Home Blog Page 1009

Sheamus On His Favorite Royal Rumble Of All Time

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated PPVs of the year and Sheamus, who won the iconic battle royal at the show in 2012, is also excited for the PPV.

The former world champion recently appeared on WWE’s The Bump where he talked about things like having both great and embarrassing moments at the show and more.

During the interview, Sheamus also revealed his favorite Royal Rumble event. He recalled watching the confrontation between Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior as a kid from the PPV in 1990:

“Uh, I think for me as a kid, the biggest moment for me was the Royal Rumble in 1990, I remember I snuck downstairs and watched it – I recorded it – and watched Hulk Hogan win it all but then he and Ultimate Warrior went at it. I remember that was an unbelievable moment ’cause I was a huge Warrior fan because of his intensity.

I liked the energy he brought to the ring.” said Sheamus “There was a lot of electricity about him. It was such a surreal moment. You didn’t really see two good guys go at it like that, you know? They both had such a high profile in the company. So, it was crazy.”

The Celtic Warrior also talked about winning the Royal Rumble match himself in 2012 and claimed that he is the kind of person who gets his adrenaline going after every show.

So winning the Royal Rumble was a pretty surreal moment for him and it was a bucket list item for the former champion. You can check out his full interview in the The Bump episode below:

Nikki Bella Praises Sasha Banks: “She’s a Show Stopper!”

Staff
-
0

Even though Brie and Nikki Bella have not competed in the ring since 2018, they remain a fan of wrestling. They are often full of praises for other superstars, either on their own podcast on on someone else’s.

Recently speaking to Ashley Graham on Pretty Big Deal podcast, Nikki Bella heaped praise on the current SmackDown Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks.

“I’ve always called it about Sasha Banks. Since the day she debuted, even right before she debuted. She has it all, what you look at in a WWE superstar,” Nikki Bella said. “She’s an incredible wrestler and an entertaining superstar. The minute she hits the ramp and comes through the curtain, you’re just locked in on her. Bianca Belair, she’s beautiful, fun to watch, and the most athletic human-being I’ve ever seen in my life. She’s a show stopper.”

Nikki Bella: It’d be a lot of fun to be on creative

Nikki Bella also said that she would be interested in joining the backstage creative team in WWE. She would like to do for the women what Daniel Bryan does for the men, she added.

“Brie’s husband [Daniel Bryan] is part of the creative team and works a lot with Vince McMahon on the creative stuff. I’ve always thought, in the back of my head, ‘I would really like to do that for the women.’ I’ve lived it as a WWE superstar, but I’m also a fan. I know what the people and I know how to get the best out of each woman because I know them. It’d be a lot of fun to be on creative,” Nikki Bella commented.

Brie Bella also chipped with a few good words for NXT superstar Rhea Ripley. Brie said that she was surprised Rhea Ripley was not called up to main roster yet and praised her previous storyline with Charlotte Flair, which she felt should have been a headliner.

“Same with Rhea Ripley. I’m actually bummed she’s not on the main roster yet because she constantly puts out great matches. Her look is incredible, she’s presence going to the ring. She’s still in NXT, which is great for NXT, but she should have been on the main roster years ago. Especially her storyline with Charlotte. I was like, ‘That’s someone who should be headlining Raw,’ Brie Bella shared.

Other female superstars Brie and Nikki Bella thought highly of were Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, and Bianca Belair.

Adam Cole Says NXT Is The Main Roster, “No Debate. End Of Story.”

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Adam Cole is the latest NXT star to declare that WWE’s ‘black and gold’ brand is on par with Raw and SmackDown.

The former NXT Champion commented on Undisputed Era and the NXT brand on social media late Saturday night. Cole is the leader of Undisputed Era, the faction also comprised of Kyle O’Reily, Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish.

The foursome has been a dominant force in NXT since they were first established in the summer of 2017. At one point, they held all the brand’s top titles, including the NXT Championship, the North American and Tag Team Championships.

Undisputed Era cleaned up at the 2020 NXT Year-End Awards. Members won Male Competitor of the Year (Adam Cole), Tag Team of the Year (All members), Match of the Year (O’Reilly vs. Finn Balor at TakOver 31) and Rivalry of the Year (Cole vs. Pat McAfee)

Adam Cole says the Undisputed Era’s reign of success will continue in 2021. He tweeted, “#UndisputedERA has run @WWENXT since we’ve arrived…2021 will be no different. Enjoy the ride boys & girls.”

undisputed era

“NXT Is The Main Roster”

A fan on Twitter told Adam Cole that he should advance to the ‘main roster’ in 2021, implying that he should join Raw or SmackDown. Cole replied by saying that NXT is the main roster, “No debate. End of story.”

This is an idea that has been pushed by many people in NXT, including Triple H. During a recent appearance on WWE’s digital series The Bump, he said that Finn Balor returning to NXT full-time established the brand as the ‘main roster.’

WWE Hall Of Fame: Plans For 2021 Ceremony & Inductees

Michael Reichlin
-
0


The WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony is one of the highlights of the annual pro wrestling calendar. Last year’s event was unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WrestleMania 36 was moved from a football stadium to the Performance Center and the 2020 HOF ceremony was scrapped entirely.

Over the weekend, WWE made some major announcements regarding the next three WrestleMania events. It was revealed that this year’s WrestleMania 37 will take place over two nights at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL. From there, WrestleMania will hit Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, California in 2022 and 2023. More details on those announcements can be found here:

WWE Hall of Fame 2021

WWE has yet to address the status of the 2021 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but Dave Meltzer addressed the situation on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. 

