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Kenny Omega On Why AEW Doesn’t Shy Away From Hardcore Matches

Chris Stephens
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AEW has had “Lights Out” matches, Parking Lot Brawls, and various other forms of hardcore matches. This Sunday at Revolution, Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley will wrestle in arguably the most hardcore match type ever invented. The two will face off in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match.

In a recent interview with NY Post, Kenny Omega spoke about why AEW does not shy away from hardcore match types.

“I still very much look at pro wrestling as an art form. I still like to consider myself the utmost professional. People like to dumb down matches with a violent stipulation. They kind of like just defer to those as garbage wrestling or that maybe we lack a certain area of expertise or talent, which is why we’re going there,” Omega said. “For me, it’s the complete opposite. I want to be considered as one of the best well-around athletes in professional wrestling. And I want to test myself in all avenues this sport has to offer.”

Omega also said he needs to test himself in this style of match against another wrestler who has a knack for hardcore bouts.

“For me to do that and do that effectively, I have to have some kind of experience in these types of situations. I want to test myself with the type of wrestler who specializes in this type of stuff. And sure, I don’t think Moxley has had an exploding barbed wire deathmatch, but it’s not something out of his wheelhouse to do something very hardcore.”

“I do believe the stars will align and something special will emerge from this,” Omega continued.

The Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match was made famous by Atsushi Onita. He competed against names like Terry Funk and Mr. Pogo in the match type.

Omega also recently revealed the official rules for the match:

Hikaru Shida Says AEW Women’s Division Can “Carry The Show”

Chris Stephens
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The women’s division in AEW feels like it has taken a few significant strides as of late. The women’s title-eliminator tournament featured some great matches and both Jade Cargill and Red Velvet put on a stellar show in the night’s opening contest at AEW Dynamite: The Crossroads.

AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida was recently interviewed by SI.com. During the discussion, Shida said that she knows the women’s division in AEW has the power to “carry the show.”

“We’re proving our division has the power to carry the show,” Shida says. “That drives me. And I always had a dream to work internationally since I was a child, so, I am living my dream right now.”

When AEW first began, there was talk of the promotion really emphasizing Joshi-style wrestling in its women’s division. This was hampered by the onset of the pandemic, however, and the reduced ability to bring in talent from Japan. Shida helped organize the recent AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator tournament bracket in Japan and spoke about that experience with SI.com as well.

“I’ve always felt that Japanese joshi are the best in the world,” Shida continued. “So introducing them to everyone is very meaningful for me. It’s kind of a way to brag about my home. I also want Japanese wrestlers to know they can reach the top of the world if they work hard. It’s not a fantasy. This is one of the biggest things I have done as champion, and I’m proud of it.”

Shida continued to say that main event’ing a PPV or Dynamite are her goals.

“The main event for a pay-per-view and Dynamite are always my goals. I’ll continue working hard for it until it comes true,” she said.

Jey Uso Wants The Usos To Wrestle Edge & Christian

Chris Stephens
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Christian made his WWE return at the Royal Rumble this year. It was his first real match since 2014. He embraced with Edge during the Rumble which led to many fans speculating about a possible return of their popular tag-team.

Jey Uso was recently interviewed by Fox Sports. During the discussion, he spoke about wanting his team with his brother Jimmy to face Edge and Christian someday.

“We had the Hardy Boyz, and then we had the Dudley Boyz … that’s one more team I have to mark off,” Jey said.

“They’re the OGs of the tag division. That triple-threat ladder match at WrestleMania, bro, like, c’mon. Two out of the three teams, me and my brother got to be blessed to work with … that’s another bucket list. Straight up.”

Uso also spent some time during the interview discussing his latest singles run. Although he noted he misses wrestling alongside his brother, Jey says he always knew he could be on his own.

“I always knew I could hang with singles work because wrestling is wrestling, Uce. The only thing is, it felt weird not having Jimmy with me coming out,” he said of the change. “I’m always on the left. He’s always on the right. It was just a weird vibe.”

Ahmed Johnson On What Vince McMahon Told Him About The Hall of Fame

Chris Stephens
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Ahmed Johnson was with WWE from 1995 to 1998. During his run, it appeared the company was trying to turn him into a big star. He’d pop up in late-era WCW a couple of years later before retiring in 2003. Johnson recently spoke to Sportskeeda about what Vince McMahon said to him when he was leaving the company.

“Because me and Vince had a falling out right when I left, we had a falling out, and he told me then that I wouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame because of our falling out. He actually told me that.”

Johnson continued to say that it was mainly contractual differences that came between them.

“It was that (contractual differences) and other little things, but yeah, it was a lot of contractual differences.”

Johnson is a former Intercontinental Champion and was ranked #5 in the PWI top-500 in 1996. He also credited Al Snow with helping him develop as a wrestler during the interview.

