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Becky Lynch and Lita Set to Challenge Damage CTRL for Women’s Tag Titles on 2/27 WWE RAW

Colby Faria
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A major match has been set for the 2/27/23 episode of WWE RAW.

During the 2/20/23 edition of WWE RAW, Bayley hosted the latest episode of ‘Ding Dong, Hello!’. During the segment, which featured Bayley’s Damage CTRL stablemates, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, Becky Lynch interrupted the champions ramblings. Becky pondered the possibility of her becoming tag champion, a thought that was laughed off by Damage CTRL, who claimed Becky didn’t have any friends and would need her toddler daughter, Roux, to team up with her.

However, Becky didn’t come to Monday Night RAW alone, as seen in the clip below.

Becky and Lita threw down the challenge for IYO and Dakota, and later on in the night, the match was confirmed for next Monday night’s episode RAW.

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WWE RAW (2/27/23) Updated Card

  • IYO SKY Dakota Kai (C) vs. Becky Lynch & Lita — WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Asuka vs. Carmella
  • Piper Niven vs. Candice LeRae
  • Will Brock Lesnar Respond to Omos’ WrestleMania 39 Challenge?
  • Miz TV ‘Hollywood Edition’

SEScoops’ full report on the 2/20/23 edition of WWE RAW can be found by clicking here.

Jay Briscoe’s Daughter, Gracie, Released From Hospital

Samantha Schipman
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Jay Briscoe’s (Jamin Pugh) daughter, Gracie, was released from the hospital last week.

According to a Facebook post by family friends, Gracie will be undergoing outpatient rehab five days a week. She is able to walk with assistance, but hasn’t fully regained movement below the knee.

“Her muscles in her legs are really starting to fire up, so they want to keep it a very intense therapy,” the update said. “This girl has went from nothing to doing some assisted walking. We’re still going to pray hard for movement below the knee, because it’s not where it needs to be. The doctors can feel her trying to move her ankles and toes and stuff, but we’re just not getting that movement yet. But things are progressing I would say ahead of schedule.” (h/t Wrestling Observer)

Update on Jay Briscoe’s Youngest Daughter

Jay Briscoe

Briscoe’s daughters were severely injured in the car accident that claimed their father’s life last month.

His youngest daughter, Jayleigh, went home from the hospital earlier this month. She doesn’t have to wear a neck brace anymore. However, she has to continue wearing a back brace and external fixator for four weeks.

A fundraising campaign was set up after Briscoe’s death. AEW is selling a Briscoe tribute shirt with 100% of the funds going to the Pugh family. Dijak recently donated $3000 to the Pughs after auctioning off his entrance-worn ring jacket.

WWE RAW Results (2/20/23): Austin Theory Defends United States Title Against Edge

Colby Faria
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WWE‘s latest edition of Monday Night RAW took place on (2/20/23) from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada! Austin Theory successfully retained the United States Championship against Edge in the evening’s main event!

Live Coverage

The show begins and we see a video recap of Roman Reigns victory over Sami Zayn from this past Saturday night’s Elimination Chamber premium live event.

We then head to the arena where the aforementioned Sami Zayn’s music hits and out comes the former title challenger. The crowd is still white hot for Sami and they chant along with his theme song and begin the customary ‘Ole, ole ole ole, Ole, Ole!’ chants and continue the ovation with chanting his name. Sami finally gets the Ottawa, Ontario, Canada crowd to calm down a bit and says he’s feeling a lot of feelings tonight but the main feeling he has is gratitude. Sami thanks the crowd for their support during his run with and against The Bloodline and the crowd meets him with ‘you deserve it!’ chants, which gets Sami a bit emotional. Sami says while he feels thankful, he feels a lot of guilt for coming up short when he was so close to finishing the story agains Roman Reigns. Sami says around WWE, the story is NEVER over, but we are entering the final chapter. Sami says the final chapter isn’t just about him…but he needs to talk to Kevin Owens, whom Sami calls out to come down to the ring. Owens’ music hits and out comes the former Universal Champion.

Sami tells Kevin that he has so much to say to him but doesn’t know where to start. Sami thanks Kevin for his help on Saturday night and also apologizes to him for their past. Sami says he and Kevin are past the point of words and he doesn’t know if there’s anyway they can get back to being best friends again. Sami says he knows Kevin’s main goal is to take down The Bloodline and he says he (Sami) won’t sleep until Roman Reigns and The Bloodline are taken down once and for all. Sami says Kevin can’t do it alone and neither can he, but they may be able to do it…together. The crowd is going ballistic and Kevin says he doesn’t need an apology from Sami or for Sami to thank him because him attacking The Bloodline on Saturday wasn’t for Sami, it was for his (Kevin’s) family. Kevin said he did it for Sami’s family too, so Sami’s wife, kids, and parents didn’t have to see Sami get beaten down like his (Kevin’s) family did. Kevin said at Survivor Series he told Sami that he was done with him and that stands ’til this day…but if Sami needs any help taking down The Bloodline, to just ask ‘his buddy’ Jey Uso. Kevin slams down the microphone and exits.

Our commentary team of Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves then run down tonight’s action, which includes Austin Theory defending the United States Championship against Edge, and an episode of ‘Ding Dong, Hello!’ with Bayley welcoming her Damage CTRL stablemates, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai. Seth Rollins will face The Miz, and Cody Rhodes will address Roman Reigns and their WrestleMania 39 title match now that it’s official following Reigns’ victory over Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber. We then cut back to the ring where Sami Zayn is waving to the crowd before exiting and Baron Corbin comes down and attacks Zayn out of no where and we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and Adam Pearce, along other WWE officials are holding Sami back from rushing Corbin, who’s back in the ring with a microphone. Corbin says he tried to tell everyone, last week, that Sami Zayn wasn’t capable of competing with Roman Reigns, and he would especially know since he was the last one who defeated Roman Reigns. Adam Pearce continues to hold Sami back but Corbin says Sami is an embarrassment to his friends, his fans, his family, and the country of Canada. Pearce steps aside and tells Sami to go attack Corbin, and Sami flies down to the ring and have an impromptu match!

Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin

A brawl around the ringside area goes down as commentary announces that Adam Pearce has said this one is officially official and here we go! Corbin lays into Sami with some forearms to a cut and bruised back of Sami, who was mangled by Reigns with a steel chair just 48 hours ago. Sami trips Corbin to the mat and lays into him with a bevy of strikes. Sami goes up top and dives down but Corbin catches him with a choke-slam and plants Sami before going for the cover but Sami kicks out and we head to a commercial break. Back from the break and Sami is battling back and spikes Corbin face-first into the mat with a tornado DDT and goes for the cover but Corbin kicks out. Sami dumps Corbin to the outside and comes flying over the top rope and lays Corbin out on the outside!

Sami tosses Corbin back into the ring and lines him up for the Helluva Kick but Corbin wallops Canada’s favorite son with a lariat. Corbin scoops and plants Sami with a Deep Six and goes for the cover but Sami kicks out at two-and-a-half! Corbin tosses Sami to the corner, lands a splash, and goes rushing back to the opposite corner to regain momentum for another one but Sami follows him and cracks him with the Helluva Kick for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Sami Zayn

We then see a video package highlighting the feud between Edge, Beth Phoenix, and The Judgment Day. Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are shown getting mic’d up backstage and they’ll be interviewed after the break.

Back from the break and Byron Saxton is backstage sitting down with Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio. Byron asks Rhea about her and Finn coming up short against Edge and Beth Phoenix this past Saturday at Elimination Chamber. Rhea says she’s not worried about the past, she’s looking toward the future and her SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Charlotte Flair. Byron starts to ask another question about Beth Phoenix but Dominik tells Byron to stop right there and if he asks another question about Edge or Beth Phoenix, he (Byron) is going to find out what he (Dominik) did when people annoyed him in prison. Rhea says she’s going to put Charlotte in her place at WrestleMania 39 and become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. Byron asks Rhea what’s going to happen when she and Charlotte come face-to-face this Friday night on SmackDown and Rhea says you’ll have to tune in to find out. Dominik notes that his father, Rey Mysterio has a match this Friday night, so he’ll tag along with Rhea and make his way to SmackDown this Friday night. Rhea tells Byron that this interview is over and she and Dominik get up and leave.

We then see a video package highlighting Logan Paul’s interference and attack of Seth Rollins from this past Saturday’s elimination chamber match. The United States Champion Austin Theory is then shown backstage with Cathy Kelley. Cathy asks Austin how he feels just 48 hours removed from retaining his title against five of the best superstars on the WWE roster inside of an elimination chamber. Austin says he’s beat up and doesn’t feel 100% but he’ll do what he always does and that’s beat everyone in front of him, and that’ll continue tonight when he defeats Edge in his home country of ‘crappy Canada’. Theory then says nobody cares about John Cena’s return to RAW in a few weeks and says he’s focused on tonight and then he’s on the road to WrestleMania where he’ll solidify his legacy once and for all.

