All signs were pointing towards the same and now WWE has officially announced the signing of both Killer Kross and Timothy Thatcher.
The company announced the news on the latest episode of WWE Backstage and they later confirmed the same on their official website as well.
Though they have announced that the new recruits will be reporting to the performance centre so it’s not known which brand Kross and Thatcher will be joining and when.
Killer Kross who wrestled for promotions such as Lucha
Underground and AAA in Mexico joined Impact Wrestling in 2018 and rose to
stardom pretty quickly, before being released by the company in December last
year.
On the other hand, Thatcher is known for his work with
Evolve where he holds the record of being the longest-reigning Evolve Champion
at 596 days.
He has also wrestled for other notable indie promotions such
as Major League Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Combat Zone Wrestling
since his debut in 2005.
It’s worth mentioning here that recent reports had suggested that the former Impact star Killer Kross could be on ‘fast track’ once he signs with WWE.
While the exact meaning of this is unknown, it’s believed that he can receive a big push in NXT or be sent to the main roster directly.
Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 2.168 million viewers in Salt Lake City, UT at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on the USA Network, which is down from the 2.402 million viewers the previous week.
RAW Viewership
Here is the hourly viewership breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
Hour 1: 2.318 million – Last Week: 2.541
Hour 2: 2.164 million – Last Week: 2.441
Hour 3: 2.022 million – Last Week: 2.224
The episode was expected to increase in its viewership from last week. The reason for that is due to the lack of competition it faced as well as it serving as featuring the fallout from Randy Orton’s attack on WWE Hall of Famer Edge.
Here is the hourly 18-49 demos breakdown:
Hour 1: 0.72 – Last Week: 0.81
Hour 2: 0.66 – Last Week: 0.76
Hour 3: 0.63 – Last Week: 0.72
Some of the matches that took place include Liv Morgan vs. Lana, AOP & Buddy Murphy (Akam & Rezar) (w/Seth Rollins) vs. Kevin Owens & The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar), Rey Mysterio vs. Angel Garza (w/Zelina Vega), Asuka (w/Kairi Sane) vs. Natalya, and Ricochet vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Seth Rollins in a WWE Title #1 Contendership Triple Threat Match.
There was also a segment with Randy Orton talking about why he attacked WWE Hall of Famer Edge last week.
WWE will attempt to increase its viewership for Monday Night RAW next week due to no sports competition and the road to WrestleMania on its way.
In case you missed the show, you can check out the seven takeaways here.
An update on where things stand with WWE and WWE Hall of Famer Sting has surfaced online.
During Royal Rumble weekend, Pwinsider.com reported that there had been a lot of talk about Sting being a major part of Super ShowDown. This sparked speculation that he could make a return to in-ring action or make an appearance at the show.
Sting Spoke With WWE Officials
At the time of the report being released, it was noted that the deal wasn’t done but the conversations had proceeded so far that some believed Sting could appear at the Royal Rumble to start hyping his return.
Clearly, Sting didn’t appear at the show. Fast forward to Tuesday, PWinsider.com released an update that stated they were told on Monday night that those talks of bringing in Sting for the show had died down.
Thus, it appears that a deal wasn’t reached and Sting won’t be appearing at the show. However, in WWE anything is possible but with WWE bringing in Goldberg for the show, it’s not likely at this time.
In 2015, it was revealed that Sting had spinal stenosis and wouldn’t be medically cleared. He has since retired from pro wrestling.
The XFL kicks off its 2020 season on Saturday when the Seattle Dragons take on the DC Defenders. The 2020 season begins 19 years after the conclusion of the XFL’s first season in 2001.
Vince McMahon’s league is the second attempt in recent years to create another pro football organization in the United States. The Alliance of American Football was not able to last through its first season, however.
Additionally, WWE and Vince McMahon are being sued by WWE stockholders in regards to the XFL. WWE stock-holders from the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension Fund has filed suit against Vince McMahon and the WWE seeking transparency in the relationship between WWE and the XFL.
With the XFL’s season about to get underway, one has to wonder what Vince McMahon’s plan is to make his league more successful than the AAF was. The belief is that Vince plans on funding the league for multiple seasons until they are in a position to get a big-money TV rights deal as both RAW and Smackdown currently enjoy. The TV rights deal would then hopefully be enough to cover the losses McMahon is expected to experience the first few seasons.
Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed Vince McMahon’s strategy with the XFL on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
“Vince has earmarked $300 million and that’s going to get them through 2.5 seasons and he’ll put up more later,” said Dave Meltzer. “The way this whole thing is structured is Vince is probably going to lose about $375 million over the next 3 years on this league and he will and he knows and that’s what he’s going to do.”
“Then at the end of those 3 years, the idea is he’ll be able to get television deals that will total over $125 million a year which would cover his losses and then he’s okay. There’s a lot of factors involved in that and again, the ratings are one of them. If these stations feel that it’s valuable enough to pay that much, it’s not as long a shot as everyone thinks.”
In 2018, ESPN’s Darren Rovell noted that Vince McMahon is prepared to spend as much as $500 million on the league.
“People were focused on the $100 million, but the truth is that doesn’t even get us to the 20-yard line,” league CEO and commissioner Oliver Luck told ESPN.
“There are very few participants who underwrite for this market anymore and it is obviously costly,” he continued.
WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of Busted Open Radio Mark Henry recently discussed Braun Strowman and his Intercontinental Championship win. The ‘Monster Among Men’ Strowman won his first ever singles title in WWE on the 31st January episode of the blue brand on FOX.
On Braun Strowman – “I think that you don’t want to rush things”
Henry first discussed why he believed it took ‘so long’ for Strowman to win a singles title. “I think that you don’t want to rush things” Henry began. “Didn’t we always talk about how Roman Reigns was pushed ON us? Yeah, we didn’t get to choose Roman Reigns; and now people ARE choosing Roman Reigns, look how long it took for Roman Reigns to take.”
“How long is he going to keep the title. Who is he going to defend the title against?”
Henry elaborated further, saying “I’m glad that they did not rush [Braun Strowman] and just make him a champion over someone that it didn’t seem plausible. Now, for him to go over at this point, considering after all the things that he’s done. It’s going to legitimise him. And is not just winning, it is keeping the title. How long is he going to keep the title. Who is he going to defend the title against? What stories are going to be built out of the fact that Braun Strowman has the title now?”
Braun Strowman’s WWE Championship History
To this point Strowman had only won tag team Championships in his time on the WWE roster. One time with Nicolas, WWE referee John Cone’s son. Also once with current RAW Tag Team Champion Seth Rollins. Strowman has challenged for the Universal Championship on occasion, including the ‘no-contest’ against Roman Reigns at Hell In a Cell 2018.
Who do you think that Braun Strowman will be defending the Intercontinental Championship against at WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments
Kalisto is reportedly dealing with a separated shoulder at the moment. According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, Kalisto’s injury will not require surgery but there is currently no timetable for his return.
The 33-year-old just signed a new contract with WWE last month. He hasn’t wrestled since a December 30th, 2019 house show from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The luchador is a 2x United States Champion, 1x Cruiserweight Champion, and once held the NXT tag team titles along with Sin Cara.
Kalisto On Meeting Rey Mysterio
In 2018, Kalisto appeared on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast and talked about meeting Rey Mysterio for the first time.
“Rey, when he won his world title, he did a book signing at my college in Chicago. I met up with him. I was five months in wrestling,” Kalisto said. “When I saw him, I said ‘I’m in the process of being a luchador, I’m learning so much, and you’re a good inspiration.’”
“At the time, I didn’t know he was going to win the title. And when I met him, he’s a little shorter than me, and that gave me inspiration. If he could do it, I could do it.”
Former EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher has reportedly signed with WWE. According to reports from both Squared Circle Sirens and PW Insider, the 36-year-old has been at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this week.
Thatcher last wrestled in December in a victory over Kassius Ohno on a Progress show from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK. Prior to that, Thatcher had also been wrestling with Major League Wrestling. Thatcher most recently advanced to the semi-finals of MLW’s Opera Cup tournament.
Thatcher also dropped matches to WALTER and Arturo Ruas on EVOLVE shows back in December.
Timothy Thatcher Signs With WWE
Thatcher won the EVOLVE Championship at EVOLVE 45 on July 10th, 2015. He wouldn’t lose the title for 596 days and successfully defended the title 22 times during his reign. Thatcher dropped the title to Zack Sabre Jr. at EVOLVE 79 on February 25th, 2017.
Thatcher’s 596 days as EVOLVE Champion is both the longest single reign in the title’s lineage and also the most combined days anyone has spent with the title as nobody has ever won the title more than once. Zack Sabre Jr’s 404-day title reign is good for second place in this category.
