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Former WWE NXT Wrestler Made AEW Debut at Dark Tapings (Photos)

Andrew Ravens
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On Sunday, a former WWE NXT wrestler made their AEW debut at the Dark tapings from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Steph De Lander, formerly known as Persia Pirotta in WWE NXT, was that star as she lost to Marina Shafir. 

Before signing with WWE, Pirotta had previously worked for Melbourne City Wrestling and Newcastle Pro Wrestling. In March 2021, she was one of two Australian wrestlers signed by WWE. She was used most notably in a tag team with Indi Hartwell before being released in April 2022. 

AEW Dark Spoilers

Here are the spoilers, courtesy of F4Wonline.com: 

  • Parker Boudreaux defeated Vinny Pacifico
  • Peter Avalon defeated Dean Alexander. In a post-match interview with Tony Schiavone, Avalon spoke about his match with Chris Jericho coming up.
  • Julia Hart defeated Zoey Lynn
  • Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh defeated Oliver Sawyer, Jay Malachi & Jackson Drake. In a post-match interview with Schiavone, Lethal and Jarrett said they will be the next tag team champions.
  • Juice Robinson defeated Leon Ruffin
  • Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) defeated The Outrunners
  • Riho defeated Diamante
  • Leila Grey defeated Kiera Hogan
  • Action Andretti defeated Lee Johnson (w/ Cole Karter)
  • Sonny Kiss (w/ Jeeves Kay and Slim J) defeated Terry Kidd
  • Iron Savages defeated The Wingmen (Ryan Nemeth & Cezar Bononi). In a post-match interview with Schiavone, the Savages said they are in the best shapes of their lives and want to put AEW on their backs
  • The Renegade Twins defeated Avery Breaux & Mafiosa
  • Brock Anderson & Brian Pillman Jr. defeated O’Shea Edwards and Moses
  • Toni Storm defeated Billie Starkz
  • AR Fox defeated Nick Comoroto
  • Skye Blue defeated Queen Aminata
  • Evil Uno defeated Alexander Moss
  • Marina Shafir defeated Steph De Lander
  • Zack Clayton defeated Schaff
  • Top Flight defeated Adrian Alanis and Liam Grey
  • Brady Booker defeated Serpentico
  • Konosuke Takeshita defeated Cole Karter (w/ Lee Johnson). Post match, Johnson attacked Takeshita until Orange Cassidy made the save to send everyone home happy.

Jim Ross Recalls Jeff Hardy Being Difficult to “Totally Trust” in WWE

Thomas Lowson
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AEW commentator Jim Ross has said that WWE often struggled to “totally trust” Jeff Hardy due to his personal demons.

Jeff’s problems with substances, which have led to several arrests, have been well-documented, and have followed the veteran across multiple promotions.

Last June, Hardy was arrested and charged with his third DUI in a decade, but the charge has been dropped due to a faulty breathalyzer result.

Trust

Hardy’s personal demons have not stopped the ‘Charismatic Enigma’ from becoming one of the most popular stars in the history of wrestling.

In WWE, Hardy was never turned heel, though such a turn was briefly teased in 2003 before his release from the company.

Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross explained why WWE opted not to make Hardy a heel.

“I don’t know if he’s too big [of a merch mover]. I think maybe, my guess on this question would be another one with reliability issues. How far do you go with someone that you don’t totally trust?”

Jim Ross.

Ross added that any major plans for Hardy at the time were always seen through this ‘can we trust him’ lens, and said that at the time, the answer was “no.”

Hardy would turn heel as part of TNA Wrestling years later, but has remained a face in WWE through his multiple runs with the company.

Make Yourself Famous

In 2002, WWE tried to show Hardy they had faith in him (and encourage him to change his ways,) by giving him a prominent feud with The Undertaker.

To this day, their ladder match on the July 1, 2002, episode of Raw, is considered one of the best Raw matches ever, and Ross remembers it fondly.

“He’s one of my favorite talents to call matches for. I remember the match that he and Taker had. I said something like climb the ladder and make yourself famous or something to that effect. And I just admired his work so much, I adored it.“

Jim Ross.

Despite this show of good faith by WWE, Hardy would not get a handle on his problems, and would be gone from the company less than a year later.

Matt Hardy on Jeff: ‘He’s committed himself to getting better’
h/t – ITR Wrestling

Spoilers: ROH TV Tapings Results (2/25/23)

Andrew Ravens
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On Saturday night, ROH held its first set of TV tapings of the weekend from Orlando, FL, at Universal Studios. The promotion will return on Sunday evening for another round of tapings. 

The relaunch episode under Tony Khan will premiere on Thursday, March 2nd, that will air on the HonorClub streaming service. ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli vs. AR Fox will headline this show. 

