Home Blog Page 519

Jon Moxley Pulled by AEW From OTT’s Scrappermania Event

Andrew Ravens
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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
-
0

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

WWE Elimination Chamber and a Look Ahead to WrestleMania 39

Ryan Droste
-
0

This week on Top Rope Nation, the crew looks at Saturday night’s WWE Elimination Chamber event and all the results coming out of Montreal. Plus, a look ahead at WrestleMania 39.

Each week, the video version of Top Rope Nation streams live to the SEScoops YouTube channel. You can join the live streams by subscribing to the channel and turning on notifications so you never miss a live broadcast. This will include a regular weekly edition of Top Rope Nation (typically Thursday nights), as well as reviews of all major WWE and AEW PLE/PPV shows.

On episode 286 this week, the Top Rope Nation crew breaks down each match from Elimination Chamber as only they can. Plus, they have a lively discussion on if Roman Reigns will actually lose the title at WrestleMania, whether he should, WWE’s problems at the top of the card moving forward, and of course a whole lot on the future for Sami Zayn.

You can watch the show via the embedded YouTube video at the top of this page. Additionally, you can listen to the audio-only podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found. You will also find an embedded audio player below.

Mercedes Moné Wins IWGP Women’s Title

Samantha Schipman
-
0

At NJPW’s “Battle in the Valley”, Mercedes Moné made her in-ring debut for the company. She made her debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17, where she challenged KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship.

The women were the first match in a double main event on Saturday night. Moné paid tribute to the late Hana Kimura with her gear. This was KAIRI’s second title defense. Their match went nearly 27 minutes and was the longest match of the night.

Moné pulled out some of her signature moves like the Meteora, Banks Statement, and even paid tribute to her best friend with a “Bayley to Belly”. That led to fans chanting for Bayley.

One half of the Two Woman Power Trip was there cheering her former tag team partner on.

Moné and KAIRI pulled out all the stops, including a table.

Moné eventually hit her finisher, the Moné Maker, to become the second IWGP Women’s Champion.

At the end of the show, she interrupted Kazuchika Okada to join him in the ring. The show ended with both champions at the top of the ramp with their titles held high.

After the show, Moné said, “I am not a quitter. I’m a Moné Maker.” She also celebrated with Bayley, Trinity (Naomi), and Tamina Snuka.

While it’s unknown who will be the first challenger for her knew title, Moné has teased a dream match against a legend.

Jay White Defeated in “Loser Leaves NJPW” Match

Samantha Schipman
-
0

At New Japan’s “New Beginning” show last weekend in Osaka, Jay White was defeated by Hikuleo in a “Loser Leaves Japan” match. On February 18, White was scheduled to face Eddie Kingston.

A few days prior to “Battle in the Valley”, Kingston issued a challenge to his opponent: if Kingston won, White couldn’t compete in any NJPW ring. “The Switchblade” accepted this stipulation and added one of his own. If he defeated Kingston, Kingston could never compete in New Japan or against any New Japan talent again.

After a hard-hitting affair, Kingston hit White with a Northern Lights Driver and pinned him. “The Mad King” left the ring and motioned for his music to be cut (it wasn’t) and tried to get the fans to start a “Thank you Jay” chant. As he was about to address the crowd, White was laid out by David Finlay. Finlay said “Fuck your era!” and said he was coming for everything White had.

What’s Next for Jay White

Jay White AEW Debut

White started in the NJPW dojo in 2015. After Gedo turned on Kazuchika Okda four years ago, they pushed White to the moon. He is a Grand Slam champion, holding the IWGP United States Championship, IWGP Intercontinental Championship, IWGP Heavyweight Championship, NEVER Openweight Championship, and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Of course, he also single-handedly sold out both Madison Square Garden and the United Center.

Where does a wrestler of this caliber go? WWE has interest in “The Last Rock and Roller”. While they are confident that they could land him, “that is hardly guaranteed at this point in time” according to Fightful.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, White stated “So much is possible. Impact, AEW, WWE—we’ll see.”