Taya Valkyrie is working alongside her husband, John Morrison, on a horror film with a premise many wrestling fans will likely find quite entertaining. The film “The Iron Sheik Massacre” focusses on a toy Iron Sheik doll that becomes sentient. The doll then targets a group of new school wrestlers who it feels are insulting old school wrestling traditions. The sentient Iron Sheik doll will be voiced by none other than the Iron Sheik himself.
Valkyrie and Morrison co-wrote the script together on their Honeymoon.
“As of right now, last week John was doing some meetings with the special effects people,” Valkyrie told Metro.
“It’s a very effects-heavy short film because of the nature of it being a horror-comedy. There’s a lot of stuff that’s being worked on right now that did take longer than expected – I’m slowly learning about this. I always thought things just happened, and they were out and ready [laughs] – which sounds ridiculous, but I’ve learned that things take time.”
“It is taking its time, but I think it’s all going to be extremely worth it. We have some of the best special effects people working on it. It will be done this year, 120%.”
John Morrison spoke to BANG Showbiz about the project last May.
“The last thing that I did that I’m finishing right now is a horror-comedy short that Taya and I wrote on our honeymoon. It’s called ‘The Iron Sheik Massacre’,” Morrison told the outlet.
“It’s about a group of new school wrestlers who are dumping on old school wrestling, lightning hits the house and an Iron Sheik doll becomes sentient.”
Ruby Riott returned to WWE after having missed 262 days due to two separate shoulder surgeries. The 29-year-old’s last official match before going on the shelf was May 17th, 2019 at a house show in Cardiff, Wales. Riott returned last night and turned on her former Riott Squad teammate, Liv Morgan.
WWE correspondents caught up with Riott backstage from RAW last night. Riott seemed uninterested in answering any questions, however, and stormed away from the interview without issuing any comment.
Video of the attempted interview can be viewed in the player below:
Liv Morgan Reacts To Ruby Riott’s RAW Return
Liv Morgan issued a social media post last night after RAW. She posted the following to Twitter:
Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan debuted as the Riott Squad on the WWE main roster on November 21st, 2017. A year later, the trio would all get matching tattoos to commemorate one-year together.
After WrestleMania 35 last year, the faction was broken up when Liv Morgan was drafted to Smackdown. Morgan wouldn’t do much on the brand until reappearing on RAW during the Bobby Lashley and Lana wedding recently. Sarah Logan is also on RAW where she recently had a small angle with Charlotte Flair going before the Royal Rumble. Riott underwent two shoulder surgeries last year, the first in May and then another in August.
WWE RAW aired live from the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Brock Lesnar’s opponent for Super ShowDown was revealed in the main event.
WWE RAW Results (2/3)
Liv Morgan def. Lana
Drew McIntyre def. Mojo Rawley
AOP & Buddy Murphy def. Kevin Owens & Viking Raiders
Aleister Black def. eric Young
Rey Mysterio def. Angel Garza via DQ
Asuka def. Natalya
Ricochet def. Seth Rollins & Bobby Lashley to become #1 contender for WWE Championship
Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:
Randy Orton Didn’t Explain His Actions
Randy Orton (Photo: @WWE)
Randy Orton came down to the ring to kick off this week’s show. Last week on RAW, Orton brutally attacked Edge with a steel chair. Orton stated that he owed everyone an explanation for his actions as the crowd booed him out of the building.
Orton tried to talk but the crowd drowned him out with a loud “you suck!” chant. Orton said that he cannot do this and dropped the microphone. Randy got out of the ring and walked backstage as the crowd continued to boo.
Liv Morgan once again battled Lana tonight on RAW. Lana pretended to injure her arm early and baited Liv into a boot to the face for a two count. Liv quickly slammed Lana to the canvas for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Ruby Riott made her return and came down to the ring. Ruby made it seem like she was going to hug Morgan but wound up attacking her. Riott leveled Morgan with a Clothesline and Lana capitalized by attacking Liv as well.
Opinion: It is great to see Ruby Riott back and hopefully this feud leads to good things for her and Liv Morgan. I thought it was frustrating to watch the Riott Squad continuously get jobbed out when they were a solid stable and should have had more of an impact on the division.
Kevin Owens & Viking Raiders squared off against Buddy Murphy & AOP in a Elimination Match tonight. Seth Rollins was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: AOP and Murphy dominated early and isolated Erik in the the corner. Ivar went for a Crossbody outside the ring but Byddy got out of the way and Ivar crashed into the LED board. Rollins hit Erik with the Stomp as the referee was distracted and rolled him in the ring. Buddy then pinned Erik to eliminate him as Ivar was ruled out due to injury. Owens took out AOP outside the ring and planted Buddy Murphy with the Pop-Up Powerbomb to eliminate him. Owens quicky planted Akam with the Stunner for the elimination.
Rollins fired up Rezar but Owens quickly hit him with a Superkick and then a Cannonball. Owens climbed to the top rope and connected with a Senton for a two count. Seth hopped on the ring apron for a distraction and Rezar capitalized with a Clothesline. Rezar followed it up with two massive Spinebusters for the pinfall victory.
Angel Garza came down to the ring with Zelina Vega tonight on RAW. Garza claimed that Humberto Carrillo disgraced their family and attacked him. Angel set up Humberto for the Hammerlock DDT on the concrete but Rey rushed the ring to make the save. Rey then battled Garza in match.
Match Recap: Rey controlled the match early and locked in a Headlock. Garza battled to his feet but Rey sent him to the canvas. Angel asked Rey to shake his head but Mysterio declined. Garza hit Rey with a Dropkick and followed it up with a knee to the chest for a near fall. Angel took a break to pose for the crowd and went for a Moonsault but Rey was able to get out of the way. Mysterio hit a Destroyer and went for the 619 but Vega pulled Garza out of the way. Vega distracted Rey and Garza capitalized with a Superkick. Angel then hit Rey with a Hammerlock DDT onto the exposed concrete and the match ended in a DQ.
Opinion: Garza is great and has a ton of charisma. He got more of a reaction tonight than Humberto Carrillo has ever gotten. I’m wondering if Rey was just written off of television like Andrade and is about to go on 30-day vacation.
Charlotte Flair kicked off the final hour of RAW to announce who she will face at WrestleMania. Flair stated that she has held the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championships multiple times. Charlotte added that she has already defeated Bayley and Becky Lynch multiple times.
Flair boasted about being a 10-time champion but was interrupted by NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. The crowd loudly chanted “NXT!” as Rhea told Flair that she has never beaten her. Ripley added that she has actually beaten Charlotte and raised the NXT Women’s Championship in her face. Charlotte smirked at Rhea before getting out of the ring. Flair stopped at the top of the entrance ramp and said “woo!” to end the segment. It was later announced that Charlotte will be on NXT this week to answer Rhea’s challenge.
Becky Lynch Will Defend Her Title Against Asuka AgainNext Week
Asuka tapped out Natalya tonight on RAW. After the match, Asuka stated that she wanted a rematch with Becky Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Becky came down to the ring wearing the “deal with it” glasses and claimed that beating Asuka at Royal Rumble almost gave her super powers. Lynch wondered why she would put her title on the line so close to WrestleMania but said that it fun beating up Asuka and she wanted to it again.
Kairi Sane tried to attack Becky but she fought her off and sent her to the outside. Lynch joked that one of her super powers was that she has eyes in the back of her head. It was later announced that the match will go down next week on RAW.
Opinion: I’m hoping that the storyline is that Becky has become too cocky and winds up dropping the title. I doubt that will be the case but one can hope.
Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, and Ricochet competed in a Triple Threat match tonight in the main event. The winner of the match will face Brock Lesnar at Super ShowDown for the WWE Championship.
Match Recap: Ricochet controlled the action early and made his way to the top rope. Buddy Murphy and AOP rushed the ring and beat Lashley and Ricochet down. Kevin Owens and Viking Raiders joined the party and hit Akam and Rezar with steel chairs. Lashley connected with a Spinebuster on Seth for a two count. Ricochet connected with the 630 Splash on Lashley for the victory and earned a shot at the WWE Championship at Super ShowDown. After the match, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar attacked Ricochet and hit him with the F5.
Opinion: I’m expecting Ricochet to get demolished at Super ShowDown and sell the hell out of some German Suplexes. I really cannot bring myself to get invested in this match since the outcome is so obvious. Overall, this week’s episode of RAW was a solid show.
WWE Champion Brock Lesnar has received his next opponent as he will make his next title defense at the upcoming WWE Super ShowDown PPV.
WWE booked a #1 contender’s match on Monday’s episode of RAW in Salt Lake City, UT at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on the USA Network. This Triple Threat contest saw Ricochet, Seth Rollins, and Bobby Lashley battle it out.
Brock Lesnar Receives Opponent
Ricochet ended up winning the match and becoming the new #1 contender for the top title on RAW. As a result, he will now challenge “The Beast” for the WWE Title at WWE’s next event in Saudi Arabia. Post-match, Lesnar ran down to the ring and laid out Ricochet.
WWE has already confirmed that Lesnar will defend the title against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36.
WWE presents the Super ShowDown pay-per-view event on Thursday, February 27, 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium that will air on the WWE Network.
Updated WWE Super ShowDown Card
WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Ricochet
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. John Morrison & The Miz
What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.
A new match has been teased for the upcoming WWE WrestleMania 36 PPV.
During Monday’s episode of RAW, Charlotte Flair came out for the second straight week to reveal who she would be challenging at WrestleMania 36.
Before Flair could make her announcement, NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley interrupted by walking out to the ring. Ripley cut a promo about how Flair has beaten many top stars but never defeated her. In fact, Ripley brought up how she holds a win over Flair.
Instead of Flair accepting the challenge, she walked out of the ring. Thus, WWE is stretching out this match announcement for at least another week. It’s been reported that this is a match that is planned to take place at the biggest event of the year for the company.
Flair won the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas at the Minute Maid Park.
As a result, she can challenge for any title in WWE such as the RAW, SmackDown, and NXT Women’s Championship.
WWE presents the WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event on Sunday, April 5, 2020 in Tampa, Florida at the Raymond James Stadium that will air on the WWE Network.
So far the only match that has been announced for this show is WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre.
The company announced during Monday Night RAW that the WWE Hall of Famer is slated to make an appearance on Friday Night SmackDown this week in San Jose, CA at the SAP Center on FOX.
Additional details on his appearance weren’t given. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating. WWE is slated to make its return with the Super ShowDown event in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Goldberg worked last year’s Super ShowDown show in the country and with the Saudi Arabia government liking big stars from the past, speculation is that we could hear an announcement featuring Goldberg in action at this upcoming show.
WWE presents the Super ShowDown pay-per-view event on Thursday, February 27, 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium that will air on the WWE Network.
WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks.
WWE started their deal with Saudi Arabia in 2018 as the company signed a 10-year partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority to bring two shows per year to the country in support of a new campaign, Saudi Vision 2030.
A new report has surfaced online that suggests that Triple H is high on one WWE NXT UK star.
Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT noted on Twitter that he spoke with a WWE official over Royal Rumble weekend who told him that Triple H “is obsessed” with Ilja Dragunov.
The 26 year old Russian signed with WWE in February 2019. Dragunov lost to Finn Balor in the Worlds Collide opener from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on the WWE Network last month.
This comes after it was reported by Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels is a “huge proponent” of NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin.
Devlin recently captured the title from former champion Angel Garza at WWE Worlds Collide when the two stars took on Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Travis Banks in a Fatal 4 Way Match.
It was reported at the time that the idea behind the title win is for him to defend across all brands – RAW, SmackDown, NXT, and NXT UK.
WWE has already confirmed that Devlin will make an appearance on Wednesday’s NXT episode on the USA Network as well as Friday’s WWE 205 Live episode on the WWE Network in San Jose, CA at the SAP Center.
She did so on Monday’s episode of RAW in Salt Lake City, UT at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on the USA Network. Liv Morgan beat Lana in a singles match. After the match, Riott came out for what appeared to be a Riott Squad reunion.
However, that quickly faded as Riott attacked Morgan. Thus, it appears that the feud between Morgan and Lana is over as WWE shifts to her feuding with Riott.
Back in August, the WWE star underwent successful surgery to repair a bilateral injury on her left shoulder. She underwent the first surgery to repair the same injury on her right shoulder back on May 22nd.
She was last seen on WWE programming where she wrestled on an April 22nd episode of Main Event before RAW went live when she lost to Dana Brooke in a singles match.
Riott last competed at a WWE Live Event in Cardiff, Wales on May 17th as a participant in a Fatal Four Way for the RAW Women’s Championship that saw Becky Lynch successfully retain her title.
Before the injury, she hadn’t been used much since The Riott Squad was split up in the 2019 Superstar Shakeup.
The viewership numbers are in for Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX from Tulsa, OK at the BOK Center.
SmackDown averaged 2.422 million viewers, according to ShowbuzzDaily. This is slightly down from the 2.448 viewers that the show did for last week’s episode of SmackDown on FOX.
The show averaged 2.424 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was down from the 2.470 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets.
WWE SmackDown Viewership
The first hour drew 2.529 million viewers while the second hour did 2.318 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 2.548 million viewers while the second hour did 2.391 million viewers.
SmackDown pulled in a 0.70 rating in the 18-49 demos, the same as last week’s show. This episode was expected to see its viewership stay steady and it did so due to it serving as post-show of SmackDown for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.
Matches
Matches that took place on this show included The Miz, John Morrison vs. The Revival vs. Lucha House Party vs. Heavy Machinery in a Fatal 4-Way #1 Contender’s Match, Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship, Roman Reigns, The Usos vs. King Corbin, Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler in a six-man tag team match, and Shorty G vs. Sheamus
WWE is expecting to see an increase in viewership for the following episode this coming Friday night as the show will be setting up feuds for the Super ShowDown event in a few weeks.
Watch: Top 10 Moments from Friday Night SmackDown (1.31.20)
WWE has started to announce things for the latest RAW show and it features an interesting lineup.
Thus, it’s time to look ahead starting with tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
WWE has already confirmed that WWE Hall of Famer Edge will not appear on the show due to him “recovering” from the attack on him from Randy Orton last week. What is known is that Orton will address fans about his assault on Edge on tonight’s RAW.
WWE holds this show in Salt Lake City, UT at the Vivint Smart Home Arena. WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:
The fallout from last week’s show.
Drew McIntyre responds to WWE Champion Brock Lesnar attacking him.
Will Charlotte Flair announce which title she is challenging at WrestleMania 36?
Randy Orton will address his attack on Edge
Liv Morgan and Lana rematch
Ricochet, Seth Rollins, and Bobby Lashley will face off in a triple threat number one contender’s match – winner faces Brock Lesnar at Super ShowDown
WWE will also be creating new programs and building on the hype for existing feuds that will take place heading into the Super ShowDown pay-per-view event.
As usual, fans should expect more matches and segments to be revealed this afternoon for RAW.
Join us here later tonight for WWE RAW Live Results and our post-show RAW Takeaways feature.
New Day member Big E has revealed which WWE Superstar he believes is the “most physically impressive” amongst the current roster. Speaking on The New Day: Feel The Power podcast alongside co-hosts Xaver Woods and Kofi Kingston, Big E was quick to point to “The Swiss Superman” Cesaro.
“I always think Cesaro and his strength… I think at the time when we first started New Day, I was probably about 305, 310 [lbs.]. And I would always suggest things, but I always love doing with him a drop down spot, so something where I drop down, I go for the leapfrog, and he catches me out of midair like it’s nothing, just every time.”
He continued, “He’s the most physically impressive man in [pro] wrestling, I think, because he can do it all. He’s quick enough and agile enough to do lucha stuff. He can be a base for you. He can do springboard. What a frightening human being!”
Former WWE Champion Kingston added to the praise. He promised how he would “put him over to the end of the Earth.” He also added how if you’re in a match with Cesaro, everything is going to work out because of what he brings to the ring as a performer.
WWE Superstar Natalya has shared a blog post revolving around Edge’s triumphant return to pro wrestling during the Royal Rumble matchup. In her blog, which she writes for CalgarySun.com, Natalya opened up about how much Edge has helped her throughout her career, whether it was advice or guidance or even diagrams to help her better her matches.
Commenting on his return, Natalya shared how Edge’s wife, Beth Phoenix, spoke with her backstage about his understandable excitement. Phoenix told her how “Adam is more ready for this than anything else in his life. He’s worked so incredibly hard to get back here. I’m so happy for him and so proud of him in every way.” She then noted how nobody wanted to miss the moment of his comeback, and that they knew it was about more than pro wrestling or performance. It was about somehow finding a way back to your dreams.
Natalya’s Gratefulness
Regarding the help Edge has given Natalya, she provided several examples of his willingness and approachability. She explained how he drew pictures that broke down how she could best set up a ladder to win and, like a true friend, he only ever wanted her to be her very best.
“Adam has always been someone I can turn to for advice or guidance whenever I need it. When I competed in the first women’s ladder match in WWE, it was Adam who I called to ask for help. I knew no one else had experience like Adam with that kind of a match, and he gave me so much advice.
Looking back at her matchup against Becky Lynch at last year’s Summerslam, Natalya recalled how she asked him for help. According to her, he stopped everything he was doing. The two then found a quiet corner of the arena so he could give her “the very best advice he could give.”
She shared how all of this had a positive impact on her confidence and performance that night, and that she kept his words in her head throughout her match with Lynch.
“In a world where we tell stories in the WWE, my story was even better because of him. Adam was able to take moments, lessons and inspiration from his own career and pass it on to the next generation.”
