AEW star Andrade El Idolo hasn’t been seen in action since All Out back in September 2022.
The former NXT Champion was a contestant in the casino ladder match won by now-AEW World Champion MJF.
During that time, El Idolo reportedly got into a backstage altercation with Jericho Appreciation Society member Sammy Guevara. The pair had been trading barbs for some time over social media leading up to their confrontation.
The incident led to the Los Ingobernables founding member being sent home and his Rampage bout with Preston ’10’ Vance getting called off. Interestingly, Guevara wound up wrestling soon after the altercation, going ahead with his booked tag team bout on that week’s episode of Dynamite.
While many rumors have swirled of El Idolo being off TV due to backstage problems, it now appears there’s a much simpler explanation.
Andrade El Idolo Not Expected Back Until The Spring
Back in August, the former WWE US Champion injured his pec in a trios bout. Despite performing for some time after, El Idolo ultimately needed time off for surgery.
THIS IS THE MATCH WHERE MY INJURY HAPPENED I LEAVE YOU PART OF THE MATCH.
You can't imagine in what movement we can get injured, it happened to me in the 6-man Suplex almost starting the match but I wanted to finish as a professional. pic.twitter.com/xDwrZhEUJF
According to a recent report from Fightful Select, El Idolo will not be cleared for action until the spring.
Last year, 2023 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes suffered a similar injury prior to his Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins. ‘The American Nightmare’ gutted through the bout despite grim swelling and bruising all over the affected area. On average, a fully torn pec recovery period lasts for at least six months.
Given the controversy surrounding him backstage last year, it’s hard to say where Andrade El Idolo goes from here. A reunion with Rush seems like the safest bet for now.
Are you looking forward to seeing Andrade El Idolo return?
Ariel Helwani is speaking out after AEW President Tony Khan called him a “fraud” after his appearance on Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown.
Helwani is primarily an MMA journalist, but also covers some pro wrestling. In recent months, he’s interviewed WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque, AEW President Tony Khan and several WWE superstars. He’s also worked for WWE in a limited capacity, narrating video packages and most recently, serving as an on-screen correspondent.
Several people blasted Helwani as unethical, including Khan. Several months ago, Helwani called his interview with Tony Khan “one of the most frustrating, and to a degree, not-so-fun interviews of my career.” That relationship has deteriorated even further, with Khan labeling Helwani a “fraud” and Helwani referring to Khan as “the snowman.”
Helwani hasn’t been phased by Tony Khan’s attack. After SmackDown, he wrote on Twitter that it was a “perfect” experience. “Life is short,” he tweeted. “I’m enjoying the ride. Thanks to the real ones for the support along the way”.
On Monday, he addressed the situation on the latest edition of his MMA Hour podcast.
“I see this tweet from Tony Khan, and I read it like three times, I swear to god, I thought it was fake. I thought it was fake. You know, because anybody can have a blue check, right? This guy doesn’t follow me, he’s never tweeted me, I was like, ‘There’s no way that he actually tweeted this.’
Number one, proving that he was watching, which is bizarre, why would you put the competition over and show that you’re watching some random SmackDown at some random moment in telecast?
Number two, putting down his own guy in the process, the great Tony Schiavone, Atlanta sports legend. Calling me a fraud, and then saying that I am as much as a journalist as Tony Schiavone. Now, I’m trying to think, what is the point that he is trying to prove here? He is trying to prove that Schiavone isn’t a journalist? Correct me if I’m wrong, as an Atlanta guy, doesn’t he kind of have some respect as a media dude?
So this guy is calling me a fraud, then he’s saying, Tony Schiavone is as much of a journalist as me, I guess trying to imply that he’s not a real journalist and I’m not a real journalist? Why insult your own guy in the process?
The real thing he should have done is not say anything. Why are you putting over the competition’s broadcast? Your show is coming up, nice little cheeky hashtag there on the tweet as well. You talk about an own-goal, and I know Fulham is having a better season, they certainly haven’t had a great run with the Khans involved, but, this was one of the all-time great own-goals. I just couldn’t believe it. I had to check multiple times, is this really him?”
Backstage Reaction to Tony Khan’s Tweet to Ariel Helwani
Helwani is convinced Tony Khan is still upset that he did so poorly during their interview, which he finds ridiculous. AEW reached out to him about having Khan on his show and he agreed. They didn’t put any restrictions on what he could ask and he thinks Khan is mad that he came off as foolish and a person who wasn’t comfortable doing anything but promote his product.
Backstage at SmackDown, he questioned why Khan was so quick to call him a fraud during his moment. He said the ‘Old Ariel’ would have let a tweet like this bother him. He was actually invigorated by it and thought it was hilarious.
