WWE hinted at this match last week and after the events on Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live, the company has confirmed that Daniel Bryan will be facing Big Cass at the Backlash PPV.
Tonight’s episode of the Blue Branded Show was expected to feature a Miz TV segment with the former SmackDown General Manager being the special guest of the talk show.
However, Daniel didn’t come out during the segment when the A-Lister called him out and Big Cass made his way to the ring instead. Cass then proceeded to talk about his own road to recovery and ended the segment by mocking the Yes chants.
Shortly after this, we saw Bryan lying on the ground backstage and it was revealed that the former NXT Star had attacked him from behind before the show started.
Later in the episode, these events were followed by a backstage interview of Daniel Bryan who revealed that he asked for a match against Big Cass at Backlash and his wish was granted by the new GM Paige:
The April 24th episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. It was the final episode of SmackDown before WWE Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday.
Big Cass Vowed To Retire Daniel Bryan Once Again, Match Announced For WWE Backlash
The Miz kicked off this week’s SmackDown with an episode of Miz TV. Miz told the crowd to shut up and welcome him back to SmackDown. The Miz said that the A-lister is now back on SmackDown and it has become the “A” show once again.
The Miz vowed to win the Intercontinental Championship back at Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday. Miz said that his guest is a man that has held a grudge against him since Talking Smack two years ago. Miz joked that Talking Smack got canceled after The Miz went to RAW.
Miz brought up the birth of his daughter and said that he knew that he had to be a better man. He claimed that all the anger he felt towards melted away in that moment. Miz wondered why the same thing didn’t happen to Bryan and suggested that he might not have a great bond with his daughter.
The Miz asked Daniel Bryan to come down to the ring and punch him in the face. The crowd chanted for Daniel Bryan as The Miz waited in the ring. Big Cass’ music hit and Cass came down to the ring with a suit on. Cass held his fist in the entire all the way down the entrance ramp and finally dropped it before getting in the ring.
Big Cass asked The Miz to interview him now that he doesn’t have a guest. Cass claimed that nobody cares about Daniel Bryan and his comeback. Big Cass noted that he worked 24/7 to comeback from his injury, but wound up getting cleared on the same day as Daniel Bryan. That resulted in nobody talking about Big Cass and him living in the shadow of that “little man”.
The Miz said that he didn’t need any help with Daniel Bryan and Cass replied that not everything in the world is about The Miz. Miz rattled off his accomplishments and Big Cass threatened to shut him for good.
Cass went on a rant about Daniel Bryan and claimed that he looked like his garbage man. He stated that instead of picking up trash on Tuesday’s, he comes here and feeds it to the WWE Universe. Cass said that he once was an ordinary Joe Shmoe like Daniel Bryan and it sucked. Cass said that when he grew to be 7 ft tall, he went back to everyone that picked on him and kicked their ass.
Big Cass said he is better than Bryan because he is tall, educated and “damn good looking”. He added that makes him valuable, a star and money. Cass complained about still living in the shadow of Daniel Bryan, but vowed that will not last for long. Big Cass then vowed to retire Daniel Bryan once again, so that nobody will ever have to live in Bryan’s shadow again.
Asuka and Becky Lynch stumbled upon Daniel Bryan backstage. He had been attacked and WWE officials shouted for somebody to get the trainer.
Later on the show, Daniel Bryan was interviewed backstage. Bryan said that it was Big Cass who attacked him earlier in the night. Daniel announced that he talked to Paige and she granted him a match against Big Cass at WWE Backlash. Bryan noted that he will be ready for Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday and said that it doesn’t matter how tall you are because everyone is the same size when they are tapping out on the mat.
Opinion: Big Cass is already way better at promos than he was before his injury. He was great tonight, and his overly smug persona is entertaining. I think this feud is a great idea for SmackDown. Daniel Bryan will bring out the best in Big Cass and get the crowd to truly despise him. Big Cass needed to make an impact upon returning from injury and he has successfully accomplished that.
The IIconics Defeated Becky Lynch & Asuka
Photo Credit: WWE.com
The IIconics came down to the ring and mocked Becky Lynch and Asuka. Peyton Royce did an absolutely ridiculous impression of Becky Lynch that was pretty funny. Billie Kay called Asuka “The Empress of Yesterday” before Becky and Asuka finally interrupted and came down to the ring for a tag match.
Peyton Royce controlled the beginning of the match and beatdown Becky Lynch. Becky battled back and connected with a forearm to the face. Becky followed it up with an Exploder Suplex to Royce and Peyton rolled across the ring to tag in Billie Kay.
Billie Kay beatdown Becky for a moment and then Royce hit Becky with a cheap shot to her arm. Becky finally fought out of the corner and hit Billie Kay with a Clothesline. Peyton Royce and Asuka tagged in. Asuka hit the Hip Attack on Kay to knock her off the apron. Asuka planted Royce with a German Suplex and then dropped her with a Hip Attack.
Becky tagged back in and delivered a Leg Drop to Royce. Billie Kay rolled into the ring and then ran away when she saw Asuka looking at her. Becky inadvertently bumped into Asuka and knocked her off the apron. Royce slammed Becky into the ring post and then used her feet on the ropes to pin her.
Naomi Distracted The Bludgeon Brothers & Jimmy Uso Capitalized
Jimmy Uso and Naomi had a conversation backstage. Jimmy asked Naomi not to come out there tonight. Naomi said that she has a bad feeling about tonight and that she looked into Harper & Rowan’s eyes and saw nothing last week.
Rowan battled Jimmy Uso tonight on SmackDown. Rowan hit a Dropkick right away and followed it up with a couple of headbutts. Harper then delivered a big boot to Jey Uso outside the ring.
Jimmy Uso hit a Crossbody off the top for a two count and then climbed up the turnbuckle once again. Rowan shoved Jimmy off the turnbuckle and he crashed into the barricade surrounding the ring. Rowan got out of the ring and hit Jimmy with a running Clothesline.
Rowan lifted Jimmy onto his shoulders and Naomi’s music hit. Naomi started dancing on the entrance ramp as Harper and Rowan looked on. Jey Uso capitalized on the distraction and Dropkicked Harper into the steel steps. Jimmy then connected with a Superkick to Rowan and rolled him up for the pinfall victory.
The Bludgeon Brothers will defend their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The Usos this Friday at WWE Greatest Royal Rumble.
Carmella & Charlotte Made Their Title Match Official For WWE Backlash
Renee Young introduced SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella for a contract signing. Carmella will defend the title against Charlotte at WWE Backlash. Carmella grabbed the microphone from Renee Young and complained about being introduced first as the champion. Carmella added that this isn’t Charlotte’s kingdom anymore, it is hers.
Carmella pointed the crowd and said that she was their champion. The crowd booed and Carmella said that they are only booing because they will never know what it is like to be a champion like her. She got pissed off about nobody giving her a standing ovation last week after her highlight reel. The crowd chanted “you suck!” as Carmella claimed that she was going to play the same exact highlight reel and that when it is over, everyone will be standing on their on feet giving her the ovation she deserves.
The crowd once again booed after the highlight reel was shown. Carmella scolded the crowd and said that she was going to play the video again and that everyone will give her a standing ovation.
Charlotte interrupted during the highlight reel and made her way down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Charlotte took a seat at the desk in the ring as Carmella paraded around with the title and shouted that she is the champ.
Carmella did the Flair strut and posed with the title as Renee Young pleaded with her to take a seat. Carmella finally did so and Charlotte signed the contract and shouted “woo!”. Carmella got up and raised the title in Charlotte’s face. Charlotte grabbed her and bouned her head off the table and then shoved the desk over on top of her.
Opinion: I thought this segment was hilarious. Carmella was awesome during this promo and did a great job of getting under everyone’s skin in the crowd.
Sunil Singh Attacked Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy was set to face Shelton Benjamin tonight on SmackDown. Randy Orton interrupted and took Jeff’s place in the match, Jeff did the same to Orton last week on SmackDown.
Benjamin controlled the match early and booted him in the chest a few times on the ring apron. Orton fell to the floor outside the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned. the action was back in the ring and Benjamin was still in control.
Orton tried to battle back but Shelton caught him with a spin kick for a two count as Jeff Hardy was shown watching the match from ringside. Orton connected with a Belly to Back Suplex and followed it up with a couple of Clotheslines.
Randy planted Benjamin with a Powerslam and Shelton rolled to the ring apron. Orton grabbed him and hit the DDT while Benjamin was hung up in the ropes. Orton geared up for the RKO, but Shelton rolled out of the ring to avoid it.
Orton followed Benjamin out there and went to threw him into Jeff Hardy. Jeff leaped out of his chair and Orton elected to slam Shelton on top of the table. Sunil Singh in a mask then took out Jeff Hardy’s knee ringside. Orton ripped off Sunil’s mask and planted him with an RKO. Benjamin capitalized on the distraction and planted Orton with the Paydirt for the pinfall victory.
Jeff Hardy will defend his United States Championship against Jinder Mahal at WWE Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday.
Shinsuka Nakamura Got The Better Of AJ Styles Once Again
AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson battled Shinsuke Nakamura, Aiden English & Rusev in a 6-man tag match in tonight’s main event. Nakamura had new heel theme music, it was the same beat but with lyrics now.
Styles and Nakamura started off the match. Shinsuke quickly tagged out of the match, but Styles was able to connect with a punch that knocked Nakamura off the ring apron. Styles brought Aiden to the corner and tagged in Luke Gallows. Luke connected with a Splash and then tagged in Anderson. Rusev ran into the ring but was greeted with a big boot to the face as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, WWE Champion AJ Styles was trapped in the ring and English had him in a Chin Lock. Aiden slammed AJ to the mat and then tagged in Nakamura as a video promo for Greatest Royal Rumble aired during the match.
Nakamura continued the beatdown on Styles for a bit before tagging Rusev into the match. Rusev quickly tagged English back in and Aiden applied a Chin Lock again. Styles broke free and planted him with a Dropkick.
Rusev tagged in and AJ greeted him with a Pele Kick. AJ tagged in Gallows and he dropped English with a boot. Gallows followed it up with a Pump Handle Slam and shouted “nerd!” at English. Nakamura tagged in as Rusev and English were knocked out of the ring. Shinsuke booted Gallows in the back of the knee and then hit the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Shinsuke Nakamura posed in the ring. Styles attacked him, but Nakamura dropped him with another low-blow. Shinsuke geared up in the corner and went for the Kinshasa, but Karl Anderson leaped in the way and took the Kinshasa.
Shinsuke set up Anderson for the Kinshasa as AJ crawled towards Anderson. Nakamura connected with the Kinshasa to Anderson as AJ couldn’t crawl over in time to block it.
Opinion: Nakamura’s new theme is excellent. It prevents the crowd from singing along and the music completely fits his character right now. I was disappointed by the match between Styles and Nakamura at WrestleMania 34. However, Nakamura has become a very entertaining heel on SmackDown following WrestleMania. I’m looking forward to their match at Greatest Royal Rumble and hopefully this feud continues for on after Friday.
Overall, SmackDown was a very good show tonight. What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.
The April 24th edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY, and was the go-home show for Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.
– This week’s broadcast opens up with a graphic in memory of Bruno Sammartino, and the fans in the building chant his name. Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Corey Graves welcome us to the KFC Yum! Center for this week’s SmackDown.
– The Miz comes out first to kick off tonight’s show with Miz TV. The Miz gets on the mic and declares that The A-Lister has returned to SmackDown, and it’s now the A-Show again. The Miz says all he’s missing is his Intercontinental Title, but he’ll get that back at Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble. The Miz talks about how he elevated the IC Title, and then starts trashing Daniel Bryan. Miz calls out Daniel Bryan, but Bryan doesn’t come out, and Big Cass comes out instead.
Cass comes out to the ring and says it looks like the Miz needs a guest, so here he is. Cass says no one gives a damn about Daniel Bryan, and Cass starts talking about his own road to returning to the ring after injury. The Miz and Cass start exchanging words, and then Cass continues trashing Bryan. Cass says he’s tall, educated and good looking, which makes him valuable in WWE. Cass says he’s going to beat Bryan and retire him, then mocks the “yes” chants and drops the mic. Cass walks off as The Miz looks on.
– Asuka and Becky are backstage getting ready to come out for their match next.
– We see Daniel Bryan laying on the ground, which explains why he didn’t come out for Miz TV. Bryan is clutching his arm and selling his injury. Referees check on him and call for help.
– The Iconics come down to the ring and get on mics. Peyton and Bilie talk about how good they look on the big screen, and they trash Becky and Asuka. They say Asuka and Becky are the past, and they are the future. Becky’s entrance music hits, and we have a match.
– Asuka & Becky Lynch vs. The Iconics: Becky takes control of this one early on after hitting a forearm shot on Billie. Billie misses a shot in the corner and Becky kicks her down. Becky follows up with a t-bone suplex, then Peyton tags in and Becky goes after her next. Peyton starts fighting back and chokes Becky across the middle rope. Asuka and Billie get the tags and Asuka cleans house. Peyton runs in but Becky takes her out, then Becky tags in. Billie shoves Becky into Asuka and knocks Asuka down to the floor. Billie and Peyton now double team Becky in the corner, which leads to Billie pinning Becky with her feet on the ropes for the win.
Winners: The Iconics
– Billie and Peyton celebrate the win as they retreat from ringside and run up the ramp.
