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Mark Henry Reveals How WWE Locker Room Feels About Hulk Hogan

Jon Fuentes
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Hulk Hogan has been reinstated into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Last night (Sun. July 15, 2018) Hogan was backstage at the WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV). He issued out an apology to the entire WWE roster about his racially insensitive comments from several years ago that got him released from his WWE deal and the Hall Of Fame.

According to TMZ Live, WWE Hall Of Famer Mark Henry has been speaking to Hogan regularly in the lead-up to his WWE reinstatement. Henry said that he believes Hogan is being genuine in his remorse for his comments, but noted the locker room is split 50/50 on Hogan.

Allegedly some Superstars don’t believe Hogan’s apology is genuine and think he only did it because he wants to collect a paycheck. No names were given as to what Superstars do and don’t believe Hogan’s apology. It should be interesting to see if and when Hogan returns to WWE TV.

“I do feel like he genuinely wants to clear his name. He sees people that used to respect him, they look at him different. And it hurts. And he brought that on himself. But, he’s trying his best to clear that up,” Henry said.

“It’s 50-50. I’ve talked to guys that were like, ‘Man, the hell with him,'” Henry said of other black WWE wrestlers. “And I had guys that were like, ‘You know what, man, if you’re willing to make a change and try to help out and go and speak up and be a part of the answer rather than a part of the problem, then it’s all good.'”

You can watch Mark Henry’s comments about Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE here, courtesy of TMZ Sports:

Brock Lesnar Advertised For Post-SummerSlam Episode Of WWE RAW

Andrew Ravens
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WWE is now advertising Universal Champion Brock Lesnar for an upcoming episode of their flagship show, Monday Night RAW.

The Barclays Center’s official Twitter account has announced that Lesnar is set to appear on August 20th episode of RAW, which is the night after the SummerSlam pay-per-view event in the same venue in Brooklyn, New York. This could end up being an interesting date as it might just be his last appearance on WWE television for awhile.

Lesnar is still under contract with the WWE until the end of August and it’s been reported that he’ll be working the SummerSlam pay-per-view event on Sunday, August 19, 2018 that will air on the WWE Network. As of this writing, WWE has yet to announce his opponent at this event.

Lesnar is headed back to the UFC and has started the process to get back in the USADA drug-testing pool. With Lesnar back in the pool, he will still have to serve a little more than six months left of his previous suspension. Thus, he is not able to fight inside of the Octagon until early January, which is around the time that this fight is rumored to take place.

Once he is eligible to fight again, he’s slated to challenge Daniel Cormier for the UFC Heavyweight Title.

What are your thoughts on the appearance of Lesnar on this show and his future with the WWE?

WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (7/16)

Eric Lynch
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The July 16th, 2018 edition of WWE RAW was the first episode after Sunday’s Extreme Rules event, and took place at the Keybank Center in Buffalo, NY.

– Fans are now entering the Keybank Center and being seated for tonight’s show.

– RAW opens up with a memorial graphic for the late Masa Saito.

– RAW GM Kurt Angle comes out to the ring to kick off the show. Kurt gets on the mic thanks the wrestlers for their passion and dedication, except for Brock Lesnar. Kurt says issued his ultimatum to Lesnar last night: Either come to RAW and negotiate a Universal Title defense, or he’s stripped of the Title. Paul Heyman then comes out to interrupt. Kurt cuts off Paul’s introduction and says we know who he is, and he needs to see Lensar now or else he’s stripped of the Title. Heyman teases that he’s about to introduce Lesnar, but Lesnar is not there. Kurt says that’s it, Lesnar’s stripped of the Title. Heyman asks Kurt to hold on a second as he steps into the ring. Heyman pleads his case to Kurt, saying that Lesnar does actually care about WWE and being the Universal Champion. Kurt asks why he doesn’t show up if he cares. Heyman reuiterates that Lesnar does care, but Lesnar’s big game plan is to become a two-sport Champion: the WWE Universal Champion and the UFC Heavyweight Champion. Heyman makes a comparison to Angle having both the Olympic gold medals and the WWE Championship. Angle says that sounds nice, but Lesnar must defend his Universal Title at SummerSlam or else he’s stripped of the Title. Heyman looks nervous, as the crowd chants “make him wrestle” and Kurt tells Paul to answer him about SummerSlam. Heyman finally says that Lesnar will defend the Title at SummerSlam. Heyman thanks the fans for voicing their opinions that they want more of Lesnar, which the crowd boos. Heyman says the only thing to determine now is who Lesnar will conquer at SummerSlam. Bobby Lashley’s music hits and Lashley walks down to the ring.

Lashley gets on the mic and backs Heyman into a corner. Lashley says he accomplished his first goal back in WWE by beating Roman Reigns, and his second goal is to beat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. Drew McIntyre’s music hits and he comes out to the ramp with a mic. Drew says phase one of his comeback was helping Ziggler secure the Intercontinental Title, and phase two of his comeback is the Universal Championship. Seth Rollins’ music hits and Rollins comes out next to interrupt. Rollins steps in the ring and gets in Drew’s face, but Elias quickly comes out to interrupt next. Elias comes out on the stage with his guitar and asks if everyone is walking with Elias. Elias steps in the ring and talks about his intentions for the Universal Title, and also says he has a debut album dropping next week. Finn Balor comes out to interrupt next and talks about being the first Universal Champion. He thinks Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar makes the most sense, but then Roman Reigns comes out to interrupt next. Reigns walks down to the ring, and Coach says on commentary that thinks Reigns is owed a shot at the Universal Title too. Reigns gets in the ring and says he has no excuses and he doesn’t want Lesnar, he just wants someone to fight tonight. Kurt announces two Triple Threat matches tonight, and the winners will face each other next week to earn the shot at Lesnar at SummerSlam.

Kurt’s first Triple Threat is Elias vs. Rollins vs. Lashley, and the second Triple Threat match is McIntyre vs. Balor vs. Reigns — and that mach starts right now. Kurt heads to the back as the other wrestlers stare each other down.

– Back from commercial, Baron Corbin approaches Kurt Angle backstage. Corbin says Kurt didn’t consult with Stephanie before making his decision tonight, and also asks why Kurt didn’t put him in the match. Kurt points out that Finn Balor beat him last night and Corbin should think about that.

– Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor vs. Drew Mcintyre: Balor and Reigns clear Drew out of the ring early on, and then Balor clotheslines Reigns to the outside. Balor follows up with a suicide dive out to ringside on Reigns and McIntyre to take control of the match. Back in the ring, Drew comes back and drops Balor, then works over Reigns in the corner. Drew fights off Balor again, then boots Reigns in the face. Drew suplexes Reigns down for a two count. Drew knocks Balor outside and continues to pummel on Reigns. Balor finally connects with a shot on Drew, then Reigns clotheslines McIntyre down. Balor tees off on Reigns now until Reigns comes back with another clothesline. Balor ducks a shot from Reigns and dumps him to the apron then stomps on him. Drew then goes flying out of the ring with a big suicide dive on Reigns on the floor. Balor bumps Drew into the ring steps, then stomps on the back of his neck. Balor throws Reigns back in the ring and stomps on him for a two count. Balor drops Reigns again then goes up top, but Drew smashes a steel chair over his head, which is legal under Triple Threat rules. Reigns gets up and beats on Drew in the corner, but Drew turns the tide and slams Reigns into the ring post for a two count. Reigns fights back, but Drew shuts him down with a spinebuster for another two count. Drew looks for a powerbomb, but Balor smashes a steel chair over Drew, and then repeatedly over Reigns. Things spill out to ringside where Balor dropkicks Drew into the barricade, and then Reigns hits a big spear on Drew on the floor. As Reigns gets to his feet, Balor hits a Sling Blade on the floor. Back in the ring, Balor hits another Sling Blade on Reigns. Balor looks for a dropkick, but Reigns hits a superman punch to shut him down. Reigns goes for a spear, but Balor knees him in the face and dropkicks him. Balor goes up top and hits the Coup De Grace, but Drew breaks up the pin. Finn and Drew brawl at ringside until Drew throws him into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Drew looks for the Claymore, but Reigns superman punches him down. Balor rolls up Reigns, but Reigns gets out and superman punches him too. Drew headbutts Reigns and goes for the Claymore, but he hits Balor instead. Reigns superman punches Drew to the outside, and then he spears Balor for the three count.

Winner: Roman Reigns

– Reigns got cut above his left eye at some point during the second half of the match. We go to replays as all three competitors recover in the ring. Reigns will now be competing next week to earn a shot against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

– Bayley approaches Kurt Angle backstage and talks about her friendship counseling with Sasha Banks. Bayley says it didn’t go well despite both her and Sasha trying. Bayley says she doesn’t think she’ll ever be together with Sasha again. Kurt decides to book Bayley and Sasha in a tag match against Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox. Kurt says if they can’t get along, one of them is going to get traded to SmackDown.

– Dolph Ziggler is backstage watching his Intercontinental Title belt being polished.

– Dolph Ziggler comes out to the ring next and gets on the mic. Ziggler talks about last night being the first time the IC Title main-evented a WWE pay-per-view in 17 years. Ziggler says that was because of him, not Rollins, but adds that he does respect everything Rollins did to contribute to the IC Title’s legacy. He says Rollins is no Ziggler though, and adds that he pinned Ziggler five times. Bobby Roode then comes out to interupt. Roode says he hears Ziggler giving credit where it’s due, aside from Drew McIntyre, who helped Ziggled win. Roode says if not for Drew’s involvement, Ziggler would be at a comedy club telling bad jokes right now. Ziggler points out that Roode watched from the sidelines last night as Ziggler headlined the show. Roode says the sidelines suck, and that’s why he’s here, to challenge Ziggler for the Title right now. A ref comes out, but Ziggler makes one last-minute comment: He’ll have a match with Roode, but it won’t be a Title match.

– Dolph Ziggler vs. Bobby Roode: Ziggler looks for a superkick off the opening bell, but Roode side steps and they wrestle down to the mat. Ziggler shoulder blocks Roode down, and Roode fires back with a hip toss. Ziggler controls the next several minutes of the match and works on keeping Roode grounded. Roode tries to fight back but Ziggler shuts him down with a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Ziggler looks for a shot in the corner, but Roode shuts him down with a clothesline. Ziggler drops Roode into the turnbuckle, and both men are down recovering. Ziggler keeps Roode grounded with a rear chin lock until Roode fires back with some strikes, and then Ziggler misses a splash in the corner. Ziggler looks for a sleeper hold, but Roode throws him down and follows up with some clotheslines. Roode hits a side suplex and then a splash in the corner. Roode keeps control as he hits a blockbuster off the turnbuckle. Roode looks for the DDT but Ziggler fights him off. Ziggler looks for the Fameasser but Roode avoids it, which leads to a series of pin attempts. Roode looks for the DDT again, but Ziggler breaks free and hits the Zig Zag for a two count. Ziggler looks for a Superkick but Roode blocks and sends Ziggler into the corner. Roode follows up with a spinebuster for a two count. Roode misses a shot off the middle rope and appears to tweak his knee. This leads to Ziggler connecting with a superkick for the three count.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

– Ziggler heads up the ramp with his IC Title as we go to the broadcast table, where Michael Cole introduces some replays of Kurt Angle’s announcement at the top of the show and the Triple Threat match.

– Lashley cuts a promo backstage about having the skill and ability to beat The Beast at SummerSlam. Lashley says Lesnar has never faced anyone like him, and he will be the Universal Champion.

– We see Bobby Roode backstage recovering from his match, when Mojo Rawley gets in his face. Mojo sarcastically says “you’re supposed to be glorious?” Mojo walks off and Roode doesn’t look happy.

– Mojo Rawley vs. Tyler Breeze: The opening bell sounds and Mojo immediately takes the fight to Breeze with strikes in the corner. The fight briefly spills outside before Mojo takes things back in the ring and applies a chin lock. Breeze fights free and stuns Mojo with a dropkick before hitting a forearm shot in the corner. Breeze throws Mojo outside, but Mojo jumps back into the ring and hits a splash on Breeze in the corner before hitting a running shoulder tackle. Mojo hits a running punch to the face in the corner and then hits the Alabama Slam for the three count.

Winner: Mojo Rawley

– Mojo celebrates the win and gets in Breeze’s face. Michael Cole and Coach seemed to get into it on commentary during that match, with Cole purposefully talking over Coach at points, and Coach then making a remark about being “buried.”

– Bayley and Sasha Banks are shown together walking to the gorilla position, but neither of them look happy about it.

– Alicia Fox & Dana Brooke vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks: Bayley and Alicia start this one off. Alicia starts off strong, but she misses a shot in the corner and retreats out to the apron. The ref pulls them apart, which leads to Fox hitting a big boot for a two count. Dana tags in and hits a springboard elbow on Bayley. Dana goes for another one but misses. Dana drops Bayley again, then drops Sasha off the apron. Bayley fights back and takes down Dana then pummels on her. Bayley knocks Fox off the apron, then beats on Dana in the corner. Dana comes back with a clothesline and then throws Bayley outside. Fox attacks Bayley at ringside until Sasha comes for the save. Dana gets involved and Sasha slams her down to the floor off the apron. Sasha hits a cross body off the apron onto Fox and Dana at ringside, and the ref calls for the DQ.