“Let me see. Probably Al Snow. With Al, we just didn’t have a match. Al took me in and taught me a few things, you know. He was kind of an off-the-clock instructor.”

The interview with Ahmed Johnson can be viewed in the player below:

Eric Bischoff Compares Cody Rhodes To John Cena

Jake Skudder
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Former WCW President and co-host of the 83 Weeks podcast Eric Bischoff recently spoke to the It’s Our House Podcast. Easy E discussed a number of topics, including which current performers he sees that could possibly ‘transcend’ the pro wrestling business.

“You guys put me on the spot here, I’m gonna give you an answer” Eric Bischoff began. “But just know that there’s a lot of people that I hold in such high regard and have so much respect for and I think are so valuable as performers and human beings. I’m gonna offend those people, I apologise.”

“If I was in Las Vegas and I had one $100 bill, and I was forced to place a bet on one person – I put it on Cody Rhodes” Bischoff continued. “Okay. I think when you talk about somebody who has the potential to transcend the business, that means to become a bigger star, or at least a star outside of the wrestling business as inside of the wrestling business.”

Eric Bischoff finished by comparing the AEW EVP Cody Rhodes to one of WWE’s biggest ever talents, John Cena. “That’s how John Cena became a big star” Bischoff stated. “Everywhere you looked, including WWE, but outside of WWE, you would see John Cena. He became that. WWE was preaching outside of the choir. And they connected with people that they weren’t connected with just on the wrestling show by using John Cena because he had that potential and ability to transcend the business in that regard. I think Cody Rhodes has the same potential.”

Kurt Angle Teases In-Ring Return With New Video

Chris Stephens
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The last match of Kurt Angle’s professional wrestling career took place on April 7th, 2019. He lost to Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35. In recent days, however, there have been rumors circulating that Angle could be the “Hall of Fame” worthy signing teased for AEW Revolution.

Angle recently Tweeted out a video that can be taken as a tease for his in-ring return. The video features him lacing up his boots and putting on his ring gear. It closes with the caption “To Be Continued.”

https://twitter.com/RealKurtAngle/status/1368207273831653382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1368207273831653382%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redditmedia.com%2Fmediaembed%2Flz2qlm%3Fresponsive%3Dtrue

Kurt Angle was released from his contract with WWE on April 15th, 2020 along with several other performers.

Is Kurt Angle The New AEW Signing?

Tony Khan recently dropped some more hints on who the new signing is.

“It’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers” Tony Khan stated on Busted Open. “I’m very excited about [it]. I’ll say one thing, it’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. I tipped this on Unrestricted, I tipped the gender — it’s a male.”

“He’s going to do great things for us” Khan continued. “He’s committed, he’s going to sign a contract on Sunday at Revolution on PPV.”

Tony Khan: “Surprise Signing Is One of My All Time Favourite Wrestlers”

Jake Skudder
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AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. Khan discussed a number of topics on the show ahead of this Sunday’s AEW Revolution PPV, including the ‘surprise Hall of Fame worthy talent’ that will be signing with AEW on Sunday.

“It’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers” Tony Khan stated on the show. “I’m very excited about [it]. I’ll say one thing, it’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. I tipped this on Unrestricted, I tipped the gender — it’s a male. He’s coming.”

“He’s going to do great things for us” Khan continued. “He’s committed, he’s going to sign a contract on Sunday at Revolution on PPV.”

There of course have been rumors flying from all corners online. Two names that have been mentioned on multiple occasions are Kurt Angle and CM Punk. The Straight Edge former WWE Superstar Punk confirmed recently via Twitter that he was not the star showing up on Sunday.

Another name that has been mentioned is Christian, as he is believed to have not signed with WWE following his appearance at the Royal Rumble back in January.

Who do you think is showing up on Sunday? Christian, CM Punk, Kurt Angle or someone else? Let us know in the comments

Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman Storyline Continuing on RAW

Jake Skudder
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It appears as though WWE may be heading for a Shane McMahon vs Braun Strowman match down the line. Tensions were risen between the two men on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

Shane McMahon mandated that Braun Strowman would get a RAW Tag Team Championship match, with WWE official Adam Pearce as his partner. The team lost their match against The Hurt Business’ Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander when McMahon demanded that Pearce get the winning pinfall, after Strowman hit the running powerslam.

Benjamin rolled up Pearce and the match ended, with Braun Strowman then berating Shane McMahon.

WWE recently updated their RAW preview for Monday’s show, and it confirmed that Strowman will be confronting Shane McMahon once again:

Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman on RAW

Braun Strowman is one angry monster, and he wants answers.