While a limited number of fans will be able to attend WrestleMania 37, the current plan is for the 2021 Hall of Fame ceremony to be held virtually. Meltzer stated, “The last I heard was to hold a WWE Hall Of Fame virtually without fans, but that could change. That might be tough.”

uk tourist measles wwe hall of fame new orleans

We also expect last year’s class of inductees to be honored this year. The well-rounded class includes:

  • Batista
  • The nWo (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman)
  • The Bella Twins, Brie and Nikki
  • John Bradshaw Layfield (‘JBL’)
  • “Jushin” Thunder Liger

We will provide an update whenever WWE makes an official announcement regarding the 2021 Hall of Fame.

20191207 HOF Group 2 51dc40a2ba8f873b92129790f543be9e

Nyla Rose Off Dynamite This Week Due to COVID-19 Protocols

Chris Stephens
-
0

Nyla Rose was scheduled to face Leyla Hirsch on the upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite. She’s been forced off the show after an immediate family member tested positive for COVID-19, however.

Rose released a statement on Twitter explaining her situation:

“I’ve found out that an immediate family members has tested positive for COVID-19 and as a result, I’ve been directly exposed,” wrote Rose.

“As per safety protocol I will be isolating/self quarantine for the next 14 days. Why do I mention this? Because of the seriousness of the situation and the timeline for quarantine, this will affect this weekend’s Virtual Meet & Greet with Damage 365 promotions and prevent me from competing against Leyla Hirsch this coming Wednesday on Dynamite.”

“I’m very sorry to anyone that was looking forward to these events but keeping everyone as safe as possible must be priority at this time. Thank you for understanding. Stay Safe everyone. Please social distance and Mask up.”

Nyla Rose finished 2020 with a 14-2 record in AEW singles matches. Her only losses were both to Hikaru Shida. She lost to Shida at Double or Nothing to drop the AEW Women’s Championship. Shida then successfully defended the title against Rose at Full Gear in November. Rose has only wrestled on Dark since dropping the match to Shida at Full Gear.

Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers Wear Bullet Club Branding At Hard to Kill

Chris Stephens
-
0

When Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows walked to the ring last night at Hard to Kill, they were each wearing Bullet Club branding.

Karl Anderson wore a Bullet Club hoodie to the ring, Gallows’ gear was all decked out in Bullet Club logos and Kenny Omega wore a limited edition Bullet Club Halloween t-shirt as well. The commentary team never referred to them as Bullet Club, however.

Omega and the Good Brothers defeated the team of Rich Swann, Chris Sabin, and Moose on the show. Moose was replacing Alex Shelley, who was pulled from the event in the days leading up to it.

Fans on social media took notice of Omega and the Good Brothers rocking Bullet Club merchandise during their entrances.

https://twitter.com/KhalafSammy/status/1350646775175131136
https://twitter.com/riversinthedust/status/1350664935513194497

The Bullet Club’s Tama Tonga has been critical of the faction’s reunion in AEW and Impact. He believes only the wrestler still in NJPW are true members of the faction. Tonga posted the following last night:

“At this point, it’s only BulletClub when the Tongans are in it. Anything else is just guys that wished they were back in BulletClub,” Tonga Tweeted.

Karl Anderson is one of the 4 founding members of the faction along with Tonga, Bad Luck Fale, and Prince Devitt. Gallows joined later in 2013. Omega wouldn’t join until 2014 as a junior heavyweight.

Chris Bey Talks Interest From AEW To Sign Him

Jake Skudder
-
0

IMPACT Wrestling X Division star Chris Bey recently spoke to Fightful. The former X Division Champion discussed a number of topics during the show, including how AEW was previously interested in signing him.

“So, with everybody that’s been talking to me over the last year like, ‘Man, AEW was interested in you. Why didn’t you go there?’” Chris Bey begin the interview. “Now it’s looking like I don’t even have to have made that decision to still make it happen, you know?”

Chris Bey then discussed how he could potentially work for AEW, but under the IMPACT banner as part of the ongoing ‘invasion’ storyline with Kenny Omega.

“For me, it’d be even better if I can do it wearing the IMPACT! banner and holding the IMPACT! flag while I do it, you know? I think it’s just going to set up some dream match scenarios. If this keeps going in the direction it’s going in we can provide history for the fans that we possibly look back to for the foreseeable future of our business and be like, ‘Man, that’s when things really changed in this industry.’ This could be the start of something.”

Chris Bey appeared at IMPACT’s Hard To Kill PPV this weekend. He was part of the triple threat match for the X Division title, where Manik/TJP would take the win after rolling up Rohit Raju.

Backstage Update on Matt Cardona’s IMPACT Wrestling Status

Jake Skudder
-
0

Former WWE and AEW performer Matt Cardona appeared in shock fashion on IMPACT Wrestling’s Hard To Kill event last night. The Major Brother would appear during the show to face Ace Austin in an un-advertised match that took place during the event.

The match would end when Madman Fulton interfered and Cardona would win via DQ. Matt Striker on commentary would not confirm if Matt Cardona had signed with the company; or if it was a one-night only appearance. Cardona however would look as if he was there to stay. The former Zack Ryder made gestures after the match as if IMPACT was going to be his new home.

PWInsider recently reported that Matt Cardona is scheduled to appear at the IMPACT tapings that will be taking place this week. Reportedly the company are looking to film a number of weeks of television, meaning that Cardona could be on AXS TV going forward for some time.

Cardona tweeted following the show to say thanks to Scott D’Amore. “I needed tonight. Thanks @ScottDAmore for the opportunity. Thanks @IMPACTWRESTLING, thanks to all my fans! I’m #AlwayzReady…I’m #HardToKill…and I’m NOT DONE with @The_Ace_Austin & @FultonWorld!”

Matt Cardona last appeared on television for All Elite Wrestling. Cardona signed a short term deal with AEW and he fulfilled those dates last year before moving on. With the ongoing feud between elements of IMPACT and AEW it will be interesting to see if the former Zack Ryder will be inserted into the storyline.

Bully Ray: “AEW Has Glaring Issues That NXT Doesn’t”

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed the ongoing ‘Wednesday Night War’ between AEW and NXT. For many months AEW has been beating NXT in the rating; with this past week seeing a gulf in difference, particularly in the 18-49 demographic.

Bully Ray pointed out that whilst AEW is the better drawing show? Ray believes that NXT has the better in-ring action and it is a ‘crisper’ and more ‘polished’ style of pro wrestling.

“It’s hard for me to come on the show, and I don’t want to do this, first and foremost, I don’t look to come on the show and point out holes in the game or the negatives” Bully Ray began on Busted Open.

“Honestly, I just want to come on talk positive about pro wrestling, and tell everybody what a great job everybody did. When I watch NXT? I don’t see glaring issues, like I see maybe with AEW. But the work in the ring is solid, it’s tight [in NXT]. Nine times out of 10? It makes psychological sense. The physicality is there.”

Shifting his focus to AEW, Bully Ray sees some ‘glaring’ issues that might be holding the company back.

“A lot of times? You watch AEW and you know, guys and gals are missing stuff. It can get a little indie-rific at times, whereas the NXT product is a lot more polished and the work rate is extremely tight.”

However you feel about Bully Ray’s comments about AEW’s in-ring product, there’s no question that what they’re doing is working. AEW regularly draws higher viewership and greater fan interest than NXT.

Do you agree with Bully Ray? Do you believe that NXT’s in-ring product is superior to that of AEW? Let us know in the comments

IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill Results (1/16)

Jake Skudder
-
0

IMPACT Wrestling held their Hard To Kill 2021 event tonight. The main event of the card was once of the most anticipated bouts of the past couple of months; Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers would team up to take on; IMPACT Champion Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and TNA Champion Moose.

The scheduled main event was originally supposed to see Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers take on Rich Swann and the Motor City Machine Guns. Unfortunately, MCMG member Alex Shelley was unable to appear and therefore had to be pulled from the match. Rich Swann’s longtime rival Moose was then added to the match.

Here’s the quick results from IMPACT Wrestling’s Hard To Kill 2021:

  • Kenny Omega, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose. – Kenny Omega took the win for his team after hitting the One Winged Angel on Rich Swann
  • Barbed Wire Massacre: Eddie Edwards vs Sami Callihan – Eddie Edwards took the win after hitting the Emerald Flowsion on a barbed wired covered chair
  • The Karate Man vs Ethan Page – Karate Man took the win after he pulled Ethan Page’s heart out of his chest, seemingly killing him
  • IMPACT Knockout Championship Match: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs Taya Valkyrie – Deonna Purrazzo took the win via submission to retain her IMPACT Knockouts Championship
  • IMPACT X Division Championship Match: Chris Bey vs Manik (c) vs Rohit Raju – Manik (TJP) took the win after rolling up Raju. Rohit Raju pulled Manik’s mask off during the match to reveal TJP with facepaint. The commentary team pretended at first it wasn’t him
  • Ace Austin vs Matt Cardona – Matt Cardona took the win via DQ when Madman Fulton interfered
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan vs Havok and Nevaeh – Kiera Hogan took the win for her team to win the Knockouts Tag Team Championships. Gail Kim and Madison Rayne appeared after the match to present the newly re-introduced belts to the Champions
  • Eric Young, Joe Doering and Deanor vs Tommy Dreamer, Rhino and Cousin Jake – Eric Young took the win for the newly named Violent By Design after hitting a Piledriver on Cousin Jake. Moments before Eric Young had been dropped onto thumbtacks.
  • Rosemary and Crazzy Steve v.s Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb with a K – Rosemary and Crazzy Steve took the win after spewing mist on their opponents. Crazzy Steve hit a tornado DDT on Kaleb to gain the pinfall
  • Brian Myers vs Josh Alexander – Brian Myers took the win after hitting a Lariat

The official replay for IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill will be available to view via FITE TV.

Hard to Kill Videos

Impact Wrestling has updated the following videos from Hard to Kill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaN835CK67k

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

Matt Cardona Debuts At IMPACT Hard To Kill (Video)

Jake Skudder
-
0

IMPACT Wrestling presented Hard To Kill Saturday night on pay-per-view. During the show the X Division Championship would be defended in a triple threat match with Chris Bey and Rohit Raju challenging Manik for the Championship.

Before the match, Ace Austin would appear and demand that he be added to the match, making it a fatal four way. Company Executive Scott D’Amore would appear and tell Austin that he wouldn’t be getting a shot in the X Title match, but he would be facing a man who was Alwayz Ready…Matt Cardona.

The match would end when Madman Fulton interfered and Cardona would win via DQ. Matt Striker on commentary would not confirm if Matt Cardona had signed with the company or if it was a one-night only appearance. Cardona however would look as if he was there to stay, making gestures after the match as if IMPACT was going to be his new home.

Matt Cardona last appeared on television for All Elite Wrestling. With the ongoing feud between elements of IMPACT and AEW it will be interesting to see if the former Zack Ryder will be inserted into the storyline.

The official replay for IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill will be available to view via FITE TV.

Watch Matt Cardona’s Impact debut here:

WrestleMania Set For Tampa Bay (2021), Dallas (2022) and Los Angeles (2023)

Michael Reichlin
-
0

WWE has announced upcoming dates and locations for WrestleMania, from 2021-23:

  • Tampa Bay: WrestleMania 37, Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Raymond James Stadium
  • Arlington/Dallas: WrestleMania 38, Sunday, April 3, 2022 at AT&T Stadium
  • Inglewood/Los Angeles: WrestleMania 39, Sunday, April 2, 2023 at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park

“Florida is excited to welcome back WrestleMania to Tampa in April at Raymond James Stadium. Florida has continued to work with professional sports and entertainment to safely operate while generating revenue and protecting jobs. WrestleMania will bring tens of millions of dollars to the Tampa area and we look forward to hosting more sporting and entertainment events in Florida this year,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

“The opportunity for Tampa Bay to host WrestleMania in April is, in true WWE fashion, the perfect comeback story and marks a clear indication that our beautiful city is poised to bounce back stronger than ever. We can’t wait to once again showcase all that team Tampa Bay has to offer,” added Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

“We are elated for WrestleMania’s return to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium and look forward to building upon the success from 2016 when more than 101,000 fans were in attendance for WrestleMania 32,” said Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams.

“The City of Inglewood looks forward to the opportunity to host WrestleMania in 2023 and celebrates the deferral of this year’s event to Tampa Bay so they can have their rightful WrestleMania moment. Our time will come,” said Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr.

“On behalf of everyone at WWE, we thank Governor DeSantis, Mayor Castor, Mayor Williams and Mayor Butts for their graciousness and flexibility in what was a collaborative effort to bring the next three WrestleManias to these iconic stadiums in their world-class cities,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO.  

In coordination with local partners and government officials, WWE will announce ticket availability and safety protocols for WrestleMania 37 in the coming weeks. Information on additional WrestleMania Week events is forthcoming.

Madison Rayne Confirms Retirement From Impact Wrestling

Jake Skudder
-
0

Former Knockouts Champion and Knockouts Tag Team Champion Madison Rayne confirmed her retirement this evening. The former member of The Beautiful People stable confirmed as such on the IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill pre-show panel.

Madison Rayne was part of the IMPACT commentary team until tonight’s broadcast alongside Josh Matthews. It was recently confirmed that Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown will be taking commentary duties going forward for the promotion.

It is unknown at this time if the switch in commentary prompted the retirement announcement; or whether Rayne made it clear that she wanted to leave before the change was introduced.

An emotional Madison Rayne told fans during the pre-show for Hard To Kill that after 12 years with the company and wrestling over 3 different decades? That it was time for her to go home.

Madison Rayne’s accomplishments in IMPACT/TNA include being a 5-time Knockouts champion. Rayne was also Knockouts Tag Team Champion on 2 occasions; once with Lacey Von Erich and once with Gail Kim. Rayne would also be crowned Queen of The Knockouts in 2014.

Rayne tweeted shortly after Hard To Kill started, referencing the new commentary team of D’Lo Brown and Matt Striker. Madison would write “I already love this team!!”

The official replay for IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill will be available to view via FITE TV.

Deonna Purrazzo Talks IMPACT Taking Her Career To The ‘Next Level’

Jake Skudder
-
0

IMPACT Wrestling Women’s Champion Deonna Purrazzo recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The Virtuosa would discuss a number of topics on the show, including how she now feels ‘fulfilled’ in her professional wrestling career.

Co-host of the show Bully Ray would mention how Deonna was far more jovial during the interview than she had been just a year prior speaking to Busted Open. When asked why, The Virtuosa said “part of it is just feeling fulfilled in your professional role. I think it takes such a mental toll on you when you’re not happy with what you’re doing. When you’re not happy with your life’s work.”

Deonna Purrazzo on IMPACT

“All I’ve ever wanted to be? Was a wrestler” Deonna Purrazzo continued. “So you know, I felt so stifled by not being able to just wrestle. And now the fact that on a daily basis I’m featured either wrestling, or in backstage segments? I’m growing as a professional every week and we get to see that every week. It is exactly what I needed to be able to take myself to the next level.”

Deonna then finished by saying how IMPACT ‘reignited’ a flame in her love for professional wrestling. “Just like personally? It has helped to take me to the next level. It’s reignited a flame for my love for wrestling, for my love for myself, my love of bettering my life outside of wrestling. So I feel like 100% a brand new Deonna Purrazzo from this time last year, to who I am now.”

The IMPACT Women’s Champion will be defending her belt tonight at IMPACT’s Hard To Kill PPV. The Virtuosa will be defending the title against Taya Valkyrie.

Do you think that Deonna Purrazzo leaves Hard To Kill with the IMPACT Women’s Championship tonight? Let us know in the comments

EC3 Writes Cryptic Messages Regarding IMPACT Hard To Kill Main Event

Jake Skudder
-
0

Former IMPACT and WWE Superstar EC3 recently wrote a series of tweets regarding the IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill main event. It was confirmed yesterday that Alex Shelley could not appear in the main event of the show. Travel reasons were the catalyst for this, although nothing further has been released publicly by the company.

IMPACT Wrestling made a change to the card and inserted Moose into the main event of the show. Moose is now teaming with Rich Swann and Chris Sabin. This adds extra intrigue to the main event, as Moose and Rich Swann have been at odds recently; with Moose beating Swann’s close friend Willie Mack at last week’s Genesis event.

EC3 would write a series of tweets regarding the inclusion of Moose into the main event. The can be seen at the bottom of this article.

The former Ethan Carter The Third is not included on tonight’s card officially, nor is he contracted to IMPACT Wrestling (at least this isn’t known publicly). EC3 has been adopting the ‘Control Your Narrative’ stance ever since he left WWE last year, and this appears to be another wrinkle in that story.

It’s worth noting that the below tweets do not indicate that EC3 will get involved at Hard To Kill; but it is certainly something to watch out for.

Matthew McConaughey: Joining WWE “Something That Interests Me”

Staff
-
0

Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey is teasing a future with WWE.

The 51-year-old actor is among the veteran actors in Hollywood, having acted in critically acclaimed movies like Dallas Buyers Club, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Interstellar. Speaking to Maria Menounos on her Better Together podcast, the Fool’s Gold actor said that he has plans of working with WWE in some capacity.

“I’ll say not too much ’cause as you know, can’t say too much about these things,” McConaughey said. “But it is something that interests me.”

Matthew McConaughey is known for being a huge wrestling fan. He has been among the virtual audience at WWE ThunderDome in October last year during the champion Drew McIntyre’s match with The Miz.

Not only McConaughey himself, but his children are into pro wrestling as well. His three kids, Levi, Vida, and Livingston are big fans and regularly tune into WWE television for the shows and pay-per-views.

“I love the suspension and disbelief, ’cause my kids and I watch it,” McConaughey revealed, “And they’re starting to get that when they go, ‘Oh this is fake.’ I’m going, ‘What are you talking about? No way!’ Because I won’t give them the wink yet, but they’re starting to get that in there, there’s a bit of one, ya know? Two of them are like, ‘this isn’t fake, it’s real!'”

The time Matthew McConaughey met The Rock

McConaughey also reminisced about a conversation he had in the past with Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson. He revealed that ‘The Rock’ shared with him his story of turning heel from face when they met.

“The Rock was telling me his story, about his storyline from good guy to bad guy, and how he felt it click in one night while he was there like, ‘Oh I just hooked him,’ ” McConaughey shared.

mac dwayne

Matthew McConaughey has recently published his memoir Greenlights, which is a biography of the actor compiling his life stories chronologically since he was fourteen. He has described the book to be “a collection of stories, prayers, poems, people, and places and a whole bunch of bumper stickers.”

You can to Matthew McConaughey’s full conversation with Maria Menounos on the Better Together podcast.

Alex Shelley Releases Statement On Missing Hard to Kill

Chris Stephens
-
0

Alex Shelley was scheduled to be in the main event of Impact Wrestling’s Hard to Kill PPV tonight. Yesterday, the promotion announced that Shelley would be unable to perform on the show. He has been replaced in the main event by Moose.

Shelley released a video statement through Impact’s social media channels and spoke about the situation.

“There are certain things in life that are just out of our control and unfortunately, my ability to compete at Hard to Kill has been dropped into that bucket,” Shelley said in the video. “So, on that note, I owe an apology to Chris Sabin. I owe one to Rich Swann, I owe one to the fans. And I owe a receipt to the Good Brothers and Kenny Omega.”

Shelley then confirmed that he does not have COVID-19.

“I assure everyone out there, I do not have COVID, I am not orthopedically injured.”

Although not explicitly said, it sounds as though Shelley is missing the show due to precautions regarding the ongoing pandemic. This could mean he came into contact with someone who tested positive, but that is just speculation.

“(Impact management) they are doing the utmost in terms of precautions to make sure that nobody is at risk at Hard to Kill or moving forward.”

He concluded the video by saying he’ll be back in Impact Wrestling. Shelley’s full video can be viewed below:

Michelle McCool Has Tested Positive For COVID-19

Chris Stephens
-
0

Former Divas Champion, Michelle McCool, announced on her Instagram Friday evening that she has tested positive for COVID-19. The 40-year-old says she thought she just had allergies but then tested positive for the virus.

McCool also stated her symptoms are mild and nobody else in her home has tested positive for the virus. The Undertaker and McCool have one child together. The couple’s daughter appears to have built a large “COVID Communication Telephone” for use in the home.

McCool’s posted can be viewed below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKFeejaBqs5/

Michelle McCool

McCool was interviewed earlier this summer and spoke about not wanting Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak to end.

“The streak is just so big to me and as a fan being selfish, I didn’t want the streak to end like a lot of other people. Obviously, it’s business. There were no questions asked when they asked Mark to do it and obviously he’s a consummate professional. But it was shocking. I think I was just as shocked as a lot of people, it was so crazy.”

Update On How Long AEW Will Broadcast From Daily’s Place

Chris Stephens
-
0

AEW has been broadcasting its shows from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville for several months now. At the outset of the pandemic, they also filmed some shows from QT Marshall’s gym in Georgia. There had been rumors that AEW was seeking to leave the venue, with Miami being a possible new location. It had been reported that the cold climate in the outdoor venue was a motivating factor for the company to look for a new home.

According to an update from by Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net, an email went out to AEW employees yesterday stating that the plan is to stay in Jacksonville at Daily’s Place “indefinitely.”

AEW World Champion, Kenny Omega, spoke about the difficulty of wrestling in Daily’s Place last November in an interview with Wrestling Observer Radio.

“These performances are killing me. It’s dangerous out there, man. I can’t stress that enough. People know what we’re capable of. They’ve seen us have great performances in front of a packed house of 10,000 fans or more, and now, we’re thrust into this outdoor location.”

“But all of us are pushing ourselves and wrestling as if we’re in normal conditions. And now, as of this week, it’s the reverse because we’re walking out there and now its super cold. If you’re not prepared for it, you get these goosebumps due to the chilly wind. It’s very strange and a brand new experience that I’m not used to, and I’m not sure anyone is. It’s a challenge.”

WWE SmackDown Results (1/15): Universal Title Match Contract Signing, Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. In addition to the takeaways below, Sasha Banks said Carmella can have another title match as long as she can have a match with Reginald first. Roman Reigns and Adam Pearce had the contract signing for their Universal Championship match at Royal Rumble tonight.

SmackDown Results (1/15)

  1. Shinsuke Nakamura def. Jey Uso
  2. Natalya def. Liv Morgan
  3. King Corbin def. Rey Mysterio
  4. Cesaro def. Daniel Bryan
  5. Apollo Crews def. Sami Zayn

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Nakamura def. Jey Uso

Jey Uso battled Shinsuke Nakamura in the first match of the night. Before the match, Jey welcomed everyone to the “Bloodline Show” and boasted about running SmackDown with Roman Reigns. Jey said his family is calling the shots and Adam Pearce needs to be careful at Royal Rumble. Uso stated that everyone in the back needs to be thanking Roman Reigns for bringing them to relevancy. Jey declared his entry into the Royal Rumble and vowed to win it.

Jey added that after he wins the Royal Rumble, he will whip McIntyre or “Oldberg” at WrestleMania and take the WWE Championship. Uso noted that Nakamura beat Rey Mysterio, King Corbin, and Daniel Bryan during the Gauntlet match last week but said that they decided when he was done. Jey claimed that Shinsuke should be thanking them for letting him survive.

Shinsuke interrupted and said that if Roman Reigns is “The Big Dog” and joked that Jey is “his little puppy”. Nakamura then booted Jey Uso in the face and sent him tumbling out of the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Nakamura was in control and had Jey in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Cesaro’s music hit and he made his way down to the ring as Nakamura slammed Jey into the ringpost as SmackDown went to another break.

When SmackDown returned, Cesaro was on commentary and said he was here to support his friend Nakamura. Michael Cole pointed out that Cesaro didn’t help Nakamura last week and Cesaro stated that Tropicana Field is really big and the show was over by the time he got to the ring. Cesaro also announced that he will be in the Royal Rumble match and will defeat Daniel Bryan tonight.

Jey took control of the match and beat Shinsuke down in the corner. Cesaro vowed to win the Royal Rumble and challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania to avenge Nakamura. Shinsuke battled back and hit Jey with a knee to the face. Nakamura followed it up with the sliding snap German Suplex for a near fall. Jey connected with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Nakamura was able to kick out at the last moment. Jey hit Shinsuke with a Superkick and rolled him up while using the ropes for leverage. Referee Charles Robinson caught it and started arguing with Jey. Nakamura capitalized and hit the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Jey Uso threatened referee Charles Robinson and claimed that he could get him fired if he continues to disrespect the Tribal Chief.

Billie Kay Cost Liv Morgan

Natalya squared off against Liv Morgan tonight on SmackDown. Billie Kay joined commentary for the match and Tamina & Liv Morgan were ringside. Billie said she was trying out to be a member of the Riott Squad. Natalya slammed Liv’s neck across the top rope and unloaded several punches. Natalya planted Liv Morgan with a Suplex and then booted her in the back. Liv rolled up Natalya for a two count and Natalya responded with a Clothesline for a near fall.

Natalya got Liv in a Backbreaker submission hold in the middle of the ring. Liv escaped and rolled up Natalya for another two count. Liv hit Natalya with an Enziguri and followed it up with a knee to the face. Natalya leveled Liv with a Clothesline and Billie Kay made her way ringside with Ruby Riott. Liv hit Natalya with a knee to the face for a two count. Billie Kay demanded that the referee count faster but cowered away from Tamina as she approached her. Billie ran into the ring and Natalya capitalized on the distraction by rolling up Liv for the victory.

King Corbin def. Rey Mysterio

King Corbin faced Rey Mysterio tonight on SmackDown. Dominik joined commentary for the match. Corbin dominated the action early and leveled Rey with a Clothesline. Corbin taunted Dominik before punching Rey in the face. Corbin connected with a slam and went for the cover but Rey was able to kick at two. Mysterio hit a Hurricanrana and went for the 619 but Corbin countered into the Deep Six for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Corbin attacked Dominik. Rey hit Corbin with a Dropkick and stopped Dominik from getting into the ring. Corbin shoved Mysterio onto his son and then planted him with the End of Days for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Rey Mysterio and Dominik argued backstage. Dominik said he wanted to fight King Corbin and Rey told him that wasn’t a good idea. Rey added that he knows just the guy to talk to that will take care of Corbin.

Bayley’s Talk Show Debuted

Bayley hosted the very first episode of Ding Dong, Hello! tonight on SmackDown. Bianca Belair was the special guest.

Bayley emerged from a door in the middle of the ring and welcomed Bianca Belair to the ring.Belair took a seat in Bayley’s chair and got comfortable. Bayley was about to sit on the stool but opted to stand instead. Bayley joked that she is probably going to be in the Royal Rumble for like 60 minutes so her legs could use the workout. Bayley rolled footage of her defeating Bianca Belair last month and claimed that someone accidentally played that footage.

