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Nic Nemeth Comes Out To His WWE Song At Indie Show

Bishal Roy
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Nic Nemeth (formerly Dolph Ziggler in WWE) recently surprised the fans during an indie show.

Nemeth has a decorated WWE career in the rearview mirror. He recently ended a 19-year run with the company as he was part of the first wave of releases after the launch of TKO Group Holdings. 

Months after his shocking release from WWE, Nemeth arrived in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he introduced the fans to his ‘Wanted Man gimmick’ and most recently he made an appearance in TNA.

Nic Nemeth uses his WWE theme song

Nic Nemeth recently worked WWC Euphoria event in Puerto Rico. Fans noted an interesting thing which is that he used his WWE theme ‘Here To Show The World’ while making his entrance to the ring. Former WWE Superstar Primo Colon introduced Nemeth to the fans and hyped up his appearance. At the event, Nic Nemeth squared faced Ray Gonzalez in a singles match.

https://twitter.com/FiteTV/status/1748894210491576642

After his NJPW and TNA appearances, fans are hopeful that Nic Nemeth will show up in AEW eventually. It’s worth noting that his brother Ryan Nemeth is also a part of the AEW roster. He had been trying to convince Nic for a decade that he should exit WWE. 

But for now, it seems that Nic Nemeth made his goals in TNA clear during his first promo in the promotion. He is going after the ultimate prize of the promotion, TNA World Championship. Read more below:

WWE Not Considering One Reported WrestleMania 40 Main Event Option

Aaron Varble
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The Rock changed a lot about WrestleMania when he made his surprise return for a one-night special appearance on WWE RAW’s Day 1 episode. After he dropped that “Head of the Table” tease, the idea that fans may finally see Rock vs Roman Reigns is a very popular one. That leaves a big question about plans they already had in line.

WrestleMania 40 Plans

Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes was the plan for the Undisputed Universal Title match at WrestleMania 40. That would have seen Rhodes return a year after his Mania 39 loss to face Reigns again. After The Rock returned to the picture, that brought a big possible change.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that, “Reigns’ opponent is expected to be either The Rock or Rhodes, or it could be a three-way.”

Roman Reigns’ Match (Exclusive)

While we cannot provide any information about WWE’s final decision for Reigns’ WrestleMania main event match, we can confirm that one of those three options is off the table. A triple threat match is not going to be how they resolve this issue.

A tenured member of the WWE creative team confirmed to me that there will be, “No Triple Threat for Mania.” I was told that the creative team was informed of that last week.

At this time, I am told that The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania situation “is being held tight at the highest levels.”

History of The Rock vs Roman Reigns at WrestleMania

The Rock vs Roman Reigns was pencilled in for WrestleMania 37 at SoFi Stadium, but then that event was moved to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, because WrestleMania 36 went down in front of zero fans. The pandemic caused Tampa to lose Mania 36, but WWE’s dedication to Florida brought them back for a show of shows in front of live fans the next year.

The big cousin vs cousin main event was then tabled after I was told The Rock was a “virtual lock.”

The Rock later confirmed on the Pat McAfee Show that he was very close to having that match against Roman on the grandest stage of them all, but things changed.

“The Rock headlining WrestleMania with Roman Reigns, SoFi Stadium, that was locked. We were doing it. But let me just tell you, so about the beginning of 2022, Nick Khan, very good friend, he’s the man, he was very instrumental in bringing Vince and I together. We all flew to LA, we met, we sat. This was the beginning of 2022. We broke out the Teremana, we toasted life, we toasted the business we love, and about an hour later, we started talking about the potential of what this match could be between myself and Roman Reigns headlining WrestleMania at SoFi.”

The Royal Rumble event on January 27th will likely answer more than a few questions about what WWE is planning for WrestleMania 40. Don’t count on a triple threat match, but the Tribal Chief is practically guaranteed to have a big match at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

CM Punk Left Hanging by Damage CTRL After Applying to Join: “Haven’t heard anything yet”

Bishal Roy
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Could CM Punk be a part of Damage CTRL?

Damage CTRL led by Bayley has been a formidable faction in the women’s division. The faction originally had Dakota Kai and IYO SKY and later Asuka and Kairi Sane joined the group. 

Bayley recently posted a new photo with herself, Kairi Sane, Asuka, IYO SKY, and Dakota Kai. The former Women’s Champion wrote the following in the caption:

“They said we won’t. I bet we will.”

CM Punk jokes about wanting to join Damage CTRL

CM Punk took note of the photo and wrote an amusing comment. He joked that he applied to join Damage CTRL.

“I sent in my application to join but haven’t heard anything yet,” he said.

screenshot 2024 01 21 174009 1

Bayley and CM Punk will compete in respective Royal Rumble 2024 matches 

Royal Rumble 2024 WWE Premium Live Event which will emanate live from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida is less than a week away. The show takes place on January 27.

Damage CTRL’s Bayley is certainly among the
favorites to win this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match. With Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley seemingly locked for a title bout for WrestleMania 40, ‘The Role Model’ could win the high-stakes match and go after IYO SKY’s WWE Women’s title, adding a new layer to their storyline. 

