All Elite Wrestling may have some impressive viewing figures (albeit figures not as high as this time last year) but two wrestling legends aren’t tuning in.
It’s no secret that AEW’s ratings have fallen dramatically in recent months, with many attributing that to the absence of CM Punk.
There has been some good news recently for AEW, with last Friday’s AEW Rampage drawing the show’s highest ratings since January.
The Pact
AEW has a passionate fanbase of people both in and out of the wrestling industry but two names not watching (for now) are Kevin Nash and Steve Austin.
During the latest episode of Kliq This, Big Daddy Cool explained why he and the Rattlesnake are changing channels whenever AEW is on their TVs.
“I just want to go on record today, I have not watched AEW in months. It goes back to Steve Austin and I got a pact that he’s not watching it therefore I’m not watching it and what I can tell by Twitter is [Undertaker] is now not watching it.”
“Steve Austin and I got a pact that he’s not watching it therefore I’m not watching it.”
Kevin Nash.
“It’s nothing against any of the talent over there, anybody that does anything over there. It’s just something that we decided. It’s like lent, you have to give things up so we did that. It doesn’t change the fact that Kenny Omega is my favorite wrestler. Doesn’t change that at all.”
Nash’s comments about The Undertaker stem from a Twitter exchange, in which Nash joked that Bret Hart doesn’t watch AEW.
In response, the Phenom said that Nash’s comments got a “huge pop” from him.
Big Daddy Cool’s comment about Kenny Omega being his favorite wrestler come after Nash made the claim during Omega’s feud with Will Ospreay.
Could IWGP Women’s Champion Mercedes Moné one day make her return to WWE?
After she (and Naomi) walked out of the May 16, 2022, episode of Monday Night Raw, questions circulated around Moné’s future with the company, and she went unused for months.
Despite reports that she and Naomi had made peace with WWE, Moné would debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 17 this past January.
The Return?
It was last month that Moné captured the IWGP Women’s Championship from KAIRI in the former’s first match since departing WWE.
Like Moné, Alundra ‘Madusa’ Blayze knows what it is like to draw the ire of WWE, as she was blacklisted for two decades for throwing the WWF Women’s Championship in the trash on WCW programming.
Appearing on Under The Ring to talk about her career and her new book “The Woman Who Would Be King: The MADUSA Story,” Blayze spoke about Moné’s future.
“I think Mercedes has actually during a time when she was still champion, I believe tag team championship, whatever she was feeling, she felt like whatever and she handed the titles in and she walked out because she wanted to fulfill something, her dream, something she always wanted to do. I mean, God bless her on that, you know, somebody following what they want to do.”
“Hopefully, she will go back to WWE someday if she wants to.”
Alundra Blayze.
“Hopefully, she will go back to WWE someday if she wants to. Right now she’s just fulfilling it. Let’s hope and continue that everything is great over there with her and Stardom. Maybe she’s paving the way that women can do what they want to do. I may have waited until my contract expired and then did it, but you know, everyone has their own reason and choice and I don’t know what that was, so I can’t say on hers.”
Could A Return Happen?
While Moné is out of WWE right now, that doesn’t mean we may not see Sasha Banks walk down the aisle once more.
After all, Blayze was blacklisted for twenty years but was eventually brought back, and other names fans thought they’d never see again (Bret Hart, Ultimate Warrior, etc.) have returned over the years.
It has been reported that some in WWE believe that once Moné gets NJPW ‘out of her system’ she will return to the Stamford-based promotion.
El Generico was a huge fixture of the indie scene for years. Around 2012, he reportedly went to Mexico where he may or may not have been killed by the cartels. There’s allegedly an orphanage named after him.
There are reports that WWE’s Sami Zayn was close to El Generico. While the masked man spent many years in Ring of Honor before going to Mexico, he did take his talents to IMPACT Wrestling shortly before his alleged death.
“Lost” El Generico Matches
El Generico
On their latest episode, DEADLOCK Podcast host, Johnny, called on IMPACT Wrestling to release the unaired matches.
IMPACT Wrestling tweeted that “two never before seen El Generico matches from 2011 against Amazing Red and TJP are available now for the first time ever on IMPACT Plus!”
Two never before seen El Generico matches from 2011 against Amazing Red and TJP are available now for the first time ever on IMPACT Plus!
WWE confirmed the WrestleMania 39 match between Edge and Finn Balor during Monday Night Raw.
Edge came out for a promo segment where he talked about how he wanted to finish his feud with Balor tonight/ The Judgment Day came out to the stage but wouldn’t get any further. Edge knew why, and he knew if he chased after them, they would just jump him.
He said he would give Balor what he wanted, a WrestleMania match. Edge said he’s tired of wasting his time, which is running out, on them for the last year and a half. He said every week, he has left him laying and even made him say that he quit.
Memory Lane
He recalled Beth Phoenix being hit with a chair. Edge thinks there is one way for it to end, and that’s Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania. Balor said he’s been to hell, and it spit out a demon. This led to a brawl.
As previously reported, WWE had plans to do Edge vs. Balor at the Royal Rumble in the Hell in a Cell match where Balor would portray his demon character, but it was nixed due to Edge filming a Hollywood project.
WWE‘s latest edition of Monday Night RAW went down on (3/13/23) from the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island! Solo Sikoa and The Usos took out Kevin Owens, Cody Rhodes knocked off LA Knight, and Damage CTRL sent a message to Trish Stratus!
Live Coverage
The show begins and WWE Hall of Famer Edge makes his way down to the ring. Before Edge can say much, The Judgment Day interrupts. Edge says he knows Finn Balor will just sick Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, and DominikMysterio on him if he tries to attack them, so if Finn wants his WrestleMania match he’s got it. Edge says he’s wasted enough time on The Judgment Day and he needs to finish Finn off once and for all before he retires because he doesn’t have much time left. Edge says the way he sees it, there’s only one way the feud between he and Finn can end…Edge vs. Finn Balor at WrestleMania 39…inside Hell in a Cell! The Providence, Rhode Island crowd is in a frenzy and Finn says hell can’t handle his demons and accepts…but until then, and the rest of The Judgment Day rush the ring and it’s a three-on-one attack against the WWE Hall of Famer. The Judgment Day’s opponents for tonight, Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis, alongside Candice LeRae rush the ring and make the save! The brawl continues and our commentary team of Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick announce that The Judgment Day will face Lumis and Gargano after the break.
A clip is shown from earlier tonight where Cathy Kelley was interviewing The Miz but Damage CTRL was attacking Trish Stratus in the backstage area and the interview was cut short.
We then see Omos and MVP making their way down to the ring and we’ll hear from the pair after the break.
Back from the break and Omos and MVP are in the ring. MVP says Brock Lesnar is a terrific athlete but he’s not a great deal broker…and Brock wastes no time and makes his way down to the ring. Brock goes right up to Omos and comes face-to-face with his WrestleMania 39 opponent. The Providence, Rhode Island crowd in attendance are thunderous with the ‘holy sh*t!’ chants as Omos puts his fist up to Brock’s face and Brock laughs at how big Omos’ hand is while the crowd now pours in the ‘Suplex City!’ chants. Lesnar and Omos shake hands but Brock stomps on Omos’ foot and Omos dumps Brock out of the ring. Brock laughs Omos off while a bunch of WWE officials rush down to the ring but Brock backs off and heads backstage.
We then see the clip from last week’s show where Jey Uso turned on Sami Zayn and realigned himself with The Bloodline. Cody Rhodes’ and Sami Zayn’s confrontation with The Usos from this past Friday’s episode of SmackDown was then shown.
Cody Rhodes then makes his way down to the ring and ‘he’ll ‘The American Nightmare’ will face LA Knight after the break!
After the match, Cody grabs a microphone and wants to address his WrestleMania 39 opponent…the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Cody says Paul Heyman told him not to make it personal against Reigns at WrestleMania but with him, it’s always been personal. Cody says the reason he wears a tailored suit every day isn’t because he thinks he’s anybody…it’s because he wants to be somebody. Cody says he acknowledges Roman Reigns but it’s time that Roman acknowledges him and while he’s (Cody) not perfect, his record since coming back to WWE is since he’s undefeated. Cody says on April 2 when the sun goes down in Hollywood, it’s going down on Roman Reigns’ generational title run.
We then see a clip from Seth Rollins and Logan Paul’s confrontation on last week’s show during Miz TV. Byron Saxton is then shown backstage with Seth Rollins. Byron asks Seth about Logan attacking him last week and Seth says Logan celebrated like he won the lottery last week but that’s because he did win the lottery…he gets to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. Seth says everyone knows you can’t keep him down but The Miz interrupts. Miz says Seth is jealous of Logan and if you ask him (Miz), it looks like Seth has lost control. Miz says next week, Logan Paul will host IMPAULSIVE on Monday night RAW. Baron Corbin interrupts and tells The Miz that he wants to be on Logan’s show next week. Miz says Logan is booked full and Baron asks to be Miz’s co-host for WrestleMania 39. Miz says he doesn’t have enough pull to make that happen so Baron asks Seth to be his trainer for his match against Logan but Seth says he doesn’t need Baron’s help. Baron says he’s trying everything he can and tells Seth that he’s lucky they don’t fight because if they did, he’d (Baron) knock Seth out cold and take his spot at WrestleMania. Seth challenges to Baron for a match tonight and exits. Miz tells Baron that if he beats Seth, he’ll face Logan Paul at WrestleMania instead of Seth.
It’s then announced that Bronson Reed will face Elias after the break.
Bronson Reed def. Elias (with Rick Boogs)
After the match, Cathy Kelley is shown backstage and she catches up with Kevin Owens. Kevin says it shouldn’t be hard to understand why he doesn’t want to team up with Sami Zayn against The Bloodline. Kevin says he wishes Sami the best and directs his attention to Cody Rhodes. Kevin says he appreciates Cody helping Sami but he doesn’t want Cody to help him tonight against Solo Sikoa because he wants Cody to fully focus on Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
We then see United States Champion Austin Theory backstage, where he approaches Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins of the Street Profits. Theory says Dawkins has more fire and desire than Ford and says every time Ford gets an opportunity, he falls flat on his face. Theory says Ford and Dawkins always talk about the smoke but Ford doesn’t ever do anything once the smoke arrives. Dawkins steps in and tells Theory that he’s got some smoke for the US Champion and theory accepts the challenge.
It’s then announced that the next member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be announced by WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair this Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. EDT/10:00 a.m. PDT on The Bump.
BREAKING: The next inductee into the #WWEHOF Class of 2023 will be revealed this Wednesday on @WWETheBump!