Bayley wondered if that makes her the best because she beat Bianca Belair a few weeks. Belair said she wanted a rematch and Bayley claimed that she had nothing to prove. Bayley suggested that they do an obstacle course next week to determine who is the best athlete. Belair accepted the challenge to end the segment.

Cesaro Picked Up An Impressive Victory

Cesaro squared off with Daniel Bryan tonight on SmackDown. Cesaro connected with a shoulder tackle and applied a Headlock in the center of the ring. Bryan escaped and connected with an Arm Drag. Bryan focused his attack on Cesaro’s arm but Cesaro quickly battled back and hit Bryan with an uppercut to the face in the corner of the ring.

Bryan hit a Dropkick and went back to work on Cesaro’s arm. Daniel sent Cesaro out of the ring and hit him with a Crossbody off the top rope. Daniel went for a kick but Cesaro got out of the way and Bryan kicked the ring post as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Bryan was back in control and got Cesaro in the Yes Lock in the middle of the ring. Cesaro escaped and swung Bryan around the ring before locking in a Sharpshooter. Daniel broke free but Cesaro planted him with a Suplex for a two count. Daniel hit Cesaro with a Yes Kick and both superstars fell to the canvas. Bryan went for the Running Knee but Cesaro countered with a massive uppercut. Cesaro followed it up with Neutralizer for the pinfall victory.

Apollo Crews def. Sami Zayn

Apollo Crews faced Sami Zayn tonight. Sami’s documentary crew followed him around and he was wearing a shirt that read “I am the Intercontinental Champion”. Intercontinental Champion Big E joined commentary for the match and had a couch set up next to the announce table.

Zayn Clotheslined Apollo out of the ring and started trash talking with Big E. Crews bounced Sami’s face off the announce table and followed it up with a Moonsault. Back in the ring, Crews climbed to the top rope but Sami knocked him to the canvas. Sami rolled up Crews but was grabbing Apollo’s tights for leverage and the referee caught him.

Sami hit an Exploder Suplex and set up for the Helluva Kick. Crews countered into a roll-up and pulled on Sami’s tights for the pinfall victory. After the match, Sami shouted at the referee and claimed that there was a conspiracy. Crews grabbed the Intercontinental Championship but Big E took it away from him. Big E told Crews that this was the only time he would ever touch the title in his life.

Reigns Will Face Kevin Owens At Royal Rumble

Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman were shown backstage to begin the show. Heyman said that the contract Reigns will be signing tonight for the title match against Adam Pearce at Royal Rumble. Paul told Roman Reigns that the match needs a stipulation to allow Roman to teach Pearce about fear and respect. Heyman took the contract before Reigns signed it and said he will bring it back to Adam Pearce. Heyman added that Roman can consider this matter “handled” and walked away.

Heyman approached Adam Pearce as he will talking to Sonya Deville backstage. Paul told Pearce that he has an opportunity to main event Royal Rumble and a chance to take the Universal Championship from Roman Reigns. Heyman paused and told Deville that her perfume is very effective. Paul told Pearce that the match is now No DQ and Pearce quickly signed it.

Roman Reigns then told Heyman that he doesn’t want a No DQ match, he wants a Last Man Standing match. Roman told Apollo Crews to take a seat because he can learn something from this. Reigns instructed Heyman to go make sure that Adam Pearce comes down to the ring later to make their Last Man Standing match official.

Heyman once again approached Adam Pearce backstage and said that Roman Reigns suggested a Last Man Standing match. Paul told Pearce that he can sign the contract later tonight with Roman Reigns in the ring. At the conclusion of SmackDown, Universal Champion Roman Reigns came to the ring with Heyman and Jey Uso at his side.

Adam Pearce slowly made his way to the ring holding the contract. Reigns took a seat at the head of the table and told Adam Pearce to sign the contract. Pearce hesitated and Heyman joked that this is not making for good television. Adam signed the contract and then Roman did the same. Reigns had a giant smile on his face as he handed the pen back to Paul Heyman. Reigns told Pearce that is the last contract he will ever sign. Adam told Reigns that he has waited all night for Roman to sign the contract and left the ring. Peace made his way up the entrance ramp but started limping towards the top.

Pearce stated that his knee is bothering him and that standard WWE contracts all say the same thing, “card subject to change”. The microphone kept cutting out but Pearce could be heard saying that he will find a suitable replacement. Kevin Owens then came to the entrance ramp and signed the contract. Reigns will now battle Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble.

Opinion: It is a shame that there was technical difficulties during the final segment because I thought it was well done. I really enjoyed SmackDown tonight and it is amazing how much better this show is than RAW. Bayley’s talk show was entertaining and Bryan vs. Cesaro was the match of the night. Owens and Reigns have had some good matches recently and I’m down for another one at Royal Rumble. The visual of Apollo sitting next Reigns and learning from him was great and hopefully he becomes a part of that stable. Crews is insanely talented but has never been featured prominently on the main roster. It would be huge for his career if he is now aligned with Roman Reigns.

AJ Styles Discusses Bullet Club Reunion In AEW

Andrew Ravens
-
0

AJ Styles was part of the Bullet Club faction during his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Also part of the group was Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson, and The Young Bucks. 

With the working relationship between AEW and Impact Wrestling in place, there was a mini-reunion on the first episode of AEW Dynamite between Omega, Gallows, Anderson and The Young Bucks. 

Styles’ career in NJPW took off when he joined the group in NJPW. While doing an interview with Bleacher Report, he looked back on his time in the group. 

Styles started off by wondering how it got over so well and thinks it was because there were guys that genuinely wanted to hang out together. He noted that they were together outside of the ring.

