New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced two new matches for the upcoming NJPW Battle in the Valley event.
AEW star Eddie Kingston will face former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White. This bout was originally scheduled for NJPW STRONG Autumn Action, but was postponed due to Kingston testing positive for COVID-19. Also signed, Homicide will battle “Filthy” Tom Lawlor in a Filthy Rules Fight. These matches are in addition to a title defense by Kazuchika Okada and Mercedes Moné’s NJPW in-ring debut.
It all goes down Saturday, February 18, 2023, at San Jose Civic in San Jose, California. NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023 will stream live on FITE. The event is now available for purchase for $19.99.
Battle in the Valley Matches
Here’s an updated look at the card for Battle in the Valley:
Mercedes Moné vs. KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship
Jay White vs. Eddie Kingston
Tom Lawlor vs. Homicide in a ‘Filthy Rules’ Fight
Alex Coughlin vs. J. R. Kratos
David Finlay vs. Bobby Fish
Kenta vs. Fred Rosser for the Strong Openweight Championship
Plus, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended in a match TBD.
Today, Brock Lesnar is both one of the most famous and most credible wrestlers in the world. Yes, he’s an eleven-time world champion and two-time WWE Royal Rumble winner, but his combat credentials go much deeper for a successful career in amateur wrestling that included an NCAA Division I Heavyweight Championship, as well as his past as a UFC Heavyweight Champion.
After main eventing WrestleManias, ending The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania, and so much more, it can be difficult to remember a time when Lesnar was a relative unknown. In 2002, the WWE machine got behind Lesnar like no talent before or since as he enjoyed a monster rookie year.
For most wrestlers winning the King of the Ring tournament marks a career highlight. For The Beast, it was just one milestone, often forgotten because he accomplished several bigger things in his first year in the business, not to mention his storied career to follow.
Brock Lesnar Defeated Four Established Stars To Win WWE King Of The Ring
Before the King of the Ring tournament, Brock Lesnar had already established himself as a force in WWE. His first appearances saw him decimate mid-card talents like Spike Dudley, Maven, and Al Snow in impromptu run ins, and his first major feud saw him single-handedly dispose of The Hardy Boyz. Winning the King of the Ring, however, marked Lesnar’s first formal accolade of his WWE career.
Lesnar won a tournament qualifying match on Raw, beating veteran Bubba Ray Dudley in under five minutes, and then handily defeated former WCW Champion Booker T in the quarterfinals to win his way onto the King of the Ring PPV. From there, Lesnar beat fellow big man Test and, most impressively at the time, Rob Van Dam in the tournament final. These victories shored up Lesnar as more than just another big guy who got an impressive debut, but rather someone WWE was positioning as a legit main eventer.
Brock Lesnar’s King Of The Ring Run Was Intended To Be Even More Epic
Three out of the four men Brock Lesnar beat in his King of the Ring run would go on to win world championships and wind up in the WWE Hall of Fame. That’s an impressive run for anyone. However, the plans were for Lesnar to pull off an even more shocking and noteworthy victory in his qualifying match.
Indeed, Lesnar’s first obstacle to qualify for the tournament was supposed to be Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin has discussed the matter at length, including on his podcast and WWE’s documentary Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time.
The match was presented an already discontented Rattlesnake at the relative last minute. He has consistently suggested he was fine with putting over Lesnar, but if he were to do so, it should have been in a heavily promoted PPV match, not a free TV bout that would damage Austin’s credibility without doing major business for WWE or even Lesnar himself.
Austin infamously walked out from WWE over this creative impasse—a choice that remains polarizing to this day. It’s nonetheless interesting imagine if Lesnar’s accomplishments in his first months had also included beating this additional all-time legend of the business.
Brock Lesnar’s King Of The Ring Run Was One Plot Point In A Sensational Summer
Though Brock Lesnar did not get to defeat Stone Cold Steve Austin on his road to becoming King of the Ring, The Beast did defeat two of the three other names that tend to come up most often in conversations of the biggest draws in WWE history. After winning the crown, it didn’t take long for Lesnar to be positioned as the number one contender to the WWE Championship.
Yes, The Next Big Thing officially lost to Rob Van Dam at the following month’s PPV, Vengeance, via disqualification. He bounced back, though, a couple weeks later when he not only defeated, but decimated Hulk Hogan in a match on SmackDown that saw Lesnar render him unconscious with a bear hug.
From there, Lesnar achieved new heights, becoming the youngest WWE Champion of all time—a record that still stands—when he beat The Rock in decisive fashion in the main event of SummerSlam.
WWE hardly ever pushes anyone the way they did Brock Lesnar over the summer of 2002. On one hand, one could read that as a knock on the company for not getting behind any stars like they did The Next Big Thing, but there’s also a legitimate case that Lesnar’s potential was truly unique and that he’s made good on it across two decades to follow.
After the TV tapings for Dynamite and Rampage from Fresno, CA this week AEW taped a tribute show titled “Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life.” The ring apron and graphics were switched to ROH for this and the special has been confirmed to be airing on the Honor Club platform for free. Below are the complete results from this special show:
Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman opened the show and talked about the late star as a performer and father. They promoted the show to be in honor of Jay Briscoe. ROH owner Tony Khan also came out and thanked everyone for being present to honor the life and legacy of a great man.
Adam Cole cut a promo talking about his history and friendship with Jay. Cole said that he loves and misses Jay and that the former ROH star left the world a better place
ROH Pure Championship Match: Wheeler Yuta def. Hagane Shinno. Jerry Lynn, Dean Malenko and BJ Whitmer were the judges for this contest.
Singles Match: Marina Shafir def. Mighty Myra.
Singles Match: Eddie Kingston def. QT Marshall.
ROH Women’s Championship Match: Athena def. Madison Rayne with Sky Blue. Post-match, Athena attacked Blue with the title belt
Singles Match: Juice Robinson def. Brandon Cutler
Singles Match: Yuka Sakazaki def. Sandra Moon
ROH Championship Match: Claudio Castagnoli def. Christopher Daniels. Castagnoli used the Jay-Driller to pick up the victory.
Post-match, Daniels cut a promo saying Jay was the toughest wrestler he knew. Castagnoli then told the crowd to not take tomorrow for granted. He thanked the fans and mentioned that he loved Jay. The ROH champion asked the fans to keep Jay and his family in their thoughts and drive home safe.
Tributes have been pouring in for Jay Briscoe ever since the news of his tragic passing come out. People from across the wrestling world have been sharing their memories and stories showcasing the late star’s passion for wrestling and his love for his family.
On the latest Busted Open Radio, former ROH owner Carry Silkin, Tommy Dreamer, and others paid tribute to him. During the show, the group discussed how The Briscoes were the same behind the scene as they were in the ring and they always brought their authentic self on the table.
Speaking about his interactions with the duo, Dreamer said that they were the first ones who made him feel welcome in ROH. The ECW legend then told the story of working with the ROH tag champs for the first time for his House of Hardcore promotion:
“I remember when they did my House Of Hardcore show. They attacked me and Bully [Ray]. We were going to go that route of having a tag match [in] 2017-ish. I remember walking up to him after the show and I handed them envelopes and Jay was like, ‘Nah, man, we’re good. We didn’t do anything.’ I said ‘Dude, you did. You travelled here and I’m paying you.’ He goes ‘Nah.’ I said, ‘Listen, never turn down money. you’re helping me build something.’ Then he was like ‘allll right.’
The fact that him and his brother were just gonna take that for free.” said Tommy Dreamer, “I would not want people to do that but the fact that they were and like, told me that they didn’t want to get paid. They’re like, ‘Nah, man, that was cool. That was cool shit.’ I was just like, ‘Well just take this. it’s not a lot but please take this and we’re going to do future business with each other’ and it worked. It helped but just trying to tell you the men that they are.”
The Briscoe Brothers had been part of the ROH roster since the very beginning. They were present for the very first ROH show in 2002 where Jay Briscoe wrestled Amazing Red. Their team has won the ROH tag team titles over a dozen times and Jay also held the ROH world title a couple of times.
Shawn Michaels has been a part of WWE for a long time and he has seen the company go through many monumental changes. Perhaps the biggest one was when the promotion shifted from taped shows to live television with the January 11, 1993 episode of Raw. HBK not only witnessed this change but he was a part of it. He was one of the talents who wrestled on the very first live episode of the red-branded show, defending the Intercontinental championship against Max Moon.
The former world champion and Shelton Benjamin were the latest guests on The Bump. Celebrating 30 years of WWE’s flagship show, the duo discussed the various stages of Raw’s evolution. Reflecting on the shift to Live Television, Michaels explained the biggest challenge of it was communicating the transition to commercials:
“Live television, of course, Shelton can attest to, we’ve come a long way now as far as you know commercial breaks and how you get there, the timing and stuff like that.” said Shawn Michaels, “So honestly that was the most difficult transition is understanding the live television, going to commercials, coming back from commercials.
The way you communicate knowing when you’re in commercials and out of commercials. You have all these things that are already running through your head in a wrestling match, the added element of live television was something that was truly fascinating and ground-breaking at the time for me. But again, all of it, a wonderful journey to [have] been able to [be] part of.”
WWE will be celebrating Raw’s 30th anniversary during the January 23 episode of the show. Apart from Shawn Michaels, the episode will feature legends such as The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle and many more.
AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jay Lethal
Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh were barred from ringside, but at the beginning of the match they entered through the crowd to sit front row. The members of The Best Friends and Danhausen joined them in the audience. Lethal hit Cassidy with a Lethal Injection but the champion managed to roll out of the ring. After the Best Friends had enough of Jarret & Co, they poured popcorn on Sonjay Dutt. Jarrett tried to interfere in the match by handing his guitar to Lethal, but Danhausen intercepted it. This distraction leads to Lethal getting back in the ring and getting hit with the Orange Punch for the pin.
Winner: Orange Cassidy by pinfall.
Jay Lethal wore a Briscoe armband during the match to honor Jay Briscoe.
Dutt wants to fight Orange Cassidy after the match Lethal and Jarrett hold him back
We get a video package for KUSHIDA vs. Darby Allin for the TNT Championship.
Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
Top Flight hit Matt Jackson with a combination nosedive powerbomb, but Nick broke the pin up at 2. The Young Bucks hit Darius Martin with The Briscoes’ Doomsday Device, but Dante breaks it up. Darius dodged the BTE Trigger by The Young Bucks. He then rolled up Matt to get the shocking win.
Winner: Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) by pinfall.
The Gunns come out to cut a promo during the time slot where The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn were advertised. The Acclaimed come out and Austin Gunn has production cut the music. Max Caster tells production to mute Austin’s mic and restart their music. He then proceeds to do his freestyle.
Billy Gunn separated The Gunns and The Acclaimed after things got physical. He shamed both teams and then announced that they will all be attending family therapy next week.
Hangman says to Renee that he wants to mend some fences but won’t get too specific. He also seemed to have something he wanted to say to Jon Moxley after checking on his health, but he once again held his tongue.
Chris Jericho joined the commentary team for this match. Starks walked the ropes in Hager’s hat for a fun spot. After avoiding a lot of distraction and interference from the JAS, Ricky hit Hager with a Spear. In a relatively short match, Ricky Starks gets the win over Hager.
Winner: Ricky Starks by pinfall.
Starks rushed through the crowd to avoid the Jericho Appreciation Society.
Jericho challenges Action Andretti and Ricky Starks to a tag team match with Sammy.
Daniel Garcia will be facing Action Andretti on Rampage. If he wins, he will replace Sammy Guevara next week on Dynamite.
Bryan Danielson vs. Bandido
They start off with a handshake. Bandido was able to hold Danielson up in a stalling suplex for at least 30 seconds. He fought hard to get out of the Lebell Lock by getting his foot on the rope. Bandido hit Danielson with a 21-plex, but he kicked out at 2. After a great exchange, Danielson landed a Busaiku Knee for the win.
Winner: Bryan Danielson by pinfall.
Bryan and Bandido both wore armbands to honor Jay.
Saraya cut a promo with Hikaru Shida and Toni Storm. Toni decided to stand with Saraya against the homegrown women’s wrestlers. Saraya is very upset with Shida for throwing her kendo stick in the ring last week.
It was announced that Brian Cage will be Bryan Danielson’s opponent next week. MJF then offered Cage an undisclosed amount of money to break Danielson’s arm. He then slapped Cage to motivate MJF to feel hate.
Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale
Saraya joined Toni Storm at ringside. Willow and Toni shook hands. Shida disregarded what Saraya told her and came to the ringside area. Willow hits the Cannonball, but Toni kicks out. Saraya gets involved and distracts Willow and Toni gets the roll up for the win.
Winner: Toni Storm by pinfall.
After the match, Toni and Saraya get in the ring and beat down Willow turning heel in the process. Shida gets in the ring and Ruby Soho runs down to help out Willow.
TNT Championship Match: Darby Allin (c) vs. KUSHIDA
KUSHIDA is joined by two members of the New Japan Dojo; DKC and Kevin Knight. Darby Allin is joined by Sting. The Coffin Drop was countered early on. Throughout the match, KUSHIDA attempts to pick Allin limb from limb. KUSHIDA locked in the Hoverboard lock and the members of the NJPW Dojo tried to get Sting to throw in the towel. Darby maneuvered KUSHIDA into a very technical pin to get the three.
On Tuesday, Jamin Pugh, known to the wrestling world as Jay Briscoe, was killed in a car accident in Laurel, Delaware.
According to his wife, Ashley, their daughters were also injured in the accident. Their daughter, Gracie, had back surgery on Wednesday morning. Their other daughter, Jayleigh “has some pretty serious injuries, but is stable and resting!” She asked for prayers for all of them.
The first match of the night was Jay Lethal vs. Orange Cassidy. Lethal wore a black armband that read “Briscoe”. During the match, Best Friends were in the crowd. They each wore a black armband that read “Jay”.
On commentary, Excalibur talked about Briscoe and said more was coming.
The Young Bucks also wore black armbands that said “Jay” with a red heart on them. They also paid tribute with a Doomsday Device, a signature of the Briscoes.
Bryan Danielson and Bandido both wore black armbands that read “Jay”. Before getting to the ring, Bandido kissed his fingers and pointed to the sky.
After the match, commentary was shown on camera. Excalibur and Taz were also wearing black armbands.
Jay Briscoe special for ROH
Tony Khan tweeted that after tonight’s show they would be filming a special ROH tribute to Briscoe. It will be available “soon free to everyone on Honor Club”. He also tweeted that the special will also be on ROH’s YouTube.
Thank you all watching Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite on TBS tonight! We're just getting started, we have a great live show for you all, + after the live show we'll film a special ROH tribute to the late great Jay Briscoe which will be available soon free to everyone on Honor Club.
Longtime New Japan Pro Wrestling talent will stay with the company after renewing the contract.
NJPW is going through an interesting time as several talent contracts are possibly expiring. It was reported that one of the company’s top stars isn’t expected to sign on Jan. 10. The rumored top star had also gained interest from WWE. NJPW fans were looking to see if the company would possibly let more talent contracts expire.
However, NJPW has successfully re-signed one of its more featured stars.
Spoiler Warning on NJPW Talent Renewed Contract
Hiroshi Tanahashi has shared on his blog that he has renewed his contract with NJPW. He posted a picture with seemingly a contract and had the caption “Contract renewal. I’ll do my best!”
At 46 years old, Tanahashi still looks to be in greatshape and wants to push himself in his wrestling career. His last title reign was when he held the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship last year. He had also unsuccessfully challenged for the AEW Heavyweight Championship against Jon Moxley at Forbidden Door on June 26, 2022.
via Hiroshi Tanahashi Blog
Tanahashi had recently competed in a tag team match with Keiji Muto and Shota Umino to defeat Los Ingobernables de Japon(Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, and Bushi) at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on Jan 4. He will compete at The New Beginning in Nagoya on Jan 22. Tanahashi will again wrestle in a tag team match with Master Wato and Jado against Kenta, El Phantasmo, and Taiji Ishimori.
It’s unclear if he still wants to reclaim that IWGP United States heavyweight title or if he wants to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Regardless, NJPW fans can rejoice that Tanahashi will be with the company for a little longer.
Roman Reigns has added yet another milestone to his impressive run on top as the Undisputed Universal Champion.
At Payback 2020, Reigns became the Universal Champion when he beat Bray Wyatt and Brown Strowman in a No Holds Barred Triple Threat Match.
He later scored a victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 last year. Reigns became the first star to hold both the WWE and Universal Championships simultaneously.
The Stat
Wrestling Stats & Info on Twitter noted that Reigns has now been the Universal Champion for 871 days, surpassing GUNTHER’s 870-day NXT UK Title reign.
“Today, @WWERomanReigns’s active reign as Universal Champion (2020-Present) reaches 871 days, surpassing @Gunther_AUT’s NXT UK Title reign (2019-2021) for the longest single/consecutive championship reign in the entire @WWE Universe in the last 35+ years. #HeadOfTheTable.”
Throughout his time as the Universal Champion, Reigns has defended it against some of the biggest names in the company, including John Cena. Reigns will make his next defense as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion against Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble next weekend. This is a rematch from the 2021 event where Reigns won their Last Man Standing Match.
GUNTHER is currently the Intercontinental Champion and is slated to work the 30-Man Royal Rumble match.
WWE is bringing in an outside name to help with this year’s Royal Rumble event, and that’s Jason Cade.
Fightful Select reported today that the indie wrestler will be working as a producer for the company, specifically in helping produce the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match next week.
The report noted that WWE Producer Tyson Kidd was said to be instrumental in helping Cade come in, as Kidd usually produces women’s matches in the company, including the Royal Rumble match.
Jason Cade’s Background
Cade has trained alongside Kidd and Natalya in the past. Last month, Cade noted on Instagram that he was leaving Orlando to move to Los Angeles so that he can pursue his dreams.
Cade hasn’t wrestled for quite a while after breaking into the business in August 2012 after training under Norman Smiley, who currently works at the WWE Performance Center.
Throughout his in-ring career, Cade has worked for numerous promotions over the years, such as CZW, EVOLVE, GCW, GFW, Impact Wrestling, MLW, Lucha Underground, PWG, ROH, WWN Live, and others.
In 2020, Cade worked two WWE matches where he lost to Aleister Black (Malakai Black) on the March 30, 2020, Raw episode, then lost to Ariya Daivari as a part of his $10,000 Challenge on the September 18, 2020 edition of WWE 205 Live.
He also worked two matches for AEW that same year as current AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy defeated him on the May 12, 2020 edition of AEW Dark, and Marko Stunt on the May 19, 2020 edition of Dark.
William Regal now serves as WWE Vice President of Global Talent Relations following his departure from AEW earlier this month.
Regal spent the majority of 2022 under the banner of AEW where he worked as the manager for the Blackpool Combat Club.
His AEW debut came at AEW Revolution last March, where he helped bring Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson together before recruiting Wheeler Yuta to their ranks. Claudio Castagnoli followed suit in the months after, and the Blackpool Combat Club was a force.
While speaking on Distraction Pieces Podcast, Regal noted that he felt his final moments in AEW were too focused on himself as he turned on Moxley to help MJF beat him for the AEW World Heavyweight Title at Full Gear in November.
His AEW Tenure
“In the last months of AEW, it was getting far too much about me. It should have been about the talent I was with, not about me,” Regal said (h/t Fightful). “I’m quite happy being in the background. I’ve had my run. I couldn’t have had a better last few months as far as TV and doing that, but I didn’t go there with that intention. The intention was to do something different, and it started off the way it did, but I didn’t expect it to end up being this thing that it was for the last seven months where I just became talent. I went there with a different plan because I was asked to go there to help out in a different capacity, and that never transpired.”
Regal wanted to return to WWE to be with his son in NXT, who wrestles under the Charlie Dempsey name.
Regal’s WWE return cannot appear on television until 2024, something he’s okay with after his run in AEW. He noted he’s happy not to be in the spotlight. He thinks it shouldn’t be about him but rather the active in-ring talent.
AEW president Tony Khan says that fans don’t even know the half of Adam Cole’s comeback story just yet.
Back on the January 11 episode of AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole made his surprise return to television after being out-of-action for several months. Cole stated that he’s back and he’s not done competing in the ring just yet.
He also opened up about the multitude of other issues that he dealt with aside from the concussion, such as anxiety and motion sickness. Speaking on The Kliq podcast recently, AEW president Tony Khan offered his thoughts on Cole’s current situation.