Winners via DQ: Dana Brooke & Alicia Fox

– Sasha heads up the ramp alone as Bayley recovers at ringside.

– Bayley approaches Sasha backstage and asks Sasha what that’s all about. Sasha says she cares about Bayley but she hates talking about her feelings, and she says she loves Bayley and always will, then she walks off.

– Braun Strowman does an interview backstage where he says he regrets not being able to congratulate Kevin Owens on his victory last night. Strowman says no matter who wins Universal Title at SummerSlam, he’s got a contract for a Title match any time, any place.

– New RAW Tag Team Champions The B Team come out to the ring as we see replays of their victory & celebration last night at Extreme Rules.

– The B Team (c) vs. The Ascension: The Tag Titles are on the line in this one. The Champions control this one early on until Viktor gets the hot tag and cleans house. Dallas mounts a comeback until Konnor comes in with a cheap shot. The B Team dumps Konnor outside, and then Axel tags in for the double team on Viktor for the three count after a short match.

Winners & still Tag Team Champions: The B Team

– Immediately after the match, the glass shatters and Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt appear on the big screen. They say The B Team must pay for their cosmic crimes, and they will take back their rightful Tag Championships next week. Hardy says they will be deleted forever, and leads the crowd in a Delete chant.

– Alexa Bliss and Mickie James are shown backstage getting ready to come out to the ring.

– Alexa and Mickie come down to the ring and Alexa gets on the mic. Alexa talks about her victory last night, and how she outsmarts and outperforms all her opponents. She starts trashing Ronda Rousey for her involvement last night when she was supposed to be there as a fan. As Alexa talks about Ronda, Ronda appears in the crowd. Ronda runs down through the crowd and blocks off Alexa and Mickie on the ramp as they try to retreat. Ronda chases them back to the ring and she beats down Mickie. Ronda goes to put Mickie in an armbar as Alexa and referees try to break it up. Ronda grabs Alexa next and goes to put an arm bar on her, but Kurt Angle comes out on a mic and asks her to stop. Ronda lets go of Alexa as Kurt steps in the ring. Kurt tells Ronda she needs to calm down and go home, because she only has 2 days left of her suspension. Baron Corbin comes out and says Ronda should be punished for her action, and suggests that Kurt does his job and takes care of it. Corbin disagrees with Kurt’s management style and says he’s going to call Stephanie McMahon right now for her ruling. Corbin realizes he forgot his phone somewhere, and he freaks out and leaves to find it. After Corbin leaves, Kurt reveals he has it in his pocket. Kurt says after her suspension, he will give Ronda a match against Alexa for the RAW Women’s Title at SummerSlam. Alexa is not happy about the news and yells from the stage. Kurt tells Ronda to go home and Ronda seems glad to hear about the match.

– We see a pre-taped promo from Titus and Apollo Crews talking about the Authors of Pain. Titus says they’re going to handle business in the ring tonight and represent Titus Worldwide.

– Titus Worldwide vs. The Authors of Pain: Crews and Akam start off, and a distraction from Rezar leads to Akam taking control. Akam slams Titus into the post then levels him on the floor with a clothesline. Akam gets back in the ring and Apollo kicks him down. Akam backs Crews into the corner and tags in Rezar, who hits a full nelson slam. Rezar continues the assault on Crews, then backs him into the AoP corner and tags in Akam. Rezar hits an inverted atomic drop, then Akam hits a big boot. Rezar tags back in for another double team on Crews. They double team Crews again with the Last Chapter for the three count after a short one-sided match.

Winners: Authors of Pain

– The Authors raise their arms in the ring while Titus Worldwide recovers at ringside.

– We go backstage, where No Way Jose’s conga line runs into the Riott Squad. They don’t seem impressed by the conga line and they keep walking. Sarah Logan vs. Ember Moon is coming up next.

– Ember Moon vs. Sarah Logan: Ember starts off strong in this one, but Logan knocks her off the turnbuckle to shut her down. Logan takes her back in the ring and beats her down on the mat to take control of the match. Liv Morgan hits a cheap shot on Ember behind the ref’s back. Logan continues to beat on Moon and keep her grounded. Ember escapes a suplex attempt and decks Logan with a right hand. Ember continues with strikes and drops Sarah with a knee to the face. Ember hits a facebuster, then knocks Liv Morgan off the apron. Logan rolls up Ember from behind for a 2 count. Ember boots her in the face for a 2 count of her own. Ember dumps Logan outside and follows up with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Ember covers for a 2 count. Liv distracts Ember once again, which leads to Logan dropping Ember and stealing the three count.

Winner: Sarah Logan

– Logan and Morgan retreat up the ramp to celebrate, while Ember is the ring and she doesn’t look happy.

– Elias is backstage tuning up his guitar and getting ready to come out to the ring.

– Elias comes out to the ring with the spotlight on him and he trashes the hometown crowd. He gets the crowd to chant “walk with Elias,” and talks about his upcoming album and his plans to win the Universal Title. Elias sings about Brock, Buffalo, and his opponents tonight, until Seth Rollins comes out to interrupt.

– Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Elias: Before the bell, Elias attacks Rollins. The ref allows Rollins some time to recover before calling for the opening bell. The match officially starts and Elias immediately takes the fight to Rollins. Rolls rolls outside and Lashley drops Elias. Elias rolls outside for a breather now, and Rollins clotheslines him down on the floor. Rollins gets in the ring now and faces off with Lashley. Rollins takes Lashley down, but Lashley fights his way up and throws Rollins off the ropes. Lashley elbows Rollins down, then he knocks Elias off the apron. Lashley takes Rollins down with a headlock now, but Rollins fights up and levels him with a dropkick. They fight in the corner, which leads to Rollins springboarding off the top rope, but Lashley blocks him with a boot. Elias runs in and drops Lashley, then goes at it with Rollins. Rollins hits a hurricanrana on Elias, but Elias fights back with a knee to the face. Kurt Angle, Paul Heyman, and Baron Corbin are shown watching backstage on a monitor.

Lashley gets back in the ring as Rollins hits a jawbreaker on Elias. Lashley clotheslines down Elias, then hits a belly to belly overhead suplex. Lashley drops Rollins next, then spears Elias in the corner. Lashley goes for the vertical suplex on Elias, but Rollins kicks Lashley down. Lashley fires back with a spinning powerslam on Rollins, then a spinebuster on Elias. The fight spills out to ringside where Elias throws Lashley into a ring post, then he fights off Rollins too. Elias throws Lashley in the ring and hits a flying elbow off the top for a two count. Rollins comes flying in with a frogsplash, but Elias moves and Rollins hits Lashley. With Lashley down, Rollins and Elias go at it now. Rollins hits a blockbuster but it’s not enough for the finish. Rollins takes Elias up to the top rope, but Elias fights him off. Lashley comes back in and hits Elias, then climbs up top with him. Lashley looks for a belly to belly suplex off hte top, but Rollins comes from behind and grabs Lashley, then buckle-bombs him into the opposite corner. Rollins goes back over to Elias and hits the superplex and Falcon Arrow for a two count. Rollins hits a suicide dive on Elias on the outside now, then he runs through and hits a suicide dive on Lashley on the other side of the ring. Back in the ring, Rollins hits the Sling Blade on Elias. Rollins boots Elias and then hits the curb stomp. Rollins covers, but Lashley breaks up the pin.

Rollins and Lashley trade right hands in the middle of the ring now. Rollins hits a series of elbows to the face, but Lashley fires back with a big clothesline. Lashley picks up Rollins for a stalling vertical suplex and he nails it. Lashley goes for a spear, but Rollins jumps out of the way and Lashley crashes into the corner. Rollins kicks Lashley and looks for the curb stomp, but Elias grabs Rollins from the floor and drops him at ringside. Elias slides in the ring and walks right into a spear from Lashley. Lashley covers and gets the three count.

Winner: Bobby Lashley

– Lashley will now face Roman Reigns again next week, and the winner gets Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam for the Universal Title. Lashley heads up the ramp and celebrates with fans after the match as Rollins looks on from the ring and Elias recovers on the floor.

WWE Officially Announces NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

Andrew Ravens
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7

WWE is bringing back War Games for an upcoming NXT TakeOver special.

On Monday afternoon (July 16, 2018), the company announced that the NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2 event is slated to go down on Saturday, November 17, 2018 from Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center. It was also revealed that tickets will be available starting this Friday, July 20, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, at nxttickets.com.

WWE decided to bring the match back for NXT TakeOver event that took place on November 18, 2017 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas and aired on the WWE Network.

Sanity vs. Undisputed Era vs. Authors Of Pain & Roderick Strong served as the main event in the gimmick match at the event. Other matches that were featured on the card included Drew McIntyre vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas for the NXT Title, Kairi Sane vs. Peyton Royce vs. Ember Moon vs. Nikki Cross in a Fatal 4-Way NXT Women’s Title Match, Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream and Lars Sullivan vs. Kassius Ohno. In the 2017 version for WarGames, the cages were roofless.

For those who may not know, the gimmick match was originally used in the NWA and later held annually in WCW.

What are your thoughts on WWE bringing back the theme? Sound off in the comment section.

Alpha Club vs. Bullet Club Announced for Jericho Cruise

Staff
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On Monday afternoon, Chris Jericho announced a huge 6-man tag match for his Rock n Wrestling Rager cruise, which sets sail on October 27th from Miami.

Alpha Club vs. Bullet Club

The Alpha Club (Chris Jericho and the Young Bucks) will square off against The Bullet Club’s Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes and Marty Scurll.

The Jericho Cruise website has a preview that reads, “How will the new team of Y2Jackson (or is it the Bucks of Jericho?) hold up against Omega’s One Winged Angel? Will Alpha Club prevail with never-before-seen moves that can only be perfected on a cruise ship?! BUCKLE UP, cruisers, it’s Alpha vs. Omega, and you’re about to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event and moment in wrestling history this October!

Marty Scurll will be pulling double duty on the cruise, as he’s already advertised to face Sami Callihan in what’s being billed as the first-ever Ring of Honor vs. Impact Wrestling match.

For more on the Rock n Wrestling Rager, visit ChrisJerichoCruise.com.

Seth Rollins Will Find ‘A New Way,’ Goldberg Crashes Truck (Video)

Jon Fuentes
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Seth Rollins Will Have To Find ‘A New Way’

Seth Rollins came up just short in reclaiming the Intercontinental Championship at Extreme Rules last night (Sun. July 15, 2018). “The Architect” was defeated by Dolph Ziggler in Sudden Death Overtime of their 30-minute Ironman match. Rollins took to Twitter after the loss and noted that he’s going to have to “find a new way”:

It should be interesting to see what’s next for Rollins on tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

Goldberg Crashes A Truck (Video)

WWE Hall Of Famer Goldberg recently got to drive a Toyota Tundra at the annual Goodwood Festival Of Speed in England this past weekend (Fri. July 13, 2018). Goldberg actually crashed the truck into a hay bale while driving it. Goldberg was doing well on the track until clipping the hay and being stopped dead in his tracks. He had just missed a few hay bales before as well. You can check out the video here below:

Deonna Purrazzo Reports To WWE PC

Jon Fuentes
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0

Deonna Purrazzo will report to the WWE Performance Center today (Mon. July 16, 2018) after signing with the company back on May 31st.

One of Purrazzo’s trainers, Rip Rodgers, took to his Twitter and posted a photo of Purrazo and announced she’ll be starting in Orlando tomorrow:

https://twitter.com/Hustler2754/status/1018707173478748162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Purrazzo was an alternate for last year’s WWE Mae Young Classic. While she didn’t compete in the tournament, she did participate in a dark match at the second night of tapings. Back in December of 2016 she was scheduled to have a match with Alexa Bliss on SmackDown Live, however, Bliss attacked Purrazzo with the SmackDown Live Women’s Title and the match never got underway.

The 24-year-old was also scheduled to work “All In” but was forced to pull out of the appearance after signing with WWE. It should be interesting to see how her career progresses under the WWE’s guidance, and how soon she’ll make an impact on NXT.

Jerry Lawler: Hulk Hogan-WWE Situation Was Blown Out Of Proportion

Jon Fuentes
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One of the biggest news pieces over the weekend is the reinstatement of Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Hogan was released from his WWE deal and from their Hall Of Fame back in 2015 when some racially insensitive comments were made by “The Hulkster” in a leaked sex tape. Last night (Sun. July 15, 2018) it was reported Hogan was backstage for WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) to apologize to the entire WWE roster. He was also reinstated into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler was recently interviewed on The Roman Show during the annual Florida Supercon. He believes the entire situation was blows out of proportion:

“I am not shocked at all. I was shocked while he wasn’t in the WWE Hall of Fame. I think the whole thing was blown out of proportion. I’ve known Hogan his entire career and for the claims of him being a racist, there was never not one ounce truth to that at all. Like I said, I’ve known the guy my whole life and he is a really good guy and I felt it was an overreaction. I think we go overboard being politically correct.