AEW will honor more wrestling legends this week on Dynamite. This week’s episode will emanate from the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama and AEW will honor wrestling legends of the SouthEast on the show.
Missy Hyatt and Austin Idol will be honored this week on Dynamite and PW Insider is also reporting that Doug Gilbert and Arn Anderson will be as well.
Missy Hyatt posted the following to her social media accounts to announce the news:
Big news!!! I'm going to be @AEWrestling this Wednesday. I will be honored among continental legend-Austin idol. No truth that I got spot from alan martin, di Carter,lord humungous,Wendell cooley for not picking up the phone.
Missy Hyatt started her career with WCCW in 1985 and would later join the UWF as well. Hyatt then was with WCW from 1987 to 1993. She also managed a little in ECW. Hyatt was inducted into the WSU Hall of Fame in 2009.
Austin Idol is running commercials for his wrestling school on episodes of NWA Powerrr these days. He is a multi-time former CWA Heavyweight Champion and a 2x NWA Alabama Heavyweight Champion as well. Idol was on-hand when AEW honored legends of Memphis Wrestling as well.
Lineup for AEW Dynamite This Week
Lucha Bros, the Butcher & the Blade vs Hangman Page, Kenny Omega & the Young Bucks
After his surprise return at WWE’s Royal Rumble event, MVP would appear on RAW to wrestle Rey Mysterio. Despite his best efforts, MVP would lose his final matchup to Mysterio. Appearing on Corey Graves’ WWE podcast, After The Bell, MVP reflected on coming back to WWE after so much time away and wrestling Mysterio. He also discussed his in-ring future.
“As you said, going one on one with one of the greatest legends of all-time, period, bar none,” MVP said about his opponent. “An individual who I’ve faced a number of times. No matter that I’ve kept busy. I stay active and competitive in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I wrestle on the international circuit. But no matter what, going from that and stepping onto the stage of Monday Night Raw. Live television, no safety net against one of the greatest to ever do it. I don’t think there are really words that exist in the English vocabulary to properly capture what that feels like. But I’ll just say, in a word, exhilarating.”
MVP’s Career Twilight
When it comes to his in-ring career, MVP was a little coy in his response. He noted how he is now 46-years-old and confessed he always had intentions to retire at 45. Despite this, he knows he can still go and is in great shape, adding how he wrestles “just about every weekend.” MVP then admitted how the clock is ticking and “retirement is looming” for him. Having had this recent experience coming back to WWE, he feels he is segueing into a new chapter of his career, one where he can begin offering his talents behind the scenes.
“[…] in the very near future — VERY near future — I see myself hanging up the boots and moving from in-ring competitor to behind the scenes producer, if you will. This is what I’m looking at, and I think that’s the best way to go for me.”
All Elite Wrestling’s Jon Moxley has revealed how, before leaving WWE, he had no idea what his next step would be. Speaking with Fightful, Moxley confessed he didn’t have a clear vision for his wrestling career, figuring he might disappear for a while and wrestle on the indies or in Japan.
“I didn’t have a real clear vision of where my career was gonna go when I was leaving,” Moxley admitted. “I kinda thought I would take myself off Broadway, so to speak for a while. I didn’t even have a clear vision for myself.”
He continued, “I figured I’d disappear and go off the grid, and wrestle in Japan or somewhere else. Or put a mask on and do indies. I have no idea. I had no idea. I didn’t have a set plan. I kinda wanted to go wherever the wind took me and the timing of AEW popping up at the exact same time.”
What Influenced Jon Moxley’s Decision?
He recalled how Cody Rhodes had an initial conversation with him regarding signing with AEW. Moxley complimented his upcoming opponent at AEW Revolution, Chris Jericho. He noted how Jericho has “always got his finger on the pulse.”
Because Jericho was willing to take a chance on AEW, Moxley felt it legitimized the promotion. This allayed any concerns he had in signing.
“He’s [Jericho] one of the smarter guys and if he was gonna take a chance that this is for real, and risk his reputation and his time and he believed in it, it seemed like that was a sign that this could be for real.”
Their current feud has been well received. WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray was effusive with his praise, stressing how Moxley and Jericho bring “main event level storytelling” to AEW.
Jon Moxley faces off against Chris Jericho for the AEW World Championship at AEW Revolution. The show takes place on February 29, 2020, from the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts has opened up about the differences between his former employer and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Speaking with Wrestling Observer Radio, Roberts explained how he feels the two promotions are starkly opposite to one another.”
“Everything is completely different,” Roberts stated. “In AEW, Tony Khan is a super nice guy who wants to put on the best possible show and has surrounded himself with great minds along with great talent.”
He continued, “He wants us to have the perfect balance of work and life. To do this on Wednesdays and then have the rest of the week to enjoy yourself before coming back next Wednesday is great. We all hang out together after the show and on Tuesday nights we get together for a meeting. They just make it such a fun atmosphere here.”
Justin Roberts Doesn’t Miss Micromanaging
Roberts also explained how AEW trusts its employees, allowing them an amount of freedom WWE doesn’t. Roberts noted how the promotion encourages him to do what he thinks is right, granting him some flexibility so he’s not “worried about saying or doing the wrong thing out there.”
One crucial facet that he is glad isn’t a part of AEW’s culture is micromanaging. He shared how he has approached Cody a few times looking for advice.
He was told, “‘‘You do what you wanna do. I’m not gonna tell you how to do your job. You do what you think is right, and I’m sure it’s gonna be right.’”
It’s this kind of trust that he will get the job done that Justin Roberts highlights as one of the reasons he loves being a part of AEW.
The Undisputed Era has reflected on their recent busy schedule during an interview with Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT. The NXT stable not only invaded NXT UK’s recent TakeOver: Blackpool II event, they also competed against NXT UK’s Imperium group at WWE’s recent Worlds Collide.
Looking back on their invasion at TakeOver: Blackpool II, current NXT champion Adam Cole shared how their surprise appearance was a memorable moment. “With Blackpool, that was one of those moments that you remember forever. We never lose sight on stuff like this,” Cole said. “I love surprises in wrestling, that’s one of my favorite things. So to be involved in something where everyone in that building had no idea we were there and then we showed up, then there’s that reaction like ‘oh my god, they’re here’ and they’re really excited – that’s one of the most coolest things.”
Triple H has previously shared how he believes it was the fans who helped keep their invasion a secret. He noted how, if fans see unannounced Superstars, he thinks they will keep it to themselves. He believes they don’t ruin the surprise for other members of the WWE Universe.
Undisputed Era Versus Imperium
Their invasion angle would help fan the feud between themselves and NXT UK’s Imperium stable, led by WALTER. Roderick Strong spoke about what it was like to face off against them, explaining how “[…] it was kind of an opportunity to raise their stock against us and that’s special. Those kind of moments mean a lot to me. Where we can help elevate these guys as well because we’re in that position. You know, being in the position that we’re in is great, but what we can do with the ‘power’ of it is what is really freaking cool.”
Unfortunately, Imperium member Alexander Wolfe would be legitimately knocked out during their bout. Despite being a man down, however, Imperium would emerge victorious from their clash.
According to various reports, Brock Lesnar and Matt Riddle got into some kind of altercation backstage at the Royal Rumble. Lesnar is reported to have told Riddle he will not work with him. Booker T talked about the issues regarding Riddle and Lesnar on his “The Hall of Fame with Booker T” on ESPN 97.5 recently.
“These sites will pick something up in a heartbeat and they will run with it,” Booker T pointed out about wrestling sites.
“I was looking on social media, actually on some of the sites, and they were talking about Matt Riddle saying ‘Man, forget that, I want the title shot, I’m taking his career, I’m going to finish Brock Lesnar.'”
Booker was referencing a video posted by the official WWE PC YouTube channel. In the video, Riddle continued to say he plans on retiring Brock Lesnar. The video was posted after reports of Riddle and Lesnar’s confrontation at the Rumble went public. It is not clear, however, if Riddle’s comments in the video were made before his meeting with Lesnar or after. Some of Riddle’s comments seem to indicate the video was filmed after Lesnar reportedly said he wouldn’t work with him, however.
“I don’t care if he wants the match or not. I’m going to get it. I don’t care, it’s not up to him,” Riddle said in the video. “I don’t like being told no, especially when I work as hard as I do.”
“This ain’t the UFC and that’s what I want to relay also,” Booker said.
“If someone don’t want to work with you, if someone don’t like you, it definitely can be a problem for you,” Booker continued.
Booker would then say he feels the media turned in-character comments of Riddle’s into a shoot story.
“So, that’s why I feel like, this deal right here he was in character one moment and then the media took the character and made it a shoot because of what happened on Sunday.”
“On one of the sites, it actually gives you everything verbatim as far as what he said but you got to click on the video to see what it really is.”
Do you think Riddle’s comments in the WWE PC Video were in-character or “shoot”? Let us know in the comments section below.
Booker’s comments can be heard in the player below:
