Free agent Kylie Rae has spoke out regarding her WWE tryout and her status with the company.
Wrestling fans are curious about Rae’s status as a free agent. She has worked with several promotions in the past, like All Elite Wrestling and Impact Wrestling. Unfortunately, Rae has dealt with mental health issues that have affected her career. She took some time off from wrestling in 2020 and made her return a year later.
Since her return to wrestling, she has competed for independent wrestling promotions and NWA. On Dec. 6, 2022, PWinsider’s Mike Johnson reported that she had participated in a WWE Tryout at their Performance Center. She no longer worked with NWA at the time and was a free agent. Six days later, Rae competed as “Briana Ray” against Dana Brooke for a WWE Main Event taping.
Via NWA
In an interview with the Going Broadway Podcast, Rae spoke about how her tryout came together.
“…When WWE goes to towns, I’m sure you’re all familiar, they’ll use local talent to come and do extra work, said Rae. She continued, “… They were coming to Chicago, and from my understanding, again Freelance Wrestling is my home. It’s where I started. It’s where I continue to train and they were asking people from my school to reach out to WWE. I don’t know how many people know about this, but it’s Gabe Sapolsky and he’s one of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
Rae credited Sapolsky for helping her throughout the process. She added that “…I talked to Gabe, and from what I understood, he was surprised that I was even reaching out for extra work because he’s like, ‘I think we could try to get you a tryout if you’re able to.’
“…As far as something long-term at this point, I got the not right now deal, which is okay because if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, and if it’s meant to be, it would’ve happened kind of thing. They’re having me still come back for extra work. I was just there this past Friday and the Friday before,” said Rae. Regarding her match with Brooke, Rae said, “…From what it felt like after the match, they were, maybe I’m a little naive, but they seemed very happy with it. It feels good being there, like the environment it legitimate feels very positive and genuine and people are happy. Maybe I’m naive, so I don’t know, because again I’m not signed there, I’m not contracted, I don’t have to be there every single week kind of thing, so I don’t know anybody else’s experience, but from my experience it’s been wonderful.”
Rae will compete in Freelance Wrestling against Sandra Moone on Feb. 10. While she is a free agent, Rae seems to be on good terms with WWE. By Rae continuing to have a working relationship as an extra, it could see WWE make her a full-time talent.
A member of popular classic prog rock outfit Kansas has shared his thoughts on The Elite using their music in AEW.
Since returning from their suspensions last year, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks have used ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ by Kansas as their entrance theme when teaming together. The trio became the inaugural AEW World Trios Champions at All Out last year. The titles were vacated later that same week due to their confrontation with CM Punk and Ace Steel backstage after the show.
The classic track has become a constant on Dynamite thanks to their recent Best-of-7 series with Death Triangle. Kenny Omega has since revealed they picked the song in the hope that it would lend a more theatrical, dramatic atmosphere to their return.
(AEW)
Now, one of the band members has weighed in on The Elite’s use of the track.
“The People Are Going Nuts”
During a recent interview on Paltrocast, keyboardist and vocalist Ronnie Platt shared some thoughts on the song’s use in AEW.
“That’s the original that they’re using,” he said. “I saw that video where they’re walking out in the stadium, and all the people are going nuts.”
Impressed by the crowd reaction to the trio and the song, Platt is optimistic that the exposure will help the song reach another generation of listeners.
“That’s just good for the band,” Platt explained. “That’s good promo and really introducing Kansas, even though the kids might not know who the band is or haven’t heard the song before. It really is initiating young people to that music. So that’s all good. We call that job security.”
The Young Bucks have reportedly wanted to use the song for a long time. Despite the Bucks’ on-and-off attempts to get the rights to it over the years, some interpreted it as a shot at CM Punk.
In the chorus, one of the lines goes “There’ll be peace when you are gone.” Considering the bitter rift between The Elite and ‘The Second City Saint’ behind the scenes, it’s hardly surprising some viewers might jump to conclusions. Especially considering how the trio wound up lampooning the former WWE Champion in the ring early in the Best-of-7 series.
A new Jay Briscoe t-shirt is now available, with 100% of the proceeds going to the late star’s family. Briscoe (Jamil Pugh) passed away last week (January 17, 2023) in a tragic automobile accident. He was just 38.
The shirt is officially on sale by Ring of Honor at the Pro Wrestling Tees and ShopAEW stores. The description for the shirt reads:
“On January 17th, the wrestling world lost one of its most beloved family members when Jamin Pugh, known professionally as Jay Briscoe, tragically lost his life in an automobile accident. A member of the Ring of Honor family from the very beginning, Jay became a multi-time ROH World Champion, a 13-time ROH World Tag Team Champion, and a first-ballot ROH Hall of Famer with his brother Mark.
Together, The Briscoe Brothers were a part of ROH’s foundation, the heart and soul, and were essential in building that company into the most influential wrestling promotion of the last twenty years But more than that, the Pugh family lost a husband, a father, a brother, a son, and in an effort to both honor Jay’s memory as well as support those left behind, we are offering this “Reach For The Sky” t-shirt with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit the Pugh family as they cope with this tragic loss.“
If you’re interested in donating to the Pugh family, a fundraiser has been arranged to help ease any financial burdens that will arise from his passing. Visit Givesendgo.com to donate.
On Monday, WWE will celebrate the 30 anniversary of Raw from Philadelphia with a loaded card and several former stars expected to appear.
Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and more will be there. The Undertaker is also slated to attend, although his wife, Michelle McCool, revealed on Twitter that she wasn’t called.
The Idea
WWE might have some big plans for Taker and one of its biggest stars, Bray Wyatt. Fightful Select reported today, “There were pitches for Undertaker to be involved with a Bray Wyatt/LA Knight segment.”
