Schiavone interviewed Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky in the ring on this week’s episode of Dynamite. Tony wondered why Ethan challenged Darby Allin to a Coffin Match and Ethan stated that his goal was to exterminate Allin. Ethan claimed that he has been trying to cripple Darby since the indies but clearly has not been doing enough.

Ethan added that Darby will think of him every time he hits a Coffin Drop moving forward. Sting interrupted and pulled down a coffin with him. Darby leaped out of the coffin and attacked Ethan as Sting battled with Sky. Sting hit the Scorpion Death Drop on Sky. Page retreated and shouted that Darby just knows he cannot beat him when he is 100%. Ethan said that the Coffin Match at Road Rager is off and maybe they can have the match at Fyter Fest if Allin signs papers that he cannot touch him for a week before the match.

Jungle Boy Tapped Out Jack Evans

Jack Evans faced Jungle Boy this week on Dynamite. Evans and Jungle Boy locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the match. Evans took control and applied a Headlock. Jungle Boy escaped and connected with a Dropkick as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Jungle Boy hit another Dropkick and then followed it up with a Clothesline. Jungle Boy and Jack Evans battled to the top turnbuckle. Evans slid through and went for a German Suplex but Jungle Boy landed on his feet. Jungle Boy hit a Dropkick and locked in the Snare Trap for the submission victory.

After the match, Hardy Family Office battled with Jurassic Express. Christian came to the ring to even the odds and beat Matt down. Cage hit the Killswitch and choked Matt with his own jacket before Jack Evans broke it up. Hardy and Christian traded words after Christian beat Evans down.

MJF Sent A Message To Jericho

MJF cut a promo on Chris Jericho during tonight’s show. Maxwell said that he has dethroned Jericho as the king of AEW and thought Le Champion would have thrown in the towel by now. MJF said that he will reveal the stipulations for his own last match against Jericho next week and then brought up his match against Sammy Guevara tonight. Friedman said that fans want to see this match because they want to know what the future of All Elite Wrestling is.

MJF added that they will know after tonight that Sammy is the future, because MJF is the now. Jericho was on commentary tonight and said he will accept any stipulation as long as he doesn’t have to get run over by a truck.

Evil Uno Interrupted Kenny Omega

Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW Champion Kenny Omega and the champion boasted about defeating the toughest guy, the greatest high flyer, the most charismatic act, and the most promising star in AEW. Omega added that he is going to go around the world and beat some dudes, but his work in AEW is far from over.

Evil Uno of Dark Order interrupted and Omega said nobody from Dark Order deserves a title shot. Uno agrees but said that they have befriended someone that Omega used to be friends with. Omega said that if he is talking about who he thinks he is talking about, that person would not appreciate Evil Uno speaking on his behalf. Omega added that he wouldn’t have the guts to face the champ anyway.

Hangman Page stormed into Dark Order’s dressing room and yelled at them for making challenges on his behalf. Cold Cabana told Hangman that he is just afraid of failure and needs to know he can do this. Dark Order told Hangman they believe in him to end the segment.

Miro Retained The TNT Title

Miro defended the TNT Championship against Brian Pillman Jr. tonight. Pillman controlled the match early and hit Miro with a flurry of chops. Miro connected with a Samoan Drop and followed it up with a Suplex that sent Pillman out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Pillman connected with a Dropkick that sent the TNT Champion out of the ring. Brian hit a Superkick but Miro shrugged it off and responded with a kick of his own. Miro applied the Game Over but Pillman wouldn’t give up. Miro transitioned into a body scissors and applied a Sleeper Hold. The referee called for the bell as Pillman passed out.

Nyla Rose Attacked Britt Baker

Britt Baker & Rebel faced Nyla Rose & Vickie Guerrero this week. Rebel shoved Vickie to the canvas and Guerrero tagged out. Nyla went after Britt but Rebel hopped on her back. Nyla slammed Rebel to the canvas and hit a Leg Drop as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Britt Baker dodged the Beast Bomb from Nyla and hit a couple kicks. Rose grabbed Baker by the throat and connected with a big Chokeslam. Rose got sent out of the ring and Baker applied the Lockjaw on Vickie for the submission victory.

