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Mick Foley Says He’d Like To Manage Becky Lynch To Counter Ric Flair & Charlotte

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Mick Foley recently took to social media to write about a fantasy booking scenario he’d like to be involved with in a perfect world.

When asked by a fan if he could manage anyone currently in WWE, the WWE Hall Of Famer said he’d like to manage Becky Lynch to counter Ric Flair being with Charlotte in the current Lynch-Charlotte program, which has seen the second generation Diva turn heel on her former “Team P.C.B.” teammate.

“The Hardcore Legend” posted the following on his official Facebook page:

HEARD ANY GOOD RUMORS?

During my Q&A in Greenville, SC on Thursday, I was asked a simple question: “If you could manage one person in WWE, who would it be?”

So, I gave a simple answer: “Becky Lynch”, along with my explanation of why – and by the next morning, it had become a genuine news story. I really wasn’t trying to make news; I was just answering a question honestly. But who knows – maybe the attention will lead to something in the future – and to quote my friend DDP, “That’s not a bad thing; it’s a good thing.”

Maybe Manager isn’t quite the right term – but it’s obvious Becky needs someone to neutralize “Nature Boy” Ric Flair – and given my real life history with Ric, and my real life friendship with Becky, I think I could do a good job, if asked.

How would you feel about a possible Lynch/Foley collaboration? I think we would make a ?#?Bexcellent? duo.

Biff Busick Makes NXT In-Ring Debut, Konnor Of The Ascension Returns

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– Chris Gigard, better known as “Biff Busick” on the independent scene, made his NXT in-ring debut at the NXT live event in Citrus Springs, Florida on Saturday evening. He lost in a singles match to fellow NXT and indie standout Rich Swann.

– Also this weekend, Konnor of The Ascension returned to in-ring action at the WWE live event in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday night. Konnor had previously been on the sidelines for a week or two with what was believed to be a jaw injury of some kind. The Ascension wound up losing to the team of Goldust and Fandango in what was their first match back as a team on a main roster event since Konnor took time off to heal up. Konnor’s first match back in general was a tag-team match that saw The Ascension lost to NXT Tag-Team Champions Dash and Dawson at the NXT television tapings this past Thursday night.

The Rock Presents At Golden Globes (Photo), John Cena Thanks Roman Reigns For Filling In

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– WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns replaced the injured John Cena on the WWE tour of India, which kicks off this coming weekend. Cena took to social media to thank the champ for filling in for him on short notice, and to apologize to the fans for the fact that he won’t be there as advertised. Cena tweeted the following:

– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appeared as a presenter at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday evening. The Rock presented the award for “Best Supporting Television Actress” alongside Jennifer Lopez. The award was won by Maura Tierney for her work on “The Affair.” Below is a photo of The Rock and J-Lo presenting the award last night.

Trish Stratus Interview: Triple H’s Vision For NXT, Advice For Divas

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Trish Stratus was recently interviewed by Alex Obert for Journeyofafrontman.com. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about a variety of topics, including her longtime friendship with Lita, WWE Tough Enough, turning heel at WrestleMania 20, motherhood and more. Here are some highlights of what she said about:

Her Advice To NXT Women: “They have to challenge themselves and step out of the box every time they go out there. They have to stand out and give the fans somethng that intrigues them and will make them want to see more of them. I think people get used to their go-to moves and like staying in their comfort zone. But, even if its working, you still gotta mix it up. At the end of the day, it’s about going out there and making it the best damn two minutes you’ve ever made for yourself. Also spotting the opportunity to do that is important. us. I think right now is the time we are waiting for that big star from the women to break out.”

Triple H’s Vision For NXT: “Well the thing about Triple H is he’s very smart and is a visionary really. As the person in charge of talent, his job is to recognize their abilities, spot their potential, then provide them with the opportunity that could elevate them that way they can make the most of them in the company. The cool thing is that he looked at the Divas division and he didn’t just see them as women, he saw these amazing athletes and characters that could do well on the show and connect with the fans. That’s what he did, he gave them the opportunity. Once the fans connect with them, they’re golden. It’s cool to see Triple H in this role, it’s no coincidence this vision is coming from a multi-time champion who knows a thing or two about what works in the ring.”

