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Two Triple Threat Title Matches Expected To Take Place At WrestleMania 34, Update On Cruiserweight Title Tournament Finals

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– It looks like WrestleMania 34’s card will feature two Triple Threat matches for WWE titles. We’ve already seen that Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle has announced The Miz will be defending his Intercontinental Title in one against Seth Rollins and Finn Balor. Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer reports that SmackDown Live will have a Triple Threat Title match of their own.

United States Champion Randy Orton is expected to defend his strap against both Bobby Roode and Jinder Mahal in New Orleans. Roode announced his intentions to use his rematch clause at WrestleMania against Orton, after losing the strap this past weekend at Fastlane to “The Viper.” Mahal recently picked up a singles win over Bobby Roode, however, so it’s possible he’s added to the match on SmackDown Live next week.

– As for the finals of the 205 Live Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, Meltzer reports the plan has always been for Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali to take place in the finals. After Alexander already solidified his place in the finals, Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak will take place on next week’s 205 Live to determine Alexander’s opponent. It was also added that Alexander vs. Ali was the idea for the finals once the idea was developed to have the match take place at WrestleMania.

WWE Appears To Take Notice Of Fabulous Moolah Backlash, Why WWE Doesn’t Have A Physical Hall Of Fame

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– We’ve noted that the Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal announcement from WWE has received a ton of backlash from the professional wrestling world. Fans were so upset they started a petition to have the name changed, a petition that has received nearly 10,000 signatures. WWE seems to be aware of the backlash from fans now, as they have turned off commenting abilities on their YouTube video about the Battle Royal:

– Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer was recently asked on Twitter why the WWE doesn’t have an actual, physical WWE Hall Of Fame. Meltzer responded by saying Vince McMahon doesn’t see the economic value in it and nobody else has offered to ‘foot the bill’:

Kevin Owens Praises Independent Wrestler

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Former WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens recently took to Twitter to heap praise on one of Europe’s best up and coming independent performers.

Ilja Dragunov is the current reigning wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion, he captured the belt during last weekend’s wXw 16 Carat Gold tournament in a bout against WALTER and Bad Bones, he also successfully defended the belt on Night 3 of the tournament against Matt Riddle.

Check out the tweet that Owens sent below praising the Soviet star:

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/974145882131136512

Change Could Be Coming To Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn Match At WrestleMania

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As we’ve noted, SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon announced that Kevin Owens would be taking on Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 34. This was announced shortly before Shane took an indefinite leave of absence from his duties as SmackDown Live Commissioner. Shortly thereafter, Owens and Zayn viciously attacked McMahon which caused a storyline injury.

Bryan Alvarez speculated on Wrestling Observer Live that he can’t imagine another scenario other than a Triple Threat match between Owens, Zayn, and McMahon at WrestleMania 34. He also expects General Manager Daniel Bryan to serve as the Special Guest Referee for the bout.

Alvarez said WWE has put too much effort into this storyline for it to simply conclude with Owens vs. Zayn in a singles match:

“There are four weeks left until WrestleMania, I presume it will be Shane McMahon, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens in a three-way with Daniel Bryan as the guest referee. I don’t know that for sure but I can not fathom the idea that they spent this much time building up something and then at the end of the day he’s just off the show because he got beaten up.

“I mean they played it up like it was near death but he’s a McMahon and I presume he will be back in a few weeks and build up that match with those two guys. So, I think that match will be added to Mania.”

H/T Ringside News for the transcriptions

Rusev Wants To Face A Celebrity At WrestleMania – The Rock Responds, WWE UK Superstar Out With Injury

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– WWE currently doesn’t have any plans for Rusev to perform in a match at WrestleMania 34. It’s likely that WWE uses him in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. “The Bulgarian Brute” recently took to Twitter to comment on his WrestleMania status and said he’d like to fight a celebrity in New Orleans:

WWE Legend The Rock responded to Rusev’s Tweet and volunteered his good friend Kevin Hart:

– Per a report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE Uk Superstar Tyler Bate has been sidelined with a minor knee injury. Bate was originally scheduled to team up with Trent Seven in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament.

Did WWE Cancel Plans For Sasha Banks vs. Bayley At WrestleMania 34?, NXT TakeOver Out-Selling RAW

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– It looks like WWE could have called off its plans to have Sasha Banks vs. Bayley at WrestleMania 34 this year. Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer is reporting that the match may no longer be taking place in New Orleans, as per his count he has 14 matches currently on the card. At this point WWE doesn’t really need to add another match to the card, meaning Banks vs. Bayley could get the snub:

“I think we got the whole WrestleMania card. I got 14 matches listed and I don’t think they need more than 14. I don’t think they are going to have any more. They could still throw in a Bayley vs. Sasha Banks match but I’m guessing they are both in the Battle Royal.”

– Meltzer also reports that NXT TakeOver: New Orleans seems to be besting the post-WrestleMania episode of Monday Night RAW as far as ticket sales go. TakeOver is actually near a sellout and will be going head-to-head with a Ring Of Honor (ROH) show which seats 5,000 fans – as opposed to NXT’s venue that can hold double that at 10,000.

H/T Ringside News for the transcriptions

Kota Ibushi to Face Bullet Club’s Hangman Page at Supercard of Honor

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Kenny Omega’s Golden Lovers teammate, Kota Ibushi, will face Bullet Club’s Hangman Page at Supercard of Honor XII on April 7th, 2018. The match will take place just two weeks after the Golden Lovers face the Young Bucks at Strong Style Evolved on March 25th, 2018.

Ring of Honor announced Ibushi’s Supercard of Honor opponent recently:

Tickets are still available for the event, which runs simultaneously to NXT’s Takeover: New Orleans show.

Supercard of Honor XII Confirmed Lineup

  • Cody vs Kenny Omega
  • ROH World Championship
    Dalton Castle (c) vs Marty Scurll
  • Women of Honor Championship Tournament
    Tournament Finals
  • Hangman Page vs Kota Ibushi
  • ROH World 6-Man Tag-Team Championships
    SoCal Uncensored (Scorpio Sky, Kazarian, and Christopher Daniels) vs. the Young Bucks and Flip Gordon
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Punishment Martinez
  • ROH World TV Title
    Last Man Standing
    Kenny King (c) vs Silas Young

Ronda Rousey Would Be Honored To Work With CM Punk In WWE

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Ronda Rousey was recently interviewed by Metro.co.uk as she gears for her WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania on Sunday, April 8th.

The former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion spoke with Martin Hines abut a wide variety of topics, including her experience as a World champion judo practitioner, her surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble, and the major difference between her relationships with Vince McMahon and Dana White.

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk returns to the Octagon at UFC 225 on Saturday, June 9th from Chicago. It will be his second professional MMA fight after a less-than-impressive debut against Mickey Gall back in September 2016.

Rousey has praised CM Punk in previous interviews and says she’d be honored if she could work with him in WWE one day.

“I think everybody on Earth would love to see [CM Punk] back in WWE, and I would completely fall all over myself and be honored if he wanted to be involved with me in any way, shape or form.”

As much as she (and many wrestling fans) would love to see Punk back in a WWE ring one day, Rousey says it’s Punk’s life and he needs to be passionate about whatever he’s doing. Many people would love for her to fight in UFC again, but she never fought for the fans, she fought because it’s what she loved.

Rousey continued talking about Punk, stating that he had a special gift as a pro wrestler. She’s eager to work with him in WWE, but he’s got her full respect no matter what the future holds for him.

“Everyone in the world knows he has a gift for wrestling and he has something special, and if he ever feels like sharing it with us again, then hell yeah, please, even if it’s not with me, I just hope I’m there to see it. If he never wants to get back in that ring again, he has every reason not to, and all the respect in the world from me.”

Visit our affiliate site MMANews.com for much more on CM Punk’s next fight and all the top stories in UFC and MMA. 

Jeff Jarrett On Becoming WWE Hall Of Famer, Reveals If He Has Spoken To Vince McMahon

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Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett recently spoke with Ryan Ryder on the latest edition of Main Event Radio (transcript courtesy of PWinsider.com) to talk about various topics. During the interview, he was asked about becoming a WWE Hall of Famer this year and if he has spoken with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon yet.

“I got asked in January and had some time to digest it. It’s still sort of surreal to me. I’m incredibly humbled by the amount of the exposure that’s gone with it. It’s an honor. There are less than 200 wrestlers in there and I’m one of the lucky ones in there. It was a shocker. Without question, a lot of our history is quite documented if not quite accurate. In 2001, when Vince acquired Turner’s organization they went their way and I went my way. I didn’t think it would be in the cards . I don’t believe in coincidences. It’s going to be 32 years from the day I started my career to the day I get inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

“I’m very excited about the weeks to come and I’m very looking forward to seeing and speaking with him [Vince McMahon].”

WWE holds their 2018 Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, April 6th in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Smoothie King Center. Bill Goldberg will headline the class. Other names that have been confirmed to be inducted this year include Ivory, The Dudley Boyz, and HillBilly Jim.

Also during this interview, he was asked about NXT and Triple H, who oversees the developmental brand, building it up to being considered a third brand that the sports entertainment company has to offer to its fans alongside their flagship show, Monday Night RAW as well as SmackDown Live.

“NXT is growing; it is truly a 3rd brand. The network gives it a platform that is so unique. It’s a live touring business with merchandising. In essence, almost an entirely own promotion. Cudos to HHH and his staff and all the hard work that’s gone into it and certainly all the talent. No wrestling promotion has any wheels unless talent drives it. And all the names that have gone through NXT and the crop that they have there now including my close personal friend Eric Young.  HHH and NXT have their pulse on the talent and I’m interested to see where that continues to go. The growth in a relatively short period of time is amazing.”

New Japan Holding Preliminary Date For July Show From San Francisco

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New Japan Pro Wrestling may have a quick return to the United States after Strong Style Evolved.

On March 25, NJPW will hold an event inside the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. Strong Style Evolved will feature an IWGP United States Heavyweight title match and a tag team dream match between the Golden Lovers and The Young Bucks. Rey Mysterio is also set to be on the card as he’s penciled in to face Jushin Thunder Liger.

Tickets for the event were sold out in about 20 minutes. NJPW is believed to have sold 4,500 tickets. The venue choice left many puzzled, as many fans and critics believe that the promotion can fill an arena with 10,000+ people in it.

It appears NJPW is listening. In a recent report on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that the promotion has a preliminary hold on a July 7 date for the Cow Palace in San Francisco. This is the same date as UFC 226, which is one of the biggest mixed martial arts events of the year.

NJPW continues to emerge in the United States. The promotion is opening up a Dojo in Los Angeles. They’ll be holding a pre-show event at the Dojo on March 24.

Finn Balor Debuts New Clothing Line

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Finn Balor has just released a new line of clothing he says is designed, imagined, worn, and loved by him. The clothing line is also said to be ethically and ecologically sourced.

Balor even serves as the clothing line’s model (complete with plank pose) on the website: SmileItsPeak.com

Wale has already picked up some of Finn’s clothes:

https://twitter.com/Wale/status/973979815584849920

PE&K Mission Statement

Here is the company’s mission statement taken directly from their website:

“Our goal at PE&K is to provide clothes that will make you smile, whilst having the least amount of impact on our lovely planet as possible.

  • All our shirts are made in USA , and printed in UK,
  • We don’t use plastic, but if there is, biodegradable YAY!
  • And the only paper we use will be the sticker for shipping & international custom sheets (We are trying to source recyclable paper)
  • No stickers
  • No wasted cardboard
  • Nothing that is going to hurt our planet
  • We like to say. We are friends of the environment”

Finn Balor is scheduled to face the Miz and Seth Rollins in a triple-threat match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.

Kurt Angle Posts Training Pic with Ronda Rousey

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In what is arguably the most high-profile match scheduled for WrestleMania, Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey are scheduled to face Triple H & Stephanie McMahon.   The 49-year-old Kurt Angle appears to be relishing the opportunity to team with Rousey. After spending years away from WWE, he probably felt he’d never receive another opportunity like this.

Angle posted the following pic of the two training together yesterday:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgUEA8nh9i_/?taken-by=therealkurtangle

To help demonstrate how dedicated he is to staying in shape, Angle also posted the following:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgUurjdhtB_/?taken-by=therealkurtangle

Angle also posted the following fan art:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgV0EEkBclC/?taken-by=therealkurtangle

Team Angle Rousey

While rumors state WWE was hoping the Rock would be Rousey’s partner, Angle works too. The Rock as Rousey’s partner would better play up the WrestleMania 31 segment they were involved in but substituting Kurt Angle for anybody is rarely much of a downgrade.

Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey have a shared Olympic history and it makes sense Angle would want to keep Triple H and Stephanie from exploiting her.

Conan O’Brien Becomes The Rock’s “Rampage” Stunt Double (Video)

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WWE legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appeared on Conan O’Brien’s talk show this week to promote his new movie Rampage, which hits theaters April 13th.

Based on the 1980’s arcade video game from Midway Games, Rampage is about three giant monsters (a gorilla, a wolf and a lizard) that wreak havoc on various cities and landmarks across the United States. The official synopsis reads,

“Primatologist Davis Okoye shares an unshakable bond with George, an extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla that’s been in his care since birth. When a rogue genetic experiment goes wrong, it causes George, a wolf and a reptile to grow to a monstrous size. As the mutated beasts embark on a path of destruction, Okoye teams up with a discredited genetic engineer and the military to secure an antidote and prevent a global catastrophe.”

As seen below, Conan slips on a bald cap and proves to Dwayne Johnson that he has the looks, physique, and acting chops to be The Rock’s “Rampage” stunt double.

New Japan Cup Night Six Results: Ibushi vs. Sabre Jr, SANADA vs. Yano

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New Japan Cup night six results are in.

The two New Japan Cup matches earlier today (March 15) were to determine who would move on to the semi-finals. SANADA took on Toru Yano, while Kota Ibushi went one-on-one with Zack Sabre Jr. In the end, SANADA and Sabre Jr. pulled off victories to advance.

As a result of today’s tournament outcomes, Sabre Jr. will meet SANADA on March 18 in the semi-finals. Joining them for semi-finals action will be Hiroshi Tanahashi and Juice Robinson. They’ll be competing two days earlier on March 16.

Night six of New Japan Cup action also featured tag team mayhem. You can check out the rest of the results below:

Tag Team Match: Ren Narita & David Finlay def. Shota Umino & Tomoyuki Oka

Tag Team Match: Hiroki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi def. Togi Makabe & Toa Henare

Eight-Man Tag Team Match: Davey Boy Smith Jr., Lance Archer, Taichi, & Takashi Iizuka def. Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado def. Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, & Bushi

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, & Juice Robinson def. Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, & Chuckie T.

New Japan Cup Match: SANADA def. Toru Yano

New Japan Cup Match: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Kota Ibushi

WWE NXT Recap & Results (3/14)

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Dusty Rhodes Classic First Round Match: SAnitY vs. Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli

Riddick Moss beatdown Wolfe to start off the match. Sabbatelli wanted to be tagged in and Moss obliged. Tino unloaded a couple of right hands and connected with a Dropkick as the NXT crowd chanted “Tino sucks!”. Tino taunted the crowd and posed in the ring before aggressively tagging Moss back in.

Moss drove his shoulder into Wolfe’s midsection and followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Sabbatelli tagged back in but held up Wolfe in the corner. Moss went to punch Wolfe but Alexander ducked and Moss accidentally hit Sabbatelli. Moss and Sabbatelli argued for a moment and that allowed Wolfe to regroup and tag in Eric Young.

Young tagged in and immediately blasted Moss off the ring apron before turning his attention to Sabbatelli. Young connected with a boot to the face, followed by a Clothesline that decked Tino. Young got fired up and planted Sabbatelli with a Body Slam. Eric climbed to the top and hit an Elbow Drop. Young went for the cover but Moss dragged him out of the ring.

Nikki Cross hopped up on the ring apron and connected with a Crossbody on Moss. Back in the ring, Wolfe tagged in as Sabbatelli was still in the ring. Eric Young and Wolfe teamed up for a Belly to Back Suplex/ Neckbreaker combo. Young rolled to the ring apron and Wolfe pinned Tino Sabbatelli for the victory. SAnitY advanced to the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. After the match, Killian Dain and Nikki Cross celebrated with Young & Wolfe in the ring.

Winners: SAnitY

Tommaso Ciampa came down to the ring to the same chorus of boos he recieved from the NXT crowd last week. Everyone in the crowd held up pieces of paper with Johnny Gargano’s logo on it. Ciampa stood silent in the ring as the crowd chanted “Johnny!”. Ciampa lifted the microphone towards his mouth but the entire crowd started to boo again. The crowd then transitioned into a “Johnny Wrestling!” chant as Ciampa paced around the ring. Tommaso shouted “he is gone!” as the crowd kept chanting. A few folks started to chant “Johnny lost!”.

Ciampa lifted the microphone again and the crowd booed. Ciampa dropped the microphone and the crowd cheered. The audience started to chant “yes!” as Ciampa rolled out of the ring. Ciampa stopped near the commentary table for a moment and looked into the crowd as they booed him. Ciampa slowly walked around the ring as the crowd began to chant “Ciampa sucks!”. Ciampa held his head in anger as the crowd began to chant “we want Johnny!”. Ciampa walked back up the entrance ramp and stopped to look back at the crowd as they sang “na-na-na-hey-hey-hey-goodbye”. Ciampa shook his head and walked backstage as the crowd continued to sing.

Lacey Evans vs. Dakota Kai

Lacey dodged a kick from Dakota Kai and then grabbed Kai’s arm and slammed her to the canvas. Lacey stretched out Kai’s arm and went for an Arm Bar but Kai reversed into a roll-up for the quick pinfall victory.

After the match, Shayna Baszler’s music hit and Shayna marched down to the ring as Dakota looked concerned in the ring. Baszler cornered Dakota in the ring as the referee stood in between them. Ember Moon’s music hit and Moon stormed down to the ring. Moon slid into the ring and had a stare down with Baszler as Kai got the hell out of there. Moon grabbed a microphone and said that it doesn’t matter if she has one arm or two, Baszler started this but she is going to end it at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans. Ember Moon tackled Baszler to the canvas and punched her in the face a few times. A couple of referees tried to break it up but Baszler and Moon kept fighting in the ring.

Shayna connected with a big punch that knocked Moon to the mat. Shayna waited for Ember to get back up and went for another punch but Moon was ready and booted her in the face. Ember climbed to the top rope but Baszler caught her with a kick. Shayna went to apply a Wrist Lock but Dakota Kai hopped up on the ring apron and booted Baszler in the face. Ember then leaped off the top and connected with the Eclipse. Ember Moon stood over Baszler in the ring as the segment concluded. NXT GM William Regal then made the NXT Women’s Championship match official between Ember Moon and Shayna Baszler at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.

Winner: Dakota Kai

Dusty Rhodes Classic First Round Match: Street Profits vs. Heavy Machinery

Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford danced their way down to the ring to face off against Heavy Machinery. Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic chest-bumped on the entrance ramp and made their way to to the ring. Montez Ford and Dozovic started off the match. Dozovic leveled Ford with a shoulder tackle and Montez crawled to corner and took a sip from his solo cup. Otis asked for a sip and Ford slowly slid towards him. Dozovic took a sip from the cup as the crowd chanted “drink!”. Otis got pumped up after taking a drink and then planted Ford with a Body Slam.

Tucker Knight tagged in and Heavy Machinery hung up Dawkins in the corner. Heavy Machinery then used Montez Ford as a battering ram and slammed him into Dawkins. Knight tried to cover Ford but Montez kicked out at two. Knight locked Ford in a Bear Hug. Ford hit a couple of right hands to escape and tagged in Dawkins. Angelo planted Knight with a Dropkick and followed it up with a 360 Splash. Knight shrugged it off and slammed Dawkins to the canvas. Knight hit a Splash on Dawkins in the corner and tagged in Dozovic.

Heavy Machinery went for the Compactor but Ford pulled down the top rope and Knight tumbled to the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dawkins connected with a DDT to Otis and then tagged Montez Ford back in. Ford scaled to the top rope and hit an awesome Frog Splash for the pinfall victory. Street Profits advanced to the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Nigel McGuinness danced at the commentary table to the Street Profits theme after their victory.

Winners: Street Profits

United Kingdom Championship Match: Pete Dunne (c) vs Adam Cole

NXT Tag Team Champions Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly accompanied Adam Cole to the ring and the Undisputed Era posed on the ring apron. United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne came down to the ring with the title belt hanging from his mouth. The crowd chanted “Bruiserweight!” as he entered the ring. Adam Cole casually leaned against the turnbuckle and watched on as Dunne posed for the crowd. Dunne raised the title and got right in Cole’s face in the corner.

Cole drove Dunne to the corner to start off the match and the referee broke it up. Dunne rolled out of the ring and stared down Fish and O’Reilly. Dunne slid back into the ring and Cole greeted him with some stomps. Dunne connected with a spinning elbow to the face and Cole crashed to the mat. Dunne placed his foot on the side of Cole’s head and started bending back Cole’s fingers. Dunne leaped in the air and stomped on Cole’s back.

Dunne booted Cole’s extended elbow and Adam rolled to the apron. Dunne leaped off the second turnbuckle and booted Cole in the left arm. Dunne Suplexed Cole on the ring apron and smirked at Fish and O’Reilly outside the ring. Fish and O’Reilly hopped up on the ring apron and distracted Dunne, which allowed Cole to boot him to the floor as NXT went to a commercial break.

When NXT returned, the action had returned to the ring and Cole was in control. That didn’t last long as Dunne lifted him up for a Suplex, but elected to just drop Cole on his back. Dunne chopped Cole and unloaded a flurry of punches. Dunne connected with an Enziguri in the corner and followed it up with another stomp to the arm off the second rope. Dunne planted Cole with a Powerbomb for a two count.

Pete Dunne kicked Cole in the side of the face and went for the Bitter End but Cole countered it into a Backstabber. Cole was the first Superstar up and went for a Suplex but Dunne countered into a body scissors and applied a Wrist Lock. Cole escaped and hit a Neckbreaker for two. Cole called Dunne a chump and started smacking him in the face. Dunne responded with a forearm to the face that sent Cole flying to the corner.

Fish and O’Reilly checked on Cole in the corner. Cole went for a Superkick but Dunne blocked it. Cole connected with a Superkick but Dunne shrugged it off and hit Cole with an Enziguri. Dunne charged at Cole in the corner but Adam got out of the way. Dunne scaled the turnbuckles and went tried to flip on Cole but Cole booted Dunne in the back of the head while he was in midair. Cole went for the cover but Dunne kicked out at two.

The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Cole went for a Shining Wizard but Dunne dodged it. Dunne hit a German Suplex and went for a Bitter End but Fish and O’Reilly hopped up on the ring apron. Dunne got out of the ring and took out Fish and O’Reilly. As Dunne got back into the ring, Cole connected with a Superkick and followed it up with the Last Shot. Cole went for the cover but the U.K. Champion was somehow able to kick out.

Cole draped across Dunne and was completely shocked that Dunne kicked out. The crowd chanted “fight forever” as Dunne snapped back one of Cole’s fingers. Cole missed with a kick and Dunne got him in position for the Bitter End. Fish and O’Reilly rushed into the ring and beatdown Dunne and the referee called for the bell. Fish and O’Reilly held up Dunne and Cole booted him in the face. Roderick Strong sprinted to the ring but Undisputed Era beat him down. Fish and O’Reilly held up Strong but Pete Dunne blasted Cole in the face before Cole could attempt a kick. Undisputed Era rolled out of the ring and retreated as Dunne and Strong stood tall in the ring. Strong tried to shake Dunne’s hand but Dunne decided to pat Roderick on the shoulder before heading backstage.

Winner via DQ & Still United Kingdom Champion: Pete Dunne

NXT GM William Regal came down to the ring for the NXT Championship match contract signing for NXT TakeOver: New Orleans. Regal introduced Aleister Black first and he came down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Black was decked out in an all black suit as he circled the table where the contract was. Regal introduced NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas but Zelina Vega came down to the ring alone.

Zelina picked up a microphone and informed the crowd that Andrade “Cien” Almas was not here tonight. Vega said that if Almas was here, he would destroy Black so that there was nothing left. Black ignored Vega and Zelina got pissed off. Vega told Black to listen to her but Black put his hand in her face. Black moved the table to see if Almas was hiding under there and took a seat in the ring. Black said to Vega “at least now we are on the same level” and asked Vega to continue.

Vega shouted at Almas before signing the contract. The crowd chanted “too short!” at Vega as she tossed the contract at Black. Aleister signed the contract and joked that Almas was afraid that NXT TakeOver, much like Zelina Vega, he was coming to come up a little short. Black added that maybe was afraid to show up because he doesn’t measure up to him. Vega slapped Black in the face and demanded that he sign the contract. Aleister signed the contract as Vega shouted that he just made the biggest mistake of his life. Black got out of the ring with the microphone as Vega continued to shout at him.

Black said that he didn’t come here alone tonight and Candice LeRae rushed the ring. Candice knocked Vega out of the ring and connected with a few punches. Vega tried to run away but LeRae trapped her on the commentary table and hit her with a few more punches. LeRae brought Vega back into the ring and planted her with a Bulldog before taunting her. LeRae joined Black on the entrance ramp with a smile on her face as NXT went off the air.

https://twitter.com/Zelina_VegaWWE/status/974089470399139840

3 Superstars That Could Team With Braun Strowman at WrestleMania

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When Braun Strowman faced both Brock Lesnar and Kane at this year’s Royal Rumble there was a palpable sense that Strowman was finally set to take his place atop the WWE as one of its biggest players. Fast forward to this week’s RAW and it looks as though Braun will e part of a mid-card Tag Team title match that no one really asked for…it’s easy to class this move as a major oversight on WWE’s part for a Superstar that has garnered himself a huge following over the past year.

But what’s done is done and now the talk will turn to who will be standing alongside Braun at WrestleMania when he competes for the RAW Tag Team Championship. Here are the three Superstars that we feel have a shot at challenging for the belts with Braun…assuming he even needs a partner:

Bray Wyatt

bray wyatt 1
Bray Wyatt (via Instagram @WWE)

Out of the three Superstars we will be listing, this one will be the most unlikely. It is ironic given that Braun was brought up to WWE’s main roster as a member of the Wyatt Family stable, where he was positioned as the muscle of a (somewhat) dominant group in an attempt to keep Bray Wyatt and his cult leader character fresh and relevant…yet the inexperienced and fairly uncharismatic early portrayal from Strowman was just one of the reasons that the ‘family’ faded into obscurity and eventually broke up.

With all of this in mind there is still an opportunity to be explored here, whilst Bray is in the midst of a lukewarm feud with ‘Woken’ Matt Hardy they are set to have their biggest and most extravagant bout yet at Ultimate Deletion next week on RAW. This could easily be the blow off to a feud that has not set the WWE universe alight and used to transition Bray into an intriguing pairing with his former ‘family’ member who has ascended far higher on the totem pole than the ‘Eater of Worlds.’

Lars Sullivan

Lars Sullivan
Lars Sullivan (formerly Dylan Miley)

Monster Among Men? Meet Lars Sullivan. This 6 ft 3 in beast made his debut appearance for WWE’s NXT brand back at WrestleMania 31’s Axxess event in March 2015, yet he only made his television debut in April 2017 in a losing effort to the former #DIY tag team of Johnny Gargano and Tommasso Ciampa. This unstoppable monster is not only a physical presence in the ring but he is also extremely eloquent, his promo work belying his build and destroying any sort of preconceived notion that he is purely a powerhouse and nothing more.

In terms of sheer spectacle a team consisting of Sullivan and Strowman would tower over all others and could be a very different way to introduce Sullivan to the main roster, it is fair to say that the landscape of NXT is not naturally suited to a performer such as Lars and a move to the main roster could be extremely beneficial.

Elias

elias
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Speaking of acts that work far better on the main roster…we get to our final name on the list: Elias. The ‘Drifter’ has been completely rejuvenated following his call up to the RAW brand and he has begun to build a following amongst the WWE fan base. There have been rumblings online that Elias is the early favourite to join Braun at WrestleMania and he would certainly be a good fit for the Monster, creating an odd couple dynamic and giving Elias to opportunity to hold a championship for the first time in his WWE tenure.

There are a plethora of ways in which to book an Elias/Strowman partnership, with the opportunity to help further establish Elias on the main roster before potentially building Strowman back into a program amongst the Universal Title picture.

Who would you like to see Braun team with at Mania? 

Rey Mysterio Reveals Which ROH Star Is Training His Son To Wrestle

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Former WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio was recently a guest on former WWE Tag Team Champions Edge and Christian’s podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness, to talk about several professional wrestling topics. “The Master Of The 619” first revealed that his son, Dominic, is currently in Tampa Bay, Florida training with Ring Of Honor (ROH) star Jay Lethal for his professional wrestling career:

“Yeah, my son, Dominic is training in wrestling and working. He’s up training with Jay Lethal right now.” Mysterio later added, “I’m going to have him train as much as he can in different countries. Right now he’s training with Jay. I want to get him out with Lance in Calgary [Canada]. Is he in Calgary?

“Yeah, uh huh. And eventually, if I can get him to Japan and to Europe. And the final touch would be the Mexican side. That’s when I get ahold of him and we do one-on-ones, so eventually, when it’s time to tap out and hang up the mask, I would love to leave him set, so he can take over the name and the brand and take it to the next level.”

Mysterio is undoubtably one of the greatest Cruiserweights in the history of the business, and inspired a completely new generation talents today. He admitted that he only recently realized the affect he has and on the business:

“Maybe within the last five years,” Mysterio considered. “I want to say, you start getting comments here and there at signings or events where you get local wrestlers coming up to you and they tell you that they’re training, that they’re wrestling, if I have any advice because they were inspired by watching me wrestle and Psicosis, and our generation, so that’s when it kind of hits you not as strong as later down the road when I run into an AJ [Styles], when I do run into a Will Ospreay, when I do run into Amazing Red, Ricochet, who just signed with WWE.

“After being able to wrestle with these guys and them expressing how much of an influence I was to their career, and how without me being in the position that I was throughout the years, that they are now having the opportunities to be able to perform at the level that they always wanted to. That’s when it hits you and you go, ‘wow’. I mean, it was a game-changer, it was a door-opener for all the smaller weight, the guys that at another time thought, ‘oh, I could never be a part of this.’

“And then, seeing me, ‘oh, if he can do it, I can do it!’ So that’s when it really hits and it makes you feel good, man. There’s no better feeling than to know that you’ve given others the opportunity to perform at the highest level possible.”

You can listen to Mysterio’s full interview on E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness by clicking this link here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Daniel Bryan’s TV Return Announced, Owens On Attacking Shane, More

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– On last night’ episode of SmackDown Live it was announced that General Manager Daniel Bryan would be making his WWE TV return on next week’s episode. Bryan was absent from WWE Fastlane and this week’s episode of SmackDown last night. The reason for Bryan’s absence was because he was attending a family wedding.

– Speaking of SmackDown Live, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn viciously attacked SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon on last night’s show after McMahon announced he’d be taking an indefinite leave of absence from his duties on the show.

Before the beatdown he also announced Owens would be taking on Sami Zayn at WrestleMania as well. “KO” took to Twitter to comment on attacking Shane:

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/973771853792727041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

– After the beatdown of McMahon by Owens and Zayn, WWE announced a storyline injury sustained by the SmackDown Live Commissioner as a result of the attack:

Shane McMahon suffers several injuries while being attacked by Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn on SmackDown LIVE

After announcing he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from his role as SmackDown LIVE Commissioner, Shane McMahon was brutally attacked by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, whom he had just placed into a match against each other at WrestleMania. McMahon suffered several injuries during the attack, WWE.com can confirm.

“He sustained a laryngeal contusion when the steel chair was wrapped around his head and thrown into the turnbuckle,” WWE medical staff said.

KO & Zayn continued the onslaught by dragging McMahon to the back and powerbombing him onto a metal rack, resulting in further injuries.

“He was then thrown onto the metal rack, which resulted in trapezius and rhomboid strains,” medical staff continued.

McMahon is currently being evaluated to make sure his airway is not compromised. Further updates on McMahon’s status are expected in the next 24 hours. Stick with WWE.com for more details as they become available.

Injury Update On Dean Ambrose, Reby Hardy Fires Back At ‘Misinformation’ Regarding Ultimate Deletion

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– Dean Ambrose has been out-of-action since December last year after suffering a triceps tendon injury. He was initially expected to being out for up to nine months, which puts him out of the question for a possible WrestleMania 34 return. PWInsider is reporting that Ambrose is expected to fly to Birmingham, Alabama this week for an evaluation.

– Reby Hardy recently took to Twitter to fire back at recent rumors over next week’s expected “Ultimate Deletion” segment on Monday Night RAW. Reby’s Queen Rebecca character is expected to be featured in the segment, which was filmed last week at Matt’s compound in North Carolina.

One fan noted on Twitter that Jeremy Borash and Matt were given creative control over the segment. While that has not been reported by any credible sources, it has been confirmed that Borash helped with production of the segment as he was a big part of the original “Broken” segments in TNA. Check it out:

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/973764245388017664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/973768533493497856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/SMAK2122/status/973765336230227970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jeff Hardy Wraps Up Physical Therapy, Fabulous Moolah Trainee Comments On Their Relationship

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– Jeff Hardy’s wife, Beth, took to Twitter to note that she dropped Jeff off at his final physical therapy appointment this morning. Jeff has been recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum & torn rotator cuff:

Jeff later took to Instagram to thank the Pinehurst Surgical physical therapy department for assisting him in his recovery:

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

– There has been a ton of controversy surrounding the WWE’s announcement of the first-ever Fabulous Moolah Women’s Battle Royal. Former 80’s WWE Superstar and Moolah trainee Jeannine Mjoseth issued the following statement to Pro Wrestling Sheet on WWE naming the rumble after Moolah:

“The Fabulous Moolah was a real-life heel. A lot of women paid to train at her school and then went out on the road. They risked life and limb in their matches and she repaid them with the worst kinds of abuses. She skimmed their money, she ignored women who were badly hurt, she pimped women out to creepy men and on and on. She was not a mother figure. She was more like Kali, the Indian Goddess of Destruction. I met her in my early 20s and I had never met such a monstrous person.

“I was smart enough to get the hell away from her and start my own independent career in Tampa as part of the Championship Wrestling from Florida. Luna Vachon, Peggy Fowler and I all left together, which I hope put a serious dent in her confidence, if not wallet.

“I understand why Moolah was so grotesque. Her family was dirt poor and she determined that she was never going to be hungry again. But it doesn’t excuse her dog-eat-dog behavior. I’d much rather see WWE establish a named match for outstanding wrestlers (and decent human beings) like Susan ‘Tex’ Green, Beverly Shade, Leilani Kai, Wendi Richter, Princess Victoria or Joyce Grable. They all put their hearts and souls into wrestling for decades and helped others along the way.

“But wrestling isn’t PC. It’s about generating heat. And you can’t draw more heat than naming a match for The Fabulous Moolah. May she be the last of her kind.”

Former “Blue’s Clues” Host Says He’ll Fight John Cena For Job (Video), Eva Marie Speaks Out On Cyber Bullying

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– Nickelodeon is planning on rebooting its famed children’ TV series, Blue’s Clues, and WWE Superstar John Cena auditioned for the hosting gig. Former show host Steven Burns was recently interviewed by TMZ and was asked about Cena auditioning.

He said he believes the new host of the show should be an “average Joe” but he understands why the network is auditioning and considering a celebrity the calibre of Cena. Burns then said that if Nickelodeon is serious about having Cena host the show, he thinks they should fight for the gig:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDBPeuXpZps&feature=youtu.be

– Former WWE Superstar Eva Marie has released a vlog in which she talks about cyber bullying. You can check that out here:

ROH Supercard Of Honor: Ishii vs. Martinez Announced, Updated Card

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Ring of Honor is gearing up for Supercard of Honor XII, which takes place during WrestleMania 34 weekend on Saturday night, April 7th from New Orleans, Louisiana. Catch the show on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app.

ROH is going up against NXT Takeover just down the road that night – and they’re making noise. The main event of Supercard of Honor will see the first confrontation between former Bullet Club brothers Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega. 

Ring of Honor World Champion Dalton Castle will defend against Marcy Scurll. And now, just announced – Punishment Martinez is slated to take on NJPW badass Tomohiro Ishii in singles competition. With that match, now confirmed:

  • ROH World Champion Dalton Castle  vs. Marty Scurll
  • Kenny Omega vs. Cody
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs. Punishment Martinez

Also signed to appear:

  • ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION KENNY KING
  • ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE BRISCOES
  • ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS SOCAL UNCENSORED (CHRISTOPHER
  • DANIELS, FRANKIE KAZARIAN, & SCORPIO SKY)
  • THE YOUNG BUCKS (MATT & NICK JACKSON)
  • ADAM PAGE
  • JAY LETHAL
  • SILAS YOUNG
  • KOTA IBUSHI
  • HIROSHI TANAHASHI
  • FLIP GORDON
  • THE WOMEN OF HONOR CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL

SEScoops’ own Brad Davis will be attending Supercard of Honor in person and we’ll be keeping you updated with all the news leading up to this huge event. 

Supercard of Honor XII takes place on Saturday, 4/7 from New Orleans during WrestleMania weekend. 

205 Live and NJPW Stars Announced for PROGRESS in New Orleans

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PROGRESS has announced the latest names for their upcoming WrestleMania weekend show on April 6th from the Pontchartrain Convention Center in New Orleans.

205 Live Superstar Mark Andrews, NXT and inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Zack Sabre Jr and WWE United Kingdom Superstar Trent Seven will be joining the already stacked lineup. This will be the only opportunity that fans have to see Trent, Tyler and Mark at an independent show on that weekend.

Also announced for the show are Jimmy Havoc, Mark Haskins, WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne, Jeff Cobb and loads more.

Joey Janela Challenging for OTT Gender Neutral Title

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OTT Wrestling has announced that Gender Neutral champion ‘Session Moth’ Martina will be defending her belt as part of her namesake event ‘Martina’s Gaff Party 3.’

The ‘Moth From Da Flats’ will be taking on two ascending performers in the independent scene, PROGRESS star and member of the South Pacific Power Trip; TK Cooper and CZW’s Joey Janela. This will be one of Session Moth’s last appearances for the company before setting off to the Stardom promotion in Japan.

Martina was due to face WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne in a bout for her Gender Neutral title at OTT’s ‘Floating In A Most Peculiar Way’ event but unfortunately the bout did not go ahead due to increment weather in Ireland and the UK.

‘The Miz’ Hopes CM Punk Does Well in His Second UFC Fight in June

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A pro wrestling beef that reportedly goes back nearly seven years doesn’t mean that ‘The Miz’ wishes any ill will on former WWE superstar CM Punk as he prepares for his second fight in the UFC.

Several years ago, ‘The Miz’ (real name Mike Mizanin) and CM Punk (real name Phil Brooks) were engaged in a reported backstage feud regarding how WWE was booking each of them and it led to some back and forth comments in various interviews.

Then back in 2016, Punk made his UFC debut after leaving WWE and he was submitted by Mickey Gall in the opening round of their fight. The next night as part of the “Elimination Chamber” pay-per-view, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler choreographed an almost identical set of moves in their match that mimicked — or mocked — Punk’s UFC performance.

Well if there was any ill will shared between them, The Miz is no longer holding any grudges after he was asked about Punk’s recent message where he seemed to reveal that his second UFC fight will take place in Chicago on June 9.

“I wouldn’t say that because the guy was going after a dream,” The Miz told TMZ when asked about Punk. “He always wanted to do that and whenever you go after a dream, why smash on it? He’s going to do his best, he’s going to try his hardest and I imagine he’s training his heart out to do the best he can in the Octagon. I hope he does well.”

As far as Punk’s chances to win in his second UFC fight, the Miz says that really comes down to who he’s facing and what kind of challenge he might receive inside the Octagon.

The Miz only knows one thing for certain — anything Punk is doing is for himself and not as a response to the haters who continuously jab at him over social media.

“I don’t think CM Punk is the type of person to really look into that. If you come from WWE, you have a thick skin because you’re hated on all day, everyday,” The Miz said. “This is just the norm for him.”

Will you be watching CM Punk in his second UFC fight? Sound off in the comments to let us know.