Styles then briefly commented on the members mentioned above being back together. 

“We were actually hanging out, and I think that’s why it worked so well for us at that time. We all hang out together, so seeing those guys, I’m happy for them. It’s cool they’re able to continue what they started, whenever it was.”

The former WWE Champion made it known in a previous interview this week that he would like to wrestle Triple H at WrestleMania 37 in a few months. 

WWE Elimination Chamber Gets New Date, Updated 2021 PPV Schedule

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The WWE pay-per-view schedule for this year is slowly coming together. 

The company will be hosting the Elimination Champion pay-per-view next month. However, per a report by Pwinsider, the show won’t take place on February 28th as originally planned. Instead, the show has been moved up a week and will now take place on February 21st. 

There have been various changes made to the 2021 pay-per-view schedule. Originally, the Royal Rumble was supposed to take place on January 24th, but will now take place on January 31st. The belief is WWE will not have fans in attendance at the show St. Petersburg, Florida at Tropicana Field.

It was just reported that WrestleMania 37 was supposed to take place on March 28th, but has now been pushed back to April 11th. 

Updated 2021 PPV Schedule 

  • Royal Rumble – 1/31
  • Elimination Chamber – 2/21
  • Wrestlemania 37 – 4/11

The 2020 Elimination Chamber event was the last PPV event presented by WWE before the COVID-19 pandemic.

It featured Shayna Baszler defeating Asuka and Liv Morgan and Natalya and Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan in the Elimantion Chamber Match to become the new #1 contender to the Raw Women’s Title, which was held at the time by Becky Lynch. This was the main event.

Young Rock Trailer Released (Video), Premiere Date Set for February 16th on NBC

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The premiere date for the upcoming “Young Rock” television series has been announced by NBC. On Friday, it was announced by the television network that the series is slated to debut on February 16th at 8:30 EST on NBC.

The synopsis of the new series reads, “Young Rock focuses on different chapters of Dwayne Johnson’s life. From growing up in a strong and resilient family, to being surrounded by the wild characters of his professional wrestling family, to playing football at the University of Miami, the show will explore the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life characters he’s met along the way. “

The show will star Dwayne Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu, Ana Tuisila, Fasitua Amosa and John Tui star.

The Rock released the following trailer for Young Rock on Saturday:

The executive producers listed for the series include Nahnatchka Khan, Dwayne Johnson, Jeff Chiang, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Jennifer Carreras.

NBC picked up the series that is about the early life of the former WWE Champion last year. The first season, which began production in October in Queensland, Australia, at locations in and around Brisbane and South East Queensland, will have 11 episodes. 

Britt Baker Says She Never Wants To Be A Babyface Again

Chris Stephens
-
0

Dr. Britt Baker DMD has been a focal part of AEW’s women’s division since the beginning. She spoke to TSN recently about juggling two careers as a wrestler and as a dentist. Baker also spoke about her heel turn and how she hopes to never be a babyface again.

“Before COVID hit, I would work in the dental office Monday and Tuesday, grab the latest flight I could to whatever city we were wrestling in,” Baker said. “We would have AEW Dynamite live on Wednesday and then Thursday morning, I’m on the first plane out of there – sometimes it’s a redeye – to get back to the dental office and work Friday, as well. I very graciously welcome the weekend, that’s for sure.”

When Baker was going to school and training to be a wrestler, there were people who told her she wouldn’t be able to do both.

“My peers really, really pressured me with that sort of talk, that ‘Britt, you can’t do both of these. You have to do one or the other,’” she continued. “And it kinda pissed me off. It fuelled my fire, and I would just say ‘Why? Why do I have to do one or the other? Why do I have to be just a dentist or just a wrestler?’ And I think because it kinda fired me up a little bit. I typically tend to go against the grain, so I would just put one foot in front of the other and take it one day at a time. I didn’t really have a long-term plan as to how I was going to figure it out or be successful in both.”

Britt Baker On Turning Heel

When AEW began, Baker was a true babyface. She would later turn heel and become one of the more entertaining acts on the show. According to Baker, she never wants to be a babyface again.

“I definitely love being a heel,” Baker said. “ I don’t wish to be babyface ever again. It’s so much fun to really dive into what really gets under other people’s skin – and what gets underneath your own skin – to bring out the traits you hate in others and the traits you hate in yourself. It’s fun! As sick and twisted as that sounds, it’s very enjoyable.”

The full interview with Britt Baker can be read here.

Drew McIntyre Provides Update On His Health & Royal Rumble Status

Michael Reichlin
-
0

WWE Champion Drew McIntyre is currently out of action while battling COVID-19.

During his time away from the ring, McIntyre took part in a virtual panel at the CES consumer technology tradeshow. He joined the GlobalVC Sports panel. The organization brings together sports business executives, investors and entrepreneurs.

McIntyre was interviewed by veteran sports journalist Bonnie Bernstein. Despite having COVID-19, he remains asymptomatic and feels good. He fully intends on being medically cleared by the end of the month, when he is scheduled to faceBill Goldberg at the WWE Royal Rumble.

McIntyre also touted WWE’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized the serious nature of the disease. According to the champion, WWE’s protocols have prevented him from interacting with and potentially infecting others.

Other topics discussed include his journey to WWE, making his debut at just 22 years old and finally reaching the top of the mountain by defeating Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at last year’s WrestleMania.

You can watch Drew McIntyre’s comments from the GlobalVC Sports virtual presentation at NYVCSports.com.

1...1,0081,0091,010...3,095Page 1,009 of 3,095