The first inductee in this year’s WWE Hall of Fame, Rey Mysterio then makes his way down to the ring. Rey says he’s honored to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and says his induction isn’t only for him, it’s for his family and the fans. Rey’s son Dominik Mysterio interrupts and says he’s actually proud of his father and says that Rey deserves his Hall of Fame induction. Dominik says Rey was so dedicated to his craft that he forgot about his family, especially him (Dominik). Dominik says he remembers his 16th birthday party where all of his (Dominik’s) friends showed up in Mercedes and Rey only got him a BMW. Dominik challenges Rey to a match at WrestleMania 39 but Rey shakes his head and walks off in disappointment. Dominik screams to his father from the ring and says the only thing Rey taught him was who NOT to be.
We then see Otis doing a photoshoot with Maxine Dupri, Mace, and Mansoor of Maximum Male Models. Chad Gable interrupts and tells Otis that he’s been looking for him the entire night but Otis tells Gable that this is his calling.
After the match, Carmella and Chelsea Green attack Bianca but Asuka rushes down to make the save. Asuka picks up Bianca’s RAW Women’s Championship but pretends she’s going to spit her patented mist in Bianca’s face before dropping the title down in the ring and laughing her way to the back.
Solo Sikoa (with Jimmy & Jey Uso) def. Kevin Owens
When WWE finally was able to convince Steve Austin to come out of retirement last year for a match at WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 against Kevin Owens, he left the door open to do another match.
WWE has taken him at his word and tried to get him to agree to step into the ring again, this time at this year’s WrestleMania 39.
Fightful Select reports that multiple pitches have been made to Steve Austin since last year and those in WWE believe he’s open-minded to wrestling again should the right situation and money come his way. However, the offers so far haven’t seemed like either of those.
No Response
As previously reported, WWE pitched him on the idea of doing a match with Brock Lesnar last summer or in the fall, but the money wasn’t right. Later, Austin was offered more money to possibly face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, and “we’re just told he didn’t get back to WWE on it.”
Austin, who has gotten into great shape, was pitched additional ideas to be on the WrestleMania 39 card, but not for marquee matches.
One name rumored online to have been pitched was LA Knight, and Fightful was able to confirm that match was pitched, but it’s unclear whether Austin is interested in it. Austin is slated to do some WWE-related promotional work for WWE 2K soon.
Bray Wyatt missed Sunday’s WWE live event at Madison Square Garden where he was supposed to take on LA Knight in a match.
After the former WWE Champion missed the show, it led to fan concern regarding his status. He has also been absent from WWE television as of late, with his last appearance coming in the way of a muscle man video.
Fightful Select reports that after talking with those who have worked with Wyatt, he is currently sidelined with a “physical issue,” and they’re not sure about when he could return.
Rumors
There had been rumors that Wyatt walked out because of issues with creative, but as of this writing, the media outlet was unable to confirm that with anyone in the company.
Wyatt was slated to appear at other house shows and SmackDown episodes, but was pulled from those due to the issue. Although he has been sidelined, WWE has continued with the feud between Wyatt and Bobby Lashley.
At one point this weekend, Lashley wasn’t scheduled for Monday’s Raw. It should be noted that Wyatt and Uncle Howdy’s materials have not been sent to the site of SmackDown in the last two weeks. Also, Wyatt hasn’t been planned for those shows and is not scheduled for Raw.
WWE has started to announce inductees into this year’s Hall of Fame class just weeks before the ceremony takes place. On Friday’s SmackDown, WWE confirmed Rey Mysterio as the first person to be part of the class.
It’s been reported that Konnan will do the honors for Mysterio. The Great Muta is also expected to be announced soon for the class.
It looks like Stacy Keibler will be going into the WWE Hall of Fame as Pwinsider.com reports that the WWE is “very close” to finalizing a deal to announce Keibler. She would be the first female member of the class to be announced.
Stacy Keibler in the WWE Hall of Fame
The report added that Keibler and WWE have been in talks for a few weeks now, with an ope source stating the deal was “99% done.” Another source said they expect the induction to be likely, although it wasn’t a done deal as of last Friday.
Keibler broke into the wrestling business by working for WCW in 1999, and after the company was sold, she went to WWE in 2001, where she stayed with the company until mid-2006. She decided to depart from the company to focus on other opportunities.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, March 31, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Coming out of the pandemic restrictions and reopening of the world came a reboot for Chris Adonis. The wrestler former known as “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters still had a passion for performing and a nice career under his belt starting at a young age. However, the veteran felt there was more he could show.
“I had to look at my past and realize I was never my best self,” the NWA star said, checking in from Mexico City where he would join others on the roster for the AAA vs. NWA The World is a Vampire show.
Without any of what he called past B.S. or baggage boggling him down, the 40-year-old believes he can now be the best pro wrestler he can be. There are fellow former colleagues of WWE who have taken advantage of the platform NWA has given them and found tremendous success. Names include Matt Cardona, JTG, Trevor Murdoch, and the man currently at the top of the mountain in Tyrus.
After WWE in particular signed a lot of us, we never really got the full chance to develop,” Adonis explained. “Back in the day, you had guys working territories and all these places. Then they go to WWF and halfway have it figured out.
“What you’re seeing from guys like myself and others coming into our own. We might have come into our own sooner if we had a longer run in WWE. But we have done it ourselves on the independent scene. That comes by virtue of first wanting to get better and still caring. Through the natural course of developing and evolving as a character. Trying to find your final form so to speak.”
