A new match has been announced for ROH Best in the World PPV. On Tuesday evening, Ring of Honor announced through their social media platforms that Adam Page would take on Punishment Martinez in a singles match at the upcoming pay-per-view event. This marks the third match thus far revealed for this show.
The Best in the World PPV takes place on Friday, June 29, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland at the UMBC Event Center. The event will air on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app. The promotion will be announcing more matches in the coming weeks.
The last time Austin Aries saw the inside of a WWE ring, he suffered an extremely disappointing loss to Neville in a Submission match for the Cruiserweight Title at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) in June of last year.
Less than a month later, WWE handed Aries his walking papers and was on a 90-day non-compete clause that ended this past October. Since then, Aries has done work for several promotions such as IMPACT Wrestling, Ring Of Honor (ROH) and many more.
A fan took to Twitter and posted a GIF of Aries after his Extreme Rules loss to Neville, noting it was one year since his last WWE match. Aries responded with this:
“And life was never the same… Dejected, almost amused at my repeated failure, who’d have known this moment here would be the catalyst for so much future success. And to my victorious opponent…I’d love to do it again, shackles off, whenever you’re done serving your time…”
The big news on Tuesday was about the lawsuit that pitted CM Punk and Colt Cabana against WWE doctor Chris Amann.
The case had been heard by a jury since last Wednesday in Illinois, just outside of Chicago.
The WWE doctor brought the lawsuit forward due to the comments Punk made during an appearance on Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast from November of 2014 about Amann and Punk not receiving proper treatment of a “lump” on his backside while in the WWE.
The jury ruled that they are in favor of Punk and Cabana on all counts filed by Amann. Thus, neither Punk or Cabana will have to pay anything. The WWE doctor had been seeking about $4 million for defamation among other things.
Nick Hausman of WrestleZone, who has provided some great coverage of this case, caught up with Punk and Cabana after they were let out of the courtroom to get a brief interview about winning the case.
EXCLUSIVE: @CMPunk’s 1st post-trial comments following he and @ColtCabana’s victory over Dr. Chris Amann.
Punk lost in his MMA debut against Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September of 2016 by first round submission. He is set to fight Mike Jackson in a welterweight bout at the upcoming UFC 225 pay-per-view event on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
What are your thoughts on the decision made by the jury? Sound off in the comment section below.
The June 5th, 2018 edition of SmackDown Live took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
– This week’s show kicks off with SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella making her way down to the ring. Carmella gets in the ring and gets on the mic. She tells the fans to get on their feet and give her the ovation she deserves, and then she starts cutting a promo about Asuka. She says we don’t know the real Asuka like she does, and then Carmella introduces a video package about Asuka. The video package looks at Asuka’s early days in NXT and WWE, and then Carmella says Asuka used to be incredible, but not anymore. Carmella introduces a second video package, which looks at Asuka’s loss at WrestleMania and then other failures since then. Carmella continues to trash Asuka until Asuka’s music hits and she comes out to interrupt. Asuka steps in the ring, but before she says anything, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville interrupt next. They also trash Asuka and it sounds like Sonya wants a match with Asuka tonight. Paige comes out and says none of them speak for her, and she’s the one who makes the matches around here. Paige says Asuka can take her pick between Mandy and Sonya tonight. Asuka takes the mic from Carmella and says she wants both of them. Paige books the handicap match, and that’s next.
– Asuka vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville: The opening bell sounds and Sonya starts off against Asuka. Carmella is on commentary for this one. Asuka starts off throwing kicks at Sonya, and Mandy tags in early. Asuka throws Mandy back into the corner and Sonya tags back in. Sonya and Asuka wrestle down to the mat and Asuka looks for a knee bar, but Sonya escapes. They fight back and forth until Sonya connects with an elbow to the face, and then tags in Mandy for the double team. Sonya tags back in and continues beating on Asuka. Mandy tags in again and works on keeping Asuka grounded with a headlock. Asuka and Mandy run the ropes and collide in the middle, and then Asuka hits the hipp attack in the corner. Asuka follows up with a missile dropkick off the top, but then she gets distracted by Carmella at ringside. The distraction allows Sonya to attack Asuka from behind and choke her on the bottom rope. Sonya and Mandy take turns beating on Asuka now until Asuka finally comes back with a dropkick and a spinning heel kick. Mandy tags in and Asuka knees her in the face. Sonya and Asuka trade kicks until they both go down. Asuka connects with an awkward looking kick, and then Sonya comes back with a spear for a two count. Sonya follows up with knees to the face, but Asuka comes back with a takedown and they wrestle on the mat. Sonya struggles, but Asuka successfully puts on the Asuka Lock for the win via submission.
Winner: Asuka
– After the match, Carmella gets in the ring and gets in Asuka’s face. Mandy goes to attack Asuka from behind, but Asuka fights her off. Carmella then attacks Asuka from behind and drops her.
– The Miz is backstage warming up, when he gets interrupted by The New Day and another guy holding a plate of pancakes. The New Day says they want The Miz to help them reveal which of them will compete at Money In The Bank. They have pieces of paper in a hat, and they tell Miz to draw a name. They blindfold The Miz so he can’t peek, and then they switch the hat with the papers in it with a hat with wet pancake mix in it. Miz sticks his hand into the pancake batter as The New Day laughs. The Miz says they won’t be laughing for long, and as he points at them the batter goes flying off his hand onto their faces. The Miz wipes the rest of the batter off his hand onto The New Day’s pancake assistant, and then he walks off. The New Day tells their pancake assistant not to listen to Miz and keep making pancakes.
– Still to come: The contract signing for AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at Money In The Bank.
– Karl Anderson vs. Luke Harper: Luke Gallows and Eric Rowan are both at ringside. Harper starts off strong with a flying kick, then he beats down Anderson in the corner. It’s all Harper in the opening moments as he punishes Harper on the mat. Harper hits a big spinning side suplex on Anderson, and Anderson is hurt. Anderson finally fights back with some kicks to Harper’s knee. Harper charges at him in the corner, but Anderson dodges and rolls up Harper in a pin. Anderson scores the three count and steals the upset win.
Winner: Karl Anderson
– Anderson immediately rolls out of the ring and celebrates with Gallows at ringside, as Harper and Rowan are still fired up in the ring.
– We see a replay of the Lana and Naomi dance-off segment from last week.
– We go to a pre-taped promo from Naomi and Jimmy Uso trashing Lana and Rusev. Rusev isn’t wrestling them tonight though, so as far as tonight is concerned, they welcome Lana and Aiden English to the Uso Penitentiary.
– Lana & Aiden English vs. Jimmy Uso & Naomi: English and Uso start this one off, and English takes control early. Uso fires back with a shot to the throat, which leads to Uso and Naomi taking out both English and Lana. Back in the ring, Lana and Naomi go at it now. Naomi gets distracted by English, and Lana drops her. Lana works over Naomi now and mocks Uso. Naomi tries to mount a comeback and hits a jawbreaker, but Lana prevents her from making the tag. Lana and Naomi run the ropes and collide, and both women are down. Uso and English tag in at the same time and brawl through the ring. Uso hits the Umaga Splash for a two count as Lana breaks it up. Lana slaps Uso, then Naomi comes in and drops Lana. English attacks Uso now and looks for a splash, but Naomi intercepts it and drops English. Uso follows up with a superkick for the three count on English.
Winners: Naomi & Jimmy Uso
– After the match, Uso and Naomi celebrate in the ring as we go to replays.
– Paige is backstage with Shinsuke Nakamura and WWE Champ AJ Styles. They’re seated for a contract signing, and Paige guarantees there will be a clear winner at Money In The Bank. AJ asks Nakamura what his problem is and why he keeos playing games. AJ thinks it’s because Nakamura knows he can’t beat him clean, and he yells at Nakamura to get up and face him like a man. Paige tries to calm AJ down, but AJ says he’s sick of these games and slaps Nakamura across the face. AJ is escorted out of the room as Nakamura finally signs the contract. Nakamura looks at Paige and says “Last Man Standing” before walking off.
– Still to come: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch
– Charlotte makes her way out to the ring, and her match is up next.
– Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch: The opening bell sound and they lock up. Becky takes Charlotte down, and they grapple back and forth on the mat. Charlotte looks for the Figure Four early on, but Becky evades it. They continue to go back and forth until they break and have a stare-down. They both block kicks, and then they collide in the middle of the ring with crossbody attempts, and both women are down. They get up and trade chops until Charlotte takes control with a suplex. Becky gets back in the game with a boot to the face and some more strikes. Becky goes up top, but Charlotte stops her and takes her down with a backbreaker for a 2 count. Charlotte looks for the Figure Four again but Becky escapes. Becky drops Charlotte, then hits a top rope leg drop for a near-fall. Becky looks for the Dis-arm-her, but Flair escapes. They trade offense now until Becky rolls outside for a breather and Charlotte goes after her with a suicide dive. Charlotte brings Becky back in the ring and goes for a moonsault off the top, but Becky blocks it with her knees. Becky covers for a two count, and then Charlotte looks for the Figure Four but Becky blocks it. Becky then catches Charlotte in the Dis-arm-her for the win.
Winner: Becky Lynch
– Becky goes to help Charlotte up to her feet after the match. They hug and the crowd cheers them on. Charlotte leaves as Becky continues to celebrate in the ring.
– Samoa Joe is backstage for an interview where he compares himself to a rabid dog, and says he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Joe says he has a reputation for keeping promises, and says whoever ends up as the WWE Champion is a marked man. Joe says with him, what you see is what you get, and everyone will get it very soon.
– Big Cass comes out to the stage for an interview with Renee Young. Cass immediately starts talking about his height and trashing Daniel Bryan. Cass shows us a replay of Joe beating up Bryan last week, and says Bryan also has Cass’ 7-foot shadow following him everywhere he goes now. Cass says Bryan has never been in the ring with someone as big as him or as educated as him, and he will dismantle Bryan at Money In The Bank. Cass says he will rips Bryan’s arms off his body and beat him with them, and he will realize that a small man like him will never survive in the big man’s world that is WWE.
– Sin Cara is backstage for an interview with Dasha Fuentes. Cara talks about Andrade “Cien” Almas, and says they were friends since they were teenagers, but something happened. Zelina Vega interrupts and gets in Cara’s face. She starts trashing Sin cara, and then Almas attacks him from behind and beats him down. Almas and Vega walk off as officials check on Cara.
– The New Day vs. The Miz, Rusev & Samoa Joe: The Miz and Woods start this one off. Woods fires up early on and drops Miz for a 2 count, then tags in Big E. Big E hits the big splash on Miz for another 2 count. Joe and Woods get the tag and Joe drops him with a big kick. The Miz tags in and works over Woods until Woods fires up and hits a missile dropkick on Miz. Joe tags in and chases Big E off the apron, and then Rusev drops Big E on the floor. Woods gets up and lays into Joe, then Kofi and Miz tag in. Kofi cleans house and hits a dropkick and a crossbody off the top on Miz for a two count. Kofi hits the SOS and the Boom Drop, and then he looks for the Trouble In Paradise, but Joe distracts him. The Miz takes advantage of the distraction and hits a DDT on Kofi for a two count. He looks for the SKull Crushing Finale, but Kofi blocks it. Rusev and Big E tag in, and Big E rocks him with a big suplex. Rusev knees him and tags in Joe, and Joe drops Big E down to the mat. Joe covers but Woods breaks it up. Woods dumps Rusev outside next, then he hits a suicide dive on him to the outside. Miz tags in and looks for a Skull Crushing Finale on Big E, but he stops as Kofi spingboards and takes Joe out on the floor. Big E spears Miz from the ring down to the floor. Woods gets on the apron, but Joe takes him down to the floor into the Coquina Clutch. Kofi comes flying down to try to save Woods, but Rusev knocks Kofi down wit hthe Machka Kick. Miz throws Big E into the ring post, and then Rusev and Joe hold Big E back. The Miz grabs The New Day’s pancake batter and wants to dump it on Big E, but Kofi gets involved and The Miz accidentally dumps it on Rusev and Joe. The Miz pleads with his partners, but Rusev drops him with a boot and Joe hits a Senton on Miz while he’s down. Rusev and Joe walk out, leaving Miz alone in the ring with The New Day. Big E and Kofi hit the Midnight Hour on Miz and Big E covers for the three count.
Winners: The New Day
– After the match, Big E, Kofi and Xavier celebrate in the ring as Miz recovers on the floor. SmackDown goes off the air as The New Day celebrates their win.
CM Punk is off the hook in a civil lawsuit that was filed against him by a WWE doctor for defamation following his exit from the company in 2014.
A jury in Chicago ruled in Punk’s favor after Dr. Chris Amann filed the lawsuit after the former WWE superstar spoke about the treatment he received while under contract and the misdiagnosis that could have resulted in a serious medical condition.
Dr. Amann filed a lawsuit in excess of $1 million against Punk and fellow wrestler Colt Cabana, who hosted the podcast back in 2014.
After testimony that started last week, the jury deliberated for only a couple of hours before handing down a judgment siding with Punk and Cabana in the defamation lawsuit.
Punk was reportedly very emotional after the verdict was read while hugging his wife and fellow former WWE superstar A.J. Lee, who was also in attendance for the trial.
CM Punk has just won his civil lawsuit against WWE Dr. Chris Amann. He was in court all morning here in Chicago. Hugging his wife and crying in the courthouse. All this, four days before UFC 225.
With the trial behind him, Punk will now turn his attention to his fight on Saturday night against Mike Jackson on the UFC 225 main card.
Punk will be making his second appearance in the UFC after suffering a first round submission loss in his debut back in 2016.
While the trial undoubtedly took at least some of his focus away from the fight, Punk can now rest easy knowing that he won’t be on the hook for any kind of financial penalty as a result of the civil lawsuit filed against him.
Heading into this weekend’s highly-anticipated UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero II pay-per-view at the AllState Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, UFC continues to unload promotional material around several of the more high-profile fights on the stacked fight card.
One of which is the bout that pro wrestling fans are looking forward to more so than any other on the card — CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson.
Although both fighters are 0-1 inside the Octagon, and in their professional MMA careers in general, there is a high level of anticipation for their showdown this Saturday night from the pro wrestling community.
In a new video released this week, CM Punk and Mike Jackson both speak about their previous loss, which was against Mickey Gall for both guys, as well as their thoughts on fighting each other in their second Octagon appearance this weekend in the Chicago area.
According to CM Punk, he “can’t lose” fighting in his hometown this Saturday night.
“I feel like I can’t lose with that hometown advantage,” said Punk in the video. “I want to get this win for the entire city of Chicago. I’ve grown leaps and bounds and I have gained a ton of experience and knowledge, and I will bring that into the cage, and I will defeat Mike Jackson.”
Check out the complete video, which features more comments from Punk about his decision to return to the UFC, his preparations for the Mike Jackson fight and more by checking out the following article on our MMA affiliate website (MMANews.com):
Make sure to visit MMANews.com this Saturday night for live round-by-round results coverage of UFC 225, including the CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson fight. Sound off on this Saturday’s big showdown in the Comments section below.
CM Punk Says He “Can’t Lose” In Chicago At UFC 225 With Hometown Advantage – https://t.co/TziBeXN5yx
Move over Papa Shango, here comes Rosemary. The former Knockouts Champion recently sat down for an interview with Alicia Atout and revealed she’s been working on a controversial new in-ring strategy.
“There are so many forms of the black arts in this world, child,” Rosemary explained. “Admittedly, we are not up on all of them as we’d like to be.”
Rosemary, who references herself in the plural, recently was in New Orleans and admitted to studying voodoo while she was there.
Rosemary Learning Voodoo
“Yes, we definitely wanted to learn more about voodoo, and tarot,” she expressed. “Would it not be helpful to see the future? So much better to plan. ”
When asked if she plans to use her newly gained knowledge of the black arts while wrestling, Rosemary didn’t hesitate in her answer.
“Yes, of course,” Rosemary said. “How better to control them all with dear?”
New Impact Wrestling backstage correspondent, Alicia Atout, hosted Rosemary on her YouTube and Blog site, Amby. You can watch the interview in its entirety below:
Demons, Bunnies, and Undead Brides
The Impact Wrestling Knockouts division is reminiscent of a Rob Zombie film at times. Most recently, Allie lost the Knockout Championship to undead bride Su Yung in a Last Rites (coffin) match. Previously, Yung had locked Rosemary in a coffin as well.
Rosemary suffered a torn ACL last month and could be out of action for the rest of the year. Her injury actual worked out conveniently for storyline purposes, however, as she had just recently been locked in a coffin by Su Yung and her army of undead brides.
When Allie faced Su Yung at “Under Pressure” last Thursday, she painted her face in a way reminiscent of Rosemary and came out to her music as well. Yung will defend the Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary on July 22nd, with her challenger being revealed in the coming weeks on television.
Kenny Omega will face Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Dominion on June 9th, 2018. It will be the fourth one-on-one match between the two.
Okada defeated Omega at WrestleKingdom 11. They met at last year’s Dominion event as well. That match went to a time limit draw. The last time they met was in last summer’s G1 tournament. Okada suffered a back injury in his previous match against Evil, which allowed Omega a slight advantage and the victory.
Kenny Omega recently sat down with New Japan World to discuss his upcoming title challenge on June 9th.
Kenny Omega Pre-Dominion Interview
“He’s done so much and beaten everyone so many times that he calls the shots! He makes the challenges; he makes the rules.,” Omega said on his opponent’s record-breaking title reign. “That’s the situation we’re in right now.”
In order to further break the deadlock between the two, their match will be a best out of two of three falls. Omega addressed the stipulation during the interview.
“Don’t give me a handicap, Okada. That makes it too easy for me. Let’s make this fair, 50-50, right down the line. That is why I wanted the best two out of three falls,” Omega said. “I know the secret to this match, Okada. The secret is in that first fall; I won’t let you take it. You’re not getting the first fall. I’m going to take the first fall and control the pace.”
Kenny Omega’s Motivation To Beat Okada
Omega also addressed his motivation for defeating Okada aside from winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
“You may be the best wrestler on the planet. I’ll admit it, you are,” Omega said “It’s not even an opinion thing anymore, this is something that you’ve proven. But you can’t say you are the best performer. That goes to me. If we’re going to move this thing forward, if we’re going to cause this revolution of professional wrestling and make it worldwide and something cool, we can’t just have the best natural wrestler steering the ship. We need someone who captures the imagination, who captures the heart. We need a professional wrestler and a showman. Which is why I’m doing everything in my power, to overtake your natural wrestling ability.”
NJPW Dominion takes place June 9th and airs live on New Japan World.
Shawn Michaels is no longer ruling out a potential return to the ring for one more match.
The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke with Sky Sports to promote the upcoming WWE UK Tournament. During the interview, he was asked about possibly wrestling one more match.
He retired from pro wrestling following his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 in 2010.
Despite being against the possibility in previous years, Michael is now open to the idea but has some certain expectations in order for it to happen.
“It would have to be done the right way and just for one match rather than something that ran for longer. It could be possible but people would have to accept they wouldn’t be getting the Showstopper, Mr WrestleMania, and that I’m 52 years old now.
I’ve been retired for eight years now and when it got to the five-year mark I thought people would start asking me but they just kind of stopped. I think it’s one of those that you would never say never about and if it was just for a one-off then it’s something that I would take a look at.”
Michaels was then asked about who he would like to wrestle if he did decide to work one more match. Although there are many talents of today he’d like to work with, his top two candidates would be Daniel Bryan or AJ Styles.
Michaels did note that it would be a one-off match and most likely a tag team match with Triple H if he decided to wrestle again.
“If it was the Shawn Michaels of 10 years ago I would love to have gotten in the ring with so many of the guys that are competing today,” he said. “AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan would be good, and then there’s the guys in NXT too. Someone like a Johnny Gargano would be fantastic. “But for a one-off match now, I’d need it to be a tag-team match where Hunter (Triple H) and I can just do a few crotch chops and have some fun.”
The WWE Hall of Famer has had a storied career in the professional industry and will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
He has held every big championship that WWE has to offer and had some classic matches as well as a feud with the biggest names in pro wrestling. Those names would include The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Triple H, and Ric Flair.
What are your thoughts on Michaels potentially wrestling one more match?
The WWE has officially announced the air dates for the upcoming United Kingdom Championship Tournament on their streaming service, WWE Network.
The sports entertainment company is slated to hold two events at Royal Albert Hall in London. The 6/18 event will feature the tournament finals to determine who will challenge face UK Champion Pete Dunne for the strap on 6/19.
The events will air on the WWE Network on Monday, June 25, and Tuesday, June 26, at 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT.
Several non-tournament matches have been announced including a Six-Man Tag Team Match that will see Dunne, Tyler Bate & Trent Seven against Undisputed ERA’s Adam Cole, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly on night one.
The following night, a tag team match of NXT Champion Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream & EC3, as well as matches for the NXT North American Championship, the NXT Women’s Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championship, are slated to take place.
The Brackets
First Round Matches (Left Side)
– Zack Gibson vs. Amir Jordan
– Drew Gulak vs. Jack Gallagher
– Flash Morgan Webster vs. James Drake
– Tyson T-Bone vs. Jordan Devlin
First Round Matches (Right Side)
– Tucker vs. Joe Coffey
– Dave Mastiff vs. Kenny Williams
– Ligero vs. Travis Banks
– Ashton Smith vs. Joseph Conners
What are your thoughts on this event airing on the WWE Network? Sound off in the comment section below.
It’s been well documented that there has been a long-standing relationship between Madison Square Garden and the WWE that goes back decades.
There have been rumors of AAA running an event at the world-famous arena held in New York City later this year. For those who may not know, the sports entertainment company has had a lock on the building for many decades in terms of wrestling events.
However, things might be changing as it was reported by Mike Johnson of PWinsider that the historic arena is not happy with the WWE right now due to the fact that the WWE has been holding TV and pay-per-view events at the nearby Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was noted in the report that the tipping point appears to have been once WWE announced that all of the Wrestlemania 35 week events in 2019 would be held at the Barclays Center. Those events include the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, NXT Takeover, RAW, and SmackDown Live.
According to the report, MSG has sent feelers out to different groups and they are more open than ever to booking non-WWE events in the arena. Thus, the reason that AAA was able to get a hold on the arena.
For years now, WWE has only held live events twice per year at MSG and it’s been reported in the past that the reason WWE runs the Barclays Center instead of MSG for bigger events is due to the cost of holding an event at MSG as it’s cheaper to hold it at Barclays Center.
What are your thoughts on this story? Should WWE run more events at MSG? Sound off in the comment section below.
Another young exciting wrestler has signed with the WWE.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the current reigning Progress Women’s Champion Jinny has signed a UK contract with the sports entertainment company.
It was noted that her contract is similar to that of Toni Storm, who has also reportedly signed a deal with WWE. It’s been rumored in the past that WWE had their sights set on Jinny as well as other top UK wrestlers for their brand.
Jinny does have a past with the WWE that dates back to March of last year. She actually worked a match against Storm during a WrestleMania Axxess event in Orlando, Florida.
It should be noted that the WWE is advertising Jinny for the upcoming WWE United Kingdom tournament show where she will compete in a Fatal 4-way match against Storm, WXW star Killer Kelly and Scotland’s Isla Dawn this month.
The winner of this match will have the opportunity to take on NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler on Tuesday, June 19th.
What are your thoughts on the sports entertainment company signing this star? Sound off in the comment section below.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins has once again received a new name for his finishing move. It first went by the Curb Stomp then to Peace of Mind and Blackout. Now, WWE has decided to call it The Stomp.
Rollins is slated to make his next Intercontinental Title defense against Elias at the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network.
The B-Team Making Moves
Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel won a tag team battle royal on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Houston, TX at the Toyota Center on the USA Network to earn the right to be the new #1 contenders for the RAW Tag Team Titles.
Now, they will challenge Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt for the titles at the Money in the Bank PPV event. Following the match, WWE released this interview with the team celebrating. In the video, Axel and Dallas noted that they’re undefeated.
What are your thoughts on Rollins’ new finishing move name? Sound off in the comment section below.
With the XFL set to kickoff play in 2020, the league has finally made a major decision in the league’s future. It was announced that former NFL and NCAA executive Oliver Luck is the new commissioner of the XFL. You can check out the official announcement, featuring comments from owner Vince McMahon, here below:
Stamford, Conn., June 5, 2018 – The XFL today announced that former NFL and NCAA executive and quarterback Oliver Luck has been named the league’s Commissioner & CEO. The new XFL kicks off in early 2020 and will deliver a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.
“Oliver and I share the same vision and passion for reimagining the game of football,” said Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman. “His experience as both an athlete and executive will ensure the long-term success of the XFL.”
“Football has always been a constant in my life and I’m excited about the unique opportunity to present America’s favorite sport to fans in a new way,” said Oliver Luck. “The XFL will create first-class organizations that local cities across the country will be proud of.”
Earlier in his career, Luck served as President of NFL Europe and General Manager of the league’s Frankfurt Galaxy and Rhein Fire. Most recently Luck was the NCAA’s Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Strategic Partnerships where he oversaw all NCAA regulatory functions including enforcement, academic and membership affairs, and the Eligibility Center.
Prior to the NCAA, Luck spent four years as the Director of Athletics at his alma mater, West Virginia University, where he presided over the school’s transition into the Big 12 Conference. He was also the first President and General Manager of Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo, and led the organization to two MLS Cup titles.
A Rhodes Scholarship finalist, Luck graduated from West Virginia University where he was a three-year starting quarterback, two-time Academic All-American, two-time team MVP and currently ranks sixth on the school’s all-time list for both passing yards and touchdowns. Luck was selected in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers where he played until 1986.
Luck earned his J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1987. He’s a member of the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame and CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
Plans for the XFL at launch include eight teams, 40-man active rosters and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game.
Click here to see a video message from XFL Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck.
ABOUT THE XFL
The new XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century when it kicks off in early 2020.
Football is America’s favorite sport boasting over 85 million fans but the traditional season is just too short. Seeing a tremendous opportunity to fill the void, Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman announced on January 25, 2018, the launch of a new league, which he is personally funding. McMahon is building the XFL with the same commitment and resolve that he has demonstrated building WWE into a global media and sports entertainment powerhouse.
Delivering authentic, high energy football for the whole family at an affordable price, the XFL will offer fast-paced games with fewer play stoppages and simpler rules. The league will launch with eight teams, 40-man active rosters, and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game. Each contest will be a high profile event with tens of thousands of fans, featuring innovative elements that bring them closer to the players and the game they love. The XFL will also establish a health, wellness and safety program that meets the needs of today’s athletes.
The XFL will embrace the latest on and off-field technology, providing live game coverage, content and real-time engagement across multiple platforms, giving fans greater access than ever before. We will build strong grassroots relationships with local organizations in our Host Cities through social responsibility partnerships, and the XFL will enjoy the support of WWE’s many extraordinary resources and promotional capabilities.
Media Contact: Lou D’Ermilio – LOUD Communications [email protected] or 917-601-6898
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently took to his podcast, The Ross Report, to talk about the current goings on in the world, as well as a few professional wrestling topics as well. Ross first discussed his thoughts on the current situation between Roseanne Barr and the ABC Network:
“She got cancelled by ABC, as many of you know.” Ross said, “her show was getting great ratings. It premiered with 18 million viewers. It looked like [ABC] found a goldmine. I heard the estimate of how much money it was going to lose in the cancellation for advertising was around $35 and $50 million dollars that ABC cut loose from and it also cost a lot of talented people their jobs.
“That’s what’s really irking to me. But she made a late night racist Twitter post that will not be repeated here. I liked the show, as a matter of fact. It kind of reminded me of the old days. And Roseanne’s like a dozen women that I’ve met in my lifetime, very outspoken, very strong. But you can’t let this pass.
“It cost a lot of people their jobs, as I mentioned. It’s just total lack of judgment. Maybe we should have sensed that when she married Tom Arnold, for God’s sake. How smart was that? In any event, nobody’s bulletproof, ladies and gentlemen, not even Roseanne.
“I can tell you this: I was a 10-year Ambien user. I was a 10-year, decade-long Ambien abuser.” Ross continued, “and since my wife saw me through these troubling waters, it was no more Ambien and no more Xanax, so therefore I’m not mixing it with alcohol.
“But Ambien can make you do some funny, funny things. If you look up Ambien in the medical dictionary, it is a temporary medicine for insomnia. ‘Temporary’ is the key word here, not 10 years, J.R. ‘Oh, it can’t hurt me. I’m tough. It can’t hurt me.’ Well, it made Roseanne do some funny things. It could make you too, so be leery of that. There are meds out there that are not opioids, that are not habit-forming, that’ll help you sleep. Trust me. This I know.”
Ross then revealed that he was the one who came up with King Kong Bundy’s famous “Five Count” gimmick:
“I gave Bundy that five-count deal, his gimmick.” Ross recalled, “[Bill] Watts was going to bring him in and wants to do something different. I said, ‘why don’t you have him where he’s so powerful, he’s so strong, he’s so confident, he’s so huge, that he’ll beat people with a five-count, not a three-count?
“He’s really going to put them away.’ So the five, he’d do the five. Watts liked that idea and I think it worked. I think King Kong Bundy still uses that to this day when you see him in the ring from time-to-time.
Finally, Ross listed off who he thinks are the best heels of all time:
“I think the best villain of ‘The Attitude Era’ was Vince McMahon. Mr. McMahon was an ass-kicker. He was absolutely amazing. Ric Flair. How do you leave Ric Flair off of any list of any villains? My God! Triple H, hell of a villain. JBL did a hell of a job. John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield made it easy for the fans to dislike him.
“He could conjure up that personality, that big, loudmouth, Dick Murdoch-like Texan, and draw money. Johnny did a good job with that for us. Eric Bischoff, a hell of a heel. No doubt about that. I think Chris Jericho doing great as a heel.” Ross added, “and I worked firsthand with some great heels myself. Jerry Lawler, Paul Heyman, Terry Funk, Bobby ‘The Brain’ [Heenan]. So those are some of the guys that I look at that have to be on that list.”
You can listen to The Ross Report by clicking this link here.
Both Stephanie McMahon and Triple H weren’t present for last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW from Houston, Texas. While it’s not unusual for them to be missing on-screen, they’re both typically backstage working behind-the-scenes.
As for why the pair missed last night, PWInsider reports that Stephanie and The Game are in Los Angeles as WWE will be hosting a “For Your Consideration” panel discussion on Wednesday. This is apparently in attempt to get the WWE nominated for an Emmy Award.
The event is a private one and won’t be open to the public. Television Academy National Active members are the only personnel allowed to attend the event. It’ll all take place from the Wolf Theatre at Saban Media Center in North Hollywood. Other notable names scheduled to appear include Shawn Michaels, Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns and the Bella Twins.
We already knew that Asuka can kick hard, but this takes things to a completely new level. At a recent WWE live event Asuka took on Lana and hit her with a kick so hard that her hair extensions popped out.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) June 5, 2018
Asuka is gearing up to challenge for the SmackDown Live Women’s Title when she takes on Carmella at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view (PPV) on June 17th from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
Lana will be a part of the Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder match alongside Ember Moon, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Naomi and Sasha Banks.
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Shane Helms (a.k.a. Hurricane) took to Twitter to tease a possible Ring Of Honor (ROH) appearance. Helms is in his Hurricane gear staring down the ROH logo with the following caption: “Thru howling winds and pouring rain. All evil shall fear … THE HURRICANE!” Check it out here:
The tag team was made up of Bobby Roode and James Storm during their time in TNA back in 2008. They would split in 2011 but briefly reunited 2016. Storm is currently a free agent while Roode is working in the WWE on RAW.
Storm responded to Fishman’s Tweet and said a reunion would result a lot of merchandise sales:
Discussion: Would you like to see Beer Money reunite in WWE?
First Look At John Cena In Bumblebee (Video)
The first look at the upcoming Bumblebee video has been released, and it features brief footage of WWE’s John Cena in the movie. Cena can be seen holding a large weapon, looking to be a member of the military. He appears at the 1:46 mark of the video below:
WWE filed for several new trademarks recently. One particular trademark filed could prove interesting as well. WWE has filed to trademark “NWO” not just for merchandising but also for wrestling purposes.
The statement of activity listed for the NWO trademark is as follows:
“Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network, providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal, providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing and staging events with wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the fields of sports entertainment”
WWE Files to Trademark NWO and Several Other Terms
The free internet database of federally registered government records, Trademarkia, lists several recent trademarks the company has filed for.
In addition to filing the above-mentioned NWO trademarks, WWE has also filed to trademark the term “Skull King” and “Immortals”.
“Woken Warrior” is one of the terms WWE has filed for recently. The term has been used as part of Matt Hardy’s and Bray Wyatt’s current storyline.
The name Pete Dunne was only trademarked a few weeks ago as well.
The term “Talking Snack” was trademarked in March and that is definitely “Snack” and not “Smack” as well. WWE Brawl, AWA, and “The Irresistible Force” have all been trademarked by WWE recently. In March, WWE filed to trademark the phrase “the Most Patriotic Show on Television.”
“Project Rock” was also trademarked around the same time the company filed for trademarks on “WWE Mixed Match Challenge” and “Absolution”.
Do you think WWE will bring back an NWO Faction? Tell us what you think below:
The Rock Reveals Title Of Fast And Furious Spinoff
It was rumored for a long time that the Rock will be starring in a spinoff of the hit franchise Fast And Furious but so far there was no confirmation of the same.
Now the Hollywood star has not only confirmed the upcoming film but he has also subsequently revealed the title for the Movie. He revealed these details in the caption of a recent Instagram post as seen below:
“Sunday shakas and scripts. Reading our new Fast & Furious spin-off, titled HOBBS & SHAW w/ my dude @jasonstatham and a few surprise casting announcements coming soon. Director, @davidmleitch (directed DEADPOOL2) has a sharp/cool vision and tone for our movie and our writer, Chris Morgan is turning in inspired work. Good to see our franchise evolve and grow”
Rey Mysterio was expected to make his NJPW debut during their Strong Style Evolved event earlier this year but he was pulled from the scheduled appearance due to a biceps injury.
The company later announced that he will be making his debut for the promotion at the upcoming Dominion event and now his opponent for the show has also been revealed.
After an interaction at 2018 Best of Super Juniors final, it was announced that Mysterio will be teaming up with Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Hiroshi Tanahashi to compete in a 6 men tag match:
As far as his opponents are concerned, it was revealed that “The Villain” Marty Scurll will join forces with fellow Bullet Club members Hangman Page and “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes to face Rey and others on his debut.
TMZ Sports recently uploaded a new interview with WWE Superstar John Cena. The interviewer asked some questions about if Cena had reconciled with Nikki Bella, but he didn’t answer them.
When asked if he wanted to marry Nikki, Cena responded by saying “It’s something I would like if the situation is right.” When asked about whether or not he wanted to have kids, Cena admitted that he know would love to be a dad:
“Of course, I would love to be a dad. And by the way, that’s an about-face for me and I realize very much that I have been steadfast in saying that I don’t want children,” Cena said.
“But I’m a little older now, a little wiser. At age 18 we say things different than age 25 and 35. I would love, only because I dedicated my life to my work and now I’m realizing there’s life and it exists and it is beautiful. I think part of that is being a parent and we’ll see. Is that good enough for you?”
Cena was then asked if he’d allow his children to become professional wrestlers. The Leader Of The Cenation said he’d support his children in anything they wanted to do with their lives if they were following their dreams:
“My God, I don’t know what I would do with my life if my parents hadn’t supported my career. So, would I allow my child to chase their dream, essentially is what you’re asking me? I think that’s what life is all about.”
WWE COO Triple H recently did an interview with Mike Johnson of PWInsider to talk about several professional wrestling topics. One such topic was the future of NXT and whether or not fans could expect to see it air on a major network such as FOX or USA, in turn leaving the WWE Network.
After SmackDown Live landed a billion dollar TV deal with FOX, there has been speculation WWE could shop NXT’s broadcasting rights. The Game admitted that he doesn’t know if that’s in the future for the WWE’s developmental program, but wouldn’t rule the possibility out:
“As far as where NXT ends up, as that brand continues to grow, never say never, I guess. For the value of the Network, NXT is a valuable part of the WWE Network. Where it ends up, I don’t know.
“Obviously, that’s a decision that Vince [McMahon] will make and the team here will make strategically as to where everything sits, just as we do everything else in our ecosystem as far as where we put content. It’s a constantly challenging question for us. Good problem to have, right?”
You can read Triple H’s full interview with PWInsider by clicking this link here.
Jeff Jarrett Defeats Rey Mysterio To Win Championship
WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett became AAA Mega Champion after defeating the reigning champion Rey Wagner and former WWE Star Rey Mysterio Jr. in a Triple Threat match during a show this past weekend.
Jarrett made his surprise return to AAA during Verano de Escandalo and entered himself into the title match. He became the champion after the Official for the bout got knocked out and the special guest referee La Parka made the three count.
Parka then went on to reveal himself as Konnan and after this reveal; Jeff became the newest member of Konnan’s faction MAD. It’s worth mentioning here that this is the second reign of Jeff Jarrett with the title after originally winning it back in 2011:
A fan recently posted an ‘on this day’ GIF of last year’s Extreme Rules PPV where the then-Cruiserweight Champion Neville had defeated the current Impact World Champion Austin Aries in a singles match.
The World Champion took notice of this tweet and reflecting on it he said that he would like to face the King Of The Cruiserweights again whenever he is done ‘serving his time’:
Neville is currently inactive after walking out of Raw for being unhappy with his creative direction for a long time. There hasn’t been any update on his situation in recent times and the belief is that the company will have him sit through his contract.
We noted before how WWE Mae Young Classic competitor and former NXT Star Zeda had confirmed the news of her release on Instagram, though it appears she is not the only star the company has let go in the past week or so.
Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that one half of the NXT tag team The Ealy Brothers, Uriel Ealy has also been released sometime in the last week.
The Ealy Brothers signed with WWE back in 2015. They made their debut for the company in May in the same year where the duo competed in a 6 men tag match.
The Milwaukee-born siblings teamed up with Angelo Dawkins to face the team of Rich Swann, Kenneth Crawford, and the Velveteen Dream who was then dubbed as Patrick Clark during their debut, in a losing effort.
Uriel’s last on-screen appearance was in January earlier this year where he had teamed up with his brother to wrestle in a match against TM-61. He then wrestled at several house shows but has been out of action since late March.
It’s unusual for WWE to let go only one of the two brothers, though so far there are not many details available about his release and it’s hard to assume the reason behind this decision. We’ll keep you posted if any other details come to light.
The June 4th episode of WWE RAW aired live from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:
Mahal & Elias Defeated Reigns & Rollins
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
RAW kicked off with an Elias performance. Elias asked the crowd “who wants to walk with Elias?” and the crowd cheered along. He referred to himself as WWE’s most valuable asset and vowed to become the next Intercontinental Champion at Money in the Bank.
Elias boasted about hitting Rollins with his guitar last week as footage of the attack was shown over and over again. Seth Rollins interrupted and hobbled his way down to the ring. Elias stood in the ring with the guitar and dared Rollins to get inside.
Seth circled the ring as the crowd chanted “lets go Rollins!”. Rollins grabbed a steel chair from under the ring and Elias slowly retreated towards the ropes as Seth hopped up to the ring apron. Rollins joined Elias in the ring for a standoff. The two circled each other and then took a swing at the same time.
Rollins hit the guitar out of Elias’ hand and Elias retreated to the corner. Jinder Mahal rushed the ring and attacked Rollins from behind. Roman Reigns came down for the save and beat the hell out of Jinder, Elias and Sunil Singh. RAW GM Kurt Angle came down to the entrance ramp and announced that Mahal & Elias will face Reigns & Rollins in a Tag Team Match right now.
Mahal and Rollins started off the match. Seth decked Jinder with a Dropkick and tagged in Roman. Reigns elbowed Mahal in the face and quickly tagged Seth back in. Mahal drove Seth to the corner, which allowed Elias to tag in and beatdown Rollins. Elias connected with a Clothesline and then applied a Headlock.
Seth eventually broke free, but Jinder was able to tag in and prevent him from tagging out. Rollins finally was able to tag out after throwing Mahal to the outside. Reigns blasted Elias off the ring apron and hit Jinder with a series of Clotheslines in the corner. Roman followed it up with a boot to the face and Elias tagged himself in.
Elias was greeted with a big boot from Reigns. Roman hit Mahal off the ring apron and then went for the Drive By on the ring apron. Sunil pulled Mahal out of the way and Elias connected with a Clothesline to Reigns. RAW went to a commercial break after Elias kneed Reigns in the head outside the ring.
When RAW returned, Elias had Reigns trapped in the corner. He connected with a couple of right hands and then tagged Mahal back in. Jinder delivered an elbow to the head, a knee to the back and then a Headlock. Mahal broke the hold to hit Reigns with a knee to the ribs before tagging Elias back into the match. Elias dropped Roman with an elbow to the face for a two count.
Mahal tagged back in and continued to beatdown Reigns. Jinder went back to the Headlock, but Reigns broke free this time and planted him with a Samoan Drop. Rollins tagged in and connected with a Slingblade to Elias. Seth followed it up with a Blockbuster off the second rope for a two count. Seth connected with the Falcon Arrow and went for the cover. Mahal leaped into the ring to break it up, but was then dropped with a Superman Punch.
Rollins geared up for the Curb Stomp but Sunil jumped up on the apron. Seth shoved him down and Reigns caught him. Mahal used the distraction and launched Roman into the steel steps. Jinder threw Reigns over the barricade, but turned around into a Suicide Dive from Rollins. Seth bashed his head/neck into the barricade during the move. Sunil grabbed a steel chair, but Rollins took it from him and brought it into the ring. Elias planted Rollins with a DDT onto the chair and then the Drift Away for the pinfall victory. Roman and Jinder brawled backstage later on the show.
Baron Corbin Ruined Taco Night & Is Now The Constable Of RAW
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Curt Hawkins came down to the ring with a table of tacos. Hawkins has lost his last 199 matches and vowed not to lose his 200th match. Hawkins said that if he wins tonight, he will give everyone a free taco. Hawkins opponent was “James Harden” from Houston.
Hawkins connected with a massive Clothesline as the crowd chanted “we want tacos!”. Baron Corbin’s music hit and Corbin marched down to the ring. Corbin planted James Harden with End of Days and left the ring. Curt was then disqualified and lost his 200th match in a row.
After the match, Corbin hit Hawkins with a taco in the face and then flipped the table of tacos onto Hawkins. Baron then laughed his way up the entrance ramp and all the way backstage.
Corbin confronted RAW GM Kurt Angle backstage and said that he spoke to Stephanie McMahon recently. Stephanie appointed him the “Constable of RAW” and he will be assisting Angle going forward.
Opinion: There is absolutely nothing interesting on RAW right now. I’m not sure Baron Corbin as the “Constable of RAW” is going to solve that. Corbin reversed a decision later on the show tonight. Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss & Ember Moon battled The Riott Squad. Alexa Bliss abandoned her team and Bayley came down to the ring. Bayley hit the Bayley to Belly on Sarah Logan for the win. Corbin told Angle to reverse the decision because Bayley wasn’t in the match. Angle did what he was told and then Sasha Banks got mad at Bayley for getting involved. Welcome to The Authority, starring Baron Corbin and messages from Stephanie McMahon on RAW.
Natalya faced Nia Jax tonight on RAW. Ronda Rousey joined commentary for the match. Nia started off the match in control and leveled Natalya with a shoulder tackle that sent her tumbling out of the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, Nia Jax was still in control and had Natalya in a Headlock. Natalya broke free with a Jawbreaker and then went for a Body Slam, but she was unable to lift Nia off the ground. Jax responded with a headbutt to the face that knocked Natalya to the corner of the ring.
Natalya connected with a Dropkick to Nia and then knocked her to the canvas with a Clothesline. Natalya’s knee gave out on her as she was running towards the ropes. Nia capitalized and hit the Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Natalya took off her boot and slammed on the mat in pain. Rousey came down to the ring to check on her friend. Jax wanted to check on Natalya as well but Ronda wouldn’t let her. The two started trash talking for a moment and Rousey told her to leave. Ronda then helped Natalya to the back as Nia looked on from inside the ring.
Later on RAW, Nia Jax approached Natalya backstage. Rousey still wouldn’t let Nia Jax talk to her, even after Natalya said that she knew Nia didn’t hurt her on purpose. Ronda and Nia started arguing as Natalya tried to stop them. Natalya finally had enough and hobbled away after telling Jax and Rousey that she needed a minute to herself.
Opinion: This feud has been horrendous. I don’t know what Nia Jax’s character is supposed to be anymore. I’d rather a title match between Ronda Rousey & Nia Jax to not be about Natalya, but that is just me.
Bobby Roode battled Braun Strowman tonight on RAW. Braun threw Roode across the ring to start off the match. Roode went after Strowman’s legs with a few kicks, but Braun shrugged them off and slammed Roode face-first to the canvas.
Roode connected with an elbow to the face and then dodged Strowman as he charged at him. Braun crashed shoulder-first into the ring post and then fell out of the ring. Roode grabbed a ladder from under the ring and set it up from the barricade to the ring apron.
Strowman chased Roode around the ring and then Bobby ducked under the ladder. Roode then taunted Strowman and Braun shut him up by smashing the ladder in half with his two hands. Braun then brought Roode back into the ring and planted him with a Running Powerslam for the pinfall victory.
RAW Tag Team Champions Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy came down to the ring for an interview with Renee Young. Matt asked Renee if she felt like she was woken and Renee said “yep”. Matt asked for a standing ovation from the crowd and they obliged. Wyatt and Hardy then vowed to delete the team that wins the Battle Royal tonight to become the #1 contenders for the RAW Tag Team Championships.
The Battle Royal started out with a brawl between all the teams as Ziggler and McIntyre chuckled on the ring apron. Tyler Breeze eliminated Dolph Ziggler, which meant that McIntyre had to leave the ring too. Dolph and Drew then hit Bo Dallas with a Claymore/Zig Zag as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, The Ascension and Breezango were eliminated by The Revival. Rhyno eliminated Dash Wilder and The Revival were eliminated. Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel teamed up to try to get Rhyno out of the ring. Heath Slater got back up and connected with a knee to Axel’s face.
Heath then lifted up Bo, but accidentally swung him into Rhyno. Rhyno then fell to the floor and The B-Team won the Battle Royal. Axel & Dallas will now face Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy for the RAW Tag Team Championships at WWE Money in the Bank.
Opinion: I don’t get the point of having Ziggler and McIntyre eliminated first, but it happened. This Battle Royal was a train wreck. The only good part of the entire match was Axel’s belly flop celebration after The B-Team won.
Sami Zayn & Bobby Lashley Had Another Embarrassing Promo
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Bobby Lashley came down to the ring and challenged Sami Zayn to join him. Sami’s music hit but Zayn didn’t come out from backstage. Zayn appeared in the crowd and said that there wasn’t a chance that was going to happen.
Zayn noted that the last time he got into a ring with Lashley, Bobby assaulted him by squeezing his hand hard. Sami said that he couldn’t even open his fridge to get the organic tofu steaks that were inside there.
Sami added that he is such a genius performer because he never stops scouting his opponents. Zayn then showed some photos that Lashley posted on Instagram with inspirational quotes on them. Zayn poked fun at the posts and claimed to log into one of his anonymous Instagram accounts to pose as a Lashley fan.
Zayn claimed that Lashley sent him a link to his fan club and of course there was merchandise available to purchase there. Zayn rambled on and on, until he said that maybe Lashley was lying about serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Some of the crowd chanted “USA!” as Lashley tried his best to look angry in the ring.
Opinion: This was so embarrassing for Lashley and Zayn. Lashley cannot even do reacting well in promos. It is not entertaining television in any way. It is not so bad that it is good. It is just trash and I feel bad for Lashley and Zayn that they are stuck in this feud.
Kevin Owens faced Finn Balor tonight on RAW. Owens got out of the ring in the beginning of the match to try and avoid Balor. Owens then pretended he had an injury and asked the referee to keep Finn away from him. Owens used the distraction to attack Balor and apply a Headlock.
Finn broke free and connected with a boot to the face from the apron. Balor climbed to the top rope, but Owens once again rolled out of the ring as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Balor was back in control and he flipped onto Owens outside the ring.
Balor brought Owens back into the ring, but once again Owens tried to escape to the outside. Finn prevented Owens from escaping, but Owens was able to lock in an Arm Bar. Finn broke free and delivered a stomp to Owens’ midsection.
Finn connected with the Slingblade and then a Dropkick that sent Owens flying into the turnbuckle. Balor climbed to the top rope, but Owens shook the ropes and Balor fell crotch-first on the top turnbuckle. Owens stomped on Finn Balor for too long in the corner and the referee disqualified him.
After the match, Owens hit Balor with a Frog Splash off the top rope. Owens grabbed a ladder and brought it into the ring. He set up the ladder and climbed to the top. Owens was going to hit another Frog Splash but climbed down a couple of rungs because he thought he was too high. Balor then got up and dragged Owens down.
Finn Dropkicked Owens to the corner and then hit a massive Coup de Grace off the ladder. Balor then grabbed the MITB briefcase from above the ring and posed with it as RAW went off the air.
Opinion: The main event was short and ended in a DQ. That kind of sums up this entire show. At least the Coup de Grace off the ladder took me back to NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.
This week’s episode of RAW was actually worse than last week’s show. RAW has nothing going for it at all right now. The crowd was dead after the first 30 minutes of the show and next week is the final RAW before WWE Money in the Bank. I don’t expect these storylines to magically become interesting.
What did you think of this week’s episode of RAW? Let us know in the comments below.