“I am happy he is back. I am hoping they (WWE) renew a working relationship. Let’s face it, without a doubt he is the most popular WWE Superstar of all time. It’s only right he should still be in the Hall of Fame and working in the WWE.”

Ryback On If Brock Lesnar Should Still Be WWE Universal Champion In Next UFC Fight

Jon Fuentes
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2

Brock Lesnar just made a splash in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) – again.

“The Beast” was cage-side for UFC 226 on pay-per-view (PPV) to witness Daniel Cormier make history against Stipe Miocic. “DC” became the second man in UFC history to hold two championships simultaneously in the promotion, now being the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion.

After the fight Lesnar came into the Octagon after being called out by Cormier. The pair engaged in a very WWE-esk shoving match and UFC President Dana White confirmed Cormier vs. Lesnar is the next heavyweight title fight on the docket. There’s just one slight issue in regards to Lesnar’s WWE career. He still holds the Universal Championship.

There’s been a ton of speculation as to if Lesnar will keep the Universal Title while he fights in the UFC, or if someone will dethrone “The Beast” before he steps away again. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Ryback recently took to his podcast, Conversation With The Big Guy, to offer his thoughts on the matter:

“I think Brock’s in such a cool position,” said Ryback. “There’s nobody like him right now where he is literally a part-time UFCer and a part-time WWEer and he’s making probably more than anyone else who does the sport outside of maybe Conor [McGregor]. You can’t hate on anyone for that. He is living the ultimate life and he’s been proven.

“He’s a draw and he’s an attraction, and I don’t know, I think it all depends on what happens in this fight, but Brock is a lot bigger than DC, Daniel Cormier. Brock’s almost like a bully a little bit when he’s in there with [certain] guys.

“He’s one of those guys like when he’s really confident, he’s really, really hard to stop and I believe there’s been moments in his career where he was just beyond confident and he maybe wasn’t as talented as the other guys fighting but he’s so godd**n strong and such a freak athlete that if he’s able to survive the beginning, he can kind of impose his will on guys.

“When he hasn’t been able to do that is a different story. Will he be able to do that to DC? I don’t know. DC is an olympic-level wrestler. So, I don’t know. DC is… it’s an interesting matchup, but Brock is a big heavyweight. What I mean when I say that is, he probably walks around at 280, 290 and cuts down to 265, where there’s a guy like DC who’s fighting Light Heavyweight, then comes up [to 246].”

As for whether or not WWE could allow Lesnar to hold on to the Universal Title while he fights in the UFC, Ryback believes WWE would be all for it:

“I think WWE would be all for that,” said Ryback. “You’d think they would as far a publicity-wise, the WWE [Universal] Champion and the UFC Heavyweight Champion, never before been done. And he’s one of those guys they can do cross-promotion with.”

You can listen to Conversation With The Big Guy by clicking this link here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

David Arquette Returns To The Ring (Video)

Jon Fuentes
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Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and actor David Arquette made his return to the professional wrestling ring last night (Sun. July 15, 2018).

Arquette wrestled under the name “King” David Arquette for a Championship Wrestling from Hollywood event in California. He was defeated by opponent RJ City. Arquette was able to get some offense in during the match, including a Diamond Cutter, before being defeated.

Some highlights of the match can be seen below (via Pro Wrestling Sheet):

David Arquette: Pro Wrestler

Arquette got his start in the professional wrestling world back in 2000 when he co-starred in the moving “Ready To Rumble.” The film was based on a fictional wrestler, Jimmy King, who feuded with Diamond Dallas Page over the WCW World Title. Shortly after the film’s release, Arquette was brought on to WCW TV and eventually won the World Title.

His run with the company only lasted for a few months. WCW later went out of business and was purchased by WWE in 2001. Arquette has made a few appearances on WWE TV since. He was a guest on a 2002 episode of SmackDown and also lost a Handicap match in which he teamed up with Alex Riley against Randy Orton in 2010.

Arquette has been announced as an official Guest Superstarr for the upcoming Starrcast convention outside Chicago during All In weekend.

Update On Hulk Hogan’s Role Backstage at Extreme Rules

Jon Fuentes
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Wrestling legend is officially back in the fold with WWE. Word broke on Sunday afternoon that Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall Of Fame. It later came out that Hogan was backstage at Extreme Rules and addressed the WWE locker room about his past indiscretions and his return to the company after a 3-year hiatus.

According to a report by PWInsider, the entire WWE roster was told to be on hand for Extreme Rules for an important meeting. That meeting turned out to be Hogan’s apology.

For those wondering, Hogan left mid-way through the pay-per-view and at no time were there plans for him to appear on television.

We’ll keep you updated in regards to when Hogan could make his return to WWE TV.

Original Plan For Extreme Rules Main Event

Jon Fuentes
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Last night (Sun. July 15, 2018) WWE hosted their Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

After a ton of speculation as to what match was going to main event the show, it wound up being the 30-minute Ironman match between Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship. When it was all said and done, Ziggler retained his strap in Sudden Death Overtime.

Many people assumed that Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley was going to main event the show. PWInsider reports that was actually WWE’s original plan. The last hour of the show would’ve featured AJ Styles vs. Rusev for the WWE Title as well as Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Title.

Ziggler vs. Rollins was initially scheduled to open up the show instead. Of course, those plans were completely reshuffled and Ziggler vs. Rollins went on last, and put on an amazing match.

Full Schedule For Starrcast Streaming On FITE

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Last week, it was announced that the Starrcast convention during All In weekend will be available for streaming via FITE. Earlier today, FITE released full details on how fans across the world can be part of the Starrcast convention, including the complete streaming schedule for the weekend.

The Starrcast Platinum Weekend Pass is now on sale for $149.99. For more details and to purchase the Starrcast Platinum Weekend Pass, visit Fite.tv/Starrcast.

Your favorite wrestling podcast hosts be performing their shows live on multiple stages, and you can join them on FITE and enjoy over 20 live stage shows featuring legends, Hall of Famers, celebrities, and of course some of the top podcasters around like Bruce Prichard, Eric Bischoff, and Sean Waltman – LIVE on every screen.

Plus, you have the chance to own a piece of the actual ALL IN Ring canvas delivered to your door. The Platinum Weekend Pass is exclusive to FITE fans and is available while supplies last. Don’t miss out – Orders start at 8pm ET Monday!

Here’s the full weekend schedule, followed by the first Starrcast Event Center video, hosted by Sean Mooney.