The master of The Master Look took WWE by storm 20 years ago and it didn’t take long before he was working with the likes of Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and John Cena. A second stint with the company never really reached the heights he would have liked.
“I came into WWE I was the body guy, the muscle guy,” Adonis said. “It’s not like I’m not completely that anymore. That was my ticket in, but I wasn’t the performer I wanted to be. I didn’t want to be the one-dimensional big guy.”
He aims for a more athletic presentation today in his matches. After landing in the NWA, he joined up with Strictly Business, the top faction made up of the likes of Thom Latimer and champ and recent opponent Nick Aldis. Sacrificing the National Championship for a crack at Murdoch and the heavyweight gold didn’t lead to a positive result. He hopes things end differently as Adonis gears up to challenge Tyrus for the “Ten Pounds of Gold” at the NWA 312 pay-per-view on April 7.
“He is a polarizing figure for a number of reasons,” Adonis said of his opponent. “First off, when you work at Fox News, that is going to be part of the deal anyway. One thing I will say about the IWC is one thing they don’t know is the true love Tyrus actually has for pro wrestling….The love he has for professional wrestling is not fake. He sits around and watches old Dusty Rhodes matches on his TV at home. He is legit about that. That doesn’t change the fact when it comes to Tyrus and myself, I’ve made it pretty clear he may be the NWA champion, but I am the better wrestler. That is what it all comes down to on 312 pay-per-view.”
Adonis will come into Chicago for the big show with a chip on his shoulder. For the driven competitor, it’s the biggest match of his career and the ultimate proving ground.
“I was slated for the Intercontinental title, the tag titles, potentially the youngest WWE champion of all time,” he said. “But to me, this shot at the world title is my shot at redemption. To me, what matters is what I leave behind in these last few years. If I can look back and say I put forward my best body of work and became the NWA champion world champion, the most prestigious championship in all of wrestling. At the very least, that is going to be a feel-good story for me. It matters to me. It’s important I close my career out right.”
NWA/Hiban Huerta
Beyond Tyrus, he believes 2023 is going to be a big year for him. And if this latest run might be his last, he still has goals to attain and opponents to cross off his list. They range from Moose, Harry Smith, and Aldis to Jon Moxley, Hangman Page, and Drew McIntyre. Yes, there are some that are forbidden door opponents and outside the NWA, but he is still putting it out there.
“There is no part of me that thinks he is going back to WWE full-time or am I campaigning for that,” Adonis added. “But what I have campaigned for the last two years is coming back for the Royal Rumble spot. It means a lot to me to get in front of that audience one more time to show them what I can do now and the worker I became…I know if I was put in the Royal Rumble, and even if I was in there for two minutes I would shine. It would be pretty cool.”
When looking at the WWE roster today, he is impressed with emerging talent like Austin Theory. There are some similarities between the young gun and “The Masterpiece,” who came onto the scene right out of his teens. Adonis likens “A-Town Down” to a little brother.
“Austin Theory, Killer Kross, and LA Knight are my guys on the roster. I root for those guys’ success and believe in them,” Adonis said. “I think when I watch Austin Theory, I don’t have to give him advice…As long as he keeps his head on straight, he’ll be able to do all the things I wasn’t able to do because, at his age, I made a lot of mistakes. I was impressionable.
“A lot of what I know about Austin Theory from hanging out with him and talking to him, this guy has no interest in getting involved in extracurricular activities. The business isn’t really like that anymore thank God…He is going to do great as long as he keeps his nose clean. He’ll be able to do what I wasn’t able to do on my first run.”
Watch NWA 312 on April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on FITE TV. Catch NWA Powerrr on Tuesdays at 6:05 p.m. and NWA USA on Saturdays at Noon on YouTube.
Many fans erupted in excitement when Johnny Gargano returned to WWE last summer. Upon his resurgence, Gargano also received a promotion to the main roster, assigned to the RAW brand.
Since his return, “Johnny Wrestling” has found himself generally floating between opponents, with his only substantial feud stemming from a storyline involving Dexter Lumis and The Miz. In February, Gargano punched his ticket to the Elimination Chamber, securing himself a shot at the United States Championship. Unfortunately, Gargano championship aspirations would be squandered as he was eliminated second from the six-man Chamber match.
Gargano soon bounced back with wins over Otis and Finn Balor, before making a surprise visit to WWE NXT to resolve some unfinished business with Grayson Waller. As Gargano now prepares for his match at NXT Stand & Deliver, he is poised to maintain his appearances on RAW as well.
The Future Of Johnny Wrestling
(via WWE)
During an interview on Busted Open Radio, Johnny Gargano spoke candidly about his time on the main roster so far. While some fans may have hoped for more out of his run, Gargano remains optimistic toward his future on RAW.
“You know how things go, man, you make the most out of the time you’re given. You make the most out of your opportunities. I feel like I had a huge opportunity in the Elimination Chamber match, and I feel like I showed out in that one. I feel like I was able to get there with a guy that I feel is probably the standard bearer on our industry right now. Seth Rollins, I think he is the tippy top of the mountain. He’s where I want to be, and I hung toe to toe with him. I showed the world that I can hang with him. So it’s one of those things where it’s all about time. It’s all about patience,” he said.
“I know a lot of people don’t want to be patient. They want it now. They want me to go out there and have 30-minute matches, 25-minute matches, do my ‘Takeover’ thing. It takes time, it takes equity. It takes getting this other audience that maybe doesn’t know about me — these random casual fans we talk about all the time in these buildings that quite frankly, I haven’t been in before.”