Meanwhile, CM Punk who made a blockbuster return in November last year has made a major impact. He had been the talk of the town for quite some time and if he wins the Royal Rumble match, he could even go on to main event WrestleMania 40. 

Daniel Garcia: AEW’s Roster Are Very Happy To See WWE Succeed

Thomas Lowson
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While a portion of professional wrestling fans may be extremely tribal, those in AEW are happy to see its main competition, WWE, succeed. 

Since launching in 2019, AEW has proven to be the biggest competition to WWE since the demise of WCW in 2001. When AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT competed in the Wednesday Night Wars, AEW’s flagship show would win the majority of battles over ratings. When the two shows went head-to-head last October, however, NXT earned a comfortable, decisive victory over Dynamite. 

AEW Are Happy for WWE

The topic of tribalism has been a hot-button issue since the launch of AEW, with Tony Khan’s recent outburst about Raw’s booking making headlines. In a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, however, Daniel Garcia made it clear why AEW’s roster hopes to see WWE do well and vice versa. 

“The fans are so AEW or WWE, they think the talent is like that as well. They think we hate each other and we don’t interact with each other. When it comes down to it, having both companies is great for all of us. It gets us all more money, it makes the product better. The competition is great.

“We’re very grateful for WWE succeeding and I’m sure people at WWE, the talent, is very grateful for AEW being successful. All talent, for the most part, I think everyone gets along and interacts with each other.”

Garcia competed on this week’s AEW Collision, where he defeated Buddy Matthews. He was attacked by the House of Black after the match. 

One AEW star has called for less hostility among fans of AEW and WWE… 

H/T – Fightful

Adele Praises A24’s The Iron Claw: “I Was So Blown Away”

Thomas Lowson
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A24’s The Iron Claw has proven to be a hit among wrestling fans and movie-goers alike, and pop sensation Adele has also been impressed. 

The biopic delves into the lives, careers, and many tragedies of the Von Erich family. Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich alongside Jeremy Allen White (Kerry) and Harris Dickinson (David). Several wrestlers appear in the film including MJF (as Lance Von Erich), Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Ed ‘The Sheik’ Farhat), and Ryan Nemeth (Gino Hernandez). 

Adele Praises The Iron Claw

At her latest Weekends With Adele residency show, the british musician had plenty of praise for The Iron Claw. Adele, known for hits including Hello, Someone Like You, and Rolling in the Deep, even went as far as to call the Von Erich biopic her favorite film of the past year.

“There’s loads of great movies, but if you haven’t seen it, [The] Iron Claw was my favorite movie of the year. It’s about a very famous American wrestling family… f*****g phenomenal. They’re all amazing. But [The] Iron Claw, I was so blown away by Zac Efron in that movie and after it I cried for three hours… So [The] Iron Claw is the best movie I’ve seen all year. Watch it if you haven’t seen it.”

The sold-out The Colosseum at Caesars Palace crowd erupted in agreement with Adele’s review of the film. The film is currently in cinemas in the United States and is set to be released in Adele’s native UK very soon. 

Zac Efron’s role as Kevin Von Erich will soon be immortalized in a unique way… 

Watch: Chris Curtis Walks Out To Adam Copeland’s Theme in Epic UFC 297 Entrance

Thomas Lowson
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The UFC may be allied with WWE as part of TKO Group Holdings, but it was AEW’s Adam Copeland whose theme was used at a recent event. 

At last night’s UFC 297 event, Chris Curtis walked into his fight with Alterbridge’s Metalingus playing. Copeland has used the theme since a 2004 heel turn as Edge in WWE and has been able to keep using the theme as part of AEW following his debut at WrestleDream. 

Curtis competed against Marc-André Barriault in a middleweight-division fight. After going the distance in three rounds, Curtis was awarded the victory by decision. Curtis’ wrestling fandom can’t be denied, as during a weigh-in, he hit a pose that fans of a certain Apex Predator may find very familiar. 

chris curtis rko pose 1

Pro-Wrestling Themes in UFC

Copeland’s theme isn’t the first wrestling tune to make its way to the world of UFC. Colby Covington has often used ‘Medal’, the theme synonymous with Kurt Angle in WWE, though the song was also used by Sgt. Slaughter and The Patriot. 

At UFC 276, Israel Adesanya went one further, using an entrance based on The Undertaker. In addition to using the Phenom’s theme song, Adesanya wore an Undertaker-themed hat and solemnly walked to the cage with an urn. At that same event, Jessica Rose-Clark would walk to the cage for her fight to the theme of one of The Undertaker’s greatest rivals: Shawn Michaels. 

Australia’s Jake Matthews didn’t bring a sledgehammer or water bottle to his fight at UFC 243 in 2019, but did walk out to Triple H’s ‘The Game’ theme. This tribute earned a reaction from the man himself, who described the entrance as “badass” in a tweet. 

When the UFC returned to Calgary, Alberta in July 2018, it was fitting that Ion Cutelaba walked out to Bret Hart’s WWE theme. After winning over the fans with his Bret Hart shades, the Moldovan fighter would win in the cage. 