Khan revealed that, although they know some already, fans don’t even know the half of the uphill battle Cole has faced en-route to his in-ring return.
“Well, I don’t think he ever [ruled out returning to the ring]. Certainly, it was a very challenging recovery, and they were points where, I’m sure, he had to question if he was going to make it back or, you know, what he was putting himself through because, like he said, he didn’t leave the house to do anything but brain therapy,” said Khan.
“He wanted it so bad. He wants so bad to come back to AEW, to get back in the ring and wrestle for the fans on Wednesdays on TBS, and Fridays on TNT. That’s his dream. For us, it’s a dream come true having Adam Cole be a part of the AEW roster.
“It’s very exciting that he’s getting closer and closer to making a comeback. It’s a really inspirational story, and people don’t even know the half of it yet. I’m excited for people to find out more about what Adam Cole has been through.”
Cole hasn’t competed inside the ring since Forbidden Door in June, when he faced off against Jay White, Okada and “Hangman” Adam Page in a Fatal Four-Way match.
WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has revealed the worst bump he has ever taken in his career.
The Olympic gold medalist has competed in some grueling matches over the course of his career, so there’s a wide variety of bumps to pick from. However, Angle recently took to Twitter and revealed a 2002 match with Kane on RAW provided the honors.
During the match, Kane hit a double chokeslam on Angle and referee Charles Robinson, resulting in the referee landing on Angle. Check it out here:
“My match against the big red machine… Kane. This is the worst bump I ever took in my career. Referee Charles Robinson landed right on top of me. I thought I was going to crap myself. Lol.”
My match against the big red machine… Kane. This is the worst bump I ever took in my career. Referee Charles Robinson landed right on top of me. I thought I was going to crap myself. Lol. #itstrue#wwemomentspic.twitter.com/7QZrGsMTJd
Angle has certainly been around the block in the professional wrestling industry. First beginning in the business in 1998, Angle signed with WWE and quickly established himself as one of the company’s top stars.
He lasted with WWE until 2006, winning five World Titles, a Tag Team Title, a King Of The Ring tournament win, and much more. Angle was finally inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017.
(WWE)
Angle even spent a decade in IMPACT Wrestling; where he won six World Titles, and X-Division Title win, and was also inducted into the TNA Hall Of Fame in 2013. Now, Angle has retired from in-ring competition, and spends his time hosting his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”
Mercedes Moné is set to take on KAIRI in an IWGP Women’s Championship match at NJPW’s Battle In The Valley on February 18.
The former Sasha Banks made her NJPW debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 by confronting and attacking the fellow former WWE star.
This upcoming match will be Moné’s first match since May 15, 2022 and her first match outside of WWE in over a decade.
NJPW has released a video of Moné talking about the match, giving insight into where her mindset is ahead of the match. She also talked about how she plans to become a global superstar.
Mercedes Moné Statement
Moné is supremely confident headed into her upcoming title match. She intends to send KAIRI back to Japan and take the IWGP Women’s championship .. well, everywhere.
“I’ve never been more excited, more nervous, which I never get nervous about, but I am so ready for this. I’ve been dreaming about this. I’ve been really really wanting this and for it to be in the United States in San Jose, California. I have so much history there. I’ve had the greatest matches there. February 18th is gonna be the same.”
“I’m going to make sure that it is the greatest women’s match of all time. When I hold up my championship, oh cute little KAIRI, I’m gonna send her back to Japan, and she can go back to STARDOM, and I can be the global superstar that I’m meant to be. I’m about to take that title everywhere, not just New Japan, but everywhere.”
You can watch Mercedes Moné’s comments about her upcoming match against KAIRI right here:
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t toSEScoops.comfor the transcription.
John Cena knows how to get people talking with his provocative social media posts. Pro wrestling’s ‘other’ 16-time world champion has proven to be a master at dropping cryptic comments and photos that touch upon current events.
His tweets are primarily inspirational quotes. His Instagram posts range from playful to downright bewildering. The photos are almost always submitted without a caption, which fuels speculation about what exactly he’s referencing.
Cena returned to the ring on the final SmackDown of 2022. He and Kevin Owens teamed up to defeat The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. The show delivered massive viewership, proving that Cena can still deliver eyeballs when needed.
John Cena’s Latest Tease
The leader of the Cenation is rumored to be competing at WrestleMania in April, with Logan Paul and Austin Theory discussed as his most likely opponents. Both men have campaigned for a match against Cena at WrestleMania.
Cena’s in-ring career is winding down, so this is a fleeing opportunity for anyone hoping to work with the iconic star before he hangs up the boots once and for all.
Amid reports that WWE is attempting to get Logan Paul to appear at the Royal Rumble on January 28, Cena shared a photo of Logan and his brother Jake Paul on Instagram. It’s worth noting that he didn’t post just any random photo of them. He chose a photo that included Logan Paul holding the WWE Championship.
Jake Paul has never competed in a pro wrestling match, but he’s no stranger to WWE. He’s spoken about being a pro wrestling fan while growing up. The Problem Child even appeared at WWE Crown Jewel to help back his brother Logan against The Bloodline. He later teased that they might team up at some point.
