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Update On Matt Riddle’s WWE Contract Negotiations

Chris Stephens
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Matt Riddle’s WWE contract is reportedly up next August. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Matt Riddle is negotiating a new contract that would keep the 34-year-old with WWE for years to come.

“WWE is working on locking down Riddle, whose contract is up in August,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “It’s said he’s pretty much agreed to terms for a three-year deal at $400,000 per year guaranteed plus $50,000 for every show in Saudi Arabia.”

Meltzer would continue to write that Vince McMahon finds Matt Riddle’s vignettes hilarious, though he doesn’t really get the “Bro gimmick” at this time.

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Matt Riddle in WWE

Matt Riddle signed with WWE in 2018, 4 years into his career as a wrestler. He began professional wrestling training at the Monster Factory in 2014. Prior to that, Riddle was a an MMA fighter. Most notably, he would fight for UFC. Riddle’s fight career was only derailed due to multiple victories being overturned as a result of testing positive for marijuana.

Matt Riddle’s first WWE appearance came at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn during SummerSlam 2018 weekend. Riddle is also a former NXT tag-team champion along with Pete Dunne. The “Broserweights” won the Dusty Rhodes Classic earlier this year and then went on to win the tag belts.

Kurt Angle then announced that Riddle would be joining the WWE main roster. Riddle made his Smackdown debut back in May 2020. He was drafted to Raw in October.

Matt Riddle defeated MVP this week on Raw in a singles match. He is not scheduled to compete this Sunday at WWE TLC.

Matt Riddle Had Heat

Matt Riddle’s transition to the WWE main roster has not been entirely smooth. Shortly after joining the SmackDown brand, there were reports that he had heat with some people backstage. Riddle confirmed to Sportskeeda that the atmosphere was catty.

“To answer your question, yes, some people I have heat with,” he said. “But most of it’s just high school, catty, ‘He said this’, people who just can’t take a joke or a work… I was in headquarters talking to Vince McMahon – and, yeah, we mentioned the heat I have with certain people but, at the end of the day, he signs the checks, he makes it happen for me and they’re in control, not the talent.”

ROH Final Battle PPV: Final Card, Results Tonight

Andrew Ravens
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ROH holds its Final Battle pay-per-view tonight (December 18, 2020), which marks the first special in months. Ring of Honor is slated to hold the show at the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The main event will see ROH World Champion Rush vs. vs. Brody King.

There will be changes made to a few matches on this card such as ROH Six Man Tag Team Champions Mexisquad vs. Shane Taylor & The Soldiers of Savagery and EC3 vs. Jay Briscoe. ROH has already confirmed that EC3, Flamita and Bandido were pulled due to COVID-19 protocols. EC3 has actually announced he tested positive for the virus.

It’s been reported ROH will announce the new competitors to replace these three stars during the pre-show. 

ROH Final Battle can be purchased via traditional pay-per-view and the FITE app. The show will be four hours long with the first hour airing for free at 7 pm ET on ROH Facebook Live, FITE TV, and traditional PPV while the main card will begin at 8 pm ET.

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Final ROH Final Battle Card

  • ROH Champion Rush vs. Brody King.
  • Tony Deppen vs. LSG vs. Josh Woods vs. Dak Draper – Winner Receives ROH TV Title Match later in the show.
  • ROH TV Champion Dragon Lee vs. Four-Way Victor.
  • ROH Tag Team Champions Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham vs. Mark Briscoe & PCO.
  • ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Flip Gordon.
  • Matt Taven & Mike Bennett vs. Vincent & Bateman.
  • The Foundation’s Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus vs. Fred Yehi & Wheeler Yuta – Pure Rules Tag Team Match.
  • Danhusen vs. Brian Johnson.

Bianca Belair Reflects On Her Main Roster Debut, 2020

Steve Russell
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Bianca Belair has opened up about her journey from NXT to Raw and, currently, SmackDown. During a recent interview, Belair reflected on her 2020. She also opened up about how COVID-19 forced multiple changes to initial plans that would have moved her from WWE’s black-and-gold brand.

Belair recounted how she first discovered she would be leaving NXT following her NXT TakeOver: Portland match with Rhea Ripley. Following the bout, she was informed how it would be her last TakeOver event.

“I found out that I was going to actually be debuting the RAW after WrestleMania – which I was very, very excited about, because, you know, if you want to debut, you want to debut on the RAW after WrestleMania. It’s the biggest RAW of all time,” Belair informed ITRWrestling.

Things didn’t go smoothly, however. Despite her excitement to debut on WWE’s red brand, plans would eventually change, seeing her make her debut at WrestleMania 36 in front of zero fans.

“It kind of switched to, ‘Well, you might be debuting at WrestleMania.’ So I was really on a high like ‘OK, this is all coming together and I’m going to finally get my moment.’ And then the strange year happened and I found out, ‘OK, you’re still going to debut at WrestleMania…but inside the Performance Center and it’ll be alongside The Street Profits.’ So much has happened. It’s been a very strange year, but I’ve had a very good year when you think about this whole entire year.”