“The amazing thing was how everything spread backstage,” said Helwani. “Everybody was, ‘Did you see the tweet? Did you see the tweet?’ I’ve just been here for four hours. I don’t even know a lot of these people. ‘This is amazing. How could he have done this? Was that really him? What a ….’ Yeah, I guess it was really him!’ Bizarre.”
Ariel Helwani’s Work with WWE
Helwani said he didn’t even know he’d be attending Elimination Chamber weekend until Wednesday of last week. He’s had conversations in the past about doing things for WWE. He did the video package for Extreme Rules a few months ago. WWE offered to pay him for it, he said no, because he wanted to avoid conflicts of interest. Someone advised him that he was stupid to refuse payment for his work. He came to the conclusion that he isn’t a wrestling journalist, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
Many years ago, Jeff Jarrett tried to get him on the creative team for Impact Wrestling. He didn’t accept the position, but working in the wrestling business has always been a ‘bucket list’ thing for him. He made a promise to himself that if he would seriously consider accepting an offer from WWE if that came up.
The Elimination Chamber opportunity came up and said, I’m going to do it. I’m not going to live and die by people’s opinions on social media. He’s going to do what brings him joy. He says yes, it was a paid gig. He joked that he technically hasn’t been paid yet and hopes he didn’t blow it with all the controversy that’s unfolded over the weekend.
Helwani gave a shout out to Triple h for going to bat for him, believing him, being welcoming and kind to him throughout their interactions. Helwani says he was on cloud nine over the SmackDown appearance until he saw people complaining on social media.
Natalya continues to inspire the next generation of WWE Superstars, and in recent years, she’s gotten to work with a few as well.
In April 2022, Natalya returned to WWE’s developmental territory of NXT, surprising Cora Jade with an emotional message. Natalya applauded Jade on making it to WWE, years after the two first met at a WWE live event during Jade’s fanatic days. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion referred to Jade as the “future” of NXT, but “the future is [also] bleak,” she said.
Natalya then delivered a slap to the young superstar, before locking in her signature Sharpshooter submission. The two later met once more, as Cora Jade did her best to dethrone the “Queen of Harts” on the May 10 episode of NXT. Unfortunately for Jade, though, the referee would be forced to call the match as she passed out to the Sharpshooter.
Natalya Heaps Praise For Cora Jade
Recently speaking with Love Wrestling, Natalya commended Cora Jade for making persistent strides to achieve her childhood dream, noting that their storyline was Natalya’s “favorite thing” of 2022.
“It was so much fun,” she said. “She wanted to soak up as much information as she could. She was really a pleasure to work with, and I loved our program together. It was so much fun, and I think that there’s a lot of great things to come for her in the future, too. I think she’s a student of the game.”
“She is also somebody that I pointed to in the crowd [at a live event]. She has this photo of us that we took a selfie in the audience, and she made it. So, it’s really cool again, like [Roxanne Perez], Cora’s a fan. She’s a fan, she loves this, and she’s here. She made it. Cora and Roxy are a great message to little girls, and guys, everywhere, that you can have big dreams and you can accomplish them. You can achieve them. With hard work, dedication, and not ever taking no for an answer, you can achieve your dreams.”
H/T to Spencer Love of Love Wrestling for the transcription
The bout has been met with critical acclaim and saw Monè nail her new DDT finisher, something that had gone awry between the pair at Wrestle Kingdom. The Battle in the Valley closed out with Monè joining IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in the ring for a post-main event promo.
Now, just two days after the event, it appears Mercedes Monè’s first challenger is already in the wings.
Stardom Champion Challenges Mercedes Monè
Earlier today, Stardom held a press conference during which High Speed Champion AZM staked her claim.
The 20-year-old former Azumi got her hands on the High Speed Title for the second time almost a year ago. At Stardom Cinderella Journey 2022, AZM defeated Starlight Kid for the gold.
The High Speed Championship is typically reserved for Stardom’s high-flying performers, similar to Impact’s X-Division Championship. Considering AZM’s lightning-quick, big-bumping style, a match between her and Monè would likely be a thrilling affair.
At the press conference, AZM mentioned that ‘The CEO’ had mentioned her as a possible opponent previously. Keen to get the match booked, the Stardom sensation made clear the ball is now in Mercedes Monè’s court.
A key issue often cited by fans and pundits with Sasha Banks in WWE was her lack of longevity when it came to singles championship reigns on the main roster. Only the last of Banks’ six WWE Women’s Championship reigns saw her make some successful title defenses.
Considering she’s coming off her first match in nine months, it’s hard to envision ‘The CEO’ dropping the strap to AZM in her first defense. Regardless of the winner, though, this should be a high-octane clash to watch out for in the coming months.