Mustafa Ali vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler cradles Ali and goes for a quick cover but Ali kicks out. Ziggler cracks Ali with a drop-kick then sends Ali to the corner and plants him with a swinging neck-breaker. Ziggler looks for a super-kick, Ali rolls to the outside and Ziggler drags him right back onto the apron but Ali uses the top rope and nails Ziggler with a neck-breaker. Ali applies a head-lock and starts yelling at Ziggler before going for a suplex but Ziggler slides out but walks into a Pele kick from Ali. Ziggler catches Ali and plants him with a DDT and goes for the cover but Ali kicks out. Ziggler plants Ali with the Famouser but Ali ducked under and uses the crucifix to roll Ziggler up for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Mustafa Ali

After the match, we see The Miz and Maryse kissing backstage and Cathy Kelley steps in and asks for a word with the former WWE Grand Slam winner. Maryse shows The Miz his anniversary gift and The Miz says this gift is bigger than his half-court shot during this past weekend’s NBA Celebrity All-Star game. Cathy asks Miz how he feels before his match against Seth Rollins and Miz says he’s just happy that Rollins was ‘brought down to earth’ by his (The Miz’s) former protege, Logan Paul. The Miz says he’ll reveal what Maryse gifted him, next week on Miz TV.

We then see Cody Rhodes walking through the backstage area and we’ll hear from the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble Match winner after the break.

Back from the break and ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes is making his way down to the ring. Cody grabs a microphone and is about to ask everyone what they want to talk about but Paul Heyman pops up on the titantron and interrupts. Cody asks Paul where he is and Paul says he’s backstage and Cody asks Paul to make his way down to the ring. Paul says he was attacked this past Saturday night and now he’s stuck in a neck brace and not able to come down to the ring. Paul says what happened to him on Saturday night was a tragedy but it pales in comparison to the real tragedy which is what’s going to happen to Cody at WrestleMania 39. Paul tells Cody flat-out that he can’t beat Roman Reigns. Paul says it’s time to get hypothetical and pretend that Cody beats Roman at WrestleMania, and asks Cody what his life will be like should that happen. Paul says Roman Reigns has special counsel, the wiseman, Paul Heyman. Paul says if Cody beats Roman, he won’t have Paul Heyman.

Paul says 200 days a year, Cody will have to be on the road defending the titles, he’ll spend 50 days a year doing charity appearances and red carpet events, then 30 days overseas doing promotional work, another 20 days promoting every premium live event, which is now over 300 days on the road. Paul says the remaining 60-or-so-days, Cody will be at home still working, doing Zoom calls, etc. Paul says Cody’s brother said that their father Dusty was on the road all the time and even when he was home…he wasn’t home. Paul asks Cody if that’s what he wants for his wife and daughter should he win at WrestleMania. Paul says he wouldn’t ever say something disrespectful to Cody, like Roman would keep Cody’s wife warm should Cody beat Roman and spend all his time on the road…but Roman’s a happily married man…but he’s not (Paul)…and when Roman beats Cody at WrestleMania…his lifelong dreams are going to become his own, personal, nightmare.

Cody is visibly irritated and says Roman’s great but he’s seen this before. Cody says he’s not face-to-face with Roman right now but he probably will be soon enough and when they are in the same ring, he’ll say this to his face. Cody says Roman is undoubtedly the greatest Undisputed WWE Universal Champion of all-time but he’s going to finish his story and beat him at WrestleMania. Cody slams the microphone and exits the ring.

Asuka then makes her way down to the ring and she’ll face Nikki Cross after the break. Before the break, Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick say that the last time WWE had WrestleMania in Hollywood, WWE superstars starred in spin-offs of major movie trailers and they’re doing the same this year. We then see Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch’s Joker-like trailer that debuted during the Elimination Chamber premium live event this past Saturday night and we then head to a commercial break before our next matchup.

Asuka vs. Nikki Cross

Before the match begins, RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair makes her way down to the ring to keep a closer eye on her WrestleMania 39 opponent, Asuka. Nikki slams Asuka with an inverted DDT on the apron and we head to a commercial break. Back from the break and Asuka goes up top and drills Nikki with a missile drop-kick and goes for the cover but Nikki kicks out. Asuka goes for a super-kick but Nikki ducks under and dumps Asuka to the outside. Nikki tosses Asuka right back into the ring and now both competitors are on the top turnbuckle. Asuka plants Nikki with a diving DDT and goes for the cover but Nikki lifts the shoulders. Both competitors are exchanging strikes while they struggle to their feet, Asuka gets the better of it, Nikki asks for Asuka to kick her once more, and she eats a kick to the face. Asuka wallops Nikki with a super-kick and looks for the Asuka Lock but Nikki slides out and plants Asuka with an inverted DDT and goes for the cover but Asuka kicks out. Asuka trips Nikki to the mat, applies the arm-bar and Nikki has no choice but to tap out!

Winner – Asuka

After the match, Bianca Belair gets in the ring and the two WrestleMania opponents come face-to-face. Bianca lifts her title, Asuka points at the WrestleMania 39 sign and Asuka starts coughing up this blue goo and Bianca looks horrified as Asuka laughs maniacally and exits.

Backstage we see Cathy Kelley, who’s with Carmella. Cathy asks Carmella how she’s feeling about this past Saturday’s elimination chamber match. Carmella says she isn’t worried about the past and is going to deliver a receipt to Asuka because ‘Mella is Money!’. Carmella exits and Cathy Kelley catches up with Seth Rollins, who was walking nearby. Cathy asks Seth why he’s in such a good mood considering what happened this past Saturday at Elimination Chamber. Seth says he’s laughing because this is the second-time Logan Paul has attacked him, so he’ll make sure to deal with Logan once the time is right. Seth says since Logan isn’t around tonight, the man who takes credit for Logan’s success, The Miz, is going to suffer for Logan’s actions, tonight. Seth laughs and it’s announced that Seth Rollins will face The Miz after the break.

Back from the break and we see the highlights from the Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley match from Elimination Chamber this past weekend. MVP is shown backstage and MVP calls Brock Lesnar a coward and Omos walks in. MVP says Omos is officially challenging Lesnar to a match at WrestleMania 39. MVP calls for Lesnar to show up next Monday night on RAW to accept the challenge, if he has ‘the intestinal fortitude’.

Seth Rollins vs. The Miz

Rollins attacks Miz right as the bell sounds. Rollins dumps Miz out of the ring and launches the former WWE Grand Slam Champion into the announce table and the barricade before sending The Miz back into the ring. Rollins clotheslines Miz right back to the outside and dives through the ropes and drills Miz with a drop-kick into the announce table. Miz tricks Rollins into thinking he’s hurt and trips Rollins and tosses him back into the ring where he plants Rollins with a DDT and goes for the cover but Rollins kicks out and we head to a commercial break. Back from the break and Miz sends Rollins to the corner and looks for a splash but Rollins cracks him with a running clothesline. Rollins lights Miz up with a bevy of strikes and lays Miz out with a pair of clotheslines, then a super-kick, and a spinning back elbow.

Rollins looks for a suplex, Miz rolls Rollins up, but Rollins spins out and drills Miz with a super-kick. Rollins lines Miz up for a stomp, Miz rolls out, Rollins looks for the pedigree, but Miz rolls him back, but Rollins counters into a pin of his own but Miz kicks out. Miz stuns Rollins with a codebreaker and goes for the cover but Rollins kicks out. Miz looks for the Skull Crushing Finale but Rollins shoves Miz back but Miz wallops Rollins with a running knee to the face and goes for the cover but Rollins lifts the shoulders at two-and-a-half! Miz unloads some kicks to Rollins’ chest and goes for one more but Rollins catches it and starts hammering Miz with forearms to the face. Rollins sends Miz to the mat with an elbow to the back of the head and plants Miz with a stomp! The crowd urges Rollins for another stomp, Rollins obliges. The crowd wants a third stomp, the referee tries to stop him but Rollins obliges and crushes Miz with a third stomp! The referee calls for the bell and Rollins is the winner by referee stoppage!

Winner – Seth Rollins

Backstage, Adam Pearce is with Carmella and Adam tells Carmella since she’s been so appreciative, she can consider her request for a match against Asuka, official for next week. Carmella exits and Pearce answers a phone call and it’s Chelsea Green. Chelsea says she was went to Ottawa, Illinois and she demands Pearce to fix it. Pearce says RAW is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, next week and she can just make the sort travel there for next week’s show and he’ll handle it with the travel team. Pearce acts like the phone reception is bad and hangs up on Green as we see Chad Gable and Otis looking into the mirror. Bronson Reed walks up to Alpha Academy and says they better be careful or they won’t be able to recognize themselves the next time they look into a mirror.

We then see the ring crew setting up for ‘Ding Dong, Hello!’ and Bayley will host her show alongside the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL after the break.

Back from the break and Bayley is in the ring with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, her fellow Damage CTRL stablemates. Bayley says she didn’t feel like coming to Canada since she wasn’t in the women’s elimination chamber match this past Saturday night but since it’s family day in Canada, she wanted to spend the day with her family, Damage CTRL. Bayley says IYO and Dakota are under-appreciated that way everyone can hear their ‘beautiful voices’. Bayley asks Dakota and IYO how it feels to be the greatest women’s tag champions of all-time. Dakota says she and IYO wouldn’t be there without their ‘beloved role model’ Bayley. Dakota says Damage CTRL has been on every show and defeated the likes of Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Becky Lynch. Dakota says she and IYO will surpass these 100 days as champions with another 100 days, and another 100 days…but Becky Lynch’s music hits and out comes ‘The Man’!.