The Monster Among Men feels like Shane McMahon has been out to get him in recent weeks. From excluding him from the Elimination Chamber Match, to not automatically giving him a WWE Championship opportunity, Strowman has some gripes. Matters were made worse last week when Shane may have inadvertently cost Strowman and Adam Pearce the Raw Tag Team Titles in their match against The Hurt Business, so now an apology just may be in order.

Will Shane McMahon grant Braun Strowman’s demand and issue an apology to The Monster Among Men?

Find out this Monday on Raw live at 8/7 C on USA Network!

Batista Says Pro Wrestling Retirements Have Zero Credibility

Rayan Sayyed
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Batista was asked on Twitter by a fan if he was the “Hall of Fame talent” that Paul Wight aka Big Show teased will get hired at AEW Revolution. The fan also highlighted the fact that Wight erroneously called the event “Evolution” and wondered if it really was just an error or a reference to the faction Batista was part of in WWE. He has stated that his decision to leave wrestling was permanent and that he has no intentions of coming back to wrestling. Batista quipped in response to the question how the word “retirement” has no meaning in pro wrestling as supposedly “retired” wrestlers come back for a match all the time.

Writing on Twitter, Batista said, “They’re going to have to come up with another word thats (sic) used specifically for professional wrestlers who actually mean it when they say they’re retired. Currently the word “retired” has zero credibility by professional wrestling standards.”

Names such as Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley among other legends have all supposedly “retired” from in-ring action only to return later, with the exception of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who has stayed true to his word. Batista was poking fun at the fact that even though he has made clear he’s retired for good, he still gets asked questions about his return. And therefore, according to him, a new term needs to be invented to let fans know that a wrestler really is retired this time.

Batista officially retired after his No Holds Barred Match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35. “Thank you for letting me entertain you,” Bautista said on his retirement. “I love this business and whether you cheered me or jeered me, I’m grateful for being a small part of your life.

“I am officially retired from sports entertainment and I am grateful for every second of my amazing journey.”

Shaq Match On AEW Dynamite Draws 1.3 Million Viewers

Rayan Sayyed
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Shaq appeared on AEW Dynamite this past Wednesday to finally have his first match teaming up with Jade Cargill against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet, after several promos and hype. The tag team match showed the drawing power of the NBA legend as the match was able to bring in a massive amount of viewers with 1.3 million.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer revealed the numbers saying that the Shaq match rised to a viewership of 1.3 million viewers. He reported, “…the Shaq match peaked at 1.3 million viewers. Highest opposed number since 2019.”

Overall, the show drew in 934,000 viewers and achieved a 0.33 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. The number is down from last week, however. The match was hyped by Shaq on NBA before his in-ring debut. Also, the reason why the match took place on Dynamite and not on Revolution is because NBA is holding the All-Star Game on the same night as the PPV and Shaq will be covering the NBA game.

Read more: Shaq Wins AEW Debut Match, Goes Through Table

Shaq’s first appearance on Dynamite was back on the December 9, 2020 episode of Dynamite where he did an interview with Brandi Rhodes. The show did 995,000 viewers, with Shaq’s segment drawing 1.2 million viewers. The quarter featuring Shaq averaged 1,063,000 viewers and 618,000 viewers in 18-49 demographic.

Shaw has said in recent years that he wanted to wrestle Cody and he has achieved that. It is likely like we will see Shaw again to take revenge on Cody for sending him crashing through two tables during the match.

Cody Rhodes for now will be working AEW Revolution this weekend in a ladder match. You can check out the full card of the event below.

AEW Revolution Card

  • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida vs. Ryo Mizunami
  • AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho and MJF)
  • Team Taz (Brian Cage and Ricky Starks) vs. Darby Allin and Sting in a Street Fight
  • Adam Page vs. Matt Hardy in a “Big Money Match”
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Lance Archer vs. Max Caster vs. TBA in a Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a future AEW TNT Championship match
  • Miro and Kip Sabian vs. Best Friends (Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor)
  • Bear Country vs. Silver & Reynolds vs. Evil Uno & Stu Grayson vs. Santana & Ortiz vs. The Butcher & The Blade vs. Private Party vs. Top Flight in a Casino Tag Team Royale for a AEW World Tag Team Championship match
  • Riho and Thunder Rosa vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Rebel on the pre-show

Kenny Omega Details Rules For Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch At Revolution

Rayan Sayyed
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Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley is the most talked-about match in the wrestling world as of now and for good reason — it is one of the biggest and most hyped-up matches on AEW Revolution’s card. The barbed wire deathmatch is an exciting stipulation for hardcore fans and casual fans alike, with the fact that it also contains explosives that can be triggered which make a dangerous and thrilling setting for a match. Fans are curious as to what we can expect from the hardcore match and Omega has detailed some rules and provided us a closer look on how the match will work.

