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Daniel Bryan Pushing WWE Officials To Bring More NXT Stars To SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
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Unlike some people before him, Daniel Bryan has been using his creative influence to elevate younger stars. 

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the former WWE Champion has been pushing for more NXT talent to be brought up to SmackDown. However, he has been met with opposition.

Bryan has received pushback from this idea due to the poor track record of wrestlers brought up from NXT to the main roster over the last two years. It all comes down to Vince McMahon losing interest in call-ups soon after they debut as well as several main roster talent who don’t currently have a role on TV.

Rhea Ripley Damien Priest
Rhea Ripley and Damien Priest

We know that Damien Priest and Rhea Ripley are two NXT stars that WWE plans to call up from NXT in the near future. Priest was set to be called up to SmackDown and align with Kevin Owens. However, this plan was shelved when WWE did not come up with a storyline that worked.

Rhea Ripley is also headed to the main roster soon following her loss to Raquel Gonzalez at NXT New Year’s Evil. It is believed Ripley will resume her feud with Charlotte Flair, which was put on hold after their match at WrestleMania 36 last April.

Matt Riddle & Seth Rollins Have Squashed Their Beef

Andrew Ravens
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There have been rumors about past backstage heat between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle since November 2019. 

The rumors about their issues go back to when Riddle’s wife made body shaming comments directed towards Becky Lynch, who is the fiance and mother of Rollins’ child, in a now-deleted Instagram post. 

Rollins made an appearance on the Friday Night SmackDown Watch Along special that aired in October. During it, he made it clear that he had no desire to work with Riddle.

Fightful now reports that those within the company suggested the two stars have moved past the issues between them. The two stars did work the Men’s Elimination Tag Team Match at the Survivor Series pay-per-view event in November and fans picked up on how Rollins didn’t look at Riddle during the contest. 

However, people backstage at the show noted that they talked about their differences at the show. Now, they’re said to be open to working with each other in the future.

It was added by sources that Riddle apologized to Rollins for his wife’s comments toward Lynch.

Rollins dropped Riddle’s name during an interview in 2018 as someone who he thought was “super talented and had an interest in wrestling. 

Latest WWE Trademark Filing Is For “MSK”

Michael Reichlin
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WWE filed a trademark application for the phrase “MSK” earlier this week.

The United States Patent & Trademark Office database shows that attorney Lauren A. Dienes-Middlen filed for the “word mark” on Monday, January 4th.

The “goods and services” usage description reads as follows:

“Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment”

WWE also recently filed trademarks the names Leon Ruff, Dabba-Kato and Sha Samuels (NXT UK).

Jay White Leaving NJPW A Real Possibility, Interest From WWE (Report)

Staff
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Jay White could be leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling for real.

According to Super J-Cast, a podcast focusing on NJPW, several sources indicate it is unlikely that Switchblade will sign a new contract with the Japanese promotion. His current deal is rumored to be up later this month. He’s been with New Japan since 2016.

WWE is said to be making a ‘strong play’ to get White onboard. AEW would be another option for the 28-year-old star, White’s association with the Bullet Club.

@WrestleVotes notes that “a few of the boys” have gone out of their way to vouch for Jay White with WWE management.

For what it’s worth, Jay White also “liked” this tweet by NXT Champion Finn Balor earlier this week:

Jay White Hints At Leaving NJPW

“Switchblade” faced Kota Ibushi on Day 2 of Wrestle Kingdom with the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles on the line. However, he could not secure a win in the match.

Overwrought with his loss, White cut a promo during the backstage media scrum, where he said that he felt “physically closest to death” than he has ever been. He complained about never being appreciated for the sacrifices he has made over the years for wrestling at NJPW.

Regretting all the time he has spent away from his family for this, White said, “I am not going to do this anymore. Maybe my time would be better spent someplace else.”

He would at most appear at NJPW’s New Year’s Dash, but after that he is done with the promotion, a distraught White said.

It seems like there was some truth in Jay White’s words after all.

You can watch the video of Jay White’s comments below:

Tony Schiavone Recalls Negotiations With WWE Prior To Joining AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Tony Schiavone has enjoyed a career resurgence since he joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The legendary broadcaster was away from pro wrestling for nearly two decades following the demise of WCW in 2001. Longtime fans have called him “the voice of their childhood.” He now reaches a new generation of wrestling fans every week on AEW Dynamite.

Schiavone co-hosts the ‘What Happened When’ podcast with Conrad Thompson and the AEW Unrestricted podcast with referee Aubrey Edwards. On this week’s Unrestricted, Schiavone was in the ‘hot seat.’ He spoke about what he knew about Sting joining AEW, Kenny Omega hijacking the AEW Championship, working through the pandemic and much more.

The most interesting part of the discussion focused on Tony Schiavone’s path to AEW. Prior to joining the company, he negotiated with not just Tony Khan but also WWE. Believe it or not, Khan encouraged him to sign with WWE if they offered him enough money.

Tony Schiavone’s Road to AEW

Schiavone says Bruce Prichard reached out to him in 2019 and informed him that Vince McMahon wanted to hire him at WWE. Schivaone was interested and asked what the position would be. Prichard said it would probably be a producer role and they’d be in touch. He told Conrad Thompson that he was in talks with WWE and got a text message from Cody Rhodes “two minutes later.”

Cody told him, “I don’t want you to work for WWE” and set up a call between Schiavone and AEW President Tony Khan.

“Tony called me, we talked for over an hour and said he was going to have me come to Jacksonville,” said Schiavone. “During this time, WWE kept talking to me and I never told WWE that Tony Khan had an interest, I was just listening. They called and said, ‘We don’t have our ducks in a row yet, we’ll be back in touch.'”

Schiavone continued speaking with Bruce Prichard, who told him that Vince McMahon wants him to end his career with WWE. He received a call from someone in WWE’s HR department, who asked how much money he was interested in. He threw out a big number and was told they would be in touch.

