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GUNTHER: Brock Lesnar is My End Boss

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER is ready to step back in the ring with Brock Lesnar, calling the Beast Incarnate his final boss.

The Austrian powerhouse has been on a role since joining WWE in 2017, and was the longest reigning NXT UK Champion.

After his main roster call-up last year, GUNTHER captured the Intercontinental Championship in June, which he holds to this day.

The Beast Vs. Der Ring General

During the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match, GUNTHER and Brock Lesnar would have a brief face-off that thrilled the Houston audience.

Speaking on the Rob Brown show, GUNTHER speculated on a one-on-one match with WWE’s Beast.

“Brock is a one-in-a-million guy, one in ten million. I always liked those guys that have stood out from the pack. I stopped watching wrestling for a while when I was a teenager and then I got back into it again when I started training.

“There was a time when Brock was young and he was wrestling Eddie (Guerrero) and Big Show and Kurt Angle, and the guy was fantastic. I always loved his matches and was very impressed with that and also with the recent years in WWE.”

“That’s my end boss.”

GUNTHER on Brock Lesnar.

“I always thought it would a thing for wrestling and my style, that’s my end boss. I’ve been portrayed as the end boss in wrestling for a lot of guys, but I think Brock could be my end boss. I really hope the match goes down at some point.”

Future Plans

The Imperium leader is hopeful for another match with Lesnar, but his more immediate future will feature two other former champions.

Despite reports last December of GUNTHER Vs. Lesnar for WrestleMania 39, a more recent report has said it will be GUNTER, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus this April.

Both men have spoken about dethroning GUNTHER, and an Intercontinental Championship win for Sheamus will earn him the Grand Slam.

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

h/t – Fightful

Reason Why WWE Changed Iyo Sky’s Ring Name

Tyriece Simon
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A long-asked question about IO Shirai’s name change may have gotten answered.

WWE surprised wrestling fans with the return of IYO Sky (FKA IO Shirai) at Summerslam on July 30, 2022. She made her return alongside Bayley and Dakota Kai to confront Becky Lynch and Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. At the time, the commentators referred to Sky by her former name. However, the next night she had her name changed to what it is today.

The company has yet to share why it wanted Sky to change her name publicly. Name-changing in WWE happens on a case-by-case basis for new talent. However, Sky’s name seems to result in WWE wanting to own her IO Shirai, according to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.

Meltzer was asked a question on Twitter about why WWE changed Sky’s name, which he answered, “They wanted to own her WWE name, and she had used the name Io Shirai her entire career, so they couldn’t own it.” Someone also asked why Chelsea Green, who returned at the Royal Rumble on Jan 28; however, Meltzer has yet to respond.

What’s Next For IYO SKY?

Damage CTRL
(WWE)

It seems that Sky is headed for a big match alongside her tag team partner Kai at WrestleMania 39. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter on Feb. 6 reported that Sky and Kai would defend their Women’s Tag Team Championship against Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler at the event.

While this is the reported plan WWE has, the company hasn’t acknowledged or hinted that the match will happen. Rousey is also not involved in any storylines at the moment. She lost the Smackdown Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair at the Friday Night Smackdown episode on Dec. 30, 2022. Although WWE could’ve had Rousey challenge Flair in a rematch, it doesn’t seem like it will happen.

If Sky and Kai are defending their titles against Rousey and Baszler, WWE fans should expect a build to the match soon.

AEW/ROH Stars Pulled From Beyond Wrestling Event

Andrew Ravens
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Several AEW/ROH stars were slated to work an upcoming Beyond Wrestling event but have been pulled due to a conflict with the reported ROH TV tapings. 

On Monday, Beyond Wrestling announced that Wheeler Yuta, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora would no longer be appearing at their Perfection or Vanity show in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sunday, February 26.

As previously noted, the belief is that ROH is scheduled to hold TV tapings that weekend, most likely at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. 

The Statement

“Wheeler YUTA, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora will no longer be appearing or competing at ‘Perfection Or Vanity’ on Sunday, 2/26 at White Eagle in Worcester,” Beyond Wrestling’s statement read”Email [email protected] if you’d like a refund.”

Yuta and Nightingale are under contract with AEW, while Williams and Adora, who were both part of the ROH roster before Tony Khan bought the promotion, have also made appearances for AEW.

Yuta currently holds the ROH Pure Championship after he won back the title by defeating Daniel Garcia at Final Battle. Adora was also in action at this same show, losing to Nightingale on the pre-show.

It was announced last December that weekly ROH TV was coming to the HonorClub streaming service, although no start date was given.

Jamie Hayter Would “Happily” Wrestle Former AEW Women’s Champion Again

Ella Jay
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Jamie Hayter has accumulated a winning streak since obtaining the AEW Women’s World Championship at Full Gear last November. Along the way, she reached three tag team victories alongside Britt Baker, and most recently defeated Emi Sakura in a title eliminator match on the January 25 episode of Dynamite.