WWE RAW Preview, Ric Flair On Stone Cold’s Podcast Tonight

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Tonight’s WWE RAW takes place from New Orleans, Louisiana at the Smoothie King Center. Here are the top items to look forward to:

– Brock Lesnar returns to WWE television with his Advocate, Paul Heyman. Lesnar’s WWE schedule leading into WrestleMania season ramps up tonight and it’s expected he will be part of the Royal Rumble match in less than two weeks.

– There will be follow up regarding John Cena’s injury. Cena underwent shoulder surgery last week and will be out of action for the next several months.

– Part-time Superstar Chris Jericho is advertised for the show after making his surprise return last week.

The dark match main event will see Reigns & Ambrose team up against Kevin Owens, Sheamus & Alberto Del Rio in a 3-0n-2 match.

After RAW goes off the air, the Stone Cold Podcast returns to the WWE Network with his guest, the one and only Nature Boy Ric Flair.

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

Updated Betting Odds For The 2016 WWE Royal Rumble

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With two weeks to go until the 2016 Royal Rumble, online betting sites have picked a favorite to be the last man standing as WWE World Heavyweight Champion – Roman Reigns. The odds are stacked against him, but the fans putting their money on the line see Reigns retaining. After Reigns, Triple H and Brock Lesnar are considered the most likely Superstars to win the Rumble.

2016 will be the first time in history that the reigning WWE Champion must put his title in the Rumble match. WWE has not yet addressed how the WWE Champion’s challenger for WrestleMania 32 will be determined, but we will probably know after WWE Fastlane in February.

Source: WWELeaks.org

Mixed Reaction In WWE & NXT To Triple H Appearing On TakeOver: London While Injured

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https://youtu.be/RtksPFMfuPU

There have been mixed reactions in WWE and NXT to Triple H making an appearance during the NXT TakeOver: London show in December only a few days after he wasn’t on RAW because he was selling the attack he suffered at the hands of Roman Reigns at the TLC pay-per-view. There was also talk about some workout footage he posted on social media that week that showed him lifting weights like a pro while he was injured in the storylines.

The majority of those in WWE felt that if anyone else was involved in a major injury angle on television and posted training footage of themselves on social media, it would get them heat with WWE management. Those same people, however, are fully aware of the fact that the regular rules generally don’t apply to top stars or anyone named McMahon.

As far as HHH’s NXT appearance goes, the consensus is that would never happen to anyone else, as they simply wouldn’t be booked on an NXT show if they were injured in the storylines.

At the same time, there were those in NXT that were upset with the wording of Roman Reigns’ promo on that week’s edition of SmackDown, as he spoke as if no one had seen or heard from Triple H since he beat him up at the TLC pay-per-view. The feeling was that Reigns’ words made it seem like he was going out of his way to act like the NXT TakeOver: London event didn’t happen, as he essentially ignored it. There were some who took it a step further and were of the opinion that Reigns’ promo made it seem like NXT is a brand that the main roster doesn’t pay attention to or watch, which could give the viewers the impression that it’s not important enough to care about.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was acknowledged that Triple H probably shouldn’t have made the appearance at the NXT TakeOver: London show in the first place, however the feeling was that one way or the other he was going to “take his victory bow” in front of the sold out NXT crowd.

Those on the main roster felt they had a more legitimate beef, as they did the injury angle and Triple H missed RAW on Monday to sell the TLC attack, Reigns did the promo about HHH missing in action since TLC at the SmackDown tapings, which they feel everyone knows is really taped on Tuesday, so they felt he should have purposely kept himself off of the NXT TakeOver: London show, which was on Wednesday.

Regardless of which side has the bigger argument, the feeling was that Triple H should have appeared on RAW the next week, not the NXT special, and Reigns shouldn’t have made comments under circumstances that would make the NXT brand come off as a second rate brand that isn’t worth watching, especially considering it aired on the WWE Network.