8/30/2018

8pm EST – The Monday Night War Debate with Bruce Prichard & Eric Bischoff
8pm EST – Elite Karaoke with Marty Scrull
10pm EST – Papa Buck Jam Session
10pm EST – Botchamania w/Tony Schiavone PLUS Stand Up Comedy fromRon Funches & Casio Kid

8/31/2018

11:30am EST – Madusa Unthrottled w/a Panel on Women’s Wrestling featuring stars like Gail Kim, Lisa Marie Vachon, and GLOW Founder David McLane
1:00pm EST – What Happened When w/ Tony Schiavone & Conrad Thompson
1:30pm EST – Four Star Summit with the Wrestling Observer & the ProWrestling Torch
3:00pm EST – Empty Arena Match Retrospective w/ Jerry Lawler & Terry Funk, hosted by Bill Apter
3:30pm EST – WrestleCrap w/ RD Reynolds & Friends
5:30pm EST – War Games Retrospective w/ JJ Dillon, Tully Blanchard, Lex Luger & Road Warrior Animal
7:00pm EST – Clockblockers Trivia w/ Macaulay Culkin & Matt Cohen of the Bunny Ears Pod
9:00pm EST – The Roast of Bruce Prichard
9:00pm EST – The Raven Effect
11:00pm EST – Stranglemania with the Insane Clown Posse
12:00 Mid EST – Spend My Days Karaoke w/ Bruce Prichard & Jeff Jarrett

9/1/2018

9:30am EST – The ALL IN DDP Yoga Workshop
10:00am EST – Remembering Andy Kaufman w/ Jerry Lawler & Dutch Mantell, hosted by Bill Apter
12:00 noon EST – X-PAC 1-2-360 Degrees of the nWo w/ Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, hosted by Sean Waltman
12:30pm EST – Total Non Stop Jarrett w/ a Panel on TNA, hosted by Jeff Jarrett
2:00pm EST – PrimeTime with Sean Mooney Presents: Behind the Themes with Jim Johnston
2:30pm EST – Keepin’ It 100! with Konnan, Disco Inferno, & Shane “Hurricane” Helms
4:00pm EST – The Death of WCW Panel w/ Eric Bischoff, Kevin Sullivan, JJ Dillon & the Author of the Book, RD Reynolds

9/2/2018

11:30am EST – The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana
11:30am EST – Bunny Ears Podcast w/ Macaulay Culkin featuring Stephen Amell
1:30pm EST – Storytime with the Young Bucks
1:30pm EST – Greatest Trivia Rumble w/Many Wrestling Personalities
3:30pm EST – The Lapsed Fan
3:30pm EST – Why It Ended w/Robbie E & Matt Koon

Starrcast Event Center hosted by Sean Mooney

Rev Pro Announce Return of British J-Cup, New Japan Legend Confirmed for Tournament

Jake Skudder
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Revolution Pro Wrestling (Rev Pro) has announced that the British J Cup will be returning later this year. The company sent out a tweet stating that “JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER will look to defend his crown as 16 of the best Jr Heavyweights in the world will compete over 2 days for the 2nd Annual British J Cup Sep 8/9.” The shows will be taking place at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester, England.

This will be the second iteration of the tournament, the debut field in 2017 included Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger, Kushida, Will Ospreay, Marty Scurll, Kyle O’Reilly, Josh Bodom, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tiger Mask IV. As previously mentioned Liger won the new trophy and he looks to be the first confirmed competitor for this September in Manchester.

With the wealth of talent at Rev Pro’s disposal through their NJPW affiliation we could see a number of Junior division stars make their way into this increasingly prestigious field of competitors. Hopefully the likes of Hiromu Takahashi, Will Ospreay, Marty Scurll, KUSHIDA et al can be booked for the two nights.

Two More Confirmed Matches for Rev Pro’s Summer Sizzler 2018 feat. Former WWE Tag Team Champion

Jake Skudder
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Revolution Pro Wrestling (Rev Pro) has announced two more bouts for their upcoming Summer Sizzler 2018 event which takes place Friday August 17th from the historic York Hall in Bethnal Green, London.

The first is a tag team bout pitting the New Japan Pro Wrestling/Pro Wrestling NOAH team of Davey Boy Smith Jr and Lance Archer (Killer Elite Squad) against one of the most praised duos in all of the UK scene: Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis). The second bout sees CMLL’s Titan and El Soberano in a bout between two of the globe’s finest high flyers.

This joins the news that former British Heavyweight Champion and legend of the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion Tomohiro Ishii will be taking on former PROGRESS ATLAS and wXw Unified World Champion WALTER.

Ishii recently lost his British Heavyweight title against Minoru Suzuki at the Strong Style Evolved this past weekend, after the match WALTER appeared and attacked the ‘Stone Pitbull’ to set up this huge bout at the ‘Sizzler.

WALTER has been heavily rumored for a move to WWE over the past year, his work as part of the Ringkampf stable in wXw and his breakout year on the UK scene for the likes of PROGRESS have earned him worldwide acclaim and a chance to appear for PWG and quite possibly New Japan in the near future.

Matt Riddle Out of DEFIANT Ringmaster Tournament, Replacement Announced

Jake Skudder
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UK based promotion DEFIANT Wrestling will be holding their ‘Ringmaster’ tournament over two nights starting today (16th/17th) from the O2 Academy in Newcastle, England.

The company has described the ‘Ringmaster’ as follows: “featuring 16 competitors, the tournament will feature stars we have never seen before in Defiant, stars we haven’t seen for a while, and stars we see often!”

Unfortunately Matt Riddle is no longer scheduled to compete due to a flight delay, a replacement has however been announced and it is highly rated UK scene performer El Phantasmo. Phantasmo will be taking on Aussie Open’s Mark Davis in the opening round this evening.

The full lineup for the tournament is as follows:

  • Adam Brooks
  • Bad Bones
  • BT Gunn
  • David Starr
  • Kay Lee Ray
  • Curtis Chapman
  • Kyle Fletcher (of Aussie Open)
  • Mark Davis (of Aussie Open)
  • Martin Kirby
  • El Phantasmo
  • Millie McKenzie
  • Nathan Cruz
  • Omari
  • Simon Miller
  • Stevie Boy
  • TK Cooper

With the recent announcement of the NXT UK brand and the news that WWE contacted talent cannot be featured on streaming services across the UK it is testament to the depth of talent that the United Kingdom scene has when looking at this stacked tournament.

The event will be available to purchase either on the FITE app or on DEFIANT’s Access On Demand service which available for $8.99 per month.

