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WWE Money in the Bank Headed to London’s O2 Arena July 1

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced a big premium live event is headed to the UK later this year. Money in the Bank 2023 will be held Saturday, July 1 from London’s famous O2 arena. This will be WWE’s first ‘premium live event’ to be held from the city in over two decades.

Here’s the official press release sent in by WWE:

MONEY IN THE BANK® HEADED TO THE O2 IN LONDON  ON SATURDAY JULY 1

FIRST WWE PREMIUM LIVE EVENT TO BE HELD IN LONDON IN OVER TWO DECADES

STAMFORD, Conn., January 5, 2023 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that The O2 in London will host Money In The Bank on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Money In The Bank marks the first WWE Premium Live Event to be held in London in over two decades.

Money In The Bank will feature WWE’s biggest Superstars and will also bring the Money In The Bank ladder matches to the UK for the first time in history, with each winner receiving a briefcase containing a contract for a championship match at a time and place of their choosing anytime within the next year.

“The O2 is one of the world’s premier venues and the perfect home for Money In The Bank. We are excited to bring one of our ‘Big 5’ events to the UK and look forward to welcoming the WWE Universe to London on July 1,” said Dan Ventrelle, EVP, Talent at WWE.

“We are honoured to be hosting the first ever Money In The Bank event taking place in the UK here at The O2,” said Christian D’Acuña, Senior Programming Director at The O2. “We’re looking forward to welcoming back WWE fans to The O2 this summer for an unforgettable night with some of WWE’s biggest Superstars.”

The announcement follows the huge success of Cardiff’s Clash At The Castle® in September 2022, the first major WWE stadium show to be held in the UK since 1992. Clash At The Castle broke numerous records at the time including becoming the most-watched international premium live event in WWE history, with the largest European gate ever and the best-selling merchandise for a non-WrestleMania event. 

In addition, Official WWE Money In The Bank Priority Passes are available now through exclusive partner On Location at this link or by calling 855-346-7388 giving fans the opportunity to purchase ticket packages before they go on sale to the general public. The Money In The Bank Priority Pass offers fans the chance to be ringside for every exhilarating moment, including premium seating, all-inclusive pre-show hospitality with WWE Superstar appearances, ringside photo opportunities, an autographed poster, merchandise fastlane, exclusive merchandise, two nights of deluxe accommodations, and much more.

Additional information on Money In The Bank will be announced in the coming weeks. To learn more about registering for general ticket presale opportunities please visit: https://www.wwe.com/mitb2023-presale-registration.

“Hollywood” – Will Roman Reigns be Stepping Away from WWE in 2023?

Thomas Lowson
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Is Roman Reigns’ tenure as the most dominant star in WWE going to come to an end this year?

Reigns has for years been WWE’s top performer, which earned him considerable backlash from fans who didn’t appreciate the Big Dog being forced on them.

In 2020, Reigns returned from a four-month absence as his current Tribal Chief character, earning acclaim from fans and those in the industry for his transformation.

Hollywood

Since capturing the Universal Championship at WWE Payback in August 2020, Reigns has been virtually untouchable in the ring.

Last year, Reigns signed a new deal with WWE, one that has resulted in fewer matches and fewer appearances by the Head of the Table.

Giving his 2023 predictions during his Strictly Business podcast, Eric Bischoff suggested that Reigns may walk away from the ring this year, then pursue a career in acting.

“[I predict] Roman Reigns is crossing over into mainstream entertainment. You know, I haven’t had my finger on you know Roman’s career or his trajectory so far, but [with his cousin The Rock] it kind of makes a little bit of sense doesn’t it?

You know in Hollywood it’s not about how good you are necessarily, It’s how good you are and who you know. I think Roman has put his toe in the water and now he’s got a little bit of a taste of Hollywood.

“Roman has put his toe in the water and now he’s got a little bit of a taste of Hollywood.”

Eric Bischoff.

I think Roman Reigns’s long Title reign will come to an end this year and I think the best thing that you could do would be for him to step away for a few months.”

In 2019, Reigns appeared alongside his cousin in ‘Hobbs and Shaw’ a spin-off of the Fast and Furious franchise.

Dethroning the Tribal Chief

Reigns has been Universal Champion for the past 857 days, and captured the WWE Championship last April at WrestleMania 38.

After Bischoff’s co-host Jon Alba said he believes the long-rumored WrestleMania match between Reigns and The Rock isn’t happening, Bischoff gave his pick for who should be WWE’s next Undisputed Universal Champion.

“I just saw a picture on social media of a WWE truck, a production truck, wrapped with a WrestleMania rap that featured Cody Rhodes. I think Cody’s going to be the guy this year and as he should be in my opinion.”

“I think Cody’s going to be the guy this year and as he should be in my opinion.”

Eric Bischoff.

Bischoff reiterated that Reigns would be smart to walk away the ring at 37 years old with plenty of time to try new projects.

“If I’m Roman and I know my bank account’s good. My Investment Portfolio is good and I’m still young enough and healthy enough especially given his circumstances, I’m going to get out while the getting’s good brother and step into the next phase of my life.”