Kenny Omega On Wrestlers Copying The Bullet Club Logo, His Time In WWE Developmental

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https://youtu.be/2aCUKu2dzFU

New Japan Pro Wrestling star Kenny Omega was recently interviewed by Mark Suleymanov of The Inquisitr. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On his time with PWG:

“PWG is somewhat like a home away from home. Just before I left for Japan, I was just breaking into there and the fans there are very receptive. They love me, they love my character, and they love my matches. The promoter there took a chance on me when others wouldn’t and I entered the main event scene with the highest quality of opponents there before any other promotions. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for PWG.”

On being with WWE developmental:

“That’s one thing Deep South Wrestling taught me, which was the WWE developmental at the time when I was there. Some people thrive being programmed, some people need to have a direction told to them, some people need to be created from the ground up to even stand a chance in this world. But for people like me, I really need my own creative freedom and be in an environment where that can I flourish.”

On wrestlers copying the Bullet Club logo:

“I think it’s sort of a cheesy cash-in, like, it’s bad enough that we have so many parodied t-shirt designs that people are buying,” said Omega. “It’s bad enough that you have to parody a legitimate wrestling logo. Parody a movie, parody a game, parody a TV show, but a wrestling shirt parodying a wrestling shirt, that’s a little cheesy. Can’t you go a little deeper than that?

“Chances are you’re either a mother f***ing robot yourself that has no original idea, or you just wouldn’t be able to sell your own merchandise so you have to make something to similar to Bullet Club that people wanna buy it, in my humble opinion. But what do I know, I’m only the guy who has had six matches of the year.”

Kevin Owens Interview: Facing The Undertaker At WrestleMania, NJPW Stars To WWE

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Kevin Owens recently spoke with Title Match Wrestling to hype WWE’s upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 24th. The former Intercontinental champion addressed a wide range of topics including WrestleMania 32, potential matches with Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker, NJPW stars invading WWE and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania: “WrestleMania is synonymous with the Undertaker, regardless of what’s happened with the streak, I still think it’s Undertaker’s show. I’d like to throw my name in the hat and see if he’s still the phenom that he claims to be.”

NJPW Stars To WWE: If any of those guys do get here, Nakamura is probably the one I’m most excited about. I’ve wrestled him once before, before I got signed to WWE and it was a pretty awesome experience. I think he would bring something completely different to WWE. As far as the other guys are concerned, they’re all talented guys, but ultimately, I’m better, so it doesn’t matter if they come or not.

Here’s the full interview:

NJPW Re-Signs Bad Luck Fale & Rocky Romero After They Had Talks With WWE

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New Japan Pro Wrestling has re-signed Bad luck Fale and Rocky Romero after both men were in talks with WWE, according to Ryan Satin of ProWrestlingSheet.com. Both deals are said to be for 2 years.

With the news of AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson giving notice to NJPW and appearing to be WWE bound, it’s not surprising that NJPW is locking down talent and preventing an even greater exodus.

Bad Luck Fale posted the following message on Facebook regarding his decision to stick with NJPW:

There has been a lot of speculation around my future. I have had offers from all corners, and a lot of people telling me what to do. But as always I’ve always blocked out outside voices and stayed true to myself. I am someone who stays true to myself. I believe in integrity, honesty and loyalty. And it’s those principles that have swayed my decision. I will stay with NJPW because they believed in me when I was nobody. That means more than anything materialistic. I look forward to the future and appreciate the opportunity that I have had and that I have been given. Bullet Club for life!!!!

Former TNA Knockout Tweets Cryptic Photo Reminiscent Of The Wyatt Family

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Women’s wrestler Santana Garrett tweeted a photo of the weekend that appears to invoke the imagery of WWE’s Wyatt Family. Trained by Larry Zbyszko and Scott Hall, she made her pro debut back in 2009 and has wrestled for TNA, Global Force and more.