Did you enjoy Mercedes Monè’s win over KAIRI at Battle in the Valley?
Teddy Long believes that Cody Rhodes has the ability to outshine someone like John Cena any day.
The WWE Hall Of Famer recently took part in an interview with Sportskeeda’s Riju Dasgupta, where he was asked about Cody Rhodes and his current rise to the top of the WWE card since making his return.
Long had nothing but praise for “The American Nightmare,” going as far as saying that Rhodes could outshine WWE legend John Cena “any day.”
“In my opinion, I think Cody Rhodes can certainly outshine John Cena any day. He’s a great competitor. I’ve known Cody Rhodes since he was a little bitty boy playing on the softball team.
“His father, Dusty Rhodes, God rest his soul, gave me my first job, so I never will forget that, but Cody Rhodes, I guarantee you, will outshine John Cena any day.”
Rhodes has certainly had a tremendous run since returning to WWE. He made a surprise return to the company last year at WrestleMania, being revealed as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at the event.
This marked the beginning of a tremendous rivalry between the pair, which ultimately ended with a pectoral injury for Rhodes that forced him to be sidelined for the next several months.
Rhodes made his triumphant return at the Royal Rumble last month, winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match and punching his ticket to the WrestleMania 39 main event.
Now, he’s slated to headline the card against Roman Reigns, challenging for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. If he wins, he’ll be the first of his family to win a WWE World Title.
If there’s been a difference in Triple H and Vince McMahon’s creative within WWE, Charlotte Flair hasn’t noticed it.
Flair recently took part in an interview with The Daytona Beach News Journal, and was asked about what differences she’s noticed since Triple H has taken over WWE creative for Vince McMahon.
“The Queen” noted that she hasn’t noticed much of a difference in all honesty, but mostly because she feels it’s more so up to her to make something work on-screen rather than the person coming up with the idea.
“I haven’t really noticed a difference because I feel, as a performer, that my job is just to make my boss happy. Whoever is in the seat is your boss,” Charlotte Flair said.
“Maybe if I was new, I would feel a difference, but I’m on more of the seasoned vet side. I don’t feel like there is as much maneuvering or trying to build a new character.”
(WWE)
McMahon was forced to step down from his position of head of WWE creative late last year in the midst of the sexual misconduct investigation against him. This left his son-in-law, Triple H, to step up and take over the creative helm.
Since, Triple H’s creative decisions have been hailed as being far more in-tune with the professional wrestling crowd than McMahon’s. Especially after a great Elimination Chamber event this past weekend from Montreal.
Now that McMahon is back with the company in an executive role, it remains to be seen if he ever eventually decides to return to run WWE’s creative process again.
Eric Bischoff gave his thoughts on the beef between Tony Khan and Ariel Helwani during the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast.
It all started when the AEW President tweeted last Friday that Helwani is a fraud for being in the crowd at WWE SmackDown in Montreal. Helwani responded by calling Khan, ‘The Snowman.’
Helwani has known WWE’s Nick Khan for several years because Nick once served as Helwani’s agent. Because of this, some of Helwani’s critics have said say that he is biased in favor of WWE.
Also, Helwani openly attacked the president of the AEW for refusing to answer some of his questions when he spoke with Khan in October.
Bischoff’s Thoughts
“I was disappointed to see that. Look, I’ve heard a lot of the same rumors and I’ve heard them from people that are in AEW, to be blunt, and I don’t put any stock in them. I think it’s bad for him, no matter who you are, unless you were sitting down and watch someone, anyone, actually doing something, whether it’s snorting a line of blow or, you know, beating their wife, or whatever, unless you witness it with your own eyes, shut the f**k up.”
Bischoff thinks starting rumors like that is a bad reflection on the person and he doesn’t listen to that type of talk.
“It’s just bad. Bad. You don’t want to do that to people. I’ve had it done to me. There’s no reason for it. Tony is inviting a lot of this criticism. He acts like a petulant child in the way he responds, and his response to Ariel in the crowd was a petulant child whose feelings were hurt because somebody took his toy away from him. I mean, it’s just so absolutely childish. I think that’s a reflection, at least in my mind, of who Tony Khan is. He’s immature. He is a child with a vanity project. He’s passionate.”
Bischoff stated that he’s not taking that away from him, but thinks the way that Khan reacts to things further gives off a negative impression of who he is.
He added, “Tony should have never reacted the way he did to Ariel being out there.”
The stakes were never higher for Sami Zayn this past weekend as he did his best to dethrone the long-time Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. In the end though, Zayn’s quest for glory, and gold, left him empty handed.