Becky says they’ve only hit 100 days as champions because they never defend the titles and says the titles are probably full of cobwebs. Bayley says Becky has no friends and asks Becky if she’s going to bring her baby daughter Roux to challenge for the titles but Becky says she’s been thinking of one person…and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Lita! Becky and Lita make their way down to the ring and Bayley says they need to use the door before she talks to them. Becky and Lita oblige and knock on the door before walking through. Bayley tells Lita she doesn’t even work in WWE and says Becky is desperate for bringing Lita here tonight. The crowd loudly chants for Lita and Bayley asks Lita if she can even trust Becky. Lita says she’s down to walk into WrestleMania with Becky Lynch as tag champions and lays out the official challenge for IYO and Dakota. Bayley says they haven’t earned a shot and Becky runs down she and Lita’s accolades and says that should be enough to warrant a title shot. Lita says if IYO and Dakota are the greatest tag champions of all-time, they should want to prove it. Becky and Lita say IYO and Dakota are scared and Bayley says the challenge is accepted! Becky and Lita rip the titles off of IYO and Dakota and hold them up in the air before tossing them back to Damage CTRL.

We head backstage and Candice LeRae is with Byron Saxton. Byron asks Candice how Johnny Gargano is feeling after the elimination chamber match from this past Saturday night and but Nikki Cross is walking by and Candice stops her and tells Nikki that she’s been looking for her. Candice asks Nikki why she’s been stalking her as of late. Nikki whispers something into Candice’s ear and we can’t hear it but Candice looks confused as Byron Saxton walks in. Byron asks Candice what Nikki told her and Candice says that Nikki said all of her friends left her and she feels alone. Candice says Johnny will be back soon and says she needs to go.

Chad Gable, alongside Otis makes his way down to the ring and Gable will face Bronson Reed after the break.

Bronson Reed vs. Chad Gable (with Otis)

Reed launches Gable to the outside, gets on the apron, and drills Gable with a running shoulder tackle off of the apron. Reed tosses Gable back into the ring and gets in Otis’ face before getting back into the ring himself. Reed slams Gable to the mat, goes up top, and looks for the Tsunami but Gable rolls out and locks in the ankle lock! Reed kicks Gable back but Gable looks for the German suplex but Reed avoids. Gable knocks Reed to the mat with a running knee, goes up top, and comes crashing down on Reed with a diving head-butt before going for the cover but Reed kicks out at just one. Maxine Dupri shows up at ringside and Otis starts talking with her. Back in the ring, Gable plants Reed with an outrageous German suplex. Gable starts shouting at Otis and Reed slams Gable to the mat, goes up top, and crushes Gable with the Tsunami for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Bronson Reed

After a commercial break, Elias is in the ring. Elias says Rick Boogs better be backstage taking notes because there’s no bigger star in this business than Elias and since it’s WrestleMania season, it’s time for Rick Boogs to learn from a real star. Rick Boogs is shown backstage writing on a notepad. Elias asks who wants to walk with Elias on the road to WrestleMania and Bobby Lashley’s music hits. ‘The Almighty’ makes a beeline for the ring and begins the beatdown on Elias. Lashley launches Elias out of the ring and fires him into the barricade. Lashley sends Elias back into the ring and rattles him with a spear. Lashley locks in the Hurt Lock and dispatches Elias to the outside. Lashley grabs a microphone and said it doesn’t matter who he faces at WrestleMania whether it be Brock Lesnar or Bray Wyatt…they’ll all go down.

Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves announce that IYO SKY and Dakota Kai will defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against Becky Lynch and Lita next Monday night on RAW!

Austin Theory (C) vs. Edge — United States Championship

Edge dumps Theory out of the ring right as the bell sounds. Edge sends Theory back into the ring and plants the champion with a leg sweep face-first into the mat and we head to a commercial break. Back from the break and Edge is working over Theory in the center of the ring. Edge dives to the outside and plays possum with Theory and nails him with an overhead slam on the floor. Edge goes to the apron and comes crashing down onto Theory with a diving shoulder tackle on the outside. Edge sends Theory back into the ring and goes for the cover but Theory kicks out. Theory crushes Edge with a huge lariat and starts dropping hammer-fists onto the WWE Hall of Famer. Theory applies a head-lock, Edge powers out, but Theory slams him right back down to the mat and reapplies the hold. Edge fights his way back to his feet and starts unloading strikes on Theory before sending him to the corner, where he looks for a splash but he eats a kick to the face from the champion. Theory drills the challenger with a summersault drop-kick to the face and goes for the cover but Edge kicks out as we head to a commercial break.

Back from the break and Theory has Edge on the top turnbuckle. Edge tosses Theory down to the mat and lands a diving elbow drop from the top rope and both competitors are down! Edge looks for Edgecution but Theory evades and lifts Edge for A-Town Down, but this time, Edge evades and sends Theory to the apron. Theory kicks Edge back and rolls back into the ring but Edge catches him and plants him with a pop-up power-bomb and goes for the cover but Theory lifts the shoulders after a two-count! Edge goes for a spear, Theory leaps over him and launches Edge over his head but Edge lands on his feet, trips Theory to the mat and locks in the cross-face but Theory drags himself to the ropes and gets his feet on the bottom rope to force the referee to break the hold.

Theory rolls Edge up and puts his feet on the middle rope for leverage but the referee sees it and stops counting. Edge rolls Theory back, Theory kicks out, Theory looks for A-Town Down but Edge slips out and plants Theory with the Edgecution and goes for the cover but the champion kicks out at two-and-a-half! Edge lines Theory up for the spear and Finn Balor makes his way down to the ring. Edge knocks Balor off the apron, Theory looks for the roll up but Edge rolls Theory up but Theory kicks out and plants Edge with A-Town Down for the 1-2-3!

Winner – Austin Theory (C)

After the match, Finn Balor rushes the ring and attacks Edge. Balor goes up top and crushes Edge with the Coup de Grace. Balor lands yet another Coup de Grace and the first-ever WWE Universal Champion stands tall over his long-time rival as the show goes off the air!

First Inductee for The WWE Hall Of Fame 2023 Revealed (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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It looks like Dave Bautista will get his moment to be honored by WWE for all of his accomplishments and success with the company. 

The former WWE World Heavyweight champion had been slated to go in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic nixed that. The Class of 2020 inductees got their ceremony the following year and was paired with the 2021 class as it was pre-taped inside the virtual WWE ThunderDome. 

Previous Induction

Bautista decided to pull out of the 2021 ceremony “due to previous obligations.” Just last month, the former WWE star told ComicBook.com that he did not know if he would be inducted this year but was hoping he would. 

Wrestling News Premium, WrestlingNews.co’s Patreon account reported today, “the word going around in WWE is that Dave Bautista will be the headliner at this year’s WWE Hall Of Fame.”

Per the report, those they spoke with in the company believe that both sides wanted to hold off on his induction as there wouldn’t be fans in attendance to hear his speech, something he wanted to do in front of fans. 

It’s still unclear when they will make the announcement nor who else will be going into the class. 

Batista Hoping for 2023 WWE Hall of Fame Induction

More Details on WWE’s Plans to Bring Back Finn Balor’s Demon Character

Andrew Ravens
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WWE had plans in place to bring back The Demon version of Finn Balor, but it didn’t end up happening.

It was originally reported by WrestlingNews.co in December that WWE was going to do Edge vs. Balor at the Royal Rumble as a way to further the Judgment Day vs. Edge feud that has been going on for almost a year now. 

Original Plans

However, that was nixed due to Edge being away with a filming project and his schedule not allowing him to make appearances on WWE TV leading up to the bout. 

Originally, WWE wanted to do a Hell in a Cell match at the show. Fighful Select provided more details on WWE’s plans for The Demon, Balor’s alter ego, to make a return based on internal plans. 

People that Fightful spoke with “felt as if the Demon persona didn’t fit during the current iteration of Judgment Day, and were against it in this situation.”

There were others who felt the match would have needed something special and Balor portraying the Demon would’ve done just that. 

Although Balor has used the persona seven times in WWE on the main roster, he last portrayed it when he lost to WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WWE Extreme Rules last year. 

The Limit’s the Sky: WWE’s Unbreakable Glass Ceiling

Trevor Dame
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The idea that WWE has a glass ceiling, an extra barrier to break through to get to the top level of stardom for wrestlers that don’t look a certain way, is hardly new. In fact, it’s so well known that WWE has played with the idea in storyline. Daniel Bryan’s rise to the top had HHH label him a “B+ Player” on TV, and CM Punk’s infamous pipebomb promo included him talking about grabbing “Vince McMahon’s imaginary brass rings” and getting nowhere for doing so. But the truth is WWE doesn’t have a single glass ceiling, it has two. The first can be broken, and it happens from time to time, Sami Zayn being the most recent example. But the second glass ceiling? It’s never been broken, and last Saturday Zayn became the most recent example of that too.