Garrett worked the most recent NXT TV tapings and is based out of Orlando, FL, home of WWE’s Performance Center.

https://twitter.com/SantanaGarrett_/status/686044158323245056

Props to longtime SEScoops reader Shawn Olmstead for help with this story.

The Miz On Getting His Character From Tom Cruise, Vince McMahon Changing His Look

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The Miz recently appeared as a guest on Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss and spoke about Vince McMahon influencing a change in his ring gear, Tom Cruise influencing his egotistical character, getting advice from The Rock and more. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On working and getting advice from The Rock:

“I met The Rock. I got to wrestle The Rock and I remember my first movie I actually texted The Rock and he called me back and was like, ‘hey man, this is your first movie’ and he gave me the most amazing advice.”

On getting his egotistical character from watching Tom Cruise movies:

“I would watch all of [Cruise’s] interviews and just some of the stuff that he would say would just be incredible. He’d be so intense and then start laughing and then be really intense again and I’d be like, ‘I’m using this!’ This is it!”

On switching his ring gear from shorts to trunks after Vince McMahon saw him in trunks and liked the look:

“When I first started with WWE, I didn’t want to look like the quintessential wrestler. I didn’t want to wear trunks. I didn’t want to look like that. I wanted to look cool, I guess you could say, like, cooler in my mind. And I wore shorts with a bunch of different stuff. I wore a bandana with a fedora thinking it was the coolest thing ever, saying ‘ninny’. I don’t know. It was just one of those things. I got fired by Jeremy Piven because he was the guest host that week [on WWE Monday Night RAW] and so the next week I was going to come back and I was going to wear a mask and everyone couldn’t know who I was, so I wore trunks for the first time. When I got [backstage], one of the talent relations guys goes, ‘Vince loves you in trunks. You are wearing trunks from now on.’ I was like, ‘I don’t want to wear trunks! I don’t want to wear trunks!’ And it’s like, if Vince McMahon says, ‘you’re going to wear trunks from now on,’ you’re going to wear trunks from now on, so I started wearing trunks and I haven’t gone back.”

Video: Triple H’s Eulogy From Lemmy’s Funeral

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This week Triple H was in attendance for the funeral of Ian Fraser Kilmister, best known Motorhead vocalist and bassist Lemmy, who died of cancer on December 28th in Los Angeles. He was 70 years old.

Triple H and Lemmy had been friends for many years. Triple H explains that not only did Lemmy give him the gift of Motorhead’s sound (for his theme songs “The Game” and “King of Kings”), but more importantly, Lemmmy game him the gift of friendship. RIP

https://youtu.be/7PMJzpLWlDU

Spoilers – Impact Wrestling Tapings Results (Airing 2/2)

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TNA taped another episode of Impact Wrestling on Friday night from Bethlehem, PA. These should air on Tuesday, February 2nd:

– Bobby Lashley defeated Aiden O’Shea in about 5 minutes. After the match, the same woman from the January 26th episode that flirted with Lashley came back out. She said the next time she sees Lashley, she can bring pain or pleasure. She had to repeat herself because she didn’t have the mic close enough to her mouth. She leaves and then Lashley leaves. Our correspondent wrote, “Pretty dumb.”

– World Heavyweight Champion Matt Hardy comes out with wife Reby Sky and Tyrus. Matt says what happened to Jeff Hardy last week was karma paying him a visit, with the piledriver through a table. Matt says it was business, not personal. Eric Young comes out with Bram, and wants a title shot. Kurt Angle is out next. Angle reveals that his next match on the farewell tour is against Matt for the title, and it will be tonight. Angle says he will kick everyone’s ass. Beer Money is out next. They want to fight Bram and EY. This leads to a big brawl. The Wolves, Abyss and Crazzy Steve all run out and join the fight. Fans are chanting “Matt’s a pussy”

– Bram, EY, Steve and Abyss vs. The Wolves and Beer Money in a Hardcore War is announced for later. The heels leave first and then the babyfaces after some crowd interaction

– Shane Helms vs. TNA X Division Champion Tigre Uno is next. Helms comes out in street clothes and says Uno agreed to a title match, but not against him. He introduces his challenger and out comes Trevor Lee. Lee wins the title and looked impressive. Helms and Lee appear to be together as heels but the crowd was giving Lee a lot of love

– Tyrus vs. Drew Galloway, said to be very slow paced at times, ends when Galloway hits a powerbomb from the second turnbuckle. The lights go out and Maria Kanellis appears on the stage. She says Galloway’s miracle happens now. The lights come back on and Mike Bennett nails Galloway with his own Feast or Famine briefcase. Bennett cuts a promo on Drew and says he’s the miracle TNA needs

– Crazzy Steve, Abyss, Bram and Eric Young defeated Beer Money and The Wolves in a Hardcore War. Davey Richards and Steve started the match, every 60 seconds a new man joins in. Bram came out next with a pipe. James Storm was out next with a keg of beer. The crowd was hot for the match now. EY brought a Singapore cane out and Eddie Edwards brought a trash can lid. Fans chanted “this is awesome” as Storm took a break to drink a beer handed to him by a fan. Abyss is out next with Janice. He swings and misses. Bobby Roode is out next with a hockey stick. Lots of fun brawling and spots like a six-man suplex. Beer Money fights Bram and EY to the back. Abyss lays Davey out with a title belt and Steve covers him for the win. Abyss and Steve celebrate and leave, still in possession of the titles

– Maria comes out alone. She says women’s wrestling needs a miracle and she is the arrow, the First Lady of Wrestling. Maria says she will change the women’s division. TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim comes out. Maria offers to help Kim and take her to the next level. Kim says Maria should lace her boots up and they have words. Kim wants to fight but Maria leaves

– Kurt Angle vs. Matt Hardy for the World Heavyweight Title is the main event. Fans chant “Matt’s a pussy” again during the introductions. Angle laughs. Lots of back and forth in the match. The lights go out and come back on, apparently just an error by someone in the back. Angle hits a bunch of belly to belly suplexes. Angle went to the top but was distracted by Reby Sky, who was at ringside with Tyrus. Hardy ended up hitting a Twist of Fate from the turnbuckles for the win. Team Hardy celebrated to end the show.

Robbie Brookside On Getting Hired By WWE, His Friendship With William Regal & More

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WWE Performance Center coach and WWE Breaking Ground personality Robbie Brookside recently appeared as a guest on Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast.

During the interview, which was recorded at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, Brookside spoke about getting his job with WWE, noting that they originally brought him in for a six month trial period. Three months into the trial period, he was asked to stay another six months and that turned into two years.

Brookside also spoke about his friendship with NXT General Manager William Regal, someone that he admits he has a lot to thank for. He spoke about taking Regal under his wing several years back when both were in England, and that Regal has returned the favor many times by getting him work in WCW and WWE.

“Darren, I call him Darren, is my best mate, without a shadow of a doubt. We’ve always kept in touch over the years through thick and thin,” said Brookside. “There’ve been times where he’s needed a shoulder to cry on, and for someone to back him up, and I’ve done the same as well, and he’s been there all the way.”

Brookside continued, “He’s married and he’s got three children, and I remember when Daniel was born. I was staying at their house before they were married, we go back that far. He’s almost like an uncle, but I’m two or three years older. But I always feel ten years younger.”

*Spoiler* Another Title Change At TNA Impact Wrestling Television Tapings

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TNA switched another title during their television tapings in Bethlehem this weekend, as Trevor Lee defeated Tigre Uno to become the new TNA X-Division Champion in a match that is expected to air on the February 2nd edition of Impact Wrestling on POP TV.

Lee has held the TNA Tag-Team titles with Curt Hawkins in the past, however this is the first time he has had a run with a singles title in TNA.

The angle in this one saw Shane Helms come out to challenge Uno for the X-Division title after weeks of teasing that he was coming for it, only to introduce Uno’s real opponent — Trevor Lee.

Update WWE’s “Balor Club” Trademark

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WWE’s trademarking of the phrase “Balor Club” took step towards finalization on January 5th. According to the US PTO website, WWE filed for the mark back in April 2015 and it is now ‘Published for Opposition.’ According to the application, the trademark would be used for:

“Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment; fan club services in the field of sports entertainment; organizing and staging entertainment events with wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely, blogs, in the fields of sports entertainment.”

With all the talk of NJPW talent jumping ship to WWE, there had been some speculation as to who actually owns the “Bullet Club” trademark, but a patent & trademark search confirms the name is owned by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

John Cena Surgery Update

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John Cena is recovering after undergoing shoulder surgery on Thursday in Birmingham, Alabama. Cena’s surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, spoke with WWE.com about the procedure and what’s next for the wrestling superstar.

Cena had a complete tear of a small portion of the rear rotator cuff tendon (the infraspinatus) and a large piece of loose tissue in his shoulder, which was removed. Additionally there was some deterioration in the AC joint at the top of the shoulder.

The procedure took approximately one hour. Next, he’ll begin working on range of motion before bearing weight on his shoulder. “The first hurdle is getting the cuts to heal and getting cartilage to form over the defect,” Dr. Dugas said.

Typical recovery time for this procedure is 6-9 months. Cena is known for his superhuman healing powers, but it still looks unlikely that he’ll be back in time for WrestleMania 32.

Randy Orton Denies Needing Neck Surgery, Shoulder Recovering Ahead Of Schedule

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WWE superstar Randy Orton posted a message to social media on Friday addressing his health, specifically reports that he would be having surgery on his shoulder and neck.

Orton’s shoulder had been bothering him for several months last year and it was dislocated back in October. He underwent an MRI and it was determined surgery was required. During his time away from WWE TV, he got married in Las Vegas to his fiancée Kim.

After a month went by without any confirmation that Orton had gone under the knife to repair his shoulder,  the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Orton might also need neck surgery. The Viper denies needing neck surgery and says he’s recovering ahead of schedule.

“I see many of you think I need neck surgery. I heard weeks ago that Meltzer stated it as a fact. I don’t keep up with gossip, so I didn’t think anything of it. As far as my shoulder, I was cut on 12/8. Things are ahead of schedule and I’m pumped to get back to work. As far as my neck, and I’m only debunking this ‘fact’ for the sincerely concerned fans, I DONT need neck surgery. Remember, unless you hear about it on WWE.com, you really should take everything you read online concerning pro wrestling with a grain of salt.”

At the time of his shoulder surgery, WWE.com reported that he would be out of action for 4-6 months. Surgery on December 8th indicates that he still might not be ready to return by WrestleMania 32.

Spoilers – Impact Wrestling Tapings Results (Airing 1/26)

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Thanks to Dale Dietrich for the following TNA Impact Wrestling spoilers from the tapings in Bethlehem, PA. These should air on Tuesday, January 26th:

– Jeremy Borash is warming up the crowd and reveals the big title change that was taped on Friday night after One Night Only. There are more seats in the arena than there were on Wednesday and Thursday nights

– Tigre Uno retains the X Division Title over Mandrews and DJ Zema Ion in a Triple Threat. After the match, Shane Helms comes down during Tigre’s celebration andchallenges him to a title match “next week”

– Jeff Hardy comes out and calls his brother to the ring. New World Heavyweight Champion Matt Hardy comes out with his wife Reby Sky and Tyrus. Matt also has new theme music. He cuts a heel promo and Jeff is confused by his actions. Matt says they’re going their separate ways but Jeff wants a title shot. Matt mumbled something and left, it wasn’t clear if the match is happening or not. Our correspondent wrote, “I don’t think anyone understood him since there was no crowd reaction.”

– Feast or Famine Match is next with title shots for the World Title, KOTM Title and Tag Team Titles, plus a pink slip, in 4 briefcases in each corner. Participants are Beer Money, Robbie E, Aiden O’Shea, Grado, Drew Galloway, Eric Young, Bram, Eli Drake, Jessie Godderz, Chris Melendez and Rockstar Spud. Grado grabs the first briefcase and runs away with it. Galloway takes the second briefcase, Drake gets the third. Storm and Roode contemplate on who gets the final case. Storm goes for it and grabs it while Roode watches out for him

– Christy Hemme interviews Bobby Lashley in the arena. Lashley says he respects Kurt Angle a lot but he has to beat him in their upcoming match. A random woman came over to Lashley and flirted with him. Our correspondent wasn’t sure if it was for TV and said it made no sense

– TNA Tag Team Champions The Wolves call out Crazzy Steve. Apparently he stole their belts at some point when he and another person jumped The Wolves. A woman wearing paint comes out and does a riddle for The Wolves… Steve then comes out but doesn’t have the belts. It turns out Abyss was the one who helped Steve jump The Wolves as he comes out to the stage. The Wolves rush them and a brawl breaks out on the stage

– The Wolves defeated Crazzy Steve and Abyss by DQ. Ten minutes in, the girl in paint comes back out with the titles. She distracts The Wolves, leading to Abyss and Steve getting disqualified. They beat The Wolves down and celebrate with the belts before leaving with them

– Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy for the World Heavyweight Title didn’t happen. Jeff came out first, followed by Matt with Tyrus and Reby. Eric Young comes out after introductions and complains that he’s the real #1 contender. Matt attacks Jeff, then EY and Bram join in on the beatdown. Beer Money comes down to attack EY and Bram. Abyss and Crazzy Steve are out next to join the brawl. Beer Money fights Abyss and Steve to the back. Kurt Angle comes out to confront Matt but Tyrus nails him. Matt levels Angle with the title. Matt and Tyrus leave the ring and watch from the ramp as Jeff fights Bram and EY. EY piledrives Jeff from the apron through a table in a nice spot. EY and Bram leave as officials come out to help Jeff. A doctor comes out and fans do the “New Day rocks” chants. EMT’s bring a backboard out for Jeff after he’s been down for at least 15 minutes. They take Jeff out through the crowd, up a ramp and out a side door to a waiting ambulance

– Awesome Kong defeated Velvet Sky in under 5 minutes with the Implant Buster.Madison Rayne came down to fight Kong but The Dollhouse ran down and beat her down. Kong splashed Velvet from the second rope to “holy s–t” chants. The Dollhouse celebrates and leaves with Kong

Major TNA Spoiler At Friday’s Impact Wrestling Tapings

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A new TNA Champion was crowned at Friday night’s Impact Wrestling tapings from Bethlehem, PA in a match that featured an unexpected double turn.

Matt Hardy defeated Ethan Carter III to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, turning heel and aligning himself with Tyrus. EC3 turned babyface after suffering the first clean loss of his TNA career.

The Hardy-EC3 match featuring the double turn angle and title change, which TNA has been hyping this week as a “Career vs. Title” match, is expected to air on the Tuesday, January 26th episode of Impact Wrestling on POP TV.

Make sure to visit SEScoops.com on Saturday morning for a complete report from tonight’s TNA television tapings, including a detailed rundown of the entire Hardy-EC3 match and angle from earlier this evening.

Viewership For WWE SmackDown Premiere On USA Network

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The premiere episode WWE SmackDown on the USA Network drew a 1.93 rating with 2,757,000 viewers, significantly higher than what the show was doing on Syfy. It was the most-watched episode of SmackDown since April 2015.

By comparison, here’s a look at SmackDown viewership for the month of December:

  • 12/3: 2,044,000 viewers
  • 12/10: 2,133,000 viewers
  • 12/17: 2,332,000 viewers (Final non-holiday show on Syfy)
  • 12/22: 2,264,000 viewers (Live Tuesday special on USA Network)
  • 12/31: 1,658,000viewers (Final episode on Syfy & New Year’s Eve)

Finn Balor Teases Making His Main Roster Debut Alongside The Bullet Club

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Finn Balor spoke to WWE.com this week to discuss the reports of AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and members of the Bullet Club leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling and jumping ship to WWE. The NXT Champion spoke extensively about his history as a member of the Bullet Club, his close friendships with Karl Anderson and Shinsuke Nakamura and much more.