“Meanwhile, I met with Tony Khan. It was an all-day meeting at the stadium and I knew immediately that I wanted to work there. My wife also told me, ‘If you take a job at WWE, I’ll divorce your ass.’ I didn’t play two sides against the middle, I was just waiting to hear.”

Khan made Schiavone a “phenomenal” offer, but he still owed WWE courtesy of making an offer as well. Khan told Schiavone, “If they offer you $1 million, take it!” He replied, “Don’t worry, I will.”

Schiavone’s wife Lois urged him not to work for WWE, no matter what they offered him. WWE said they would be in touch with him after SummerSlam. He received a phone call from WWE the day after SummerSlam 2019. They informed him, “Thank you for your interest Mr. Schiavone, we have nothing for you.” He replied, “You guys contacted me!” He called Tony Khan that day and said, “I’m in.”

You can listen to this week’s AEW Unrestricted at iTunes and other podcast platforms.

Nick Jackson Banged Up At AEW Dynamite, Not Expected To Miss Ring Time

Michael Reichlin
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Nick Jackson got banged up at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, but is not expected to miss any ring time.

Along with his brother Matt, The Young Bucks are the reigning AEW World Tag team champions. They teamed with SCU against The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2 in the opening contest of New Year’s Smash (Night 1).

Mid-way through the contest, Jack Evans hit a 630 splash off the top rope onto Nick Jackson. Nick countered the move by putting his legs up, which resulted in Evans landing on them hard. He was limping later in the match, which indicates a possible injury. Footage of the move in question can be seen here:

Wrestling Observer Live notes that Jackson sustained a leg contusion, but thankfully there was no fracture. As of this writing, Nick Jackson still scheduled to compete next week at New Year’s Smash (Night 2). The Elite will be in action, as the Young Bucks team with AEW World Champion Kenny Omega.

The trio, along with Gallows & Anderson, were part of the show-closing angle that saw a reunion of former Bullet Club members. For more on that story, check out:

Retribution Not Happy About Meme Comparing Them To Capitol Hill Insurrectionists

Michael Reichlin
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Earlier this week, the world witnessed a dark chapter in American history. Armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Parody Twitter account @KayfabeNews released a meme comparing this group of violent terrorists to WWE’s Retribution faction. Retribution also used violent means to achieve their objectives and take over WWE events.

The meme, seen below, is an altered photo of the insurrectionists inside the Capitol. A “Trump” flag held by one of the men has been replaced by a flag depicting the Retribution logo. Another Retribution logo is overlaid front and center. The caption reads, “Worst invasion angle ever.”

Several members of Retribution saw the meme and strongly denounced the comparison. T-BAR wrote, “I’m the only white American in the group, so this comparison is not only inaccurate, quite frankly it’s embarrassing. Take your dumb joke and shove it up your ass.”

https://twitter.com/TBARRetribution/status/1347368328000626695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1347368328000626695%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ewrestlingnews.com%2Fnews%2Fretribution-not-happy-with-a-meme-comparing-them-to-capitol-hill-insurrectionists

Reckoning also replied to the tweet, stating, said, “Don’t compare us to terrorists. Gtfo with this trash.”

Update: KayfabeNews has since deleted the original tweet and released a statement:

Jim Ross Names His Three Favorite AEW Matches

Michael Reichlin
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Jim Ross has named his three favorite matches since the launch of AEW last year. The Hall of Fame announcer has been ringside for some of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history, so his opinion on this subject carries weight.

During a recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Ross named the three AEW matches that fans should go out of their way to see, if they haven’t already.

JR told co-host Conrad Thompson, “I loved Dustin and Cody.” Of course, the match he is referring two was the battle of the Rhodes brothers from the inaugural AEW pay-per-view, Double or Nothing 2019. It was an instant classic that ranks on any serious list of the best AEW matches.

cody dustin
Brother vs. Brother: Double or Nothing 2019(Photo: AEW)

Best AEW Matches

Jim Ross said the best match of 2020 was the Young Bucks vs. FTR tag team ‘dream match’ from November’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view. He also praised the Cody Rhodes vs. Brodie Lee dog collar match for the TNT Championship. Tragically, this would be Brodie Lee’s final match before his untimely passing on December 26th.

He noted that Jon Moxley had a stellar year as AEW World Champion. “There’s a couple of Moxley matches that I thought were really good, I’m a big fan of Jon Moxley.”

Jim Ross wrapped up by going back to the Cody vs. Dustin match, stating that the personal nature of the match-up and the luxury of a live crowd put it over the top for him

“Overall, just looking back in total, the Rhodes brothers match might be my favorite match thus far that we’ve done in AEW. Live crowd, the dramatic use of blood, the story behind it. It became very personal and emotional, it wasn’t a ‘rasslin’ storyline so to speak. It was based on reality. They turned it on and it got me.”

You can listen to this “Ask JR Anything” episode of Grilling JR at Westwood One or in the player embedded below:

Steve Austin Explains Why He’s Not A Fan of the WWE Royal Rumble

Michael Reichlin
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WWE legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has won the Royal Rumble match more times than anyone in history. He outlasted 29 other men on three separate occasions: in 1997, 1998 and 2001. Despite this unparalleled record, the Texas Rattlesnake says he’s isn’t overly fond of the match.

Austin recently spoke with Fox Sports to promote the new season of his celebrity interview series, “Straight Up Steve Austin” on the USA Network. During the discussion, Austin revealed what he does not like about the 30-man over-the-top rope battle royal.

With so many people involved in a Royal Rumble, many the spots are planned out in advance. Wrestlers know when they are supposed to be eliminated. The more planning there is, the greater chance for things going wrong and chaos. Austin alluded, “You know what I’m speaking of, without just spelling it out”

Austin recalls running into trouble during his first Royal Rumble experience back in 1996. This was his first WWE pay-per-view appearance and will never forget what transpired. “I was supposed to be the fourth guy left in the ring and Rikishi, or somebody, gave me a clothesline and the ropes were so baby oiled up from everybody wearing baby oil, I slipped.”