As Zayn revved up for Elimination Chamber, he admitted he didn’t know if he could beat “The Tribal Chief.” Despite his own doubts, though, support for Zayn continued to grow, not only from the WWE Universe, but from Cody Rhodes, and those behind-the-scenes as well.
As reported by Wrestling Observer Radio, some higher-ups in the company lobbied for Zayn to pull off a grand triumph over Roman Reigns at the February 18 premium live event. Though the identities of those pushing the agenda weren’t revealed, the possibility of Zayn winning appeared to be actively discussed.
Close, But No Cigar
Photo Credit: WWE
Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Zayn pieced together a valiant effort to combat Roman Reigns. At one point, Zayn stunned the champion by blocking a Superman Punch with an exploder. Later on, Zayn kicked out of a vicious spear — a feat rarely seen in Reign’s opponents.
Zayn’s hopes soon came crashing down, though, as Jimmy Uso appeared, delivering a superkick and a splash as the referee laid knocked out to the side. The second referee wouldn’t fair much luck either, as Reigns inadvertently struck him with a punch, paving the way for Jey Uso to make his appearance. As Jey hesitated to wield a chair on Sami, Reigns dodged an incoming spear from the former “Honorary Uce,” leaving Jey in Zayn’s path.
After accidently nailing his only ally left in The Bloodline, Zayn’s fate was sealed. The final blows came at the hands of Roman Reigns, who unloaded a series of chair spots and another spear to lay Zayn’s dreams to rest, and retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Jon Moxley is no longer set to appear as planned at the Scrappermania event by Ireland’s Over The Top Wrestling.
The top AEW star had been advertised for the show on March 17, but the promotion confirmed today that he had been pulled. In addition to him wrestling Trent Seven, he was also slated to do a meet & greet with fans.
This turns out to take place the day before AEW’s House Rules live event on March 18 in Troy, Ohio, Moxley’s home State. As a result, All Elite Wrestling pulled Moxley from the show so he could work their event.
The Announcement
However, as a make-good, AEW is sending Eddie Kingston and another star to the event. The promotion issued the following statement on Twitter:
“OTT have announced their first ever FanFest for Scrappermania 7. Due to circumstances out of their control, Jon Moxley will no longer be available to appear. Eddie Kingston, a 2nd unnamed AEW star, will appear along with Santino Marella, Davey Richards, Big Damo and more.”
At the house show presented by AEW, the promotion is advertising Moxley, Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy and more for it. The former AEW World Heavyweight champion will wrestle Evil Uno on this week’s Dynamite episode.
Other bouts confirmed for the show include a tag team battle royale for a spot in the Tag Team Title match at Revolution, AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta, The Acclaimed vs. Lee Moriarty & Big Bill, and more.
Cena’s most recent appearance took place on the December 30 edition of WWE SmackDown. He teamed up with Kevin Owens that night to defeat The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. In doing so, he continued his long-running streak of wrestling at least one match per year.
On Monday, WWE announced Cena will be on hand Monday, March 6 when Raw rolls into his home town of Boston, MA. Here’s the official announcement from WWE, including a link to purchase tickets, if you’re in the Boston area.
John Cena to Appear Live in Boston!
16-time World Champion John Cena will appear LIVE at TD Garden in Boston, MA for the 3/6/23 edition of Monday Night RAW.
Don’t miss out on seeing this epic Monday Night RAW on the Road to WrestleMania LIVE!
John Cena’s next appearance comes in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 39. Cena is expected to compete against reigning Untied State Champion Austin Theory at WWE’s biggest event of the year. Theory defends the gold against Edge tonight on Raw.
Cena and Theory have been talking about wanting to work against each other over the past year. Theory has named Cena as one his favorite wrestlers while he was growing up, which paves the way for a built-in storyline for such a match. Theory has been complaining that people compare him to Cena, and has boasted that he’s achieving things in WWE that Cena never did.
A major match-up many have been expecting for WrestleMania this year is currently up in the air.
At Elimination Chamber, Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley had their third singles bout. The latest showdown between the pair followed ‘The All Mighty’ making quick work of, and eliminating, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ from the men’s Royal Rumble match last month.
In a sprint-paced brawl, the two heavyweight monsters quickly got their spots in. Lesnar then got DQ’d for a surprise low blow just shy of the five-minute mark. The post-match antics saw the former UFC Heavyweight Champion obliterate both Lashley and the referee with F-5s.
The chaotic finish has left fans expecting a final, blow-off bout between the pair with a decisive finish. Their original clash at last year’s Royal Rumble win ended with a tainted Lashley win after Paul Heyman betrayed Lesnar. Their second bout saw Lesnar win with a surprise pinfall when he was locked in The Hurt Lock at Crown Jewel back in November.