Balor called Nakamura one of the most charismatic wrestlers on the planet and said his arrival in WWE would be an absolute game changer. He put over Gallows and Anderson as one of the top tag teams in the world, singling out Karl Anderson as a tremendously underrated talent. AJ Styles’ reputation speaks for itself and it would be a huge coup for WWE to bring him in.

In terms of what type of impact these 4 men would make on WWE, Balor didn’t hold back his excitement. “I think the next couple of months could change the way pro wrestling is viewed for the next 10 years,” he said.

As for whether or not he sees himself reuniting with his fellow Bullet Club members in WWE, Balor says he can’t think of a better way for him to make his main roster debut.

“I am very ambitious. And I want to be in the place that is causing the most controversy and getting the most media attention and getting the most focus put on it. I did that in New Japan, I did that in NXT. And perhaps, in the future, if Bullet Club were to arrive on Monday Night Raw, there would be no better way for Finn Bálor to make his debut than with his best friends by his side.”

Jim Ross Blog: JR Returning To Announcing?, Ranallo’s WWE Debut, WrestleMania Booking

Matt Boone
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WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross updated his official blog at JRsBarBQ.com with his thoughts on WWE’s approach to booking the top matches for WrestleMania 32, Mauro Ranallo’s WWE announcing debut and his own potential return to broadcasting. Below are some of the highlights.

On WWE’s booking heading into WrestleMania 32:

“Bottom Line is that WWE has the time to construct the top 3-4 main event level bouts for WM32 if they book a card that they are comfortable with and include some surprises and new faces in the mix. Fans want bold and new and I hope that WWE takes a calculated risk on some new hands and do what they can to provide the fans with what they seemingly want. Every one is a ‘booker’ these days, including me, so at times WWE, as well as other wrestling companies, are damned if they do and damned if they don’t when it comes to creative.”

On Luke Harper being someone WWE could book against The Undertaker at WM32:

“Who wrestles Taker at WM32 is a question that I’m getting a lot. First of all, I have no idea. Secondly, someone can be made ready between now and April 3 for Taker especially if the opportunity exists to put the Deadman in jeopardy. Perhaps, and this is merely one of many ideas that one can come up with, Luke Harper, with the Wyatt Family, would give the Undertaker a quality match and no matter the outcome Harper would be better because of the booking. I could see the Wyatt Family, lead by Harper , turning on Bray Wyatt, who could then get the ‘rub’ from Taker to become a long overdue, in my opinion, character baby face.”

On Mauro Ranallo’s WWE announcing debut on this week’s SmackDown:

“Enjoyed Mauro Ranallo on his first Smackdown broadcast this week and thought Jerry Lawler’s edgier presentation was a positive step for the sound of the show, too. It’s fun reading all he Twitter feedback regarding Mauro’s work and fans comparing his style to mine as if I were deceased. Mauro’s work deserves to stand on its own. He’s that good.”

On “Good Ole’ JR” possibly returning to the announcing booth:

“For the record, I’m not deceased and neither is my broadcasting career for those keeping score at home. I merely say, ‘Stay tuned.'”

James Storm Talks About His Decision To Return To TNA, His Time In NXT

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James Storm spoke with Bill Apter this week about his decision to return to TNA, his time working with Triple H in NXT and more. Here are the highlights of what he said about:

Why He Returned to TNA:

“You know to me I got unfinished business to do and basically to support my family. That’s what it came down to. I was in contract negotiations with different people and what it all boiled down toImpact Wrestling gave me the best offer.”

Fans Criticizing His Decision:

“They can say whatever they want to say if they want to say negative stuff about me I don’t care. Because they don’t know the whole story. There’s a lot that went on behind the scenes.”

His Brief NXT Stint:

“With me in NXT, it’s a mutual agreement. The door is still open. I talked to Hunter and to me he’s one of the greatest minds and one of the best guys I’ve talked to, especially business-wise.”

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