The Results

Here are the spoilers, courtesy of F4Wonline.com:

  • Mark Briscoe defeated Slim J.
  • The Kingdom defeated The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo).
  • NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Blake Christian.
  • Christopher Daniels defeated Rohit Raju.
  • Konosuke Takeshita defeated Josh Woods.
  • ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) defeated LSG, Joe Keys & Rex Lawless.
  • Ari Daivari defeated Gran Metalik.
  • Madison Rayne & Skye Blue defeated The Renegades.
  • During a Wheeler Yuta in-ring promo with Ian Riccaboni, Timothy Thatcher challenged Yuta for the Pure Title that happened later in the tapings.
  • Willow Nightingale defeated Lady Frost. Nightingale challenged ROH Women’s Champion Athena to a future title match. 
  • ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli defeated AR Fox to retain the title. Eddie Kingston came out after the match where he had promised Jon Moxley that he wouldn’t beat Castagnoli’s butt in AEW but this wasn’t AEW. Claudi left without saying anything to him. 
  • ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe defeated Tony Deppen. After Joe asked for his next challenger, Mark Briscoe came out and accepted because the title was his destiny.
  • Dalton Castle & The Boys defeated Cody Chhun, Guillermo Rosas & Marcus Kross.
  • Rush & Dralistico defeated Angelico & Serpentico.
  • Trish Adora defeated Billie Starkz.
  • Ari Daivari & Slim J defeated Jake Crist & “Manscout” Jake Manning. 
  • ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta defeated Timothy Thatcher to retain the title. Post-match, Yuta says he’s in the ’96 Bulls with Jordan and Pippen while these “track suit dojo boys” think they’re so great because they train with Shibata. Clark Connors challenged Wheeler to a match.
  • Aussie Open defeated Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus
  • Eddie Kingston defeated Ben Dejo (aka Jon Cruz/Serpentico). Post-match, he demanded a shot at the ROH World Title. Castagnoli said that “a man without honor will never be ROH Champion” and left. 
  • ROH Women’s Champion Athena defeated Willow Nightingale to retain the title.

Retailer Lists Upcoming Release Date for AEW Fight Forever

Thomas Lowson
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AEW fans and gamers may be mere weeks away from finally getting their hands on AEW’s first console video game: Fight Forever.

Following on from mobile games AEW Elite: GM, and AEW Casino: Double or Nothing, Fight Forever was first announced in late 2020.

For many on the roster, AEW Fight Forever will mark their gaming debuts as playable characters.

Release Date

Despite hopes for an early 2022 release, fans are still yet to get their hands on the game, with the only playable versions being featured at conventions.

This week, Best Buy listed AEW Fight Forever with a release date of March 31.

While this date could change, it is the first official release date that the much-anticipated game has seen in some time.

Currently, Amazon is listing the release date as December 31, 2023, and the game has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

What We Know So Far

While AEW Fight Forever is still yet to reach shelves, plenty is known already about the game.

The game will feature a “deep career mode,” according to Evil Uno and Colt Cabana, who spoke about the project at Gamescon in Cologne, Germany last year.

Online play will be a “big part” of the game, which will feature AEW staples including the Casino Ladder match and the Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match.

AEW Fight Forever will release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch.

CM Punk Seemingly Replaced on the AEW Fight Forever Video Game Cover

Dax Harwood Fires Back at AEW Over Being Snubbed – References Contract Ending

Thomas Lowson
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Dax Harwood has teased leaving All Elite Wrestling within a matter of weeks after being snubbed by the promotion following the Wrestling Observer’s awards.

Harwood, alongside Cash Wheeler, joined AEW in 2020, one month after being granted their release from WWE.

The former Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team Champions signed over their considerable down-side guarantees in order to be released without a non-compete clause in effect.

In AEW, the pair are former AEW World Tag Champions and have also held tag gold for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and AAA.

The Snub

This week, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter shared its annual awards, and there were a lot of victories for the stars of AEW.

On Twitter, the official AEW account congratulated several AEW stars, including Bryan Danielson for the Best Technician, and MJF for Most Charismatic.

Tony Khan also received a celebratory tweet for winning Best Booker for the third year in a row, and Promoter of the Year for the fourth time.

FTR, who won Tag Team of the Year, did not receive such a congratulatory message, something Harwood vented about in a tweet of his own.

Winning the Tag Team of the Year award wasn’t FTR’s only accolade, as the pair were part of the Feud of the Year with the Briscoes.

While this award was referenced by AEW, their tweet congratulated Dem Boys for the win, with no mention of FTR.

April

In his tweet, Harwood referenced the month of April, which is believed to be when FTR’s contracts with AEW expire.

On his FTR podcast, Harwood has spoken in the past about possibly leaving AEW, and admits that it could happen.

Harwood has also claimed that what comes next for FTR will likely be the final chapter of their wrestling careers as a tag team.

Vince McMahon Once Called an FTR Match the Worst Thing He’s Ever Seen

“The Right Call” – AEW Star Defends Sami Zayn’s Loss at WWE Elimination Chamber

Thomas Lowson
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Should Sami Zayn have captured the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship last week at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event?