Kenny Omega posted a hand-drawn guide on his Twitter which reveals details on how the match will work and why fans should be excited. The drawing shows that 3 sides of the ring will be wrapped in barbed wire. According to Omega, if contact is made with the wire, then explosives will be triggered on the corresponding side. There are also three zones on the floor dubbed the “Triple Hell” which are also wired with explosives. All the explosives also have a time limit, as they will automatically trigger after 30 minutes. So even if contact is not made with the traps, it’s all going to detonate, anyway.

Here are all the details of the match as per Kenny Omega:

THE RULES:

-3 sides of the ring ropes wrapped in barbed wire.

-contact with barbed wire triggers explosives on corresponding side.

-‘Triple Hell’ (3 zones on the floor wired to explosives)

-30 minute countdown timer until all explosives in and around the ring detonate.

Kenny Omega also clarified that the reason why the diagram shows all 4 sides of the ring ropes wrapped in barbed wire but the description says only 3, is because he’s being made to keep a side clear in case of an emergency.

Speaking on what to expect from the match, Kenny Omega said, “The idea itself is incredible. You touch the ropes and they explode. This is a match that was made famous about 30 years ago in FMW. It’s not like a cage match where you have a pretty good idea about what you’ll see. With this, there are going to be so many unexpected parts.”

“This is my opportunity to show to a much broader audience that I can show a different side to my work, do these skits, which the people who watched Being the Elite already knew, and accomplish a whole new set of goals.”

WWE SmackDown Results (3/5): Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso, Title Match Set For Fastlane

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. Daniel Bryan faced Jey Uso inside a steel cage tonight. If Bryan won the match, he would face Roman Reigns at WWE Fastlane for the Universal Championship.

SmackDown Results (3/5)

  1. King Corbin def. Montez Ford
  2. Angelo Dawkins def. Sami Zayn
  3. Dominik def. Chad Gable
  4. Bianca Belair def. Shayna Baszler
  5. Cesaro def. Murphy
  6. Daniel Bryan def. Jey Uso to earn a shot at the Universal Championship at Fastlane

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Roman Reigns Interrupted Daniel Bryan

Michael Cole kicked off SmackDown and introduced Daniel Bryan. Cole noted that Bryan will face Jey Uso in a Steel Cage match tonight and will earn a Universal Championship match at Fastlane. Cole said that they were going to have a tag team match at Fastlane with Bryan teaming with Edge against Jey and Reigns.

Bryan stated that nobody ever asked him if he wanted to take part in the tag team match because everybody believes he will do what is asked of him. Daniel knows Edge versus Reigns is a dream match but is going to do his best to make sure that it does not happen. Bryan then told Cole he can take it from here and rolled a video package from Elimination Chamber.

Daniel said he has lost and gotten beat up a lot in his career but felt like such a failure when Edge Speared Reigns and pointed at the WrestleMania sign. Bryan claimed he doesn’t have a lot of ambition because he got one of the lowest scores on a WWE personality test. He stated that for the last year he has had it in his mind that he was going to become a full-time dad in the future.

Bryan added that he put himself on the back burner for the past year and realized he has a lot more ambition than he thought. Daniel shouted that he deserves to be in the main event and has wrestled more matches in the past three weeks than Edge & Reigns have in the past three months. Daniel said that this could be his last chance to main event WrestleMania so he has to beat Jey tonight and then defeat Reigns at Fastlane.

Universal Champion Roman Reigns interrupted with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. Reigns raised the Universal Championship as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Reigns was in the ring with Bryan. Roman told Bryan that he doesn’t sound like the same guy and is confusing their audience.

Reigns told Bryan that he is an underdog, a little guy, a lotto winner, a guy who waits on an opportunity and sometimes it works out. Roman added that Bryan doesn’t love wrestling, he needs it because he has nothing else. Reigns said he loves this business and does it because everybody needs him, including Bryan. Roman claimed that Bryan will know in his heart that he needs him and will acknowledge him after Jey whoops his ass tonight.

Jey ripped the microphone away from Bryan and said that this as close as Daniel will get to the Universal Championship. Uso added that Bryan’s Road to WrestleMania ends tonight and went for a cheap shot but Daniel was ready. Daniel sent Jey out of the ring to end the segment.

King Corbin Didn’t Want To Team With Sami Zayn

Street Profits came to the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Sami Zayn said their victory over himself and Corbin was a fluke and they will prove it tonight. King Corbin interrupted and said he doesn’t like Sami and wants a singles match. Ford then faced Corbin and Dawkins battled Sami after.

Montez Ford hit King Corbin with a Dropkick but he shrugged it off and connected with a Spinebuster for a two count. Ford applied a Sleeper Hold but Corbin broke free. Montez sent Corbin to the corner and connected with a Splash. Ford followed it up with a DDT and then a Standing Moonsault for a two count. Ford got distracted by Zayn and Corbin capitalized with the End of Days for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Sami told Corbin that he helped him and asked him to return the favor. Dawkins knocked Zayn off the apron and onto Corbin. The two superstars started arguing again and Corbin made his way backstage as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Dawkins was in control and leveled Sami with a shoulder tackle. Angelo followed it up with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Sami was able to kick out at two. Zayn connected with a Clothesline but Dawkins kicked out at two.