Perhaps most notably, though, Jamie Hayter battled a former AEW Women’s Champion in the main event of the “Holiday Bash” edition of Dynamite on December 21. The match itself would receive much positive praise, as Hayter dueled back-and-forth with Hikaru Shida, before the current champion picked up the victory with a Hayter-ade.

When discussing the possibility of wrestling Shida again Hayter noted she’d “happily” run it back.

“I would happily wrestle Shida, she is the real deal,” Hayter told Dark Puroresu Flowsion. “She almost made me believe I might not beat her. But I loved the challenge. I think doing it on a bigger stage at a PPV will make things much more intense and raise the stakes even higher. Having that ‘big match feel’ always escalates the situation and I think she has even more to give. I want the challenge.”

STARDOM

Stardom logo

In the same interview, Jamie Hayter was asked if there was any talent in STARDOM she’d like to face. From 2018-2020 she aligned with the Oedo Tai faction of the Japanese promotion, capturing the Goddesses of STARDOM Championship and SWA World Championship during her tenure there.

“That’s a tough question because, honestly, I would love the opportunity to wrestle all of the women in STARDOM, so let’s say everybody!” Hayter said. “There is a plethora of talent I’d like to step in the ring with so it’s hard to single anybody out. I feel like it would be interesting to step into a ring with talent l’ve wrestled before to see how much we have grown and evolved. Someone like Utami for instance…”

WWE Stable Officially Switches Brands

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has decided to move the Maximum Male Models from Friday Night SmackDown to Monday Night Raw. 

WWE had the trio appear in a segment last week on Raw where Maxxine Dupri, ma.çé (Mace), and mån.sôör (Mansoor) were backstage. Dupri looked like she was interested in recruiting Otis of Alpha Academy.

WWE has updated its website’s Raw roster page and added the three members to the red brand. 

Explanation

WWE is planning to do an angle on tonight’s Raw to solidify Maximum Male Models moving to the red brand, according to a report by Fightful Select. As of this writing, it’s unclear whether Otis or Chad Gable will be involved or what they have planned for the group. 

WWE created the stable in April 2022 on SmackDown. Originally, LA Knight, known as Max Dupri, led the group. It was said the stable was a pet project of Vince McMahon while he was still in charge of creative. 

Maxxine was later introduced as Max’s sister, while Knight left the group and returned to his previous gimmick. This was shortly after WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H took over creative.

Before last week, WWE last used the faction on television during the January 20 SmackDown episode. This show saw them lose to Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde of Legado del Fantasma. They didn’t get much television time, but Mansoor, Mace, and Dupri continued to work non-televised live events.

Jericho Cruise ‘Five Alive’ Announced for January 2024

Michael Reichlin
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Chris Jericho’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager at Sea’ cruise is returning in 2024. The fourth installment, dubbed Four Leaf Clover, just wrapped up. On Monday, organizers announced the first details about Five Alive.

The Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager returns to the high seas January 26-30, 2024 from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico. Once again, Jericho and company will be commandeering the Norwegian Pearl.

According to the official announcement sent in to SEScoops, “It’ll be the incredible Jericho Cruise experience that you know and love, full of insane AEW wrestling, Fozzy performances, up-close-and-personal meet and greets and more. This year, we’re adding a Top Rope Belly Flop competition and The Gimmick Gala.”

Here’s all the information regarding the pre-sale and general on-sale events:

  • First Round Pre-Sale Deadline: 2/13 @ 11:59 PM ET
  • Final Pre-Sale Deadline: 2/15 @ 11:59 PM ET                      ?
  • Public On-Sale: 2/17 @ 2 PM ET

For booking information, visit JerichoCruise.com.

Candice LeRae Provides Insight Into Brief Absence In Late 2022

Ella Jay
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Candice LeRae made her grand return to WWE in late September, but a month later, she was written off of television for several weeks.

On October 24, “The Poison Pixie” confronted Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) in a backstage segment. After calling SKY “untrustworthy,” Kai “spiteful,” and pointing out Bayley’s failed attempts at capturing the Raw Women’s Championship, the three attacked LeRae. As a result, LeRae sustained a “shoulder injury” from the ambush, according to commentary.

Candice LeRae would then be sidelined from action for over a month, returning on November 28 and defeating Dakota Kai in singles action. In a recent on The Sam Laprade Show, LeRae provided some more insight into her brief absence.

“I just had a freak accident happen not that long ago,” she confirmed.