Over the past year, Zayn, who always had a devoted fanbase, has become one of WWE’s most popular stars in recent memory, thanks to his work with the Bloodline.

At last weekend’s event, Zayn came up short against Roman Reigns, in the Canadian’s first one-on-one World Championship opportunity at a Premium Live Event.

The Right Call

Given Zayn’s immense popularity, and the fact that WWE Elimination Chamber was in Montreal, many have said that a title change should have happened.

WWE evidently felt differently, and at this time, the main event of WrestleMania 39 will see Cody Rhodes challenge Reigns for the title.

During the latest episode of his Extreme Life podcast, AEW’s Matt Hardy justified the booking decision.

“Cody has been an investment by WWE. Obviously, he was an investment when you saw that he had that injury and he still went into Hell in the Cell and he defeated Seth Rollins three matches straight. It was very obvious they had big plans for Cody Rhodes.”

“I think it’s the right move and I don’t think it hurts Sami one bit.”

Matt Hardy.

“Let him be the guy to defeat Roman, I think that’s the way to go. I think it’s the right move and I don’t think it hurts Sami one bit. If anything, that loss elevated Sami. It didn’t hurt him. It helped him. Also, you have a built-in competitor for Cody down the road with Sami.”

Hardy added that Sami is a “legitimate world champion level contender,” and reiterated that the loss in Montreal was the “right call.”

What’s Next for Sami Zayn?

While Sami Zayn will not be in the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship picture at WrestleMania, he may still leave with gold.

It is rumored that Zayn will team with Kevin Owens this April to challenge Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

Given Zayn’s popularity, there is a possibility that this match could headline Night One of WrestleMania, though nothing has been publicly confirmed at this time.

Eric Bischoff Compares Sami Zayn to Respected Veteran

h/t – WrestlingNews

Andrade El Idolo and Others React to Dominik Mysterio Smooth Talking Charlotte Flair on WWE SmackDown

Thomas Lowson
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Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley have proven to be quite the duo on WWE programming, and have caught the attention of those outside of the promotion.

In the run-up to WWE Clash at the Castle, Ripley repeatedly targeted Dominik, who at the time was aligned with his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.

After turning on his father and the Hall of Famer, Dominik and Ripley have been inseparable and have appeared together both at WWE events and away from the ring.

Reactions

During this week’s SmackDown, Dominik made a rare appearance on the blue brand to confront Charlotte Flair, who’ll defend the Women’s Title against Ripley at WrestleMania 39.

Mysterio went on about how he and Flair were both generational superstars, that they often get compared to their fathers but surpass them anyway

When Dominik tried to smooth talk the record-breaking champion, Flair was quick to shut him down, saying that she “has a real Latino man at home that calls me mami.”

On Twitter, Ripley’s real-life boyfriend, AEW star Buddy Matthews, reminded fans that ‘Mami’ has her own ‘Papi.’

Flair’s reference to her husband Andrade El Idolo, did not go unnoticed by the former NXT Champion, who reacted on Twitter with a single emoji.

Charlotte’s father Ric Flair also reacted to Dominik’s smooth-talking and encouraged the Judgment Day member to steer clear.

Ripley, the first woman to win the Women’s Royal Rumble from #1, will challenge Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.

Charlotte Flair on What Kept Her Away from WWE, Nacho Libre Officiating Her Wedding

WWE Expected to Pursue Several Top AEW Stars This Year

Thomas Lowson
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WWE will seek out the very top names from All Elite Wrestling to add to their roster over the next 12 months, it has been claimed.

Since AEW was founded in 2019, Tony Khan’s promotion has welcomed plenty of former Superstars, thanks in part to WWE’s mass layoffs of talent.

FTR, Miro, Andrade El Idolo and Bryan Danielson are just some of the names in AEW who were calling WWE home not too long ago,

Go Hard

The next 12 months will see several current AEW deals expire, with World Champion MJF openly teasing leaving the promotion in January 2024.

FTR, who are currently taking a break from AEW, are also expected to have their deals expire within a matter of months.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that a lot of “key deals” will expire this year, and WWE is going to “go hard at everyone good.”

On the flip side, Meltzer added that there are a lot of WWE contracts ending this year, and AEW will likely make a play for some names.

With that said, it was added that right now the “perception” of WWE talent is to not go to AEW, despite the company’s lighter schedule.

AEW experienced several setbacks in 2022, at a time when the WWE product was noticeably improving under Triple H’s leadership.

Cody Rhodes

While AEW is home to some WWE alum, the biggest move saw Cody Rhodes part ways with Tony Khan to return to WWE last year.

On his show, Meltzer added that Cody’s treatment since returning to WWE could prove to be an incentive for others to jump ship.

Speaking about Kenny Omega, whose AEW contract is expected to end in late 2023, Meltzer said that Khan losing Omega would be “really, really bad.”

It was noted that Omega is in a “very good position” as both AEW will offer him a lot to stay, and WWE will offer him plenty to join them.