For more information about UFC 297, click here to check out all the latest news, courtesy of MMANews.com

Shelton Benjamin Still Weighing Options Of Post-WWE Career: “I Want to Have Fun”

Thomas Lowson
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Shelton Benjamin isn’t motivated by championships or glory in this upcoming chapter of his wrestling career following his departure from WWE, but rather having fun. 

Benjamin was among those released from WWE in September of last year. The Gold Standard had been with the company since 2016. Before this, Benjamin had been under contract with the promotion from 2000 to 2010. He is a former U.S. Champion, Intercontinental Champion, Tag Champion, and WWE 24/7 Champion. 

 Shelton Benjamin On His Wrestling Future

Shelton Benjamin hasn’t wrestled since the final WWE Main Event taping before his release, where he and Cedric Alexander lost to the Viking Raiders. On a recent edition of the Kurt Angle Show podcast, Benjamin was asked about his future in the ring and admitted that he’s yet to commit to a singular goal. 

“I’m still weighing options. I’ve had a knock on my door here and there. I have no commitments, nothing major to announce aside from a few indie dates and a lot of autograph sessions. I’ve been taking my time on deciding what I want to do next.”

Benjamin went on to explain what’s important for him at this stage of his wrestling career. 

“I am at a point in my career where I want to have fun. If it’s not worth it, I want to have fun and make money, if it’s not worth it, I just don’t want to do it. I’m not trying to build a name, I have a name, but I want to be where I’m appreciated and featured and can have some fun.”

Shelton Benjamin will be back in the ring in due time… 

H/T – Fightful

‘The Bang Bang Scissor Gang’: Bullet Club Gold and The Acclaimed Form Supergroup On AEW Collision

Bishal Roy
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Bang Bang Scissor Gang will go down in the history books alongside the handful of supergroups that the pro wrestling world has witnessed.

The recently formed group of The Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) had assaulted Jay White and The Acclaimed in the weeks leading up to the reveal of Adam Cole’s identity as The Devil at AEW Worlds End. This certainly gave a reason to The Acclaimed and Bullet Club Gold to unite and form a supergroup.

While the two factions haven’t been on the same page in the past, they are united now and gave fans a reason to cheer about last night on AEW Collision.

Bullet Club Gold and The Acclaimed unite to form The Bang Bang Scissor Gang

On last night’s edition of AEW Collision, the newly crowned Ring of Honor Six-Man Tag Team Champions, Bullet Club Gold’s Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn had a segment to celebrate their victory over the Mogul Embassy on January 17’s AEW Dynamite where they became the new champs.

Soon, AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed (“Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn, Anthony Bowens, and Max Caster) interrupted them. It has been teased for weeks that they will unite to form a supergroup, The Bang Bang Gang. The Acclaimed had been pursuing them to and this time around, they would not leave the ring until they got their answer.

This led to The St Louis crowd chanting “Bang Bang Scissor Gang.” Colten and Austin Gunn were ready to shake hands with The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn but Jay White stopped them. 

The Bullet Club Gold then had a little chat before turning around and do the ‘scissoring gesture,’ thus officially forming the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. 

Check out the video clip of the segment below:

The new faction has reunited Billy Gunn with his sons, Austin and Colten Gunn. They were previously known as Gunn Club. 

We will now have to wait and see how this storyline pans out.

Roman Reigns Surpasses Bruno Sammartino In Historic World Championship Reign

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has continued to etch his name in history by surpassing the legendary Bruno Sammartino’s second WWWF title reign. 

Reigns has dominated WWE since capturing the Universal Championship at Payback 2020, in a match that saw him defeat Braun Strowman and the late Bray Wyatt. This week, Reigns’ tenure as champion reached 1,238 days with the Universal title. In doing so, the Head of the Table surpassed Bruno’s second reign with the WWWF title. The WWE Hall of Famer’s second reign saw him hold the gold from December 10, 1973, to April 30, 1977. 

The Longest Reigning Champion Ever? 

By surpassing Bruno’s second World title reign, Reigns now boasts the fourth-longest WWE World Championship reign in the history of the company. Currently, the only reigns ahead of Reigns belong to Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund and Bruno Sammartino’s first WWWF title reign. 

For Roman to overtake Hogan’s first World title reign, he’ll need to hold the gold until September 12, 2024. To overtake Backlund’s first reign, he will need to remain champion until Sunday, July 5, 2026. Finally, to best Sammartino’s first reign and become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history, Roman Reigns will need to keep the gold until Wednesday, May 3, 2028. 

What’s Next for Roman Reigns? 

Reigns’ next title defense will come at the Royal Rumble 2024 event next week. Reigns will defend in a four-way against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight. Should Reigns retain, WWE is currently deciding between two massive opponents for Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

The Rock wants Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin… 

Tony Khan Announces Return Of AEW Ranking System

Aaron Varble
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AEW promised to present a different kind of pro wrestling when they opened their doors in 2019. One of the more innovative concepts, the rankings system, went away eventually. Now, it is coming back.

The AEW Rankings System Returning

The AEW rankings system used to come out every week, but then they stopped the practice. It became repetitive, and many fans started ignoring it, as did AEW with their storylines. 

Tony Khan sent out a notice on Twitter/X that the AEW rankings system is returning. He was very excited about this announcement, and plans to make it a great 2024 for AEW.