– AJ Styles walks out of Shane McMahon’s office backstage and does an interview with Renee Young. AJ talks about looking forward to Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble, and he says he just learned of a 6-man tag match for later tonight. AJ indicates that Shane has booked Nakamura & Rusev Day against AJ Styles and two partners of his choosing. AJ says his partners will be “too sweet.”
– We go to Tom Phillips at ringside who promotes this Friday’s show.
– We go backstage to The Usos and Naomi in the locker room. Jimmy makes Naomi promise not to come out during one of his matches again, but she doesn’t agree. She says she saw nothing in Rowan and Harper’s eyes last week, and she has a bad feeling about this. Uso says they’ll get their Tag Titles back on Friday and tell her not to worry about it.
– We see a Make-A-Wish promotional video and some people from the organization sitting in the front row.
– Rowan vs. Jimmy Uso: The opening bell sounds and this one spills outside early on. Jimmy and Rowan brawl on the floor before Jimmy takes things back in the ring and hits a flying cross body off the top rope. Jimmy kicks Rowan, and then goes back up top, but Rowan shoves Jimmy off the top rope all the way down to the ringside floor. Rowan follows him outside and hits a big clothesline on the floor. Rowan starts beating down Jimmy until Naomi’s music and light show hit and she dances on the ramp. Jey comes out of nowhere and attacks Harper at ringside, and then Jimmy attacks Rowan from behind and rolls him up to steal the three count.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
– Jimmy, Jey and Naomi run up the ramp and celebrate the win. Rowan and Harper are in the ring staring up at them and they’re not happy.
– Still to come: Rusev Day & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
– Renee Young is the ring with a table for a contract signing with Carmella and Charlotte. SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella comes out first. Carmella takes the mic and says it’s unacceptable for the Champion to be introduced before the challenger, and starts cutting a promo on Charlotte. Carmella introduces a video package about her win, and then she plays it again and admonishes the fans for not respecting her. Carmella says she’s going to play the video over and over until they get it right, and then Charlotte interrupts. Flair sits down and signs the contract first, and exchanges words with Carmella. They get in each others’ faces and it appears Carmella hasn’t signed the contract yet. This leads to Charlotte slamming Carmella’s face on the table and then throwing the table on top of her. Flair walks off as Carmella scrambles to her feet with the Title belt.
– Dasha Fuentes is backstage knocking on Shinsuke Nakamura’s locker room door, but Aiden English answers and says no interviews.
– WWE United States Champion Jeff Hardy is backstage walking towards the gorilla position.
– Shelton Benjamin vs. Randy Orton: Jeff Hardy comes out, but Randy Orton interrupts his entrance and walks past him to the ring. The opening bell sounds and they lock up, and Shelton takes it to the corner. They fight back and forth, and Orton looks for the RKO early on but he avoids it. Shelton starts putting the boots to Orton and works him over in the corner. Orton comes back and dumps Shelton outside, then brings him up on the apron. Orton looks for the middle rope DDT, but Shelton fights out and turns it around. Shelton hits a series of kicks and takes control of the match as Jeff Hardy watches. Orton mounts a comeback and successfully hits the middle rope DDT on Shelton. Orton looks for the RKO, but Shelton rolls out to ringside. They fight in front of Jeff Hardy, and Orton hits a back suplex on Shelton on the announce table. Back in the ring, Orton continues beating on Shelton, and a masked man runs in and attacks Jeff Hardy at ringside. The masked man gets in the ring, and Orton rips his mask off to reveal Sunil Singh. Orton gives Singh an RKO, and then Shelton grabs Orton and hits his finishing move for the three count.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
– The New Day is backstage about to feast on pancakes and cereal. They promomote their new “Book of Booty.” Sheamus and Cesaro walk in and interrupt, and they talk about winning the tag titles on Friday. Sheamus says they have no competition on SmackDown, and The New Day tells them to get lost. They mock Sheamus and Cesaro’s “we are the bar” catch phrase.
– AJ Styles is backstage warming up when Gallow and Anderson walk in. They all hug, and AJ tells them this is where they all need to be.
– Daniel Bryan walks out of the trainer’s office backstage and does an interview with Renee Young. He says he’ll be fine for the Greatest Royal Rumble on Friday, and says Big Cass is a coward for attacking him from behind earlier. Bryan says he talked to Paige, and she’s going to give him a shot at Big Cass. Bryan says it doesn’t matter how big you are if you’re on the mat with him tapping out.
– AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev & Aiden English: English comes out to sing Rusev’s entrance, and Nakamura has a new entrance. AJ wants to start off with Nakamura, but he gets English instead. AJ takes English back to his corner, and then tags in Anderson and Gallows who take turns beating on English. Gallows, Anderson and AJ clear the ring and stare down their opponents on the floor. The referee restores order and Rusev and AJ are now going at it in the ring. Rusev hits a big boot on AJ, then English tags in and continues the offense on the Champion. Nakamura comes in now and continues working over AJ with kicks. Rusev comes in and beats down AJ in the corner then hits a powerslam. Rusev follows up with an elbow drop, and then tags English back in for a double team attack. Gallows finally gets the tag and he cleans house. He beats down English, then Rusev runs in and he throws Rusev outside. Gallows boots English outside next, and then Nakamura attacks Gallows from behind. It appears Nakamura got the blind tag before Gallows threw English outside, and Nakamura hits the Kinshasa on Gallows for the three count.
Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev and Aiden English
– After the match, AJ immediately hits the ring and attacks Nakamura. Nakamura comes back with a low blow on AJ, then he looks for the Kinshasa but Anderson intercepts it. Nakamura hits Anderson with a Kinshasa, and then retreats as AJ watches. Nakamura heads up the ramp as AJ checks on Anderson in the ring and SmackDown goes off the air.
Monday’s 4/23 edition of WWE RAW averaged 3,104,000 viewers, a sharp decline from the previous week’s Superstar Shake-Up edition, which had 3,622,000 million viewers.
This was the least-watched episode of RAW in 6 weeks, a sign that interest from WrestleMania season is leveling off.
RAW featured hype for Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble special, including an in-ring confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman terrorizing Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, the formation of Dolph Ziggler and Drew Galloway’s new tag team, Seth Rollins & Finn Balor teaming together again and Ronda Rousey getting physical with Mickie James .
Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
Hour 1: 3,283,000
Hour 2: 3,210,000
Hour 3: 2,819,000
Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from this week’s RAW:
The Shield, which featured Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns, was a different kind of stable that was created with NXT Superstars.
The group teamed together for a few years until WWE decided to split them up June 2014, after which Reigns entered singles competition. Ever since the group split up, fans have turned on Reigns despite him being portrayed as a babyface.
During the interview, he was asked about a potential feud with Reigns and if he thinks Reigns can beat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at the upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event.
“I would love to see Roman take down Brock Lesnar and bring the Universal Championship to RAW. It would be a huge coup for our television show, the live events, for everything. I’m team Roman 100 percent. I’m not worried about my position or the Intercontinental championship. I know what I bring to the table and what the Intercontinental title brings to the table. I think having Roman with the Universal title on RAW every week will only add to the show and the prestige we do every week.”
“I’d absolutely love to get into the ring again with Roman. Without a doubt, he’s one of the top competitors in the entire world and being in the ring with him, whenever any of the SHIELD guys are in the ring at the same time, there’s a special feeling involved. We’ve had some very classic matchups in the past and we’ve gone back and forth before. I think it would be a great time and I’m certainly up for the challenge and I’m certain he would be too.”
When The Shield first made their way onto WWE television, they were an instant hit with the fans. From the way that they looked at how they worked in the ring to their promos.
Just late last year, Reigns, Ambrose, and Rollins had a short-lived Shield reunion on WWE television.
“Getting back with Dean and Roman was incredible in itself. We had the band back together and we were ready for a few months run, and then things happen. That’s just the nature of the business and life, really. You can’t plan for those things. We had that six-man tag match against The New Day at Survivor Series, which was a lot of fun. I think all three of us would like to have another opportunity to have that classic six-man, but at the end of the day it afforded us some crazy opportunities. We teamed with Kurt Angle in that wild TLC match, and then teaming with Triple H on the European tour. Who would have thought you’d see those guys in SHIELD gear? It’s a super interesting situation that didn’t start the way we wanted, but it ended up pretty cool and had some cool moments.”
When asked about his finisher, The Curbstomp, being banned after using it for the majority of his career in WWE up until a few years ago, Rollins expressed his happiness with the move being back. “You know, I can’t divulge the entire story. Maybe some other time. It’ll be good for a DVD or a Network special or something like that. I will say that I was very happy to see it come back. It wasn’t a long-term plan, I knew way in advance, but I was happy to get it back. That is another thing this year that really put me on a very good trajectory. It felt good, man. The surprise in the audience and the reaction I got online was really cool, too. I’m glad to take it around the world now, it’s been a good experience.”
What are your thoughts on Rollins’ comments? Sound off in the comment section below.
The Beast Brock Lesnar is set to defend his Universal Championship inside a Steel Cage against Roman Reigns at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia this Friday. It turns out, his advocate Paul Heyman will not be at his side, per a report from PWInsider.
With reports suggesting that Lesnar could drop the title to Reigns in Saudi Arabia, this should make things very interesting indeed when Lesnar and Heyman return to WWE TV if he loses the title.
What Happened After Monday Night RAW?
Originally, the dark match advertised for last night’s Monday Night RAW in St. Louis, Missouri was a Six Man Tag Team match between Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins against Sheamus, Cesaro and Samoa Joe .
That match, of course, didn’t happen because Sheamus, Cesaro, and Joe are now on SmackDown Live following the Superstar Shake-Up. RAW went off-air with Ronda Rousey helping Natalya to the backstage area and that’s where the show ended for the live crowd as well.
Back in 2015 an incident occurred on WWE Network’s “Swerved” in which, allegedly, Titus O’Neil got very upset after being shocked by WWE Superstar Paige, and proceeded to kick the camera out of cameraman Donald Anderson’s hand, injuring him in the process.
PWInsider reports that Anderson is filing a lawsuit against O’Neil and the WWE in the state of Florida, after finding success in transitioning the case out of California – where the lawsuit was originally attempted to be filed. He is seeking $15,000 in damages in addition to whatever punitive damages the Pasco County of Florida orders as well.
Originally, the lawsuit in California sought $1.2 million in damages – that’s an expensive hand. The lawsuit also claims O’Neil “was known by WWE as possessing significant anger management issues.” It should also be noted that the original lawsuit filed in California suggested Anderson received medical bills up to $150,000, while the new one in Florida mentions no such thing.
It seems that Chyna’s ex-manager, Anthony Anzaldo, has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money in attempt to land a Hollywood Forever Cemetary plot for the late former WWE Intercontinental Champion. The goal amount on the GoFundMe is $25,000:
“I have had the honor of sharing my home with Chyna’s urn for the past two years. Friday, April 20 is the 2 year anniversary of her passing. However, I think the time has come for all of her fans to be able to come and visit her. I would like to place her urn and lay her to rest in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA., I really think she would love it there. There are several celebrities buried there and placing her right next to Judy Garland would make Chyna happy I’m sure.
“She Loved The Wizard Of Oz. To be clear, 1/2 of Chyna’s ashes were laid to rest 3 miles due west in the Pacific Ocean off of Esplanade and Avenue A in Redondo Beach. 1/4 was given to her Mother and in this urn is another 1/4 of Chyna’s ashes. I am raising only the money to buy the plot and get the chapel for a 1 hour memorial. I would like to have this take place as soon as possible within the next 45-60 days. All donations (any amount) graciously accepted. This burial spot will be for the fans by the fans.”
Jan LaQue, Chyna’s mother, commented on the post and stated that Anzaldo has no legal right to be in possession of Chyna’s remains but admits she allowed him to keep 3/4 of them with the agreement they’d be spread in the Pacific Ocean:
“As CHYNA’s mother and sole beneficiary, technically and legally, I own these ashes that Anthony is talking about. And he has no right to even have them let alone decide how to dispose of them. I allowed him to keep 3/4 of them initially with the understanding and agreement on his part that all 3/4 of them would be scattered in the Pacific ocean. He was NOT supposed to keep any of them back. Obviously that didn’t happen. I have had enough dealings with Anthony Anzaldo to know that he could care less about Chyna’s fans.
“His sole interest is in himself, making money off of others, and making himself look good. Be ware of giving his campaign any money. Obviously I will be contacting go fund me and an attorney, if I need to, to shut this down. PLEASE don’t donate to this Go Fund me. IT IS A SCAM. Anthony was supposed to scatter all of the ashes that he had of my daughter’s in the Pacific Ocean. Obviously he lied about that. Technically and legally, any of the ashes he has now belong to me, as my daughter’s sole beneficiary.
“This is nothing more than a scam to get your money from you. I can tell you story after story about Anthony and my dealings with him and how he treated me and my attorneys. STAY AWAY FROM THIS GUY. He is a snake. He never really cared about CHYNA. Only what he could make off her – and now even in her death. I know for a fact that she fired him before her death. Save your money. Donate to a reputable animal rescue which Chyna would love.”
Anzaldo responded and doubled down by saying that he is not trying to scam anyone, and accused Jan of being hateful for reasons beyond him:
“This is not a scam. This is very real. This is both for Chyna and her fans. Her Mother, who didn’t see her for 30 years, is hateful for reasons beyond me. I will not engage, but I can assure everyone that I have the legal right to do with what I wish with the 1/4 remains that I have a permit to own authorized by the State Of California. 1/2 of her remains were spread in the Pacific Ocean and 1/4 his with her Mother. Those are the facts. Chyna would love to be visited by her fans next to one of her idols, don’t let the haters be the gate keepers.”
Jan fired back with an extremely lengthy response:
“In spite of what Anthony says, I can assure you that this is a scam. I have saved every single email from Joanie before she died and also spoken with a WWE wrestling star who told me directly that he knew that Anthony was fired by Joanie before she died. In fact, he told me that Anthony even told him that!!. She hated Anthony and would NEVER have wanted Anthony to do what he is proposing to do. I am not hateful. Actually I’m far from it. I just hate the idea that Anthony continues to try to scam others out of money by playing the “friend” role. It’s just not true. I have hundreds of emails to prove what I’m saying.
“Also, my attorneys, both here in NC and CA, have told me on several occasions what kind of person Anthony is and how horribly Anthony treated them. NOW – TO BE CLEAR, I have in several documents in my possession regarding Joanie’s remains. First is a cremation purchase receipt from Best Cremation Care of CA, in which there was a permit issued to cremate her remains. There was no permit issued for ownership to Anthony Anzaldo. In fact, also in my possession is a signed by me and notarized letter dated April 22, 2016, addressed to whom it may concern, which authorizes Anthony Anzaldo to make certain decisions with regard to Joanie’s remains including release of her body by the LA coroner, election of a cremation facility, and funeral/memorial services.
“The restrictions to these decisions are/were as follows: Anthony was to review any plan for cremation and funeral services with me prior to execution for family approval. In addition, Anthony was to arrange for Joan’s ashes to be sent to me in North Carolina. Further the letter of authorization extended to my daughter’s personal effects. Anthony was to gain access to Joanie’s living quarters and excess monies and personal affects be forwarded to me. This letter also clearly states that ALL decisions of Anthony Anzaldo shall be binding up me after my written approval of the decisions. Well, that never happened. Anthony just went on his merry way acting like he was this big shot, and calling all the shots and decisions without getting my approval in writing for anything.
“There was nothing ever in writing signed and notarized by me approving of any of Anthony’s decisions, including that celebration service he held for her in which he just made a decision to give away Joanie’s cello which, under CA law, was legally my property as I was/am her sole beneficiary. Nor is there anything in writing at this point with regards to his big GOFUNDME campaign now and his right to even have these ashes let alone make a decision on what to do with them. As usual, he is trying to pull something over on the fans. And for the record, anyone who wants to discuss anything with me regarding Anthony’s deceptiveness, has only to go on facebook and message me. I will certainly reply back. Also, for the record, I’m going to contact the police and file whatever I need to file with regard to Anthony’s latest actions and the ashes.”
Braun Strowman is perhaps the biggest fan-favorite on Monday Night RAW right now, but despite this, WWE continues to push Roman Reigns in the Universal Title picture. Strowman has challenged Brock Lesnar in the past and actually gave The Beast a run for his money – but ultimately the former UFC heavyweight champion retained.
Now Reigns is expected to be the one to finally dethrone Lesnar, and that could happen as soon as this Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia. Per a report from Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer, there seems to be a difference of opinion amongst those in creative regarding Strowman.
Meltzer reports that some believe Strowman is better off not being champion right now. WWE officials know Strowman is their post popular guy and there are some people who think he should be champion and the one to defeat Lesnar.
He also speculated that perhaps WWE changes course and allows Strowman to be the one to defeat Lesnar, and Reigns needs to be a heel because he isn’t at the level of John Cena in regards to merchandise sales. Meltzer also noted he’s not a fan of the “lame” Get These Hands phrase, but admits fans are eating it up.
Discussion: Should WWE pull the plug on the Roman Reigns experiment and shift their focus on Braun Strowman?
Former WWE Champion Dean Ambrose has been out-of-action since last December with a tricep tear. He was initially given a recovery time of 9 months. Ambrose was replaced at WrestleMania Axxess by WWE Hall Of Famer Sting and Ric Flair.
PWInsider is reporting that Ambrose was spotted in Birmingham, Alabama last week and is still undergoing physical therapy to return. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…
Discussion: What would you like to see Ambrose do upon his return from injury? Should he come back to RAW or SmackDown Live?
WWE Hall Of Famer At WWE Performance Center
PWInsider is also reporting that WWE Hall Of Famer Edge is in Orlando, Florida visiting the WWE Performance Center. There’s currently no word on what The Rated-R Superstar is doing at the PC, he could be helping talent or simply visiting, but we’ll let you know more as that news become available.
WWE is going all out for their upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event that takes place this Friday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah International Stadium and will air on the WWE Network.
Baron Corbin recently spoke with Brian Fritz of Sporting News to promote this show. Corbin has been slowly but surely pushed as an important member of the main roster while under contract with WWE since 2012.
He is the winner of the third annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32 and won the Money in the Bank match in 2016 for a WWE Championship opportunity. As a result, he became the third wrestler to fail to win his cash-in match.
Corbin is slated to compete in the upcoming Royal Rumble match and he believes that this feels like a WrestleMania caliber event.
“It definitely does. The magnitude of this is insane. It’s crazy to comprehend because I haven’t been over there yet to see the building, the arena, and the atmosphere of the people. When you get to WrestleMania and you’re walking around, you just feel that energy from the people in streets and in restaurants and buildings. Everywhere you go, everyone is on that energy level with you. They’re excited for the show and they’re excited for every part of it. I’m excited to get to Jeddah and experience that energy that the people are going to have. I think that elevates it and that makes it have that WrestleMania mentality. It’s unbelievable what we’re doing. Then you look at the card — a 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble match — when you look at the magnitude of the matches. You have a Casket Match between ‘Taker and Rusev. Like, that’s crazy. When was the last time we had a Casket Match? It’s been a little while, so we’re breaking out a lot of big things for this. I can only imagine that it’s going to reach the level of WrestleMania.” “(laughs) All I can really do is laugh because I have no idea. I have no idea how this is going to go. I was in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania and we started with 30 guys standing in the ring and I was like “holy moley, I can’t even move”. I just started swinging at everybody. I don’t know how the structure for this is going to be. Are we starting with guys in? Are we going every 60 seconds? 90 seconds? How close to the Royal Rumble are we going? I have no idea. I’m just going to have to have my head on a swivel and see what it throws at me and just but I know it’s going to be madness, that’s for sure.”
The sports entertainment company held this year’s Superstar Shake-Up on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live last week. WWE moved Corbin from SmackDown Live to RAW. “You know, it was kind of bittersweet. I feel like we were really building something amazing at “SmackDown Live” and you get into a routine. My week has been completely screwed up this week because I keep thinking I’m a day ahead of what I actually am. I woke up this morning getting ready to take the trash out and I was like ah, it’s not Friday yet, it’s Thursday because I came home on Tuesday. My internal clock is out of whack. That’s taking some adjusting. I think as far as my career, it’s the correct move for me. I think it’s the correct path, the correct place to go because you’ve got guys over there who will elevate you to a whole other level. AJ Styles is amazing and I think we’ve had some amazing matches, especially when I took the United States Championship off him. That was amazing and it did a lot for my career but I want to get over and mix it up with guys like Roman Reigns. He’s unbelievable. I’m looking forward to his Cage Match with Brock (Lesnar) in Saudi Arabia on Friday. It’s gonna be a war. If you saw what they did at ‘Mania, I can’t imagine how physical it’s going to get. But I want to go and stand toe-to-toe with a guy like Roman or Brock or Seth Rollins. I think there’s unbelievable competitors on “RAW” and people look at “RAW” and say that’s the primetime, it’s the jewel of WWE. I want to be in those conversations — who are our top guys? Who’s the guy that can lead WWE into the future? I want my name in that conversation. I think “RAW” is a place I can solidify that.”
What are your thoughts on Corbin’s comments? Sound off in the comment section below.
The debate about whether or not WWE Chairman Vince McMahon should bring back Hulk Hogan to the sports entertainment company continues.
Hogan’s latest run with the WWE was a short one. On February 24, 2014, on Raw, Hogan made his first WWE in-ring appearance since December 2007 to hype the launch of the WWE Network.
At WrestleMania 30, Hogan served as the host and came out at the start of the show to hype up the crowd. Steve Austin and The Rock ended up coming out to have a memorable segment with him. However, he was later fired over racist remarks made in a leaked sex tape.
WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg recently appeared on CBS Sports’ In This Corner Podcast. During the interview, he was asked about the potential return of Hogan to the WWE. Here is what he had to say:
“Oh, that’s not for me to judge. I think everybody deserves a second chance. I think you put [Hogan] in the locker room and give him the floor and let him speak his mind. That’s what he deserves. Who knows what happens from there but it’s not for me to say by any means. I can just give you my opinion and say that he deserves the floor and who knows where it goes from there.”
What are your thoughts on Hogan returning to the WWE? Is it the right time? Sound off in the comment section below.
Following the excellent shows during WrestleMania weekend earlier this month, EVOLVE is gearing up for their next round of events.
EVOLVE 104 is slated to take place on May 19th in the Chicago area while EVOLVE 105 is set to go down on May 20th in the Detroit area.
The promotion announced several matches for EVOLVE 104 on Monday via their newsletter including the main events.
WWN Champion Austin Theory with Priscilla Kelly will defend against DJZ and EVOLVE Champion Matt Riddle vs. the returning Shane Strickland in a non-title match will be the other half of the double main event
For those who plan on attending this event, you can buy tickets here. Below is the updated card for EVOLVE 104: WWN Championship Match: Austin Theory with Priscilla Kelly defends vs. DJZ
Non-Title Match: EVOLVE Champion Matt Riddle vs. Shane Strickland
Keith Lee vs. James Drake
Tracy Williams vs. Dominic Garrini with Stokely Hathaway
AR Fox with The Skulk vs. Zachary Wentz
Matt Knicks, Stevie Fierce & Isaias Velazquez vs. J.Spade, Amarok & Jonny Flex
Do you plan on watching this upcoming event? Sound off in the comment section below.
Earlier this month in New Orleans Brock Lesnar successfully retained his Universal Title at WrestleMania 34 against Roman Reigns. Many were expecting The Big Dog to take his place atop the WWE mountain and be the one to finally defeat The Beast. That wasn’t the case, as Lesnar hit a sixth F5 on a bloody Reigns to retain the strap.
Soon after it was announced that Reigns would get a second crack at the title inside a Steel Cage in Saudi Arabia at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Last night on RAW Reigns confronted Lesnar and vowed to return to the United States with the Universal Title.
There has been a ton of speculation on why Reigns didn’t win the title at WrestleMania. Some report that Vince McMahon called an audible in the middle of the match and decided to change the finish. Reigns was receiving a poor reaction in New Orleans and it’s believed the Saudi Arabian crowd will get behind him against Lesnar.
Whether this is the plan or not is still undecided, as Cageside Seats reports WWE has yet to decide if Lesnar or Reigns will walk out of the Greatest Royal Rumble with the Universal Championship.
Discussion: Who do you think will walk out of Saudi Arabia with the Universal Championship?
This Friday, WWE presents The Greatest Royal Rumble live from Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City stadium. It’s scheduled to be an absolutely stacked show, including an historic 50-man Royal Rumble match, seven championship matches and in-ring appearances from The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and many more.
The Greatest Royal Rumble is the first event as part of a new long-term partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Amidst all the hype, controversy has been brewing: despite WWE championing a women’s empowerment movement in recent years, women have been excluded from the event due to societal norms in the region.
WWE Executive VP of Talent, Live Events and Creative, Triple H, spoke with The Independent about the show and addressed the issue. Ahead of his match against John Cena on the card, Triple H explained explained that different cultures around the world have different customs and said you can’t affect change by avoiding a situation entirely.
“I understand that people are questioning it, but you have to understand that every culture is different and just because you don’t agree with a certain aspect of it, it doesn’t mean it’s not a relevant culture. You can’t dictate to a country or a religion about how they handle things but, having said that, WWE is at the forefront of a women’s evolution in the world and what you can’t do is affect change anywhere by staying away from it.”
Although WWE agreed to keep the women back home for this overseas show – the issue has been discussed with local officials and Triple H says WWE hopes to be at the forefront as the gender equality landscape evolves in the Middle East.
While, right now, women are not competing in the event, we have had discussions about that and we believe and hope that, in the next few years they will be. That is a significant cultural shift in Saudi Arabia. The country is in the middle of a shift in how it is dealing with that – the position is changing, and rights are changing, as are the way women are handled and treated in society.
We think that’s a great thing and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that change.”
Discussion: What do you think about WWE visiting Saudi Arabia, despite it’s controversial societal norms? What do you think about Triple H’s point that WWE is working to be at the forefront of changing those norms?
Smackdown and 205 Live this week will emanate out of the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The oddly named arena is one of the largest venues for college basketball in the country and opened in 2010.
Several matches and segments have been confirmed for tonight’s shows.
Smackdown Preview
Tonight will be the first Smackdown since the 2-day long SuperStar Shakeup. It will also be the Go-Home show for the Greatest Royal Rumble event on Friday afternoon.
MizTV w/ Daniel Bryan
MizTV returns to Smackdown tonight and his special guest will be Daniel Bryan.