“A lot of these markets I’ve never wrestled in and they’re seeing me for the very first time. This whole past, I’d say six months, I’ve wrestled in so many markets I’ve never been in before because NXT did the main markets, they did the main hardcore wrestling towns and like tonight we’re in Providence, Rhode Island, which is Rhode Island’s a great town. We had a couple indies here as well, but I do feel like it’s just time. It’s equity, as you know. It’s putting your time in making the most out of the time you’re given, and that’s all you can do.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t toSEScoops for the transcription.
The Undertaker is one of the most iconic figures in WWE history. He recently shared his thoughts on who he thinks should defeat Roman Reigns and capture his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship belt.
During a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport, the Dead Man said he believes the right person for this job is none other than Cody Rhodes.
The American Nightmare returned from his injury at the Royal Rumble in January, and came out as the winner of the 30-man battle royale. He challenged Reigns for his title on the January 30 episode of Raw, for a match at WrestleMania 39.
Is Cody Rhodes the man to dethrone Roman Reigns?
The Undertaker recommending Cody Rhodes just goes to show how important it is to find the right competitor to defeat Reigns. Reigns has been a force to be reckoned with in the WWE for quite some time now. He has become the top dog in the company and bringing him down is something that needs a lot of planning and proper execution. It will also take someone who has the skills and charisma to pull it off and look believable. The wrestler should also have the staying power to take Reigns’ spot.
It seems like Cody Rhodes fits the bill perfectly when it comes to all these things, according to The Undertaker. Rhodes has momentum in the company currently, has the fan support and is good in the ring as well as the mic. He could make for a believable Universal Champion. He has also proved his mettle during his tenure in AEW.
Apart from Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker also mentioned Sami Zayn as a potential “dark horse” candidate to defeat Reigns. Zayn has been with the WWE for many years, and has had many highs and lows in his career. Being a reliable performer in the ring who WWE could trust, it would make sense why the Deadman himself would think Zayn is another good pick to take down Reigns.
Ridge Holland is dealing with the toxicity of social media with negative fans on the one-year anniversary of Big E’s unfortunate injury.
On March 11, 2022, Big E suffered a broken neck when taking a belly-to-belly suplex from Holland during a tag team match on an episode of WWE SmackDown. Big E landed on his head, fracturing his C1 vertebrae and C6 vertebrae.
Big E didn’t suffer spinal cord damage or need surgery. He wanted to wait a year before getting another check-up to see how his recovery was going. Holland did check on Big E in the hospital after the event and gave him gifts.
The Tweet
Holland noted on Twitter that he has been getting death threats and labeled as racist by fans online:
“Death threats. Threats to my family. Lobbying for me to lose my job. Being labeled as racist. Great stuff keep ‘em coming.”
Xavier Woods saw the tweet and responded with, “Pro Wrestling is extremely dangerous. All of us involved understand that. Ridge & his family do not deserve to be treated this way. Please do not send any hate towards them. Instead use your energy to do something positive like sending love to E. Be kind. Please be kind.”
In the year 2003, WrestleMania XIX hosted only one women’s match on the card — a triple threat for the WWE Women’s Championship. Twenty years later, WrestleMania 39 will feature three, and possibly even more.
Over the course of two decades, women have made a multitude of strides in their television time, overall presentation, and fan perception, and now, they remain some of the most popular and prosperous figures in the company.
“It’s been wonderful to see how far the women’s division has come over the years from being put on the show in bikini matches to main-eventing WrestleMania. It’s just come so far,” former RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley told Richard Deitsch on the Sports Media Podcast.
“The women before us, they persevered and they pushed through and they tried so hard to get the recognition that they deserve as athletes, as performers. It’s finally paying off,” she continued. “We’re selling most of the merch. A lot of people, they stick around for the women’s matches because they want to see us absolutely kill it. A lot of the times I feel like we go harder than the men as well.”
Growth & Goals
(via WWE)
Reflecting back on some of evident progressions, Ripley pinpointed the WrestleMania 37 contest between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair — the second WrestleMania main event for women in WWE history. The match itself has been widely praised as one of the best bouts of the modern era, but for Rhea Ripley, the match holds a deeper significance.
“To watch Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks in the main event a couple of years ago — I remember watching it and I was just like first of all, that’s my friend out there. I was in NXT with Bianca and I’ve watched how much crap she’s gone through and how she’s just pushed through everything. Then riding with her, hearing her backstory and like everything that she’s gone through in life and overcome and to see her go out there and be the main event at WrestleMania with Sasha Banks, who I know has gone through everything as well, it’s just really cool to see. Women are finally getting the spotlight and the opportunities we deserve,” Ripley said.
Over the last year, Rhea Ripley herself has made enormous advancements in her career. Adopting the nickname of “The Eradicator,” Ripley aligned herself with one of WWE’s most dominant factions — The Judgement Day. Through her work with them, Ripley’s confidence has blossomed, as she remains unafraid to square up with just about anyone, including her male counterparts.
“I can only imagine how far we’re going to drive this women’s division in the future because to even just have me going out there and having a match with [Akira] Tozawa, picking up [Luke] Gallows, going out there, beating up the guys, beating up Rey Mysterio, beating up Edge. These are people that I watched as a kid and now me as a female, I get to go out there and punch them in the face. It’s so cool to see how far we’ve all come. I’m so excited to see what the future holds because it’s just going to go up and beyond from here.”