Bianca Belair Reflects On Her 2020

Belair reflected on her 2020, looking back at her Royal Rumble involvement and TakeOver matches to debuting alongside her husband, Montez Ford, at WrestleMania 36.

“[…] being able to share that moment with him, to being drafted to RAW, to being drafted to SmackDown, to being a part of a Survivor Series team with Team SmackDown… I’ve had had a very great year.”

Acknowledging how disruptive the coronavirus pandemic has been, Belair stressed how important it is to “adapt to everything.” According to her, that adaptability is crucial to being in WWE.

“You have to always stay ready because stuff is always going to be thrown at you. I feel like I’ve always just been on my toes ever since all this strange stuff has happened with COVID and it’s just… It’s been a crazy ride, but I always try to focus on the things that I can control. And right now, I’m on SmackDown and it’s the land of opportunities. I think that everything’s been going on a roll ever since I’ve been on SmackDown.”

Bianca Belair competed at Survivor Series as a member of Team SmackDown. Despite their best efforts, they would ultimately lose to Team Raw.

Booker T: Roman Reigns Is ‘The Most Believable Guy In The Business’

Steve Russell
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Booker T has pinpointed an issue he personally has with modern pro wrestling: a lack of believability. He shared his insight during an episode of his podcast, The Hall of Fame.

For Booker T, he can’t help but consider the lack of believability in modern shows compared to the past. He pointed to promos and rivalries between Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair as examples of his argument.

“The promo that Dusty Rhodes cut on Ric Flair talking about hard times, I’m getting goosebumps right now. The thing is, Dusty Rhodes was promoting getting people inside of that arena. He made the textile worker who did not have a dime say I have to find $10 to get me a ticket,” Booker T explained. “

He made that auto worker who was out of a job who got kicked in the butt, whose computer took his job, he made that guy someway, somehow go and find enough money to get in that arena to support Dusty Rhodes. I think that’s what is missing from today’s professional wrestling.”

Booker T noted how wrestlers aren’t providing that level of inherent believability and realism to draw people to the product. He acknowledged how this is just his opinion but doesn’t believe he’s wrong on the matter.

Booker T: “Roman Reigns Is The Most Believable Guy In The Business”

When discussing a potential Roman Reigns versus Goldberg matchup in the future, Booker T praised the current WWE Universal Champion. As far as he’s concerned, “The Tribal Chief” is the “most believable guy in the business right now.”

He shared how he’s “down for anything” as long as it’s done right. Booker T noted how Goldberg is much like Mike Tyson, explaining how “He is a guy who has been around for a long time, past his prime, but if he jumped in there right now with Roman Reigns, I would expect Roman Reigns to go out there and humble him.”

Booker T stressed he isn’t knocking Goldberg with his booking. Instead, he’s adopting a “promoter’s perspective” and looking at a potential bout through a critical, business lens.

“Could it be something special? Yes, because what we have right there are two grown ass men. That right there, just the marquee with Roman on one side and Goldberg on the other, it is going to sell. People will want to see it. Spear vs spear. We got something here,” Booker T said. “Me personally, I’m all about passing the torch. Roman Reigns right now has that believability. Roman Reigns is the most believable guy in the business right now. When you watch Roman, Roman is a throwback to what guys were back in the day.”

Roman Reigns is scheduled to defend his WWE Universal Championship this Sunday at WWE’s TLC pay-per-view. He faces Kevin Owens in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matchup.

Kevin Owens Reveals WWE Considered Sending Him To NXT UK

Steve Russell
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SmackDown Superstar Kevin Owens has previously shared how he would be open to returning to WWE’s black-and-gold brand, NXT. Turns out that the promotion not only had plans in place for an NXT return. It was also open to sending Owens overseas to NXT UK.

“They’re all extremely talented guys, and I would love to compete with any of those guys. I kinda got to do a bit with Imperium last year, so that was cool,” Owens said in an interview with Metro.co.uk.

“At one point there was a plan for me to go back to NXT at some point last year, which didn’t happen, obviously. But we had even discussed, maybe if that happens, then maybe I could show up on NXT UK and work with all these different people. I’d love to get to do that.”

He joked how “a lot of the NXT UK guys are clearly inspired” by him. Owens pointed to how every week he hears how an NXT UK Superstar shows “shades” of Kevin Owens in their matches. He shared how he loves performing in Europe and that, given a chance, he would love to help “do good stuff” with NXT UK.

Owens made a surprise return to NXT last year during NXT TakeOver: WarGames. He was revealed to be the mystery partner on Team Ciampa. He joined Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, and Dominik Dijakovic as they battled against The Undisputed Era in a WarGames matchup. Thanks to Owens’ help, Team Ciampa managed to defeat the Undisputed Era.

Kevin Owens is scheduled to compete against Roman Reigns at this Sunday’s WWE TLC pay-per-view. The two compete for the WWE Universal Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.

Booker T Shares His Issues With Modern Wrestlers’ Work Ethic

Steve Russell
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WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has shared his thoughts on modern wrestlers’ “work ethic.”

Booker T broached the subject during a recent episode of his Hall of Fame Podcast. He acknowledged how “the game has changed” compared to his time actively wrestling. Booker T also noted how modern wrestlers also “look at the game a lot differently” before admitting he doesn’t think he’d fit in today’s locker room.