Details on Jon Moxley’s 5-Year AEW Contract Extension

Drew McIntyre is “Already” a Better Boxer than Jake Paul After One Training Session

Thomas Lowson
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Jake Paul may not be a WWE Superstar just yet, but that hasn’t stopped Drew McIntyre from calling him out.

Paul’s brother Logan made his in-ring debut at last year’s WrestleMania, and has impressed fans with his ability in the ring.

For his Crown Jewel match with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Logan recruited his brother, but the pair failed to dethrone the Tribal Chief.

McIntyre Vs. Paul

Away from YouTube, Jake Paul has been making a name for himself in the world, of boxing, earning victories over YouTuber AnEsonGib, NBA star Nate Robinson and former MMA fighters Ben Askren.

Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva have also fallen to Jake Paul, but these wins haven’t impressed WWE’s Scottish Warrior.

This week, McIntyre joined Sheamus for an episode of Celtic Warrior Workouts, which saw them train with three-time world kickboxing champion Bernard “Swiftkick” Robinson.

Sharing the video on social media, McIntyre took aim at Paul saying that he was already a better boxer after one training session.

Sheamus responded to McIntyre’s bold claim and encouraged WWE to book the match.

Jake Paul’s next fight will take place today when he faces off against Tommy Fury, the brother of lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Jake Paul in WWE

After the success of Logan Paul in WWE, it isn’t hard to see why some believe Jake could join the promotion.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Jake said he would consider joining WWE, but is concerned about the risk it could have on his boxing career.

“I’m down. I just don’t want to get injured. My brother tore his MCL; it’s crazy out there. So, I just don’t want it to derail my boxing and all that, but I’m down.

“I love WWE. I love working with my brother. So that would definitely be something that could be on the horizon, for sure.”

Jake Paul.

As for Logan Paul, he is expected to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 39 this April.

Jake Paul: “I’d Love to Have Paul Heyman in my Corner”

h/t – Fightful

Details on Mercedes Moné’s NJPW Contract

Andrew Ravens
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Mercedes Mone made her NJPW in-ring debut last Saturday night at the Battle in the Valley pay-per-view event where she defeated KAIRI to capture the IWGP Women’s Championship.

This was after she walked out of WWE last May due to creative differences, negotiated her release from the company, and signed with NJPW at the beginning of January before she made her promotional debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 where she attacked the fellow former WWE star to set up the BITV match. 

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Mones winning the title at this show was the plan from the moment she signed with NJPW as the promotion felt having her as the champion would make the title feel important and raise its profile. 

Where Thing Stand

Meltzer also shared an update on Mone’s NJPW deal, and how many dates she has left, which is two dates. Mone will work the April 8th Sakura Genesis show at Sumo Hall where she will face STARDOM High Speed Champion AZM. The original plan was a rematch with KAIRI but things changed. 

Mone will also work the  23rd STARDOM event at Yokohama Arena where currently, she is scheduled to face Mayu Iwatami at that show. Should she not sign an extension with NJPW for more dates then she is likely to drop the title to Mayu at this event.

Eric Bischoff Compares Sami Zayn to Respected Veteran

Andrew Ravens
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Eric Bischoff recently made an interesting comparison between Sami Zayn and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP). 

Zayn had been portrayed as a lovable babyface in NXT after making a name for himself as El Generico on the independent wrestling scene. On the main roster, he continued the babyface character he came up with in developmental before portraying a heel for many years up until he was aligned with The Bloodline where the fans slowly turned him back into a babyface. 

Parallels 

While speaking on WrestleBinge, Bischoff explained how DDP and Zayn share similar trajectories.

“There are some parallels there. [DDP] was kind of in the middle of the roster, right, and he was pretty good,” Bischoff stated, “but once [DDP] made that transition, once he turned down the NWO and started working with Randy Savage and so many other top names, he just blew out of the pack. He didn’t slowly grow his way to the top of the roster; he just blew the doors off.”

There are some parallels there. [DDP] was kind of in the middle of the roster, right, and he was pretty good,” Bischoff stated, “but once [DDP] made that transition, once he turned down the nWo and started working with Randy Savage and so many other top names, he just blew out of the pack. He didn’t slowly grow his way to the top of the roster; he just blew the doors off.”

Zayn came up short when challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at the Elimination Chamber after being kicked out of The Bloodline at the Royal Rumble. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

DDP reveals his advice to Sami Zayn

Samantha Schipman
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Sami Zayn may have come up short against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, but some fans are still rooting for him to be added to the WrestleMania match with Reigns and Cody Rhodes.

WWE is reportedly concerned about Zayn’s popularity overpowering Rhodes. There has been speculation that Zayn and Kevin Owens will headline Night One of WrestleMania 39 against The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Titles.

What DDP told Sami Zayn

DDP

WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page said in an exclusive interview with Forbes that he gave Zayn advice at Royal Rumble. “I literally walked up to Sami at the Rumble and gave him a hug.”

“I love the Bloodline stuff. And Sami is a guy that, if you look at it, you don’t say ‘that guy’s money.’ But if you watch him and his storylines, and his interviews and his work in the ring, he’s money. He’s top guy money. Put him in a main event and he will draw, especially against the Bloodline, but really anyone.”

“I told him ‘bro, I love what you’re doing. Just be patient. Because it’s gonna happen.’ That’s the hardest thing for talent, is to be patient.”

Do you think Sami Zayn should be added to the Rhodes vs. Reigns match or do you think he should compete with Owens for the tag titles?

Speculation over released star joining Bray Wyatt’s faction

Samantha Schipman
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When Bray Wyatt returned to WWE last year, there were rumors of a “Wyatt 6” faction. It would be his “Firefly Funhouse” characters come to life as actual characters.

Fans have been introduced to “Uncle Howdy”. Rumors have been running rampant that Wyatt’s real life brother, Bo Dallas, would be portraying him. After last night’s SmackDown, there is a new theory on the person behind the character.

Former WWE Superstar with Bray Wyatt

Uncle Howdy
WWE

During the “Firefly Funhouse” segment, there was a voiceover that said, “welcome everyone to America’s favorite game show. Can you keep a secret?” 

Some fans speculated that the voice belonged to former NXT Superstar, Eric Young. Young had been leading a faction in IMPACT Wrestling, Violent By Design. His character was killed by his stablemate last December. It was reported then that the former SAnity leader was WWE bound.

In the same segment, a box that “Evil Alexa” used in the “Firefly Funhouse” was also featured. A woman’s hands were seen playing with action figures. Could that have been Bliss’s hands?

Would you like to see Eric Young with the “Wyatt 6”?

Backstage news on potential AEW deal for Mercedes Moné

Samantha Schipman
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One week ago, Mercedes Moné made her in-ring for NJPW. She defeated KAIRI to become the second IWGP Women’s Champion.

Shortly after winning the title, AZM emerged as her next challenger. The STARDOM High Speed Champion was one of the women Moné named as someone she’d like to face. The match hasn’t been made official, but is rumored for NJPW’s Sakura Genesis show on April 23.

Will Mercedes Moné Go to AEW?

Mercedes Mone

Now that Moné has made her in-ring debut for NJPW, fans are wondering if they’ll see her in AEW.

AEW Trios champion and EVP, Kenny Omega, fueled rumors when he quote tweeted Moné this week. He wrote “Our work with NJPW isn’t quite done yet, so I’m sure they will! I hear they sometimes do mix matches now too…”

This has led to speculation that they might do something at Forbidden Door 2. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that should Moné wish to compete at Forbidden Door 2, she can. However, something more long-term with AEW isn’t a priority for her.

On “Wrestling Observer Radio”, Dave Meltzer reported that Moné isn’t eager to sign a long-term deal. He also reported that it’s believed “The CEO” is scheduled for two more matches with STARDOM. Besides the match with AZM, she is supposed to face Mayu Iwatani on April 23. At this time, she has not been announced for NJPW’s shows in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in April.

In an interview with TV Insider, the champ said, “I’m a free agent. It doesn’t matter with New Japan. I can go anywhere. I can go to New Japan, Impact, Mexico, Germany, Europe. The potential matchups are endless. The same for New Japan. I know they have partnerships with CMLL, Impact, AEW.”

Who would you like to see Mercedes Moné face?

The Undertaker is No Longer the Highest-Ranked Character in a WWE Video Game

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker may have plenty of accolades to his name, but the Phenom recently lost his top spot in the annals of WWE’s gaming history.

At Survivor Series 2020, the Undertaker gave his ‘Final Farewell’ and retired from the ring after an iconic three-decade career in WWE.

The Texan was rightfully inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, and has made appearances out of his gothic persona for WWE since his retirement.

Gaming History

As one of the most iconic WWE Superstars of all time, it is hardly surprising that The Undertaker has been part of several WWE video games.

The Demon of Death Valley holds the record for appearing in the most officially licensed WWE games, with his first being WWF Super WrestleMania (NES & MegaDrive/Genesis) in 1992.

Since then, The Undertaker has appeared in a total 64 video games (if you include WWE 2K23) and has featured on the cover for 18 games.

Acknowledge Him

For WWE SmackDown Vs. Raw 2011, WWE ranked The Undertaker with a staggering 98 rating, the highest rating of any WWE Superstar in gaming history.

After over a decade though, that rating has now been superseded, as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has been awarded a 99 rating for WWE 2K23.

Reigns, one of two men to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania, has appeared in 10 WWE games, as well as NCAA Football 2005.

The standard edition of WWE 2K23 is set for release on March 17 and will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows.

Players who pre-order the Deluxe and Icon Editions of the game will have access from March 14 to get in on the action early.

The Undertaker: I Wish I Could Work A Program With Roman Reigns

WWE King and Queen of the Ring Event Location Revealed

Andrew Ravens
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Following the report that WWE is planning to hold two PLEs in the month of May, the location of one of them has been revealed to be Saudi Arabia, and that’s the King and Queen of the Ring. 

As previously noted, WWE is planning to present Backlash on Saturday, May 6, an event that dates back to 1999, in addition to bringing back King of the Ring under the King and Queen of the Ring name on Saturday, May 27. 

WWE hasn’t used the tournament theme as a pay-per-view event since 2002. 

The Location

PWInsider Elite reports that WWE’s 2023 King and Queen of the Ring premium live event is slated to be in Saudi Arabia. WWE has yet to confirm either of these events, but WWE does have a 10-year deal with the Saudi Arabia government that calls for them to hold two PLE events each year in the country. The other 2023 event will take place later this year, likely in October or November. 

This will be the second time that Saudi Arabia hosted the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments, as WWE previously held the tournaments in 2021 with them taking place at Crown Jewel. 

The 2021 tournaments saw Xavier Woods be crowned King of the Ring after defeating Finn Balor and Zelina Vega defeat Doudrop to become Queen of the Ring, then known as the Queen’s Crown.

Two WWE PLEs Including ‘King and Queen of the Ring’ Planned for May

WWE Money In The Bank Tickets Quickly Sold Out

Andrew Ravens
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WWE is off to a great start with this year’s Money in the Bank event ahead of its July 1st date at the O2 Arena in London as tickets for the show that went on sale on Friday quickly sold out. 

The Daily Mail’s Alex McCarthy first reported that tickets for the show sold out in just one minute after issues with Ticketmaster, leading to a brief delay in tickets being put on sale. 

The demand was strong for the event as over 30,000 fans were trying to get tickets during the general on-sale on Ticketmaster alone.

Build It and They Will Come

While it will be a historic event as it marks the first time since the 1992 SummerSlam event that one of the big 5 PLEs (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, MITB, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series) will be held in the UK, MITB will be without one notable name. 

Roman Reigns is not advertised for the show. Instead, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Cody Rhodes are advertised to appear.

Reigns headlined the last PLE in the UK back in September with Clash at the Castle where retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre. Here is the updated WWE PLE schedule: 

  • WWE WrestleMania 39 night one, Saturday, April 1
  • WWE WrestleMania 39 night two, Sunday, April 2
  • WWE Backlash, Saturday, May 6
  • WWE King and Queen of the Ring, Saturday, May 27
  • WWE Money in the Bank, Saturday, July 1
  • WWE SummerSlam Saturday, August 5

Wrestler to Make AEW Debut in Face of the Revolution Ladder Match on Dynamite

Andrew Ravens
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AEW has announced several things for Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite including the debut of a wrestler. 

Komander will make his AEW debut in the Face of the Revolution ladder match on the show. He will be taking on Konosuke Takeshita, Ortiz, Action Andretti, Sammy Guevara, Powerhouse Hobbs, Eddie Kingston, and AR Fox in the bout.

The winner of the match will get a shot at the TNT Title, currently held by Samoa Joe who will be on commentary for the match. 

Kommander, a 24-year-old high-flyer, has worked for AAA, Lucha Memes, MDA, Pro Wrestling Mexico, EMLL, and WAR City.

Also announced for the show include Orange Cassidy will defend the All-Atlantic title against Big Bill, Hook vs. Matt Hardy in an FTW Title match, Toni Storm vs. Riho, and Chris Jericho vs. Peter Avalon.

Updated AEW Dynamite Card

  • Komander vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ortiz vs. Action Andretti vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Eddie Kingston vs. AR Fox – Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a future TNT Title shot
  • Top Flight vs. Aussie Open vs. Matt Menard & Angelo Parker vs. Best Friends vs. Alex Reynolds & John Silver vs. Mike Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Preston Vance & Rush vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs. The Lucha Bros vs. The Butcher & The Blade – Casino Tag Team Battle Royale for a spot in the Tag Team Title Match at Revolution
  • AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Big Bill
  • FTW Champion Hook vs. Matt Hardy
  • Chris Jericho vs. Peter Avalon
  • Toni Storm vs. Riho
  • MJF & Bran Danielson speak

The Undertaker On How He Dealt With Wrestlers He Didn’t Like

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Undertaker served as a locker room leader in WWE for a long time. This included times like the Attitude Era where emotions were always running high. People fended for themselves more during this time instead of caring for the whole team. This gave birth to a high-tension environment leading to many personal rivalries. Though despite all this, Taker always stayed professional, even with his rivals.

The Last Outlaw recently joined Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis for a talk. The WWE star shared many stories from his active days during this time.

During the interview, Taker was asked if there were people he didn’t like in the business and how he dealt with them. The former world champion explained that he shook hands of everyone, no matter how he felt about them:

“There’s guys. I mean it’s just like any business. There’s guys that you like. There’s guys that you don’t like.” said The Undertaker, “Business being business. I may not like you personally, but when I come into a dressing room or when I come into arena, I’m gonna go up to you and I’m gonna shake your hand. That’s all I have to do, right? It’s just a matter of respect that I have for everybody that I work with.

He continued, “I’m not gonna go out and drink with you. I’m not going to party with you. I’m not gonna [celebrate with you], but I will do that. Then there was a lot of guys that I didn’t particularly care for on a personal note.”

Apart from this, The Undertaker also recalled almost losing an eye due to an injury, and said that he would wrestle even today if his body permitted. You can check out his full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

This article has been edited for clarity

GUNTHER To Receive Huge Main Event World Championship Push in 2023?

Thomas Lowson
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GUNTHER has dominated as the WWE Intercontinental Champion for over 250 days, but the Austrian’s future could be in the title picture of a bigger prize?

Called up to the main roster in early 2022, GUNTHER captured the Intercontinental Championship in June, dethroning Ricochet.

Recently, the leader of Imperium broke the record for the longest reign as Intercontinental Champion of the 21st Century.

World Title Aspirations

GUNTHER has shown no sign of ending his title reign prematurely, but bigger things may be in his future.

Speaking to Louis Dangoor of GiveMeSport, the Wrestle Votes account shared that GUNTHER’s work is loved by all the right people backstage.

“Triple H loves him. They all love him ever since he came into his own at Clash at the Castle. I’m not just talking about Triple H, Road Dogg is big on him, Jason Jordan really likes him.”

Wrestle Votes.

Wrestle Votes added that fans shouldn’t be surprised to see GUNTHER with some World Championship gold over the next 12 months.

“Once WWE gets two World titles, you double the amount of people in the main event. Gunther is ready to step up. I expect by the summer to see him at the top of the card. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins a World title. He might be next in line.”

Wrestle Votes.

WWE has been considering a new World Championship or splitting the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship for some time.

Not long after Roman Reigns unified the two titles at WrestleMania 38, it was reported that the USA Network was unhappy with how the World Champion rarely appeared on Raw.

GUNTHER’s Immediate Future

While GUNTHER could end 2023 as a World Champion, the Austrian powerhouse has more immediate concerns.

Next month, a battle royal inside Madison Square Garden will decide GUNTHER’s challenger at WrestleMania 39.

The match will feature eight former Intercontinental Champions as well as eight former WWE World Champions.

It has been reported that GUNTHER Vs. Drew McIntyre Vs. Sheamus is the plan for WrestleMania 39.

Triple H Praises “Incredible” GUNTHER After Record-Breaking Rumble Performance

h/t – NoDQ.com

Pat McAfee Reacts to Winning WON’s Worst Wrestling Match of 2022 Award

Thomas Lowson
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Pat McAfee may have won over fans with his enthusiastic commentary as part of WWE SmackDown, but his second match at WrestleMania 38 left a lot to be desired.

Last April, McAfee competed at his first WrestleMania, defeating Austin Theory who had been accompanied by Mr. McMahon.

In an impromptu match, McMahon defeated McAfee, thanks to interference by Theory.

All three men would receive stunners by ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin to end the segment.

Worst. Match. Ever!

Given that he was facing a 76-year-old man, McAfee’s bout with McMahon was far from a five-star classic.

In the recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards, fans voted the match as the worst bout of 2022, beating Ric Flair’s Final match from July by over 250 votes.

On Twitter, McAfee reacted to his ‘win,’ and is pleased that he got to experience WrestleMania as a wrestler.

Well… Me and Vince McMahon’s match at WrestleMania has officially been named ‘Worst (nonsanctioned) match of the year’ 

The old man was MUCH stronger than anybody could’ve imagined.. Caught me off guard quite a bit (and I was Cheap Shotted to start it all).. Fun Fact.. The 1st time Steve gave Vince a stunner was in 1997… I was 10 years old, from a working class community, and it made me fall in love with the business. Wonder if it would be magical to get one last BAHGAWD in Stone Cold’s State? But… How do we get there? OHHHH.. He has to abuse his power a little bit… ohhhhhh

When I was invited back in the ring.. I thought I was gonna get to celebrate Stone Cold finally ending the run with Vince.. ‘The Common Beer Drinking Employee’ has finally put the old ‘Power abusing Billionaire Boss’ away.. I was LIVING A DREAM whilst they wrapped (in my opinion) the greatest/most impactful storyline in the history of wrestling. BUT… “NEVER TRUST THE TEXAS RATTLESNAKE PAT

My brain may have been used during the planning of all of this.. So I appreciate the award.. obviously. I’m not a movie guy.. I didn’t watch shows.. I don’t play video games.. From an entertainment standpoint.. Football and Wrestling are literally the only 2 things I’ve ever consistently watched/loved for my whole life. Cheers to you all. I’ll remember that night, in Jerry World, forever. WHADDDD”

Other nominees for Worst Match of 2022 included the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble, the All Out 2022 Casino Royale Ladder Match, and Tyrus’ NWA World Championship victory.

What’s Next for Pat?

At the Royal Rumble, McAfee made a one-night return to the commentary table, as he has spent months with ESPN’s College GameDay.

After not appearing on SmackDown since then, McAfee took to Twitter to reflect on his future with the promotion.

In the said tweet, Pat questioned whether he would be willing to work with WWE’s potential new owners, but did not name which names listed as possible buyers would make him reconsider his position.

Pat McAfee Was Originally Supposed to Return in WWE Royal Rumble Match

WWE Senior Vice President Terminated Over HR Violation

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s corporate world has seen a lot of changes over the past month, and now one Senior Vice President is no longer with the promotion.

In January, Vince McMahon made his shocking return to WWE, following his retirement in July 2022 over alleged activity with female employees.

McMahon’s return coincided with the resignation of his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, who had been appointed Chairwoman following Vince’s departure.

Vince’s return also resulted in several resignations from WWE’s Board of Directors, including Man Jit Singh, who led the investigation into the billionaire’s alleged actions last year.

Termination

WWE has parted ways with James Kimball, once WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Operations and Strategy, Fightful Select has learned.

It was said that an HR violation led to his immediate termination which took place last week.

In an update, it was stressed that an HR violation is relatively broad and could mean a variety of things.

Fightful stated that it could mean that no one else was directly affected by what he did which resulted in his termination.

Kimball had been with the company for two years, working on the NIL program, among other projects, and had spent a decade with the UFC.

The former SVP worked closely with Triple H during his tenure and only recently was speaking to free agents about joining the promotion.

Fightful clarified that Kimball’s termination was not a case of Vince McMahon making a firing upon his return to the promotion.

Reaction

Several WWE Superstars, as well as some UFC fighters, reached out to Fightful to say that they were surprised by his departure.

One talent said that they were “shocked” that Kimball was out, while several others inquired about the details behind the move.

Another wrestler stated that there was a time when it appeared that Kimball would be with WWE for years, if not decades to come.

Ex-WWE Champion Praises “Really Good Person” Stephanie McMahon After Resignation

Watch: What Happened With The Bloodline After SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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The duo of Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso represented The Bloodline and continued their dominance after this week’s episode of SmackDown went off air.

WWE continued the storyline between the dominant faction and Sami Zayn during this week’s episode of the show from Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

The show opened with a recap of Zayn vs Roman Reigns from Elimination Chamber. Jimmy Uso then revealed that he has asked his brother Jey Uso to meet him in the ring later in the night.

The main event segment then saw Sami Zayn confronting Jimmy as Jey watched from afar. This segment ended with Zayn delivering a Helluva Kick to Jimmy before leaving the ring as Solo Sikoa arrived:

The Bloodline In Action

Both Sami Zayn and Jey Uso returned to the back after the cameras stopped rolling. However, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy stayed in the ring for a dark main event.

The Bloodline duo went up against The OC in a tag team match after the event. Solo picked up the victory for his team in this match using the Samoan Spike:

WWE has announced Roman Reigns’ return for next week’s SmackDown. We can expect some big development in this story at the show.

Former NXT Star Wrestles After Three Months Before SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE star Cameron Grimes returned to action after more than three months before this week’s episode of SmackDown from Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

The former NXT star last competed in a match against Joe Gacy during the November 8 episode of NXT last year.

It was reported that Grimes was done with the development brand after this bout and he was headed to the main roster. However, he wasn’t seen in the ring since then.

Cameron Grimes In Action

The former NXT star finally made his in-ring return before tonight’s episode of SmackDown. He competed against Hit Row’s Ashante Thee Adonis:

The 29-year-old made his wrestling debut back in 2009. He competed for promotions such as PWG and Impact Wrestling before joining WWE in 2019.

The Million Dollar Man

Grimes made his NXT debut in July, 2019. He had a successful run in the development brand where he won the North American Championship once.

At one point during his run with the brand, Cameron Grimes was even paired with WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase and held the Million Dollar Championship.

It was reported recently that the creatives had not come up with a plan for his main roster debut yet. His in-ring return indicates that his official call up will finally be happening soon.

Top WWE Star Referenced AEW Wrestler During SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
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An AEW star was referenced on Friday Night SmackDown this week during a segment by Charlotte Flair while building to her WrestleMania 39 showdown. 

The SmackDown Women’s Champion came out to the ring for a promo segment and she gave an early Happy Birthday shout to her father, Ric Flair. She also referenced another Papi.

Flair was exchanging words with Dominik Mysterio when she referenced her real-life husband, Andrade El Idolo as a way to make it clear that she had no interest in Dominik or his shenanigans when he answered her call for Rhea Ripley to come to the ring for their advertised showdown.  

The Moment

Flair told him that she has a real Latino man at home that calls her Mami who does it with a much thicker accent.  Once Flair squared up with the son of Rey Mysterio then Ripley came out to the ring where they had a staredown before Ripley got out of the ring and went to the backstage area. 

Andrade and Charlotte were married last summer, the original reason why Charlotte went on hiatus from WWE TV. 

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