Taker and Wyatt had shared the ring before as The Undertaker went over the fan favorite in a singles match at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, one year after Brock Lesnar snapped Taker’s undefeated WrestleMania winning streak.
The report noted, “Despite his look on the poster, The Undertaker’s traditional gear was sent to the show.” Thus, Taker could again be portraying his Deadman gimmick on this show.
Raw 30 will also serve as the go-home episode before the 2023 Royal Rumble event this Saturday, where Wyatt and LA Knight are slated to meet in the Mountain Dew Pitch Black match in the Alamodome.
Factors beyond WWE’s control led to the Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony scheduled for tonight’s Raw being scrapped.
The segment was promoted as featuring every generation of the Anoa’I wrestling family, in a ceremony focussed on Roman Reigns.
Last week, WWE announced that the segment had been replaced with ‘The Trial of Sami Zayn.’
Scrapped
WWE’s promise of every generation of the Bloodline appearing had fabs excited, but it was a promise the company couldn’t deliver on.
In an F4WOnline update, Dave Meltzer reported that a series of absences ultimately led to WWE ditching the ceremony.
It is noted that the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) were originally going to play a large part in the ceremony, but neither was going to be able to make it to Raw.
Rikishi, the father of The Usos and Solo Sikoa is dealing with an illness and would not have made the show either.
The report refuted rumors that The Rock not being at Raw led to the segment being scrapped, saying he was never scheduled to appear.
The Trial of Sami Zayn
Instead of an acknowledgment ceremony, the Bloodline will be all business on tonight’s Raw.
Sami Zayn has been at odds with the group ever since he ate the pin during his and Reigns’ tag match against Kevin Owens and John Cena on the final SmackDown of 2022.
The match marked the second time in 2022 that Reigns lost a match (the first being by DQ at the Royal Rumble against Seth Rollins.)
While Reigns wasn’t pinned, the loss to Cena and Owens was the first clean defeat for the Tribal Chief since 2019.
Kevin Nash has come out to assure fans he’d never do harm to himself following his recent comments that got some worried.
As we’ve noted, Nash sadly lost his 26-year-old son unexpectedly late last year. Recently, Nash made a comment to the affect of wanting to put a gun in his mouth after being asked about how he’s dealing with everything.
These comments got some people concerned, with some worried that Nash might attempt to harm himself given everything that’s going on at the moment. However, taking to a recent episode of his Kliq This podcast, Nash assured fans he has no intentions of harming himself.
“Last week I made some off-color remarks, but for anybody out there, I would never do anything to harm myself. I guess people don’t realize I have a wife that’s been with me for 35 fu**ing years. It’s never been about me. I drive a fu**ing ’05 Mustang.
“I know it sounds like that skit from fu**ing Saturday Night Live where, ‘I drive a Dodge Stratus’, but I drive a 2005 Mustang. I don’t give a fu**. It’s never been about me. It’s about the people that I take care of and that’s your job. Your job is to provide and protect. That’s your job.”
Authorities actually performed a wellness check on Nash following his comments. However, in hindsight, it appears that the WWE Hall Of Famer was simply being sarcastic in his comments.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin Nash and his family during this difficult time.
WWE Superstars Karrion Kross and Scarlett were planning to start a family last year until a fateful call from Chief Content Officer Triple H put that on hold.
It might have surprised fans when WWE decided to release Kross and Scarlett on Nov. 4, 2021. The couple had great success in NXT, with Kross winning the NXT Championship twice. However, WWE had different creative plans for them on the main roster by separating them and changing Kross’s character. Ultimately, Kross’s first run with the company didn’t work out, and both talents found themselves as free agents last year.
(via WWE)
While in free agency, Kross and Scarlett could work together and compete for different independent wrestling promotions. In their time away from WWE, the couple decided they wanted to start a family. However, when Triple H called Kross about himself and Scarlett returning to the company, he and his wife halted their plans.
In an interview with My San Antonio, Kross spoke about the call from Triple H to return. MY San Antonio’s Nick Talbot transcribed the following quotes.
“He called us up and he said, ‘Do you want to come home?” And I responded, “Well, like, yeah.’ And then he was like, ‘All right. Here is my next question. Can you be here in a day and a half?’ And we’re like, ‘That’s pretty fast.’ You know, we had all these different bookings and different things going on.”
We had our lives planned out. I mean, and people don’t even know this, we’re thinking about maybe even having a kid, you know, or thinking about starting a family. And we looked at each other – and her and I have always been telepathic, even before we were married or dating — so, we just kind of gave each other a look and we knew what page we’re on. And we’re like, ‘Yeah, we can do that.
– Karrion Kross
WWE.com
Karrion Kross Plans for Royal Rumble 2023
Kross will compete in his first Royal Rumble event this weekend. He is looking forward to his first Royal Rumble appearance and hopes to have an impressive performance. “In a perfect world, I’d like to set some sort of record. I’d really like to do it,” said Kross(h/t Nick Talbot). He also shared in the interview that he hopes he could enter at number one.
“You know what, if I could, I would come out number one. I would love to do that. To be able to go out there and demonstrate your grit and how much fight you actually have. I need to have the opportunity to get in front of that many people and fight them all at once. I live for stuff like that,” said Kross(h/t Nick Talbot).
Before competing at the Royal Rumble, he will have to compete against Rey Mysterio on the Jan. 27 episode of Friday Night Smackdown. Since his return on Aug. 5, 2022, Kross has only lost one match to former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. A decisive win by Kross this Friday could indicate how WWE will utilize him in the Royal Rumble match.
More details regarding WWE‘s upcoming 2K23 video game that was officially announced on Monday morning.
Before the game’s official reveal, John Cena had teased his potential involvement on his Instagram by sharing a blank cover of the game. He will be the game’s cover star and its three different editions – Standard, Deluxe, and Icon.
Pre-order for WWE 2K23 is now available before the game’s official launch on March 17th. By shelling out the money now, it will grant fans three-day early access starting March 14th.
The Hype
It was touted that “WWE 2K23 features several franchise advancements, including a unique new take on the 2K Showcase, the WWE 2K introduction of the fan-favorite WarGames, and expansions to several marquee game modes.”
Fans can also look forward to the “Incredibly realistic graphics, animations, camera angles and lighting, plus accessible controls and a new optional pinning mechanic will add to the highly immersive experience.”
The Icon Edition will be available for $119.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. It will feature something special to celebrate 20 years of John Cena’s WWE career, the Ruthless Aggression Pack. It will feature John Cena’s early “Prototype” character and “Leviathan” Batista, developmental rookie versions of Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.
These are some of the biggest names in recent memory that WWE has developed from its rookie system in OVW at the time. Shelton Benjamin was also part of this star-studded class.
Game Details
2K Showcase Starring John Cena: Conquering John Cena in the ring is an accolade few Superstars can claim. In an unprecedented twist on the 2K Showcase, players will step into the boots of several of Cena’s toughest competitors with one goal in mind: defeat the man who will “Never Give Up.” Spanning his 20-year WWE career and narrated by Cena himself, this interactive sports entertainment documentary uses 2K’s unique Slingshot Tech for a seamless transition from gameplay to live-action footage to bring pivotal moments in each match to life.
WarGames: The fan-favorite, chaotic and action-packed WarGames makes its debut in WWE 2K23 and delivers heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 single player or multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double steel cage.
MyGM: Now featuring more GMs to choose from – or a player’s own custom GM creation – as well as additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards, and more match types for up to four players. Players draft a roster, manage budgets, sign free agents, choose various match types, arena locations, production elements and more, with the goal of beating a rival GM in weekly ratings battles.
MyFACTION: Now featuring online multiplayer action, the team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns. Players can now take their faction online and compete for global dominance, or compete in Weekly Towers and Faction Wars, while new themed card packs and goals roll out regularly throughout the year**.
MyRISE: Aspiring Superstars walk through the curtain for their WWE debut in MyRISE and shape their career with the decisions made along the way. Featuring distinct men’s and women’s division storylines and the ability to import custom created Superstars, players journey from the humble beginnings of a rookie, to being immortalized as a WWE Legend.
Universe: The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of their own version of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events! Updates to Universe include a reworked story system and more.
Creation Suite: A signature feature of the WWE 2K franchise, the creation suite returns with cross-platform community creations, including the ability to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more. Custom arenas are now playable online, and advanced customization has been added to created entrances.
Additional confirmed playable characters: Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan (Hollywood Hogan), Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Dax Harwood has opened up about FTR asking for their WWE release in 2020.
The Revival, Harwood and Cash Wheeler, joined WWE as a duo back in 2014, spending several years in NXT before getting the call up to the main roster. Ultimately, the team’s run with WWE came to an end in 2020 after being granted their requested release.
Recently, Harwood took to The FTR podcast to open up about the team’s decision to leave WWE, and how the process went down. Harwood explained how the conversation with Vince McMahon went and gave the team’s reasons for wanting to leave.
“So we had asked for our release. Initially, we were told ‘are you sure you want to do this because there’s a big quote-unquote wind of change coming, and we would love for you to be a part of it.’ We said, respectfully, we would love to have our release.
“We need to go out, make a name for ourselves, and hopefully come back and make more money but also increase our marketability for you. Vince said okay, I’ll have Mark Carrano contact you tomorrow and start the process. This was again, earlier in the year, not SummerSlam.”
Triple H apparently attempted to try and keep The Revival onboard, and although they stuck around a few months more, ultimately the team stuck to their decision and ultimately went through with the release.
“Mark Carrano called and some things led to other things and we talked to Hunter. He said, ‘we can’t let you go right now. But in six months, if you’re not happy with the position you’re in in our company than we can revisit the conversation.’
“We said okay, thank you. Obviously, we respected Hunter and had a lot of faith and trust in him anyway; we had no reason to doubt him. Come around SummerSlam time, we were pretty sure we weren’t going to be figured in, but we had done all we could to get our release.”
During their time with WWE The Revival captured the NXT Tag Team Titles twice, before going on to the main roster where they were two-time RAW Tag Team Champions, and one-time holders of the SmackDown Tag Team Titles.
Currently, FTR work for both AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where they are former Tag Team Champions for both organizations.
Over the last year, WWE has expanded their approach talent recruitment to target a new group of people — college athletes.
In December 2021, the company unveiled their NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program, opening up a route for collegiate athletics to enter WWE. According to Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque the system will properly “ready the NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.”
15 college athletes officially joined the inaugural class, including track & field athlete Masai Russell. Hailing from Potomac, Maryland, Russell competes out of the University of Kentucky, with some impressive accolades to her name.
In high school, Russell claimed the top ranking in the 300m hurdles, and proved herself as the Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Maryland in 2018. At the 2018 Pan American Junior Games, she also claimed a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. Now, Russell has unlocked a new achievement.
Record-Breaking Performance
On Friday, January 20, Masai Russell competed at the TTU Red Raider Open. There, she made it to the finals of the Women’s 60m hurdles event, and effectively swept away her opponents.
Clocking in at a time of 7.75 seconds, Russell surpassed Grace Starks 7.78 time to take over the all-time NCAA record.
In response to her impressive feat, Triple H congratulated the NIL athlete via Twitter.
“Congratulations to #WWENIL athlete @masai_russell on setting a new @NCAA record in the 60m hurdles! An incredible achievement with undoubtedly more to come…” he wrote.
Last fall, WWE introduced a new recruiting tactic: “WWE Campus Rush.”
Throughout October, November, and December 2022, the company explored multiple college campuses as a part of an athlete recruitment tour. Several current WWE Superstars aided in the “campus rush,” including Big E, Bianca Belair, Omos, Madcap Moss and Raquel Rodriguez. Now in 2023, the tour will continue with stops in the University of Florida, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, and more as WWE looks for the next generation of WWE Superstars.
Rumors regarding the potential cover star of WWE’s upcoming 2K23 video game began to circulate last week, and now, they are confirmed.
Monday morning, WWE and 2K unveiled a new commercial featuring Bad Bunny, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory talking with an invisible John Cena, before the camera pans over to the 16-time WWE Champion playing the new game as himself.
Prior to the game’s official reveal, John Cena had teased his potential involvement on his Instagram, posting a mock, blank cover of 2K23 — alluding to his signature phrase “You can’t see me.” With Cena as the face of 2K23, it marks his first cover position in eight years since 2K15. In addition, Cena will be featured on the covers of the Deluxe and Icon editions of the game as well.
Game Details
Pre-order for WWE 2K23 is now available, and will grant fans three-day early access on starting March 14th, before the game’s official launch on March 17th. With each pre-order, players will also receive the Bad Bunny Bonus Pack, unlocking the Grammy Award-winning artist as a playable character, and his Ruby MyFACTION card.
WWE 2K23 will also include four editions of the game:
Standard Edition
Cross-Gen
Deluxe Edition
Icon Edition
Several fan-favorite game modes will also be returning, including 2K Showcase, My GM, MyFaction, MyRISE, Universe, and WarGames.
According to GameStop, some other wrestlers confirmed for the game’s roster include “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Rhea Ripley, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
Players can access WWE 2K23 on the following systems: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC.
It’s going to be a celebration tonight as WWE recognizes the 30-year anniversary of Monday Night Raw. The very first episode of Raw took place January 11, 1993 from the Manhattan Center in New York City. 1,547 episodes later, and the longest-running-episodic-program on television is still going strong.
WWE is bringing back some of the biggest names in Raw history to mark this special occasion. Legends who will be on hand include ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan, ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, The Undertaker, ‘Heartbreak Kid’ Shawn Michaels, Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, the Bella Twins and more.
We’ve also got some exciting matches to look forward to, including multiple title matches, a steel cage match and Sami Zayn going on ‘trial’ before the Bloodline.
SEScoops will have live coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw. Our live results post will be up at 7:45pm (EST) so you can chat in the comments section.
Raw is XXX Preview
WWE is advertising the following matches for tonight’s Raw is XXX special:
Bayley challenges Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship in a Steel Cage Match.
Bobby Lashley challenges Austin Theory for the United States Championship.
The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio) challenge The Usos for the Raw tag team championships.
Plus, The Bloodline will hold a Tribal Court for the Trial of Sami Zayn.
Ahead of tonight’s Raw, check out our special feature running down 30 ‘Must See’ matches from the first 30 years of Monday Night Raw:
Monday Night Raw. For three decades, the red brand has welcomed wrestling fans every Monday night, with hours upon hours of action.
Tonight, WWE celebrates three decades of the red brand, and we’ve created a timeline of some essential viewing from Raw’s three decades of history.
Mr. Perfect Vs. Ric Flair (January 25, 1993)
On the third episode ever, Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair delivered a must-see match for any wrestling fan worth their salt. Perfect’s trademark Perfect-plex would secure Hennig the victory in this Loser Leaves WWF match and it’d be eight years before fans saw the Nature Boy again.
WWF Champion Bret Hart Vs. The 1-2-3 Kid (July 11, 1994) The man fans would later know as X-Pac, Sean Waltman was the WWF’s resident underdog, but that didn’t stop him from pushing the Hitman to the limit, in what Jim Ross would call one of the greatest matches he’d ever seen.
Bret Hart Vs. Owen Hart (March 27, 1995) A rematch from their WrestleMania X epic, the Hart brothers once again proved to be wrestling royalty with this No Holds Barred collision. On this occasion, it’d be Owen who would lose, tapping to his brother’s Sharpshooter, and Bret’s reluctance to break the hold would give fans a glimpse to a darker side of the Hitman.
The Undertaker Vs. Mankind (December 9, 1996)
Over a year and a half before their Hell in a Cell classic at King of the Ring 1998, Mankind and the Phenom gave fans a taste of what was to come in 1996. Meeting in No Holds Barred, the Undertaker emerged victorious, and even a random appearance by The Executioner post-match couldn’t spoil this forgotten classic.
Owen Hart Vs. The British Bulldog (March 3, 1997)
Brothers-in-law and the WWF Tag Champions, these connections didn’t stop Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith fighting tooth and nail to become the first European Champion. Fittingly taking place in Europe (Berlin, Germany to be exact) it was Bulldog who made history with a reversed roll-up.
WWF Champion Kane Vs. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin (June 28, 1998) One night after winning the very-first First Blood match, new WWF Champion Kane accepted a challenge for a rematch from Stone Cold. Kane’s reign may have ended after just one day, but he and the Rattlesnake had one of the greatest title matches in Raw history.
WWF Champion The Rock Vs. Mankind (January 4, 1999) The same day as the Fingerpoke of doom which drove a nail in the coffin of WCW, Mick Foley’s dream culminated on Raw with his WWF title win. Throw in the talented Rock, DX and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, and this match certainly put ‘butts in seats.’
WWF Champion Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho (April 17, 2000)
A controversial finish saw Chris Jericho become WWF Champion less than a year into his tenure with the company. The decision would not stand for long, but it was an epic night that showed Jericho knew how to play the Game.
WWF World Tag Team Champions ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin & Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit (May 21, 2001)
The infamous match where Triple H suffered his first quad tear, this bout may not be for the squeamish, but the four men put on an excellent match. The fact that Triple H toughened it out and completed the match after the tear makes this an all time classic.
WWE Undisputed Champion The Undertaker Vs. Jeff Hardy (June 1, 2002)
Meeting in Hardy’s speciality, the Ladder match, it was the Deadman who was at a disadvantage on this night. That didn’t stop the American Badass from retaining, but it was Hardy who left with the respect of the Phenom and the fans.
World Heavyweight Champion Triple H Vs. Kane (June 23, 2003) For years, fans wondered what Kane looked like under his mask, and on this fateful 2003 night, they got the answer. In this mask vs. title match, Triple H left with all the prizes, and it’d be RVD who’d feel Kane’s wrath post-match inside MSG.
Shelton Benjamin Vs. Triple H (March 29, 2004) Mere days after being drafted to Raw, established tag-team wrestler Shelton Benjamin looked to make a huge first impression by facing Triple H. Fresh off losing the World Championship at WrestleMania 20, fans expected the Game to win, but it was all about the Benjamins on this night.
John Cena, Hulk Hogan & Shawn Michaels Vs. Christian, Chris Jericho & Tyson Tomko (June 27, 2005)
Our only six-man-tag match on this list, this match is worth viewing for the dream-team of Hogan, Michaels, and Cena. The three generations of top guys made for an epic main event trio in 2005.
WWE Champion Rob Van Dam Vs. Edge Vs. John Cena (July 3, 2006)
Oh RVD! It was all going so well for Mr. PPV until he was pulled over by police and arrested. Van Dam’s brief reign as WWE Champion ended on this night, but at least fans got to see an epic triple threat and a title change on Raw.
WWE Champion John Cena Vs. Shawn Michaels (April 23, 2007) John Cena’s third must-see match in a row (not bad for a guy who apparently can’t wrestle.) This non-title match started like any other, but as the match went on, fans knew this was special. A rematch from WrestleMania 23, Michaels got the win over Cena after close to an hour, proving Sweet Chin Music can come from nowhere.
Jeff Hardy Vs. Umaga (January 7, 2008)
The first Raw of 2007 would help set the tone for a huge year as two of the red brand’s most talented stars faced off in a cage. The ever-popular Hardy’s dive off the top of the cage would seal the deal and somehow make Jeff even more beloved by fans.
Chris Jericho & The Big Show Vs. Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker & John Cena (November 16, 2009)
A match with six of WWE’s biggest ever Superstars, it was fitting that this bout happened inside Madison Square Garden. Cena and the Deadman may have gotten the win, but the post-match Tombstone on Big Match John proved that the Phenom was not there to make friends.
WWE Champion The Miz Vs. Jerry Lawler (November 30, 2010)
Meeting in a TLC match of all things, this bout seemed on paper to be the creation of a WWE 2K game gone wrong. Instead, Lawler held his own against the Miz in this title match, and would’ve won if not for Michael Cole. Not bad for the King, who had turned 60 just one day before the match.
Rey Mysterio Vs. The Miz (July 25, 2011) Sure, Rey winning the vacant WWE Championship wasn’t a long reign, as he would lose the title to John Cena later in the show, but he and Miz put on a worthy title match and gave the fans a feel-good moment with one of WWE’s most beloved Superstars.
CM Punk Vs. Daniel Bryan (February 28, 2012)
A meeting of the WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion, this would have meant a lot no matter who was in the ring. The fact that this was two guys who had been told they’d never make it in WWE was the icing on the cake. Oh, and the match is great too!
John Cena Vs. CM Punk (February 25, 2013)
CM Punk’s reign as WWE Champion being ended by a part-timer irked fans for valid reasons, but his quest to regain the title gave us this fantastic match. Fans were wowed to see a piledriver on WWE TV in 2013, and though Punk didn’t earn a title match, this was a fitting epilogue on his epic reign.
Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns Vs. Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan (March 3, 2014)
Like their match at Elimination Chamber (which received ‘this is awesome’ chants before a single punch was thrown) The Shield Vs. the Wyatts II lived up to lofty expectations. After teases of dissension, this match proved the Hounds of Justice were stronger than ever, if only for a few more months…
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins Vs. Neville (August 3, 2015)
Responding to John Cena’s U.S. title open challenge, Seth Rollins laid out an open challenge of his own. While Neville (now PAC) didn’t leave with the gold, the gasp of excitement when fans thought he’d won with the Red Arrow makes this match worth seeing.
WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Sasha Banks (July 25, 2016)
The first Monday Night Raw of the post-draft era, fans were treated to seeing Sasha Banks capture the WWE Women’s Championship from the Queen. Banks was massively popular with fans at the time, and her win was a sign that she had arrived on the main roster.
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Bayley (February 13, 2017)
If Sasha Banks was popular at the time of her title win the prior year, then Bayley was a supernova of over with her 2017 victory. Dispatching of Dana Brooke at ringside, Bayley’s win would be the feel-good moment of the year.
‘Woken’ Matt Hardy Vs. Bray Wyatt (March 19, 2018)
At a tine when WWE was arguably it’s most stale, Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt shook things up with the Ultimate Deletion. A drone, a lake and reincarnation and a cameo by Reby Hardy makes this one of the most bizarre, but must-see matches in Raw history.
Rey Mysterio Vs. Cesaro (May 13, 2019)
No titles were needed in this instant classic, which with no gold and no stipulation, has gone overlooked by fans. From the high-flying of Rey to Cesaro’s incredible counters, this match is just one whole match of highlights.
WWE Champion Randy Orton Vs. Drew McIntyre (November 16, 2020)
Drew McIntyre’s emotional return to WWE culminated with his WrestleMania 36 WWE Title win, albeit in front of zero fans. McIntyre carried WWE through unprecedented times, and was rewarded with his second title win on Raw in the Thunderdome. Here’s hoping he one day gets that big win in front of a real crowd.
Seth Rollins Vs. Finn Balor Vs. Kevin Owens Vs. Rey Mysterio (October 25, 2021)
A fatal-four-way ladder match? On Raw?! Yes please! Four of WWE’s most popular stars in recent years met in a truly stacked main event. Not only did the right person win (but we won’t spoil who) everybody had their chance to shine in this ladder match.
Raw Tag Team Champions Chad Gable & Otis Vs. Randy Orton & Matt Riddle Vs. Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins (March 7, 2022)
Not just a fantastic match in 2022, but this may hold the distinction as the best Raw opener ever! Three incredibly over teams showing just how good a Raw tag team division can be. RK-Bro’s victory and regaining the Raw Tag Titles was the perfect call!
Two-time WWE Grand Slam Champion The Miz has lauded praise on Stephanie McMahon following the latter’s departure from the promotion.
Stephanie parted ways with WWE earlier this month, after being appointed co-CEO in July of last year.
McMahon’s resignation was confirmed the same day that her father Vince McMahon was appointed WWE’s new Executive Chairman.
The Miz
Given her decades with WWE, the wrestling world has been shocked by McMahon’s resignation this month.
When TMZ caught up with The Miz, the A-Lister spoke about McMahon’s work in WWE and as a person.
“For me, she’s always been one of the people you can talk to. She’s done a lot for the company, and she’s a really good person as well.”
The Miz
The A-Lister also spoke about the role of WWE Superstars, which despite the chaos at the very top of the company, remains unchanged.
“Whoever is at the head at the time, we’re just trying to do our job as WWE Superstars to make people happy and give them something to remember.”
The Miz
Releases Coming?
Vince McMahon’s return to WWE has led some talent fearful that mass cuts will resume, especially with the promotion looking for a buyer.
At the time of the releases from 2020 to 2022, many speculated that WWE were trying to look even more profitable to buyers at a time they were already boasting record profits.
Karrion Kross has refuted the idea that talent are worrying about their futures, saying those he has spoken to are not concerned.
The legendary career of the Great Muta has officially come to an end with the character’s final match this past weekend.
Muta is the most famed and successful character of Keiji Muto, who debuted the character in the NWA in March 1989 as the kayfabe son of the Great Kabuki.
The Great Muta would find success in New Japan Pro Wrestling and WCW and would become IWGP Heavyweight Champion in August 1992.
Final Match
For the past few months, Keiji Muto has been undergoing a retirement tour, with his 38-year career set to end next month.
Last night, Muto competed as The Great Muta for the final time at the appropriately named Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event in Yokohama Arena.
The legendary wrestler teamed with long-time rival Sting and fellow AEW star Darby Allin to defeat Hakushi, AKIRA, and Naomichi Marufuji.
The match ended with Muta hitting a Shining Wizard knee on Hakushi for the pinfall win, after Sting and Allin had hit their own finishers.
With Muta now a thing of the past, Keiji Muto’s final match will be against Tetsuya Naito on February 21.
Could WWE fans see Bobby Lashley’s Hurt Lock Vs. Chris Masters’ Master Lock, 16 years after the two last did battle?
When Masters debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2005, he put away countless opponents with his take on the Full Nelson, and would have a weekly ‘Masterlock Challenge.’
On the March 19, 2007, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Lashley broke the Master Lock on his road to the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23.
Lashley Vs. Masters
After returning to WWE in 2018, it wasn’t long until Lashley adopted the Full Nelson himself, calling the move the Hurt Lock.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times this past week, Lashley spoke about the possibility of facing Masters again, possibly as soon as this Saturday’s Royal Rumble.
“I think if he has an opportunity to come back, I think that would be a really cool showcase. Whether it happens at the Rumble, you never know. The Rumble always has surprises. I think Chris has kind of proved himself in the professional wrestling world.”
Bobby Lashley.
Since leaving WWE in 2011, Masters has worked for TNA/Impact Wrestling, GFW, and the NWA, and is a two-time NWA National Champion.
Breaking the Lock
Masters has not been confirmed for an appearance at the Royal Rumble and has instead stated that he will likely not be competing this weekend.
Sorry to say I have not been contacted for The Rumble and will almost certainly not be taking part at this point.
In the interview, Lashley said that if somehow, the two do cross paths this Saturday, he is ready to break the Master Lock for the second time.
“If he comes back, you know what I would do? I’d literally just turn around and put my hands out and tell him to put it on me again. Then I’d ask him to do the same. And I guarantee you he’s not breaking out of The Hurt Lock.”
While initially claimed that McMahon’s return was solely to oversee a sale of WWE, the 77-year-old has since been appointed ‘Executive Chairman.’
Fear
In the final years of McMahon’s first era as head of WWE, the company undertook mass releases of talent, with Kross one of the names cut in 2021.
With McMahon back, it has been reported that talent are concerned that it will be just a matter of time before these mass layoffs to the roster happen again.
Speaking with the San Antonio Express-News, Kross dismissed the idea that McMahon’s comeback has Superstars shaking in their boots.
“It’s in my news feeds, it’s everywhere. It’s inescapable at this point. But the people that I have spoken to about it, like my personal friends in the business, no one’s really concerned or afraid for their job.
“All of us are ready to adapt…. I think everyone’s just taking it day by day to see where everything lands, and we’re all trying to remain optimistic.”
Karrion Kross.
Kross, who was released in November 2021 alongside his wife Scarlett, was one of the first names Triple H rehired after becoming head of Talent Relations.
WWE Sale
WWE has not cut any names from its roster in 2023 thus far, but it could happen as talks of a sale of the promotion ramp up.
The cuts to the roster in 2020, 2021, and 2022, came at a time when the promotion was boasting record profits.
Many at the time felt that these cuts were to make those profit margins even bigger, and therefore look more appealing to a potential buyer.
Names reportedly interested in purchasing WWE include Comcast, FOX, Disney, Netflix, Amazon, the Saudi Arabia PIF, and Shahid & Tony Khan.
Wrestling promotions love having tournaments for cups or various other prizes. But there’s not one that involves various wrestling companies around the globe, especially the one involving the biggest promotions in the world.
The so-called “Forbidden Door” was been busted down with wrestlers having dream matches around the world over the last few years. WWE even allowed Shinsuke Nakamura wrestle in Pro Wrestling NOAH against Great Muta earlier this month. Of course, NJPW and AEW had their Forbidden Door pay-per-view last year.
“We had an all-star event before, but last year we had the World Cup (soccer), and this year we have the WBC (baseball) and the World Cup (rugby). It would be interesting to have pro-wrestling matches between different countries and have Japan represent Japan. The World Cup in soccer was interesting, and I think the WBC will be stimulating,” Okada explained.
He continued,“I think there are such events overseas, but I don’t think there are any big tournaments. I think it would be fun to have a big event on a global scale. Maybe we could have a tag team with Okada and (Shinsuke) Nakamura, or Okada and (Tetsuya) Naito if they are asked to fight for their country. I don’t know if that would work. I think it would be interesting to include various groups. If necessary, I will go see (AEW president) Tony Khan and (WWE executive) Triple H. Even in this Tokyo Dome, there are AEW wrestlers (such as Kenny Omega), WWE wrestlers (Karl Anderson), and (Mercedes) Mone, who quit the WWE. Even New Japan is worldwide now, isn’t it? There are players from many different countries, so I would like to do something interesting. I feel like I really want to do it now that I’m talking about it (laughs).” (h/t Fightful)
At this year’s New Year Dash, Okada had a dream tag team opponent in Kenny Omega and they defeated Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare. On February 21, NJPW and NOAH will have a crossover show. Okada will be facing GHC Heavyweight Champion, Kaito Kiyomiya in a non-title match.
WWE may have been more likely to be involved before Vince McMahon forced his way back into a position of power. Depending on who WWE sells to, Okada may have to wait on WWE ever being involved in something like this, no matter how awesome it would be for wrestling and wrestling fans.
Two more WWE stars could be making a return to the company as WWE has had internal discussions about bringing back Akam and Rezar, collectively known as the Authors of Pain or AOP. The news comes courtesy of Fightful Select.
Authors of Pain
The report noted that bringing back the tag team has been at least discussed. AoP was integral to the NXT Black and Gold brand before being called up to WWE Raw. They were pushed as a monster team, some even comparing them to the legendary Road Warriors.
Paul Ellering Returning?
The possibility of their longtime, original manager Paul Ellering was also discussed, as he managed them during their NXT run before being abandoned on the main roster.
Since the split, they’ve stayed close and got his blessing to name themselves Legion of Pain outside WWE. There had been rumors Ellering didn’t want to do the main roster travel with AOP, which he’s refuted in past interviews.
AOP hasn’t wrestled in nearly three years but remain young, as both are still under 30 years old. In 2020, WWE released them, and AOP was out of the wrestling business, besides their ill-fated promotion attempts with WES in 2022.
Rhea Ripley wants to follow in the footsteps of her childhood hero Beth Phoenix by competing in a men’s Royal Rumble match.
Ripley is a member of The Judgment Day faction, along with Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio. While the female members of wrestling factions have typically been portrayed as eye candy, Ripley is arguably the enforcer of the group. Over the past several months, the former Raw and SmackDown Women’s champion has gone face-to-face with several male Superstars, including Luke Gallows, Solo Sikoa and Akira Tozawa.
WWE introduced the annual women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, but Ripley sees a chance to make history and emulate one of her childhood heroes by testing herself against the men. During a recent interview with WrestleBinge, Ripley says she’s ready to make history.
“I would most definitely love to enter the Men’s Royal Rumble. I would love to.”
– Rhea Ripley
Several competitors including Phoenix, Chyna and Nia Jax have competed in the men’s Rumble. However, Ripley is open to the idea of participating in the men’s and women’s Rumbles on the same night, a feat that would etch her name in the history books.
Elsewhere in the Wrestlebinge interview, Ripley spoke about her admiration for Beth Phoenix. She was a huge fan of the ‘Glamazon’ while growing up and related to her muscular body type. She would be honored to ‘fill those shoes’ and help advance the women’s evolution by showing she’s not limited to competing with other women.
We may very well see Rhea Ripley in a men’s Royal Rumble one day. As of this writing, she is entered – and the odds-on favorite to win – the women’s Rumble match.
The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event takes place this Saturday, January 28.
Dave Millican is the genius behind several wrestling titles, but the legendary belt-maker has his favorite.
Millican is the man behind titles that have appeared in WWE, AAA, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and many other promotions.
His work has also seen Millican create championship titles for the world of professional boxing and MMA.
Favorite
With so many promotions and championships to his name, it must be hard for Millican to pick a stand-out title.
On Talk is Jericho though, the belt maker chose the AEW World Championship as his favorite in wrestling today.
“My favorite — in terms of making a statement, of making an impact — is the AEW title. I legitimately believe that the AEW title is the best-looking belt on television.
“The AEW title is the best-looking belt on television.”
Dave Millican.
“To me, that one stands out, and it’s not just the convenient answer, or the politically correct answer because I would tell you the truth. I’ve made a lot of belts I don’t care for because that’s just what somebody paid me to do. But I think that one stands out.“
The AEW World Champion was first seen in 2019 when Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart revealed the title at All Out that year.
The title is currently held by MJF, who is in his first reign with the title after defeating Jon Moxley at Full Gear 2022.
MJF’s reign has seen the first edited version of the AEW World Championship, as the Devil has introduced a Burberry strap to replace the standard black leather design.
Recent departures from WWE were all the roster could talk about backstage at this week’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
Earlier this week, it was reported that WWE is in the process of laying off several staff members, all of which are from the corporate side.
There is no word yet on how many people have been let go, or whether the layoffs are still ongoing.
These layoffs have taken place despite (now former CEO) Stephanie McMahon saying in a meeting earlier this month that little would change following Vince McMahon’s return to WWE.
SmackDown
No WWE Superstars have been laid off (at this time) but these office cuts were a huge talking point this week.
Fightful Select reports that these layoffs were a “big topic of conversation” and many were surprised to learn that Adam Hopkins was gone.
Hopkins had worked for WWE for 25 years and was a Vice President of Communications before his departure this month.
It remains unclear whether Hopkins’ departure was a resignation or whether he was fired by the company.
Talent Cuts
While no Superstars have been released since McMahon’s departure, many feel it is just a matter of time before this happens.
On Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this month, Dave Meltzer noted that talent are worried that Vince McMahon’s return will see more mass layoffs.
When WWE was laying off talent in droves, starting with the April 15, 2020 cuts, it was suggested that the company was looking to boost profit margins and look more desirable to a potential buyer.
Chris Jericho was part of some iconic moments from Monday Night Raw, so it is only fitting that he is featured in a promo for the upcoming Raw is XXX show.
Tomorrow’s Raw will mark the 30th anniversary of the red brand which launched back on January 11, 1993.
Several Hall of Famers are confirmed for the show, including Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho will (likely) not be appearing at tomorrow’s celebration, but he was featured in a video promoting the show.
In the promo, footage from Jericho’s WWF debut from 1999 is used.
Addressing WWE using footage of him, the AEW star had no issue with this, saying that good pro wrestling transcends any given company, and is about making memories.
Pro wrestling transcends any given company. Pro wrestling is about memories….and this video contains some LEGENDARY ones! #WWERawhttps://t.co/zRFk9Mpxtb
Other AEW talent including Mark Henry and Bryan Danielson were also featured in the promotional video.
Raw’s 30th-anniversary show will air from the sold-out Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will be the go-home Raw before the Royal Rumble.
Raw is Jericho
Debuting on the August 9, 1999, episode of Monday Night Raw, Jericho didn’t waste time making an impression, interrupting The Rock, and holding his own on the mic with the Great One.
Less than a year later, the now-face Jericho dethroned Triple H for the WWF title, but the controversial title change was later reversed and nullified.
In 2012, after over a year away, Jericho would make his return to WWE on the first Raw of the new year, and would unveil his popular ‘The List of Jericho’ on Raw in September 2016.
In early 2017, Raw would see the ‘Festival of Friendship’ in which Jericho would be betrayed by Kevin Owens.
New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom event was almost ‘Phenomenal’ this year as AJ Styles nearly made it onto the show.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 took place on January 4, and saw talent from New Japan, STARDOM, All Elite Wrestling, and WWE compete at the event.
Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena took place yesterday and featured a tribute to the late Jay Briscoe.
AJ Styles
WWE’s Karl Anderson competed at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, but the Machine Gun nearly had some back-up at the event.
Fightful Select reports that there was a time in 2022 that New Japan was planning on Styles appearing on-screen at the event.
Rocky Romero told Fightful’s Wrestling Perspective Podcast that the WWE Superstar himself thought it would be a “cool idea.”
Romero added that he believes if it was up to Styles, he likely would have been in the Tokyo Dome.
It was also clarified that there were never any official plans for Styles to appear at Wrestle Kingdom.
Any hopes for the Phenomenal One to appear at the Tokyo Dome ended when Styles broke his ankle the week before the show.
Fightful adds that Doc Gallows also did not make the trip to Japan, which is said to have been a New Japan call.
AJ Styles at Wrestle Kingdom
As part of a crossover between NJPW and TNA Wrestling in 2008, Styles represented the latter at Wrestle Kingdom 2, teaming with Christian Cage and Petey Williams to defeat RISE (Milano Collection AT, Minoru, and Prince Devitt.)
At Wrestle Kingdom 9, Styles would defeat Tetsuya Naito and would unsuccessfully challenge IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016.
Hours after that match, news broke that Styles had given his notice to NJPW, and he debuted for WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble later that month.
WWE has scrapped a major segment that was originally planned for Monday’s ‘RAW is XXX’ anniversary show from Philadelphia, PA.
The Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony, which was going to feature several generations of the Anoa’i wrestling dynasty, will not be taking place. The news was first reported by PWInsider. The Wild Samoans (Afa and Siki) were slated to appear, along with Rikishi and Samu.
WWE has already announced a replacement segment. Due to the events that transpired on Friday’s SmackDown, The Bloodline will hold a Tribal Court for The Trail of Sami Zayn.
BREAKING: After the events of last night’s #SmackDown, The Bloodline will hold a Tribal Court for the Trial of Sami Zayn this Monday at 8/7c on #RAWisXXX on @USA_Network!
In addition to the Trial of Sami Zayn, top matches advertised for Raw is XXX include:
Becky Lynch vs. Bayley in a Steel Cage Match
Bobby Lashley challenges Austin Theory for the United States Championship
The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio) challenge The Usos for the Raw tag team championships
WWE legends scheduled to appear include The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Teddy Long, Ron Simmons, and Kurt Angle.