“I would probably clash with a lot of the guys because I don’t agree with a lot of the work that’s going on in the ring. I don’t agree with a lot of the work ethic that’s brought to the table today. I just don’t,” Booker T said. “People can take that and say whatever they want and make whatever they want out of it, but some guys have work ethic and go out there and study it. But, there’s a term that’s called calling it in or phoning it in. There are a lot of guys that phone it in.”

He stressed how he never phoned in a performance. Booker T’s goals were to be remembered alongside “the greatest wrestlers who ever put on a pair of boots.” He added how he will always “give props” to those who deserve it. However, “[…] when I watch a lot of stuff, there is stuff to be worked on and maybe nobody is telling them.”

Booker T On Big E’s Potential

One current WWE Superstar Booker T has a lot of faith in his New Day’s Big E. For him, Big E has “all the tools” to be a top Superstar.

“[…] I said it from the beginning, that Big E is a guy who has world championship potential. As far as a guy that can step into that stratosphere of world heavyweight championship, not just runs, but reigns,” Booker T said. “He is a guy that can have multiple runs in that position. A guy that carried it. People won’t just say he won the championship. He carried the championship. There’s a big difference.”

Big E competed against WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn on last week’s episode of SmackDown. The two faced off in a non-title bout which Zayn won via Count Out.

Brandi Rhodes Opens Up About Pregnancy Announcement: ‘We Are Ready And Excited’

Steve Russell
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All Elite Wrestling’s Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes has opened up more about her and Cody Rhodes’ recent pregnancy announcement. Speaking with People, Brandi shared how excited the couple is over the news.

Brandi shared how they they are ready to embark on “another incredible chapter” together.

“Cody and I are so excited and overwhelmed by this news,” Brandi said. “We’ve had seven exciting years of marriage, worked together to grow our careers and our core at AEW from the ground up, and now here we are embarking on another incredible chapter.”

She continued, “We have always talked about it as a future, and it turns out that the future is now. It’s surreal that parenthood is right around the corner! We are ready and excited to dive right in.”

Brandi and Cody Rhodes revealed the happy news to AEW fans during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Prior to Cody’s matchup against Hybrid 2’s Angelica, a short promo video played. It showcased the couple at home only to receive an unexpected gift at the door. Opening the box together, the present is revealed to be a Christmas ornament that read, “We’re expecting a new baby due 2021.”

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1339380922261655553

It didn’t take long Brandi and Cody to receive congratulations from friends, fans, and colleagues from across the pro wrestling industry.

Ben Carter Signs With WWE, Joining NXT UK Brand

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE has officially signed top independent wrestler Ben Carter to the NXT UK. The announcement was made on this week’s NXT UK show on the WWE Network.

A vignette that aired during the episode introduced Carter to the audience. It featured praising comments from people like the NXT general manager William Regal, Nigel McGuinness and more.

The video package also featured comments from WWE Superstar Seth Rollins, who helped train Carter at his Black & Brave Wrestling Academy. The former Universal Champion compared the young star to some interesting names.

“Ben Carter came to the United States with a dream, and he is living that dream right now because of how dedicated he is,” said Rollins. “To me, the sky’s the limit for Ben Carter, it truly is. He’s one of the most athletically gifted performers I’ve ever seen. The way he moves in the ring reminds me so much of a Dynamite Kid, an Eddie Guerrero. He’s got so much snap, so much whip.”

Ben Carter commented on joining WWE and the NXT UK brand:

https://twitter.com/bencarterbxb/status/1339669521238519809

Ben Carter’s Road to WWE

The 22-year-old UK star made his pro wrestling debut at the age of 20 in 2018. He has been trained by Seth Rollins and Marek Brave at their Black And Brave Wrestling Academy.

Carter referenced the famous tweet by FTR to the Young Bucks to state his intention to one day wrestle his mentor, Seth Rollins.

Ben Carter has been considered one of the top independent wrestlers in the world. He recently made a few appearances for AEW before joining WWE.

Update On Reason For Cameron Grimes’ Absence From NXT

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE confirmed recently that NXT star Cameron Grimes will be out of the action for the next 4 to 6 weeks and he will not be seen on WWE programming for the rest of 2020.

While at the time, the company hadn’t revealed that reason for his absence, a new report sheds some more light on his announced break. According to sources, Grimes is legitimately injured. SEScoops has learned the former Impact X Division Champion underwent surgery last week which is the reason why he has been pulled from WWE TV.

Cameron Grimes In NXT

Grimes, who signed with WWE in January 2019, has feuded with NXT stars Dexter Lumis and Tommaso Ciampa in recent months. He was defeated by Ciampa in a singles match at last week’s NXT TV.

Timothy Thatcher attacked Cameron Grimes after the match and twisted his legs which was the storyline reason given for the former Impact Wrestling star’s absence from the brand.

While the report does not reveal when or how the former PWG star got injured, the given timeline for his return suggests that the injury is not very serious and Grimes will be back in action very soon.