For 2 years, Bryan and Miz built up a rivalry which seemingly had no possible payoff. Now, with Daniel Bryan being cleared to wrestle again, we may finally get the Miz and Daniel Bryan feud we thought we never would.
Jimmy Uso vs Rowan
The Usos will challenge the new Smackdown tag-team champions, the Bludgeon Brothers, at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
The Bludgeon Brothers have not only been targetting the Usos but now it seems Naomi has involved herself in the affairs of her real-life husband.
Charlotte Flair vs Carmella – Contract Signing
Neither Charlotte Flair or Carmella will be competing on Friday at the Greatest Royal Rumble but they have a match upcoming at Backlash.
Carmella cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase on the Smackdown after WrestleMania to defeat Flair for the title.
They will sign the match contract tonight and meet at Backlash on May 6th from the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
Asuka & Becky Lynch vs. the Iiconics
Asuka will make her Smackdown debut tonight as she teams with Becky Lynch to take on Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, the Iiconics.
Last week on 205 Live, the division was turned upside down when top contender, Buddy Murphy, failed to make weight. Murphy had previously earned a shot at the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. 205 Live GM, Drake Maverick, has rescinded Murphy’s title shot as a result of his his missing weight.
#1 Contenders Gauntlet Match
Maverick has announced that there will be a gauntlet match tonight to determine a new #1 contender.
So far, only Tony Nese has been confirmed as an entrant.
Impact Wrestling returned to Universal Orlando on Monday for the next round of television tapings. This is was the first show coming out of Sunday’s Redemption pay-per-view. Based on the events that transpired, it appears these matches will air over the next two weeks.
Impact Wrestling Spoilers (4/23)
– Rohit Raju defeated Suicide in a match taped for Xplosion.
– Eli Drake and Scott Steiner retained the Impact tag titles against LAX.
– Allie retained the Knockouts championship against Taya Valkyrie.
– Brian Cage defeated Trevor Lee.
– Eddie Edwards called out OVE brawled with them, until footage aired of Sami Callihan at the hospital with Alisha Edwards, causing Eddie to run to the back.
Scoop #18: As Eddie Edwards is beating up OVE, a video plus from the hospital of Sami confronting Alicia, Eddie runs to the back pic.twitter.com/b0xuiD2Xvz
– Matt Sydal defeated Taiji Ishimori to retain the X Division Title.
– Eli Drake cut a promo saying he was cashing in his Feast or Fired contract for a shot at the Impact World Championship “next week” (later in the night).
Scoop #8: Eli Drake says he can cash in his brief case any time he wants and he has put everyone who is looking to hold the world title on notice
Austin Aries out with his arm in a sling, Aries says the Grand Championship is the most important belt at Impact because he holds it pic.twitter.com/8Ll28LbMkW
– DJZ, Andrew Everett, and Dezmond Xavier defeated Drago, Aerostar, and El Hijo Del Fantasma.
– OVE defeated KM and Fallah Bahh.
– Rosemary vs. Su Yung never got started. Yung’s Legion of Undead Brides attacked Rosemary. Allie made the save, but she was quickly outnumbered. Yung put Rosemary in a casket.
Scoop #31: Match never really gets started, Su Yung lays out Rosemary and calls out The Legion of Undead Brides, Allie makes the save for Rosemary but gets overwhelmed by The Legion of Undead Brides and Su Yung mists Rosemary and gives Rosemary a DVD off the stage through a table pic.twitter.com/cQpPdMDhwU
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s “Best of the Super Juniors” is the next big tournament for the promotion. The 25th edition of the tournament is scheduled to run from May 18th to June 4th. Both the first and last night will be held in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Advertising for the show has seemingly confirmed 13 of the entrants. In recent years, the tournament has consisted of 16 junior heavyweight wrestlers.
Names Leaked for 2018’s Best of the Super Juniors
Names leaked for the 2018 Best of the Super Juniors include:
Hiromu Takahashi
Sho Tanaka
Yohei Komatsu
Will Ospreay
KUSHIDA
El Desperado
Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Bushi
Dragon Lee
Flip Gordon
Marty Scurll
Tiger Mask
Ryusuke Taguchi
Flip Gordon’s name being included will be exciting to some fans. The 26-year-old has only been a professional since 2015 but has won over the respect of many in a short amount of time. Gordon has been a major player as of late in Ring of Honor and on the Being the Elite YouTube series.
Travis Gordon was trained by Brian Fury and made his pro-wrestling debut on May 6th, 2015.
This will be a big tournament for Kushida, who has won 2 of the last 3 BOSJs. Only two wrestlers in history, Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Koji Kanemoto, has ever won the tournament 3x.
Will Ospreay won the tournament in 2016 but he won’t have to wait until the tournament this year to face Kushida. The 2016 and 2017 winners of the Best of the Super Juniors will clash for Ospreay’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku in May. Ospreay most recently defended the title against Marty Scurll at Sakura Genesis.
Ryusuke Taguchi is the only other former tournament winner to be announced for the 2018 edition so far. Taguchi won the 2012 version of the tournament. In the 2013 version, the then-IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Prince Devitt, ran the table, winning every single match en route to a tournament victory. Devitt had just formed the new faction, Bullet Club, at the time.
Zack Ryder suffered a knee injury on Monday night and will be unable to compete in Friday’s 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble event.
Ryder competed against Mike Bennett in a match taped for Main Event (prior to RAW). Ryder announced on Tuesday morning that he suffered a knee injury during the bout. As a result, instead of flying to Saudi Arabia, he’s headed to Orlando, Florida for an MRI.
Ryder tore his ACL back in December 2016 and was out of action for several months after that. The Long Island Broski vows to return soon from this unfortunate setback.
This pic is from last night b4 my match with @RealMikeBennett on #MainEvent. We treated it like we were wrestling on #Raw. Unfortunately, I suffered a knee injury. While the rest of the roster is flying to Saudi Arabia 2day for #WWEGRR, I’m flying back to Orlando to get a MRI. pic.twitter.com/YkW1fwOElR
The Bullet Club/the Elite organized “All-In” show for September 1st in Chicago gained 3 more names yesterday. The show is scheduled for the Sears Center in Chicago and will be accompanied by a fan and podcast convention (Starrcast) in the days leading up to the event.
Yesterday the organizers of the event announced Penelope Ford, “Bad Boy” Joey Janela, and Chelsea Green have declared they are “All In”.
As the list of All In performers continues to grow, we’ve got an updated roster below:
Confirmed for All In:
Penelope Ford (new)
“Bad Boy” Joey Janela (new)
Chelsea Green (new)
Kazuchika Okada
Deonna Purrazzo
Pentagon Jr.