PROGRESS Chapter 73: ‘Fourth Shade Of Green’ Results

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS held their 73rd Chapter event ‘Fourth Shade of Green’ this past Sunday July 15th from the O2 Academy in Birmingham, England. The card featured some top tier talent from the UK isles as well as some of the stars of NXT UK, Frontline Wrestling and beyond.

Here are the full results for the show:

  • Mark Andrews b. El Phantasmo – The 205 Live Superstar took the win via pinfall, this was a showcase bout for El Phantasmo who is quickly becoming one of the UK scene’s most underrated talents
  • PROGRESS Atlas Championship Number One Contendership Match – TK Cooper b. Rob Lynch – The South Pacific Powerhouse took the win here by pinfall to gain an unlikely match for the ATLAS Championship against Doug Williams
  • Danny Jones b. Eddie Dennis – Duggan took the win here via DQ, Dennis then claimed that he only wants to fight Mark Andrews and Mandrews obliged with a stage dive
  • Tyler Bate b. Travis Banks – Banks took the loss via Countout once again and now the PROGRESS owners have mandated that his next bout against WALTER will be no countout
  • British Strong Style (Pete Dunne & Trent Seven) b. The Kings Of The North (Bonesaw & Damien Corvin) – BSS took the pinfall win
  • Toni Storm b. Killer Kelly – NXT UK Superstar Storm won the match via pinfall in her attempts to regain the Women;’s title and sit atop the division
  • Mark Haskins & Flash Morgan Webster (w/Vicky Haskins) defeated David Starr & Jack Sexsmith – Haskins and Webster won the bout however ‘Flash’ turned on Mark Haskins when his 198 tag team partner Wild Boar made his PROGRESS redebut
  • No Disqualification Match: Drew Parker defeated Jimmy Havoc – Parker won via pinfall and after said he was not happy by defeating a broken down Havoc. Parker then prepared himself to be attacked via Axe (!?) when Paul Robinson then appeared to put stop the madness.

G1 Climax 2018 Night 3 Results and Updated Rankings

Jake Skudder
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New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual G1 Climax is widely regarded as the greatest tournament in pro wrestling today. Two blocks of competitors will compete in a round robin format to determine the number 1 contender to Kenny Omega’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship at January 4th’s Wrestle Kingdom. The tournament has now begun and here are the results from Night 3:

Michael Elgin b. Hangman Page – Elgin took the win via pinfall with the Elgin Bomb

EVIL b. YOSHI-HASHI – EVIL took the pinfall win after hitting his namesake move

Togi Makabe b. Minoru Suzuki – Makabe took somewhat of a shock pinfall win with the King Kong Knee Drop

Bad Luck Fale b. Kazuchika Okada – Fale also took a shock win by pinfall with Bad Luck Fall after Tama Tonga interfered and hit a Gun Stun on Okada

“Switchblade” Jay White b. Hiroshi Tanahashi – White took the pinfall win after hitting the Blade Runner. This came after a ref bump and a chair to Tanahashi’s face. White cut a promo after the match celebrating his wins over Okada and Tanahashi.

Here are the current tournament standings:

Block A

  • Jay White – 4 Points (2-0-0)
  • Michael Elgin – 4 Points (2-0-0)
  • Togi Makabe – 4 Points -2-0-0)
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi – 2 Points (1-1-0)
  • Hangman Page – 2 Points (1-1-0)
  • Evil – 2 Points (1-1-0)
  • Bad Luck Fale – 2 Points (1-1-0)
  • Kazuchika Okada – 0 Points (0-2-0)
  • Minoru Suzuki – 0 Points (0-2-0)
  • Yoshi-Hashi – 0 Points (0-2-0)

Block B

  • Kenny Omega – 2 Points (1-0-0)
  • Tama Tonga – 2 Points (1-0-0)
  • Tomohiro Ishii – 2 Points (1-0-0)
  • Kota Ibushi – 2 Points (1-0-0)
  • Hirooki Goto 2 Points (1-0-0)
  • Tetsuya Naito – 0 Points (0-1-0)
  • Zack Sabre Jr. – 0 Points (0-1-0)
  • Sanada – 0 Points (0-1-0)

You can find the results for Night 1 here and Night 2 here. Don’t forget that SEScoops staff writers Ian Carey and Jake Jeremy are posting their predictions for the tournament and you can check out how they fared with Night 3’s predictions right here.

Conflicting Reports On Daniel Bryan’s Contract Status

Andrew Ravens
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There are conflicting reports regarding Daniel Bryan’s future with WWE and whether or not he has signed a contract extension. 

On Sunday afternoon (July 15, 2018), there was a rumor going around online that the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and SmackDown General Manager had signed a new deal that would keep him in the WWE as his contract is slated to expire on September 1st.

A recent interview came out last week that quoted Bryan by saying that it’s likely that he’ll re-sign with the WWE, which had a lot of fans believing that he would stay with the WWE. That might still be the case but according to longtime pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, as of last Friday, Bryan has not signed a new deal.

“Hasn’t signed, or at least hadn’t as of Friday,” Meltzer tweeted. “Not that I don’t expect it to happen.”

As noted, WWE is advertising him for an upcoming SmackDown Live TV event in Detroit, Michigan at the Little Caesars Arena on September 4th as well as for the Super Show-Down event on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia, the European tour in November, SmackDown house shows taking place after September 1, and the live event at the Madison Square Garden on December 26.

Discussion: What are your thoughts on Bryan’s future with the WWE? 

Paul Heyman Responds to Kurt Angle’s Ultimatum For Brock Lesnar

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Tonight’s edition of WWE RW takes place from Buffalo, NY at the Keybank Center. The show will feature fallout from Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view, including RAW GM’S bombshell ultimatum for Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

Negotiations for Brock Lesnar’s next title defense have been ongoing, but Paul Heyman informed Angle that Lesnar is not interested in returning at this time. Angle is fed up with his absent champion and says Brock Lesnar must show up on Raw or commit to his next title defense to avoid being stripped.

It’s expected that Brock Lesnar’s next title defense will take place in less than five weeks at SummerSlam. Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns have been positioned as the two top contenders for Lesnar, with Lashley getting the victory over Reigns at Extreme Rules. Of course, WWE’s ‘Monster in the Bank’ Braun Strowman hangs over the Universal Champion like a dark cloud.

Without saying whether or not Lesnar will be at RAW, Paul Heyman gave a brief response to Kurt Angle’s ultimatum, calling it an ‘amateurish negotiating ploy.’

