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WWE NXT Results (12/6): Wild Card Matches, New Day Sets Up Deadline Match

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The December 6, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  •  
  • Axiom def.  Andre Chase and Von Wagner
  • Charlie Dempsey def. Hank Walker.
  • Tony D’Angelo def. Xyon Quinn.
  • Isla Dawn def. Thea Hail
  • Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen def. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.
  • Indi Hartwell defeated Wendy Choo and Fallon Henley

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Final Build

wwe nxt deadline

Final Build

WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker will defend the title against Apollo Crews at NXT Deadline. So what did WWE do for the final build of this main event match?

They went on a fishing trip where they talked trash in a friendly way. That was it. 

Drew Gulak Appears

drew gulak nxt

Charlie Dempsey, who is the son of William Regal, had a match with former security guard Hank Walker. Midway through the match, Drew Gulak appeared and watched on as Dempsey won his match. Post-match, Gulak walked away and was impressed with what he saw. 

New Day Appears

new day

NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) had a segment where they read a ‘Christmas story’. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) interrupted.

Woods and Kingston issued a challenge to Pretty Deadly with NXT Deadline. A brawl broke out with New Day standing tall. The match has been formally announced.

Iron Survivor Challenge Men’s Wild Card Match

3nxt

Von Wagner vs. Axiom vs. Andre Chase in a Iron Survivor Challenge wild card match took place. 

The match opened the show and was solid. Axion went over when he hit a running knee strike to Von. 

The Grayson Waller Effect

0NXT

Waller roasted a fan about not being able to get laid then mocked Axion for wearing a turtleneck. He also roasted JD for being a garden gnome and Hayes for being a loser and an A-hole. JD said Hayes has been protected since he arrived in NXT. They all talked trash before getting into a brawl. 

Iron Survivor Challenge Women’s Wild Card Match

2nxt

Wendy Choo vs. Fallon Henley vs. Indi Hartwell in a Iron Survivor Challenge wild card match took place. 

The other competitors in the upcoming bout include Zoey Stark, Cora Jade, Kiana James, and Roxanne Perez.

The match served as the main event and saw Heartwell go over after Wendy hit a splash to Fallon and was tossed to the floor before Heartwell hit her in the back with a strike. 

Tony D’Angelo Back in Action

1nxt

Tony D’Angelo returned to the ring when he took on Xyon Quin. 

Stacks and D’Angelo met Dijak in the parking lot during last Tuesday’s NXT episode, and D’Angelo thanked him for what he had done to Wes Lee the previous week. It wasn’t for him, according to Dijak. Lee’s reign as champion is about to come to an end, according to D’Angelo, who claimed that he is now allowed to make his return.

The match saw Tony quickly take out Quinn with his finisher. Post-match, he called out Lee, who came out to the ring. Lee told him to wait until he is done with Dijak and then they can settle their business. Tony said that he doesn’t wait for anyone. 

Dijak said that he plays by a different set of rules. He told Lee to keep his mind out of his way. He said neither of them will stop him from decimatingNXT. 

Tony Khan Responds to Criticism About Booking ROH Storylines on AEW Dynamite

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In recent weeks, AEW and ROH owner Tony Khan has come under fire from some fans who feel that there has been too much focus put on the ROH brand with its titles and storylines. 

Khan bought the promotion earlier this year and, despite not having a television deal in place for the brand, he has booked pay-per-view events for ROH and used its talent and championships on AEW programming. 

During an appearance on the Battleground podcast, Khan responded to those critics.

The Crossover

Tony Khan

“One thing I have tried to do…I think we only have three hours of AEW TV a week so I have tried to limit the Ring of Honor focus on Dynamite to mostly the Ring of Jericho and Chris Jericho, the ROH World Champion.”

Khan stated that he has tried to keep the other ROH Title matches on either AEW Rampage or Dark: Elevation. He found it “amusing” when he saw someone saying they thought there was too much ROH on Dynamite as he feels that having a variety of new ROH-aligned wrestlers has been, and will continue to be, good for ROH business. 

According to Khan, they have made “good money” on the pay-per-views since he bought the promotion, and “frankly, (the money) has been in line with what I paid for the entire business.”

Saturday’s Final Battle is expected to garner some of their best numbers thanks to the main event of Jericho vs. Claudio Castagnoli, according to Khan. 

H/T to F4Wonline.com for the transcription

Tony Khan on Billy Gunn in The Acclaimed: “He Has Helped Guide Them to the Top of the Sport”

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AEW President Tony Khan was a guest on the BattleGround podcast to promote ROH Final Battle this Saturday night. The PPV will air live at 4 PM EST at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Speaking on the Battleground Podcast, Tony hyped up this Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite featuring AEW World Champion MJF, Samoa Joe versus Darby Allin for the TNT Championship, and The Acclaimed versus FTR for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

Tony was asked if Billy Gunn managing The Acclaimed was the turning point for the AEW Tag Team Champions and Khan noted that they have only been a team for a short amount of time. He praised Billy Gunn for guiding The Acclaimed to the top of the sport and credited Caster and Bowens for their hard work.

The Acclaimed have only been a tag team for a couple of years. So with a few years under their belt, I think they have done an incredible job. Because just over two years ago in Jacksonville, The Acclaimed teamed up together for the first time ever on AEW Dark.

They worked their way up from Dark onto wrestling matches on TV pretty regularly. They didn’t win every single match but they made a big impression. I think they have quickly earned a place at the top of tag team wrestling.

I might not have put them at the top of the list at the very beginning, but I do think really very quickly, with the guidance of Billy Gunn, he has helped guide them to the top of the sport.
Billy is a great mentor for them. He is also very popular.

I think their popularity was skyrocketing really quickly and Billy Gunn was clearly the right person at the right time for The Acclaimed.

And it has all just come together quickly. It was the perfect combination of things. And most of all, it was the hard work of Max Caster and Anthony Bowens to become the AEW World Tag Team Champions. [From 06:17 – 07:29]

Tony Khan on what Billy Gunn has brought to The Acclaimed

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Battleground Podcast and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Former ROH Stars Attend Tuesday’s WWE NXT (Photo)

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ROH went on hiatus in 2021 after the Final Battle pay-per-view event, which opened the doors for many contracted wrestlers to sign up with promotions, including WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, NWA, and NJPW. AEW’s Tony Khan purchased the company earlier this year but didn’t bring everyone back. 

Several former ROH stars are on WWE’s radar once again, as Vincent and Dutch were spotted in attendance at WWE NXT on Tuesday night. 

It’s unclear why WWE brought the two stars to the show or whether they have signed with the promotion, but with them being in attendance, it would indicate that they’re close to signing if they haven’t done so already. 

In October, it was reported that WWE had discussed having them part of Bray Wyatt’s rumored Wyatt 6 faction. 

In Attendance

wwe nxt 2022 ring

Former Impact Wrestling star KC Navarro was in attendance as well. As noted, Navarro attended the WWE tryouts earlier on Tuesday. Former Impact Wrestling star Kylie Rae attended the tryouts as well. 

Vincent and Dutch are the former Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions, which they co-held alongside Matt Taven as part of The Kingdom. When the promotion went on hiatus, members of The Kingdom showed up in Impact Wrestling as part Honor No More.

WWE typically announces a new group of signees at once, so an announcement will likely come in the next few weeks about who has signed with the company. 

‘Iron Claw’ Von Erich Biopic Casts Its Harley Race

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Kevin Anton has joined the cast of A24’s “The Iron Claw,” a movie about the rise and fall of the Von Erich family. 

He will portray legendary wrestler Harley Race. Anton recently appeared in Showtime’s seven-part limited series, “The Loudest Voice,” based on a bestselling book about Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News.

He will also be featured in the upcoming Amazon series, Dead Ringers, starring Rachel Weisz. Anton is represented by Stefanie Talent and Entertainment.

Rest of The Cast

Harley Race
Harley Race

Zac Efron (Kevin Von Erich), Jeremy Allen White (Kerry), Harris Dickinson (David), Holt McCallany (Fritz Von Erich), Maura Tierney (Doris Von Erich), Aaron Dean Eisenberg (Ric Flair), AEW‘s MJF (Lance Von Erich) and Lily James in an unknown role make up the rest of the cast.  

The film is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean Durkin. A24 and Access Industries are co-financing the film. Producing alongside A24 are Tessa Ross, Derrin Schlesinger, and Harrison Huffman. The Iron Claw began principal photography beginning in Louisiana in October. 

Although no release date has been announced for the movie, production is currently underway, and the film will premiere sometime in 2023.

Update on Plans for WWE’s Return to India

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WWE is slated to return to India for the first time since 2017 next year. 

It was previously reported that WWE has plans to run a show on a “grand scale” in Hyderabad, India, and would consist of “a mix of superstars, both Indian and international.”

As part of WWE’s deal with Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE previously held an Indian show, Superstar Spectacle, on January 22, 2021, that aired five days later to coincide with India’s Republic Day.

The Latest

Triple H

Pwinsider.com provided an update on the show as the date of the show will be Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the G.M.C. Balayogi Sports Complex, an indoor stadium in Hyderabad with a capacity of 5,000 people. 

It’s expected to feature SmackDown talent mostly. It’s unclear whether WWE plans to air the show as a special on Peacock, tape it for the local market, or just have it as a house show. 

The Superstar Spectacle special was billed as “a unique showcase of Indian-inspired action,” which also featured elements of Indian culture and was headlined by Drew McIntyre and The Indus Sher (Rinku and Saurav) defeating The Bollywood Boyz (Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) and Jinder Mahal.

MLW Star Richard Holliday Vows to Beat Cancer

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Richard Holliday has provided an update on his status as he is battling cancer. 

While speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, the MLW star revealed that he’s battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is halfway through chemotherapy.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” said Holliday. “You never expect this will happen to you. I took such pride in my health, so to get news like this was quite shocking.”

In June, he started experiencing a vicious bout of night sweats. His last match happened on June 23 when he challenged Alex Hammerstone for the MLW World Heavyweight Title in Falls Count Anywhere match at the MLW Fusion tapings.

The Details

Holliday recalled the match and noted he was taking Dayquil to try to get through every day. He said that he felt off, and when he got home, he was freezing and pale white when he left after a month. 

In July, he experienced severe dizzy spells and went to the emergency room, where his iron and hemoglobin were dangerously low to the point doctors thought he was anemic. He began taking iron pills to counter that, but his levels continued to check. 

“They checked if I had internal bleeding, which I didn’t, and then they ran a litany of tests and a scan of my body for a possible case of lymphoma in September. Those tests confirmed it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was earth-shattering, devastating. But I knew right then I needed to change my mindset. The mind powers the body, so I needed to stay positive. I was reassured by my doctor that I could beat this, and I believe I am going to beat this. My plan is not to lose to lymphoma; my plan is to inspire people. I’m going to come out of this stronger, and I’m going to let people know they can beat it, too.”

Holliday stated that he doesn’t know when he will return to the ring but is adamant that he will beat cancer as he can’t stop thinking about making a return to in-ring action. 

Female Bodybuilder Offered WWE Contract

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WWE is holding talent tryouts at the Performance Center this week in Orlando, Florida, as the company looks to sign new talent and hopes to find its next breakout star. 

The company also held a two-day tryout in Tampa, Florida, recently. The company has a new recruitment strategy to find talent as they scout former college athletes and established independent wrestlers. 

Among those in attendance was Melanie Brzezenski, a bodybuilder from the University of Tampa, and former USF football player Darrien Grant.

Preparation 

Melanie Brzezenski
December 1, 2022, Bradenton, Florida, USA: Melanie Brzezinski, of Tampa, performs her group promo for judges during a WWE tryout event at the IMG Academy East Campus on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Bradenton. Bradenton USA – ZUMAs70_ 0195985803st Copyright: xJeffereexWoox

“I got a personal trainer back in July, and I said to him that I have one goal and one goal only,” Brzezenski told ABC Action News. “That is to get into the WWE.”

Brzezenski, who goes by “Rosie Ray,’’ applied six times to qualify for a tryout. She was offered a WWE developmental contract after trying out.  

Former WWE Champion Big E helped evaluate the talent as he is still recovering from suffering a broken neck earlier this year. 

“We’re putting them through the paces of rolling in the ring, hitting the ropes, doing the bumps, and see how they react, seeing how they learn day-to-day,” he said. “But also, we’re seeing them on the microphone, seeing how their promos are. That’s a huge part of it. That’s what we do is having these larger-than-life characters.”

Former AEW/Impact star Kylie Rae and former MLW talent K.C. Navarro are taking part in the tryout this week in Orlando, Florida. 

“Oh What a Night!” WWE’s Naomi & AEW champ Jade Cargill sit courtside for Atlanta Hawks game

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There was a ‘Baddies Section’ at Monday night’s Atlanta Hawks NBA game from the State Farm Arena.

WWE Superstar Naomi was spotted at the game sitting courtside next to none other than Jade Cargill, All Elite Wrestling’s reigning TBS Champion.

Naomi posted a video of them together:

Cargill replied to the post and wrote, “We killed the scene. We MUST do this again sis”

Local radio personality John Michaels posted this photo with the ladies:

Naomi has been off WWE television since ‘walking out’ of a Raw taping back on May 16 due to creative differences with company company.

Cargill is scheduled to compete on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. She’ll team up Baddies Red Velvet and Leila Grey against Madison Rayne, Skye Blue and former Baddie Kiera Hogan.

WWE NXT is Returning to The Road for Future Premium Live Events

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When the COVID-19 pandemic happened in 2020, WWE held its events at the Performance Center as the world shut down. 

WWE NXT has made the Performance Center its home since then, but it looks like the brand will be taken on the road for big events starting in February. 

According to WrestleVotes, the “Vengeance Day” Premium Live Event will take place in Charlotte, NC. The Twitter account tweeted out the following: 

Taking The Show on The Road

Shawn Michaels NXT
(WWE)

“Hearing some great news out of the PC this afternoon, source states NXT is returning to the road for their future Premium Live Events. Starting with “Vengeance Day” on February 4th from Charlotte, NC.”

It’s unclear the venue that the brand will use for the show, although it’s likely to be booked at a smaller venue. In October, Shawn Michaels, who oversees creative for the brand, stated that WWE had no plans to book large buildings like they had been a few years ago for TakeOver shows. 

WWE will present its Deadline special this Saturday with the main event of NXT Champion Bron Breakker defending the belt against Apollo Crews.

MJF Has Given Himself a Humble New Nickname

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Maxwell Jacob Friedman is a humble young man, perhaps best known for his selflessness, kindness and compassion. Who are we kidding? He is a raging, egomaniacal narcissist who would probably marry himself if he could.

MJF now has the hardware to back up his grandiose feelings of self-satisfaction. As the reigning AEW World Heavyweight Champion, he’s more emboldened than ever. We’re just weeks into his MJF’s Reign of Terror and he’s already getting started reshaping the role of world champion in his own image.

Last week on Dynamite, we got a first glimpse at MJF’s custom AEW World championship belt. He also announced that he does not plan on defending the title as frequently as past champions, a stance some would call wise and others would call cowardly.

The Nickname

MJF appears will bre running with a new moniker, Mystic Max. On Tuesday, he posted a thread on Twitter showing off some of his biggest moments during his time in AEW. He included a caption containing a recent quote by who else but himself.

“Just call me Mystic Max because I have a feeling your happiness will soon turn into resentment, because you people are Fickle”

Mystic is defined as, ‘inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination.’

Sounds just like our pal Max.

MJF’s next World title challenger is Ricky Starks, who won an eliminator tournament to earn a championship opportunity at Winter is Coming. MJF name dropped Eddie Kingston during his first promo since winning the world title, so a match between these two is likely in the works for early 2023.

Brody King: House of Black is “Delivering a Product That Nobody Has”

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House of Black made their long-awaited return to AEW on Thanksgiving Eve. They took out Best Friends, Orange Cassidy, and The Factory. On the latest episode of The Sessions with Renee Paquette, Brody King delves into his band, working in Hollywood, and wrestling for AEW.

King didn’t want to be off television when Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews were away from AEW. “I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to take a break because I feel like I had a lot of momentum at the time. Not just that, I just felt like I was really getting in my groove in AEW and like showing who Brody King, the professional wrestler was.”

“I got to wrestle Darby twice. I got to wrestle Jon and I feel like those three matches really put me on the map where people were just like ‘oh, he’s just Malakai’s side kick’ to ‘oh, shit. He’s like a threat.’ And those were the moments I was waiting for. It was never me questioning if I could do it, it was like when I can do it.”

“And I feel like it all came at the right time and I was worried about it taking the momentum away. We made this return and it was awesome and the whole crowd was standing on their feet. And I feel like it was almost like we didn’t miss a step. I feel like that’s really rare in wrestling because fans are so — I don’t want to say fickle — but they forget about you quickly. For them to give us that reception was awesome.”

The return of House of Black

AEW House of Black
(AEW)

When asked about the faction, King declared its “us versus everyone. Kind of how we live our lives outside in the world. Like me and Malakai both come from hardcore music. He kind of dips more into black metal and stuff like that. Whereas I stay kind of in my lane, more hardcore punk, like death metal adjacent. (…) We have the same thought process when it comes to the world. Then, like how we conduct ourselves. We’re very much on the same page when it comes to that. So it makes it easy when we’re coming up with concepts of how we want to look, how we want to present ourselves.”

“I feel like when it comes to AEW, we are delivering a product that they don’t have. And I feel like in wrestling, we’re delivering a product that nobody has. There’s people that have the ‘spooky’ gimmick or whatever you want to call it. But it’s like, this is authentic to us. This isn’t us putting on a costume and pretending to like the music that we like. We have deep knowledge on all things that we’re doing, you know? Malakai reads all these weird, old books on witchcraft and black magic and stuff. I’m constantly reading comic books and playing Magic: The Gathering and listening to alternative music, so it’s like we never want to present something we’re not actually involved in.”

Brody King Talks About Adding Julia Hart

Screen Shot 2022 09 24 at 3.40.22 PM
Photo Credit: Scott Lesh

King says they are not currently looking to expand House of Black. “I’d say right now, we are very much kind of a hive mind. We all kind of want the same thing and know the trajectory that we want to go in. Bringing in Julia was interesting because obviously on the outside –19 year-old cheerleader makes no sense to be with us — but then she joins the group and it’s like she fits in perfectly.”

“Even when it came down to making her music, my best friend, Colin — he plays drums and writes all the music in God’s Hate — him and his brothers have like, a million bands, but they’re known and very respected in the hardcore scene. Their band, Dead Body, actually wrote the new House of Black theme, he wrote Julia Hart’s theme, he wrote the theme that Evil Danhausen came out to. He’s like a massive wrestling fan too. He didn’t make it to be a wrestler, but to have his influence in wrestling now is really cool for him.”

Hart had input on what she wanted her music to sound like. She told them she likes Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. When she told them that, King said “it was like, there’s more here than we think. Before All Out me and my wife took her to the mall to find something for her entrance gear. We’ve become like her wrestling parents. She found this black dress and then just picked up the hat and we’re like, ‘yeah, that’s it.’ Now people are calling her ‘Tiny ‘Taker’ and she has like this Stevie Nicks vibe. She was like this bubbly, sweet teenager and now’s she’s like the most Resting Bitch Face on Earth.”

House of Black Will Be Trios Champions

House of Black SK

King believe it’s a matter of time before they have the Trios Titles. “We’re waiting for our time. It’s wrapped up in this best-of-seven series, but I feel like with time, you will see House of Black go after those titles and take those titles at some point.”

He also believes that he and Allin are destined to keep wrestling each other since they’ve been opponents in Evolve and PWG. His dream opponent is Samoa Joe. “Not to sound like a fanboy, but he’s probably my favorite wrestler of all time. (…) I think he is the perfect wrestler and I would love to test myself against him.” Outside of AEW wrestlers, he’d love to wrestle Shingo Takagi and Kazuchika Okada.

Watch: ‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’ Documentary Trailer

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The premiere date is set for the upcoming documentary on the life and career of Ric Flair. 

Peacock announced that “Becoming Ric Flair” will premiere on December 26 on Peacock. The two-hour documentary is a partnership between WWE and Tom Rinaldi.

“Many stories have been told about The Nature Boy over the past 50 years,” said Flair, “I’m thrilled to have partnered with WWE and Peacock to produce the most accurate depiction of my life to date and hope audiences enjoy the ride. Woooo!”

Here’s the official trailer for Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair:

What to Expect

Flair has previously said the documentary would be better than his ESPN 30 For 30 documentary and that the “bullsh*t” from Dark Side of the Ring would be addressed. 

Flair came under fire after the Dark Side of the Ring episode aired because of Flair’s alleged behavior towards a flight attendant Heidi Doyle on the trip. Flair was accused of taking his clothes off and forcing himself on her. 

“16-time World Champion and 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is one of the most prolific and controversial superstars in professional wrestling history. Flair is a true American icon: from his famous “Woooo” that is still heard in stadiums and arenas throughout the US, to his influence on hip hop music.

At 73 years-old Flair remains a constant in American pop culture, but who is the real man behind the outrageous persona? Finally, Flair reveals all, opening up about his storied career, inside and outside of the ring, over the last 50 years.

Hulk Hogan, Mike Tyson, Post Malone, Stephen A. Smith, and Charlotte Flair are among those who join Flair in telling the tale of the man behind ‘The Man.’”

Flair and WWE parted ways in August 2021 after he requested his release.

Update on Drew McIntyre After Being Medically Disqualified (Report)

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Drew McIntyre is expected to miss a few weeks of action after being medically disqualified from this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.

During Raw, it was announced that McIntyre won’t be teaming with SmackDown this Friday to challenge Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

Injury

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that McIntyre’s medical disqualification stems from an injury.

He is injured. I was told an injury, but it’s not from a firsthand source. But he’s supposed to be back for the Christmas show. So it’s only a couple of weeks, I know that.”

Dave Meltzer.

Details remain unclear as to what exact injury the two-time former WWE Champion recently suffered.

The Will to Compete

McIntyre has been pulled from this Friday’s match, and nobody is more disappointed than the Scottish Warrior himself.

On his show, Meltzer explained that Drew was adamant about competing despite not being cleared by WWE’s medical team.

“He wanted to wrestle and they would not let him wrestle. But it’s not like it’s going to be a long-term thing, at least as it stands right now.”

Dave Meltzer.

With McIntyre on the shelf, Butch will team with Sheamus for the title match.

Sasha Banks’ Latest Trademark Covers ‘Performances by an Actor or Musician’

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Sasha Banks (Mercedes Varnado) has secured some interesting trademarks that provide some insight into her future plans. The trademarks were registered on behalf of her company, Soulnado, Inc., which was formed in August 2022.

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office database, Soulnado, Inc. filed to trademark the following names on November 10:

  • Mercedes Mone’
  • Mone’ Talks
  • Bank Mone’
  • Statement Maker 

The filings are clearly not WWE-related. The trademarks are listed for categories such as jewelry, decals, clothing, action figures, and entertainment services.

Performances by an Actor or Musician

Last week (December 1), she applied to trademark her real name, Mercedes Varnado.

The ‘Goods and Services’ usage description provides some interesting clues about what she’s planning for her professional career. There are some references to wrestling, but most of the description covers ‘live performances by an actor or musician.’

  • Entertainment services in the nature of live audio performances by an actor or musician;
  • Entertainment services in the nature of live visual and audio performances by an actor;
  • Entertainment services in the nature of live visual and audio performances by an actor or musician;
  • Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests;
  • Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer;
  • Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestler, actor, and musician;
  • Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler, actor, and musician; Entertainment services, namely, providing music tours in the nature of live musical performances;

Last month, Banks posted a cryptic video that teased, “there’s going to be something so f***ing crazy coming” in the very near future.

She recently completed work on her first feature film.

Watch: Becky Lynch Addresses Fans After Monday’s WWE Raw

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Becky Lynch delivered an emotional address to the live crowd after Monday’s edition of WWE Raw went off the air.

Lynch is one of the most popular pro wrestlers in the world. She’s risen to the top of WWE and that doesn’t happen without the fans. Throughout her journey, including some disappointing setbacks and injuries, the WWE Universe has kept her motivated and hopeful.

‘The Man’ competed on Raw against Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross in a triple threat match. Just as she was about to score the win, Damage CTRL interfered and cost her the win.

After USA Network’s broadcast of Raw concluded, Lynch took a moment to speak from the heart and tell the people how much they mean to her.

“I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you for supporting me on my journey,” said Lynch. “I missed you guys so much, and there is no limit to what I would do to prove my love for you, for everything that you’ve shown me.”

Based on the events that transpired on the show, it appears Lynch will continue feuding with Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky as the year closes out and we head into the Royal Rumble.

Here’s video of Becky Lynch speaking to fans after the December 5 edition of Monday Night Raw, courtesy of Twitter user @Beckyonly:

5 WWE Santas Who Are Definitely on the Naughty List

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The days are getting darker. The winds are getting colder and that can only mean one thing.

The Holidays are coming!

Each year, WWE makes sure to air a Holiday episode, complete with Christmas trees and other sights associated with the most wonderful time of the year.

Countless Superstars and personalities have donned the iconic red and white suit of Santa Claus himself, but not all did so with the best of intentions.

Here are five Santas from wrestling who will be getting coal in their stocking this Christmas.

5: Damien Sandow

image 6
Damian Sandow’s 2013 ended with him on the naughty list after losing to the World’s Strongest Santa Mick Foley.

For Damien Sandow, 2013 could be best described as a ‘mixed year.’ 

After winning the SmackDown Money in the Bank contract, Sandow seemed on the cusp of becoming World Heavyweight Champion, but failed in his cash-in attempt on John Cena.

By December, Sandow had fallen down the card dramatically and played the role of ‘evil Santa’ on the December 23, Raw.

Facing off against the World’s Strongest Santa Mark Henry, Sandow had little chance, and what started as a promising year for the intellectual ended on a dud.

4: Bubba Ray Dudley

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Tajiri used a festive red mist to defeat Bubba Ray Dudley in a Santa Vs. Santa match in 2001.

For much of the Invasion storyline, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley were key players in the Alliance and would hold the WWF and WCW World Tag Team Titles.

Even after the Alliance was defeated, the Dudleys remained, and Bubba would don the iconic red suit for the Christmas Eve Raw.

Facing off against SanTa-jiri, Bubba earned himself on the naughty list with his heel antics throughout the match.

To their credit, both men would put on an entertaining match despite their costumes, and Bubba even used some Santa-themed taunts to rile the crowd. 

In the end, Tajiri’s mist (festive red of course!) would give the Japanese Buzzsaw the win in a highly-entertaining match.

3: Bobby Heenan

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Bobby Heenan tried to reveal s hocking secret while dressed as Santa Claus.

Rightly considered one of the greatest heel managers in wrestling history, Bobby Heenan earned himself a spot on the naughty list countless times with his actions.

On Christmas Day in 1989, Heenan took to Prime Time Wrestling for what he called his ‘Santa Claus Shoot,’ in which he declared to the world that Kris Kringle isn’t real.

No doubt breaking the hearts of children watching, Heenan’s rant was cut short by Roddy Piper, who told the kids Santas is real, and pushed and prodded the famed manager.

Heenan, in typical fashion, tried to talk his way out of being beaten up by Piper, and we imagine that The Brain got coal in his stocking the next year.

Of course, this Santa suit wouldn’t be the only costume Heenan would don on-screen, but his other, more iconic outfit, would be that of a weasel.

2: Xanta Claus

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Xanta Claus, played by Balls Mahoney, showed that everybody has a price for the Million Dollar Man.

For In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings, Santa Claus took a break from a busy December to appear for the World Wrestling Federation, handing out presents with Savio Vega.

Confronting Million Dollar Men Ted DiBiase in the ring, it seemed the numbers were in the good guys’ favor until the unthinkable happened.

Santa Claus sold out!

Attacking Vega and aligning with DiBiase, the man was now Xanta Claus (hailing from the South Pole,) a pretender to the role who had been paid off by DiBiase.

Xanta’s one and only match would come on the Superstars of Wrestling show on December 19, defeating Scott Taylor, but the character would last a few weeks after Christmas.

Years later, Xanta would return to WWE, but under his more recognizable name as Balls Mahoney, and his actions showed that everyone has a price for the Million Dollar Man.

1: John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield

Like Damien Sandow at the start of this list, 2005 was not the best year for John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield.

In April, his ten-month-long reign as WWE Champion ended at the hands of John Cena, ushering in Cena’s rise to the top of wrestling, and the Texan would fail to regain the gold.

That December, JBL donned a camouflaged Santa outfit for that year’s Tribute to the Troops in Baghdad, and berated the troops for the

Complaining about having to use a porta-potty for his rosy backside and the lack of Dom Perignon for his reindeer, and even threatened to cancel Christmas.

JBL’s Santa didn’t stop there, threatening to cancel all holidays (even Bastille Day!) but his plans were thwarted by WWE’s resident Santa, Mick Foley.

Facing off in a match to determine the true Santa of WWE, Foley got the win with a literal bag of tricks and Mr. Socko.

JBL’s berating of the troops was certainly not becoming of Jolly Ol’ St. Nick, and when you consider his actions as a character (and his history of hazing and bullying) JBL has a lifetime spot on the naughty list.

AEW Dark Tapings Returning to Universal Studios in Orlando

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AEW Dark is coming back to Orlando after spending the past few months on the road, Fightful Select has learned.

It is reported that the “working plan” is for Dark tapings to return to Orlando’s Universal Studios on December 17, marking the first taping at the center since August.

From September 2021 to August of this year, AEW was at Universal Studios every four to six weeks to tape content for Dark.

Since August, has been taping Dark on the road in front of live audiences, allowing wrestlers more experience traveling and working in front of different crowds.

Several AEW Dark regulars who spoke to Fightful said they are hoping to pop back up on the tapings when they returned to the Orlando area.

Fightful said they have not been told whether tapings for Dark will stay in Orlando, or go back on the road in the new year.

When AEW films Dark on the road, it allows the promotion to get a better look at local wrestlers wherever they are at.

AEW Dark

Launching in October 2019, AEW Dark marks the second weekly show for All Elite Wrestling, after AEW Dynamite.

The show airs each week on AEW’s official YouTube channel, with 173 episodes having aired to date.

Justin Roberts and Dasha Gonzalez (both former WWE talent) share roles as ring announcers, while Excalibur and Taz call the action on commentary.

In March 2021, Dark got its own sister show AEW Dark: Elevation, which showcases the younger talent that may not quite be ready for Dark, Dynamite or AEW Rampage.

Matt Hardy Wants the Hardy Boyz’s Last Match with Legendary Tag-Team

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Matt Hardy has big plans for his final-ever match, including facing a WWE Hall of Famer.

Hardy’s wrestling career began in 1992 and has seen Matt hold gold in WWE, TNA/Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor.

In April 2020, Hardy made his debut for All Elite Wrestling where he competes to this day.

Retirement

With 30 years in the wrestling business, Matt is fully aware that his days as an active competitor are coming to an end.

Speaking on his ‘Extreme Life’ podcast, Hardy revealed that he wants The Hardy Boyz’ final match to be against Edge & Christian.

“Our rivalry is just so iconic. I feel like that would be a pretty amazing way to end it, having one last match with those guys.”

Matt Hardy.

No Mercy 1999

The Hardys and Edge & Christian faced off countless times in WWE, but perhaps their best-known match took place at No Mercy 1999.

In the finals of the Terri Invitation Tournament (or T.I.T as Jerry Lawler reminded fans on commentary), the two teams faced off in the first tag-team ladder match in WWE history.

With their win, the Hardyz (then known as the New Brood) won $100,000 and the managerial services of Terri Runnels.

In their memoirs, ‘Exist 2 Inspire’ the Hardyz wrote that the four celebrated the match backstage with beers, the first time either Matt or Jeff drank alcohol.

The death-defying spots would cement both teams as ‘legitimate’ in the eyes of fans, with John Powell of SLAM! Wrestling writing at the time that the match overshadowed the Triple H Vs. Steve Austin WWF Title main event.

h/t – Sportskeeda

Solo Sikoa Pays Tribute to Umaga on WWE Raw

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The Usos put their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions on the line tonight on WWE RAW.

It was the first match of the night but it didn’t go off as planned. The Bloodline arrived to the arena but was immediately interrupted by Matt Riddle on his scooter. Elias showed up and The Bloodline beat him down.

Matt Riddle had to find another tag team partner in quick fashion but luckily there was someone backstage that hates The Bloodline. Kevin Owens joined Riddle in the tag title match but it was not meant to be. The Usos isolated Riddle and caught him with the 1D for the pinfall victory and retained the titles.

  • Best Moments from The Usos Historic Title Reign

Jimmy and Jey are scheduled to defend the tag titles once again this Friday night at WWE SmackDown once again. The match was announced as the winner of the tag title match on RAW will defend against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre on SmackDown.

Drew announced on social media today that he has been “medically disqualified” and cannot compete in the title match this Friday.

Unfortunately I am medically disqualified to compete this Friday on #Smackdown I don’t like to miss any shows as everybody knows but I promise I’ll be back soon

The Usos took to Twitter and claimed that McIntyre wasn’t really medically disqualified and is just scared to face them.

After the tag title match tonight on WWE Raw, Solo Sikoa brutally beat down Matt Riddle to the point where he needed to be stretchered out. Sikoa paid homage to Umaga and hit Riddle with the Samoan Spike and the Samoan Bulldozer during the attack.

Umaga was the brother of Rikishi, and uncle to The Usos and Solo Sikoa. He passed away at just 36 years old in 2009.

The Bloodline Honors Umaga on the Anniversary of his Passing

Jim Cornette Claims AEW Star was the “Biggest Disappointment” as World Champion

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Jon Moxley lost the AEW World Championship to Maxwell Jacob Friedman, aka MJF, in the main event of AEW Full Gear.

Moxley had put the company on his back following the disastrous media scrum after All Out in September. Jon lost the title to CM Punk in the main event but wound up getting it back at Dynamite: Grand Slam by winning the Tournament of Champions.

William Regal was the lead of the Blackpool Combat Club for a few months but is now on his way back to WWE. Jon entered into a rivalry with Hangman Page after he returned from injury last week.

Jim Cornette on What is Next for Jon Moxley, Hangman Page as World Champion

Jim Cornette recently discussed former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley on episode 460 of the Jim Cornette Experience.

He wondered what AEW should do with Jon Moxley after he’s lost his championship and Wiliam Regal is no longer with the company. Cornette said that Jon should be facing off against a young heel that wanted to rub in his loss at the PPV.

Now’s the time to get a guy that’s on the ascent, a young heel, to go in there and have a program. And Moxley can probably win some or most of those, as long as you keep the young heel credible.

But it make that guy a step up the ladder working with the ex-World Champion. And as a matter of fact, Moxley should go back after MJF, and that heel that I was just speaking of that doesn’t exist, because it’s Hangnail (Hangman Adam Page).

He should be the one to f*** Moxley out of a rematch or in his rematch. But the time to plan all that was before the guy dropped the title.

Cornette claimed that Hangman Page has added nothing to his presentation since his AEW World Championship run. Jim claimed that Hangman Page has been the most disappointing champion so far.

If this is what they figured out for it to be, bleh. They are rewarding Page again for pretty much starting this whole goddamn fiasco.

He’s worthless as an attraction to begin with because the only people that want to see that bland, boring-ass imitation cowboy face are the same people that want to see the EVPs, which is shrinking by the week.

It’s the whole clown club. Page was the biggest disappointment that they’ve had as a World Champion and he’s added nothing to make himself any more interesting.

You can’t even turn Page heel because he’s so bland and disinteresting.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Alexa Bliss Says She Has “Newfound Aggression” After Big Victory on WWE Raw

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Alexa Bliss and Bayley will battle on next week’s episode of WWE RAW to determine Bianca Belair’s next challenger.

The EST has held the title since WrestleMania 38 and has already defeated Bayley numerous times. Bayley defeated Asuka and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match to earn a spot in the #1 contender’s match next week.

In the main event of this week’s WWE RAW, Alexa Bliss battled Becky Lynch and Nikki Cross in a Triple Threat match. Becky appeared to be in control but IYO SKY and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL interfered in the match.

They Powerbombed Becky through the announce table as Alexa hit Twisted Bliss on Nikki Cross for the pinfall victory. Alexa and Bayley will battle next week to determine Bianca Belair’s next opponent for the RAW Women’s Championship.

Alexa Bliss on her “Newfound Aggression”

Cathey Kelly interviewed Alexa Bliss backstage following her big victory tonight in the main event of WWE RAW. Alexa was asked how she is preparing for her #1 contenders match against Bayley next week and Bliss said

You know, we’ve had a lot of run-ins with Damage CTRL, including Bayley herself. And I think I’m prepared for Bayley this time.

Last time I wasn’t really finding my footing, but recently I have this newfound aggression and I think I’m really going to channel that with Bayley. I’m excited for next week.

WWE Legend Reacts to William Regal’s Rumored Comments about “Maturity Issues” in AEW Management

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William Regal has reportedly exited All Elite Wrestling after just 9 months with the company.

He arrived at AEW Revolution and convinced Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley to work together in the Blackpool Combat Club. The group had such promise, but frittered into nothing over time.

Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson are involved in an interminable rivalry with Jericho Appreciation Society while Jon Moxley was AEW World Champion. William Regal betrayed Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear by bashing him over the head with brass knuckles to gift MJF the title. MJF then betrayed William Regal on last week’s Dynamite and hit him with the brass knuckles. Regal was stretchered out of the arena as his send off.

Jim Cornette on the Rumors Surrounding William Regal’s Exit from AEW

ECIII claimed that Regal immediately regretted signing with AEW because of “maturity issues” within management. Cornette noted that William Regal is not the only legend the younger wrestlers apparently aren’t listening to as Rampage sets a new record-low rating this week.

Speaking on episode 460 of the Jim Cornette Experience, the legendary manager discussed the rumored comments by the former NXT GM.

Let’s see now, JR (Jim Ross) gave advice and was publicly ridiculed on Twitter and on social media by the young folks over there for trying to give advice.

Punk, said well you know nobody wants to listen to anybody’s advice. Ol’ Hangnail (Hangman Page) actually came out and said ‘no, I don’t look forward or listen to much advice’.

Do you think there might be something to this? A maturity issue within management. Almost like the people at the actual top of the company have never done any of this before.

But yet won’t take advice from people who have. It’s almost like that but that can’t be right because that is what we have been saying for quite some f***ing time now, is it not?

Jim Cornette noted that he wasn’t just talking about the talent being inexperienced.

Tony’s never done any of the sh** he’s trying to do before in his life except as we know now from his public comments, with his two other e-fed friends where they would book their e-federation for each other. And it was amazing that even though the fans in the arenas weren’t real they could get the feel of what was getting over.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and give a H/T to SEScoops.

William Regal’s Return has been Discussed for Months in WWE NXT (Report)

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William Regal is expected to return to WWE in the near future, but this is something that the NXT roster has been waiting on.

Regal was released in January of this year from his role with the gold brand, as part of sweeping cuts to the backstage crew in NXT.

The former WWE Intercontinental, European, and Tag Team Champion would debut for AEW at the Revolution Pay-Per-View in March 2023.

Discussion

After being written off AEW TV last week with an attack by MJF, it has been reported that Regal will be finishing up with the promotion this month.

One popular theory among fans is that Tony Khan had an agreement with Regal, stating that if Triple H took control of the company, then he’d be allowed to return.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez said that this idea has been discussed for months among the NXT roster.

“This is a story that goes back in NXT months, and months ago. They believed that story whenever it first happened. Some don’t believe it, but it’s a story that’s been going around NXT for MONTHS.”

Bryan Alverez.

Neither WWE, Khan, nor Regal have publicly confirmed reports that he is set to leave All Elite Wrestling and return to WWE.

Departure

Regal’s departure from AEW has come as a shock to fans, as the British legend has been featured prominently since arriving as part of the Blackpool Combat Club.

Speaking to Sportskeeda last week, EC3 claimed that what he was told is that Regal “immediately” regretted joining the promotion earlier this year.

It is claimed that Regal took issue with the “maturity issue” with management, though sources have labeled the rumor of AEW’s roster not listening to Regal as ‘completely inaccurate.’

Former WWE Superstar Loses Bet to Renee Paquette

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It’s no secret that Renee Paquette is a big Cincinnati Bengals fan. In fact, she has a YouTube series with the team called Renee All Dey.

Last week, she made a deal with a former WWE Superstar who happens to be a big Kansas City Chiefs fan. Since the two teams were facing off yesterday, the two made a fun bet.

Mojo Rawley’s wager was that if the Chiefs won, Paquette would have to dress up as him and act like him on her podcast. If the Bengals won, Rawley would have to wear a hot dog costume on her show.

Bet Wager Between Renee Paquette and Mojo Rawley

Mojo Rawley
Mojo Rawley (Photo: WWE)

The Brodough app sponsored their bet. With the app, you can create bets with others while raising money for charity. Fans could get involved with this bet by using donation links and whomever raised the most money wins the challenge and the proceeds go to the winner’s charity. Rawley’s charity of choice was Mental Health America, while Paquette chose the SPCA of Cincinnati.

In the end, the Bengals held on in a thrilling victory with a final of 27-24. Paquette quickly took to Instagram to celebrate via her Instastory. She also posted a reel highlighting her day.

No date has been set for when Rawley has to pay up.