Sami started complaining about the how long it took the referee and Dawkins capitalized with a Neckbreaker for a tow count. Sami went for the Blue Thunder Bomb but Dawkins escaped. Sami slammed Dawkins against the turnbuckle with an Exploder Suplex and set up for the Helluva Kick.

Montez distracted Sami and Dawkins rolled him up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Sami Zayn claimed one of the documentary filmmakers was in on it and beat him down against the barricade.

Dominik def. Chad Gable

Dominik faced Chad Gable tonight on SmackDown. Rey Mysterio and Chad Gable were ringside for the match. Dominik sent Gable out of the ring to start off the action and then planted him with an Arm Drag. Gable battled back and slammed Dominik’s knee into the canvas.

Dominik went for a Tornado DDT but Gable blocked it. Gable connected with a Tiger Suplex and bridged into the cover but Dominik kicked out at two. Dominik then rolled up Gable for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins Rejected Murphy’s Offer

Kayla Braxton interviewed Seth Rollins backstage tonight. Kayla pointed out that it seemed like Cesaro had Rollins in the Swing forever last week. Rollins agreed and said that Cesaro wanted to humiliate him. Seth vowed to never forget that and then Buddy Murphy showed up. Murphy said that he can assist Rollins with the Cesaro situation but Seth told him to get out of his sight.

Bianca Belair def. Shayna Baszler

Shayna Baszler faced Bianca Belair tonight. Sasha Banks and Nia Jax were ringside for the match. Jax and Baszler will defend their Women’s Tag Team Championships against Belair and Banks at WWE Fastlane. Carmella fired Reginald tonight because she thought he was obsessed with Sasha Banks. Reginald then followed Sasha to the ring tonight.

Baszler dominated the action early and connected with a kick to Belair’s shoulder. Shayna followed it up with a running knee to the injured arm for a two count. Belair battled back and connected with a Body Slam before sending Shayna to the corner.

Bianca followed it up with a Suplex and a Back Body Drop. Shayna sent Bianca out of the ring and towards Reginald. Belair shoved Reginald to the floor and ran into a kick from Baszler in the ring. Nia tried to Clothesline Reginald but he ducked and she hit Banks with a Clothesline. Shayna went for the Kirifuda Clutch but Belair escaped and hit the KOD for the pinfall victory. Sasha slapped Reginald and told him to stay out of her business. Reginald later tried to talk to Sasha Banks but she shut the door in his face. Nia Jax then showed up and said that Reginald was kind of cute.

Cesaro def. Murphy

Cesaro squared off against Murphy tonight. Seth Rollins joined commentary for the match. Cesaro hit a Backbreaker for a near fall as Rollins argued with Cole. Murphy sent Cesaro out of the ring and flipped onto him. Murphy connected with a Meteora for a two count. Cesaro got Murphy in the Swing and applied the Sharpshooter for the submission victory.

Apollo Crews Demanded A Rematch

Apollo Crews came down to the ring with the “Nigerian Elite Guard” and said they have protected his family for generations. Crews said his dad would tell him stories of fearless Nigerian warriors and now history is repeating itself. Apollo added that when Big E tried to humble him he heard his ancestors telling him to stand up for himself. Crews said he wanted a rematch against Big E for the Intercontinental Championship.

Daniel Bryan Earned A Universal Championship Match At Fastlane

Corey Graves explained the rules of a Steel Cage match to fill time before the main event. Daniel Bryan then faced Jey Uso inside the cage. If Bryan won the match, he would earn a shot at the Universal Championship at Fastlane. Universal Champion Roman Reigns told Jey not to embarass the family and took a seat ringside before the match.

Jey Uso dominated the match early and tried to leave the cage through the door but Bryan stopped him. Bryan hit a Dropkick and launched Jey into the steel cage. Bryan went to work on Jey’s left arm and drove it into the steel again. Bryan tried to escape the cage but Jey tripped him up on the turnbuckle. Uso stomped away on Bryan’s injured knee and climbed to the top of the cage. Daniel caught up to him but Jey hit a Samoan Drop off the top rope as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Bryan and Jey were battling on the top of the cage again. Bryan booted Jey in the chest several times but Uso responded with a Superkick. Bryan fell to the canvas and Jey connected with a Splash for a near fall.