After the match, Nyla Rose attacked Baker and hit her with a Beast Bomb. Rose then delivered another Beast Bomb but this time Baker was sent out of the ring and through a table below.

MJF def. Sammy Guevara

MJF faced Sammy Guevara in this week’s main event. The action started off back and forth until Sammy sent MJF to the corner. Guevara unloaded several strikes and connected with a springboard Ace Crusher. MJF battled back and threw Sammy into the barricade as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, MJF and Sammy battled on the turnbuckle. Guevara hit a Spanish Fly and followed it up with an a Destroyer but somehow MJF was able to kick out at two. MJF battled back and went to work on Guevara’s arm. MJF tried to lock in the Salt of the Earth Armbar but Sammy was able to block it.

MJF found a chair and held it up at the fans. It backfired and Sammy hit a Dropkick that sent the chair into MJF’s face and Maxwell tumbling into the crowd as Dynamite went to a commercial break. Back in the ring, Sammy made his way to the top rope but MJF hopped up and crotched Guevara on the top turnbuckle.

Maxwell connected with a Piledriver off the middle turnbuckle and went for the cover but Sammy kicked out at two. Guevara hit a GTH and went for the cover but MJF was just able to get his feet on the ropes to break it up. Sammy hit a 630 Senton for another near fall.

Shawn Spears made his way down the entrance ramp but Jericho stopped him. Spears and Wardlow beat Jericho down and then Spears hit Sammy over the head with the chair. MJF pinned Guevara for the victory and celebrated with Wardlow and Spears after the win. After the match, AEW run highlights from their run at Daily’s Place during the pandemic. They are set to head back on the road with Road Rager next week in Miami.

AEW Faced Many Roster Changes During Daily’s Place Residency

Kristen Ashly
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AEW is close to finishing up residency at Daily’s Place, and their roster has changed drastically since first arriving at the start of the pandemic.

As noted by William R. Washington of the RBR Wrestling Podcast, AEW has lost and gained many notable roster members during the company’s ‘residency’ at the amphitheater in downtown Jacksonville.

Since housing weekly shows at Daily’s Place, AEW has lost Awesome Kong, Bea Priestley, CIMA, Jimmy Havoc, Sadie Gibbs, and Shanna from their roster.

The promotion added many more wrestlers to the roster during their time at Daily’s Place, however. Over 25 wrestlers were added, including The Acclaimed, Anna Jay, Eddie Kingston, Ethan Page, and wrestling legends like Christian Cage, Matt Hardy, and Sting.

AEW Fight For the Fallen in July 2019 was AEW’s first event at Daily’s Place, and the promotion made it a regular home starting in March 2020. Since last March, AEW has held 165 events at the arena, including annual events All Out, Full Gear, and Revolution.

The company made the decision to house their weekly shows at the location after traveling during the COVID pandemic became impossible. Originally, shows were taped with no audience, but after health restrictions loosened, AEW added fans and live shows to their schedule.

AEW will finish its residency at Daily’s Place and return to live show tours in mid-July. The company has stated they will return to the arena in the future to hold events.

Catch the RBR Weekly Wrestling Talk Podcast at FanoffMedia.com.

Andrade El Idolo On Adding Nakamura And Charlotte To Los Ingobernables

Kristen Ashly
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Andrade El Idolo is looking to expand Los Ingobernables to include two of his favorite WWE wrestlers.

During an interview with Hugo Savinovich of Lucha Libre Online, newly-signed AEW roster member Andrade El Idolo expressed interest in working with Charlotte Flair and Shinsuke Nakamura as new members of Los Ingobernables.

“It’s a wonderful pitch,” said Andrade. “Nakamura is a great talent, so are RUSH and Charlotte. I have never been with my fiancé [Charlotte Flair] on TV, so it would be a dream to be with her, whether that be in this faction or not.”