LeRae’s New Approach To Handling Injuries

Candice LeRae wwe
(via WWE)

No further details were mentioned, but LeRae continued to explain the inherent risk performers take when they sign up for wrestling. Her approach to handling them has also changed upon entering motherhood. “We’re always taking a risk when we step into the ring. What we do, it is very taxing on our bodies,” she said. “I’m a bit more — having a son now, it’s a bit more scary for me because when I do get hurt, it affects him now. Before, I was like, ‘Well, I don’t care, it’s myself. If it happens, it happens, then that’s the risk we’re taking.'”

“Now, it does affect him as well. It’s a very real thing, but WWE takes such phenomenal care of us. The medical staff that we have, they do so much for us and we do everything we can to prevent anything.”

“Of course, in the back of my head, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t want to get hurt because I want to be a present mother.’ I do feel not as worried as you’d probably think I would be. I feel people got my back, 1000%. I’ve been training for this for 20 years.”

MLW Superfight 2023 Tapings Results (Spoilers)

J. Cunningham
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Major League Wrestling held their Superfight tapings over the weekend in Philadelphia.

The tapings were packed with title bouts and will air on upcoming episodes of MLW Fusion and Underground. Underground is coming to REELZ starting this week.

Warning, spoilers ahead:

Billie Starkz bested B3CCA.

Davey Boy Smith beat Alex Kane in a No Ropes Catch Wrestling Match.

Matthew Justice was confirmed to be the mystery competitor for the show’s Dumpster Match.

MLW National Openweight Champion John Hennigan (best known as John Morrison to WWE fans) retained the strap against former PWG favorite Willie Mack. Sam Adonis and Hennigan’s real-life wife, MLW World Women’s Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie, are now coming with him as a packaged deal.

AKIRA beat Calvin Tankman.

MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone defeated former (and longest-ever reigning) champion Jacob Fatu,

Sam Adonis picked up the win over La Estrella.

MLW World Middleweight Champion Lince Dorado successfully defended against Delirious.

MLW World Tag Team Champions The Samoan SWAT Team (Juicy Finau and Lance Anoa’i) bested The Mane Event (Midas Black and Jay Lyon).

Alexander Hammerstone And Jacob Fatu Continue To Dominate MLW

Alexander Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu are still running hot as Major League Wrestling’s premier main event acts. For Fatu, MLW has provided a great showcase of his hard-hitting monster talent. The fiery Samoan star appears to be incredibly loyal to the MLW brand. While that’s great news for Court Bauer, it’s been somewhat disappointing for the many fans who’d hoped to see him join his relatives in The Bloodline over in WWE.

Hammerstone, meanwhile, has now been champion for a whopping 490 days and counting. An old school heavyweight star, Hammerstone’s has had a character metamorphosis of sorts during his time in MLW. Now, he’s the kind of charismatic top guy promotions like WWE and AEW should be eyeing.

Who do you think will eventually dethrone Alexander Hammerstone?

Double Or Nothing 2023 Date And Location Update from Tony Khan

Ella Jay
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AEW President Tony Khan hopes to keep Double Or Nothing in familiar territory this year.

Upon its inauguration in 2019, the spring pay-per-view for All Elite Wrestling has belonged to Double Or Nothing. In its first four years, the event has gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada for the two years not surrounded by COVID (2019 & 2022).

In a recent appearance on The Mark Hoke Show, the host asked if he should be making plans in Vegas for Memorial Day weekend — the traditional timeframe for the pay-per-view.

“Yes, you should,” Tony Khan said.

Though he didn’t officially confirm AEW would land in Las Vegas again for the show, Khan indicated that is indeed the intention. “I can’t wait. I really believe we’ve built something very special in Las Vegas with Double or Nothing weekend for the local fans in Vegas and fans who travel from all over the world to be part of Double or Nothing every year.”

Tony Khan
(AEW)

“Absolutely, as long as I can make it happen, which I think will be for many decades to come, I expect Double or Nothing to be part of the Las Vegas calendar and Memorial Day in Las Vegas is about AEW now.”

Khan continued, explaining that Memorial Day is not only a “very important American holiday,” but a “nice tradition” for AEW and its fans as well. “On Sunday in particular, in recent years, we’ve had a lot of success, so I would love to Double or Nothing in Las Vegas and I expect to,” he said.

Last year, AEW brought Double Or Nothing to the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada — a suburb of the popular Las Vegas city. The main event saw CM Punk defeat “Hangman” Adam Page to win the AEW World Championship.

Raw Preview (2/6): Catch Match, Elimination Chamber Qualifiers

Michael Reichlin
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WWE rolls into Orlando, Florida tonight for a live episode of Monday Night Raw from the Amway Center.

We’re now less than two weeks out from Elimination Chamber, which takes place next Saturday, February 18 from Montreal.

We’ve got four matches confirmed for tonight’s broadcast, including three Elimination Chamber qualifying matches and a steel catch match between two of the biggest female stars in WWE.