Should the leader of the Bullet Club head to AEW, he could continue his feud with Kingston. In IMPACT, he could reunite with Bullet Club brethren, Ace Austin and Chris Bey. KENTA is also in the IMPACT Zone from time to time.

Ric Flair Explains Hopes for Third WWE Hall of Fame Induction

Thomas Lowson
-
0

16-time World Champion Ric Flair is hoping to add a third Hall of Fame ring to his collection as part of his role with Evolution.

In 2008, Flair took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame the night before his retirement match at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels.

With this induction, Flair became the first active WWE Superstar to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In 2012, Flair made history again as the first-ever two-time inductee, receiving the nod for the second time for his role with the Four Horsemen.

While Flair would have his son Reid buried with one of his Hall of Fame rings upon the latter’s passing in 2013, Triple H would gift Ric a replica ring with Reid’s name engraved inside.

Third Induction

Since Flair’s induction in 2012, other legends have become two-time WWE Hall of Famers, including Booker T, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.

In 2020, Flair’s Evolution ally Batista was announced for that year’s Hall of Fame, but later opted to postpone his induction.

The reasoning at the time was that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Batista’s legendary career would not have received the proper response.

Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, Flair said he is excited for the day that Batista will be inducted, and said that Evolution should be inducted not long after the Animal.

While not confirmed, some believe that this year will see Batista be inducted as the headlining act, which went to The Undertaker at last year’s ceremony.

Evolution

Coming together in 2003, Evolution represented the past (Flair,) present (Triple H,) and the future (Randy Orton and Batista,) of WWE’s World Championship picture.

By December of that year, all members of the group held gold, meaning every male championship on Raw was in Evolution’s clutches.

After capturing the World Heavyweight Championship in 2004, Orton was kicked out by a jealous Triple H, and it would be in February 2005 that Batista chose to leave and feud with the Game over the title.

Ric Flair Shares Fun Road Stories During His WWE Run With Evolution

Asuka Makes WWE History with Elimination Chamber 2023 Victory

Thomas Lowson
-
0

The Empress of Tomorrow Asuka is heading back to the Raw Women’s Championship picture after a historic victory inside the Elimination Chamber.

Asuka bested Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Cross, Carmella, and Natalya to earn a shot at Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39.

The Japanese Superstar had been considered a favorite to win by many entering the match, following her return to action at last month’s Royal Rumble, where she was the penultimate woman eliminated from the Women’s Rumble match.

History Maker

Asuka’s seven-year career with WWE has seen her accomplish many historic feats, including surpassing Bill Goldberg’s undefeated steak with a streak of her own from 2015 to 2018.

With her win inside the Chamber, Asuka has now become the first woman to win an Elimination Chamber, a Royal Rumble match, and a Money in the Bank ladder match.

The Empress of Tomorrow won the very first Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, entering at #25 and scoring three eliminations.

In 2020, Asuka added the Money in the Bank briefcase to her collection of accolades, winning the cinematic match at Titan Towers.

Asuka would not cash in a contract though, as on the post-MITB Raw, it was revealed that the match had been for the Raw Women’s Championship, which had been vacated by the pregnant Becky Lynch.

Asuka at WrestleMania

While Asuka made an impact for the first three years of her career by remaining undefeated, WrestleMania has not been kind to the Empress.

Asuka’s first loss in WWE would come via submission to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34, and Asuka would be eliminated from the Women’s Battle Royal the following year.

At WrestleMania 36, the Kabuki Warriors lost the WWE Women’s Tag Titles to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, and Asuka’s reign with the Raw Women’s title ended at WrestleMania 37.

Asuka was not used for WrestleMania 38, and remains winless at WWE’s biggest event of the year.

Lady Frost on Wrestling Asuka with No Experience and Why Other Talent Weren’t Happy About This

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

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Triple H may be one of the most influential names in WWE today, but the promotion’s Chief Content Officer would rather stay clear of talks of a potential sale.

Last month, Vince McMahon made his shocking return to WWE after retiring in July 2022 over allegations of misconduct which resulted in millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.