Jey tried to crawl out of the cage but Bryan stopped him. Jey connected with an Enziguri and followed it up with a Superkick for a two count. Uso tried to climb out of the cage but Bryan stopped him and connected with a few headbutts. Bryan brought Jey down to the canvas and applied the Yes Lock. Jey grabbed the ropes but there is no rope break in a Cage match. Jey tapped out and Bryan earned a Universal Championship match against Reigns at Fastlane.

Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns Set For WWE Fastlane

Andrew Ravens
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Daniel Bryan will challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Title at the upcoming Fastlane pay-per-view event. 

Last week’s episode of SmackDown saw Bryan do an opening segment with Reigns, which led to Bryan wanting a rematch against Reigns. However, a singles match between Bryan and Jey Uso was booked later in the night with both of them getting counted out. 

Last Saturday’s Talking Smack featured a segment with Paul Heyman and Bryan in which set up a Steel Cage Match between Bryan and Jey on this week’s episode of SmackDown. 

The stipulation along with the match was if Bryan won then he would get a title match with Reigns at Fastlane. However, if he lost then Bryan had to acknowledge Reigns as the Tribal Chief as well as say that Reigns is the very best wrestler on the face of the planet.

Bryan won the Steel Cage Match and will now be in the Universal Title match against “The Big Dog” at the Fastlane pay-per-view event on Sunday, March 21, 2021 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida that will air on the WWE Network.

The match served as the main event of SmackDown with Reigns and Heyman watching on from ringside. Bryan won with the Yes Lock. 

AEW Revolution Betting Odds

Andrew Ravens
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The betting odds for most of the matches that will take place at the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event have been released.

The card for the show that takes place on Sunday (March 7, 2021) in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place appears to have been finalized.

Cody Rhodes is favored to win the Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match while the rest of the wrestlers are priced at the same +275. Kenny Omega is favored to retain the AEW World Title at -350 while Moxley is listed as +325.

Make sure to join us on Sunday for match recaps, and our takeaways from this latest pay-per-view event held by AEW. 

Revolution Betting Odds

The favorites to win are listed as – while the underdogs are listed with +. Here are the final betting odds: 

  • AEW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega (-350) vs. Jon Moxley (+325) – Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch
  • Sting and Darby Allin (450) vs. Brian Cage and Ricky Starks (+275) – Street Fight
  • AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (-250) vs. MJF and Chris Jericho (+175) 
  • Matt Hardy (-350 ) vs. Adam Page (+225) – the winner receives the loser’s first-quarter 2021 earnings
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Lance Archer vs.. Max Caster vs. TBA – Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match (winner gets shot at Darby Allin’s TNT Title): Cody +175, The Field -250
  • Miro & Kip Sabian (+120) vs. Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor (-160)

WWE Has New Doctrine To Scale Back On Signing Older Wrestlers

Andrew Ravens
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WWE recently went on a talent signing spree for the NXT brand by signing independent wrestlers and athletes to contracts. 

However, one of the big issues with WWE’s roster is there are a number of wrestlers who are hovering around 40 years if not older. Fans have a problem with the older wrestlers getting more TV time than the younger stars, which means there are even more limited spots for the younger guard to get over, and thus, they don’t get pushes so down the line they can replace the aging talent. 

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE is very aware of the aging aspect of their main and developmental roster. As a result, a doctrine has been laid out that states that they want to limit developmental signings to people under the age of 30.

However, there will be exceptions made for someone who is really good or has potential. This news comes after WWE recently signed former Impact Wrestling stars Taya Valkyrie and LA Knight (formerly known as Eli Drake), who are both in their late 30s.

It will be interesting to see which talent who are older get signed or doesn’t just because of their age. 

WWE Issues Notice Advising Wrestlers To Stop ‘Thigh Slapping’

Andrew Ravens
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WWE issued a new notice to wrestlers and wants them to stop doing “thigh slaps” when throwing kicks.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that there was a story going around about WWE fining wrestlers for doing this. The story goes onto state that WWE officials have sent a memo to NXT stars about doing the “thigh slaps” and no one has said a word about it since.

Fightful select reports that they were told that a sign was up at WWE events with big, bold letters that said “NO THIGH SLAPPING.” The memo was sent out to talent in February.

It dates back to the 50s when Mr. Wrestling II would do a back slap on his opponents when he would hit a knee lift. Many wrestlers have been known to slap their leg or opponents back.

Meltzer pointed out how Chris Adams did the thigh slap superkick when he came to the United States from the UK. Even WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who is one of the key people in NXT, grew up watching Adams.

Doing “thigh slaps” or “leg slaps” in pro wrestling has received criticism on social media fans. In fact, Randy Orton tweeted about it and had words with Tommaso Ciampa over it after NXT Takeover: In Your House.

Rumored Card For WWE WrestleMania 37

Michael Reichlin
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WWE WrestleMania 37 is still over a month away, but the company is finally starting to firm up the card.