WWE.com is also promoting the following items for tonight’s broadcast:

  • Is Braun Strowman finally finished with Kevin Owens?
  • What chaos will ensue when The B-Team return to the red brand as Raw Tag Team Champions?
  • Are the days numbered for The Goddess of WWE?
  • Does The Architect have plans for Dolph Ziggler?

As always, join us here tonight for our weekly WWE RAW Live Coverage. 

Jeff Cobb To Debut For Ring Of Honor This Weekend

Staff
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Former Olympian Jeff Cobb will debut this weekend for Ring of Honor at the Saturday Night at Center Stage TV tapings from Atlanta, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Cobb noted on Twitter that he has not signed an exclusive deal with ROH.

After representing Guam at the 2004 Olympic games in men’s freestyle wrestling, Cobb went pro in 2009 and has been making a name for himself in various promotions across the world.

Known for his amateur credentials, power move-set and agility, Jeff Cobb has long been one of the top free agent prospects in the industry. He’s competed for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Lucha Underground, PWG, Progress, MLW and more.

Several months ago, it was reported that Impact Wrestling offered him a 2-year deal. He has independent bookings scheduled through the end of August, including an appearance for ICW on July 29th and a match against Brian Cage on August 19th for California Vagabond Wrestling.

With WWE continuously signing top independent talent and Ring of Honor looking to hold its ground and build momentum, this is a very strong acquisition for ROH.

Carmella Fires Back At Her Critics

Chris Stephens
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Smackdown Women’s Champion, Carmella, is having a great time on social media this morning. Carmella was victorious over Asuka last night at Extreme Rules. It was her second straight victory over Asuka, having defeated her at the Money in the Bank event last month as well.

She was able to win the match after throwing Asuka head first into the shark cage which was supposed to be holding James Ellsworth.

Some of Carmella’s critics took to Twitter to let the champion know how they feel about her victory last night. Carmella was all too happy to respond to them.

“Me: (breathes) Internet: “Carmella sucks at breathing. It’s so unfair she gets to breathe more than girls who are better than her at breathing. She gets zero stars for not knowing how to breathe properly!!”

The pinned Tweet atop Carmella’s Twitter feed lists the opponents she’s beaten:

Carmella’s Smackdown Women’s Championship Reign

Carmella is the 6th person to ever win the Smackdown Women’s Championship. She won the title by cashing-in her Money in the Bank contract on Charlotte Flair during the 1st Smackdown following WrestleMania this year.

As of this writing, Carmella has held the title for 97 days, good for the 3rd longest reign of all time. Charlotte Flair holds the record for the longest reign at 147 days. Naomi holds the record for the most title defenses in a reign with 5. So far, Carmella has held the title for 97 days and defended it 4x on WWE programming (i.e not including house shows).

Naomi’s 5 title defenses are also the all-time accumulative record for the title as well.

What Happened After Extreme Rules, The Miz On Hulk Hogan’s Return

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Miz On Hulk Hogan’s Return

Hulk Hogan being reinstated into the WWE Hall Of Fame is probably the biggest news coming out of the wrestling world in the past few weeks or so.

However the Miz, who was taking part in the MLB celebrity softball game in Washington, DC was not aware of it, until Aaron Oster of the PressSlam podcast spoke to him.

After getting the news, The former Intercontinental Champion revealed that he was a fan of Hogan while growing up and his comments were posted by Aaron from his twitter account:

What Happened After Extreme Rules

For the surprise of many fans, The 30 Minute Iron Man Match between Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler ended up being the main event of Extreme Rules instead of the Roman Reigns vs Bobby Lashley bout.

The match where the Intercontinental Championship was on the line ended in a 4-4 Draw. After this, the Raw General Manager Kurt Angle announced sudden death overtime and Ziggler ended up retaining the title with help from Drew McIntyre.

After the show, the former Champion Rollins received a standing ovation from the crowd and people chanted ‘Thank You Rollins’ once the PPV went off air.

Vince McMahon Misses WWE Extreme Rules, Randy Orton Hidden Before His Return

Andrew Ravens
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Some interesting backstage news has surfaced about the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view event.

According to a report by PWinsider.com, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was not backstage at Sunday’s (July 15, 2018) pay-per-view event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena that aired on the WWE Network, which marked the final PPV event before next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view event. SummerSlam is widely regarded as the second biggest show of the year for the WWE just behind WrestleMania.

With McMahon not being there, Triple H was at the PPV with Billy Kidman running the show from the gorilla position. It should be noted that although McMahon missed the show, he was in communication with officials at the show, and as of this writing, there’s no word yet on if he will be backstage for this week’s RAW and SmackDown Live TV events.

Also, PWinsider.com reported that Randy Orton was hidden backstage in a bus until about 30 minutes before he made his return following the United States Title match that saw Shinsuke Nakamura beat Jeff Hardy to win the title.

Orton underwent minor knee surgery in May and had been seen in Birmingham, Alabama where was doing rehab last month gearing up for his return to the blue brand.

What are your thoughts on McMahon missing this show? Sound off in the comment section.

Masa Saito Passes Away From Parkinson’s At 76

Chris Stephens
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Legendary wrestler, Masa Saito, has passed away at 76. He is reported to have passed away due to complications related to Parkinson’s disease over the weekend.

WWE fans will be most familiar with Saito from the tag-team he formed along with Mr. Fuji. Saito and Fuji are 2x WWF tag-team champions. He is also a former AWA World Heavyweight champion, winning the title from Larry Zbyszko in 1990. The match was held in front of 63,000 people inside the Tokyo Dome.

Saito retired from the ring in 1999 and was given a special Service Award from Tokyo Sports in recognition of his contributions to pro-wrestling. He is also the innovator of the Saito suplex.

Reactions to the Death of Masa Saito

The death of the legendary wrestler has caused an outpouring of support online.

Shinsuke Nakamura sent out the following in response to the news: “Rest in Peace the legendary Japanese wrestler Masa Saito.”

Japanese wrestling expert and author, Chris Charlton, also commented. “Masa Saito got his start in the JWA and was part of the pioneering IWE,” Charlton Tweeted. “His work in America as a liaison and trainer forged a path for so many American stars in Japan, including Hulk Hogan.”

Samoa Joe recently sent out the following:

“RIP Masa Saito. May your reigns of terror never be forgotten.”

WWE Performance Center trainer, Steve Corino, also spoke about the influence Saito had on his career.

“Masa Saito was in the first tag team match I ever saw on TV 1981,” Corino Tweeted. “I was fortunate to be a fly on the wall while him and Nick Bockwinkel (I was the 3rd wheel) had lunch at our hotel in Tokyo in 2006. I was floored by how nice of a man he was. A true legend. Rest well.:

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