During a recent interview with DAZN, Jake Paul spoke about his love for WWE. While wearing a Hulk Hogan t-shirt, he was asked to name his all-time favorite wrestler.
“Hulk, probably, yeah,” said Paul. “Him or John Cena, which is like super cliché, but there’s a reason why John Cena was the greatest in the world, brother.”
Ashley Pugh, the wife of wrestling star Jay Brisco (Jamin Pugh), is asking for prayers during an extremely difficult time for their family.
Jay Briscoe was tragically killed Tuesday night in an automobile accident that occurred in Laurel, Delaware.
According to a post by Ashley Pugh on Facebook, their daughters were in the car and both have sustained serious injuries. Daughter Stacy is undergoing back surgery today (Wednesday), while Jayleigh sustained “some pretty serious injuries” but is stable and resting.
“We need prayers! Gracie is on her way into surgery on her back. Jamin would want the whole world praying for his little girl,” she wrote. “WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER!! Pray for the doctors and everyone working on her! Pray for her precious legs to move again Pray for Jayleigh who has some pretty serious injuries, but is stable and resting! Pray for Gannon waiting at home! Pray for strength for all of us! We have a long long road ahead of us!”
SEScoops extends our deepest condolences, as well as thoughts and prayers, to the family and friends of Jamin Pugh.
WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) is going to walk down the aisle later this year.
Wyatt is engaged to former WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman. They couple has been together for several years and have two children together. Their son Knash was born in May 2019 and their daughter Hyrie came the following year in May 2020.
Offerman spoke to Nikki and Brie Bella this week for The Bellas Podcast and dropped some new details about her upcoming wedding to WWE’s creepiest competitor.
Bray Wyatt’s Wedding to JoJo Offerman
The latest Total Bellas Podcast looks at the upcoming 10-year anniversary of Total Divas, the reality series that helped the Bellas break through to a mainstream audience. The series premiered on the E! Network on July 28, 2013.
Show originals JoJo, Nattie and Ariane (Cameron) joined Nikki and Brie to discuss the “beautiful journey” that was Total Divas, including their favorite scenes and memories.
During the episode, JoJo revealed that she and Wyatt are currently planning their wedding ceremony, which is scheduled to take place later this year. She was asked, “How’s married life?” and clarified that they’re still preparing for their big day.
“We’re not officially married, [we’re] engaged, but we will be married at the end of the year, We picked our date and everything. It’s fun, the kids are crazy.”
– JoJo
She said her son looks like her, while her daughter has Windham’s face but her attitude.
JoJo, 28, also recalled being young and inexperienced when she joined the cast of Total Divas a decade ago. At the time, she was just a few months removed from graduating high school and needed to use a fake ID to attend Natalya’s bachelorette party in Las Vegas during season one.
Her favorite memories were getting to know the Bellas, forging lifelong friendships with her cast mates and getting to travel the world.
All Elite Wrestling presents Dynamite live tonight on TBS from Fresno, California at the Save Mart Center.
AEW looks to keep the momentum going after a hot show last week, which saw The Elite capture the AEW Trios Championships in ‘Game 7’ of their best of 7 series with Death Triangle. Tonight’s broadcast will see several of AEW’s top champions in action, as well as special appearances from top international competitors.
Here’s a look at what’s scheduled for the January 18 edition of AEW Dynamite:
Top Flight will face 2/3 of the new AEW Trios Champions, The Young Bucks.
Jay Lethal challenges Orange Cassidy (c) for the All Atlantic Championship.
KUSHIDA has answered Darby Allin’s TNT Championship Open Challenge
Bryan Danielson battles Bandido in the next round of the gauntlet to earn a shot at MJF’s AEW World Heavyweight Championship.
Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale
Plus, Hangman Page speaks with Renee Paquette one week after his hard-fought victory over Jon Moxley.
Ex-WWE star Santino Marella has revealed why he made the decision to sign with IMPACT Wrestling recently.
Over the weekend, Marella debuted for IMPACT at their Hard To Kill event, being revealed as the new “Director of Authority” while Scott D’Amore recovers from his attack courtesy of Bully Ray. Shortly after his debut, Marella joined The Dave Van Auken Show to discuss his debut.
Marella was able to debut as the actual Santino Marella character from his WWE days, as WWE didn’t renew the trademark for the character, allowing IMPACT to pick it up.
“I have two small children—one and four—so I wasn’t really looking to get on the road again. Scott D’Amore is a friend of mine, and we chatted about possibilities a few times, and everything seemed to line up. All of a sudden, I was looking for 2023, not this early, but to kind of get back out there and do something.
“Scott, as a habit, when he gets former WWE guys, he goes and checks the trademarks. He found that in 2021, WWE did not renew the Santino Marella trademark. Scott jumped on it and IMPACT Wrestling now owns the Santino Marella trademark. So that’s why a lot of people, when I came out and said I was Santino Marella, they were like, ‘Woah, how is he able to use that?’
“That was almost bigger news than me coming out, being able to use the name. It was fun. Not having to modify the character and just being Santino, something that I am good at and comfortable with, and I can flick a switch and I can be Santino on the drop of a dime. I wasn’t gone long enough to where nobody knows me, but I was gone long enough that it means something. It was a good balance. Timing is everything, and it was the right time.”