Is Bray Wyatt vs. Brock Lesnar On The Cards For WrestleMania?
On the go-home SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, Bray Wyatt expressed his interesting facing the winner of Lesnar vs. Lashley III.
While Lesnar lost the bout via DQ, Wyatt very curiously specified he wants to face whoever “walks out alive” of the bout. Despite his loss, Lesnar was certainly not the worse for wear figure after his bout with Lashley.
The controversial ending of Lesnar/Lashley III was reportedly booked to keep the feud chugging along this year. However, according to a recent report from Fightful Select, the continuation of the feud may wait until after WrestleMania.
Considering Wyatt’s promo and Lesnar’s curious booking at Elimination Chamber, it looks like the big man may well be butting heads with Wyatt and Uncle Howdy very soon.
Would you like to see Bray Wyatt face either Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania?
All roads now lead to WrestleMania 39. WWE held their annual Elimination Chamber event from the Bell Centre this past weekend, delivering a five-match card to a hot crowd in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Headlined by an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match including one of Montreal’s own, the premium live event proved to be a must-see attraction for the live audience, and for fans watching at home.
After some in-ring shenanigans involving two referees getting knocked out and The Usos interfering, Roman Reigns successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship much to the dismay of Sami Zayn’s hometown crowd.
Despite the odds stacked against him, Austin Theory walked out of the men’s Elimination Chamber with his United States Championship still intact. As it was down to the final two — Theory and Seth Rollins — Logan Paul emerged, unleased an attack against Rollins, allowing Theory to seal the victory with an A-Town Down.
Inside the women’s Elimination Chamber, Asuka outlasted her five other opponents as well. She will now go on to face Bianca Belair for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania in Hollywood.
Producers
Photo Credit: WWE
Following the Elimination Chamber event, Fightful Select reported the identities of the match producers:
Women’s Elimination Chamber: Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross — Tyson Kidd, Molly Holly, Peter Williams
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley — Jason Jordan
Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley — Adam Pearce
Men’s Elimination Chamber: Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Austin Theory vs. Damian Priest vs. Bronson Reed — Jamie Noble & Abyss (Chris Park)
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns (c) — Michael Hayes
Teddy Long is best known to WWE fans as the former General Manager of SmackDown (more specifically, booking tag team matches and making people go one-on-one with the Undertaker).
Prior to his memorable role as the SmackDown GM, Long worked as a referee and also guided several wrestlers as a manager, including Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed), The Skyscrapers (Sid Vicious, “Mean” Mark Callous and Butch Reed), 2 Cold Scorpio, Marcus “Buff” Bagwell and many more.
Teddy Long & The Street Profits
During a recent interview with Riju Dasgupta of Sportskeeda for WrestleBinge, Long was asked a hypothetical question about current WWE act(s) he’d want to manage.
Long said, if he were to manage anybody, he thinks he’d probably choose a tag team. He then named multi-time tag team champions, The Street Profits.
“I like them, I watch them,” he said. “You know they are good, they are good in the ring. Their mic skills are good. You know they are a couple of nice guys. I had a chance to meet them. So Street Profits are the guys I’d like to be with.”
WWE’s roster is loaded with talented performers, but the Street Profits are a great pick. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are one of the biggest success stories to come out of NXT over the past several years. Ford in particular is seen as having tremendous upside and will likely branch out on his own as a singles act in the future. He had an impressive showing over the weekend in the men’s Elimination Chamber match.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman has praised the Bloodline, calling Roman Reigns’ faction “up there” with the New World Order.
The influence of the NWO continues to be felt to this day, with groups including D-Generation X and the Bullet Club borrowing the iconic staple of ‘cool’ heels.
Coming together in late 2020, The Bloodline has been heralded as one of the best angles in wrestling today, thanks in part to the spectacular heel work of leader Roman Reigns.
“Right Up There”
Sean Waltman is no stranger to impressive groups, having been part of both DX and the NWO.
Speaking to TMZ, Waltman said that there are some comparisons between the NWO and Roman Reigns’ dominant faction.
“The Bloodline thing, I mean, it’s right up there [with the New World Order] as far as I am concerned quality-wise.”
Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.
Waltman is hardly the first Hall of Famer to compare the two groups, with Eric Bischoff saying that the Bloodline is a better storyline than the New World Order.
Cracks in the Group
While the Bloodline may indeed be a force to be reckoned with, the group has shown serious cracks over the past month.
At WWE Royal Rumble 2023, Sami Zayn’s tenure with the group came to an end when he refused to attack Kevin Owens with a chair, and instead struck Reigns.
Jey Uso, who had been suspicious of Zayn for months before he was won over in late 2022, refused to attack Sami in response and has said he is out of the Bloodline as well.
At WWE Elimination Chamber, Jey again refused to attack the former Honorary Uce.
Reigns, who had spent months away due to Covid-19 precautions, won the title a week later at the Payback event, starting his current reign as Champion.
Responding to a tweet showing the names Reigns has defeated as Champion, Wyatt asked if fans remember how the Tribal Chief won the title.
While Reigns ended Wyatt’s second reign as Universal Champion, he did so by pinning Braun Strowman in a triple-threat match.
At this time, Wyatt is yet to have a rematch for the Universal Championship that he lost without being pinned or submitted.
This is hardly the first time Wyatt has brought this fact up, as he corrected Louis Dangoor when it was claimed that Reigns had defeated every former Universal Champion.
Future Plans
Wyatt is, according to an internal roster listing, the top babyface on SmackDown, but has been kept away from Reigns, the top heel of both the brand and the company as a whole.
Bray’s sole televised match since returning to WWE last October saw the former Universal Champion defeat LA Knight in the first Pitch Black match.
At WrestleMania 39, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes, the winner of the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match.
As for Wyatt, he issued a WrestleMania challenge to the winner of last Saturday’s Brock Lesnar Vs. Bobby Lashley match, but given the DQ finish, many expect Lesnar and Lashley to face off one-on-one at WrestleMania.
“Nobody in WWE has confirmed Jay White coming in, but they are certainly the favorite. One would think if White was going to AEW, he’d be able to work big shows with New Japan and would continue to do so, but they wouldn’t do the loser leaves for good stipulation.”
Dave Meltzer.
AEW Interest
While WWE is the favorite, they aren’t the only promotion that would benefit from White’s talents.
During a recent interview with the In the Kliq, AEW President and CEO Tony Khan said that he “loved” having White compete as part of last year’s AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event.
Khan added that he would also love to have White compete for AEW again, or either against AEW in another crossover Supershow.
Is AEW President Tony Khan on the cusp of announcing another show to the promotion’s catalog of content?
In 2019, AEW launched their flagship weekly show AEW Dynamite, and on TV, fans can tune in to AEW Rampage each Friday night.
Online, AEW hosts their YouTube shows, Dark and Dark: Elevation each week, giving less experienced talent the chance to hone their skills off of TV.
AEW Collision
AEW could be on the verge of announcing a fifth show to its programming, according to a recent trademark filing.
In the filing made last week, AEW seeks ownership for the term ‘AEW Collision,’ with the filing reading as follows.
“Mark For: AEW COLLISON™ trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of educational and entertainment services, namely, a continuing program about wrestling accessible by radio, television, satellite, audio, video and computer networks; Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through television and the internet; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of wrestling.”
AEW has enjoyed a positive relationship with their broadcast partners at Warner Bros. Discovery, with AEW content often being among the highest-rated shows they own.
Kathleen Finch, the CCO of Warner Bros Discovery said that the company has “huge respect for [the AEW] audience,” and the company had been trying to capitalize on AEW’s popularity on their network.
Reports of Triple H being underwhelmed with recent signings have been greatly exaggerated, Fightful Select report.
In July 2022, the Game was appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, replacing John Lauriniatis after his unceremonial dismissal from the promotion.
The Triple H era has seen multiple names be rehired to WWE, including Karrion Kross, Bray Wyatt, Johnny Gargano, Dakota Kai, and Hit Row, among others.
Underwhelmed?
In December 2022, a report came out stating that Triple H had been “underwhelmed” by some of the performances of some rehired talent.
That report stopped short of naming who had allegedly disappointed the former World Heavyweight Champion, leading to speculation among fans.
A source from WWE told Fightful that within WWE, reports of Triple H being disappointed have been downplayed.
That source added that even if Triple H had been underwhelmed by rehired talent, it would not be something that the Game said out loud.
Expectations and Depth
When a member of WWE’s creative team spoke to Fightful, they said that nobody who has been rehired was expected to immediately ascend to the top.
It was added that WWE’s plans on the road to WrestleMania had already been planned out during the rehiring frenzy of late 2022, so WWE is far from worried about returning names not standing out right now.
A different source familiar to the situation said that Triple H’s rehiring stars was about bringing “depth” to Raw and SmackDown, and the rehired talent were told as much.
The depth issue was one that was immediately brought up to creative when Triple H made it into power in July 2022, as the consensus was that Raw and SmackDown were largely the same shows each week.
One source pointed to the performances of Johnny Gargano and Bronson Reed at WWE Elimination Chamber, saying they were “showing their value when given an opportunity.”
Last weekend’s Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event proved to be a hit with fans, and one member of the crowd knew all about being in a WWE ring.
The February 18, event saw WWE return to Montreal, the host of the infamous Montreal Screwjob, in WWE’s first PLE in the city since Breaking Point in September 2009.
The main event saw Montreal’s own Sami Zayn face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but the Canadian became the latest victim of the Tribal Chief.
JTG
An estimated 17,271 fans filled Montreal’s Bell Centre in the hopes of Sami winning the big one, including former WWE Superstar JTG.
On Twitter, the Cryme Tyme alum shared a selfie during Zayn’s entrance, adding that watching WWE live made him feel like a kid again.
Debuting on WWE’s main roster in 2006 alongside the late Shad Gaspard, Cryme Tyme proved to be a hit with fans, though never won Tag Team Gold.
After a surprise release in September 2007, the pair were rehired in March 2008 and feuded with each other briefly upon Shad’s heel turn in 2010.
JTG After WWE
For years, an ongoing joke among wrestling fans was that JTG avoided being released, but the rarely-seen Superstar’s luck ran out on June 12, 2014.
After his release, JTG would reunite with Shad (who had been released years earlier) as Crime Time, changing the name slightly to be legally distinct from WWE.
Following Shad’s tragic passing in 2020, JTG would make appearances for Game Changer Wrestling and VxS Wrestling, before making his NWA debut in June 2021.
In April 2022, JTG made a one-night return to WWE as part of Shad’s posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as a Warrior Award recipient.
This week on Top Rope Nation, the crew looks at Saturday night’s WWE Elimination Chamber event and all the results coming out of Montreal. Plus, a look ahead at WrestleMania 39.
Each week, the video version of Top Rope Nation streams live to the SEScoops YouTube channel. You can join the live streams by subscribing to the channel and turning on notifications so you never miss a live broadcast. This will include a regular weekly edition of Top Rope Nation (typically Thursday nights), as well as reviews of all major WWE and AEW PLE/PPV shows.
On episode 286 this week, the Top Rope Nation crew breaks down each match from Elimination Chamber as only they can. Plus, they have a lively discussion on if Roman Reigns will actually lose the title at WrestleMania, whether he should, WWE’s problems at the top of the card moving forward, and of course a whole lot on the future for Sami Zayn.
You can watch the show via the embedded YouTube video at the top of this page. Additionally, you can listen to the audio-only podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found. You will also find an embedded audio player below.
The women were the first match in a double main event on Saturday night. Moné paid tribute to the late Hana Kimura with her gear. This was KAIRI’s second title defense. Their match went nearly 27 minutes and was the longest match of the night.
Moné pulled out some of her signature moves like the Meteora, Banks Statement, and even paid tribute to her best friend with a “Bayley to Belly”. That led to fans chanting for Bayley.
At the end of the show, she interrupted Kazuchika Okada to join him in the ring. The show ended with both champions at the top of the ramp with their titles held high.
At New Japan’s “New Beginning”show last weekend in Osaka, Jay White was defeated by Hikuleo in a “Loser Leaves Japan” match. On February 18, White was scheduled to face Eddie Kingston.
A few days prior to “Battle in the Valley”, Kingston issued a challenge to his opponent: if Kingston won, White couldn’t compete in any NJPW ring. “The Switchblade” accepted this stipulation and added one of his own. If he defeated Kingston, Kingston could never compete in New Japan or against any New Japan talent again.
After a hard-hitting affair, Kingston hit White with a Northern Lights Driver and pinned him. “The Mad King” left the ring and motioned for his music to be cut (it wasn’t) and tried to get the fans to start a “Thank you Jay” chant. As he was about to address the crowd, White was laid out by David Finlay. Finlay said “Fuck your era!” and said he was coming for everything White had.
As 'Thank you @JayWhiteNZ' chants ring through the San Jose Civic
White started in the NJPW dojo in 2015. After Gedo turned on Kazuchika Okda four years ago, they pushed White to the moon. He is a Grand Slam champion, holding the IWGP United States Championship, IWGP Intercontinental Championship, IWGP Heavyweight Championship, NEVER Openweight Championship, and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Of course, he also single-handedly sold out both Madison Square Garden and the United Center.
Where does a wrestler of this caliber go? WWE has interest in “The Last Rock and Roller”. While they are confident that they could land him, “that is hardly guaranteed at this point in time” according to Fightful.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, White stated “So much is possible. Impact, AEW, WWE—we’ll see.”
Should the leader of the Bullet Club head to AEW, he could continue his feud with Kingston. In IMPACT, he could reunite with Bullet Club brethren, Ace Austin and Chris Bey. KENTA is also in the IMPACT Zone from time to time.
16-time World Champion Ric Flair is hoping to add a third Hall of Fame ring to his collection as part of his role with Evolution.
In 2008, Flair took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame the night before his retirement match at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels.
With this induction, Flair became the first active WWE Superstar to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In 2012, Flair made history again as the first-ever two-time inductee, receiving the nod for the second time for his role with the Four Horsemen.
While Flair would have his son Reid buried with one of his Hall of Fame rings upon the latter’s passing in 2013, Triple H would gift Ric a replica ring with Reid’s name engraved inside.
Third Induction
Since Flair’s induction in 2012, other legends have become two-time WWE Hall of Famers, including Booker T, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.
In 2020, Flair’s Evolution ally Batista was announced for that year’s Hall of Fame, but later opted to postpone his induction.
The reasoning at the time was that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Batista’s legendary career would not have received the proper response.
Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, Flair said he is excited for the day that Batista will be inducted, and said that Evolution should be inducted not long after the Animal.
While not confirmed, some believe that this year will see Batista be inducted as the headlining act, which went to The Undertaker at last year’s ceremony.
Evolution
Coming together in 2003, Evolution represented the past (Flair,) present (Triple H,) and the future (Randy Orton and Batista,) of WWE’s World Championship picture.
By December of that year, all members of the group held gold, meaning every male championship on Raw was in Evolution’s clutches.
After capturing the World Heavyweight Championship in 2004, Orton was kicked out by a jealous Triple H, and it would be in February 2005 that Batista chose to leave and feud with the Game over the title.
The Empress of Tomorrow Asuka is heading back to the Raw Women’s Championship picture after a historic victory inside the Elimination Chamber.
Asuka bested Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Natalya to earn a shot at Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39.
The Japanese Superstar had been considered a favorite to win by many entering the match, following her return to action at last month’s Royal Rumble, where she was the penultimate woman eliminated from the Women’s Rumble match.
Asuka’s seven-year career with WWE has seen her accomplish many historic feats, including surpassing Bill Goldberg’s undefeated steak with a streak of her own from 2015 to 2018.
With her win inside the Chamber, Asuka has now become the first woman to win an Elimination Chamber, a Royal Rumble match, and a Money in the Bank ladder match.
The Empress of Tomorrow won the very first Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, entering at #25 and scoring three eliminations.
In 2020, Asuka added the Money in the Bank briefcase to her collection of accolades, winning the cinematic match at Titan Towers.
Asuka would not cash in a contract though, as on the post-MITB Raw, it was revealed that the match had been for the Raw Women’s Championship, which had been vacated by the pregnant Becky Lynch.
Asuka at WrestleMania
While Asuka made an impact for the first three years of her career by remaining undefeated, WrestleMania has not been kind to the Empress.
Asuka’s first loss in WWE would come via submission to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34, and Asuka would be eliminated from the Women’s Battle Royal the following year.
At WrestleMania 36, the Kabuki Warriors lost the WWE Women’s Tag Titles to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, and Asuka’s reign with the Raw Women’s title ended at WrestleMania 37.
Asuka was not used for WrestleMania 38, and remains winless at WWE’s biggest event of the year.
Triple H may be one of the most influential names in WWE today, but the promotion’s Chief Content Officer would rather stay clear of talks of a potential sale.
Last month, Vince McMahon made his shocking return to WWE after retiring in July 2022 over allegations of misconduct which resulted in millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.
McMahon has returned to oversee a sale of the promotion, with names including Saudi Arabia, Amazon, Endeavor, and Tony Khan being listed as interested names.
Staying Out of It
The sale of WWE would be the biggest thing to happen to the promotion ever, but it is hardly the focus of Head of Talent/Head of Creative Triple H.
Speaking at the WWE Elimination Chamber post-show press conference, the Game said his concern is on producing quality programming and giving talent opportunities to shine.
“Depends on who is buying, I suppose. What the offer is, what the outcome is. Stay out of it, to me. That’s not a cop-out answer. I have the greatest gig in the world. I helped tonight, in some small way, create the magic we did here tonight. To me, it’s the best gig on the planet.
“As long we get to do this, as long as we get to create the way we get to create it, as long as we get to do our jobs and we get to go out there and put our passion on display, as long as our talent are allowed to put their passion on display and do what we do, I’m good. It is what it is.”
Triple H.
WWE CEO Nick Khan has previously said he expects a sale to be complete within the next three months.
Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of WWE, is reportedly seeking $9 billion for the company, above the initially projected sale price of between $7.5 to $8.2 billion.