Ever since taking the reigns of the company from his father Vince Sr. in the ‘80s, Vince McMahon had shown the world what he thought a main eventer looked like: Tall and incredibly muscular or just all-around huge. The proverbial “guy who turns heads at an airport” metric. The steroid era came into full effect and we saw the start of a pattern that would continue in WWE to different degrees to this day: Some wrestlers that weren’t that talented or over got pushes and chances they didn’t deserve because they were big, and wrestlers that were talented or over found themselves denied those same opportunities because they were small.

The original person to break WWE’s first glass ceiling was probably Bret Hart. He was the first WWF World Champion to rise up from within the promotion’s system, climbing the card year by year and finally getting the top title despite the fact that he wasn’t an absolute behemoth. Yet if you look at his career, you’ll see that second ceiling, the one he didn’t break, the one nobody like him does.

When Bret won the WWF Title, it was late 1992. Dr.George Zahorian had been convicted the year before of providing steroids to WWF wrestlers, and the specter of a coming larger steroid trial aimed at Vince McMahon himself hung in the air. The magic of the ‘80s Hulkamania boom was starting to fade. So WWE tried something different. They put the title on someone comparatively smaller than the Hogans and Warriors of the world, someone who was supremely talented, they put it on Bret. Yet months later, at WrestleMania IX, Hart was dumped in a double title change, as WWF rolled the dice on seeing if there was any more juice to squeeze from another run with Hulk Hogan.

When that fizzled out in a matter of months, WWF turned its attention not back to Bret, but to building a new Hogan in the form of Lex Luger. Was Lex completely talentless, as some would claim? No. Was he the most talented potential main eventer WWF had access to at that time? No. Was he as talented or as over as Bret? No. But he did have an incredible body, even in a somewhat reduced form from his ‘80s physical peak. So in 1993, WWF spent the summer trying to build its new Hogan. We got the “Lex Express” bus tour, his slamming of then-champ Yokozuna on the U.S.S. Intrepid, and a count out win over Yoko at Summerslam that set him up for a coronation as champion at WrestleMania X.

Somewhere along the way Vince realized that Luger was not going to work, wasn’t going to be his new Hulk, so he turned to the most talented guy he had. WrestleMania X turned out to be the coronation for Bret rather than Lex. History would repeat though before the year was out, as just like he had lost the title to Yokozuna so he could in turn drop it to Hogan, Bret lost the title to Bob Backlund so he could pass it on days later to Kevin Nash, Diesel. Nash was far from the least talented big man Vince had ever pushed, and he had a charisma that would come out more and more throughout the rest of his career, but prior to the WWF, he had done nothing but gone through one embarrassing gimmick in WCW after another, from being a Master Blaster, to Oz, to Vinnie Vegas. Nash wasn’t as close to as talented as Bret. But he was taller. One year later Vince was ready to end the Diesel as the new top star experiment and who did he run back to as champ? Bret Hart. 

Bret was our first example of breaking the first glass ceiling, but he was also our first example of the second ceiling you can’t break. The WWF pushed Bret as a star, as a main eventer, as its world champion even, but they never really ran with him as “the guy”. They were always looking towards the next wrestler who actually fit the mold of what they thought a true top star of the promotion should look like, and so time and time again they abandoned him, for Hogan, for Luger, for Diesel. Every time it failed they came back to the safety of Bret. He was good enough to hold the fort while WWF looked for its next true ace, but did they ever really see him as an ace himself?

Some will point to the business being soft in the mid-90s under Bret as a reason why WWF never fully got behind him. That’s a valid point, but it’s worth noting that in the doldrums after a boom period, as the first “undersized” homegrown talent WWF put on top after a decade of telling their fans that only the biggest could be the best. Everyone in this period “failed” to some degree at the box office, many more than Bret. WCW’s business during these early Bret reigns was even worse. 

The WWF would eventually turn to a contemporary of Bret, another supremely talented but undersized wrestler who had risen slowly through the promotion, tag titles to Intercontinental Title to World Title, Shawn Michaels. Like Bret, he put on a great show in the ring but didn’t move the needle enough during a tough time for the promotion. Like Bret, he broke through that first glass ceiling but couldn’t break the second.

Next came Steve Austin, and you could argue he did break through the second ceiling. After all, he was not the size of a Hogan, and the WWF certainly did not initially see him as a top star, but eventually did, and pushed him as hard as they had Hulk. I’d point to Austin being big enough to get by the size bias, and I’d also point to Austin being a guy that was seen in many circles as a blue-chip prospect from very early on in his career. But even if you want to say Austin broke that second ceiling, I’d argue he’s the exception that proves the rule, as the Attitude Era was an aberration in WWF’s history, the one time where, with his back forced against the wall, Vince McMahon broke a lot of his usual habits. And if you do want to list Austin as the one example of breaking a second glass ceiling, then let the record show that the one time WWE has ever done that, it resulted in the highest popularity they have ever had.

From there we can see a ton of examples of the two ceilings. Chris Benoit got his WrestleMania main event win, but it was a reign that was like getting a gold watch at your retirement party. He had already been earmarked as the guy to “make” Randy Orton, a guy with the look and pedigree WWE valued, and months later at Summerslam, Benoit did just that. Years later, Rey Mysterio got his WrestleMania world title win, but like Benoit, WWE stuck him in a three-way rather than giving him a complete solo spotlight. Like Benoit, like Hart, his reign was just a transition from the jump, a placeholder given to a talented fan favorite while the company looked for the next star they could truly get behind with no reservations.

Rey is one of the most talented wrestlers who has ever lived. He has at times brought WWE nice chunks of the prized Hispanic fan demographic, to the point that so often when you hear WWE signing another Latin wrestler, word comes down that the company is hoping they can be “Their next Rey Mysterio”. Yet none of that talent or underrated drawing ability was enough for WWE to give him a fair opportunity to run with the ball as champ. His reign was just a few months, and saw him for a time lose on TV almost as much as he won. In his first month and a half as champion, Rey lost to Mark Henry, he lost to Great Khali, he went to a no-contest with Kane. Even with a top title, his size colored his presentation and booking. That first glass ceiling was broken, the second never showed a crack.

Then came CM Punk. Since the day he had signed with WWE, the climb had been all uphill. From very early on you heard how some of the power players in WWE felt he was overrated. His indie star reputation and his look worked against him, made WWE want to prove their existing biases right. You saw stories that WWE brass felt like he “Just simulated good wrestling”, that they resented him for dating women they thought were out of his league. But slowly, year by year, brand by brand, level by level, Punk’s talent proved to be undeniable. He gained fans, he rose up the card, and with his 2011 feud with John Cena, he was finally able to break into the upper levels of WWE stardom. The second ceiling remained.

If you want proof of that, look no further than Punk’s landmark year-plus reign as World Champion. Go look back at the PPVs during that reign and you might be shocked at on how many shows Punk’s title defences weren’t the main event, John Cena matches were. Even that year’s SummerSlam saw Punk play second fiddle to HHH and Brock Lesnar. From very early on in that title run, WWE made clear to the fans: Punk is our champion, Punk is a star, but he’s not THE star. That spot never changed and was never in danger of changing. No matter how many t-shirts Punk sold or how loud the cheers got, he was never going to fit WWE’s idea of what the top star should be, and so there was always going to be a limit to where he could go.

It’s telling that when Punk left WWE, two of his major gripes were the preferential booking of part-timers like Brock, and the fact he didn’t get to main event a WrestleMania. Punk as well as any wrestler saw the second ceiling. The main event of WrestleMania during the time period Punk was riding high was the ultimate honor, even above any title, it was what they gave to “the guy”. Even after achieving so much fame and fortune, Punk was unsatisfied, because he saw there was still a barrier put in place.

Finally, we got Daniel Bryan. Yet another hall of fame level talent that had to work twice as hard, get twice as over, and wait twice as long to rise to the top than others who were six inches taller or carried an extra 30 pounds of muscle. Yet another guy whose talent eventually made him undeniable. Yet another guy who broke that first ceiling, but only when WWE’s hand was forced. The fans had to hijack shows. They had to reject people like a returning Batista. Bryan had to be one of the hottest acts WWE had in years. CM Punk had to leave suddenly without warning. Only when all those stars aligned did Bryan get to break his first ceiling, begrudgingly get the thing that even Punk couldn’t get: the main event of Mania.

But as soon as Bryan became champion, the end of his story had already been written for him. It’s been said that the slot John Cena occupied, getting destroyed by Brock Lesnar at Summerslam to finish his rehabilitation as a top star that had started with his ending of Undertaker’s streak? That was originally Bryan’s role. It’s a role we had seen many times by this point, from Bret, from Rey, from Benoit, Bryan was to be the guy who held the fort as the next real star got made, the man who would be sacrificed to make them. Bryan could not have gotten more over, done more right in the months prior, and yet from the start of his reign, there was already an end game. There was that second ceiling.