McMahon has returned to oversee a sale of the promotion, with names including Saudi Arabia, Amazon, Endeavor, and Tony Khan being listed as interested names.

Staying Out of It

The sale of WWE would be the biggest thing to happen to the promotion ever, but it is hardly the focus of Head of Talent/Head of Creative Triple H.

Speaking at the WWE Elimination Chamber post-show press conference, the Game said his concern is on producing quality programming and giving talent opportunities to shine.

“Depends on who is buying, I suppose. What the offer is, what the outcome is. Stay out of it, to me. That’s not a cop-out answer. I have the greatest gig in the world. I helped tonight, in some small way, create the magic we did here tonight. To me, it’s the best gig on the planet.

“As long we get to do this, as long as we get to create the way we get to create it, as long as we get to do our jobs and we get to go out there and put our passion on display, as long as our talent are allowed to put their passion on display and do what we do, I’m good. It is what it is.”

Triple H.

WWE CEO Nick Khan has previously said he expects a sale to be complete within the next three months.

Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of WWE, is reportedly seeking $9 billion for the company, above the initially projected sale price of between $7.5 to $8.2 billion.

J.P. Morgan Hired to Advise on WWE Sale Talks – List of Possible Buyers

h/t – Fightful

Watch: Mercedes Mone Pays Tribute To Hana Kimura At Battle In The Valley

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Mercedes Mone paid a touching tribute to the late Hana Kimura during tonight’s NJPW Battle In The Valley event from San Jose Civic Center in San Jose, California.

The former Sasha Banks made her in-ring debut for the Japanese promotion during the event. She went up against the IWGP Women’s Champion Kairi.

Mone paid a tribute to Kimura with her unique entrance and ring gear during the co-main event of the night, as seen in the video below:

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1627190874495979523

Hana Kimura was a young Japanese wrestler who made her debut in 2016. She competed for Stardom and other promotions in Japan.

The 22-year-old was found dead in May 2020. Prior to her passing, Kimura had shared hate comments she received on social media.

Mercedes Mone made her NJPW debut during the Wrestle Kingdom 17 event in January this year. She had confronted Kairi at the show, setting up tonight’s match between the two.

The event tonight saw the former WWE star defeating Kairi to win the IWGP Women’s title using the Moneymaker finishing move.

The show also featured a loser leaves NJPW match between Jey White and Eddie Kingston. White lost this bout, signalling the end of his run with the company.

Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins Channel Batman & The Joker for WWE WrestleMania 39 Trailer

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins have shown off their acting chops for the first movie parody trailer to promote WrestleMania 39.

This year’s two-night event will take place in Los Angeles, which previously hosted WrestleMania in 2005 and 1991, and was one of three host cities in 1986.

For WrestleMania 21 in 2005, the show’s tagline ‘WrestleMania Goes Hollywood’ resulted in the stars of the time parodying films including Braveheart, Taxi Driver, and Forrest Gump.

Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins

With WWE returning to Hollywood, this year’s WrestleMania has leaned heavily into the glitz and glamor of the silver screen.

During last night’s WWE Elimination Chamber event, a parody of Joker (2019) was aired, featuring Seth Rollins in the titular role.

Recreating one of the most iconic scenes in the film, Rollins could be seen dancing down steps to a remix of his WWE entrance theme.

Unfortunately for Seth, his dance is cut short by Lynch, doing her best impression of the gravelly voice used by Christian Bale for the Dark Knight trilogy by director Christopher Nolan.

Lynch confirmed that she is parodying Batman by speaking about going to her ‘Man-Cave.’

WrestleMania Plans

As two of WWE’s biggest stars in years, it should come as no surprise that Rollins and Lynch are expected to compete at WrestleMania 39.

For Rollins, it has been reported that he will face Logan Paul this April, who eliminated Seth from last month’s Men’s Rumble match and helped eliminate the Architect during last night’s Men’s Elimination Chamber match.

As for Lynch, her WrestleMania future is far less certain, though her current feud with Damage CTRL has led to rumors of a six-woman tag in which Lynch would team with Lita and Trish Stratus.

Original Plans For Scrapped Raw XXX Match

Triple H Compares Sami Zayn To Hall of Famer After Elimination Chamber

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Triple H has compared Sami Zayn to WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley after his incredible performance at the Elimination Chamber PPV.

Zayn went up against Roman Reigns at the PLE in a very emotional match. While he didn’t manage to win the title, the former NXT champion gave the performance of a lifetime during the show.

The WWE Executive talked about the bout in the post-show press conference. Triple H explained that Sami Zayn reminds him of Foley due to his connection with the crowd:

“[Sami Zayn is] just a really special performer that in some ways, not in all ways, but in some ways reminds me so much of a Mick Foley in that his connection to a crowd.

One minute can make you laugh, the next minute you can have so much sympathy for him. He’s just, he connects on such an emotional level that I think it’s hard to put it in words and that makes it something really special.”

Zayn unintentionally speared Jey Uso during the Elimination Chamber match. He was then saved from a post-match beatdown by Kevin Owens.

After tonight it appears that WWE is going with their original plans for WrestleMania and we will see Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens teaming up against The Usos at the show of shows.

You can check out the Elimination Chamber press conference below:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Watch: What Happened With Sami Zayn After Elimination Chamber Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Sami Zayn had the opportunity of a lifetime at Elimination Chamber. He went up against Roman Reigns in one of the best stories that WWE has told in a long time.

Unfortunately for the former NXT champion, WWE decided not to pull the trigger on him despite the incredible crowd support.

Reigns ended up winning the match after distractions from Jimmy and Jey Uso. The Tribal Chief tried to deliver a post-match beatdown on his opponent but a returning Kevin Owens made the save.

Owens first laid out Jimmy Uso and he took out Reigns as well. Sami Zayn then delivered a helluva kick to the Undisputed Champion and stood tall in the ring as the show went off air.

The Underdog from The Underground stayed in the ring after the cameras stopped rolling. He soaked in a standing ovation from the crowd for a while before finally leaving:

The Elimination Chamber PPV also saw Jey Uso coming in between the Head of The Table and Sami Zayn, only for him to eat a spear from Sami that was originally meant for Reigns.

After tonight, it seems clear that WWE is sticking with their original plans for WrestleMania 39. We will see Zayn and Owens teaming up to face The Usos at the upcoming PPV.

CM Punk Attends NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023 Amid AEW Suspension

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Speculation has grown that CM Punk’s wrestling future may be with New Japan Pro Wrestling after the former World Champion was spotted at Battle in the Valley this week.

Punk a two-time former AEW World Champion, has been suspended from the promotion since September’s All Out Pay-Per-View over his post-show comments and backstage fight.

CM Punk is now the only person suspended following All Out to remain suspended as his trainer Ace Steel was fired, and everyone else was brought back to TV.

Battle in the Valley

All attempts to get an answer about Punk’s future from Tony Khan have come up fruitless, with the AEW President refusing to provide an update.

On Twitter, a fan shared photos of Punk attending Battle in the Valley, which happened this week in San Jose, California.

https://twitter.com/madrigrober/status/1627146142692818944

No details are currently known as to whether Punk is interested in signing with New Japan Pro Wrestling, or merely attended the event as a fan.

Punk’s Future

We can’t say for sure where Punk will wrestle next (if he wrestles again at all,) but if an AEW return is in the cards, then he shouldn’t expect a warm welcome.

Multiple top stars have said they will refuse to work with Punk if he is brought back, believing his comments at All Out were entirely inappropriate.

Chris Jericho reportedly called Punk a “cancer” after the All Out backstage fight, and the inaugural AEW World Champion is said to be part of a group trying to block a return.

There are some in WWE who have made their views clear that a Punk return would only bring problems as seen with what happened last September.

Latest on When CM Punk Will be Cleared to Wrestle for AEW

Sami Zayn Breaks Silence After Disheartening Elimination Chamber Loss

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Sami Zayn had the opportunity of a lifetime in his hometown to make history and defeat Roman Reigns to win his first world title in WWE.

The Underdog from The Underground however, failed to get the job done. WWE chose not to pull the trigger despite the incredible crowd support and he suffered a disheartening loss.

Zayn broke his silence on the defeat during the post-show press conference. The WWE star said that he is feeling ‘strangely detached’ after the show:

“I feel very strangely detached, which I don’t know if people want to hear. You want to hear, ‘Wow, I did this. It was awesome. I’m riding high.’ I normally am, but I’m feeling very strange, strangely detached,”

Sami Zayn said that he might feel different later after he has watched the whole thing back. However, right now he is feeling like waking up just before you have realized your dream:

“I’d be lying if I said that didn’t affect me. Of course, it’s unbelievable…this is a dream come true. You ever have a dream, it’s going in a certain direction, and then you wake up right before. That’s kind of what this was.”

The former NXT champion later mentioned that some elements of this story were real. He discussed how he saw the crowd after the match was over and saw deflated faces that were not ‘in a storyline sort of deflated.’

You can check out the full press conference below:

Austin Theory Announces US Title Open Challenge For Raw, Talks John Cena

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Austin Theory has made a big announcement for this Monday’s Raw after successfully retaining the United States Championship at Elimination Chamber.

The current champion managed to outlast the five challengers he faced inside the Chamber. He last eliminated Seth Rollins who was distracted by Logan Paul to retain the title.

In the post show press conference, Theory was asked if he would want to defend the belt against John Cena at WrestleMania. The US Champion explained that people should talk about him and not the Cenation Leader:

“Why does everyone talk about John Cena? Why? Why don’t they talk about me? Because now they’re gonna talk about me. Because tonight I showcased my immortality inside that chamber.”

– Austin Theory

Later in the press conference, Austin Theory asked a question of his own. He wondered who is gonna step up to him now because there is no one in the WWE locker room who thinks like him.

The Raw star then announced that he will be issuing an open challenge for the US Championship on Monday and said that he will beat anyone who answers it.

Apart from this, the Elimination Chamber PPV also featured another cage match and the match between Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. You can check out the results for the show here.

Update: it appears that Edge has accepted the open challenge issued by Theory. He said this at the post-show press conference:

Roman Reigns Defeats Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens Makes The Save at WWE Elimination Chamber

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns had their highly anticipated bout at this year’s WWE Elimination Chamber premium live event when “The Tribal Chief” made his latest defense as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. 

The match opened with a long staredown before they looked around at the crowd. After tossing him to the floor, Zayn hit an outside dive. Reigns cut him off with a right hand. While the beatdown was going on, Reigns was talking trash about Zayn to Zayn’s wife. Zayn then made a comeback. Zayn with the superman punch then a big boot for two. Reigns cut off a DDT attempt with an uppercut.

Zayn avoided the spear and Reigns went through the barricade. Zayn hit the blue thunder bomb for 2 once in the ring. The referee was taken out by accident and Jimmy Uso came out to hit Zayn with superkicks. Reigns hit a spear after Zayn knocked Jimmy off the apron. After the second referee was knocked down, they did double superman punches. As Reigns was about to hit Zayn with a chair, Jey Uso showed up. Zayn accidentally speared Jey and Reigns hit Zayn with a chair. Reigns retained with a spear. 

Kevin Owens came out to make the save for Zayn in a post-match beatdown. Owens with a stunner to Reigns then one to Jimmy. Owens with a powerbomb to Jimmy through the announce table. Owens with a stunner to Paul Heyman. Zayn laid out Reigns with the big boot in the corner to end the show. 

After months of embracing him into The Bloodline, Zayn finally turned on The Bloodline at the Royal Rumble after Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Title over Kevin Owens. The Bloodline beat down Owens after the match. Reigns was going to hit him with a chair, only for Zayn to stop him. Reigns wanted Zayn to hit Owens with the chair and Zayn refused to do it. Zayn hit Reigns in the back. The Bloodline beat down Zayn, except for Jey Uso, who walked out.

Reigns will make his next defense as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39. 

1...518519520...3,103Page 519 of 3,103