Otis Responds To Reports Of Vince McMahon Sending Him Back To PC

Anutosh Bajpai
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Reports claiming that Vince McMahon has ordered some of the WWE stars to go back to the Performance Center made some headlines earlier this month and Otis was one of the stars who was named.

The former NXT star recently had an interview with FOX Sports where he talked about a number of things and also responded to these rumors about himself and the other WWE talent.

Otis labelled the reports as ‘kind of funny’ before explaining that they weren’t told anything like that. The former Mr. Money In The Bank then claimed that the stars are always working on improvements regardless:

“I think it’s always been there, it wasn’t like, ‘hey, we were told this and that.’ That Performance Center is a tool for us to get better. If another big man wants to come up to me and wants to work on stuff, or vice versa. We’re always working.

So, that report was kind of funny at the same time. We’re never not working.” said Otis “Especially now that we don’t have live events, so we can’t really get our stuff out. It’s just bottled inside in a little bottle. Right now it’s like; we’re not getting that stuff out there. So, we’ll find more and more ways to get in the ring with each other.”

The WWE star later revealed that his dad told him about the rumors. He said that there wasn’t much of a report to begin with since they are always working out.

For those who don’t know, it was reported earlier this month that Vince McMahon ‘threw a fit’ about the working abilities of several WWE roster members including Otis. He ordered them to be sent back to the Performance Center for training classes. You can check out the full report here.

Sasha Banks Wants a Second Evolution PPV, WWE Queen Of The Ring Tournament

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Queen Of The Ring tournament is something the fans have shown interest in as the next step in the women’s evolution and Sasha Banks is also interested in it.

The current SmackDown women’s champion was recently interviewed by ProSieben MAXX on Instagram where she talked about things like her WWE debut and more.

When asked about a potential Queen Of The Ring tournament, Banks explained that the competition should get a PPV for itself but she also mentioned how they have been waiting for Evolution 2 for a long time.

“I think a whole Queen of the Ring tournament for a whole pay-per-view itself would be really cool, but I’ve been waiting for Evolution 2 for a very long time.”

Banks continued, “So maybe we can do that first, and maybe we can start little matches at Evolution for the Queen of the Ring Tournament.” said Sasha Banks, “Maybe something like that can happen.”

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Sasha Banks also commented on her dream match. WWE and NXT have a lot of talented wrestlers, but her dream opponent is WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus.

Banks also joked about planning to own WWE one day, how she felt before her main roster debut and more. You can watch the full interview in the player embedded below:

AEW World Title Match Set for New Year’s Smash (Night 1)

Michael Reichlin
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Kenny Omega’s first AEW World Championship defense will take place on Wednesday, December 30th on the final AEW Dynamite of the year. The bout will headline the first New Year’s Smash special event, which spans two consecutive weeks.

Omega battled Joey Janela in a no-disqualification match on this week’s Dynamite. Following Omega’s win, Death Triangle hit the stage. PAC said Omega had unfinished business, since Fenix had to withdraw from the recent World Title Eliminator Tournament due to injury.

Rey Fenix (Photo: AEW)

PAC argued that since Omega never beat Fenix, he can’t legitimately claim the AEW World Championship. Don Callis said that wrestlers don’t get to book their own title matches. PAC said that wasn’t an issue, because AEW President Tony Khan already sanctioned the match for 12/30.

Kenny Omega and Rey Fenix have history. In addition to being the reigning AEW World Champion, Omega also holds the AAA Mega championship. He defeated Fenix for that prize in October 2019.

AEW Holiday Schedule

AEW is closing out 2020 in a big way. The next three weeks of AEW Dynamite will be special holiday-themed shows. Here’s the announced schedule:

  • December 23rd: AEW presents Holiday Bash. This one airs late-night after the Celtics vs. Bucks NBA game on TNT.
  • December 30th: New Year’s Smash (Night 1): The main event will see Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix for ‘big platinum.’ Le Champion Chris Jericho will be on commentary.
  • January 6th: New Year’s Smash (Night 2): WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg will be on commentary for the first Dynamite of the new year.

Expect to see AEW load up the January 6th show, which goes head-to-head with the NXT New Year’s Evil special.

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Bully Ray Reacts to This Week’s WWE Raw Viewership Crash

Jake Skudder
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WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed WWE RAW and the ongoing tanking of the show’s weekly ratings.

The viewership for Monday’s Raw hit an all-time low, averaging at 1.527 million viewers over the 3 hour broadcast.

There are many factors as to why the viewership for the show has been trending downwards over the past year years. This week’s episode was up against a highly competitive and enthralling NFL game, but Bully Ray states that if WWE’s content was strong enough, people would still be tuning in to watch RAW.

“You can talk to me until you’re blue in the face about how people watch TV differently or it’s a different time, blah, blah, blah” Bully Ray began on Busted Open. “If you build it? They will come.”

“If you build your roster and people are over? They’re going to tune in” Bully Ray would continue. “I don’t care what you have to do to get eyes on your product. If you have something that the people want to see? They’re gonna tune in, no matter what.”