Despite the many advancements, though, the fight for true equality is far from over. As Ripley asserts, she and the entire women’s locker room want viewers to be “fully invested” in their characters, storylines, merchandise, and everything the division is doing. In the meantime, they will keep chipping away at the glass ceiling.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t toSEScoops for the transcription.
The WWE Intercontinental Championship, while being a midcard belt, holds significant importance in the company. It has been a staple of the professional wrestling industry for decades now. Even today, it is still a valuable milestone to reach in a wrestler’s career.
The Intercontinental Championship is currently held by Gunther in WWE, and he is set to defend his title at WrestleMania 39 against the winner of a #1 contender’s match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus.
According to a new report by Fightful Select, Gunther’s plans for WrestleMania 39 were set as early as December 2022.
The original rumors had suggested that Gunther would defend his title against former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. However, these plans did not come to fruition. Lesnar is instead now scheduled to face Omos at WrestleMania 39.
Instead, Gunther will defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against the winner of the #1 contender’s match. This could be either McIntyre or Sheamus, and either competitor would make for an entertaining bout at the Grandest Stage of Them All.
The match came about when Sheamus and McIntyre both won in the Fatal 5-Way match to determine the number one contender.
Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship Reign
The leader of Impreium also recently reached a milestone as the Intercontinental champ.
Gunther won the title on June 10, 2022 edition of WWE SmackDown. He ended Ricochet’s 98-day reign that night. Gunther successfully defended his title against the likes of Braun Strowman, Rey Mysterio, and Shinsuke Nakamura since then.
At the time of this writing, Gunther has held the title for over 276 days. He broke the record of Shelton Benjamin’s reign of 244 days back from 2004.
This feat made Gunther the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 21st century, which was even acknowledged by WWE. It remains to be seen if the champ can continue to hold on to the title and extend his record.
As WWE gears up for WrestleMania in Hollywood, one superstar is hellbent on getting his moment on the grand stage.
Last Friday on SmackDown, five men competed in a number one contender’s match. The winner would then guarantee themselves a shot against GUNTHER at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Championship. Among the competitors were Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, Xavier Woods, and LA Knight. Each participant fought valiantly to secure their spot on the big show, but in a turn of events, it came down to a two-way draw.
At the same time Drew McIntyre pinned LA Knight, another referee counted the shoulders of Xavier Woods, who was in the midst of a pinfall from Sheamus. WWE official Adam Pearce later ruled that both men were co-winners of the five-way contest, but this week, they will square off one-on-one to determine GUNTHER’s sole challenger.
“You Can’t Have An LA WrestleMania Without L-A Knight”
(via WWE)
Despite his evident loss last week, LA Knight believes there can’t be a Los Angeles WrestleMania without him. With no clear path to WrestleMania now, Knight took to Twitter to demand his moment.
“EVERYBODY knows you can’t have an LA Wrestlemania without LA Knight,” he wrote. “But [WWE] is late to the game, DRAGGING THEIR FEET on giving Wrestlemania the opportunity for an LA Knight moment. It’s about damn time I get a heads up. I’m done waiting.”
EVERYBODY knows you can’t have an LA Wrestlemania without LA Knight. But @wwe is late to the game, DRAGGING THEIR FEET on giving Wrestlemania the opportunity for an LA Knight moment. It’s about damn time I get a heads up. I’m done waiting pic.twitter.com/uW4LmBdmdD
Following his loss to Bray Wyatt at the Royal Rumble, Knight has yet to garner another consistent storyline on television. In recent weeks, he had a one-off match with Kofi Kingston, before setting his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. Unfortunately for Knight, his championship aspirations slipped away from his grasp last week.
New Japan Pro Wrestling continued its second round of the New Japan Cup on March 13 at the Item Ehime in Ehime, Japan.
The main event had Will Ospreay take on his United Empire faction member Mark Davis in the second round of the New Japan Cup. In the co-main event, EVIL competed against Jeff Cobb. The winner of Ospreay vs. Davis and EVIL vs. Cobb will face each other in the next round of the New Japan Cup on March 17.
NJPW streamed their event live on NJPW World at 6:00 AM ET/3:00 AM PT. However, to watch the New Japan Cup, fans must subscribe to their service, which is $9.99 in the United States.
If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.
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Japanese wrestling sensation Sareee has addressed her departure from WWE.
Sareee joined WWE in April 2021 and wrestled as Sarray for the company’s NXT brand. On Monday, she held a press conference at the from Tokyo, Japan at the Inoki Genki Factory to discuss her time with WWE and her future in wrestling.
According to Tokyo Sports, she said she has nothing but gratitude for her two years in America. She learned what she wanted to learn in America, but the time has come to take her career in a new direction.
“I made friends all over the world, I think that’s what I’ve gained,” she said (translated). “I think I need to make the most of what I have experienced in the No. 1 promotion in the world in my wrestling career”.
She is excited to be an independent wrestler once again. She feels that her purpose in life is to fight and she’s open to wrestling anywhere that fits her style. Her return match in Japan will be Tokyo Shinjuku Face Tournament “Sareee-ISM” on May 16th.
“I would like to make the most of it and go on a rampage in the Japanese professional wrestling world.”
Sareee
Sareee also tweeted the following, thanking WWE and the WWE Universe for the experience.
No matter what some people might say, I did my best. I am so glad that I had the chance to go to WWE??