The Rankings are coming back to AEW going forward, starting this month! @AEW is having a very exciting January, and this is only the beginning of an amazing 2024 for AEW and our fans. Thank you all watching Saturday Night #AEWCollision right now on @TNTdrama !

AEW Loves Keeping Records

The AEW ranking system may have gone away, but they still keep track of records. Those numbers can be seen on any star’s name plate as they make their way to the ring.

Since records go year-to-year in AEW, the start of 2024 can mark the return of that ranking system. They may have started at the end of January, but it’s better late than never.

Now, with Tony Khan bringing back the AEW ranking system, a new year can start with a return to that old practice. We will have to see how they utilize it this time around to make it a bigger part of AEW programming. 

Why Top WWE Prospect Was Backstage At AEW Dynamite This Week

Aaron Varble
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AEW has brought in some of the best free agents that they can since their doors opened. The fact that Kamille was backstage at Dynamite this week certainly made a lot of people look her way.

Why Kamille Was Backstage At AEW Dynamite

Kamille is one of the biggest female names in the pro wrestling scene. Her debut for AEW did not happen this week, but she was around. This goes against the previous idea that she was WWE bound. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Kamille was just around AEW Dynamite to visit friends. She lives in the area, as Dynamite took place at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina. 

Fightful confirmed that even though she was originally just around visiting friends, as she’s local to the area. However, that she did speak with several people of influence at the show.

Kamille’s Current Contract Status

It was also noted that, as of January 19th, Kamille has not signed with any company yet. It was reported that overtures were made over the past couple of weeks to bring Kamille to WWE. However, that didn’t keep her from being backstage at AEW Dynamite on January 17.

Kamille reportedly had a six-month option with NWA that could have extended into the first half of the year. Nevertheless, she chose not to exercise that option.

What’s Next For Kamille?

Kamille’s future is uncertain, but she is a top free agent in the pro wrestling landscape. Wherever she goes next, it is bound to draw headlines.

The former NWA women’s champion is reportedly set to join WWE. The 31-year-old has been a free agent since January 1st, but that might not be the case for very long.

John Cena WWE 2K24 Post Reveals Possible Major Spoiler

Aaron Varble
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WWE 2K24 has gamers excited about their next offering, and we can’t get enough of the teases. As more information is expected soon, John Cena is getting in on the fun.

John Cena’s Big WWE 2K24 Tease

John Cena sent out an Instagram post, and to follow along with his tradition, he didn’t include a caption. Then WWE Games quickly replied to the photo.

The comment only read: “1.22.2024 #WWE2K24.” That certainly sent the message that his photo was released to coincide with the upcoming game.

This post was also interesting because of the photo John Cena picked. The 16x World Champion dropped a photo of an NWO t-shirt hanging on a rack. The hanger on the rack also had the WWE 2K24 logo on it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C2U_n7uOEPI

Deeper Possible Meaning Behind This Post

It was previously reported that the upcoming WWE 2K video game will be dedicated to Bray Wyatt’s career. If this is true, then John Cena’s photo makes so much more sense.

When we asked fans on our official Facebook page who should be the cover Superstar for WWE 2K24, Bray Wyatt was the runaway winner.

If Bray Wyatt is picked as the cover Superstar, then this tease from John Cena has a lot more weight to it.

Big Match John sported an NWO t-shirt while he was in the Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt. If the new 2K game is dedicated to Wyatt, then perhaps fans may get to re-visit that moment in WWE history at WrestleMania 36.

Other Teases For WWE 2K24

The 2k team also sent out an Instagram post with a photo of a referee shirt. That wasn’t as interesting as the fact that they also tagged “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in the photo.

2K also dropped a very clear Undertaker tease. This got fans excited about whom the next tease will include.

When WWE 2K24 Will Be Released

The release date for WWE 2K24 remains undisclosed at this point, but we might receive this vital information within the next few days. The latest release in the series, WWE 2K23, became available on March 14th, 2023, offering gamers the chance to experience it on various platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch. 

TNA Star Reveals Devastating Knee Injury

Aaron Varble
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TNA Wrestling just completed their re-branding, and that brought a new surge of interest for the former Impact Wrestling. Unfortunately, KiLynn King won’t be around for a while to enjoy that.

KiLynn King Makes a Sad Announcement

During the December 17th at the GLOW event hosted by the Florida independent promotion Mayhem on Mills in Sanford, Florida, TNA star KiLynn King sustained an injury.

During that show, KiLynn King defended her Mayhem on Mills Championship against Eli Knight at the event. In the heat of the match, King executed a mid-air kick off the middle rope, but her landing seemed awkward.

Sadly, King took to Instagram nearly one month later, where she had a sad announcement to make. She will be out of action for a while due to a knee injury.

Yes, I’m still with TNA, but unfortunately, about a month ago, I got injured. I temporarily dislocated my knee in the match, which caused damage to my MCL and I tore my ACL. If you know anything about knees, you know no bueno.Why KiLynn King Waited To Tell Fans About Her Injury

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C2TGmaIvqC4

Why KiLynn King Waited To Tell Fans About Her Injury

King explained that she did not go public about her injury right away, because she needed to process it. She was in denial about her injury at first.