Marella admitted that he did have one ask for D’Amore when he signed, and that’s to do something with his daughter inside the ring once she’s called up.
“I did talk to Scott in the beginning and said, ‘One of the only things I ask is that when my daughter is able to be called up, I’d like to do something in the ring with her.’ He’s cool with that.” Marella said.
“AEW, I’ve been to a couple of shows backstage, a lot of friends. So many guys I admire or I’ve worked with. WWE, my life is so perfectly balanced right now, I can’t gamble that. To go on the road for 50 weeks a year, even if it’s for one day—the Booker T schedule where I fly in, do commentary, fly home—that’s still every week. I really like this schedule [with IMPACT].”
Marella initially ran with WWE from 2005 to 2016. He won two Intercontinental Titles during that time, as well as a United States Title run, and a Tag Team Title run alongside Vladimir Kozlov. Since his WWE release, Marella has been working sporadically through the independent scene for the past several years.
Ric Flair does not plan on donning his wrestling boots and robe one last time, despite previous comments to the contrary.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer competed in his final match last July, teaming with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
The show, appropriately named ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match’ came over a decade after Flair’s previous match in TNA/Impact Wrestling.
Retired
After Flair competed in his last match, the Nature Boy alluded to possibly wrestling again, saying he regretted his performance at the show.
Speaking on the latest To Be the Man podcast, Flair made it clear he will not wrestle again.
“I don’t know why they keep saying I’m begging for another match. What I have said to you repeatedly is I wish I could redo that match. I’m not begging for another match. I don’t want to wrestle again. I have no desire. I wish I had that match to do over again is what I’ve said repeatedly.”
“I don’t know why they keep saying I’m begging for another match.”
Ric Flair.
Begging for Another Match
Flair’s most recent comments come in stark contrast to what the Dirtiest Player in the Game has previously said.
Speaking on the very same podcast last week, Flair said he’d love to get another chance at his final-ever match.
Flair has also said that he feels inspired to wrestle again given that his long-time rival Ricky Steamboat also wrestled last year.
Ric Flair will be on next week’s Raw which will mark the 30th anniversary of WWE’s flagship show.
WWE CEO Nick Khan has come a long way in his few years with the promotion, but he doesn’t consider himself the top dog.
Khan joined WWE in the summer of 2020 as the company’s president, replacing Michelle Wilson and George Barrios who had departed earlier that year.
Following Vince McMahon’s resignation in 2022, Khan was appointed co-CEO with Stephanie McMahon and now serves as the promotion’s sole CEO.
The Boss
Khan’s rise to the top of WWE has been unparallel in the company’s history, but even he acknowledges Vince McMahon as the head of the company.
On the Bill Simmons podcast, Khan spoke about the hierarchy in WWE and knows that he is not on top.
“My thought has always been that there’s only one boss at WWE and it ain’t me. Vince is obviously the founder, the creator of the company. He’s also the controlling shareholder, which is not a ‘work’ term. It’s a legal term. So it was always my point of view and Stephanie’s point of view that he would come back.
“There’s only one boss at WWE and it ain’t me.”
Nick Khan.
“I think the way he played it, to me, was smart. He went away for five, six months. The audience seems to like when somebody does that. He came back and took control back of his company as the controlling shareholder. It is a public company, it is a publicly-traded company. But with that controlling share, gave him a lot of authority and he used it and I applaud him for doing so.”
Retirement
For decades, it was assumed that Vince McMahon would never retire from WWE given his workaholic attitude.
Once he did retire, WWE’s entire corporate system needed changing, and at the time, many felt that the board of directors, now against McMahon due to the allegations of misconduct, forced him out of the door.
On the podcast, Khan refuted the idea that McMahon was forced out by anyone other than what he personally believed.
I didn’t see it as a force. I think Vince saw, the tonnage of things that were coming at him and us. One thing he’s always said, you’ll know as a long-time fan and I’m a long-time fan also, is he’ll do whatever is best for business. Whether it’s bringing the Ultimate Warrior back twenty years ago (referencing Warrior’s 1996 WWF return) or whatever it may be.
“I think at that moment in time, what was best for business was for him to step away for a while. So he did, and he really did step away. There was no ‘hey why are you doing this,’ or ‘I wouldn’t do it this way.’ It was, in my opinion, total freedom, for Stephanie, myself, and Triple H on the creative side.”
The Future
Once McMahon retired, fans thought that they would never see him again, only to be proven wrong by the 77-year-old billionaire for the second time.
Speaking about what the future may bring, Khan was optimistic that McMahon’s return will make a potential sale of WWE all the easier.
“It’s only been a week, but he really, I believe, what he said publicly about ‘hey, I’m here to engage in strategic alternatives and the media rights,’ so far the engagement has been that, and other board issues.”
“WWE is Vince. Vince is WWE.”
Nick Khan.
“It’s his company. To me, WWE is Vince. Vince is WWE and we’re going to do the best we can to keep a living company.”
When asked about McMahon reportedly speaking to multiple departments, Khan said there has been “zero” interactions between McMahon and the company’s creative team.
WWE Hall of Famer ‘Double J’ Jeff Jarrett has encouraged Vince McMahon to take the promotion private amid ongoing talks of a potential sale.