Some fans may be wondering why WWE has Brock Lesnar wrestling Omos at WrestleMania, but Lesnar’s former rival Kurt Angle knows exactly why the match has been made.
Lesnar has been one of the top WWE performers for two decades. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ has been featured in several blockbuster matches in the recent years. Lesnar had won the WWE Championship again in 2022 and lost the title in a Winner Takes All Match against Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38.
Following a rematch at SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar later entered a feud with Bobby Lashley, which continued till 2023. After a disqualification loss to Lashley at Elimination Chamber, Lesnar shifted towards a new challenge. He went on to accept up and coming WWE star Omos’ challenge to a match at WrestleMania 39 which is just a few weeks away.
Kurt Angle opens up on the idea of Brock Lesnar vs Omos
Speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic Gold Medalist shared his thoughts on the match and. ‘The Olympic Gold Medalist’ has stated that it’s time for Lesnar to start helping the company build other talent. He wants ‘The Beast’ to put over Omos at ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All.’
“I think it’s a great idea,” Angle said. “You have to remember, Brock is near the end of his career, and Omos is near the beginning of his career. Brock’s always been these main event matches with all the top guys. I think now he’s at the point of his career where he has to start giving back and not being at the top level matches for world championships, but trying to build other talent. I think this is a great idea.”
Lesnar and Omos are set to face off on tonight’s edition of Monday Night RAW. Omos will certainly reach a massive milestone in his career if he’s able to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 39.
Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley plans to use Trish Stratus’ kindness against her at WrestleMania.
‘The Role Model’ recently recalled an emotional story about Stratus mentoring her at a difficult period in her career. Stratus opened up to her, which may turn out to be a big mistake.
Stratus has served as a mentor of sorts to several of today’s top female competitors including Bayley and Sasha Banks (now Mercedes Moné in NJPW). Bayley and Banks were the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after winning the titles in 2019. However, defending the titles belts at WrestleMania 35, they lost to the IIconics in a Fatal 4-Way match.
There were reports that the Boss-N-Hug Connection were extremely upset following their loss, but Stratus was there to inspire them and help turn the setback into a learning experience.
Bayley recalled the emotional incident
Over the weekend, Bayley tweeted about Trish consoling her and Sasha Banks after their WrestleMania 35 loss. During this discussion, Stratus opened up about her own ups and downs, as well as her insecurities and weaknesses. Little did she know that she’d be standing across the ring from Bayley four years later.
“We sat in the hallway of our hotel after losing the tag team titles at Wrestlemania. You talked to us til 4am sharing your secrets of the business, your personal life, your strengths and your weaknesses………….I remember #WrestleMania” Bayley tweeted.
The Hall of Famer responded to the tweet and stated that at least the Damage CTRL leader already knows how it feels to lose at WrestleMania and will be able to “CTRL” (control) her tears better this time.
“Yah I remember. Well, at least you already know what if feels to lose at #WrestleMania… maybe you can CTRL [control] your tears better this year,” Stratus wrote.
Yah I remember. Well, at least you already know what if feels to lose at #WrestleMania… maybe you can CTRL your tears better this year. https://t.co/Okuc9XtYlu
Veteran star CM Punk has been on the shelf with injury and he was allegedly suspended. He has not been featured in the AEW programming for the past several months. There is a possibility that we might see him back inside the squared circle soon.
Punk had captured the AEW World Championship against Jon Moxley at All Out last year. However, it was reported that he tore a muscle in his arm during the contest and was also suspended following the controversial media scrum rant.
During the post-AEW All Out media scrum, CM Punk bashed Colt Cabana, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks, which received in a ton of backlash. The comments reportedly led to a backstage brawl which grabbed the headlines.
CM Punk rose to prominence at his first promotion which was Ring of Honor (ROH). With the promotion’s Supercard of Honor pay-per-view scheduled to take place on March 31, the ROH Hall of Famer could be making his return to the promotion at the event.
CM Punk: Honor Never Dies
The former AEW World Champion recently shared a photo on his Instagram story of him working out. While he was pumping iron, Hatebreed’s ‘Honor Never Dies’ was playing in the background, hinting at a return to Ring of Honor.
Check it out below:
CM Punk’s IG story with Hatebreed’s “Honor Never Dies”
It should also be noted that AEW President Tony Khan owns ROH alongside All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and Punk could return at either of the promotions. We will now have to wait and see what the future holds for CM Punk.
A new report has provided an update on former NXT talent Sarray’s exit from WWE.
Sarray signed with the company in 2020 to join the NXT roster. Unfortunately, her WWE career was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She competed in Japan during that time and also won the SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Tag Championship with her partner Yoshiko on Nov. 27, 2020, against Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima and Tsukasa Fujimoto). Sarray and Yoshiko dropped the titles to Nanae Takahashi & Arisa Nakajima on Jan. 22, 2021. After losing the SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Tag Championship, Sarray would come to the United States and debut in NXT on April. 20, 2021.
While Sarray came to the company with chances for new opportunities, WWE had difficulty featuring her on the show. She competed in NXT when they shifted to NXT 2.0, which started five months after her debut. During that time, NXT 2.0 began to focus on featuring newer talent like Cora Jade, Elektra Lopez, and Lash Legend, with other established NXT talents like Mandy Rose, Raquel Gonzales, and Kay Lee Ray. Sarray got lost in the shuffle and spent less time on NXT TV. Her last match was against Mandy Rose at NXT 2.0 on Aug. 2, 2022.