There are so many examples I’ve left out. Great wrestlers who WWE dragged their feet on or never got 100% behind because of their size or image, and wrestlers who got undue opportunity after undue opportunity because they filled that superficial mold so well. The point isn’t that any of the wrestlers I’ve mentioned haven’t had great runs. They have all had careers that most wrestlers would kill for, become huge stars beloved by millions, made a lot of money, and had great moments of glory. That’s what breaking the first ceiling gets you. And it’s possible to do that, even if you don’t fit WWE’s ideal. You might have to get denied again and again first, you might have to work so much harder than others with so much less to offer, but it’s possible to get there.

No, the point is that the second ceiling is a push without limits. It’s a push at the absolute top where there is no set end in sight or goal other than seeing how big a star you can possibly be. It’s absolute faith in a talent, to the level where if there’s a speed bump in their rise, if half their audience even chants that you suck when you’re supposed to be the company’s top babyface, WWE works to fix it rather than to abandon the wrestler. It’s a push reserved only for people at a certain size, with a certain look, with a certain pedigree. It’s saved for the Hogans, the HHHs, the Cenas, the Romans. The people that are handpicked to be the top star before they ever prove that they are one.

Sami Zayn has broken the first glass ceiling. He’s the hottest rising star the company has had in years, since Nia Jax broke Becky Lynch’s nose, maybe even since the rise of Daniel Bryan. Sami’s storyline with Roman Reigns is the most over thing WWE has had in years. It’s a huge moment for Sami, something that he will always be remembered for, and will likely guarantee that he will never fall below a certain level of push ever again. Down the road he might even get a world title reign for a little while.

What Sami likely won’t get is what the fans want most, which is him beating Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania. Sami has made himself the hottest babyface WWE has had in years, and is at the center of a fairy tale storyline, but he probably won’t get the fairy tale finish. No, he and Kevin Owens will likely beat the Usos in a major match on Mania weekend, and get a huge reaction. It’ll likely be a great moment, but not the moment he deserves.

People have argued that Sami wouldn’t work well as champion, that in the long term, Cody Rhodes is the better option. That he wouldn’t be as good a public face for the promotion. That all might very well be true, but maybe not. Theories only become fact when you test them, and when it comes to people who look like Sami Zayn, WWE is never willing to truly try. They lack the faith. In wrestling you only truly know how big a star can be if you push them with no end in mind, with no hesitation, with no restrictions. If Sami won the main event of Mania, if he beat Roman for the title there, and it all didn’t work out, if a month later it became apparent that Sami’s run was a flash in the pan, or that he was better as a chaser than a champion, would that really hurt WWE? If they quickly changed course, put the title back on Roman, or Cody, would it do any damage to WWE at all?

I think we’re never going to know. One of the most fun parts of wrestling is seeing the rise of someone, of seeing them catch on in a way no one ever expected, and not knowing how hot they’re going to get. For months in WWE, you’ve been feeling that excitement. But if you’ve followed WWE’s history, that excitement has been tempered by the knowledge that for the Sami Zayns of the world, there’s a limit to where he can go. A high one, but a limit nonetheless. If he was a few inches taller, more muscular, a second or third-generation suave handsome American wrestler rather than a lanky ginger Syrian-Canadian, this would be just the start of Sami’s story, instead this is likely the peak. In WWE if you’re a Roman Reigns, the sky’s the limit. If you’re a Sami Zayn, the limit’s the sky.

Reason Andrade El Idolo Has Been Out Of Action Revealed

J. Cunningham
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AEW star Andrade El Idolo hasn’t been seen in action since All Out back in September 2022.

The former NXT Champion was a contestant in the casino ladder match won by now-AEW World Champion MJF.

During that time, El Idolo reportedly got into a backstage altercation with Jericho Appreciation Society member Sammy Guevara. The pair had been trading barbs for some time over social media leading up to their confrontation.

Sammy Guevara Andrade Fight

The incident led to the Los Ingobernables founding member being sent home and his Rampage bout with Preston ’10’ Vance getting called off. Interestingly, Guevara wound up wrestling soon after the altercation, going ahead with his booked tag team bout on that week’s episode of Dynamite.

While many rumors have swirled of El Idolo being off TV due to backstage problems, it now appears there’s a much simpler explanation.

Andrade El Idolo Not Expected Back Until The Spring

Back in August, the former WWE US Champion injured his pec in a trios bout. Despite performing for some time after, El Idolo ultimately needed time off for surgery.

Earlier this year, El Idolo posted a quick glimpse at some of his rehabilitation work in the gym.

According to a recent report from Fightful Select, El Idolo will not be cleared for action until the spring.

Last year, 2023 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes suffered a similar injury prior to his Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins. ‘The American Nightmare’ gutted through the bout despite grim swelling and bruising all over the affected area. On average, a fully torn pec recovery period lasts for at least six months.

Given the controversy surrounding him backstage last year, it’s hard to say where Andrade El Idolo goes from here. A reunion with Rush seems like the safest bet for now.

Are you looking forward to seeing Andrade El Idolo return?

Ariel Helwani on Tony Khan Calling Him a Fraud: “One of the All-Time Great Own Goals”

Michael Reichlin
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Ariel Helwani is speaking out after AEW President Tony Khan called him a “fraud” after his appearance on Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown.

Helwani is primarily an MMA journalist, but also covers some pro wrestling. In recent months, he’s interviewed WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque, AEW President Tony Khan and several WWE superstars. He’s also worked for WWE in a limited capacity, narrating video packages and most recently, serving as an on-screen correspondent.

Several people blasted Helwani as unethical, including Khan. Several months ago, Helwani called his interview with Tony Khan “one of the most frustrating, and to a degree, not-so-fun interviews of my career.” That relationship has deteriorated even further, with Khan labeling Helwani a “fraud” and Helwani referring to Khan as “the snowman.”

Ariel Helwani Responds to Tony Khan

Helwani hasn’t been phased by Tony Khan’s attack. After SmackDown, he wrote on Twitter that it was a “perfect” experience. “Life is short,” he tweeted. “I’m enjoying the ride. Thanks to the real ones for the support along the way”.

On Monday, he addressed the situation on the latest edition of his MMA Hour podcast.

“I see this tweet from Tony Khan, and I read it like three times, I swear to god, I thought it was fake. I thought it was fake. You know, because anybody can have a blue check, right? This guy doesn’t follow me, he’s never tweeted me, I was like, ‘There’s no way that he actually tweeted this.’ 

Number one, proving that he was watching, which is bizarre, why would you put the competition over and show that you’re watching some random SmackDown at some random moment in telecast? 

Number two, putting down his own guy in the process, the great Tony Schiavone, Atlanta sports legend. Calling me a fraud, and then saying that I am as much as a journalist as Tony Schiavone. Now, I’m trying to think, what is the point that he is trying to prove here? He is trying to prove that Schiavone isn’t a journalist? Correct me if I’m wrong, as an Atlanta guy, doesn’t he kind of have some respect as a media dude? 

So this guy is calling me a fraud, then he’s saying, Tony Schiavone is as much of a journalist as me, I guess trying to imply that he’s not a real journalist and I’m not a real journalist? Why insult your own guy in the process? 

The real thing he should have done is not say anything. Why are you putting over the competition’s broadcast? Your show is coming up, nice little cheeky hashtag there on the tweet as well. You talk about an own-goal, and I know Fulham is having a better season, they certainly haven’t had a great run with the Khans involved, but, this was one of the all-time great own-goals. I just couldn’t believe it. I had to check multiple times, is this really him?”

Backstage Reaction to Tony Khan’s Tweet to Ariel Helwani

Helwani is convinced Tony Khan is still upset that he did so poorly during their interview, which he finds ridiculous. AEW reached out to him about having Khan on his show and he agreed. They didn’t put any restrictions on what he could ask and he thinks Khan is mad that he came off as foolish and a person who wasn’t comfortable doing anything but promote his product.

Backstage at SmackDown, he questioned why Khan was so quick to call him a fraud during his moment. He said the ‘Old Ariel’ would have let a tweet like this bother him. He was actually invigorated by it and thought it was hilarious.

“The amazing thing was how everything spread backstage,” said Helwani. “Everybody was, ‘Did you see the tweet? Did you see the tweet?’ I’ve just been here for four hours. I don’t even know a lot of these people. ‘This is amazing. How could he have done this? Was that really him? What a ….’ Yeah, I guess it was really him!’ Bizarre.”

Ariel Helwani’s Work with WWE

Helwani said he didn’t even know he’d be attending Elimination Chamber weekend until Wednesday of last week. He’s had conversations in the past about doing things for WWE. He did the video package for Extreme Rules a few months ago. WWE offered to pay him for it, he said no, because he wanted to avoid conflicts of interest. Someone advised him that he was stupid to refuse payment for his work. He came to the conclusion that he isn’t a wrestling journalist, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

Many years ago, Jeff Jarrett tried to get him on the creative team for Impact Wrestling. He didn’t accept the position, but working in the wrestling business has always been a ‘bucket list’ thing for him. He made a promise to himself that if he would seriously consider accepting an offer from WWE if that came up.