As of this writing, two matches are confirmed for WWE’s biggest show of the year. The Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble winners have selected their opponents:

  • Edge (Royal Rumble Winner) vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
  • Bianca Belair (Royal Rumble Winner) vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks

WrestleMania 37 Card: Rumored Matches

As for the rest of the lineup, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter details what else fans can expect for WrestleMania:

  • WWE Champion Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre
  • Randy Orton vs. The Fiend
  • Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair
  • Intercontinental Champion Big E vs. Apollo Crews
  • The Miz & John Morrison vs. Damien Priest & Bad Bunny
  • United States Champion Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali
  • Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Naomi & Lana
  • Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon
  • Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler vs. Street Profits

WWE WrestleMania 37 takes place over two nights: Saturday, April 9th and Sunday April 10th. The shows will emanate from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. The event airs live exclusively on the Peacock streaming service.

Jey Uso Provides An Update On Jimmy’s Return To WWE

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Superstar Jey Uso says his brother Jimmy is well on the road to recovery and expects him to be back in action soon.

Jimmy Uso has been out of action since last year’s WrestleMania pay-per-view. He tore his ACL while jumping off a ladder during the Triple Threat Ladder Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. During an interview with SportsKeeda this week, Jey Uso addressed Jimmy’s condition.

When asked about the difference between wrestling as a singles competitor vs. being in a tag team, Jey said, “The only difference is my brother is not holding that rope. He’s not in my corner, you know, but in due time, Uce, Uso Penitentiary will be opening soon. Hey, Uce, you just gotta keep your head on a swivel. He gonna be there, you know what I’m saying? It’s not paranoia, it’s The Usos.”

It is certainly encouraging to hear that Jimmy Uso is still on track to return ‘soon.’

Jey Uso will compete against Daniel Bryan in a steel cage at tonight’s WWE SmackDown.

Matt Cardona On The Time Undertaker Confronted Him Backstage

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling’s Matt Cardona recently told a story of a time in WWE when he was dressed down by the Undertaker backstage. Cardona had been on his phone during a show, something Taker was not pleased about. He detailed the story during an interview with Metro UK.

“I once got in trouble by The Undertaker for being on my cell phone backstage at a show whereas now, it’s encouraged to be on your phone – tweet, post, I don’t even know all the apps you can do!”

“That’s just evolution and that’s how it should be. And you know, The Undertaker was right back then – I should have been watching the match, I should have been focused. It’s crazy how times change!’”

Cardona would continue to say that Taker is someone who was always giving back to the business.

“I even wrestled The Undertaker one-on-one and I remember he was asking me what I wanted to do and then afterwards sat down with me to give me pointers and what I could have done different, what I did good.”

“Undertaker is somebody who’s always looking to give back to the business. All these years later, we’re still talking about The Undertaker, he’s still going. I respect the hell out of The Undertaker. You’ve gotta listen to what he has to say.”

AEW Signs ‘Captain’ Shawn Dean, Tony Khan Comments

Michael Reichlin
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Shawn Dean is All Elite. AEW announced his signing Friday afternoon.

Dean been a regular on AEW Dark since the early 2020. He’s been teaming with Carlie Bravo in recent weeks as part of the The Infantry tag team.

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The Infantry: Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo (Photo: AEW)

AEW President Tony Khan thanked Dean on his US military service and the hard work he’s shown in AEW thus far.

“Thank you for your service to the USA, @ShawnDean773, + thank you for everything you’ve done for @AEW to help us thrive through the pandemic,” Khan wrote. “Your consistent hard work, positivity + reliability have made you so valuable to #AEW; now it’s my honor to officially welcome you aboard!”

Shawn Dean On Signing with AEW

Shawn Dean replied to Tony Khan and expressed gratitude for his wrestling journey.

“Wow….just Wow…..this has been a journey …hard work… dedication…against all adversity I stayed the course and it has led to this….dreams work with hard work!!!
@TonyKhan and MY entire @AEW family thank you …thank you ….#Salute and….#ImWithAEW”

Congratulations to Shawn Dean.

Jon Moxley Explains Why He & Kenny Omega Are The Best In The World

Michael Reichlin
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Jon Moxley challenges AEW World Champion Kenny Omega in an exploding barbwire death match this Sunday at AEW Revolution.

Moxley spoke to Steven Muehlhaisen for DAZN this week about his chemistry with Omega, the high stakes of Sunday’s match and more.

Many people regard him and Omega as two of the best pro wrestlers in the world. Moxley said he agrees with that sentiment, but wrestling is not exactly like pro sports, where one championship game (or series) determines the best in the world.

“In wrestling, that’s not necessarily the case. It’s different,” said Moxley. “You can be one of the best. The most important thing is how do you say who’s better: Shawn Michaels or Ric Flair? You can’t pick. If your favorite wrestler growing up when you were a kid was Big Van Vader or Ahmed Johnson, then they’re the best wrestler in the world to you. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who drew more money or who had people think had better matches. The most important thing is you just got to be the best you.”