Matches for Raw

Here’s what we’ve got on tap:

  • Becky Lynch vs. Bayley in a Steel Cage match

Elimination Chamber Qualifiers:

  • Michin vs. Candice LeRae vs. Carmella vs. Piper Niven in a Fatal 4-Way
  • Angelo Dawkins vs. Damian Priest
  • Montez Ford vs. Elias

After Raw, the participants for each the men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber matches will be set.

On the women’s side, confirmed participants include Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, Nikki Cross, Asuka and Natalya. The winner will challenge Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at WrestleMania.

For the men, Austin Theory’s United States Championship will be on the line. Confirmed participants include Theory, Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed and Johnny Gargano.

Steel Cage Match Preview

The steel cage match between Bayley and Becky Lynch was originally scheduled for the recent Raw 30 anniversary special, but was cut that night due to time constraints. WWE fans were so upset that the match was bumped that “WWE Women Deserve Better” trended on Twitter.

Since then, there have been even more twists and turns in this heated rivalry. WWE has put together the following video recapping the ‘road to steel cage match’ between these two former friends:

WWE Hall of Famer Calls Women’s Rumble the “Best WWE Finish In Years”

Thomas Lowson
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While fans were blown away by the closing moments of last month’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, Kurt Angle has a different pick for his segment of the night.

The finale of the January 28 event saw Sami Zayn’s time with the Bloodline end after he refused to attack Kevin Owens and instead struck Roman Reigns.

The segment has been praised by fans and those in the industry as an excellent culmination of Zayn’s near-year-long angle with the Bloodline.

Women’s Rumble

Before Reigns and Owens headlined the event, fans saw Rhea Ripley become the sixth woman to win a Rumble match.

The Judgment Day’s Eradicator now joins Asuka, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, and Ronda Rousey, and is the first woman to win a Rumble from #1.

Speaking on his show, Kurt Angle praised the finish which saw Ripley face off against a returning Asuka and Liv Morgan (who entered at #2.)

“I thought it was a great Royal Rumble and I’m not gonna lie to you the women’s finish of the women’s Royal Rumble was the best finish I’ve seen in years. Rhea Ripley — the way that that match ended was incredible. I was so impressed by it. I have to give the women five stars for that match.”

Kurt Angle.

Ripley at WrestleMania

On last week’s Raw, Ripley declared that she will be challenging SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39.

This match will mark the second WrestleMania match between the two, after Flair dethroned Ripley to become NXT Women’s Champion at the crowd-less WrestleMania 36.

Should Ripley win this year, she’ll be the first woman to hold the Raw, SmackDown, NXT and NXT UK Women’s Championships.

Ric Flair Believes Charlotte vs. Rhea Ripley Should Be A WrestleMania Main Event

h/t – Fightful

Sonya Deville Suffers Facial Injury at WWE Pensacola Live Event

Thomas Lowson
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A triple threat over the SmackDown Women’s Championship came to an abrupt and unplanned end at the recent WWE live event in Pensacola, Florida.

WWE returned to the stomping ground of Roman Reigns for their latest untelevised production, though Reigns did not appear or compete.

Deville’s Injury

In the penultimate match of the night, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defended her title against Sonya Deville and Liv Morgan.

During the match, Deville suffered a laceration to her face, causing the match to be hurried to the finish.

The former MMA fighter also received medical attention at ringside, and walked to the back immediately at the conclusion of the match.

On social media, Deville shared her latest facial injury, with the caption “And 7 more.”

image 3

Deville’s caption is a nod to the facial injury she suffered at WWE’s Royal Rumble 2023 event where she suffered a gash above her left eye.

WWE Pensacola

The results for the WWE live event in Pensacola are as follows:

  • WWE RAW Women’s Title: Bianca Belair Vs. Bayley ends in a no contest after interference that makes a tag match. Bianca Belair & Becky Lynch defeated Bayley & IYO SKY
  • Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso defeated Braun Strowman & Ricochet
  • Candice LeRae defeated Piper Niven
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther defeated Sheamus
  • Sheamus, Butch, and Ridge Holland defeated Imperium
  • Light’s Out Street Fight: Bray Wyatt defeated LA Knight
  • WWE SmackDown Women’s Title: Charlotte Flair defeated Sonya Deville and Liv Morgan.
  • Cody Rhodes defeated Seth Rollins
Sonya Deville On Her Experience Of Working With Vince McMahon

WWE NXT Signing Missed Vengeance Day Over Visa Issues (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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Dragon Lee made a huge splash when he announced his signing with WWE, but don’t expect to see him on TV just yet.

Lee announced his deal with WWE in December 2022, moments after capturing the AAA World Tag Team Championships with Dralistico.

The pair dethroned AEW’s FTR, ending their 438-day reign, but with Dragon Lee’s departure, the titles have since been vacated.

Visa Issues

Last week, WWE hosted their first major NXT event of 2023, ‘NXT Vengeance Day,’ which is also the first major NXT event since Dragon Lee signed.

While WWE has introduced new NXT signings in the crowd at such events (Asuka, Drew McIntyre, etc.) there was no sighting of Dragon Lee last weekend.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that WWE is hopeful to bring him in soon, but Visa issues are derailing those plans.

“They wanted to introduce Dragon Lee, but he’s having visa issues, so he’s not there yet.”

Dave Meltzer.

Future Plans

It has been reported that Dragon Lee’s deal will see him earn much more than your standard NXT signing, but not as much as a main-roster performer.

WWE also reportedly has plans for Lee to be on the main roster sooner rather than later, and believe he will be there by WrestleMania 40.

Speaking to ESPN after news of his signing broke, Lee said he is confident for his future as part of the WWE roster, and believes he can be the next Rey Mysterio if he is given the opportunity.

AAA Believed Dragon Lee Going to WWE was a Joke (Report)

h/t – Bodyslam

FTR Was Speaking to Tony Khan The Day WWE Released Them

Thomas Lowson
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Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood wasted no time in seeking employment with AEW from the moment their time with WWE came to an end.

FTR, known as The Revival in WWE, was the first triple-crown tag champions, holding the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team gold.

After a series of embarrassing segments, and an even worse plan for the two to receive Flava-Flav style gimmicks, the pair were granted requested releases on April 10, 2020.

Tony Khan

After their WWE exits, which saw the pair sign over downside guarentees to WWE in exchange for no non-compete clause, the pair debuted for AEW in May 2020.

During Dax Harwood’s FTR Podcast, he revealed that the duo wasted no time after receiving the call from the WWE Talent Relations head at the time Mark Carrano.

“The day that Mark Carrano called us, so two days before the announcement [of the Revival’s release from WWE] was made online, he called us and said ‘you don’t have to give us an answer right now, talk about it, give me a call back.’ I called Cash. We said, should we talk to Cody, or the Bucks, or Tony? He said yeah, let’s do that.

Harwood added that a text message sent to the Bucks confirmed AEW’s interest in them, and it wasn’t long before they were speaking to Khan.

“We called Mark Carrano, yes, we agree to your terms. Please give us our release, and thank you.” So he gave us our release. The following day, whenever the contracts were cut and we got the paperwork from Mark Carrano that said we were officially released, is when we started talking contracts with Tony Khan.”

FTR would go on to become AEW World Tag Team Champions, and have also held the ROH World Tag Team Champion after Khan bought the company last March.

The Future of FTR

FTR has been a highlight of AEW’s Tag division for close to three years, but their time with the promotion may be coming to an end.

The duo is currently on a hiatus from AEW, and their contracts are set to expire in April of this year.

In a previous edition of his podcast, Harwood stressed that whatever FTR does next will likely be the final chapter of the careers of both men.

FTR Is Evaluating Their Options For After AEW Deals Expire

h/t – 411 Mania

4 Times Women’s Champion Appearing On NXT This Week

Anutosh Bajpai
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Bayley is coming to NXT and she is bringing her Ding Dong Hello talk show with her.

WWE has announced that the 4 time women’s champion will be hosting a special episode of her talk show with Toxic Attraction this Tuesday.

Bayley is currently involved in a feud with ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch. The two were supposed to have a Steel Cage match at Raw XXX but it was cut due to time.

Last Monday’s Raw saw Lynch challenging Bayley to redo the Steel Cage match. The Damage CTRL leader initially declined but Adam Pearce later made the match official for Raw this Monday.

Toxic Attraction has been left with two members after the abrupt release of their leader Mandy Rose. The duo of Jacy Jane and Gigi Dolin have been feuding with the NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez recently.

They both challenged Perez for the title in a Triple Threat match at the Vengeance Day special this past Saturday. Roxanne, however, was able to overcome this challenge and retain her title.

There is no word yet on if Bayley will be bringing her partners Dakota Kai and IYO Sky with her to NXT. We will have to see if this turns out to be a one-off appearance or if the main roster star sticks around for a run like some others have done recently.

Backstage Reaction To AEW House Show Announcement

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW has finally announced its version of non-televised live events after a lot of chatter over the past few months and the reaction to it within the company has been positive.

Fightful Select provided reactions from some of the talents. They noted that many people within the company knew something like this was coming. There were multiple people who actually pushed for it.

One talent said that they would rather get their in-ring reps under the company banner instead of working for outside promotions.

Some talent have spoken highly of the experience they can get wrestling on Dark. Being able to work longer matches on the road will help them grow further. They expect to see more creative matches on these shows

As far as the contractual status of the stars go, the site noted that most talents do not reach even close to the number of yearly dates in their contracts. AEW seems prepared for more shows in that aspect and it shouldn’t be a problem.

AEW Announced their ‘House Rules’ live event series that will take place in different cities across United States earlier this month.

The first ‘House Rules’ event will be taking place on Saturday, March 18 from Troy, Ohio at the Hobart Arena. The show will feature Ohio’s own Jon Moxley among others.

WWE Represented at The GRAMMYs

Samantha Schipman
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The 65th Annual GRAMMYs ceremony took place on Sunday night and WWE was represented twice in the first 15 minutes.

The show kicked off with a performance from the most streamed artist and former 24/7 Champion, Bad Bunny.

Later in the show, Bad Bunny won a GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana album for “Un Verano Sin Ti.”

The Rock Not at Survivor Series, Seen at The GRAMMYs

The Rock meets Adele

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may not have been at Survivor Series, but he made time for The GRAMMYs. Host Trevor Noah was doing a bit where he read off facts about some of the attendees.

One of those artists was Adele, who wanted to meet Johnson. Noah told Adele that Johnson was also a fan of hers. While he didn’t have Johnson, he did have “The Rock”. He came out to meet Adele right then.

The Rock also presented at the GRAMMYs for “Best Pop Solo Performance”. His “new best friend” Adele won for “Easy on Me”.

One of these men has done a Destroyer at WrestleMania and the other won’t face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.

Jon Moxley Returning to GCW’s The Collective

Samantha Schipman
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0

Jon Moxley isn’t done with GCW after all. He will be returning to GCW’s The Collective 2023. Moxley will be returning to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9.

Jon Moxley Isn’t Done with GCW

Jon Moxley Nick Gage GCW

Last October, Moxley signed an extension with AEW. The announcement said that the former AEW World Champion would be exclusive to AEW and its international partners. The announcement came one day before Moxley was set to face Nick Gage for the GCW Championship.

Mox was the champion at the time and the press release seemed to say that he wasn’t allowed to wrestle for GCW. The Firm’s Stokely Hathaway and Big Bill showed up and cost Moxley the title, in a move that was never explained. Gage said after the match that the other company told Moxley he couldn’t wrestle there and Moxley said he wrestles where he wants.

Many were under the impression that Moxley wasn’t allowed to wrestle for GCW. GCW’s Brett Lauderdale said in an interview,  “to be honest, I don’t know what our relationship is with GCW. And I don’t mean that in a bad way or a good way. But again, I have very little interaction with AEW. So, I don’t know. In terms of AEW people being banned or barred from wrestling for GCW, I’m not sure that such an edicts exists and I would think that if that was a rule, I think I would know. But again, they don’t send me a weekly email or an update. So, I’m not sure. Everything is on a case-by-case basis. So, we’ll see.”

Lauderdale also said that he didn’t think Moxley was done with GCW. “So, I wouldn’t be surprised if I hear from him again in a few months or six months or whatever. Sometime in the next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back again and stops in for another event.”

Bloodsport 9 is on Thursday, March 30 at 4 PM PT on FITE+.

Seth Rollins on Vince McMahon’s WWE Return: “You Ever Seen Succession?”

Thomas Lowson
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0

Seth Rollins has had an interesting take to the McMahon family and recent changes in WWE, comparing the situation to the hit series ‘Succession.’

The comedy-drama series, now in its fourth season, tells the story of the Logan family and the power struggles when their father steps down from controlling an influential media company.

Succession

Like the Logans, the McMahons are no stranger to personal drama, as seen with the return of Vince McMahon earlier this year.

When asked about Vince’s return to power by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Rollins found the comparison to Succession to be apt.

“Have you ever seen the show ‘Succession’? If you need an explanation, there you go. You have three seasons of it, I think on HBO, so that’s again, all above my head. I’m a pro wrestler, I show up, I put in the work in the ring, try to do my best to entertain the people who buy the tickets and watch us on TV, and that’s all I can focus on. If I start worrying about the other stuff, I’m gonna lose my cool so, I gotta keep my cool, my friend.”

Seth Rollins.

Vince Vs. McMahon

WrestleMania 16 in 2000 was sold on the promise of ‘a McMahon in every corner’ for the main event, but Vince’s issues with his own kin aren’t just for show.

Following Stephanie’s resignation last month, it was reported that she and her father struggled to work together, with Nick Khan acting as a peacemaker between them.

Daddy’s Little Girl isn’t the only McMahon to draw Vince’s ire, as Shane McMahon was fired last year due to his actions backstage at the Royal Rumble.

Shane’s behavior was so egregious that Vince claimed at the time that his son would never receive another pop from the crowd at a WWE event.

With his biological children out of WWE, Vince’s sole relation still working for the promotion is his son-in-law Triple H, and reports of conflict between the two have cropped up over the years.

Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon Had Issues Working Together (Report)

h/t – POST Wrestling

WWE Targeting AEW Allies For Partnership Deals (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s recent partnership with the indie promotion Reality of Wrestling is not an entirely altruistic act, it has been reported.

Earlier this week, it was announced that NXT talent will be appearing for ROW (the promotion founded by NXT commentator Booker T) starting with Ivy Nile.

The Diamond Mine member will be in action at the ROW event on February 11, in Texas City.

Targets

Following the Monday Night War, WWE and Vince McMahon refused to play with others, which has made this apparent change of attitude such a surprise.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that ROW is just one of several promotions in WWE’s sights, with the goal being to cut sources of talent to AEW.

“there are several companies that are talked to, with the idea that they may be able to get NXT stars, but the Booker T thing has to go well. If it goes well, there are other companies and I think they are targeting companies that are close to AEW and see what they can do.

Dave Meltzer.

Working with Others

WWE’s reasons for providing ROW with NXT talent aren’t just to help Booker’s promotion, and this isn’t the first time they’ve acted this way.

During the Monday Night Wars, Vince McMahon would give payments to ECW, initially considered a loan though it is unclear if the money was ever repaid.

McMahon would also send WWF talent to ECW for further conditioning, and ECW could advertise big names from the much bigger promotion.

In return, Paul Heyman would give the WWF the first opportunity to sign ECW talent when contracts were expiring, giving McMahon the advantage over WCW.

Vince McMahon Admonished Kevin Dunn After Using Slur About Ex-WWE Star

h/t – Wrestling News

Jon Moxley Knows How AEW Can Set Itself Apart from Failed WWE Competitors

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW has carved their own place in the wrestling world in a relatively short period. They have shown that there is demand for an alternate wrestling product that doesn’t follow the set formula of WWE. Jon Moxley thinks it’s exactly what they should continue doing.

The former AEW world champion recently spoke to Kev Nash on The Justin Kinner Show. He spoke about things such as his love for professional wrestling and leaving WWE. Speaking about what makes AEW the success it is, Mox explained that they have deviated from the set formula of WWE. Per Mox, it’s something they have to keep up:

“I think what we always have to remember is that it’s an alternative. I think the other promotions in the past that have tried to be the standard kind of WWE formula that’s kind of the known, typical [thing]. What people in North America think of as major league wrestling,” said Jon Moxley, “It comes off as WWE light and it comes off like some kind of Triple-A baseball or something. I don’t think we should ever be that.

He continued: “I think we should always do the opposite thing. The more subversive thing. The cooler thing. We should always be one step ahead and we should be on the precipice of like, what the next big thing in wrestling is. We should always be looking ahead you know. I think it’s important for us to always be an alternative. To see things and people and wrestlers and styles that you wouldn’t see anywhere else. [Things] that aren’t put into a blender and made to be part of a fancy polished product. “

You can check out Jon Moxley’s full interview below:

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Jon Moxley Will “Ride or Die” With AEW

Jesse Velasquez
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Jon Moxley has been loyal to AEW since May of 2019. He extended his contract with the promotion for five more years back in October of 2022.

There is no secret that Jon Moxley has a tremendous passion for the pro wrestling industry. In a recent interview with Justin Kinner of ESPN Radio out of Dayton, Ohio, Moxley stated that he will ‘ride or die’ with AEW.

When asked by Justin Kinner, “What is about wrestling that pushes you so hard, that when you choose to have an off night and yet you choose not to?”

Moxley had this to say,

“I enjoy it, it’s recreation for me. As much as it is, anything else. What else are you going to do with your time? It’s the coolest job in the World. Some people like to go golfing, I like to step in a cage and attack people with weapons. There’s really no other levels of adrenaline you can reach.”

“At a certain point, once you’ve been doing this as long as I have, I need it for my soul. I go out there, get loose and get a little sweat on. I’ll have blood coming from my eyebrow and everything, it’s relaxing to me. I enjoy pro wrestling.”

Jon Moxley wants to leave a lasting impact.

Jon Moxley
(AEW)

Later in the interview, Kinner said that “it looks there are no regrets leaving the WWE back in 2019 to sign with AEW.”

Moxley said, “It was a wreck for guys like myself and Chris Jericho. We joked that we tied ourselves, we were getting in a raft and heading down the river. We had no idea what was going to come. It was not guaranteed that AEW was going to be a success. We didn’t know if the show was going to be any good”

We didn’t know if this was going to last. It was all a shot in the dark, but we all had faith. It was really important to the business for AEW to be successful. For the sport, the art of pro wrestling and for the fans.

Moxley would follow that up with this quote.

“If I have a lasting impact on the business, it would probably be that I helped AEW get off the ground, and I absolutely refuse to let this place ever go to hell. I will ride or die with this place. I won’t ever let it go downhill or suck or anything like that.”

Matt Riddle Shows Off New Grill Amid WWE Hiatus

Thomas Lowson
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Matt Riddle has not been seen on WWE programming in months but has taken to social media to show off his new grill.

Riddle last competed for WWE in early December and was written off of TV on the December 5, Raw with an attack by Solo Sikoa.

The former United States Champion was in fact suspended for violating WWE’s Wellness Policy and it was later reported that he had entered rehab.

New Grill

Riddle may be missing from WWE TV, but the Original Bro has continued to make headlines for interesting reasons.

After splitting from his ex-wife Lisa, Riddle began dating adult film actress Misha Montana, but has also faced accusations of cheating from other actresses.

Taking to social media, Riddle shared a few selfies with Montana, and showed off his new grill.

Riddle thanked Montana for her support during his recovery following his suspension from WWE.

When a fan stated that they were hoping to see Riddle in a ‘more stable environment,’ Montana fired back, saying she and Matt are completely sober but people will route for failure.

Riddle’s Return

While Riddle’s suspension is believed to have been for sixty days, there’s been no confirmation as to when he will return to TV.

Though Riddle has been advertised for the February 13, 2023, edition of Raw in Brooklyn, New York, the card is always subject to change.

In addition to Riddle, RK-Bro ally Randy Orton continues to be missing due to a severe back injury, with some fearing that the Legend Killer’s days in the ring may be already over.

Matt Riddle Earns His BJJ Black Belt, Update on WWE Return

Dominik Mysterio’s “Dream” Is to Compete for Lucha Libre AAA

Thomas Lowson
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Dominik Mysterio has made a name for himself as part of the WWE roster, but the self-proclaimed Eddie Guerrero of the modern day could one day compete for AAA.

After being introduced to WWE fans as a child in the 2000s, Mysterio would make more regular appearances starting in 2019, and would have his first match in 2020.

Initially teaming with his father Rey, Dominik would turn heel at WWE Clash at the Castle last year and has since joined the Judgment Day

Competing for AAA

Before joining WWE, Rey Mysterio honed his skills in AAA, and would return to the promotion after his departure from the Stamford promotion in 2015.

Speaking to Wrestling Inc’s Nick Hausman, Dominik was asked if he would ever consider working a match in Lucha Libre AAA down the line.

“I mean, that’d be awesome for me. I know that’s where my dad started and he got his start, so that’d be real cool for me and a dream come true for sure.”

Dominik Mysterio.

In addition to being part of his father’s legacy, AAA is also the home of Konnan, who serves as head booker and who has been helping Dominik with his new character.

Dominik’s Future

Dominik Mysterio may have his sights set on AAA, but his immediate future resides in his home state of California.

Since turning heel in Cardiff, fans have assumed that a match between father and son is happening, with Rey moving to SmackDown to avoid said conflict.

At the 2023 Royal Rumble, Rey was attacked backstage by Dominik, who mocked his father by wearing his mask.

Dominik Mysterio Says He’s Got in Trouble in WWE for Missing Flights

Umaga’s Son Zilla Fatu Reflects On His Time In Prison

Anutosh Bajpai
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Zilla Fatu had a rough teenage. After losing his father Umaga in 2009, the Anoa’i family member got mixed up with the wrong crowd early in his life and ended up going to prison at a young age. Though he is now trying to put his life back together. His father was a legend of the wrestling business and he is now trying make a name for himself in the industry as well.

The 22-year-old was recently interviewed by Muscle Man Malcolm. He discussed his past life and his future aspirations. Fatu was charged with aggravated robbery at the age of 15. He spent six years at the Texas State Penitentiary before being released in March 2022. When asked what led to him going to prison, Fatu attributed it to lack of a plan:

“What led up to me going in prison I want to say just me not having a plan. Me just being lost bro, just being a kid. Then obviously at that time, my mom or anybody that I was dealing with, we were just living in poverty. When you’re living in poverty there’s so much things that’s going on that’s out of your control.”

‘I Didn’t Want That For Me’: Zilla Fatu

Now that he is finally out of prison, Zilla Fatu is trying to put his life back together. He has announced his entry into the wrestling business. For this, he has joined Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling school. Speaking about his struggles and aspirations, the young star said that he wants to re-establish himself:

“Obviously, when I lost my dad, I mean, I don’t want to use it as a excuse, but it was kind of a big on not just me but my whole family. After my dad died, we went downhill from there.  But going in there and seeing that prison is not a joke.

That a lot of people does not make it home, a lot of people die in there. I didn’t want that for me. I wanted to come out here and regroup and re-establish myself into a better man. A man that my mom and my dad grew to raise me.”

You can check out Zilla Fatu’s full interview below:

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

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