In addition to Hobbs and Shaw, Reigns appeared in The Wong Missy (2020,) and provided his voice for the animated wrestling movie Rumble (2021.)

Roman Reigns Addresses The State Of His WWE Title Run
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

IWGP Women’s Championship Match Confirmed for NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023

Thomas Lowson
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Mercedes Mone’ may be mere weeks away from becoming the second-ever IWGP Women’s Champion now that her title match has been confirmed.

Mone’, who worked for years in WWE as Sasha Banks, made her New Japan Pro Wrestling debut at yesterday’s Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Banks attacked KAIRI, who had retained her title against Tam Nakano, and posed with the IWGP Women’s Title.

The Match

Banks made it clear in her attack that she wants to be the next IWGP Women’s Champion, and vowed to make KAIRI ‘bankrupt.’

On Twitter, the NJPW Global account confirmed that the two will face off the for the title, which will take place at NJPW Battle in the Valley on February 18.

The match will mark Mone’s first bout since a May 15, 2022 WWE Live event, where she and Naomi retained the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against Shayna Baszler and Natalya.

In a video shared by NJPW Global, Mone’ encouraged fans to purchase the show on FITE.

History

This will be the first time that Mone’ and KAIRI have faced off for the IWGP Women’s Championship, but the two are far from strangers.

KAIRI’s final weeks in WWE on TV would see her face Mone’ multiple times as part of the feud between the Kabuki Warriors against Bayley & Sasha Banks.

Speaking on the post-Wrestle Kingdom press conference, Mone’ said that her history with the IWGP Women’s Champion played a part in her decision to target her first.

New TNT Champion Crowned – Promises Title Match to AEW Prospect

Thomas Lowson
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Darby Allin has regained the AEW TNT Championship, and the face-painted wrestler didn’t wait long before offering a title match to one of the company’s youngest prospects.

During this week’s Dynamite, Allin dethroned Samoa Joe to win the gold, ending the Samoan Submission Machine’s reign at 46 days.

The closing sequence saw Allin throw Joe into an exposed turnbuckle and hit a Code Red and multiple Coffin Drops to get the win.

This win marks Allin’s second AEW TNT title reign, as he held the title for 186 days (a record-long reign) after winning the gold at Full Gear 2020.

Allin’s Title Defense

AEW Dynamite went off the air with Allin celebrating his newly-won championship with Sting, who hoisted the young wrestler in the air to close out the show.

After Dynamite finished taping, Allin brought Nick Wayne into the ring and promised him a shot at the TNT Championship once he finishes high school.

Nick Wayne

At 17-years-old, Wayne is the second-youngest name signed to an All Elite Wrestling contract, only being bested by ‘Negative One’ Brodie Lee Jr.

Wayne is yet to compete for AEW due to his age, but has big plans for his future in the ring.

Speaking to Andrew Thompson last April, Wayne said he’s ready to wrestle for AEW the moment he turns 18 and in some impressive foreshadowing, spoke about a match with Allin.

“I hope it happens one day. Me and Darby have so much backstory behind us. You know, I was there for Darby’s first day of training. Yeah, he was trained by my father. I saw him about 4-5 times a week training. We have a really big story together.”

Nick Wayne.

Outside of AEW, Wayne has competed for GCW, DEFY, and PROGRESS among other promotions.

Darby Allin Reveals Why He Decided To Go Homeless During Early Wrestling Days

h/t – Wrestling Inc

Young Bucks Negotiating New AEW Contracts to Stay “For Quite Some Time”

Thomas Lowson
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The Young Bucks will seemingly be staying with All Elite Wrestling for quite some time as the duo is discussing new deals with the company.

Matt and Nick Jackson are founding members of AEW, having co-created the company in 2019 alongside the likes of Tony Khan, Kenny Omega, and Cody Rhodes.

In the ring, the Bucks are the first (and only) two-time AEW World Tag Team Champions, and hold the record for most days as champion (330 days.)

Contracts

The Young Bucks have been in discussions with All Elite Wrestling about new contracts for some time, Fightful Select has learned.

It is currently unclear how long these new deals will be for, or if they have already been signed.

The length of the Young Bucks’ current contracts with AEW is something of a mystery, with conflicting reports over their length.

Upon AEW’s launch in January 2019, the Wrestling Observer reported that the Bucks, Omega, and Rhodes had signed five-year deals which would expire in early 2024.

On the October 7, 2019, episode of Being the Elite, the contracts were described as “four-year deals,” meaning that they would expire at some point this year.

Several sources in AEW told Fightful that the Young Bucks have been discussing new contracts with the company that would keep them around “for quite some time.”

Frozen Contracts?

There is a possibility that Tony Khan froze the deals for the Young Bucks following the controversy stemming from All Out.

The now-infamous September 2022 Pay-Per-View is primarily remembered for CM Punk’s explosive comments after the event, and the backstage fight.

This fight resulted in all parties involved being suspended, which included the Bucks, who would miss two months of TV time before returning at AEW Full Gear.

Young Bucks: ‘These Have Been Two of the Hardest Months of Our Lives’

Kenny Omega Message of Respect for Will Ospreay

Samantha Schipman
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On Wednesday at Wrestle Kingdom, Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay was the first of a double main event. The match was for Ospreay’s IWGP US Championship.

The match had seeds planted back at Forbidden Door and it’s possible a rematch could either happen in AEW or at Forbidden Door 2, assuming it happens.

Leading up to the match, Ospreay and Omega had a heated exchange at the Wrestle Kingdom press conference. It led to Don Callis praising Ospreay in a very Don Callis way.

Kenny Omega Praises Ospreay

Kenny Omega Will Ospreay

Fans quickly named it as a Match of the Year contender with many saying no other match this year will possibly top it. It was a brutal, hard-hitting match from bell to bell.

Omega hit a DDT on an exposed turnbuckle, leading Ospreay to bleed copious amounts. Ospreay continued the match, but to no avail. Omega regained the title that he was the first to hold.

The new champion took to Twitter to tell Ospreay that he respected his passion. In true Heel Kenny fashion, he told Ospreay that he forgave him.

Will Ospreay Discusses Potential Crossover Match With Seth Rollins

Now that “The Cleaner” has won back the title he once held, it remains to be seen if he will defend it in AEW, NJPW, or both. Omega will compete with the Young Bucks against Death Triangle in the final match of the Best of Seven series. The match is an Escalera de la Muerte match.

Batista on Acting: I Never Wanted to be The Next Rock

Thomas Lowson
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Dave Batista has become a star in both wrestling and in Hollywood, but the inspiration for his movie career didn’t come from The Rock.

After leaving WWE in 2010, the Animal turned to acting and would star in multiple straight-to-DVD projects.

In 2014, Batista’s big break would come as Drax the Destroyer, one of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A Respected Actor

After his breakout role as Drax, other major franchises would work with Animal, including the James Bond series (Spectre, 2015) and Blade Runner (Blade Runner 2049, 2017).

Of course, The Rock is arguably the most successful wrestler to make their name in acting, but that didn’t aspire the Animal, as he told GQ Magazine.

“I never wanted to be the next Rock. I just want to be a good f***ing actor. A respected actor.”

Dave Batista.

Batista’s latest project, Glass Onion, a sequel to Knives Out (2019) landed on Netflix last month after a limited theatrical release.

The Greatest?

While The Rock has plenty of blockbusters to his name, the Brahma Bull has also had his fair share of flops.

Sitting down with The Atlantic last month, Glass Onion’s director Rian Johnson was in complete agreement when asked if Batista is the greatest wrestler to become an actor.

“I absolutely 100 percent agree [that Batista is the greatest wrestler-to-actor ever.] And I think somebody like Paul Thomas Anderson is going to give him a real part and is going to look like a genius.

Rian Johnson.

Johnson’s respect for Batista is a two-way street, with the former WWE World Champion sharing positive posts about the director on social media, and gifting him a World Heavyweight Championship on the set of Glass Onion.

Dave Bautista Praised by WWE Legend For His Role in ‘Glass Onion’

MJF Trashed Seattle Before AEW Dynamite Began (Video)

Samantha Schipman
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AEW is making their debut in Seattle. Of course, MJF couldn’t wait for the opportunity to trash the city before Dynamite went on air.

The AEW World Champion told the crowd they “blew it” before a video played of the Seahawks losing the Super Bowl. MJF said it’s because they suck to which the crowd laughed.

In another tweet, a fan noted that MJF said Seattle is depressing, the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma, and that Kurt Cobain died by suicide.

Last week, AEW tweeted a graphic stating that the champion was contractually obligated to be in Seattle. He quote tweeted it with “haven’t I suffered enough?”

Bryan Danielson has a match on Wednesday night against Tony Nese. Danielson and MJF have been feuding since the champ turned on Regal and attacked him. MJF has a penchant for sitting in suites to watch matches of his nemesis.

William Regal is Officially Back With WWE (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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William Regal has returned to WWE in an official capacity. 

His previous title with the company had been WWE Director of Talent Development and Head of Global Recruiting. He was released from WWE on January 5, 2022, due to budget cuts, along with several others who were part of Triple H’s team in NXT. 

According to a report from PWInsider, Regal is back with WWE as of this morning and is set to be a vice president, although his actual job title has not yet been revealed.

How We Got Here

Regal joined AEW at the Revolution pay-per-view on March 6, 2022, before he officially announced his departure on December 30, 2022. 

AEW President Tony Khan previously revealed the details behind Regal’s AEW release during an ROH Final Battle press conference on December 12, 2022. According to Khan, Regal wanted to return to WWE to be with his friends and work with his son, who wrestles in NXT as Charlie Dempsey. 

Regal had the following to say about his time in AEW. 

“Yesterday was my last official day with @AEW. I’d like to thank @TonyKhan, Megha and all the hard working crew. Contrary to people who’ve never spoken to me or have their information from people who don’t know me or are trying to make themselves noticed, I had a lovely time working there and had a great time. Lots of talented Wrestlers, and lovely people to work for. To my fellow BCC members, it was a special, albeit brief few months but it cemented our already strong friendship. To everyone there, thank you for welcoming me. Best wishes.”

Regal and Triple H have been friends for years. In his previous stint, Regal was Triple H’s, right-hand man.

NJPW Founder Antonio Inoki Biopic is in the Works

Thomas Lowson
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Fans of professional wrestling legend Antonio Inoki will soon be able to relive his life and career with a brand new movie.

The project was announced today at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, which is being dedicated to the legacy of Inoki.

Inoki died on October 1, 2022, of systemic transthyretin amyloidosis at the age of 79.

Antonio Inoki: Wrestling Legend

When it comes to wrestling, few lives and careers are more deserving of a motion picture than Antonio Inoki.

Born during the grips of World War 2, Inoki began his wrestling career in the 1960s under the tutelage of the legendary Rikidozan.

Fire from the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance in 1971 over an attempted takeover of the company, Inoki founded his own promotion in 1972: New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Inoki’s strong style made him a force to be reckoned with, and in November 1979, the NJPW founder defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund to win the title.

A rematch that saw Backlund win was later declared a no-contest, but Inoki’s reign is not officially recognized by WWE.

Inoki also battled boxing icon Muhammad Ali in 1976 in a unique boxing/shoot wrestling style match that resulted in a draw.

In 1995, Inoki was part of the Collision in Korea in Pyongyang and defeated Ric Flair at the most-attended wrestling event in history.

For years after, Inoki would remain a staple of Japanese pro-wrestling and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.

Inoki Out of the Ring

Not only an accomplished wrestler, Inoki was elected to Japan’s House of Councillors in 1989, despite being active in the ring at the time.

In 1990, Inoki traveled alone to Iraq and negotiated with Saddam Hussein that saw 36 Japanese captives be freed in exchange for a wrestling show in the nation.

A series of scandals saw Inoki lose his seat in 1995, but he would be re-elected in 2013.

In 2019, Inoki retired from politics, citing health issues at the time as a large factor in his decision.

NJPW and WWE Share Touching Memoriam For Antonio Inoki

Will Ospreay Discusses Potential Crossover Match With Seth Rollins

Jon Fuentes
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Will Ospreay seems to be interested in a crossover match with WWE’s Seth Rollins.

Ospreay recently spoke with Sportkeeda’s WrestleBinge on a variety of topics, including a potentially crossover match with WWE’s “Architect.” He noted that Rollins is more than welcome to make the trip over to Japan to settle their differences.

“I think it would be good to — I mean, obviously all the smoke is cleared between myself and Seth. But like, there’s always that desire or want to see two guys just beat the crap out of one another, right? So if Seth’s still got a bit of an issue, then I’ve got a bit of an issue. So he’s more than welcome to come over to Japan.” 

Seth Rollins
(WWE)

Back in 2019, Rollins and Ospreay found themselves in a Twitter back-and-forth that apparently developed some bad blood between the pair. Ospreay has seemingly noted that the issues have now subsided, but a match between them would still be interesting.

Recently, Ospreay dropped the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 17. As for Rollins, he failed to capture the United States Championship from Austin Theory on Monday Night RAW this week.

He also apparently suffered an injury during the bout, meaning any potential matchup between Ospreay and Rollins won’t be happening anytime soon.

Quotes via 411Mania

Mick Foley On He & Stephanie McMahon Standing Up To Vince

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon teamed up against Vince McMahon to get their way on television.

Foley recently took to his podcast, “Foley Is Pod,” to discuss his 2016 return to WWE as RAW General Manager. The former WWE Champion explained what it was like to work alongside Stephanie McMahon for that period of time.

“I got maybe ten percent of what I wanted out of Vince. Then Stephanie and I went and cut the promo our own way. It was a lot of tension. We are overriding Vince’s edict. We cut the promo. He sees us cutting the promo, he goes “what the hell is going on here?”

“Stephanie goes “dad, Mick and I did this just to see what happened. We’d like you to take a look at it.” And it was about a three minute segment. He looked at it after, seemed like an eternity, nodded his head and went, “we’ll do it your way.”

“As soon as he turned the corner, we hugged. We were just so happy that we had stood up for ourselves.”

Mick Foley
Mick Foley

He detailed how he and Stephanie teamed up with one another against Vince McMahon to get their way for a promo on television. Ultimately, their efforts proved to be successful after it was all said and done.

Mick Foley returned to WWE in 2016 to serve as General Manager for Monday Night RAW alongside commissioner Stephanie McMahon. The stint lasted just under a year as Foley was eventually written off television when he was fired by Stephanie McMahon.

Since, Foley has continued to make sporadic appearances on WWE television.

https://youtu.be/qtuntLOhdc8

Quotes via 411Mania

Kazuchika Okada Regains IWGP World Heavyweight Championship At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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Six months after their Dominion showdown, Kazuchika Okada has finally gotten the better of Jay White.

Wrestle Kingdom 17 marks Okada’s first win over ‘Switchblade’ in almost four years. In that time, White picked up a 2020 G1 Climax win over ‘The Rainmaker’ as well as taking the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship off of him last year.