Jon Moxley & Kenny Omega

Moxley said that he and Kenny Omega are being the best versions of themselves in AEW. They’re not being held back. They’re not being overproduced. AEW allows them to ply their craft and executive their visions.

“You’re getting the best version of Kenny Omega, the best version of Jon Moxley on a weekly basis on Dynamit,” he continued..” I don’t think anybody’s doing it at a higher level than me and Kenny are right now. We’re both in our prime, both at our peak, both just really hitting on all cylinders.

We’re in a position with AEW where we just get to go out there, be given the ball, and get a chance to score touchdowns on a weekly basis. Nobody’s doing it at a higher level than us two right now.”

Visit DAZN to check out the rest of the interview.

WWE SmackDown Preview (3/5): Bryan vs. Uso Steel Cage Match

Michael Reichlin
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WWE returns to the ThunderDome tonight for an all-new episode of Friday Night SmackDown on FOX. The show will be headlined by a Steel Cage match. We’ll also see 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair in action.

The following items are scheduled for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from St. Petersberg, FL:

  • Daniel Bryan will face Jey Uso in a Steel Cage match. If Daniel Bryan wins, he earns the right to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at Fastlane.
  • Bianca Belair vs. Shayna Baszler
  • Fallout from last week’s show and continued hype for Fastlane.

Join us here later tonight for our WWE SmackDown Results & Takeaways feature.

CM Punk Addresses Rumors Of AEW’s “Big Surprise”

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk made it clear on Twitter recently that he is not the big surprise promised for AEW Revolution. He took part in a Q&A with fans and noted that he feels AEW needs to focus more on the stars already on their roster rather than new signings.

Punk doesn’t feel AEW was trying to tease he was the surprise, however.

Punk was asked about having never been in the final match at WrestleMania, something that at one point was his dream. He noted that this is no longer something that bothers him.

“No. It’s a trap I fell into. Doesn’t mean sh**,” Punk Tweeted.

The noted hockey fan also lobbied for a return of the Quebec Nordiques.

When asked, Punk picked the Midnight Express over the Rock N Roll Express.

Punk also chose the Mandalorian over Wandavision.

Punk also threw out some congrats to the new WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley.

Punk also says he’s been in a submarine before. That seemed notable for some reason.

Cody Rhodes addressed AEW’s previous negotiations with Punk in an interview last year.

“As far as the CM Punk negotiations go, everyone heard the famous ‘he got a text from us’. Yeah, of course there were negotiations and he did ask for a great amount of money and Punk is worth a great deal of money.”

Women’s Tag Title Match Signed For WWE Fastlane (3/21)

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced the first match for Fastlane, the final pay-per-view on the road to WrestleMania 37.

SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and 2021 Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair are getting another shot at the Women’s Tag Team Championships. The WrestleMania opponents will team up against Jax and Shayna Bazsler in a rematch from Elimination Chamber.

Visit WWE.com to check out their detailed preview for this match.

Fastlane takes place Sunday, March 21st. The event is less than three weeks away, so expect WWE to announce more matches very soon.

This will be the first WWE pay-per-view available on the Peacock streaming network. The show will also be available on the WWE Network, as WWE makes the transition to Peacock.

Matt Hardy On Reinventing His Character During The Pandemic

Chris Stephens
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Matt Hardy made his AEW debut during the first edition of Dynamite taped without a live audience. Since that time, Hardy has started performing more under his “Big Money Matt” persona rather than his “Broken” one. He spoke to the Asbury Park Press about how the pandemic forced him to reinvent himself yet again.

“Broken Matt Hardy is a very audience-friendly character,” Hardy said. “It needs a crowd, it needs an audience, and it just was not in the cards to be Broken Matt Hardy … because his debut was in the first-ever empty arena era, pandemic-era show, the first empty arena show that AEW had.”

“Broken Matt Hardy is … very theatrical, and it doesn’t translate as well to the current AEW audience that sits at home and watches (on television) because I’ve realized that this is a much younger audience. It’s a much more sports-centric-type audience.”

Hardy then praised Tony Khan for giving him the creative freedom to switch characters.

“I tip my hat to (AEW president and CEO) Tony Khan. He allowed me to try kind of switching characters and see how people reacted to it,” Hardy continued. “I think if we had been in arenas full of people it would have been different.

“But considering we’re now playing to the television audience, it was better for me to zone in and focus on one thing.”

Hardy would continue to say being a heel is the best option for him currently. He will face Hangman Page at Revolution. A stipulation was added to the bout that the winning wrestler is given the losing wrestler’s pay for the first quarter of 2021.

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