The Elimination Chamber opportunity came up and said, I’m going to do it. I’m not going to live and die by people’s opinions on social media. He’s going to do what brings him joy. He says yes, it was a paid gig. He joked that he technically hasn’t been paid yet and hopes he didn’t blow it with all the controversy that’s unfolded over the weekend.

Helwani gave a shout out to Triple h for going to bat for him, believing him, being welcoming and kind to him throughout their interactions. Helwani says he was on cloud nine over the SmackDown appearance until he saw people complaining on social media. 

Natalya Praises Cora Jade’s Work Ethic: “She’s A Student Of The Game”

Ella Jay
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Natalya continues to inspire the next generation of WWE Superstars, and in recent years, she’s gotten to work with a few as well.

In April 2022, Natalya returned to WWE’s developmental territory of NXT, surprising Cora Jade with an emotional message. Natalya applauded Jade on making it to WWE, years after the two first met at a WWE live event during Jade’s fanatic days. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion referred to Jade as the “future” of NXT, but “the future is [also] bleak,” she said.

Natalya then delivered a slap to the young superstar, before locking in her signature Sharpshooter submission. The two later met once more, as Cora Jade did her best to dethrone the “Queen of Harts” on the May 10 episode of NXT. Unfortunately for Jade, though, the referee would be forced to call the match as she passed out to the Sharpshooter.

Natalya Heaps Praise For Cora Jade

Cora Jade

Recently speaking with Love Wrestling, Natalya commended Cora Jade for making persistent strides to achieve her childhood dream, noting that their storyline was Natalya’s “favorite thing” of 2022.

“It was so much fun,” she said. “She wanted to soak up as much information as she could. She was really a pleasure to work with, and I loved our program together. It was so much fun, and I think that there’s a lot of great things to come for her in the future, too. I think she’s a student of the game.”

“She is also somebody that I pointed to in the crowd [at a live event]. She has this photo of us that we took a selfie in the audience, and she made it. So, it’s really cool again, like [Roxanne Perez], Cora’s a fan. She’s a fan, she loves this, and she’s here. She made it. Cora and Roxy are a great message to little girls, and guys, everywhere, that you can have big dreams and you can accomplish them. You can achieve them. With hard work, dedication, and not ever taking no for an answer, you can achieve your dreams.”

H/T to Spencer Love of Love Wrestling for the transcription

Mercedes Monè’s First Title Challenger Revealed

J. Cunningham
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After nine months away from the ring, Mercedes Monè, the former Sasha Banks, made her long-awaited return to in-ring action.

Back at Wrestle Kingdom 17 last month, ‘The CEO’ made her NJPW debut, attacking then-IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI after her match with Tam Nakano.

Mercedes Mone/ KAIRA
via NJPW

Over the weekend at Battle in the Valley, Monè got the better of KAIRI in an action-packed 26-minute showdown.

The bout has been met with critical acclaim and saw Monè nail her new DDT finisher, something that had gone awry between the pair at Wrestle Kingdom. The Battle in the Valley closed out with Monè joining IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in the ring for a post-main event promo.

Now, just two days after the event, it appears Mercedes Monè’s first challenger is already in the wings.

Stardom Champion Challenges Mercedes Monè

Earlier today, Stardom held a press conference during which High Speed Champion AZM staked her claim.

The 20-year-old former Azumi got her hands on the High Speed Title for the second time almost a year ago. At Stardom Cinderella Journey 2022, AZM defeated Starlight Kid for the gold.

The High Speed Championship is typically reserved for Stardom’s high-flying performers, similar to Impact’s X-Division Championship. Considering AZM’s lightning-quick, big-bumping style, a match between her and Monè would likely be a thrilling affair.

At the press conference, AZM mentioned that ‘The CEO’ had mentioned her as a possible opponent previously. Keen to get the match booked, the Stardom sensation made clear the ball is now in Mercedes Monè’s court.

A key issue often cited by fans and pundits with Sasha Banks in WWE was her lack of longevity when it came to singles championship reigns on the main roster. Only the last of Banks’ six WWE Women’s Championship reigns saw her make some successful title defenses.

Considering she’s coming off her first match in nine months, it’s hard to envision ‘The CEO’ dropping the strap to AZM in her first defense. Regardless of the winner, though, this should be a high-octane clash to watch out for in the coming months.

Did you enjoy Mercedes Monè’s win over KAIRI at Battle in the Valley?

Teddy Long Says Cody Rhodes Can Outshine John Cena Any Day

Jon Fuentes
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Teddy Long believes that Cody Rhodes has the ability to outshine someone like John Cena any day.

The WWE Hall Of Famer recently took part in an interview with Sportskeeda’s Riju Dasgupta, where he was asked about Cody Rhodes and his current rise to the top of the WWE card since making his return.

Long had nothing but praise for “The American Nightmare,” going as far as saying that Rhodes could outshine WWE legend John Cena “any day.”

“In my opinion, I think Cody Rhodes can certainly outshine John Cena any day. He’s a great competitor. I’ve known Cody Rhodes since he was a little bitty boy playing on the softball team.

“His father, Dusty Rhodes, God rest his soul, gave me my first job, so I never will forget that, but Cody Rhodes, I guarantee you, will outshine John Cena any day.”

Cody Rhodes won the 2023 Royal Rumble

Rhodes has certainly had a tremendous run since returning to WWE. He made a surprise return to the company last year at WrestleMania, being revealed as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at the event.

This marked the beginning of a tremendous rivalry between the pair, which ultimately ended with a pectoral injury for Rhodes that forced him to be sidelined for the next several months.

Rhodes made his triumphant return at the Royal Rumble last month, winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match and punching his ticket to the WrestleMania 39 main event.

Now, he’s slated to headline the card against Roman Reigns, challenging for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. If he wins, he’ll be the first of his family to win a WWE World Title.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Charlotte Flair Hasn’t Noticed Difference Between Triple H & Vince McMahon’s Creative

Jon Fuentes
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If there’s been a difference in Triple H and Vince McMahon’s creative within WWE, Charlotte Flair hasn’t noticed it.

Flair recently took part in an interview with The Daytona Beach News Journal, and was asked about what differences she’s noticed since Triple H has taken over WWE creative for Vince McMahon.

“The Queen” noted that she hasn’t noticed much of a difference in all honesty, but mostly because she feels it’s more so up to her to make something work on-screen rather than the person coming up with the idea.

“I haven’t really noticed a difference because I feel, as a performer, that my job is just to make my boss happy. Whoever is in the seat is your boss,” Charlotte Flair said.

“Maybe if I was new, I would feel a difference, but I’m on more of the seasoned vet side. I don’t feel like there is as much maneuvering or trying to build a new character.”

Charlotte Flair
(WWE)

McMahon was forced to step down from his position of head of WWE creative late last year in the midst of the sexual misconduct investigation against him. This left his son-in-law, Triple H, to step up and take over the creative helm.

Since, Triple H’s creative decisions have been hailed as being far more in-tune with the professional wrestling crowd than McMahon’s. Especially after a great Elimination Chamber event this past weekend from Montreal.

Now that McMahon is back with the company in an executive role, it remains to be seen if he ever eventually decides to return to run WWE’s creative process again.

Eric Bischoff Comments on Tony Khan-Ariel Helwani Beef

Andrew Ravens
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Eric Bischoff gave his thoughts on the beef between Tony Khan and Ariel Helwani during the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast. 

It all started when the AEW President tweeted last Friday that Helwani is a fraud for being in the crowd at WWE SmackDown in Montreal. Helwani responded by calling Khan, ‘The Snowman.’ 

Helwani has known WWE’s Nick Khan for several years because Nick once served as Helwani’s agent. Because of this, some of Helwani’s critics have said say that he is biased in favor of WWE.

Also, Helwani openly attacked the president of the AEW for refusing to answer some of his questions when he spoke with Khan in October.

Bischoff’s Thoughts

“I was disappointed to see that. Look, I’ve heard a lot of the same rumors and I’ve heard them from people that are in AEW, to be blunt, and I don’t put any stock in them. I think it’s bad for him, no matter who you are, unless you were sitting down and watch someone, anyone, actually doing something, whether it’s snorting a line of blow or, you know, beating their wife, or whatever, unless you witness it with your own eyes, shut the f**k up.”

Bischoff thinks starting rumors like that is a bad reflection on the person and he doesn’t listen to that type of talk. 

“It’s just bad. Bad. You don’t want to do that to people. I’ve had it done to me. There’s no reason for it. Tony is inviting a lot of this criticism. He acts like a petulant child in the way he responds, and his response to Ariel in the crowd was a petulant child whose feelings were hurt because somebody took his toy away from him. I mean, it’s just so absolutely childish. I think that’s a reflection, at least in my mind, of who Tony Khan is. He’s immature. He is a child with a vanity project. He’s passionate.”

Bischoff stated that he’s not taking that away from him, but thinks the way that Khan reacts to things further gives off a negative impression of who he is. 

He added, “Tony should have never reacted the way he did to Ariel being out there.”