“I just don’t see any depth today”

Bully finished by comparing the creative and roster today to that of 20 years ago. “When I compare the characters of those in ’98 to what I see today? I just don’t see any depth today. Yeah, there might be depth to one or two people, a small handful?”

He continued, “But man I liked a bunch of talent from ’98. And not because I know these people or I worked with these people or this was my generation. No, I’m looking at it from the fans point of view. I’m looking at guys that had a multitude of personality aspects. We don’t get that today.”

Do you agree with Bully Ray? How do you think that WWE can start to claw back some of the viewership that have left over the past few years? Let us know in the comments

EC3 Says WWE Released Him Hours After He Pitched A Storyline Idea

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar EC3 recently appeared on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast. The ‘One Percenter’ discussed a number of topics during the interview, including the fight club concept he pitched to WWE and how the Covid-19 pandemic prevented him from requesting his release.

“I was going to force her hand,” EC3 began, explaining how he was close to leaving WWE before the COVID-19 pandemic. “The only thing that kept me there? It was the fact that I’m like ‘Oh man there is a pandemic. My parents have a small business, my family might need it. I can’t pass up that money, they might need it.'”

EC3 later discussed pitching a a new character idea as he was preparing to return from a bad concussion.

“Around WrestleMania time I was coming back from a pretty serious concussion that cost me about five or six months. That really changed my life and really made me think about this character.”

“I pitched this idea,” he continued. “I’m a decent writer, I was typing it up, this real great thing, and I included a promo with it. I send it in on a Wednesday, and two hours later I got fired!”

He finished by saying how he was ‘ready to leave’ when the news was presented to him. “The day I sent in some magnificent pitch, I’m fired! The first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, I’m actually okay with this, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be okay.’ Then I just posted the [same] promo to the world [on YouTube]. The only thing I didn’t want was people to think I sat around and did nothing.”

Do you think that EC3 could’ve been a much bigger star in WWE? Let us know in the comments

Super X Cup Tournament Returns At Impact Wrestling Genesis (1/9)

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling is bringing back the Super X Cup. The promotion announced today that the trophy will be up for grabs again at Genesis on January 9th, 2021. The event will be streamed on Impact’s streaming service, Impact Plus.

It will be the 4th Super X Cup tournament. There have been another 4 Team X Cup tournaments as well.

Super X Cup

Below are the results from the first 4 Super X Cups tournaments

  1. 2003 Winner: Chris Sabin
  2. 2005 Winner: Samoa Joe
  3. 2017 Winner: Dezmond Xavier

Below are the results from the 4 Team X Cups:

  1. 2004 (America’s X Cup Tournament) Winners: Team Mexico (Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza, Abismo Negro, and Mr. Aguila)
  2. 2004 Winners: Team USA (Chris Sabin, Jerry Lynn, Elix Skipper, Sonjay Dutt)
  3. 2006 Winners: Team USA (Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Alex Shelley)
  4. 2008 Winners: Team Mexico (Ultimo Guerrero, Averno, Rey Bucanero, Volador Jr.)

Willie Mack vs Moose in an I Quit match has also been announced for Genesis. Impact will present a PPV, Hard to Kill, the following weekend on January 16th, 2021. This week on Impact Wrestling, it was revealed that Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers will team in the main event. They’ll face Rich Swann and the Motor City Machine Guns in 6-man tag-team action.

Firefly Inferno Match Announced For Sunday’s WWE TLC PPV

Chris Stephens
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WWE has announced a new type of stipulation for Randy Orton’s match against Bray Wyatt this Sunday at WWE TLC. The Randy Orton vs. Wyatt match at TLC will now be the first-ever Firefly Inferno match.

The unique stipulation was announced as a result of the events that transpired on Monday’s WWE Raw. The Viper trapped Wyatt inside a burning box, but that was not enough to lock The Fiend away for good.

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WWE TLC will be the fifth time we have seen these two third-generation Superstars square off on WWE television. Wyatt holds the edge in the series 2-1-1:

  1. No Mercy 2016: Wyatt defeated Randy Orton
  2. WrestleMania 33: Randy Orton defeated Bray Wyatt (Orton won the WWE Championship)
  3. Payback 2017: House of Horrors Mach: Wyatt defeated Orton
  4. WWE RAW December 7th, 2020: The Fiend Bray Wyatt vs Orton went to a no-contest.

The WWE TLC pay-per-view takes place this Sunday and airs live on the WWE Network.

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Firefly Inferno Origins

It remains to be seen how the Fiend Bray Wyatt will put his own spin on the Inferno Match, which was popularized by Kane. WWE has yet to announce the rules, but we can assume they will be similar to the Inferno match. The ring is surrounded by fire and the winner is determined by setting your opponent ablaze.

There have been four Inferno matches in WWE history, all involving the Big Red Machine. Kane lost the first three Inferno matches before picking up a win in 2006 against MVP of all people.

  1. Unforgiven 98: The Undertaker defeated Kane
  2. RAW February 22, 1999: Undertaker defeated Kane
  3. Smackdown September 23rd, 1999: Triple H defeated Kane
  4. Armageddon 2006: Kane defeated MVP

Join us here this Sunday for our WWE TLC Results& Live Coverage.