Andrade continued by stating, “I also have never been on TV with Ric [Flair], who is always a great person with me, so it would be very cool to make a faction with my friend, RUSH, with my fiancé and my father-in-law, and with [Shinsuke] Nakamura, who has treated me well since Japan and is always a great person. This group would be wonderful, and I think we would make history. I hope this dream becomes a reality in a not-so-distant future.”

Los Ingobernables, which as a stable has not competed since 2019, has featured members La Sombra (Andrade El Idolo), RUSH, La Mascara, La Bestia Del Ring, El Terrible, Tetsuya Naito, Marco Corleone, and Rey Escorpion, competing primarily in CMLL. In New Japan Pro Wrestling, the stable Los Ingobernables de Japon consists of member Naito, EVIL, BUSHI, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi, and Shingo Takagi.

Watch the entire interview with Andrade El Idolo from Lucha Libre Online below, where he also speaks on potentially reuniting with former manager Zelina Vega.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=308601527619769

(h/t Fightful, translation credit to Luis Pulido)

Darby Allin Denies He Is Appearing In ‘Jackass Forever’ Movie

Michael Reichlin
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AEW star Darby Allin denies he’s appearing in the upcoming movie Jackass Forever, due out October 22nd.

Multiple outlets have listed Allin as a cast member, but the former TNT Champion says that’s not the case.

The Jackass movies are a continuation of the popular MTV series Jackass (2000-2002), which featured a group of friends performing a variety of dangerous (and disgusting) stunts.

Jackass 4 will reunite the Jackass gang one more time, including Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuña, Chris Raab, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, and Preston Lacy.

Jeff Tremaine will return to direct the fourth Jackass movie, with Tremaine, Spike Jones, Knoxville, and Steve-O serving as producers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGi5TSLJavX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=208b8936-2009-4d1d-8c02-2593d9016750

Guest appearances by extreme sports legends Tony Hawk and Matt Hoffman, comedian Eric Andre, UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and basketball great (and AEW part-timer) Shaquille O’Neil.

Jackass is rooted in skateboard culture and Darby Allin’s love of skating is well-documented. The former TNT Champion is friends with members of the extended Jackass family, with Steve-O and Tony Hawk both appearing on AEW Dynamite in some of Allin’ segments.

WWE Names The Top-50 Tag-Teams In Company History

Chris Stephens
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WWE has unveiled their list for the Top 50 Tag Teams in history. The includes only tag teams who have competed in WWE.

In a documentary piece that has been airing on the WWE Network, WWE has been counting down the top teams. The final episode has been released and The New Day has been declared the greatest tag team in WWE history.

The full list is below:

50. The Bushwhackers
49. Too Cool
48. The Quebecers
47. Smoking Gunns
46. Strikeforce
45. The Headshrinkers
44. Kane & X-Pac
43. Batista & Ric Flair
42. MNM
41. Nasty Boys
40. Rated RKO
39. Paul London and Brian Kendrick
38. DIY
37. World’s Greatest Tag Team
36. Money Inc.
35. Chris Jericho and The Big Show (Jeri-Show)
34. Natural Disasters
33. The Street Profits
32. Jack and Gerald Brisco
31. The Bludgeon Brothers
30. British Bulldog and Owen Hart
29. John Morrison and The Miz
28. The Bar
27. Team Hell No
26. Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik
25. Los Guerreros
24. The APA
23. The Blackjacks
22. The Shield
21. Shawn Michaels and Triple H
20. The Undisputed Era
19. Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas
18. Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji
17. The Steiner Brothers
16. The Rock N’ Sock Connection
15. The Wild Samoans
14. The Rockers
13. The Mega Powers
12. The Valiant Brothers
11. Demolition
10. The British Bulldogs
9. The Brothers of Destruction
8. The New Age Outlaws
7. The Usos
6. The Legion of Doom
5. The Dudley Boyz
4. Edge & Christian
3. Hart Foundation
2. The Hardy Boyz
1. The New Day

People have been reacting online to New Day being declared the greatest tag-team in WWE history.

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