Austin continued, “There was a bunch of guys in the ring and I went out way early. I hit the ground, and I’m still pretty new in the company at this time. But they’re gonna try to keep me in the Rumble, so they’re giving me a little bit of a push and I blew it!”

Season 2 of Straight Up Steve Austin premieres Monday, January 11th on the USA Network. Guests this season include Charlotte Flair, Brett Favre, Ice-T, Steve-O, Tiffany Haddish and more. You can see the preview for season two at this link:

Ben Carter Debuts In NXT UK: Post-Match Interview, Praise From Triple H & HBK

Michael Reichlin
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High-flyer Ben Carter made his long awaited WWE debut on Thursday’s episode of the NXT UK show on the WWE Network.

Carter had an impressive showing in a losing effort against Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin. The match was a showcase for Carter, who received praise afterwards from wrestling fans on social media, Triple H and other NXT UK talent.

Ben Carter was interviewed backstage after the contest. Carter says the match was bitter-sweet. He’s watched Jordan Devlin since the inception of NXT UK and says it is “insane” that he’s competing for the WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Despite the loss, he likes to think he impressed some people. He feels it’s the beginning of a long and successful career in WWE.

Watch Ben Carter weigh-in on his NXT UK debut:

Reactions to Ben Carter’s NXT UK Debut

Triple H called it a star-making performance and urged all of his followers to seek out the Devin vs. Carter match. He tweeted, “A match that if you have not seen, you should go and watch on WWE Network immediately,” wrote Triple H.”NXT UK continues to deliver and this main event was no different featuring a star-making performance from Ben Carter … just the beginning.”

Shawn Michaels called Ben Carter’s NXT UK debut “awesome” and said that he looked “incredibly impressive.”

WWE’s The Bump co-host Matt Camp wrote, “What an impressive NXT UK debut for Ben Carter,” wrote Camp. “He’ll be a champion soon enough.”

AEW Video Game: Details On Release Date, Create-A-Wrestler & Online Play

Michael Reichlin
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The AEW Games Youtube channel has launched 2.Show, a new digital series hosted by AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. On the premiere episode, Omega and Kip Sabian spoke discussed the AEW console video game currently in development.

Sabian asked Omega the top 5 most common questions about the game that AEW has received from fans. Topics discussed include:

  • Gameplay: Arcade or simulation?
  • Estimated release date
  • Features: Create-a-Wrestler and Online
  • WWF No Mercy creator Hideyuki “Geta” Iwashita’s involvement

Gameplay: Arcade or Simulation?

When asked if the AEW console game style will be simulation or arcade, Kenny Omega replied, “Neither.” He explained that if you look at a pure simulation game, the best example is the Fire Pro Wrestling series. This is a beloved franchise with a devoted fanbase. However, there’s a high learning curve and it makes it less fun for people who want to simply pick up and play with their friends.

AEW is looking to incorporate the speed of arcade play with the movs and countering systems of a simulation game. They are looking to create a wrestling game that lets players feel like they’re actually in the ring with their opponent. Players will have the areal offense of Rey Fenix and can perform variations of the Canadian destroyer.

A clip was shown of the Young Bucks’ Meltzer Driver tag team move in development.

aew game screen

Release Date

Kenny Omega said they are attempting to create the greatest pro wrestling video game of all time. They want it to be fun and last for a long time. To create a game that improves upon WWF No Mercy, it takes time and effort.

Omega made some jokes at the expense of WWE 2K20. “Sometimes, when games are rushed, they encounter a lot of bugs. They become almost unplayable, and then they become a meme in themselves. We don’t want that! We want people to have fun with this thing.” They’re working with the best game developers and producers. AEW Games will release a complete, playable, unbroken package.

Unfortunately, they can’t give a release date just yet. Omega hopes the game will be out “maybe next year, maybe the year after that.” He assured viewers that they will receive regular updates on the AEW Games channel.

Omega says he was impressed when he played an early build of the AEW video game.

kenny omega aew games

Features: Create a Wrestler & Online Play

The game will absolutely have a Create-a-Wrestler mode. AEW understands this is a beloved feature and it’s a high priority to them as well. They know some fans like to use the CAW suite to create themselves, fictitious characters and wrestlers from other promotions.

There will “absolutely” be online play. Wrestling fans can play with their friends or against their friends. They are exploring ways to incorporate cross-play functionality, so [example] gamers who own the AEW video game on Xbox can play against people who own the console game on Playstation. Online mode will involve all match types and specific functions will be exclusive to online play.

Geta’s Involvement

Finally, they asked about the process of getting Hideyuki “Geta” Iwashita on board with this project. Geta was the driving force behind WWF No Mercy (N64), the 2000 classic that is considered by many to be the best wrestling video game ever.

Kenny Omega says he did a lot of footwork on this game before AEW even launched. When he was still over in Japan, he visited the AKI studio, creators of WWF No Mercy. He spoke with the one remaining team member who worked on the game. Much of the original team has moved on. Many of them are developing mobile games. They all loved working on wrestling video games.

Omega received a message from someone he met at E3. This friend informed him that he was friends with Geta, who heard about the visit with AKI. Geta was eager to meet. Omega flew to Japan, where they decided to make a game together ‘when the time is right.’ They had additional meetings. AEW then linked up with Yukes and Geta was excited to join the team.

You can watch the the premiere episode of AEW Games: 2.Show below. Kenny Omega and Kip Sabian discuss the AEW game:

Impact Wrestling TV Viewership For Genesis Go-Home Show

Michael Reichlin
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Tuesday’s 1/5 episode of Impact Wrestling on AXS TV averaged 148,000 viewers and a 0.04 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. The show ranked 140th on cable for the evening, according to ShowbuzDaily.

The first Impact of 2021 featured the latest from Kenny Omega, Don Callis and the Good Brothers, Sami Callihan vs. Eddie Edwards, Havoc & Neveah advancing to the finals of the Knockouts tag title tourmanent and more. You can view our full recap here:

Impact’s viewership was up from the previous week, which drew 103,000 viewers and a 0.01 rating for the ‘Best of 2020: Part 2’ recap show.

Impact faced stiff competition from cable news election coverage of the two United States senate races in the state of Georgia.

MSNBC’s Election Coverage program at 8pm topped the night in cable viewership with 4.655 million viewers and a 0.68 A18-49 rating. CNN’s Election Night In America at 10pm did 3.815 million viewers and a 0.92 A18-49 rating.

Impact Wrestling presents Genesis this Saturday night on Impact Plus. The following weekend is Hard to Kill on pay-per-view.

Bullet Club Members Reunite At AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash

Michael Reichlin
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The conclusion of AEW New Year’s Smash (Night 1) saw the shocking reunion of the Bullet Club. It was the latest chapter in a fast-moving shake-up of the professional wrestling landscape led by Kenny Omega and Don Callis.

Omega recently crossed over to Impact Wrestling and aligned himself with former partners, The Good Brothers (Gallows & Anderson). The trio are set to main event Impact’s next pay-per-view, Hard to Kill. Their opponents will be Impact World Champion Rich Swan and the Motor City Machine Guns.

At Dynamite, the ‘reunion’ came more into focus. Following Omega’s successful title defense over Rey Fenix, Jon Moxley came out. Mox had a barbed wire baseball bat and sought revenge on the man who beat him for the AEW title. Gallows & Anderson appeared and provided backup for The Cleaner. A brawl ensued, with additional AEW talent joining the fray.

AEW World tag team champions The Young Bucks hit the ring, but they soon revealed their true intentions. Nick and Matt Jackson aligned with Omega, Gallows and Anderson. Dynamite went off the air with the former Bullet Club members embracing in the middle of the ring with their famous “2 sweet” hand gesture.

Backstage after the show, the guys posed for this photo:

Bullet club AEW
Bullet Club reunion in AEW

Bullet Club Reunion in AEW

This reunion of Bullet Club members solidifies that this is a bold new direction for AEW. It will likely be be one of the company’s top storylines in the months ahead. It also poses several interesting questions to consider as we look ahead:

  • Jon Moxley is the current target of Omega and company. He has been a longer in AEW thus far. However, there are strength in numbers. Who could Moxley against this dangerous ‘new’ faction?
  • Where do former Club members Hangman Page and Cody Rhodes fit into the equation?
  • The ‘club’ now has a presence in multiple promotions, including AEW, Impact Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Could this angle be the next step signaling a working relationship with NJPW?
  • Perhaps the biggest question is how this new faction relates to the current incarnation of the actual Bullet Club. The organization’s members currently include NJPW stars Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Bad Luck Fale, KENTA, El Phantasmo, Dick Togo, Jado, Taiji Ishimori and more.

What do you think about the Bullet Club reunion in AEW? Let us know in the comments section.

Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest Headed To WWE Main Roster Soon

Chris Stephens
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Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest are the next two NXT wrestlers who are scheduled to join WWE’s main roster. According to a recent report from PWInsider, both are due to graduate from the ‘black and gold brand’ imminently.

Both Priest and Ripley suffered defeat at Wednesday’s New Year’s Evil edition of NXT on the USA Network. Priest wrestled Karrion Kross, while Ripley battled Raquel Gonzales in a Last Woman Standing match.

As some fans guessed, the losses were booked to serve as a transition for both of them to the bigger stage. “Priest’s loss to Karrion Kross and Rhea’s loss to Raquel Gonzales were devised with the idea those were the end of the NXT chapters of their career,” wrote Mike Johnson.

In recent weeks, there have been reports that tentative plans called for Damian Priest to join SmackDown and align himself with Kevin Owens. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, those plans were scrapped at the last minute after Kevin Owens expressed concern over the pairing. Owens and Priest could make for an impressive combination, but WWE did not have a good storyline devised to introduce Priest. The current plan is for Priest to join the Raw brand.

As for Rhea Ripley, she is expected to join Raw as well. She will resume her feud with Charlotte Flair, which ended abruptly earlier this year after Ripley dropped the NXT Women’s Championship to Flair at WrestleMania. Charlotte is currently one half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, along with Asuka.

NXT officials have known about Rhea Ripley moving on for some time, but they only learned recently about Damien Priest also leaving.

Triple H Talks Curt ‘Mr Perfect’ Hennig’s Royal Rumble 2002 Return

Jake Skudder
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Triple H appeared on Wednesday’s episode of WWE‘s digital series, The Bump. The Game was there to promote NXT New Year’s Evil and discussed some of his favorite Royal Rumble moments.

One of the moments that Triple H discussed was the 2002 return of Curt ‘Mr Perfect’ Hennig. Mr Perfect returned during the Royal Rumble match that year and lasted until the final four of the match.

When Triple H first debuted in WWE, Curt Hennig would act as his manager, helping him get to the Intercontinental Championship. The Game would discuss what it was like having Hennig return to the ring for that Rumble match way back in 2002.

Triple H on Curt Hennig

“It was awesome” Triple H began on The Bump. “You know for me as a fan? Like Curt was just one of the best in ring performers, ever. Just athletically…everything that he brought to the table.”

“So when I came into WWE the first time?” The Game would continue. “Curt was sort of in that, first kind of manager position for me. He was helping me get to the Intercontinental title. Shortly thereafter he left to go to WCW. So him then returning later? It was kind of a weird full circle moment. But yeah, it was very meaningful to see him in that spot [in the Rumble] and the reaction that he got was awesome.”

If you never got to see Curt Hennig during his short 2002 run then check out the match below against Rob Van Dam:

MLW Kings of the Colosseum Results: Lio Rush Wins Middleweight Title

Chris Stephens
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It was a big night for MLW last night as the promotion presented Kings of the Colosseum 2021. 2 championship matches and one heavyweight grudge match took place on the show.

The show is available to stream for free on YouTube below:

MLW Kings of the Colosseum Quick Results:

  1. MLW Tag Team Championships
    Texas Tornado Match
    The Von Erichs (Ross & Marshall Von Erich) (c) defeated the Dirty Blondes (Leo Brien and Michael Patrick)
  2. MLW Middleweight Championship
    Lio Rush defeated Myron Reed (c) – New Champion
  3. Alexander Hammerstone vs Mads Krugger – Double count-out

Here are the key takeaways from the show:

The Von Erichs Dispose of the Dirty Blondes

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1346972819058434049

The Von Erichs took on Aria Blake’s Dirty Blondes team with the tag belts on the line to kick off the show. This match turned into a brawl pretty much immediately and stayed that way throughout. They brawled around ringside and even outside of the venue for a bit before ending up back in the ring.

Aria Blake attempted to get involved but the Von Erichs quickly thwarted her interference. The brothers then hit an Iron Claw slam onto Patrick and got the victory.

Lio Rush Wins MLW Middleweight Championship

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1347016356160446468

This match was interesting in that it appeared that Myron Reed was wrestling as a babyface. It seems the members of Injustice are making a turn. Unlike the brawl which preceded it, this match was all about athleticism and technical prowess rather than pure fighting.

Reed looked like he had things won when he hit a springboard cutter that landed his opponent face-first on the floor around ringside. The champion then tossed his challenger back in the ring but missed a springboard splash. Rush then followed this up by springboarding off the bottom rope into a stunner. The Man of the Hour then hit a frog splash and got the pin to win the title.

Salina De La Renta To Produce Next Week’s Episode

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1346980871862104065

Salina de la Renta returned from Mexico City this week. As of late, she has been summoning former Lucha Underground Champion Mil Muertes. Salina is hoping that Muertes will be able to gain a measure of revenge for her on Konnan, who exposed her aiding Contra Unit’s takeover of MLW offices this spring.

Salina revealed that Los Parks will challenge the Von Erichs for the tag belts next week.

Contra Unit Attacks Myron Reed

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1346981375367401473

Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver of Injustice were cutting a promo backstage when they were attacked by Contra Unit. Shawn Daivari was amongst the attackers, making his debut in Contra Unit.

Simon Gotch and Oliver were supposed to wrestle on the show but Gotch was MIA before this attack and the match didn’t happen. It definitely appears that Injustice are being positioned as fan favorites in a program against Contra Unit.

MLW Top-10 Rankings

MLW’s top-10 rankings via Pro Wrestling Illustrated returned this week as well:

MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)

  1. Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion) (Dynasty)
  2. Tom Lawlor (Opera Cup 2020 Winner)
  3. Low-Ki
  4. LA Park
  5. Myron Reed (Injustice)
  6. Richard Holliday (Dynasty)
  7. ACH
  8. Laredo Kid
  9. Calvin Tankman
  10. Mads Krugger (Contra Unit)

Mads Krugger and Alexander Hammerstone Brawl To A Double Count-Out

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1347049071329079301

The main event of the show saw Alexander Hammerstone and Mads Krugger brawl to a double count-out. Krugger has been sent by Contra Unit to take out Hammerstone, who they feel is the biggest threat to Jacob Fatu’s title.

Hammerstone threw around the 7-footer like he was nothing. He hit a pump-handle slam, overhead belly to belly suplex, and other big time moves. Still, Krugger kicked out at 1 after all of this offence. Krugger also stopped Hammerstone from hitting his Nightmare Pendulum near the end of the match. The two brawled around ringside and the ref eventually threw the match out.

Xia Li Returns At NXT New Year’s Evil, Sasha Banks Reacts

Chris Stephens
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Xia Li made her long awaited in-ring return to NXT television at New Year’s Evil.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen vignettes showing Xia Li and Boa appearing to be under the control of a mysterious organization. Several vignettes have aired featured both of them being “punished for their failures.”

Wednesday night, a “transformed” Lee returned with a new look. She competed in singles action and made quick work of her opponent. Her whole segment was impressive, but fans on social media were particularly impressed by this move:

WWE uploaded this video from the match, including Xia Li’s new entrance:

Xia Lee In WWE NXT

Xia Lee joins a stacked NXT women’s division, headed up by NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai. She’s been with WWE since 2017.

She competed in the Mae Young Classic in 2017 and 2018. She competed in the 2019 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble match and made her debut on NXT television the following month. Her last televised match took place in October 2020.

Former NXT Champion Sasha Banks was impressed by what she saw from Xia Li. The Boss, who also caught Snoop Dogg’s appearance on AEW Dynamite, had this to say:

Tama Tonga Comments On Bullet Club Reunion In AEW

Chris Stephens
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At the conclusion of this week’s AEW Dynamite, Kenny Omega, Anderson & Gallows and the Young Bucks closed the show by reuniting and sharing the “2 Sweet” hand signature. It was a reunion of 5 wrestlers who all ran as members of Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling from 2013 to 2018.

“Machine Gun” Karl Anderson is one of the 4 founding members of the group. Prince Devitt, Bad Luck Fale, and Tama Tonga are the 3 others. Doc Gallows would join later in 2013, as would the Young Bucks. Kenny Omega would arrive in late 2014 and would wrestle in the Junior Heavyweight division until AJ Styles left in 2016 and he moved to heavyweight.

Bullet Club original Tama Tonga reacted to the reunion in AEW. He tweeted after Dynamite:

Tama Tonga tweeted the following about the Bullet club’s presence on Tuesday’s Impact Wrestling on AXS TV. He thinks that any incarnation of the Bullet Club that does not include the Tongans is illegitimate.

Guerrillas of Destiny At Wrestle Kingdom 15

Tama Tonga and brother Tanga Lao, known as the Guerrillas of Destiny, captured the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships for a record 7th time earlier this week at Wrestle Kingdom 15.

The Guerrillas of Destiny have defended the title 9x thus far across their 7 title reigns. They need to win one more IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match to tie both Cho-Ten and Tencozy for the record of 17 combined title victories + title defenses.

WWE Announces Next NXT Takeover Event For Valentine’s Day (2/14)

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced the first NXT takeover event of 2021.

The next NXT Takeover pay-per-view takes place Sunday, February 14th, 2021. The event will air live on the WWE Network.

WWE has released the first promo video for the event, which you can view in the player below. WWE has not yet announced a theme for the next Takeover, but the video does play into the fact that February 14th is Valentine’s Day.

NXT has a penchant for reviving classic pay-per-view themes. In 2020, we saw NXT shows branded with In Your House, Halloween Havoc and WarGames. The ‘St. Valentine’s Day Massacre PPV’ event from 1999 would be a logical option here.

To get an idea of the title defenses we might see, here is a roll call of NXT’s reigning champions:

  • NXT Champion: Finn Balor
  • Women’s Champion: Io Shirai
  • North American Champion: Johnny Gargano
  • Tag Team Champions: Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
  • Cruiserweight Champion: Santos Escobar

Details On The Next NXT Star Getting Called Up to The Main Roster

Bully Ray: “Younger Guys Are Not As Smart as Older Guys Because They Don’t Understand Psychology”

Jake Skudder
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WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed the return of Goldberg.

There has been a lot of backlash from fans and critics online following the return of the WCW legend. Goldberg returned to Monday Night RAW during the Legend’s Night episode of the show this week, challenging Drew McIntyre to a match at the Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship.

Bully Ray would discuss how the use of ‘older’ talent is still beneficial to the likes of WWE and AEW, mainly due to the difference in experience.

Bully Ray on WWE Using Legends

“I don’t care about age” Bully Ray would begin on Busted Open. “I’ve never been one of these age guys. ‘Oh all the younger guys are just’…younger guys are not as smart as older guys because they don’t understand psychology, like older guys do.”

“That’s why Randy Orton and Edge’s psychology is 100 times better than anybody else in the company” Bully Ray continued. “So if you apply the right psychology to a match with Goldberg? You probably get 10 strong minutes, which is all you really need.”

Bully Ray would finish by praising Brock Lesnar for his work with Goldberg at WrestleMania 33 and even beforehand. “Did Brock Lesnar apply the right psychology to his first run with Goldberg? Yes. Did it work? It worked beautifully. How long were the matches? Their WrestleMania was what? Five/six minutes? It works. So, if you understand the players? If you understand the characters? If you understand their strengths? You play to it.

Do you agree with Bully Ray? Are you looking forward to seeing Drew McIntyre vs Goldberg at Royal Rumble 2021? Let us know in the comments below

WWE NXT New Year’s Evil Results (1/6): Balor vs. O’Reilly, Kross vs. Priest

Andrew Ravens
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The January 6, 2020 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Karrion Kross def. Damian Priest
  • Santos Escobar def. Gran Metalik to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
  • Xia Li def. Katrina Cortez
  • Raquel Gonzalez def. Rhea Ripley  in Last Woman Standing Match
  • KUShotzi (KUSHIDA & Shotzi Blackheart) def. The Way (Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae)
  • Finn Balor def. Kyle O’Reilly to retain the WWNXT Championship.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

NXT Cruiserweight Title Match

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Gran Metalik challenged Santos Escobar for the NXT Cruiserweight Title on this show, which was set up on last week’s episode. 

Although Gran never had a chance of actually winning the title by beating the champion here, it was a good spotlight for him. 

The match was a fast pace highly impactful contest. There were some near falls that made it seem like Gran was close to victory. After a lengthy match, Santos hit his finisher for the win to successfully retain the title. 

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1346994582094020608

Karrion Kross vs. Damian Priest

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Karrion Kross vs. Damian Priest in a singles match was just what fans had thought it was going to be. A fight. This marked Kross’ second match back after being sidelined with a shoulder injury that resulted in him getting surgery. 

This was the opening contest and had no commercials. They had a hard-hitting style with two big guys just throwing. Priest got plenty of offense so it didn’t feel like a one-sided fight. The finish saw Kross hit his finisher for the win. 

Kross made his return a few weeks ago by attacking Priest, who had been making his case to be the next challenger for Finn Balor’s NXT Championship. 

There’s no date for NXT’s next TakeOver special, but it’s likely to take place later this month or in early February, it will be interesting to see whether Kross gets his shot at the NXT gold at this event. 

Last Woman Standing Match

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A last woman standing match took place featuring Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez. 

The match saw them use various weapons such as a bell hammer, a piece of fence, and other things. 

At one point, Ripley was backdropped onto the side of the announce table, which broke. Raquel threw several chairs on top of her as the referee counted. They brawled backstage and Rhea tackled her through a glass door. Dakota Kai came out and hit Rhea with a kendo stick several times. Rhea placed Kai in a locker. They crashed through the stage with Raquel coming up to stand. 

WWE made this match official last week after a confrontation between Ripley and Gonzalez. Gonzalez came out to the stage during Ripley’s match against Dakota Kai on the show. They then went face-to-face following Ripley’s win. They got into a brawl. 

Two weeks ago, Ripley lost to Toni Storm due to interference by Gonzalez. Ripley defeated Gonzalez when they faced each other at Halloween Havoc this October.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1347003447237869571

NXT Title Match

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NXT Champion Finn Balor defended against Kyle O’Reilly with the title on the line in the main event. 

O’Reilly defeated Pete Dunne on an episode of NXT TV a few weeks ago to earn this match. 

O’Reilly previously challenged Balor for the NXT Championship in the main event of TakeOver 31 this past October. Although Balor retained his title, he suffered a broken jaw in the process. 

This latest match featured a similar style to their first match. Balor had a nasty cut on his left eyebrow. The finish saw Balor have Kyle in a chin/arm submission and Kyle tapped out. This comes after Balor worked over the jaw of Kyle throughout the match. 

AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash (Night 1) Results: Omega vs. Fenix, Good Brothers Appear

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash (Night 1) aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Fenix in this week’s main event.

Dynamite Results (1/6)

  1. Young Bucks & SCU def. The Acclaimed & The Hybrid 2
  2. Wardlow def. Jake Hager
  3. Cody def. Matt Sydal
  4. Hikaru Shida def. Abadon to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
  5. Kenny Omega def. Rey Fenix to retain the AEW Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Young Bucks & SCU Picked Up A Win

Young Bucks and SCU teamed up to face The Acclaimed and Hybrid 2 to begin this weeks show. The Acclaimed and Hybrid 2 controlled the action early and isolated Daniels in the ring.

Daniels was finally able to battle back and hit the Blue Thunder Bomb on Bowens. Kazarian tagged in and cleaned house before tagging in Matt Jackson. Matt hit a few Northern Lights Suplexes and then Young Bucks hit the BTE Trigger on Bowens but Jack Evans broke up the cover. Daniels connected with the Best Moonsault Ever for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Kazarian noted that the next time they lose as a team they will be done forever. SCU told Young Bucks that they will have their back up until the night that they face them for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

Jon Moxley Warned Kenny Omega

Jon Moxley made his AEW return tonight on Dynamite. Moxley said he was not here to bitch and complain about how he lost the AEW Championship. Jon stated that he was not going anywhere and wondered what he is going to do about Kenny Omega and Don Callis.

Moxley said he has a zero tolerance policy for shitty people but tonight the AEW Championship on the line. Jon stated that it is not his right to interfere in Fenix’s destiny but added that he will get even with Kenny Omega in due time. Moxley added that he will forever be in Kenny’s blind spot and that one day he is going to beg for mercy when he realizes that he crossed the wrong guy.

Wardlow def. Jake Hager

Jake Hager and Wardlow battled on this week’s show. Inner Circle was on the entrance ramp for the match. The match started out back and forth with both men Clotheslining each other out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Wardlow sent Hager to the corner and hit him with several knees to the midsection. Hager battled back and hit Wardlow with a Splash and followed it up with a massive Clothesline.

Jake planted Wardlow with a Slam and went for the cover but Wardlow was able to kick out at two. Wardlow connected with a German Suplex for a near fall. Wardlow followed it up with the F10 for the pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1346994689237516288?s=20

Sting Showed Up & Team Taz Retreated Again

Darby Allin and Brian Cage had a weigh in for the TNT Championship match next week. Darby had the new TNT Championship with him as the red one was given to Brodie Lee’s son last week. Taz bitched about Brian Cage having to be weighed first for whatever reason but eventually he got on the scale. Tony Schiavone announced Brian Cage weighed in at 273 lbs. Tony then announced that Darby Allin weighs 170 lbs and that is a 100 lbs weight difference.

Allin told Taz that he has dealt with shit his entire life from people like Taz and said he wanted a fight. Taz told Tony to take his wide ass out of the ring before the lights went out. Sting’s music hit and snow began falling in Daily’s Place. Sting got in the ring with Darby Allin and Team Taz retreated. Taz shouted that he was sick of Sting and vowed that Brian Cage will win the TNT Championship next week.

Opinion: I’m hoping that AEW has something planned for Sting besides showing up and Team Taz retreating every week. Sting’s debut entrance was cool but he’s done nothing of note since showing up on Dynamite. I don’t know how one is supposed to enjoy Sting walking to the ring and Team Taz running away over and over again. I’ve completely lost interest at this point, so hopefully AEW has something up their sleeve because this has become ridiculous.

Snoop Dogg Hit A Splash

Cody faced Matt Sydal tonight on Dynamite. Snoop Dogg was in Cody’s corner to promote the “Go-Big Show” on TNT. Cody and Sydal battled to the entrance ramp where Snoop Dogg was standing. Sydal hit Double Knees off the top rope and brought Cody back into the ring.

Sydal caught Cody with a Dropkick to the face and knocked him out of the ring. Sydal went for a Crossbody but Cody rolled through and applied a Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Sydal was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Sydal locked in a Crossface but Cody was able to escape. Cody connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with the Disaster Kick for a two count. Cody hit Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory. After the match, Serpentico and Luther attacked Cody because he accidentally hit them when the action spilled out of the ring. Cody and Sydal beat Luther and Serpentico down as Snoop climbed to the top rope. Snoop Dogg then hit one the worst/funniest Splashes off the top rope on Serpentico to end the segment.

Hikaru Shida Retained

Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Abadon tonight. Abadon tried to attack Shida during her entrance but the champ was ready and hit her with a kendo stick. Shida hit Abadon with a couple punches but Abadon wouldn’t go down. Abadon tried to bite Hikaru Shida but the champion avoided it and connected with a Dropkick.

Shida went for the Running Knee but Abadon caught her leg and started biting. Abadon launched the AEW Women’s Champion into the barricade and then dragged her under the ring. Abadon emerged by herself and then Shida followed. Shida was bleeding from her neck as the announcers said that Abadon must have bit her.

Abadon bounced Shida’s face off the canvas several times as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Abadon leveled Shida with a Clothesline for a near fall. Shida then hit a running knee for the pinfall victory. Shida is still the AEW Women’s Champion.

Kenny Omega Retained & Bullet Club Reunited

Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Rey Fenix in this week’s main event. Don Callis was ringside for the match. Omega dominated early but Fenix sent Kenny out of the ring with a Hurricanrana. The action spilled out of the ring and Omega connected with a Snap Dragon Suplex on the floor.

Omega slammed Fenix onto the ring apron and rolled him back into the ring. Omega controlled the next few minutes and focuses his attack on Fenix’s back. Fenix battled back and hit Omega with a chop to the chest. Fenix bounced off the ropes and leveled Omega with a Dropkick. Fenix then flipped onto Omega outside the ring and crashed into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Fenix hit an awesome German Suplex and went for the cover but the AEW Champion was able to kick out at the last moment. Fenix followed it up with a Double Stomp to the back of Kenny’s head as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Fenix hit Kenny with a Superkick but Omega responded with a V-Trigger. Fenix hopped right up and hit Omega with another Superkick. Fenix was the first up and made his way to the apron. Omega caught Fenix with a knee to the face and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall.

Omega hit another V-Trigger for a two count. Kenny hit Fenix with another V-Trigger and set up for the One Winged Angel but Rey countered into a Destroyer. Fenix rolled out of the ring and Don Callis distracted him. Omega capitalized with another knee to the face but Fenix shrugged it off and hit a Cutter for a two count.

Fenix hit the Fire Thunder Driver and went for the cover but somehow Omega was able to kick out at two. Fenix went for a Frog Splash but Omega was able to get his knees up. Kenny went for a Superplex but Fenix blocked it. Fenix tried to leap onto Omega but Kenny caught him with a Tiger Driver. Omega followed it up with a V-Trigger and then the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory. Kenny Omega is still the AEW Champion.

After the match, Don Callis said that you have witnessed history but they are going to give everyone something they did not pay for. Eddie Kingston, Butcher, and Blade were then shown backstage after attacking Pentagon and PAC. Don Callis told Omega to get Fenix up and finish him off with another One Winged Angel. Jon Moxley rushed the ring with a barbed wire bat and hit Omega in the midsection. Don Callis scampered out of the ring as Moxley circled Omega.

Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions Gallows and Anderson then rushed the ring and attacked Jon Moxley. The Good Brothers planted Moxley with the Magic Killer and beat him down some more with Omega. Kenny then grabbed the barbed wire bat and stuck Moxley with it several times. Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. tried to make the save but Gallows and Anderson fought them off.

Omega hit Moxley one more time with the barbed wire bat and posed with the Good Brothers. Moxley hit Karl Anderson with a punch to the face but Omega beat him down some more. Finally, the Young Bucks rushed the ring but just started talking to Omega and the Good Brothers. Matt Jackson Superkicked Griff Garrison as Omega and the Good Brothers held up the “too sweet” sign. Matt and Nick Jackson then joined in as Dynamite went off the air.

Opinion: Omega and Fenix had a hell of a match and my only complaint is that it didn’t go longer. Overall, Night 1 of New Year’s Smash was a decent show that was saved in the final half hour. Shida & Abadon had an okay match but I was hoping for something much better. The ending of Dynamite was very entertaining and I’m looking forward to see where this goes over the next few weeks.

Finn Balor Retains WWE NXT Title At New Year’s Evil

Andrew Ravens
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The big rematch between Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly was just as memorable as their first encounter. 

The contest took place in the main event of Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT on the USA Network, which was touted as New Year’s Evil. It served as the main event of the show that was the first 2021 episode from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.

The match went long as they had no commercials and about 20 minutes. It was building off what they did in their first match. Balor worked over the jaw of Kyle throughout the match so the finish had Balor get O’Reilly in a chin/arm submission. 

WWE set up this contest on the December 16th episode as the company held a singles match between Pete Dunne and O’Reilly. Because O’Reilly was victorious, he earned the right to challenge Balor for the NXT Title. 

Their first bout took place at the TakeOver 31 event this past October. Although Balor successfully retained the title at this show, both stars walked away with injuries as Balor broke his jaw in two places in the match. O’Reilly reportedly suffered a concussion. 

Balor hadn’t wrestled since undergoing surgery for a broken jaw a few months ago. 

Snoop Dogg Dives Off The Top Rope At AEW Dynamite (Video)

Michael Reichlin
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0

Snoop Dogg got physical during his appearance at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

The rap legend was on hand to promote Go-Big Show, the new talent competition show that premieres Thursday on TBS. Snoop and Cody Rhodes are two of the celebrity judges.

Snoop Dogg accompanied Cody Rhodes to the ring for his match against Matt Sydall. Cody was victorious, but Luther and Serpentico hit the ring after the match and attacked the babyfaces.

Cody and Sydall eventually got the upper hand and then Snoop got physically involved. Snoop climbed the top rope and delivered a big splash onto Serpentico.

They counted the three and Snoop celebrated his big ‘win.’

Snoop Dogg Flies on AEW Dynamite

You can see video of Snoop Dogg’s big moment on AEW Dynamite in the video player embedded below:

Snoop Dogg’s cousin, WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, replied to AEW’s tweet and told Snoop they’re going to have to work on the form of his top rope dive.

WWE Announces Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic 2021 Brackets

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has released the complete brackets for the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. This year’s tournament will include the following teams:

  • The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong)
  • Breezango (Fandango, Tyler Breeze)
  • Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza)
  • Ever-Rise (Chase Parker, Matt Martel)
  • Bollywood Boyz
  • Imperium (Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner)
  • Drake Maverick and Killian Dain
  • Curt Stallion and August Grey
  • Lucha House Party
  • MSK
  • Isaiah Scott & Jake Atlas
  • Grizzled Young Veterans
  • Tony Neese & Shawn Daivari
  • Kushida & Leon Ruff
  • The Way (Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory)
  • Drake Maverick & Killian Dane
  • Stallion & Grey

Here are the official brackets (Click to enlarge):

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The tournament kicks off this Wednesday night on NXT with two First Round matches. The Undisputed Era takes on Breezango and Ever-Rise faces the Grizzled Young Veterans.

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Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

The Dusty Rhodes tag team classic tournament was established in 2015 as a tribute to the legendary pro wrestler.

The winners will be awarded the Dusty Rhodes Classic Cup trophy, which looks like Dusty’s signature cowboy wrestling boots.

Past winners include:

  • 2015: Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
  • 2016: The Authors of Pain
  • 2018: The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly)
  • 2019: Aleister Black and Ricochet
  • 2020: The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne)
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