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Mil Muertes Coming To MLW

Chris Stephens
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Former Lucha Underground Champion, Mil Muertes, is on his way to MLW. Recently on episodes of MLW Fusion, Salina de la Renta has been sending in videos of her from Mexico City. Last week, she teased fans by saying she was summoning Pascal Mendoza, a name Lucha Underground fans may have been familiar with.

Pascal Mendoza was the name of Mil Muertes’ character when he was a child. Mendoza was trapped in the rubble of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake where his association with death began.

This week on MLW Fusion, Salina de la Renta was seen practicing some type of ritual and appeared to be summoning Mil Muertes. In MLW’s storyline, Salina aided Contra Unit in their takeover of MLW’s corporate offices this spring. Konnan then revealed this fact, resulting in the league suspending her. Now, Salina is out for revenge and eveidently is summoning Mil Muertes for this purpose.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339366951718592513

The Mil Muertes character was portrayed by Ricky Banderas in Lucha Underground. In addition to being a former Lucha Underground Champion, Banderas is a 4x AAA Mega Champion. Banderas also competed in TNA Wrestling in 07-08 under the name Judas Mesias. He was managed by Father James Mitchell in the promotion.

MLW Fusion Results (12/16): Tom Lawlor and ACH Clash In Main Event

Chris Stephens
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Major League Wrestling on 12/16 featured the second semi-final match in the 2020 Opera Cup. The Black Hand of Contra was also in action this week and we learned more about what is upcoming at Kings of the Colosseum on January 6th, 2021.

The full episode can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion 12/16 Quick Results:

  1. Bu Ku Dao w/TJP defeated LA Park Jr. w/Los Parks
  2. Mads Krugger defeated Ben Heavy & Daniel Starling
  3. 2020 Opera Cup (Semi-Final)
    Tom Lawlor defeated ACH

Here are 7 takeaways from MLW Fusion 12/16:

Tom Lawlor Advances To The Opera Cup Finals

The main event of Fusion this week saw Tom Lawlor and ACH clash in the second semi-final match of the 2020 Opera Cup. Low-Ki has already advanced to the finals after defeating Richard Holliday in the first semi-final match.

After an exciting back and forth match, the finish of the match came when ACH went for a splash off the top rope but Lawlor got the knees up and then cradled ACH into a pinning combination for the win.

With that, the finals of the 2020 Opera Cup are set as Tom Lawlor will face Low-Ki. Lawlor cut a promo after the match and said they might as well make the trophy a crown because when he wins it, he’ll be the King of the mat.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339371733548089344

MLW Top-10 Rankings vis Pro Wrestling Illustrated

Pro Wrestling Illustrated has ranked the top-10 wrestlers in MLW. The updated rankings were announced on this week’s show.

MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu

  1. Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion)
  2. Low-Ki
  3. Tom Lawlor
  4. LA Park
  5. Myron Reed (World Middleweight Champion)
  6. ACH
  7. Laredo Kid
  8. Richard Holliday
  9. Calvin Tankman
  10. Mads Krugger

Mads Krugger and Contra Unit Send A Message

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339365190333292544

The Black Hand of Contra, Mads Krugger, sent a message this week on Fusion. He took on 2 opponents at the same time and had little trouble with them. Meanwhile, on commentary they noted that Alexander Hammerstone was being restrained in the back from coming out to confront the man who attacked him weeks earlier.

After Krugger dispatched of his opponents, the Sentai Death Squad joined him in the ring. They wrapped their opponents in body bags and closed the segment standing tall.

It would later be reported that Hammerstone and Krugger were brawling in the backstage area. Then it was revealed that Hammerstone and Krugger will clash at Kings of the Colosseum.

Mil Muertes Is Coming To MLW

For the second week in a row, Salina de la Renta submitted a video of her travels to Mexico City. This week it appeared Salina was conducting some type of ritual in an effort to summon Pascal Mendoza, who is also known as Mil Muertes. The former Lucha Underground Champion appears to be on his way to MLW and might be part of Salina’s plan to get back at Konnan, who revealed her role in Contra Unit’s takeover of the MLW head offices this spring.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339366951718592513

Dissension In the Dynasty?

Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday pulled up to the building at the start of the show. Alicia Atout was there waiting to interview them. Holliday seemed annoyed at Atout being there but Hammerstone said that Holliday had just been going on and on about her. Then they were both attacked by some masked assailants. Holliday and Hammerstone turned the tables on their attackers but Holliday had to stop Hammerstone from ramming one attacker into his car. Holliday then expressed frustration with Hammerstone for what he said to Atout.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339360157403389952

Bu Ku Dao Defeats LA Park Jr.

A couple of young prospects squared off in this week’s opening match. Bu Ku Dao had TJP in his corner for this match and LA Park Jr. had his father and his brother. Dao is barely 5-feet but clearly has a lot of skill in the ring. The Parks would take the opportunity to give Dao a few shots on the outside when the referee wasn’t looking as well.