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription

WWE Higher Ups Reportedly Pushed For Sami Zayn Win At Elimination Chamber

Ella Jay
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0

The stakes were never higher for Sami Zayn this past weekend as he did his best to dethrone the long-time Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. In the end though, Zayn’s quest for glory, and gold, left him empty handed.

As Zayn revved up for Elimination Chamber, he admitted he didn’t know if he could beat “The Tribal Chief.” Despite his own doubts, though, support for Zayn continued to grow, not only from the WWE Universe, but from Cody Rhodes, and those behind-the-scenes as well.

As reported by Wrestling Observer Radio, some higher-ups in the company lobbied for Zayn to pull off a grand triumph over Roman Reigns at the February 18 premium live event. Though the identities of those pushing the agenda weren’t revealed, the possibility of Zayn winning appeared to be actively discussed.

Close, But No Cigar

WWE
Photo Credit: WWE

Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Zayn pieced together a valiant effort to combat Roman Reigns. At one point, Zayn stunned the champion by blocking a Superman Punch with an exploder. Later on, Zayn kicked out of a vicious spear — a feat rarely seen in Reign’s opponents.

Zayn’s hopes soon came crashing down, though, as Jimmy Uso appeared, delivering a superkick and a splash as the referee laid knocked out to the side. The second referee wouldn’t fair much luck either, as Reigns inadvertently struck him with a punch, paving the way for Jey Uso to make his appearance. As Jey hesitated to wield a chair on Sami, Reigns dodged an incoming spear from the former “Honorary Uce,” leaving Jey in Zayn’s path.

After accidently nailing his only ally left in The Bloodline, Zayn’s fate was sealed. The final blows came at the hands of Roman Reigns, who unloaded a series of chair spots and another spear to lay Zayn’s dreams to rest, and retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

Jon Moxley Pulled by AEW From OTT’s Scrappermania Event

Andrew Ravens
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Jon Moxley is no longer set to appear as planned at the Scrappermania event by Ireland’s Over The Top Wrestling. 

The top AEW star had been advertised for the show on March 17, but the promotion confirmed today that he had been pulled. In addition to him wrestling Trent Seven, he was also slated to do a meet & greet with fans. 

This turns out to take place the day before AEW’s House Rules live event on March 18 in Troy, Ohio, Moxley’s home State.  As a result, All Elite Wrestling pulled Moxley from the show so he could work their event. 

The Announcement

However, as a make-good, AEW is sending Eddie Kingston and another star to the event. The promotion issued the following statement on Twitter: 

“OTT have announced their first ever FanFest for Scrappermania 7. Due to circumstances out of their control, Jon Moxley will no longer be available to appear. Eddie Kingston, a 2nd unnamed AEW star, will appear along with Santino Marella, Davey Richards, Big Damo and more.”

At the house show presented by AEW, the promotion is advertising Moxley, Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy and more for it. The former AEW World Heavyweight champion will wrestle Evil Uno on this week’s Dynamite episode. 

Other bouts confirmed for the show include a tag team battle royale for a spot in the Tag Team Title match at Revolution, AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta, The Acclaimed vs. Lee Moriarty & Big Bill, and more. 

John Cena Announced for Upcoming WWE Raw from Boston

Michael Reichlin
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John Cena is returning to WWE television soon.

Cena’s most recent appearance took place on the December 30 edition of WWE SmackDown. He teamed up with Kevin Owens that night to defeat The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. In doing so, he continued his long-running streak of wrestling at least one match per year.

On Monday, WWE announced Cena will be on hand Monday, March 6 when Raw rolls into his home town of Boston, MA. Here’s the official announcement from WWE, including a link to purchase tickets, if you’re in the Boston area.

John Cena to Appear Live in Boston!

16-time World Champion John Cena will appear LIVE at TD Garden in Boston, MA for the 3/6/23 edition of Monday Night RAW.

Don’t miss out on seeing this epic Monday Night RAW on the Road to WrestleMania LIVE!

Tickets are now available via Ticketmaster.

John Cena’s next appearance comes in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 39. Cena is expected to compete against reigning Untied State Champion Austin Theory at WWE’s biggest event of the year. Theory defends the gold against Edge tonight on Raw.

Cena and Theory have been talking about wanting to work against each other over the past year. Theory has named Cena as one his favorite wrestlers while he was growing up, which paves the way for a built-in storyline for such a match. Theory has been complaining that people compare him to Cena, and has boasted that he’s achieving things in WWE that Cena never did.

Rumored Big Match Not Locked In For WrestleMania

J. Cunningham
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A major match-up many have been expecting for WrestleMania this year is currently up in the air.

At Elimination Chamber, Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley had their third singles bout. The latest showdown between the pair followed ‘The All Mighty’ making quick work of, and eliminating, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ from the men’s Royal Rumble match last month.

In a sprint-paced brawl, the two heavyweight monsters quickly got their spots in. Lesnar then got DQ’d for a surprise low blow just shy of the five-minute mark. The post-match antics saw the former UFC Heavyweight Champion obliterate both Lashley and the referee with F-5s.

Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar

The chaotic finish has left fans expecting a final, blow-off bout between the pair with a decisive finish. Their original clash at last year’s Royal Rumble win ended with a tainted Lashley win after Paul Heyman betrayed Lesnar. Their second bout saw Lesnar win with a surprise pinfall when he was locked in The Hurt Lock at Crown Jewel back in November.

Is Bray Wyatt vs. Brock Lesnar On The Cards For WrestleMania?

On the go-home SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, Bray Wyatt expressed his interesting facing the winner of Lesnar vs. Lashley III.

While Lesnar lost the bout via DQ, Wyatt very curiously specified he wants to face whoever “walks out alive” of the bout. Despite his loss, Lesnar was certainly not the worse for wear figure after his bout with Lashley.

The controversial ending of Lesnar/Lashley III was reportedly booked to keep the feud chugging along this year. However, according to a recent report from Fightful Select, the continuation of the feud may wait until after WrestleMania.

Considering Wyatt’s promo and Lesnar’s curious booking at Elimination Chamber, it looks like the big man may well be butting heads with Wyatt and Uncle Howdy very soon.

Would you like to see Bray Wyatt face either Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania?

Producers Revealed for WWE Elimination Chamber Matches

Ella Jay
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All roads now lead to WrestleMania 39. WWE held their annual Elimination Chamber event from the Bell Centre this past weekend, delivering a five-match card to a hot crowd in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Headlined by an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match including one of Montreal’s own, the premium live event proved to be a must-see attraction for the live audience, and for fans watching at home.

After some in-ring shenanigans involving two referees getting knocked out and The Usos interfering, Roman Reigns successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship much to the dismay of Sami Zayn’s hometown crowd.

Despite the odds stacked against him, Austin Theory walked out of the men’s Elimination Chamber with his United States Championship still intact. As it was down to the final two — Theory and Seth Rollins — Logan Paul emerged, unleased an attack against Rollins, allowing Theory to seal the victory with an A-Town Down.

Inside the women’s Elimination Chamber, Asuka outlasted her five other opponents as well. She will now go on to face Bianca Belair for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania in Hollywood.

Producers

WWE
Photo Credit: WWE

Following the Elimination Chamber event, Fightful Select reported the identities of the match producers:

  • Women’s Elimination Chamber: Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross — Tyson Kidd, Molly Holly, Peter Williams
  • Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley — Jason Jordan
  • Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley — Adam Pearce
  • Men’s Elimination Chamber: Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Austin Theory vs. Damian Priest vs. Bronson Reed — Jamie Noble & Abyss (Chris Park)
  • Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns (c) — Michael Hayes

Teddy Long Names WWE Tag Team He’d Want to Manage

Michael Reichlin
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Teddy Long is best known to WWE fans as the former General Manager of SmackDown (more specifically, booking tag team matches and making people go one-on-one with the Undertaker).

Prior to his memorable role as the SmackDown GM, Long worked as a referee and also guided several wrestlers as a manager, including Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed), The Skyscrapers (Sid Vicious, “Mean” Mark Callous and Butch Reed), 2 Cold Scorpio, Marcus “Buff” Bagwell and many more.

Teddy Long & The Street Profits

During a recent interview with Riju Dasgupta of Sportskeeda for WrestleBinge, Long was asked a hypothetical question about current WWE act(s) he’d want to manage.

Long said, if he were to manage anybody, he thinks he’d probably choose a tag team. He then named multi-time tag team champions, The Street Profits.

“I like them, I watch them,” he said. “You know they are good, they are good in the ring. Their mic skills are good. You know they are a couple of nice guys. I had a chance to meet them. So Street Profits are the guys I’d like to be with.”

WWE’s roster is loaded with talented performers, but the Street Profits are a great pick. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are one of the biggest success stories to come out of NXT over the past several years. Ford in particular is seen as having tremendous upside and will likely branch out on his own as a singles act in the future. He had an impressive showing over the weekend in the men’s Elimination Chamber match.

Long’s illustrious career earned him a much-deserved spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2017.

WWE produced this video package highlighting some of his greatest moments:

X-Pac: The Bloodline is “Right Up There” With the New World Order

Thomas Lowson
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Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman has praised the Bloodline, calling Roman Reigns’ faction “up there” with the New World Order.

The influence of the NWO continues to be felt to this day, with groups including D-Generation X and the Bullet Club borrowing the iconic staple of ‘cool’ heels.

Coming together in late 2020, The Bloodline has been heralded as one of the best angles in wrestling today, thanks in part to the spectacular heel work of leader Roman Reigns.

“Right Up There”

Sean Waltman is no stranger to impressive groups, having been part of both DX and the NWO.

Speaking to TMZ, Waltman said that there are some comparisons between the NWO and Roman Reigns’ dominant faction.

“The Bloodline thing, I mean, it’s right up there [with the New World Order] as far as I am concerned quality-wise.”

Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.

Waltman is hardly the first Hall of Famer to compare the two groups, with Eric Bischoff saying that the Bloodline is a better storyline than the New World Order.

Cracks in the Group

While the Bloodline may indeed be a force to be reckoned with, the group has shown serious cracks over the past month.

At WWE Royal Rumble 2023, Sami Zayn’s tenure with the group came to an end when he refused to attack Kevin Owens with a chair, and instead struck Reigns.

Jey Uso, who had been suspicious of Zayn for months before he was won over in late 2022, refused to attack Sami in response and has said he is out of the Bloodline as well.

At WWE Elimination Chamber, Jey again refused to attack the former Honorary Uce.

The Undertaker on Sami Zayn’s Storyline With Bloodline: “It’s Perfect”

Bray Wyatt Reacts to Roman Reigns’ Latest Undisputed WWE Universal Title Defense

Thomas Lowson
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It’s been years since Bray Wyatt last held World Championship gold in WWE, but the cryptic Superstar hasn’t finished with Roman Reigns.

At Summerslam 2020, Wyatt, as the Fiend, captured his second Universal Championship, but his post-match celebration was cut short by Reigns.

Reigns, who had spent months away due to Covid-19 precautions, won the title a week later at the Payback event, starting his current reign as Champion.

Responding to a tweet showing the names Reigns has defeated as Champion, Wyatt asked if fans remember how the Tribal Chief won the title.

While Reigns ended Wyatt’s second reign as Universal Champion, he did so by pinning Braun Strowman in a triple-threat match.

At this time, Wyatt is yet to have a rematch for the Universal Championship that he lost without being pinned or submitted.

This is hardly the first time Wyatt has brought this fact up, as he corrected Louis Dangoor when it was claimed that Reigns had defeated every former Universal Champion.

Future Plans

Wyatt is, according to an internal roster listing, the top babyface on SmackDown, but has been kept away from Reigns, the top heel of both the brand and the company as a whole.

Bray’s sole televised match since returning to WWE last October saw the former Universal Champion defeat LA Knight in the first Pitch Black match.

At WrestleMania 39, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes, the winner of the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match.

As for Wyatt, he issued a WrestleMania challenge to the winner of last Saturday’s Brock Lesnar Vs. Bobby Lashley match, but given the DQ finish, many expect Lesnar and Lashley to face off one-on-one at WrestleMania.

Undertaker Rumor Killer: “100% NOT What I Said to Bray!”

WWE The Favorites to Sign Top Free Agent Jay White

Thomas Lowson
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Jay White may not have appeared at WWE’s Royal Rumble as some had predicted, but the Switchblade may indeed be Stamford-bound.

At NJPW Battle In The Valley, the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion lost to Eddie Kingston in a Loser Leaves NJPW match.

This is the latest setback for White, after coming up short in a Loser Leaves Japan match to Hikuleo the prior week.

WWE Future

As soon as reports of White’s NJPW exit sprang up, rumors grew that he would be heading to WWE.

Prior to last month’s Royal Rumble event, the official WWE on BT Sport account teased White’s debut in the Men’s Rumble match.

According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, WWE is the favorite to sign the Bullet Club leader.

“Nobody in WWE has confirmed Jay White coming in, but they are certainly the favorite. One would think if White was going to AEW, he’d be able to work big shows with New Japan and would continue to do so, but they wouldn’t do the loser leaves for good stipulation.”

Dave Meltzer.

AEW Interest

While WWE is the favorite, they aren’t the only promotion that would benefit from White’s talents.

During a recent interview with the In the Kliq, AEW President and CEO Tony Khan said that he “loved” having White compete as part of last year’s AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event.

Khan added that he would also love to have White compete for AEW again, or either against AEW in another crossover Supershow.

Jay White on His Next Move: “Impact, AEW, WWE – We’ll See”

h/t – Wrestle Talk

Potential Spoiler on Huge AEW Announcement from Tony Khan

Thomas Lowson
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Is AEW President Tony Khan on the cusp of announcing another show to the promotion’s catalog of content?

In 2019, AEW launched their flagship weekly show AEW Dynamite, and on TV, fans can tune in to AEW Rampage each Friday night.

Online, AEW hosts their YouTube shows, Dark and Dark: Elevation each week, giving less experienced talent the chance to hone their skills off of TV.

AEW Collision

AEW could be on the verge of announcing a fifth show to its programming, according to a recent trademark filing.

In the filing made last week, AEW seeks ownership for the term ‘AEW Collision,’ with the filing reading as follows.

“Mark For: AEW COLLISON™ trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of educational and entertainment services, namely, a continuing program about wrestling accessible by radio, television, satellite, audio, video and computer networks; Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through television and the internet; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of wrestling.”

AEW has enjoyed a positive relationship with their broadcast partners at Warner Bros. Discovery, with AEW content often being among the highest-rated shows they own.

Kathleen Finch, the CCO of Warner Bros Discovery said that the company has “huge respect for [the AEW] audience,” and the company had been trying to capitalize on AEW’s popularity on their network.

AEW’s Tony and Shad Khan Are Among The List of Interested Buyers for WWE

Latest on Triple H Being Underwhelmed by Rehired WWE Superstars

Thomas Lowson
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Reports of Triple H being underwhelmed with recent signings have been greatly exaggerated, Fightful Select report.

In July 2022, the Game was appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, replacing John Lauriniatis after his unceremonial dismissal from the promotion.

The Triple H era has seen multiple names be rehired to WWE, including Karrion Kross, Bray Wyatt, Johnny Gargano, Dakota Kai, and Hit Row, among others.

Underwhelmed?

In December 2022, a report came out stating that Triple H had been “underwhelmed” by some of the performances of some rehired talent.

That report stopped short of naming who had allegedly disappointed the former World Heavyweight Champion, leading to speculation among fans.

A source from WWE told Fightful that within WWE, reports of Triple H being disappointed have been downplayed.

That source added that even if Triple H had been underwhelmed by rehired talent, it would not be something that the Game said out loud.

Expectations and Depth

When a member of WWE’s creative team spoke to Fightful, they said that nobody who has been rehired was expected to immediately ascend to the top.

It was added that WWE’s plans on the road to WrestleMania had already been planned out during the rehiring frenzy of late 2022, so WWE is far from worried about returning names not standing out right now.

A different source familiar to the situation said that Triple H’s rehiring stars was about bringing “depth” to Raw and SmackDown, and the rehired talent were told as much.

The depth issue was one that was immediately brought up to creative when Triple H made it into power in July 2022, as the consensus was that Raw and SmackDown were largely the same shows each week.

One source pointed to the performances of Johnny Gargano and Bronson Reed at WWE Elimination Chamber, saying they were “showing their value when given an opportunity.”

Triple H Would Rather “Stay Out” Of Potential WWE Sale Talks

Former WWE Superstar Spotted at Elimination Chamber 2023

Thomas Lowson
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Last weekend’s Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event proved to be a hit with fans, and one member of the crowd knew all about being in a WWE ring.

The February 18, event saw WWE return to Montreal, the host of the infamous Montreal Screwjob, in WWE’s first PLE in the city since Breaking Point in September 2009.

The main event saw Montreal’s own Sami Zayn face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but the Canadian became the latest victim of the Tribal Chief.

JTG

An estimated 17,271 fans filled Montreal’s Bell Centre in the hopes of Sami winning the big one, including former WWE Superstar JTG.

On Twitter, the Cryme Tyme alum shared a selfie during Zayn’s entrance, adding that watching WWE live made him feel like a kid again.

Debuting on WWE’s main roster in 2006 alongside the late Shad Gaspard, Cryme Tyme proved to be a hit with fans, though never won Tag Team Gold.

After a surprise release in September 2007, the pair were rehired in March 2008 and feuded with each other briefly upon Shad’s heel turn in 2010.

JTG After WWE

For years, an ongoing joke among wrestling fans was that JTG avoided being released, but the rarely-seen Superstar’s luck ran out on June 12, 2014.

After his release, JTG would reunite with Shad (who had been released years earlier) as Crime Time, changing the name slightly to be legally distinct from WWE.

Following Shad’s tragic passing in 2020, JTG would make appearances for Game Changer Wrestling and VxS Wrestling, before making his NWA debut in June 2021.

In April 2022, JTG made a one-night return to WWE as part of Shad’s posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as a Warrior Award recipient.

WWE Elimination Chamber and a Look Ahead to WrestleMania 39
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