Several fans were apparently DMing her, to ask if she is still with TNA Wrestling. She is, but she is injured. She is walking again and has surgery scheduled for the first week of February. They are looking at a 9 to 12 month recovery process.

We’re sending out our best to KiLynn King, and we hope that she can get back to the ring soon. She loves pro wrestling, and seems focused to make a headline-grabbing comeback when the day comes.

Which WWE Superstar Made Grayson Waller Swear Off Cake Forever?

Thomas Lowson
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Grayson Waller has a bright future ahead of him in WWE, but don’t expect the Australian to celebrate any future big wins with something sweet. 

Waller has become a regular on SmackDown, despite having yet to hold gold on either the main roster or in NXT. The Australian’s partnership with Theory has been well-received by management, with both men expected to be elevated on the road to WrestleMania. Waller recently made headlines for protecting kayfabe in the face of an Australian morning show host. 

Grayson Waller & The Cake

Waller has an impressive physique fans can see each week on WWE TV but isn’t immune to the occasional treat. During a recent appearance on the Boom Rookies podcast, Waller recalled working during a lengthy tour and intended to celebrate its completion with a delicious chocolate cake. 

”I put the knife into the cake and in walks Bobby Lashley. This man is a physical specimen. Huge human being, jacked to the gills. Me and Bobby hadn’t spoken much, and he walked in and looked at the cake. For like a good 15 seconds, an awkward amount of time. Then, this breaks my heart, he looked up at me and said, ‘Are you really going to have that?’ I kind of went, ‘I had a tour…’ He just walked away.”

Waller’s interaction with Lashley was brief but had a profound effect on the former schoolteacher. 

“I threw the cake in the bin. I haven’t gone for dessert at catering since. When I looked in his eyes, it looked like judgment. It looked like full judgment.”

Grayson Waller recently found out a shocking truth about the United States… 

Charlotte Flair Receives Encouraging News on Her WWE Return Timeline

Bishal Roy
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0

Fans will be delighted to know that multi-time Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is ‘crushing it’ in the recovery process after she recently suffered a significant injury. 

‘The Queen’ sustained the injury in a singles match against Damage CTRL’s Asuka on the Tribute to the Troops edition of SmackDown on December 8. 

The injury occurred when Flair tried to hit her signature moonsault outside the ring.  Flair managed to finish the match despite the injury.

It was later announced that Charlotte Flair suffered multiple knee injuries during the incident, including tears to her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. She was even spotted on crutches at the CMLL event ahead of her surgery.

After undergoing surgery, The Queen is pushing herself to the limits to make her highly-anticipated return. She is expected to be out for at least 9 months but it seems Flair wants to make a comeback far sooner. Flair recently posted a video clip on social media to show off her progress. She is already on the treadmill and hopes to return sooner.

Ric Flair shares an update on Charlotte Flair

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has shared an update on her recovery. He said:

“I was speaking with Dr. Dugan. He’s been there 30 years. He said Ashley is one of the top three athletes that they have ever done surgery on. Think about that. We’re talking Bo Jackson. We’re talking, I mean, I can go down the list of people.“

“The Tommy John’s. He said we consider her one of the top three athletes, not wrestlers, to ever come through the doors.”

Ric Flair lauded Charlotte Flair’s recuperation and that she’s showcasing her extraordinary abilities. Considering it one of the greatest compliments one could receive, he said that she is recovering beyond expectations and is expected to return sooner than advised. Ric highlighted the special and distinctive attributes of Charlotte Flair and said:

“Her recovery, she’s crushing it. She’s actually going to come back faster than they will ever recommend. That’s unbelievable. I thought that might be one of the biggest compliments.“

“I mean, it’s unfortunate that it had to come from a doctor in a hospital, but I keep telling people, man, she’s a different kind of cat.”

We will now have to wait and see if Charlotte Flair actually makes her return ahead of schedule.

Tama Tonga Bids Emotional Farewell To NJPW After Title Defeat at New Beginning

Bishal Roy
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0

Tama Tonga has bid emotional goodbye to his NJPW fans.

Tonga had dethroned Shingo Takagi to regain the NJPW NEVER Openweight title at Wrestle Kingdom 18 but his title run was short-lived. That night, in a post-match press conference, Tonga had announced that January would be his final month with the promotion. He added that he wants to find work closer to home and that he misses his family.

EVIL dethrones Tama Tonga

At Saturday’s NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya event, EVIL defeated Tama Tonga in the headlining clash to win the NEVER Openweight Title. The main event originally resulted in a double disqualification after Bullet Club, Guerrillas of Destiny, and Hontai members got involved. 

Tama went on to insist that the match should be restarted but this time as a lumberjack match. At the end, EVIL dethroned Tama in latter’s farewell match.  

Following the match, Tama Tonga, who was quite emotional, cut a promo and expressed his gratitude to the fans. He said:

“Thank you for giving me a chance to know you. I love you.”

Tama Tonga emerged as a significant force in the tag team division alongside his brother Tanga Loa. He tasted success as part of Guerrillas of Destiny and the Bullet Club. Tonga’s journey in NJPW is marked by multiple IWGP Tag Team Championships. He has also held the NEVER Openweight Championship and NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship four times each. He has now decided to depart NJPW and it is needless to mention that the fans will miss him.