Okada vanquished his long-running foil with a Rainmaker at the 33-minute mark of the bout. This marks the second consecutive Wrestle Kingdom closed out with ‘The Rainmaker’ on top. Last year, he won back-to-back main events over then-champion Shingo Takagi and Will Ospreay.

Tonight’s match was especially notable for White’s unpleasant, mouth-foaming selling of Okada’s Money clip submission hold. ‘The Rainmaker’ also kicked out of the highly-protected Blade Runner finisher.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17
Kazuchika Okada victorious at Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Kazuchika Okada’s First Challenger Revealed

Following his win, Kazuchika Okada was confronted by none other than the man he beat at last year’s January 4 event: Shingo Takagi.

Takagi was relegated to the prelims at this year’s Tokyo Dome extravaganza. There, he was one of the winners of the annual New Japan Ranbo. The KOPW 2022 Champion ultimately made his presence felt on the main card when he confronted the new champ after the main event.

The popular Los Ingobernables de Japon member made clear his intention to regain the gold he lost to Okada last year.

Wrestle Kingdom 17 then rounded out on a fitting tribute to the late Antonio Inoki. The founder of NJPW, Inoki passed away in October last year. This year’s Tokyo Dome show, and particularly its main event, marked the promotion’s tribute to its original ace. It’s fitting then, that current leading man Kazuchika Okada was the one to close out the show.

Kenny Omega Defeats Will Ospreay For US Title At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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The highly-anticipated showdown between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay has finished with ‘The Cleaner’ coming out on top.

The January 4 victory marks the start of Omega’s second reign as IWGP US Champion. His inaugural run with the title in 2017 and 2018 drew widespread acclaim. Omega played up his heel-side against the brash Ospreay in this near 35-minute war.

Both men worked a stiff, hard pace between the ropes, dismantling each other with hard shots and explosive moves. Ultimately, a defiant Ospreay spat in ‘The Cleaner’s face before eating a One Winged Angel to lose his belt.

After several months of re-establishing the US Title’s prestige after a chaotic first half of 2022, Will Ospreay’s defeat here may come as a surprise to some. Omega is of course no longer with the promotion, making the future of the US Title in NJPW more unpredictable than ever.

Today Marks Four Years Since Kenny Omega Last Wrestled In NJPW

Before today’s US Championship war, ‘The Cleaner’ had not competed in NJPW for four years. He was last seen at Wrestle Kingdom 13, where he defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against 2018 G1 Climax winner Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Tanahashi ultimately got the better of Omega in a classic main event bout.

Since then, Kenny Omega has of course been focusing most of his time on AEW, where he enjoyed a lengthy run with the World Championship in late 2020 and most of 2021. After spending much of 2022 on the shelf due to injuries, ‘The Cleaner’ returned with a bang to team with old pals The Young Bucks.

Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega in AEW.

If today’s showdown with Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 17 is anything to go by, Omega still has a lot left in the tank at the singles level.

WWE Superstars Spotted in the Crowd at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Thomas Lowson
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Karl Anderson and Mercedes Mone (aka Sasha Banks) may have made their presence felt at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, but they weren’t the only WWE names at the event.

Anderson, who returned to WWE in October of last year, lost the NJPW Never Openweight Champion to Tama Tonga, kicking off the latter’s second reign.

Mone, who was quietly released from WWE in June 2022, debuted as Mercedes Mone and confronted IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI after her successful title defense.

WWE in Tokyo

Before Wrestle Kingdom got underway, it was reported that both Naomi and Bayley were in Japan.

In an update, ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported that both women were seen in the crowd at Wrestle Kingdom 17.

While fans in attendance spotted the Damage CTRL member and the suspended WWE Superstar, neither was focused on by NJPW’s film team.

On Twitter, Bayley referenced her friend and Boss ‘n Hug Connection tag-team partner’s debut for New Japan.

Mercedes Mone: All Elite?

Mercedes Mone is part of the New Japan Pro Wrestling roster, but could her future rest with Tony Khan and AEW?

Sources in the company who spoke to Fightful Select have been “no sold” when they’ve asked if Mone will be Saraya’s upcoming tag team partner.

The British wrestler will team with a mystery partner on next week’s AEW Dynamite to face Britt Baker and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter.

Despite not being given any hint as to who it will be, talent in AEW are expecting the mystery partner to be Mone.

Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) Makes NJPW Debut – Teases Title Match

New IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Crowned At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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Wrestle Kingdom 17 has played host to several notable title changes already, including the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title.

In a four-way bout, Taiji Ishimori wound up losing his strap to longtime junior heavyweight lead star Hiromu Takahashi. The bout also featured Takahashi’s longtime nemesis El Desperado and Master Wato. It was Wato who wound up eating the pin almost 17 minutes into the match.

Wrestle Kingdom 17 saw the first defense of the junior belt in six months. The long-running four-way angle between this quartet essentially held up the division for much of the closing stretch of last year. Before that, Ishimori’s feud with KUSHIDA had to be cut short when the returning former champ required time off due to severe illness.

hiromu
Takashi champion again at Wrestle Kingdom 17

Where Does Hiromu Takahashi Go Following Wrestle Kingdom 17?

The now five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion has a lot of options coming out of the Tokyo Dome. He did suffer a singles bout loss to Ishimori last year. Considering the fact that ‘The Bone Soldier’ didn’t get pinned, a title between the pair soon seems likely.

Interestingly, during and after the match, a confrontation between Los Ingobernables de Japon and NOAH faction KONGO broke out. As the junior ace of LIJ, Takahashi could well have to fend off some NOAH invader challengers in the months to come.

A war between the two factions was first teased last year. Fan interest in a Tetsuya Naito vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima feud has been building for years now. While the pair did wrestle at the 2016 G1 Climax, Nakajima has come a long way since then.

For Hiromu Takahashi, this is another exciting prospect for his latest run on top coming out of Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Keiji Muto (The Great Muta) Victorious in Final NJPW Match at Wrestle Kingdom 17

Thomas Lowson
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Keiji Muto is leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling a winner after coming out on top at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

In the sixth match on the card, Muto, better known to fans as the Great Muta, teamed with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shota Umino to defeat Los Ingobernables de Japon.

Muto opened his final match for New Japan against Sanada, who leveled him with a series of dropkicks and landed a moonsault in the opening sequence.

Bouncing back, Muto hit a couple of shining wizards throughout the bout and teased during a moonsault, but was prevented by Tanahashi.

While Muto was on the winning side, he didn’t get the pinfall, as Umino hit the death rider on BUSHI to score the victory.

Retirement

Keiji Muto is currently on his retirement tour, which will conclude with a mat on February 23, 2023.

On January 1, Muto competed against WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura but lost to the two-time former NXT Champion.

His final match will be a six-man tag-team match which will see him team with Sting and Darby Allin against opponents yet to be confirmed.

The match will take place at the (appropriately named) Pro Wrestling NOAH: Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event.

Muta is considered by many to be one of the first Japanese wrestlers to gain an international fanbase.

Shinsuke Nakamura Stealing Great Muta’s Mist Was His “I’m Sorry, I Love You” Moment

Tama Tonga Finally Gets Revenge On Karl Anderson At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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After six long months, Karl Anderson’s polarizing NEVER Openweight Title run came to an end against Tama Tonga today at Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Tonga himself lost the strap to Anderson at last year’s Dominion event. In that time, Anderson made successful defenses against former NJPW ace Hiroshi Tanahashi and rising star Hikuleo.

Karl Anderson’s run was riddled with controversy. This was due to his recent return to WWE to reform The OC with AJ Styles. The original Bullet Clubber was also Tama Tonga’s mentor in the latter’s early years in the promotion, lending some interesting long term themes to their feud.

In a match that didn’t quite live up to their considerably more slick first encounter, Tama Tonga bested Anderson with his own Gun Stun finisher.

Tama Tonga
Tama Tonga bested Karl Anderson today.

Where Does Karl Anderson Go From Here?

Considering his WWE commitments, it’s quite plausible Karl Anderson is done with NJPW for the foreseeable future. After a six-year absence, ‘Machine Gun’ returned to New Japan last year to a fair bit of fanfare and a surprise singles push.

He defeated then-NEVER Champion Tama Tonga in his first singles match back. Anderson then shocked many when he started appearing on Monday Night RAW shortly thereafter.

His second title defense with Hikuleo wound up being delayed due to his WWE commitments. Now, with the belt taken out of his hands, Anderson can likely enjoy a more relaxed schedule in 2023.

For Tama Tonga, this big win is another step in his rise to babyface superstardom in NJPW. Few could’ve suspected the Tongan star would take off so quickly in the redeemed hero role. As a two-time NEVER champ, the sky could be the limit in 2023 for him.

Zack Sabre Jr. Wins First NJPW Singles Title At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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The tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW World Television Champion has come to an end with Zack Sabre Jr. as the victor.

Despite almost six years in the promotion, during which he’s won two New Japan Cups, the technical wizard has never held a New Japan singles belt. He’s enjoyed reigns with the IWGP Tag Team Titles as part of his Dangerous Tekkers act with Taichi. Beyond that, though, he was often slotted into representing RPW in singles bouts earlier in his run.

Now, with a submission victory over Ren Narita in the Tokyo Dome, ZSJ can add the TV belt to his growing list of accolades. Despite being the more established star, many expected Sabre Jr. to lose here. Narita has been presented as essentially the new Katsuyori Shibata. The general consensus was that the belt’s time limit rules were tailor-made for his fast-paced style.

TVBelt 1
Zack Sabre Jr.’s TV Title.

Zack Sabre Jr. Moving Into New Faction

Throughout his time in NJPW, Zack Sabre Jr. was a key figure in Suzukigun. Run by the legendary Minoru Suzuki, the heel group enjoyed almost babyface-like reactions in recent years despite their villainous ways.

Last month, the group was officially ended by Suzuki himself. Due to the TV Title tournament, Zack Sabre Jr. did not tag with Taichi in this year’s World Tag League either.

Now with a new singles title to establish, it appears the British globetrotter is joining TMDK. The team came out to congratulate the catch-as-catch-can master on his victory. They then offered him a spot with them moving forward after Wrestle Kingdom. Interestingly, rumors have swirled lately of either Sabre Jr. or Taichi possibly leading a Suzukigun-like faction in 2023. Whether or not this TMDK alliance leads to such an angle remains to be seen.

For fans of NJPW, more news on this development will likely unfold on tomorrow’s New Year’s Dash show.

FTR Suffer Another Defeat At Wrestle Kingdom 17

J. Cunningham
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After 190 days on top in New Japan’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Division, FTR finally met their match today.

Bishomon, the team of longtime upper midcard fan favorite Hirooki Goto and perenial underdog YOSHI-HASHI, are tag team champions once more. In a surprisingly quick 10-minute showdown, these two teams enjoyed a heated response from the audience. The crowd popped in particular for the Big Rig.

Despite playing babyface for much of 2022, FTR heeled it up here in service of NJPW’s home team. Goto and YOSHI-HASHI won the 2022 World Tag League tournament to get here. All in all, this is the second consecutive year of the well-liked CHAOS members winning the tag leagues before securing the titles in the Tokyo Dome.

The match came to an end when YOSHI-HASHI landed an upset pinfall on Dax Harwood.

FTR IWGP Title
FTR with the IWGP Titles.

FTR Lose Another Set Of Tag Titles

Last month, the former three promotion champions dropped their ROH Tag Titles to the Briscoe Brothers. It was the final chapter in the acclaimed trilogy of epic bouts between the two teams. After besting the Briscoes twice in 2022, FTR crumbled in a blood-soaked Dog Collar Match that garnered widespread acclaim.

FTR’s contracts with AEW reportedly come to an end in April. The popular duo suddenly losing all of the titles they’ve snatched up does appear to lend credence to the rumors they won’t be continuing with the land of the Elite past April.

The pair also lost their AAA World Tag Team Championships to Dragon Lee and Dralistico in December, essentially freeing them up for 2023.

If FTR decide against sticking with AEW, it’s very likely Triple H and co. will want them back in WWE for another run as The Revival.

Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) Makes NJPW Debut – Teases Title Match

Thomas Lowson
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IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI was able to leave NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 with her title, but she will soon have a familiar opponent.

On the second match of the main card, KAIRI, the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion, retained her title against Tam Nakano.

Post-match, Sasha Banks made her long-anticipated NJPW debut now going by the name Mercedes Mone.

Mone posed in the ring, and made it clear she wants a shot at the IWGP Women’s Championship.

The former Raw Women’s Champion dropped KAIRI with a modified Gory Bomb, and said she knows all about making history.

Calling herself the CEO of this women’s division, More vowed to make KAIRI bankrupt when they face off.

It was later confirmed that the two will face off at NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023, in San Jose, California, on February 18.

Fellow WWE stars Bayley and Naomi, who were reported to be in Japan to support Mone, did not appear on the show.

Sasha Banks Thanks WWE, Triple H, and Vince McMahon

Watch: Check Out AEW’s New Dynamite Intro Ahead of Tonight’s Revamp

Thomas Lowson
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Fans of All Elite Wrestling have been given a glimpse of the show’s new introductory package, complete with a remixed theme song.

It has been reported that the new look has been in the works for some time ahead of tonight’s show.

In a tweet, the official AEW account shared the new intro which includes the likes of Chris Jericho, FTR, Orange Cassidy, Jon Moxley, Darby Allin, and MJF.

Tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite will take place at the Climate Arena, in Seattle, Washington, marking the debut for AEW in the city known for the likes of Bill Gates, Jimmy Hendrix, and Dr. Frasier Crane.

This week’s AEW Dynamite will see AEW TNT Champion Samoa Joe defend against Darby Allin.

AEW World Champion MJF is “contractually obligated” to make an appearance, while AEW World Tag Champions The Acclaimed will defend against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.

Jon Moxley has also been announced to make an appearance.

New Era

After a difficult 2022, with injuries, suspensions, arrests and more, AEW is looking to turn over a new leaf in 2023.

Appearing on the Sports Guys Talk Wrestling podcast, AEW President Tony Khan addressed the new look for the show.

“It’s a sports-based presentation and that’s what we always go for. It’s a great pro wrestling show and we wanted to change the set to reflect a new era, and I think it’s going to be a great look. It’s a great set.”

Fans of the current AEW roster won’t have to worry too much about the fate of the in-ring action, which will remain unchanged according to Khan.

“It’s still going to be the same great wrestling with new matches and new stories and a lot to look forward to.”

AEW Hires Former WWE VP of Global Television Production

h/t – 411 Mania

Cash Wheeler Faced Several Travel Delays to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Thomas Lowson
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Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood will defend the IWGP World Tag Team Championships at Wrestle Kingdom 17, but the trip to the show has been far from easy.

The AEW tag team will defend their titles later today against Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi.)

The IWGP World Tag Championships are the only titles that FTR currently holds, after losing the Ring of Honor World Tag Titles and AAA World Tag Team Titles in December of last year.

Travel Delay

Taking to Twitter, Wheeler explained that he had intended to make the trip to Tokyo on Monday morning, but he was not allowed to board his flight.

A flight to Atlanta that would have allowed Wheeler to fly to Japan was also delayed before later being canceled.

With no alternative, Wheeler had to drive to Atlanta to make his flight to Japan, and only recently arrived at his hotel in Tokyo.

Despite these setbacks, Wheeler remained positive about the match, saying it is “can’t miss.”

IWGP World Tag Team Champions FTR

Today’s title defense will make the third for Wheeler and Dax Harwood who captured the titles at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door in June of last year.

The AEW tag team’s first title defense was against Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis) at NJPW Royal Quest II in October 2022.

Their second defense saw Wheeler and Harwood retain against United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan) at NJPW Battle Autumn in November, the same team FTR dethroned at Forbidden Door.

FTR Is Evaluating Their Options For After AEW Deals Expire

WWE NXT Results (1/3/23): Crews vs. Hayes, Contract Signing

Andrew Ravens
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The January 3, 2023 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  •  
  • Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) def. Apollo Crews
  • Axiom def. Trick Williams (with Carmelo Hayes) 
  • Dijak def. Channing Lorenzo (with Tony D’Angelo)
  • Alba Fyre def. Isla Dawn in an Extreme Resolutions Match
  • Oro Mensah def. Javier Bernal
  • Drew Gulak (with Hank Walker) def. Andre Chase (with Thea Hail and Duke Hudson) 
  • Kofi Kingston def. Joe Gacy

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Extreme Resolution Match

0NXT

Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn in an Extreme Resolution Match took place. 

Following Deadline, where Dawn defeated Fyre, they have continued their conflict. Prior to a match against Sol Rouca two weeks ago, Dawn attacked Fyre twice, once backstage and once as she entered the ring. They traded words last week. 

They brawled backstage. Fyre tried to drop several ladders onto her. Fyre put her into a chair and hit her with a trash can lid. Fyre dumped a bunch of chairs onto her. 

They made it back into the ring. They used various weapons. Dawn smashed her hand with the steel steps. Fyre hit a front senton off the top rope to the outside, but the table didn’t break. Fyre sent her through the table for the win. 

Contract Signing

3nxt

Grayson Waller and NXT Champion Bron Breakker had a contract signing for their title match New Year’s Evil next week. 

Bron Breakker saw a video of Grayson Waller explaining on last week’s show that he wasn’t at NXT since he was back in Australia. After the video ended, Breakker smashed the TV because he was still upset about being knocked out two weeks earlier while attempting to spear Waller.

Ths was the main event segment. Waller talked some trash. Bron was trying no sell Waller’s shots at him and be extra nice. This was getting underneath the skin of Waller. Bron said Waller can talk all he wants because come next week, he will get his. Waller said that Bron is overrated and stole his dad’s gimmick. Bron punched Waller then laid him out with his finisher then hit an outside dive. 

Carmelo Hayes vs. Apollo Crews

2nxt

Carmelo Hayes vs. Apollo Crews took place. 

After losing to Bron Breakker at Deadline last month, Apollo Crews made a comeback two weeks ago on an episode of NXT. Hayes cut off his promo, and the two exchanged words. Williams competed against Axiom after Axiom disqualified him for losing to Hayes.

The match opened the show with Hayes going over with his finisher. It was a really good match. Post-match, Axiom took out Williams. 

Trick Williams vs. Axiom

1nxt

Trick Williams vs. Axiom happened in a singles match.  They kept it short with Axiom going over with his finisher. 

Andre Chase vs. Drew Gulak

Drew Gulak 1

Andre Chase vs. Drew Gulak in a singles match was booked. 

During last week’s episode, Dempsey interrupted a training session led by Drew Gulak in pursuit of a match for this week. Walker accepted the match by stating that it would be an exhibition match. Walker had joined Gulak for the training session.

Drew with a dragon sleeper and body scissors for the win. 

Sasha Banks Thanks WWE, Triple H, and Vince McMahon

Andrew Ravens
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Mercedes Varnado, formerly known as Sasha Banks, has given her thanks hours before she is reportedly expected to appear at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

The former WWE star sent out multiple thank you messages on social media to WWE, Vince McMahon, Triple H, William Regal, the WWE Universe, The Krew (her fans), and her former persona. 

Banks hasn’t appeared on WWE television since last May when she and Naomi, who were the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions at the time, walked out on the company due to a creative dispute with Vince McMahon. 

Giving Thanks

Banks negotiated her WWE release months ago before becoming a free agent on January 1. 

AEW talent told Fightful Select they’ve been “no sold” when asking about Sasha Banks being Saraya’s partner on January 11, but they’re still of the belief it’s her. 

“The fact that it wasn’t shot down either on screen or internally, promoting it a month out, it being a week after her Wrestle Kingdom appearance, and the cast of characters involved in the tag match were all points brought up to us by talent in the company when assuming it was her.”

One talent said they didn’t believe a deal was done or “could have been completed” as of last week because she had to wait out her WWE non-compete clause. 

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