After three years, Tokyo Sports reported that Sarray had left the WWE after her contract expired, and she would return to Japan to continue her professional wrestling career. She is expected to hold a press conference on March. 13 in Japan to announce her plans.
Sarray faced Lash Legend during the December 17 episode of 205 Live
Update on Sarray Leaving WWE
Since Tokyo Sports revealed that she had left WWE, fans were curious about what went wrong with her career in NXT. Fightful Select reported that they were told that “…the beginning of the end was actually early in 2022 when many of her biggest supporters were let go from NXT.”
The report continued, “…Sources within the brand said that she never factored into a consistent or major creative fashion after that. We’re told by the spring of 2022 that the writing was on the wall. William Regal’s departure was one that many pointed to as a turning point. Those who frequent the Performance Center said that she hadn’t been around in “ages” and weren’t given any answers when they’d ask about her.” The report shared that it’s acknowledged within WWE that she was given bad creative.
Despite her career in WWE, the report shared that she liked working with up-and-coming talent, including her brief feud with Tiffany Stratton. According to the report, people working in the Performance Center have positive things to say about Sarray.
She will have a match on May. 16 at the Sareee-ISM event at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.
Four wrestlers from the independent scene are lucky to be alive after being involved in a very serious car accident.
On Twitter, the Absolute Intense Wrestling account shared a photo of the wrecked vehicle, and said that Dominic Garrini, Joshua Bishop, Derek Dillinger, and Marino Tenaglia were involved.
Thankfully, the AIW account informed fans that it appears that everyone who was in the car at the time of the accident is going to be okay.
— Absolute Intense Wrestling (@aiwrestling) March 12, 2023
Garrini has competed in promotions including EVOLVE, MLW, and Chikara, and made an appearance for AEW in February of last year.
On the February 16, 2022, taping of AEW Dark: Elevation, Garrini was on the losing end of a ten-man tag team match.
Bishop is also a regular in multiple promotions, and in addition to being the reigning AIW Absolute Champion, holds the BLP Midwest Championship.
Dillinger has dominated AIW for months as the AIW Intense Champion, with his most recent title defense coming at AIW: This Aggression Will Not Stand Man last month.
Next month will mark six years since Tenaglia made his wrestling debut, and has been a regular in Absolute Intense Wrestling throughout his career.
We here at SEScoops would like to extend our best wishes to Dominic Garrini, Joshua Bishop, Derek Dillinger, and Marino Tenaglia at this unfortunate time.
Which match will close out WrestleMania 39: Night One on Saturday, April 1?
With the star power in the match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns Vs. Cody Rhodes, it has long been accepted that this match will headline Night Two.
WWE is yet to confirm the main event for either night, or whether any match will be on Saturday or Sunday.
Intercontinental Main Event
WWE SmackDown Superstar Sheamus has never closed out a WrestleMania, but he plans on changing that in a matter of weeks.
Sheamus will face friend and longtime rival Drew McIntyre this Friday, with the winner facing Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER at WrestleMania 39.
Taking to Twitter to promote the St. Patrick’s Day clash, Sheamus said that his victory would mean he headlines WrestleMania 39: Night One.
St. Patrick’s Day 2023. Kansas City. Drew McIntyre V Sheamus. Winner: IC Title Match Main Event at Wrestlemania 39 Day One.. Next Friday “Remember Murrayfield” #SCOvIRE#luckoftheirishpic.twitter.com/UDGCPhmi23
The Sheamus-McIntyre match was formed last week, after both men scored a pinfall during a five-way to determine GUNTHER’s opponent.
It has been reported that WWE’s plan is for a triple-threat match for the title at WrestleMania 39.
The Intercontinental Championship has headlined one WrestleMania, that being WrestleMania 6 when Champion the Ultimate Warrior faced WWF Champion Hulk Hogan in a title-for-title match.
Other Night One Contenders
Sheamus Vs. McIntyre Vs. GUNTHER would be a physical main event to WrestleMania 39: Night One, but it isn’t the only option.
It has been reported that WWE is considering SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Rhea Ripley as the closer for the show.
Some have argued that given his popularity, Sami Zayn should headline Night One in the rumored tag match with Kevin Owens against Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos.
Cody Rhodes knows firsthand what it’s like to depart from WWE, reinvent himself outside of the company bubble, and make a return to the promotion. Now, he wants to see Matt Cardona do just that.
Cardona was with WWE for several years until 2020 when he departed in 2020 before going to AEW that same year for a brief run. He went to Impact Wrestling in January 2022 where he found success. He also found a lot of success in GCW and NWA. He has held the GCW World Championship, the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, the Impact Digital Media Championship, and several other titles.
While speaking on Good Karma Wrestling, Cardona came up in the interview. Rhodes called him the king of the indies and wants to see him return to WWE.
Praise
“I’m really proud of him,” Rhodes said. “He’s out there, he’s doing the Indy God thing with the Indiana Jones hats. Everything Matt’s doing, Matt has been the king of the indies now, this is going on year two. You only usually get one run in that role. He’s going on year two. What Matt does next is gonna be huge. If he goes to AEW, that’d be cool. But if he comes back to WWE, that’s what I want. It would be off the charts. I think he’s a huge get, a huge free agent, and he’s the best he’s ever been.
Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 where he has since been pushed as a top star. He will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.