Where is Tama Tonga headed? Well, WWE had been interested in signing him. Read more below:

Logan Paul Stunned Upon Learning Stalker Allegedly Took His Own Life

Aaron Varble
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Logan Paul was a massive celebrity even before making his way to WWE. He has also dealt with his fair share of over-zealous fans as well. After hearing a grim update about one fan who went too far, the WWE United States Champion was devastated.

Logan Paul’s Stalker Drama

In 2018, Logan Paul found himself targeted by a man who apparently had an extreme fixation on him, even going so far as to break into his home. Unbeknownst to Logan at the time, this individual later took his own life.

During a conversation with TMZ, they approached this dark chapter of his life when a person named Tahj Deondre Speight allegedly trespassed into Logan’s house without authorization, leading to a confrontation. Paul had no idea what happened to his stalker after that, but the news shook him.

During that scary ordeal, Logan ended up apprehending Speight, who was subsequently arrested, charged, prosecuted, and eventually incarcerated. However, it came to light that Speight had passed away, seemingly by suicide.

Logan Paul Reacts To His Tahj Deondre Speight’s Apparent Suicide

Harvey Levin shared this news with Logan during the TMZ interview, catching him off guard with the revelation. Then the question was posed, asking if the system failed Speight by not providing him with the necessary help or resources.

In response, Logan provided a candid answer, expressing empathy for the man he once subdued. He went on to express his thoughts that the system failed his stalker, because he was not mentally stable, and he didn’t get the help he needed.

“Heavy …. I didn’t know he died. I’d say the system definitely failed him, for sure. I didn’t even know he died, and the first thing I said was, ‘this is obviously an unstable individual, and I’d like to emphasize with him however much I can. Whatever facility, whatever protocol was put in place to try to help this individual obviously failed, and that’s a shame. These aren’t normal individuals. They’re insane, and they need to be treated as such, and they need to be taken care of in a better way.”

How To Watch The Whole Logan Paul Interview

This emotional and heartfelt interview was part of the show titled TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis. The weekly series will begin on FOX Monday at 9/8c.

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Transcription by SE Scoops

Hiroshi Tanahashi Offers Insight into Kazuchika Okada’s NJPW Departure: “I hope he will spread his wings to the world”

Bishal Roy
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NJPW legend Kazuchika Okada is departing the promotion and his rival Hiroshi Tanahashi has best wishes for him.

‘The Rainmaker’ is set to end a 16-year run with NJPW after his contract expires on January 31. Okada will still work on February 11 in Osaka, and February 23 and 24 in Sapporo as part of the New Beginning tour.

Fans will be able to witness a clash between Okada and Tanahashi for one final time on February 11 at The New Beginning at the EDION Arena in Osaka. It was at this same venue where Okada faced Tanahashi at The New Beginning in 2012. Okada had secured a stunning win that night over Tanahashi and captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Hiroshi Tanahashi expresses gratitude to Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada’s last appearance under the NJPW contract will take place on January 24 in Korakuen Hall. Ahead of Okada’s departure, Tanahashi spoke with Tokyo Sports and shared his thoughts on working with ‘The Rainmaker.’

“I can only express my gratitude in the sense that I have contributed to New Japan for the past 12 years,” Tanahashi said (as translated by Fightful). “Speaking personally, I would have liked to have seen more matches with the new generation (Shota Umino, Ren Narita, Yota Tsuji, and Yuya Uemura).”

He continued:

“However, if I feel for Okada, I know that he has done enough in New Japan. I hope he will spread his wings to the world. If he is going overseas with what he has achieved at the top in New Japan, I hope that he will show (them) Kazuchika Okada. It’s the same feeling I had with Nakamura. I am very proud of him. I think things will get interesting from now on. We have an abundance of talent right now, and there are a lot of young fighters in the dojo. When the rain stops, there will be a rainbow. Who will light up the future of New Japan when the rain of money stops falling?”

Okada’s departure will certainly leave a void that the NJPW fans will feel. The memories of Okada’s legendary matches with Tanahashi will be cherished by the fans for the times to come. 

Darby Allin Recalls Almost Suffering A Horrific Injury On Dynamite: “We don’t play it safe”

Bishal Roy
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AEW superstar Darby Allin recently talked about almost suffering a broken neck at AEW Dynamite ‘Homecoming’ edition at Daily’s Place.

Allin has made a name for himself with his breathtaking spots in his matches. He has captivated the fans with his high-risk maneuvers that thrill the fans. However, with it comes a line between a memorable moment and a career-threatening injury. He has managed to escape neck injury, which has put several stars on the shelf for good.

The January 10th episode of AEW Dynamite saw a Texas Tornado Match in the main event, featuring Sting & Darby Allin against Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs. The babyface pair secured the win but at the expense of some nasty bumps.

A spot during that match saw Takeshita and Cage throw Allin across the ring by his hands and feet. The former TNT Champion hit the mat on the other side of the ring, catching his head under the bottom rope.

Darby Allin comments on his risk moves

Speaking on KSDK to promote AEW in St. Louis, Darby Allin recalled the incident and noted that AEW stars try to deliver the unexpected every week. He further revealed that he almost broke his neck due to the horrific spot.

“The thing with AEW is, you can expect the unexpected. I mean that, I’m not just trying to sell anything. Every week, there is crazy shenanigans going on. Last week, I almost broke my neck. This week, we have so much crazy stuff. Literally, it’s something different every week. We don’t play it safe. I was in town, I saw this arch, and I kind of want to jump off of it.”

Allin is a risk-taker and he looks far from stopping himself from showcasing his daredevillry whether it’s inside or outside the squared circle.

Watch Bret ‘Gift-Man’ Hart Deliver Amazon Packages To Lucky Canadians

Thomas Lowson
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Bret Hart is the Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be when it comes to delivering gifts to some very lucky Amazon Prime members. 

Hart teamed with the product-delivery giant this week to deliver items to the winners of Amazon’s Giftmania contest. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer personally delivered items to various people who were thrilled to get their gifts and meet the Canadian wrestling legend. The gifts were from Amazon gift lists and recipients received gifts valued up to $300 by the ‘GiftMan’. 

Amazon’s Giftmania contest was created to celebrate ten years of Amazon Prime in Canada. The contest was first announced in November of last year, with the former WWF and WCW World Heavyweight Champion appearing in a promotional video. 

Bret Hart Today

The Hitman’s days in the ring may be behind him, but Bret Hart continues to have an impact on the wrestling world. Last year, it was reported that Drew McIntyre’s heel turn had been inspired by the Hitman’s transformation in 1997. McIntyre slowly turned to the dark side as he was unwilling and unable to forgive Jey Uso for his past transgressions in the Bloodline. 

The change mirrored Hart’s heel turn in 1997 when fans began embracing ruder characters such as Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin to the chagrin of the clean-cut Hitman. More recently, Bret Hart became a grandfather yet again, and it didn’t take Hart long to test his grandchild’s wrestling skills. 

Bret Hart is respected by countless wrestlers, but one top WWE Superstar hasn’t been amazed by the Excellence of Execution… 

Seth Rollins’ Current WWE WrestleMania 40 Status Following Injury

Aaron Varble
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Seth Rollins’ health is the top story in wrestling this weekend. After successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in the main event of WWE Raw (January 15), the focus quickly shifted to the champion clutching his knee. 

He underwent an MRI anfter Raw. Fightful later reported Rollins tore his MCL and meniscus. Since then, he’s been pulled from live events as fans wonder about how long this latest knee injury will keep him out of action.

Rollins is expected to address the WWE Universe at the start of Raw this coming Monday. We know he was scheduled to be in a featured match at WrestleMania, but is that still the plan?

Seth Rollins’ Current WrestleMania Status

rollins punk wrestlemania 1

WWE is planning CM Punk vs Seth Rollins for WrestleMania 40. This has been their plan since after Punk was re-inserted into the WWE landscape. The match writes itself, and Triple H wants to put that contest on the grandest stage of them all.

While seeking additional information about Rollins’ status, I inquired about his current WrestleMania situation, and whether they are discussing alternate matches for CM Punk at Mania. I was told by a tenured member of the WWE creative team that as of Friday evening, “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment.”

That being said, Rollins’ announcement on Monday likely won’t take him out of the road to WrestleMania. The Architect is set to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW by addressing his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Randy Orton will replace Seth Rollins at this weekend’s WWE live events. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will get some time off, but WrestleMania is still in the cards for him.

Recovery Time From MCL Injury

Seth Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus during that match with Jinder Mahal. The recovery time for such an injury certainly gives him room to heal up before the show of shows.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, a grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. After that, a grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. Then, a grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment.

As of this writing, WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in 11 weeks. It is unclear how bad Rollins tore his MCL, but it appears that he will have plenty of recovery time unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

R-Truth Nearly Had Leg Amputated Due to Infection After Tearing Quad in 2022

Thomas Lowson
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R-Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a runaway success, but this only happened after the veteran nearly lost his leg to infection. 

In November 2022, Truth suffered a torn quad during a WWE NXT match with Grayson Waller. The injury occurred after Truth attempted to dive over the top rope and was later confirmed to be a torn quadriceps. He would undergo surgery later that month and after a lengthy absence, returned to programming during the Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 broadcast. 

R-Truth Nearly Loses His Leg

Since recovering, Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a hit with fans and is one of the most popular angles the company currently has going. During a recent appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, Truth explained how his injury nearly cost him his leg. 

“I had a hole in my knee. I had five different bacteria that caused the infection along with MRSA… It started off as a routine quad tear. I tore my bottom quad. They went in and I guess it could have happened during surgery. I went to get the stitches out and we found out that the bacteria, the infection, was eating from the inside out.”

Despite initial beliefs that the infection would be dealt with quickly, the disease continued to affect Truth’s recovery. In the interview, Truth recalled months of intensive treatments and what the only other option was. 

“I had to have a wound VAC on. It was a VAC on my knee that kept sucking the old blood up and putting the new blood… It was a good four months or five months of just trying to kill the infection, slow it down, stop it, and I’m going mentally crazy because there was a chance, he said, the other option was amputation.”

Thankfully, the infection would clear and Truth would retain the use of his leg. The veteran is a 53-time WWE 24/7 Champion and a two-time WWE U.S. Champion. 

R-Truth had a bit of help becoming an ‘official’ member of The Judgment Day… 

H/T – POST Wrestling

Examining Seth Rollins’ Torn MCL: Will He Miss WrestleMania 40?

Thomas Lowson
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Update: SE Scoops’ own Aaron Varble has been able to confirm that Seth Rollins is still slated for WrestleMania. The WWE creative team has not talked about any replacement scenarios yet. 

The fate of Seth Rollins remains to be determined following a reported MCL tear on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. 

In the main event of the show, Rollins retained against Jinder Mahal. The match had a big-fight feel, thanks in part to Tony Khan’s outburst about the booking of Mahal. Due to an injury, Mahal was seen limping and had to be helped to the back after the match. It was later confirmed that Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a meniscus injury. 

Will Seth Rollins Miss WWE WrestleMania 40? 

Seth Rollins will address fans about his situation on next week’s episode of Raw, but we already have a notion as to how much time he may miss. If Rollins does miss any time, it will vary based on the severity of the MCL tear. As the Cleveland Clinic notes: 

The time it takes to fully recover from an MCL tear depends on how severe the tear is. A grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. A grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment.

“A grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment. If you undergo surgery to fix your MCL tear, it could take longer.

A grade 1 or grade 2 tear should give Rollins time to heal up before WrestleMania. A grade 3 tear could see WWE pulled from the show, forcing WWE to dramatically change plans. Surgery would likely guarantee that Rollins is pulled from the two-night spectacle in April. 

WWE’s Original Plans

Since CM Punk’s return at Survivor Series, Rollins has taken issue with the Best in the World. WWE’s original plan was for the Rollins and Punk to face off at WrestleMania 40. While that is still seemingly the plan, everything hinges on what Rollins has to say on the upcoming episode of Raw.

There’s another bad sign for the reigning World Heavyweight Champion… 

Bayley Is The ‘Mami-Slayer’ & She’s Coming for Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40

Thomas Lowson
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Damage CTRL’s Bayley has set her sights on the WWE Women’s World Championship and hopes to capture the gold at WrestleMania 40. 

On this week’s SmackDown, Bayley sat on commentary for the Women’s Tag Team Championship bout between champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter and challengers Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. During her time behind the table, Bayley dubbed herself the ‘Mami-Slayer’ and vowed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble. 

Given that IYO SKY is the WWE Women’s Champion, Bayley made it clear she plans to challenge Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. To add insult to injury, Bayley wore one of Ripley’s shirts for the show. 

Bayley Vs. Rhea Ripley

Bayley and Rhea Ripley have shared the ring as opponents a total of four times. To date, their only singles match took place on the March 20, 2023, edition of Raw, and saw Ripley get the win. Their first encounter would be a triple-threat on the December 5, 2022, Raw alongside Asuka that Bayley would win. They have also competed in the 2021 and 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble matches, the latter of which Ripley would win. 

Another Challenger

Bayley isn’t the only Superstar with her sights set on The Judgment Day’s resident Mami. On Raw this week, Becky Lynch confronted Rhea Ripley and made it clear she plans to win the Women’s Rumble and challenge the Eradicator. Ripley, who had previously warned the roster not to waste their Rumble win by challenging her, said she is rooting for Lynch to win the match. 

The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Bayley was the first Superstar to be declared for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. She is joined by Nia Jax and former Rumble winners Becky Lynch (2019 winner) and Bianca Belair (2021 winner.)

Bayley plans on winning the Women’s Royal Rumble match, unless… 

Trinity Fatu says TNA Changed Her Life in What May Be Her Final Promo (Exclusive)

Thomas Lowson
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Trinity has been honored and privileged to be a part of the TNA Knockouts division, amid reports of her upcoming exit from the promotion. 

The former Knockouts Champion is expected to finish with TNA soon and swiftly return to WWE. Trinity (then Naomi) walked out of WWE alongside Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) over creative differences in 2022. Trinity was expected to return to WWE in the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match, but that is far less certain now. 

Trinity’s TNA Promo

At the most recent tapings of TNA Wrestling, Trinity was scheduled to go one-on-one with Gisele Shaw. The match instead saw Trinity and Jordynne Grace face Shaw and Savannah Evans. Grace dethroned Trinity at Hard to Kill 2024 in a match that took an emotional toll on the former champ. After the tag-team match, Trinity grabbed the mic and addressed the crowd.

“Coming to TNA has been life-changing for me, both inside and outside the ring. I feel honored to work with such a strong division and an incredible group of women. Wow, what a champion we have here on our hands! [gestures to Jordynne Grace, crowd chants ‘Jordan’] And when all of y’all think of TNA, I want you to think of me. Trini-TNA! Thank you for coming out, we love you!” 

Jordynne Grace added that Trinity and her made for one hell of a match and that while they may be in the ring, the fans are the most important part of the show. Grace concluded that they’ll see everyone tomorrow as they ‘Cross the Line’ once more and the crowd chanted TNA to close out the show. 

The show was an especially emotional one for Trinity, whose family were also at the event. 

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