Ray Fenix
Cracker Barrel
Tessa Blanchard
Kenny Omega
Matt & Nick Jackson
Hangman Page
Cody
Specifically not Flip Gordon
Stephen Amell
Marty Scurll
New Japan Pro Wrestling Cow Palace Show on July 7th, 2018
The Elite’s planned “All In” show is getting eclipsed somewhat by the scheduled NJPW show at California’s Cow Palace. New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the show at Strong Style Evolved this year.
While reports vary, it is believed the Cow Palace can currently hold 13,000 – 15,000 for wrestling. This makes it a bigger venue than the Sears Center in Chicago.
All in on September 1st, 2018, is not associated with any promotion. There are also no plans to air the show on a paid-streaming service such as Honor Club or New Japan World. For that reason, it is open to wrestlers contracted to other promotions. As it stands now, the World Champions in NJPW and Impact Wrestling are scheduled for the show. NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis, has also expressed interest in competing on the show. On a recent edition of the “10lbs of Gold” YouTube series, Aldis appeared on the Busted Open radio show and spoke on how the NWA title should be at All In.
Gail Kim’s 2011 exit from WWE is among the most daring ways anyone has ever burned their bridge with the company. Frustrated with how women were being used on WWE programming, Gail Kim went off script (kind of) in a women’s battle royal match on Raw.
The Raw battle royal on August 1st, 2011 was to determine a new #1 contender for the Divas title. Kim was told to be eliminated early in the match. Shortly after the match started, Kim decided to simply roll out of the ring, walk to the back, and quit.
Kim then signed with TNA and finished up her career there. She still works backstage with the company.
Check out Gail Kim give her reasons for leaving WWE in 2011:
Gail Kim on Stephanie McMahon
The TNA Hall-of-Famer recently gave an interview to AfterBuzz and expressed her opinion that Stephanie McMahon had zero interest in women’s wrestling while she was in WWE.
“WWE always thinks in a business mindset. For them, they are thinking, ‘ok this woman’s revolution is becoming hot, Ronda Rousey, this “Me Too” movement’; so of course, to be honest, I’m going to say this, because I’ve said it on Twitter; Stephanie (McMahon) could have been fighting for us a long time ago. She was there every single time I worked there and she had zero interest in fighting for the women back then. So, for them, everything is business motivated. So, them having this women’s revolution, and it’s from the fans as well….the fans did demand it through social media and Vince heard it and made it happen. And I think finally the girls are getting treated the way they want to get treated.”
In addition to working backstage for Impact, Kim married celebrity chef, Robert Irvine, in 2012. Kim had studied nutrition at the University of Ryerson in her hometown of Toronto, ON, Canada. She topped the PWI Top 50 Female Wrestlers list in 2012.
31-year-old Eric Arndt, better known to wrestling fans as Enzo Amore, posted to his Instagram account yesterday. The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion has been silent on social media since his release from the company in January.
All of Enzo’s previous Instagram posts, including his videos from the Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight, have been taken down. The following post is all that remains:
The image of boots being hung up could be Enzo expressing that he is “hanging up the boots”. The last time Enzo posted to Twitter was January 23rd, 2018. The post only includes a statement from his lawyer.
Enzo has also changed his bio on Instagram to read: “Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear.”
After news broke of the pending investigation into an alleged sexual assault committed by Enzo, WWE suspended and then fired him. It is speculated that the company released him for failing to notify them of the pending investigation.
Enzo’s WWE career lasted a little under 5 years. He debuted in NXT on May 22nd, 2013. He was quickly paired with Colin Cassady and the Enzo and Big Cass tag-team was born. Although the team would never win the NXT tag-team championships, they were quite popular. Enzo and Cass were called up to the main roster in 2016.
The following year, Enzo and Cass were split up with Enzo remaining babyface and Cass turning heel. An injury to Big Cass led to Enzo turning heel as well and joining the cruiserweight division on 205 Live. An attempt was made to build the show around Enzo but was later abandoned after his release in January of 2018.
Roman Reigns has main evented 4 WrestleMania in a row now and the talks about who he may face at the next edition of the Show Of Shows have already begun.
During a recent interview with WWE’s Spanish Team to promote the company’s upcoming tour of Spain, The Big Dog talked about a number of things and revealed his choice of opponent for WrestleMania 35.
According to Reigns he wants to face Daniel Bryan once again and if that’s not possible then he’ll like to face his Shield mates Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins:
“I think I’d like to face Daniel Bryan again. It could be a great fight for next year at WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns But if it cannot be, then I’d like to face the rest of The Shield, Seth, and Dean again.”
It’s been a while since Roman Reigns last wrestled Daniel Bryan on the Fastlane PPV back in 2015 and a rematch between the two certainly has potential.
However, with all three former Shield members being on the same Brand at Raw, a rematch between the three from Battleground 2016 looks to be a more realistic possibility.
Whether or not any of these matches actually take place on the Grandest Stage Of Them All will be revealed down the line, but the comments from Roman are certainly enough to fuel the fire for a discussion.
Fans have been waiting to see a confrontation between the Miz and Daniel Bryan ever since Bryan got cleared to return to the ring and it appears that we’ll finally get to see a faceoff between the two at SmackDown tonight.
The Miz was drafted to SmackDown Live from Raw during Superstar Shakeup last week but the A-Lister only appeared on the show via a pre-taped video saying that he will make his return to the Blue Brand next week.
Now the company has revealed that the former Intercontinental Champion will be holding a Miz TV segment during his return at the Blue Branded Show this week and his guest will be none other than Daniel Bryan.
It’s worth mentioning here that this is not the only thing announced for tonight’s episode. WWE announced on their site that Jimmy Uso will take on Erick Rowan in a one on one match during the event.
They have also revealed that Charlotte will cash in her rematch clause against Carmella at the upcoming Backlash PPV and a contract signing segment between the two will take place on SmackDown tonight as well.
Now it’d be interesting to see if the Miz TV segment finally turns out to be the start of a physical rivalry between Bryan and Miz or if it ends up being just another verbal battle with another tease for the future.
WWE has confirmed both Raw and SmackDown’s Women’s Championship matches for the upcoming Backlash PPV in the last few hours.
First, the company announced on their site that the new Raw Women’s Champion Nia Jax will be defending her title against the former Champion Alexa Bliss at Backlash in a rematch from WrestleMania 34.
After this, they revealed that Charlotte Fair will be cashing in her rematch clause against the former Ms. Money In The Bank and the current SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella at the upcoming PPV as well.
In addition to the Championship match, they also announced a contract signing segment between Carmella and Charlotte for tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live.
After this revelation, the number of bouts which have officially been announced for the upcoming show has become 4.
WWE Backlash Card
Raw Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Carmella
Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins vs. The Miz
Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns
The company is expected to announce more bouts for the upcoming PPV in near future but Officials are most likely holding off the announcements to create suspense for the matches taking place at the Greatest Royal Rumble event this Friday.
WWE Backlash will take place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on May 6, 2018.