The finish of the match came when Park Jr. had Dao locked up in a hammerlock guillotine submission but Dao cradled him into a pinning combination for the win. After the match, the Parks were not happy with the referee’s count.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339362673746731010

Coming Up In MLW

MLW is gearing up for the Kings of the Colosseum event that will take place on January 6th, 2021. Here is what has been confirmed for the show thus far:

  • National Openweight Championship
    Alexander Hammerstone (c) vs Mads Krugger
  • MLW Middleweight Championship
    Myron Reed (c) vs Lio Rush
https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1339366448557395968

Tetsuya Naito Comments On Winning MVP, Match Of The Year Awards

Steve Russell
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IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito has shared his thoughts on being awarded several notable awards.

The Los Ingobernables de Japon leader was recently honored with the Tokyo Sports MVP award. His Wrestle Kingdom 14 clash with Kazuchika Okada was also awarded Tokyo Sports Best Bout 2020 Award.

“To be honest, as soon as I did what I did in the Tokyo Dome on January 4 & 5, I had assumed that this award was coming,” Naito said. “But after the Tokyo Dome, thanks to the pandemic, the match I had wanted with Hiromu Takahashi for a decade didn’t take place. From there, this year took a rather different form to what I had expected. Then again, things not exactly going to plan, that’s pretty much on brand for Tetsuya Naito.”

Naito On Winning Match Of The Year

When asked about being the Match of the Year award, Naito acknowledged how determining a winner for the category can be difficult due to subjective taste. He shared how it’s a “difficult call to make.”

“Everybody has their own taste. Some people might think my match with Okada was the clear winner, and some might have a very different idea. It’s a difficult call to make, and this decision will certainly raise a lot of debate. But thinking back on the matches I’ve had this year, the (Okada match) certainly is one that stays with me,” Naito admitted. “I think a few years from now when I look back on my career, this is definitely a match that will leap out as an important one, and I’m happy it got chosen.”

Naito then reflected on the key moments from the matchup that stick out in his memory. One thing that still resonates with him is how the crowd was chanting his name.

“[…] not just during the match or my entrance, but afterward, with all of the Tokyo Dome chanting my name, that’s such an incredible memory. It wasn’t just a match and a moment that I created with Okada, but something everybody in that building help make, so all of you chanting have my gratitude. Gracias.”

Tetsuya Naito is set to perform double duty at next year’s Wrestle Kingdom 15. On January 4, Naito will defend his IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against Kota Ibushi.

If he successfully retains his championships, Naito faces off against Jay White on January 5 in another ‘Winner Take All’ championship match.

Cameron Grimes Will Be Off NXT Until Early 2021

Steve Russell
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NXT Superstar Cameron Grimes won’t be appearing on WWE’s black-and-gold brand for the next 4-6 weeks. The news was announced during last night’s episode of the show.

Grimes has featured in several feuds on NXT programming in the past few months. He has participated in a lengthy featured rivalry with Dexter Lumis and, more recently, competed against Tommaso Ciampa.

He has suffered a few high profile losses against these Superstars in recent months. Grimes lost to Ciampa on the 12/9 episode of NXT. After the match, Grimes was attacked by Timothy Thatcher. He was later listed on the NXT Injury Report.

Cameron Grimes’ Recent Record

Cameron Grimes wrestled to a No Contest against Lumis in a Blindfold match as well as a Haunted House of Terror Match at NXT: Halloween Havoc back in October. More recently, Grimes lost to Lumis at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The two competed in a strap match.

Despite several key losses, Cameron Grimes has accrued a few victories. He successfully defeated NXT Superstars August Grey and Jake Atlas.

The NXT Injury Report noted that Grimes was out of action following Thatcher “snatching his leg” during NXT, providing a storyline reason for Grimes’ absence. The report noted there was no timetable for return.

Kevin Owens Wants To Earn “Redemption” For His 2016 Universal Championship Run

Steve Russell
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Kevin Owens has made his intentions clear: he wants to claim the WWE Universal Championship at TLC in an effort to earn some “redemption” for his 2016 reign.

Owens joined WWE show The Bump, where he shared his plans as he hypothesized over a second run with the gold.

“Imagine what I’ll do when the Universal Title is on the line. When it’s TLC, there’s millions of people watching,” Owens said. “The way this issue has turned out with Roman and I, there’s nothing that I won’t stop at to win this match and make things right, you know. Because of the Universal Title reign that I had before, it’s just not what I wish it would have been. So, maybe there’s a chance here for redemption as well in that aspect.”

Kevin Owens won the WWE Universal Championship during a four-way elimination match for the championship following an injury that forced Finn Balor to vacate the title. He would hold the Universal Championship for 188 days before losing it to Goldberg at 2017’s Fastlane pay-per-view.

Owens is set to face off against Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at Sunday’s TLC event. The two clash in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matchup. Reigns will be accompanied by Paul Heyman for the bout.

WWE’s TLC takes place on December 20 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.

Chris Jericho Names Big Show As His Favorite Tag Team Partner Ever

Steve Russell
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All Elite Wrestling’s Chris Jericho has named The Big Show as his favorite tag team partner. Jericho made the declaration on a recent episode of his podcast, Talk is Jericho. He stressed how Big Show was his favorite tag team partner “by far.”

“That was because I was tag team champions with Edge and Edge tore his Achilles tendon and he was going to be out for eight months,’ Jericho said. “They didn’t want to strip me of the titles, so Vince wanted me to have another partner because we were going into a feud with DX. A lot of people wanted to put me with a young guy and I said, we can’t do this, DX will eat you alive unless I have somebody that’s a world champion level.”

According to Jericho, he suggested he team up with Kane. However, Vince McMahon proposed he team with Big Show. Jericho liked the idea but had a couple of caveats before agreeing.

“I said, great, but no more comedy and he needs to get rid of the one-sided strap. I wanted him in tights. He wanted a singlet. I said we are going to remember how big he is and he is going to be a giant with me. Vince said, ‘Absolutely.’ That’s where it started.”

Jericho And Big Show’s Chemistry

Chris Jericho reflected on how every match the team won was only because of The Big Show knocking out their opponent. The two would ultimately become close friends, with Jericho noting how they would argue “like an old married couple.”

“[…] I would have an idea and then he would come up with an idea. I would say, ‘yeah that’s good, but mine’s better.’ He would say, ‘Fine, I’ll just sit here and be a big stupid giant and won’t say a word.’ We had a great chemistry and a great friendship. He was an excellent partner for sure.”

Chris Jericho competed during last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Alongside his Inner Circle stablemates, he faced off against Best Friends, The Varsity Blondes, and Top Flight.

Mike Bennett Says He Considered Retirement After WWE Release

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mike Bennett was one of the names to be released by WWE as part of their coronavirus budget cuts and since then he has made his return to the independent circuit and ROH.

However, returning to the ring outside of the company wasn’t always in his mind and according to the former WWE star, he had even considered retirement after getting fired from the company.

Bennett recently had an interview with Scott Fishman of TV Insider and opening up about his release from the company; he revealed that at first he contemplated if he wanted to keep wrestling:

“When I got fired, I contemplated if I wanted to keep wrestling; I don’t know what the post-coronavirus pro wrestling world is going to look like. I have a 2-year-old and, when we got fired; my son was 2 months old.

I’m so thankful to have my wife to lean on. She’s my biggest supporter.” said Mike “We had constant talks after the kids went to bed and figured it out. You become parents, adults, and figure out life.”

The ROH star also provided an update on his wife and fellow former WWE star Maria Kanellis revealing that she is back in school, pursuing her master’s degree.

Regarding a potential in ring return for the famale star, Mike Bennett said that Maria loves the industry and she will be back when she feels the time is right. You can check out his full interview at this link.

Kevin Owens On His Relationship With Pat Patterson

Anutosh Bajpai
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Kevin Owens recently appeared on WWE’s The Bump where he talked about things like his experience at the commentary desk, how doing commentary full time is a different ball game and more.

During the interview, the former Universal Champion also talked about the late Pat Patterson and discussed his relationship with the WWE legend.

Owens recalled how Patterson was supportive and willing to help everybody and the WWE Hall Of Famer had a mind for wrestling like no one else:

“Pat was something else. I used to think he and I had this connection because we’re French-Candian. He was so supportive and willing to help. I quickly realized that he was actually like that with everybody.

What Daniel Bryan said was true: He would really listen and ask about you and how your family was doing… He would constantly ask how I was doing.” recalled Kevin Owens, “When wrestling was involved, he had a mind like no other. To say he’ll be missed is an understatement.”

The former NXT champion also recalled a story of how Patterson ran down to the ring when Sami Zayn won the NXT title despite everyone trying to stop him.

Apart from this, Kevin Owens offered some big praise to the NXT tag team Ever-Rise saying that he has been a fan of the duo for 15 years. You can check out his full interview in the video below:

Kenny Omega To Defend AEW Title At Dynamite: New Year’s Smash

Anutosh Bajpai
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After a successful defence at this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Kenny Omega will once again be defending his AEW world title at the upcoming New Year’s Smash episode of the show.

This week’s episode of the weekly show saw the cleaner taking on Joey Janela in the main event and the champion won the bout after delivering two V-Triggers and a One-Winged Angel on Janela.

Omega’s new associate Don Callis then took the mic and started gloating about how all the haters have been silenced with this victory before the Death Triangle came out.

The trio of Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta El Zero Miedo interrupted the segment. Pac reminded the AEW champion that they have unfinished business but he claimed that he was here for a different reason.

The former WWE star reminded everyone how Rey Fenix had to pull out of the Title Eliminator Tournament earlier this year and said that Omega can’t call himself the rightful champion until Fenix has gotten his opportunity.

Callis tried to stop the trio but Pac revealed that he has already spoken to the AEW president Tony Khan. He then announced that a match between Rey Fenix and Kenny Omega has been made official for the upcoming Dynamite episode on December 30.

For those who don’t know, Rey Fenix had defeated Penta in the first round of the Title Eliminator Tournament in October but he was pulled from the second round of the tournament due to a neck injury. Penta then replaced his brother in the tournament and faced Omega in the second round.

Fenix will now be getting his shot at the AEW world title at Dynamite: New Year’s Smash night 1 on December 30. Chris Jericho would be on the commentary for this episode.

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