McMahon returned to WWE earlier this month to oversee a sale of the promotion, less than six months after retiring in July of last year.
The 77-year-old billionaire has been unanimously elected Executive Chairman following the resignation of his daughter Stephanie in the role.
Private
There’s no shortage of potential buyers for WWE, with names like Comcast, FOX, Disney, Netflix and even Tony & Shahid Khan being reported.
After it was reported that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund had bought the company (which was later debunked) it was noted that the PIF intends to take WWE private.
On his ‘My World’ podcast, Jarrett, the founder of TNA/Impact Wrestling, suggested that WWE going private would be the right call.
“The professional wrestling industry is run much better in a private setting because there’s a vision, there’s a final decision maker, the buck stops with one person, it’s just how I think the success of our industry can thrive. “I think the wrestling industry can be much more successful if WWE is private.”
Jeff Jarett.
WWE became a publicly traded company in the Summer of 1999 and stock in the company rose dramatically this month following McMahon’s return.
Saudi Arabia PIF
With over $600 billion to its name, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has more than enough to purchase WWE.
Not only is the PIF expected to take WWE private if a sale goes through, but are expected by many to keep McMahon as the company’s key decision-maker.
The possibility of WWE being purchased by the Saudi PIF has been received poorly, with talent reportedly threatening to walk if a deal is reached.
Logan Paul’s return to WWE programming could be a matter of days away if WWE gets its way.
The Youtuber-turned-boxer made an impression last year, having victories at both WrestleMania 38 and Summerslam, but lost at WWE Crown Jewel.
During the latter match with Roman Reigns, Paul suffered a torn meniscus injury which has kept him on the shelf since.
The Rumble
Fightful is hoping that Paul is fully healed and ready to appear at next week’s Royal Rumble, Fightful Select reports.
The report says that WWE hopes for an appearance by the Maverick, but does not confirm if WWE wants him in the Men’s Rumble match.
Fightful did specify that WWE is hoping he will train for an “upcoming match” and that they have “at least inquired” about it.
Recent reports suggested that Paul will face John Cena at WrestleMania 39, but an updated report has stated it will be Cena against U.S. Champion Austin Theory in April.
CryptoZoo
Paul hasn’t competed for WWE in months, but his name has been in the media for all the wrong reasons.
CryptoZoo, a game that Paul has heavily promoted on his ImPaulsive podcast, has been called little more than a scam by several users.
The game (which is currently offline) allows users to make money in the form of NFTs designed as various cartoon animals.
Paul has apologized to those who have lost money in the game, and Fightful’s report says that this controversy hasn’t been an issue for WWE’s booking of the YouTuber.
Another long-time WWE higher-up has parted ways with the company in the latest shakeup to the company’s corporate landscape.
Earlier this month, Stephanie McMahon resigned as WWE’s Chairwoman and Co-CEO, with Vince McMahon replacing her as Executive Chairman.
Vince McMahon’s return was initially described as solely to oversee the sale of WWE though many have cast doubt on this claim given the billionaire’s new backstage role.
Stefanie Fiondella
Stephanie McMahon’s resignation has not been a one-off event, as it was reported this week that WWE’s Vice President of Communications Adam Hopkins has left the company.
In an update, PW Insider reports that Stefanie Fiondella, who also served in the capacity of Vice President of Communications, has resigned as well.
Fiondella joined WWE in 2004 as Vice President of Marketing & Communications Operations and after leaving in 2019, returned in 2021 for her final role.
Fiondella was also the co-chair for the WWE Women’s Affinity Group as well.
This latest resignation comes after WWE held a meeting earlier this month, in which employees were assured that little to nothing would change in corporate following Vince McMahon’s return.
Resignations
Fiondella and Hopkins are just the latest prominent names to exit WWE as more and more people have parted ways since McMahon’s return.
McMahon’s return to the board alongside former WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and Geroge Barrios resulted in the removal of JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler.
In response, Man Jit Singh and Ignace Lahoud chose to leave the board, citing that they felt McMahon’s return was wrong.
Singh’s departure is especially notable given that it was he who oversaw the investigation into McMahon last year.
Jade Cargill is one of the top female wrestlers of the AEW roster. The 30-year-old has been positioned as a future mega star by the company. Though despite her position, she is not shying away from acknowledging the competition, going as far as to offer huge compliment to one of the biggest stars of the rival promotion.
The AEW star recently had an interview with Bootleg Kev. During the talk, Cargill was asked about other wrestling stars she admires. The TBS champion took the name of Charlotte Flair, saying that she is a total package:
I think she’s a total package that we have as far as an example for a woman wrestler today.
– Jade Cargill
“I think Charlotte Flair is great. I think she’s very sound wrestler. She can do all the flippy shit that you want to do. She can go out there and have a hardcore match. I think she’s a total package that we have as far as an example for a woman wrestler today.
She leaves and comes back and then she like, it’s like she never left.” said Jade Cargill, “I think she’s phenomenal at what she does. People can say whatever they want. I think she’s a great wrestler.”
Charlotte Flair recently returned from a 7-month-long hiatus and regained the SmackDown Women’s championship. This is her 14th Women’s World title and 17th overall title in the company.
You can check out Jade Cargill’s full interview below:
