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Zelina Vega on Triple H & Stephanie McMahon Trusting Her With Promos

Robert Lentini
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Zelina Vega is currently the manager of the Legado Del Fantama faction on WWE SmackDown.

The leader of the group, Santos Escobar will battle Ricochet in the finals of the SmackDown World Cup this Friday night, with the winner earning a match against Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship.

Speaking on the “That’s Dope” podcast, Vega commented on what it is like working at a WWE TV taping.

Usually you know going into it who’s gonna win. When you get into the building, you’re gonna have a match with so and so. You’re gonna win.

And if it plays into a certain story, there’s always like little things that they’ll tell you like, ‘Oh you have to make sure you do this’ or, ‘You have to make sure you hit this mark.

Vince McMahon resigned from WWE in July. He announced his resignation on Twitter as he was under investigation by WWE’s Board of Directors for alleged hush money payments to former female employees. Former EVP of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis was dismissed during the scandal.

Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan replaced Vince as co-CEOs, while Triple H replaced John Laurinaitis as EVP of Talent Relations. The Game also serves as WWE’s Chief Content Officer.

Vega noted that both Stephanie McMahon and Triple H have known her for a while and trust her with promos.

When it comes to me because they’ve [Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque and Stephanie McMahon] known me for a while, it’s like, ‘Hey we can already trust you on the microphone you’re not gonna say anything that’s gonna get us in trouble. You’re gonna keep to your character so here’s the skeleton of what we need from you and just fill in the meat.’

So that’s kinda how it goes.

H/T: EWrestlingNews

WWE NXT Results (11/29): Hall of Famers Appear, Dijak in Action

Andrew Ravens
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The November 29, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  •  
  • Roxanne Perez def. Indi Hartwell.
  • Dijak def. Dante Chen.
  • Grayson Waller def. Duke Hudson
  • Kiana James def. Fallon Henley.
  • Axiom def. Javier Bernal
  • Von Wanger def. Malik Blade
  • Toxic Attraction def. Katana Chance, Kayden Carter and Nikita Lyons

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Roxanne Perez vs. Indi Hartwell

2nxt 3

Roxanne Perez vs. Indi Hartwell in a singles match took place. It opened the show and they had a solid bout. Perez went over with a sunset flip powerbomb. 

This match happened after weeks of backstage arguments and bad blood. 

Six-Woman Tag Team Match

1nxt 4

Katana Chance, Kayden Carter and Nikita Lyons vs. Toxic Attraction in a six-woman tag team match was booked. 

Backstage last week, Lyons stepped up to the challenge and offered to team with Carter & Chance to take on Gigi Dolin, Jacy Jayne, and NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose. 

The match served as the main event. It ended when Lyons sold a knee injury before Dolin and Jayne hit their tag team finisher for the win. 

The Participants

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Shawn Michaels called on X-Pac, Road Dogg, Molly Holly, and Alundra Blayze to help announce the competitors for the first-ever Iron Survivor Challenge Matches that will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at NXT Deadline.

There was a backstage segment with all of the Hall Of Famers discussing and coming up with the names. They mentioned Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, JD McDonagh, Joe Gacy, Von Wagner, and Grayson Waller.

So who are the competitors? Carmelo Hayes, JD McDonagh, Joe Gacy, Grayson Waller, and a wild card to be determined make up the men’s match. The Women’s match will see Zoey Stark, Cora Jade, Roxanne Perez, Kiana James and a wild card to be determined.

Axiom vs. Von Wagner vs Andrade in the wild card match while Wendy Choo vs Indi Hartwell vs Fallon Henley in the wild card match for the women will take place next week.

The rules of the match reads like, “Five Superstars will compete in this unique 25-minute match as they battle each other and the clock. Two Superstars will start the match, and every five minutes a new Superstar will enter the match until all five are in the ring.The Superstar who has scored the most falls when the clock hits 25 minutes will be named the Iron Survivor and become the No. 1 Contender to the NXT Championship and NXT Women’s Championship, respectively.”

Dijak Returns

dijak 1

Dijak made his in-ring return on this show one week after making his return to television. He beat Dante Chen in a quick squash match with a version of the GTS. Post-match, Dijak said that was an example of justice. He said that NXT is a place of refuge, but he’s here to take care of any soft men.

WWE aired teaser videos for weeks leading up to his return last week. He returned and attacked Wes Lee after he had retained his NXT North American Championship against Carmelo Hayes in the main event. The show ended with Dijak laying out Lee with Feast Your Eyes.

Dijak worked under the T-Bar name on the main roster before returning to NXT with a character change. He had been called up from NXT in 2020 as part of the Retribution group. 

Undisputed Era Member Accuses The Bloodline of Imitation

Andrew Ravens
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Former WWE/AEW star Bobby Fish has drawn a comparison between The Bloodline’s recent appearance at Survivor Series, and his former faction, The Undisputed Era. 

At the event this past Saturday, The Bloodline were all dressed in red, except for Roman Reigns for their WarGames match against the Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens. 

In a post on Instagram, Fish noticed the similarities between the Bloodline’s red and black WarGames look and the attire worn by his former faction also in WarGames while they were still in NXT. He shared a side-by-side comparison to his Instagram. 

The Comparison

Adam Cole Kyle O'Reilly Bobby FIsh
(via AEW)

Fish wrote: “Imitation.. the sincerest form of flattery!” Fish tagged in each member of the top WWE faction and his former stablemates – Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong.

The Undisputed Era formed in 2017 and dominated NXT between 2019-2021, where they held all the titles available to them. Although Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish reunited briefly in AEW in 2021,

Fish left AEW on August 31, 2022, when his contract expired. Fish has since gone to Impact Wrestling and made his pro boxing debut on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather vs Deji event on November 13. Fish defeated Boateng Prempeh.

The Bloodline won their WarGames match against the babyfaces. 

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WWE Legend on Men’s WarGames Match at Survivor Series: “It Wasn’t Your Father’s WarGames”

Robert Lentini
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WWE Survivor Series WarGames aired live this past Saturday night in Boston, MA. The Bloodline battled the Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens in the men’s WarGames match in the main event.

Kevin Owens had approached Sami Zayn the night prior on SmackDown and suggested that Sami turn on The Bloodline before they turn on him. Jey overheard the conversation and asked Zayn if he had talked to anyone. Sami lied and Jey informed the Tribal Chief at Survivor Series.

Roman brought Sami into his locker room and the Honorary Uce promised that he had The Bloodline’s back. He proved it by hitting Owens with a low blow, a Helluva Kick and then stepping aside to allow Jey to hit the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.

  • 8 Best Moments from WWE Survivor Series 2022

Jim Cornette Reviews the Men’s WarGames Match

WWE legend Jim Cornette recently discussed the main event of Survivor Series WarGames on episode 459 of the Jim Cornette Experience. Cornette stated one of the issues with the match is that the heels are way more over than the babyfaces.

This was a 45-minute backdrop for Sami Zayn and Jey Uso to have issues and further that story. The heel team, The Bloodline was more popular, Sami especially gets big cheers.

But they chant for Roman, so the heels are more popular than the babyfaces. As I mentioned, half the guys are just kind of in there. They’re not really legitimate main event talent.

This long-running rivalry came up about six weeks ago.
At one point, at several points, like when Drew McIntyre got in, all of his other teammates were down.

So Drew goes face-to-face with Sammy and Jey, and kicks both of their asses while Drew’s teammates just lay there, sell, and watch him.

But as soon as he gets in trouble, they jump in and save him. And then they actually took bumps, and went back to the same place they were before.

Cornette noted how so many superstars had to wait around while the storyline between Owens and Zayn played out. He added that the match lasted 45 minutes but there was less than a half hour of action.

So Sami hits Kevin Owens in the balls but is then conflicted. And meanwhile, everybody else in the WarGames is still laying out so that this dramatic play going on in the middle of the ring can be completed.

And then Zayn hits the big kick and then gives him to Jey and Jey does the Splash off the top 1-2-3.

Well, it wasn’t your father’s WarGames. It was 45 minutes, they could have done the action part in about 25. The story takes precedence over the match and everything else, as usual in this company.

And they managed to make the WarGames look fake by just everybody doing the same s*** they do in regular matches, laying around waiting for their f***ing cue.

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

Mayor Kane Pressured Department Head to Lie to State Investigators, Yelled at Him When He Wouldn’t

Nick Perkins
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Mayor Kane (Glenn Jacobs, Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee) allegedly pressured a department head to lie to state officials about Jacobs’ Chief of Staff using a county golf cart for personal purposes.

That’s according to Knox News, who wrote that “Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs asked county employees to work at his home while they were on the clock, pressured a department head to lie to state investigators and cursed at him when he wouldn’t do it, according to a federal lawsuit the county settled by agreeing to pay $150,000 to former parks and recreation director Paul White.”

The lawsuit alleged that Jacobs’ Chief of Staff, Bryan Hair, was using a county golf cart at his own home. Hair resigned from his position, but because of the allegations, the state of Tennessee began an investigation.

Glenn Jacobs 'Kane' taking oath as Knox County Mayor

Kane Applied More Pressure Than a Sleeper Hold

The lawsuit details ways in which Jacobs and his team attempted to hide the misconduct from reporters, for fear of scandal.

That worked out well.

According to Knox News, the allegations include:

  • Jacobs encouraged White, the Parks and Recreation director, to lie to state investigators about Hair’s illegal personal use of a county-owned golf cart.
  • Jacobs, a former WWE wrestler with an imposing build, pounded a desk and cursed at White when he refused to lie to cover for Hair after it was revealed he and his wife were using a county-owned golf cart that was delivered to their home.
  • Hair eventually returned the golf cart to the county, but Hair planned to tell investigators he had given it up months earlier, White said. Hair pressured White to lie and say he had the golf cart for only a few weeks. White said Hair threatened to fire him if he didn’t.

Abbey Harris, a spokesperson for Mayor Kane, stated that the Big Red Machine never pressured White to lie, but White says that he was fired for being a sort of whistle-blower regarding the golf cart misuse.

The county, however, maintains that White was fired because he “created a hostile work environment in the parks and recreation department.

Glenn Jacobs 'Kane' taking oath as Knox County Mayor

Kane Is ‘Not Interested in the Truth’

White maintains that he attempted multiple times to tell officials about Hair’s use of the county-owned golf cart. When he eventually got an audience with The Devi’s Favorite Demon, White alleges that Jacobs swore at him and slammed a desk in anger.

Mayor Kane and White met on October 12 for a one-on-one (not with Da Untertaker) meeting, in which Kane tried to “hint” to White what the latter should say.

According to Knox News, “Jacobs pressured him by asking leading questions, White says.

‘Bryan (Hair) only had the golf cart for just a couple of weeks?’ Jacobs asked him, according to White.

White did not play along with what he characterized as a leading question.

“’ Jacobs became visibly angry and upset, his face turned bright red, and he violently smacked his desk with a closed fist, as he cut (White) off, told (White) to ‘shut the f— up’ and Mayor Jacobs further stated that he was ‘not interested in the truth,’” White says.

White says Jacobs asked the leading questions two or three more times before stopping.”

At least he didn’t set him on fire.

Speaking of fire, White was fired soon after, while Hair resigned before he could be fired. Or tombstoned. Hair also pleaded guilty to ‘Official Misconduct,’ which is a class E felony, punishable by, at minimum, one year in jail. Hair is applying for probation and judicial diversion, however.

To read the full story, check out Knox News.

Charlotte Flair Teasing WWE Return?

Andrew Ravens
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Charlotte Flair may soon return to the ring if what her recent social media posts seem to indicate is true. 

The former WWE Women’s Champion has not been seen on WWE programming since WrestleMania Backlash on May 8, when she lost her WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship to Ronda Rousey in an I Quit match.

Before the event, she had retained her championship against Rousey on night one of WrestleMania 38. WWE wrote her off television with an injury angle as they claimed she suffered a broken arm suffered in her I Quit match against Rousey. In reality, Flair had taken time off from wrestling to marry her fiancé and AEW star Andrade El Idolo.

Teaser

Charlotte Flair Entrance
(Photo credit: WWE)

Flair teased making a return to the company on her Instagram stories by showing a close-up of herself wearing a pair of wrestling boots. She also included video clips of her on WWE television. 

As of this writing, there is no official word on whether or not Flair has plans to return to the ring any time soon. Based on speculation, the picture implies that there is a good chance she is at least thinking about wrestling again or in the process of getting ready to return.

FTR Is Evaluating Their Options For After AEW Deals Expire

Andrew Ravens
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FTR has considered leaving AEW once the time comes for their contracts to expire as they went to keep their options open. 

The AEW tag team has been vocal in recent months about not being completely happy with their booking in AEW and denied a shot at the company’s top Tag Team Championship despite being the number one ranked tag team in the company.

According to an interview with Fightful Select‘s Sean Ross Sapp, Dax Harwood said that he is under the belief that his current AEW contract ends at the end of April. He added that he and Cash Wheeler had had a lot of conversations about their future for when their AEW deal is up. 

Options

FTR

While the two may be discussing leaving AEW, that does not necessarily mean they will return to WWE, although they may receive offers from the promotion purely based on their skill and success. 

The tag team has discussed taking a year off from wrestling for major wrestling promotions, opting instead to work for smaller companies and do things that they personally find fun. He also said that having the opportunity to work more indies and various companies has led them to find out how much they love that landscape.

Harwood is set for a match with Bryan Danielson on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

FTR is the current ROH World Tag Team Champions and the former AEW World Tag Team Champions. They will defend the ROH gold at the Final Battle pay-per-view event on December 10th against Austin & Colten Gunn.

Booker T Announces his in-Ring Return

Andrew Ravens
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Booker T is set to return to the ring as the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion announced on his Hall of Fame podcast that he would wrestle again on December 18 for Reality of Wrestling.

Booker T is slated to team with Mysterious Q to challenge Fly Def (Zack Mason & Warren Johnson) for the ROW Tag Team Championships at the show. 

His Previous Match

Booker last wrestled at ROW Summer OF Champions VIII in July by teaming with (Blake Cortez, Bryan Keith, Gasper Hernandez & Mysterious Q) where they lost to Team Sharmell (Edge Stone, Gino Medina, Ryan Davidson, Stephen Wolf & Will Allday).

Watch Booker T Return to the Ring at 57 Years Old

A few months ago, Pat McAfee went on hiatus from his duties as the WWE SmackDown color commentator, so they moved NXT’s Wade Barrett to the role and brought in Booker to do commentary for NXT.

Booker achieved a lot of success with 35 championships across WWE, WCW, and Impact Wrestling. He is the most decorated wrestler in WCW history, holding a total of 21 titles, including a record six WCW World Television Championships and a record eleven WCW World Tag Team Championships, 10 of which he won with his brother Stevie Ray in WCW (the most reigns in that company), and one in the WWE with Test. Booker served as the final WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

In April 2013, Stevie Rae presented him with his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. He and Ray were both inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Stokely Hathaway Got Into Wrestling Business for Grad School Thesis

Samantha Schipman
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Stokely Hathaway got into the wrestling business to “prove that pro wrestling is an art form” for his grad school thesis. Since his professors thought he’d fail, they “allowed me to go on this journey.”

On the latest episode of “The Sessions with Renee Paquette”, Hathaway used a Jill Scott lyric to explain why he is a manager; ‘everything isn’t for everybody.’ I wanted to be a wrestler and I’m 5’8″ on a good day and I didn’t have the athletic ability to pull it off. And so everyone thought that I was a good talker, so I just transitioned into that.”

To work on his thesis, he moved to Philadelphia. “Claudio Castagnoli was originally one of my trainers; Cassidy and Chuck Taylor. Claudio probably wouldn’t claim me on the athletic front. Managerial duties, maybe.” Although he never managed Castagnoli, they did try.

When asked how the thesis did, Hathaway replied that “I graduated, so it went well.” He has his Masters in Performing Arts. Hathaway discussed how the program teaches students that not everyone will be a famous actor, so they teach things like lighting, production, and directing to “make you a well-rounded entertainer.”

Hathaway appeared in his friend’s thesis films and was doing “the marketing thing professionally.” Wrestling was a hobby, but it soon took off. Hathaway watches a lot of comedy and is influenced by Robin Harris and Bernie Mac because he looks at being a manager as a character. He looks to Wayne Brady for improv. “You’re like the dressing on the salad and the salad is whoever you are managing, so that’s how I look at it.”

Stokely Hathaway On Working with MJF

stokely hathaway
AEW Dynamite Albany, NY 2022-09-14

Although Hathaway and MJF worked together on the indies, they hadn’t seen each other since 2018 before crossing paths in AEW. They had kept in touch over the years. “Fuck MJF” is what he says about him now.

Hathaway also reveals that the original plan for The Firm was to work with CM Punk. In fact, he was handpicked by Punk to work with him. “That was one thing I was looking forward to because I was hand-chosen for that role. I’m just going to say it. I don’t know the specifics about people choosing sides. I just know that CM Punk said ‘hey. I want to work with this guy.’ That means a lot, regardless of what has happened.”

Due to the situation with Punk, The Firm is having to figure out where to go next. “Everyone in the group is trying to do their best. The purpose isn’t the purpose anymore. With Ethan Page, I think he’s doing great. The Gunns are doing great. Lee is going to go into this feud with HOOK. And so things are slowly, no pun intended, gearing up.”

“It’s just going to take a few weeks. I think the way wrestling is nowadays, I get that first impressions are everything, but it’s a little bit difficult to change people’s minds. Obviously, I get it. People do not want to see Picasso work on his painting. They just want to see the shit when it’s done, right? I think that’s the phase that we’re in. We are working on it, but people don’t want to see anyone working on it. They want to see the finished product. Which I completely understand, but at the same time, we’re all human. Like, I wish this was Harry Potter and I had a wand and could move time.”

WWE Star Seen Wearing a Neckbrace Backstage at Raw

Andrew Ravens
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It looks like IYO SKY may have to take some time off from in-ring action.

Team Belair (Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim & Becky Lynch) beat Team Bayley (Bayley, IYO SKY, Dakota Kai, Nikki Cross & Rhea Ripley) in the first-ever Women’s WarGames match on the main roster at this past Saturday’s Survivor Series event. 

During this week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, it was stated that SKY was not cleared to compete although she did appear on the show for a brawl segment by the concession stands. As seen below in the video, WWE was very careful with her, and she did not take any bumps or shots to the neck.

The Shot

IYO SKY

SKY did wear a neck brace during the segment. The company didn’t say whether SKY will be off TV or what the severity is of her neck issues. If it was something very serious, she likely would not have been out there for the backstage brawl segment. 

IYO formed the group with Kai and Bayley at this year’s SummerSlam event after Belair retained the Raw Women’s Title over Lynch.

We wish SKY a speedy recovery and look forward to her in-ring return. 

Stokely Hathaway Reveals Why He Really Left WWE

Samantha Schipman
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In April, Malcom Bivens aka Stokely Hathaway was released in a surprise move by WWE.

Hathaway was offered a contract extension, but declined the offer. He did a comedy show alluding to why he left, but he says “the wrong message got sent.” On the latest episode of The Sessions with Renee Paquette, he revealed what actually happened.

“I need to be completely honest. I woke up one day in February and just felt miserable. I just felt, I guess the right way is, I just felt crazy. Like I didn’t know where I was, I didn’t know what was going on.” The feeling would go away, but came back to the point where it was “debilitating.” 

Stokely Hathaway Discuss Mental Health Journey

Stokely Hathaway

“I voluntarily committed myself. I think this was on a Friday. I got out on Sunday. It was a very interesting experience, mainly because I would say in like Florida, it’s like prison for the mentally ill. So when I went in, I had no idea what I was in for. I was kinda like in a cell. No real sheets, it was like a metal frame that you’d laid on. The sink was one of those that was like rigged to be motion detected. They gave you a little thing of soap and a little thing of toothpaste. You couldn’t really go into your room until like 8, 9 P.M. and you had to wake up at 6 A.M. You just like walked the floors and that’s like it. Walk back and forth to fill up the time. That was like three days of that. And then afterwards I was like, ‘maybe I’m not as crazy as I thought.’ (laughs)

When discussing how he got to that point, Hathaway says “it was just trying to manage everything. I regret leaning into the “being funny” thing because I think it’s hard for people to take you seriously. So who am I going to say ‘I feel this way’, like I don’t think there was anyone to really like listen or that I could vent or to talk to. And especially with social media nowadays. One, it’s hard to take people seriously. Two, I don’t want to say it’s like a thing to use mental health as a crutch, but I just felt like no one would believe me if I said, ‘hey, I feel this way or I feel that way.’ So, I just felt like that was the right thing for me to do.”

At the time where he felt like he needed to go get help, he didn’t tell anyone. “They take your phone away, so like I had minor communication.” He was able to check in with his dog sitter, so he was able to get his phone for a few minutes. Afterwards, I told people close to me that I could trust and honestly it worked because it didn’t get out.” 

Hathaway says his time at the facility wasn’t beneficial other than he never wants to go through it again. 

Why He’s is Coming Forward Now

stokely hathaway
AEW Dynamite Albany, NY 2022-09-14

When discussing pressures from work at the time, Hathaway says he feels a lot of pressure “as a Black talent because I feel like I get judged more harshly than other people. Like I feel like everything I do is analyzed, like overanalyzed. Everyone gets a critique, but I feel like mine is like a different level. I’m also incredibly hard on myself. So it was like one of those things where hard on myself, I had to realize it’s wrestling. It’s wrestling, it’s not like a live or die situation. So for me, it was dealing with that and it was also again, I regret leaning into the funny thing because I’m very introverted and closed off. You know what? I have this very small circle of people I trust.”

To help him cope, he “prays every day. Even if you’re an atheist, it helps. At the end of the day, even if there isn’t God or Allah or whatever, I think just being able to focus and having a peace of mind that has helped me, I’d rather be safe than sorry. Y’know, I do not want to go to hell if there is one. But, that has been pretty important to me.” 

He also revealed that he agrees with some ideologies in the Islamic faith. He clarified that he is not in the Nation of Islam. Revealing this information on the podcast is also the first time his family will learn this about him. 

Once he left the facility, he had to go back to work with WWE and he was miserable. There was pre-tape and he had to “just jump back into it and get my shit together.” He decided to come forward with what he’s been dealing with so that his current co-workers can understand him and to talk about mental health more openly. “I’m sure there a many Black males who have felt the way that I do, so this is a ‘hey, it’s not the end of the world.'”

For his AEW co-workers, he said he wants to share all of this because he thinks there was this expectation that “I was going to do cartwheels and it’s just like no, I want to come in and do my job and leave. Everywhere I’ve worked outside of wrestling, it can be taken the wrong way, especially as a Black male. It can turn into ‘oh, this dude has an attitude.’ Or this person doesn’t want to be bothered. When the harsh reality is — the nice way to say it is — stay out of shit. I have my own segments to deal with. I don’t want to know about it unless it pertains to me.”

AEW Plants the Seeds for Konosuke Takeshita Storyline

Andrew Ravens
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Japanese star Konosuke Takeshita looks to be in line for a notable push in AEW. 

Takeshita built up his reputation at DDT-Pro and began regularly competing for AEW earlier this year, where he won over the hearts of the AEW fans with his in-ring performances. He shared the ring with the likes of Adam Page, Jon Moxley, and Eddie Kingston and nearly won the ROH championship from Claudio Castagnoli in their match at Battle of the Belts III.

He picked up a series of wins on AEW’s weekly Youtube shows (Dark: Elevation, Dark), as well as a victory over Ryan Nemeth on an episode of Rampage. Takeshita’s run with the company ended over the summer as he had to return to Japan, but now he’s back.

The Alliance 

On Monday’s episode of AEW Dark: Elevation, Takeshita wrestled Ari Daivari where Don Callis came out to observe. 

Takeshita held onto Daivari’s tights and picked him up for a Blue Thunder Bomb that made Callis smile. Takeshita went for a springboard, but Takeshita saw Callis and got distracted, which led to Daivari rolling out of the way. In the end, Takeshita got the win with a rolling German Suplex into a bridge and got the pinfall.

In the past, AEW has done angles on the Dark series that has led to a storyline playing out on Dynamite and Rampage at a later date. 

Callis is still associated with Kenny Omega on AEW programming as he and The Young Bucks look to win back the Trios Titles from Death Triangle.

Danhausen Details Recent Hit-and-Run Car Accident

Andrew Ravens
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AEW star Danhausen announced on social media that he was recently the victim of a hit-and-run car accident.

On November 2, 2019, Danhausen made his debut for Ring of Honor at ROH Wrestling, where he lost his match against Shane Taylor for the ROH World Television Championship. He continued to work for the company. 

Danhausen participated in a four-way match at ROH 19th Anniversary Show on March 26, 2021, but lost. That December, the company went on a break until AEW President Tony Khan bought the promotion. 

The Incident

Danhausen

In a post on Twitter, AEW shared that he was a victim of a hit-and-run incident: 

“Today Danhausen’s car was hit and runned apparently, airport had no parking, second flight was delayed by 3 hours so had to buy and entirely new flight and get checked bag transferred over to new airline that will hopefully make it.”

On January 26, 2022, on a special Beach Break episode of Dynamite, Danhausen made his AEW debut by appearing in the Lights Out match between Orange Cassidy and Adam Cole. Danhausen joined the company according to an announcement made by AEW President Tony Khan hours later after the appearance.

Danhausen’s most recent AEW match was on the Full Gear: Zero Hour pre-show, where he came up short in a ten-man tag team match.

Carry On: Wrestling is About Picking Sides, but Real Life is More Complicated

BJ Bethel
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The Montreal Screwjob was 25 years ago last month. Looking back on the event, after reading and hearing about it for over two decades, I can say the biggest victim was pro wrestling fans.

That’s a rough roll considering all that happened to Bret Hart following Survivor Series 1997. But the Screwjob cemented the idea that pro wrestling fans had to take sides on every piece of news, roster move, show review, ratings news, locker room or wrestler depending on how they lean as a fan.

Wrestling has always been about two opposing sides in the ring, but the concept has been carried far beyond that outside of it. While social media, Reddit and the major companies are always trying to manipulate fans into thinking one thing or another, the truth is it’s fine to not have an opinion on something. This may be a new concept to those who suffer through the asylum that is Twitter, but it’s an actual legit position to have.

The Screwjob was such a shock to the business, it took well over a decade for the creative side of the wrestling to recover. Both the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) and World Championship Wrestling couldn’t escape the moment. The Screwjob finish was a favorite for every booker from Vince Russo to Vince McMahon, to Joe and his local backyard fed. Ten years after the Screwjob, when Hart made his on-screen return to WWE TV in 2010, the only fan or industry employee who was over it was Hart himself.

Fans also began to judge the Screwjob based on their fandom, not on their opinion of the event. Some of the criticisms aimed at Hart were legit. Yes, he had a creative control clause in his contract, but if he just lost, then the entire event doesn’t happen. At the same time, Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels had pushed Hart to a breaking point as far as pride, and Hart did have contingencies to handover the belt that made sense. The biggest criticism should be laid at the feet of McMahon, who had a history of leaving titles on wrestlers who weren’t under contract or whose contracts were about to expire.

Fans viewed Hart through two lenses – his diehard fans along with WCW fans saw him as the victim of McMahon’s failure to manage his roster properly. If he didn’t want Hart with the company, why give him a 20-year contract a year earlier. Why keep he belt on him after you tell him you plan to release him. These are great questions, but their validity – in 1997 and even now – depended much on who you were cheering for as a fan.

WWF fans believed Hart forced McMahon to take the belt off him by any means possible. Hart was constantly harangued online in the late 90s and early 2000s by the the WWF-loyal online wrestling fanbase. Even after his brother, Owen, died in a WWF ring in 1999, fans still hammered Hart as a bad guy in the event, even claiming he was bitter over the Screwjob after dealing with the biggest tragedy of his life, one of many he dealt with in the immediate years following the end of his WWF career.

Why a figure like Hart became such a divisive figure was by design. Despite the supposed death of kayfabe, wrestling is always about two sides and its the default for wrestlers, fans and even owners. Witness how smoothly WWE has managed to slip away from Vince McMahon’s history with certain members of wrestling media and fans, with little to no questions asked about his serial sexual harassment and allegations of assault, payoffs and an investigation that would still scandalize any other company.

All Out Fallout

The most obvious and bizarre example of the bi-polar affectations of wrestling fans – the press conference from hell following All Out. Fans began lining up behind Punk and the Elite almost immediately, depending on who they preferred as a fan. Egging this on are veteran wrestlers and personalities and their podcasts, who are throwing heat like Aroldis Chapman in an effort to stay relevant and to stay in the black with clicks and advertisers.

After a two-and-a-half month suspension, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson returned two weeks ago. After failing to trademark “Wayward Sons,” the group still used the Kansas hit as their entrance music along with an intro that combined clock graphics.

“Carry On My Wayward Son” was a song the Young Bucks had used as entrance music back to their days in their backyard. Their dad, a longtime musician and rock keyboardist with a taste for 70s rock, was obviously an influence on his kids.

The idea that the song is a shot at CM Punk, who is out with an injury and has been threatening legal action while requesting a buyout of his contract, has been floating since The Elite returned to AEW TV two weeks ago. But is there really anything there? More obvious was Omega using Punk’s finisher during its Trios match in front of a hostile Chicago crowd last week, even biting PAC (referencing the bite Omega suffered from former AEW producer Ace Steel).

Not everything is about Punk, whether he or his fans believe that or not, and not everything is more than just getting heat from the crowd. But it’s another case of fans taking sides based on their fandom and not on the evidence or what’s out there. There’s a case to make that Punk had a right to be upset and unhappy with AEW creative, or that he felt threatened when AEW legal, the Elite and others came into his locker room.

There’s also a case to be made The Elite and Adam Page are the victims of Punk going into business for himself in a way that should have had him fired on the spot. Many people in AEW believed Punk should have been fired or his promo burying Page when he returned to AEW TV after his heel injury.

In other words, these issues are complicated. And pro wrestling isn’t the only subject where people fall into rows – anyone who made the mistake of bringing up politics at Thanksgiving this past weekend, or sports, or religion … need I go on?

But wrestling and the cult-like sensibilities it creates are leave its fans more susceptible than other areas. Given how internet heavy wrestling media and how important it is as far as news and fan discourse, the chances of getting dragged into one camp or the other is even worse, despite whatever nuanced information is available.

What’s brutal about this attitude is how poisonous it is for fans. It wears fans out and makes following the sport a job, not fun. Pro wrestling should be more enjoyable – online and off. Doing that is in the power of fans. Watch who you are following. Look for people who are smart on Twitter, not echoing what you’re saying. Or worse, the fans/stans who populate social media and bring nothing to the discussion but noise.

Impact Partners with DAZN to Bring Content to 170+ Countries

Michael Reichlin
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Impact Wrestling has announced a new multi-year partnership with the DAZN streaming service that will bring the company’s weekly TV show, PPV events and other programming to more than 170 countries.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment and DAZN Announce International Multi-Year Distribution Partnership for Anthem’s IMPACT Wrestling

IMPACT’S Signature Series, PPV Events & Other Programming To Be Televised By DAZN To More Than 170 Countries Beginning November 29

TORONTO, ON and LONDON, UK, November 29, 2022 – Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a global multi-platform media company, and DAZN — a leading global sports entertainment platform — announced today an international partnership that will deliver Anthem’s IMPACT Wrestling to more than 170 countries worldwide beginning on November 29.

The multi-year agreement will give DAZN viewers in 170+ countries — including the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, France, Poland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Brazil — the best seat in the house to IMPACT Wrestling’s weekly IMPACT! flagship series, home to larger-than-life characters, high-stakes matchups and blockbuster drama.

Additionally, DAZN viewers will have access to IMPACT’s high-octane PPV events and premium IMPACT Plus live specials, as well as select titles from IMPACT Wrestling’s archives, directly through the DAZN platform.

DAZN can be accessed on Smart TVs, games consoles, Amazon Fire TV/Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV, as well via the DAZN app on iPhone, iPad, android and other tablet and mobile devices. For all the ways to watch, please visit www.dazn.com.

“DAZN is a global leader in premier sports programming, and we are proud to partner with them as we expand IMPACT Wrestling’s international reach even further,” said Scott D’Amore, Executive Vice President, Anthem Sports Media Group. “From the beginning, IMPACT Wrestling has enjoyed a worldwide audience of passionate and knowledgeable fans who crave high-quality professional wrestling content. With this announcement, we hope to make it even more convenient for them to enjoy our flagship series, premium specials and pay-per-view events, while also introducing the IMPACT Wrestling brand to even more sports enthusiasts across the globe.”

Said Veronica Diquattro, CEO of DAZN Global Markets: “We are incredibly excited to sign this multi-year partnership with Impact. This deal will see the promotion’s world-class professional wrestling content arrive on the DAZN platform in more than 170 countries worldwide, reinforcing our growing position as the global home of combat sports.”

For more on this big partnership, visit ImpactWrestling.com.

Bianca Belair Gets NXT Vibes from the WWE Women’s Roster

Michael Reichlin
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Bianca Belair says the women’s division on WWE’s main roster reminds her a lot of her days in NXT. The self-proclaimed ‘EST’ spent years honing her craft in WWE’s developmental brand. From 2016-2020, she established herself as one of the most promising acts of her genration.

Her success has continued since arriving on Monday Night Raw in 2020. She’s the reigning Raw Women’s Champion. She’s also a former SmackDown Women’s champion and won the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble. WWE’s Four Horsewomen (Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Bayley) helped usher in the Women’s Revolution, but Belair may surpass them all when all is said and done.

NXT As a Pipeline to WWE

Belair recently spoke with Bleacher Report‘s Graham Matthews and said she gets strong ‘NXT vibes’ from the women on Raw and SmackDown.

“It kind of feels like NXT all over again,” she said. “I think when we were in NXT, it was special. It was a time where the women’s locker room was full of women empowerment. We were competitors but we wanted the best for each other.”

NXT is a training ground for Raw and SmackDown, and virtually all of the top women in WWE wore ‘black and gold’ before they wore red or blue. Belair gets a great deal of satisfaction seeing the people she came up with thrive on the big stage.

Belair added, “What’s amazing is that it’s 3, 4, 5 years later., it’s those same women but we’ve all gotten even better. We’ve evolved.”

Almost all of the top young female stars on Raw and SmackDown started in NXT. Rhea Ripley, Raquel Rodriguez, Damage CTRL, Shotzi, the list goes on and on. If you want a glimpse at who will be carrying the women’s division in 3-5 years, you know where to look.

“Very Big Push” for Raw Superstar Could Lead to WrestleMania 39 Title Match (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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Rhea Ripley could be on course to challenge for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania for the second time in her career.

In 2021, Ripley challenged then-Raw Women’s Champion Asuka and dethroned the Empress at WrestleMania 37.

This year has seen Ripley align herself with the Judgment Day and is a regular on TV alongside Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio.

WrestleMania

Rhea Ripley may be a regular on TV, but championship matches have proven to be a rarity for the Eradicator.

Ripley’s most recent title opportunity came on the April 18, 2022, edition of Raw, when she and Liv Morgan unsuccessfully challenged then-WWE Women’s Tag Champions Naomi and Sasha Banks.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that there has been a push backstage for Ripley to challenge for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.

“There’s a very big push for Rhea Ripley. I think we may be looking at Rhea Ripley vs Bianca Belair at WrestleMania [next] year.”

Dave Meltzer.

Ripley had been scheduled to challenge Bianca Belair at this year’s Money in the Bank event but was pulled from the show due to medical issues.

In her place, Belair defeated Carmella to retain the title in the third match of the night.

Bianca Belair

Belair has proven to be a dominant force since her WWE main roster call up in 2020, holding both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships.

Speaking on the Survivor Series WarGames post-show press conference, the EST named Ripley as someone she hopes to face.

“We crossed paths a couple of weeks ago at Raw and we’ve had a long history starting back at NXT all the way to the Royal Rumble. We both won our first titles at WrestleMania 37. We’re both doing equally amazing things, our careers parallel right now. It would be really great to meet at the mountaintop.”

Belair also named Charlotte Flair as someone she’d like to face, though the Queen has been absent from WWE TV since WrestleMania Backlash in May.

Watch: Rhea Ripley Has Funny Interaction With Fan at WWE Live Event

h/t – Cageside Seats

William Regal’s Return to WWE Said to be “Still in Play” (Report)

Thomas Lowson
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Could William Regal return to WWE after being released from the promotion earlier this year?

On January 5, Regal was cut from his role with WWE NXT, as part of several management releases, all of whom had worked closely with Triple H.

Regal debuted for AEW at the Revolution 2022 Pay-Per-View in March, forming the Blackpool Combat Club.

Regal’s Future

After Triple H shared a video of the British legend ahead of Survivor Series WarGames, there was speculation on Regal’s status with AEW.

It was initially reported that Regal had months left on his AEW deal, but in an update, it was said he has years and will remain under contract until 2025.

At AEW Full Gear 2022, Regal turned on Jon Moxley and aided MJF in winning the AEW World Championship.

Regal’s Return

Regal may still have plenty of time left on his AEW deal, but that hasn’t stopped WWE hoping for a return.

While speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer went into detail regarding the former King of the Ring’s contract.

“William Regal when he signed, which was only in April or May, said that he signed for three years. Now, something is going on… I’ve been told a lot of stuff but most of it was off the record.

“I do know that it is something that has been talked about [by WWE.]”

Dave Meltzer.

Meltzer added that Tony Khan has yet to let anyone out of a contract early, but that doesn’t mean Regal won’t be the exception.

“It’s something that’s in play. But he said his contract is three years, so in theory, that would tell you that he couldn’t do anything until April 2025.”

Run

On last week’s AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley confronted Regal, and would have attacked him if not for Bryan Danielson.

Instead of attacking Regal, the former World Champion told Regal to run from AEW and never return.

Speaking about the segment, which some have seen as AEW’s way of writing Regal off TV, Meltzer said this isn’t the case.

“The thing on Wednesday’s show was just an angle, but there had been talk of that from very early on.”

Dave Meltzer.

After missing last week’s Dynamite, AEW World Champion MJF will be on tonight’s show, but it is unclear if Regal will join him.

William Regal Explains Why WWE Didn’t Hire MJF

CM Punk is “No Longer in the Company” Claims AEW Star

Thomas Lowson
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CM Punk has parted ways with All Elite Wrestling according to recent comments made by Stokely Hathaway.

Punk, who debuted for AEW in August 2021, has been suspended since All Out for his role in the backstage fight.

With the third-party investigation into the fight now finished, it has been reported that Punk is seeking a buyout of his contract.

Out of the Company

Following All Out, Tony Khan kept silent on any CM Punk matters, due to the investigation.

The now-infamous September Pay-Per-View went off the air with MJF, who had won the Casino Ladder match earlier in the night, staring down Punk.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Sessions, Stokely Hathaway spoke about his run in AEW so far, and his work with The Firm.

Hathaway noted that plans for the group to feud with CM Punk have fallen through.

“Everything that was supposed to happen with The Firm did not happen. Back at All out, what happened immediately after the Pay-Per-View, that was a huge part of it.

“[The person] We were supposed to directly feud with is no longer in the company. “

Stokely Hathaway.

Tony Khan has not confirmed CM Punk’s AEW status or whether he has been released by All Elite Wrestling at this time.

Wanting to work with CM Punk

CM Punk

Like Punk, Hathaway is able to more than hold his own on the mic, and a war of words between them would have been epic to see.

On the podcast, Hathaway said that he regrets not getting to chance to work with the former AEW World Champion.

“That was one thing I was looking forward to because I was hand-chosen for that role. I’m just going to say it. I don’t know the specifics about people choosing sides. I just know that CM Punk said ‘hey. I want to work with this guy.’ That means a lot, regardless of what has happened.”

At AEW Full Gear, MJF captured the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley thanks to a heel turn by William Regal.

Chris Jericho Told CM Punk he is a Cancer After AEW All Out Fight

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

Fans Offering to Donate Kidneys to Konnan Amid Health Struggle

Thomas Lowson
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Professional wrestling legend Konnan has received some good news amid his ongoing health struggles.

Last year, Konnan suffered a difficult bout with Covid-19 and would require heart surgery in January of this year.

In February, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Konnan was in need of a new kidney.

Donation

Earlier this month, Konnan told listeners of his Keepin It 100 podcast that he is still in search of a donor.

Speaking on the latest episode of the show, the AAA star gave a positive update, saying that fans have gotten in touch about a donation.

“I don’t really like to talk about myself or make myself the victim or poor guy or, you know, that’s not me. But something really nice happened, man. I had a lot of candidates say, ‘Hey, I will donate a kidney to you.’ I’m very touched. I haven’t gotten back to anybody yet. But I will. And somebody’s gonna save my life, bro. You know, and that’s a beautiful thing. So it restores my faith in humanity, which I have very little left in it.”

Konnan added that the stress over his health issues has deprived him of sleep for the past five to six months.

Konnan in AEW

In June of last year, Konnan made his debut for All Elite Wrestling, where he was attacked by FTR.

The segment ended with the popular tag team hitting him with a Piledriver, while Tully Blanchard mocked him.

Speaking about his appearance later on, Konnan said that one AEW star was shocked to see him, saying that Konnan “sh*ts on us so much” on his podcast.

Konnan Claims AEW Talents Complained To Him About Their Booking

Ex-WWE Referee Spent an Hour Teaching Mike Tyson How to Count for WrestleMania 14

Thomas Lowson
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Mike Tyson may be considered one of the greatest boxers to ever grace the ring, but his time as a WWE-sanctioned official leaves a lot to be desired.

After being suspended from boxing for biting the ear of Evander Holyfield, Tyson joined the World Wrestling Federation in January 1998.

Tyson aligned himself with D-Generation X, but turned on the group at WrestleMania 14, knocking out Shawn Michaels in the ring.

The Count

Despite WWF implying for weeks that Tyson would be competing at WrestleMania, the boxing legend was the ‘special enforcer’ for the main event between Michaels and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.

Speaking on the latest Mailbag Monday, former WWE referee Mike Chioda revealed that he was tasked with teaching Tyson how to count the pinfall, which was a difficult process.

“Believe me, I tried to teach him how to count. … He counted so fast, I was like ‘Oh sh*t.’ I must have spent like an hour with him, ‘Here, just 1-2-3.’”

Mike Chioda.

After this lengthy lesson, Tyson would count the pinfall for Austin, but despite all of Chioda’s training, the count is noticeably faster than it should be.

Tyson’s count would see Austin win his first WWF Championship and cement the ‘Attitude Era’ in professional wrestling.

Tyson in Pro Wrestling

In January 2010, Tyson would serve as the guest host of Monday Night Raw, before being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2012.

Tyson was also a playable character as part of downloadable content for WWE ’13.

In April 2021, Tyson once again served as a special enforcer, this time for AEW, and returned to the promotion for an episode of AEW Rampage earlier this month.

WWE Champion Approached About Possible Mike Tyson Fight

h/t – eWrestlingNews

Dexter Lumis Wins WWE Contract

Samantha Schipman
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For weeks, we’ve seen Dexter Lumis “stalk” The Miz. Except Johnny Gargano revealed that Miz had been faking the stalking. He paid Lumis to “stalk” him. This set up an Anything Goes Match. If Lumis won, he earned a WWE contract. He would also get the money Miz owed him.

Miz and Lumis fought all over the place while Adam Pearce was ringside with a briefcase containing a contract. Lumis elbow dropped “The A-Lister” through a table after motioning making it rain.

After winning the match, Lumis signed his contract. He also received a bag of $100 bills which he passed out to some kids in the front row. When he got to the top of the ramp, Miz attacked the WWE Superstar from behind. He also snatched a $100 bill from a kid.

The Miz paid for it with a super kick by Johnny Gargano. Gargano gave the bag back to Lumis and the money back to the kid. Gargano and Lumis gave one another a thumbs up.

Dexter Lumis Made Surprise Return

Dexter Lumis on Raw

Lumis was released from his contract in April. During his time away from the promotion, he wrestled for NWA.

He made a surprise return to the company in August. He’s been embroiled in a feud with The Miz since coming back. HHH had been bringing back some released talent at the time, including Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux.

WWE Raw Results, Takeaways (11/28/22): Survivor Series Fallout

Robert Lentini
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WWE Raw airs live tonight from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. It is the first episode of Raw following WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022. Kevin Owens battled Jey Uso in the main event.

WWE Raw Results (11/28)

  • The Judgment Day def. The O.C.
  • Street Profits def. Alpha Academy
  • Dexter Lumis def. The Miz to earn a WWE contract
  • Candice LeRae def. Dakota Kai
  • Kevin Owens def. Jey Uso

Here are the takeaways from this week’s episode of WWE Raw:

Becky Lynch Brawled with Damage CTRL

Becky Lynch kicked off the commercial-free hour of Raw and cut a promo in the crowd. Lynch cut a promo in the crowd before Bayley interrupted. The Role Model insulted a fan named Bob and Lynch came to his defense.

Dakota Kai and IYO SKY attacked Becky in the crowd and the brawl continued all the way to the merch stand until security broke it up.

The Judgment Day def. The O.C.

Mia Yim battled Rhea Ripley in the first match of the night with Dominik ringside. Yim hit a DDT and Rhea rolled out of the ring to regroup. Dominik Mysterio was ringside for the match.

Yim leveled Ripley with a Dropkick in the corner and the action broke down. Judgment Day and The OC brawled ringside and the referee called for the bell. The brawl continued and it eventually turned into an 8-person tag team match.

Gallows and Priest battled outside the ring and Luke launched Damian over the announce table. AJ connected with an inverted DDT on Finn Balor and went for the cover but Rhea broke it up. The Good Brothers went for the Magic Killer but Dominik avoided it. Rhea and Mia battled in the ring. Rhea connected with Riptide for the pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/AjBlueBayBelt/status/1597406083844558849?s=20&t=q9OEJ6ReZXXHKbDPpBjVMQ

Jey Uso Challenged Kevin Owens

Sami Zayn and The Bloodline made their way to the ring at the end of the first hour of WWE Raw. Zayn complimented Jey on accepting him into The Bloodline. Sami got emotional and said it was “Ucey” the way Jey embraced him at the end of the match.

The Honorary Uce shared a hug with The Usos and then they all asked Solo Sikoa to join in. Kevin Owens interrupted and Sami told him to stop on the entrance ramp. KO stated that he wasn’t out here for a fight and claimed that he totally understood why Sami chose to do what he did on Saturday.

Owens noted that he’s stabbed Sami in the back countless times and doesn’t blame him for it. Kevin told Sami that he doesn’t want anything to do with him moving forward. Zayn claimed that he felt exactly the same way and shouted that he doesn’t need KO anymore. Jey Uso then stood up to Owens for Sami Zayn and challenged KO to match later on tonight.

The Bloodline confronted Elias and Riddle backstage after the segment.

Candice LeRae also returned after being off of TV and not included in Survivor Series WarGames. She challenged Dakota Kai to a matcher later tonight.

The Street Profits def. Alpha Academy

Street Profits battled Alpha Academy tonight on WWE RAW. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins dominated the action early and isolated Chad Gable in the ring. Street Profits launched Chad over the top rope and knocked Otis off the ring apron as Raw went to a break.

Gable hit Angelo Dawkins with a Dragon Screw and followed it up with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Dawkins battled back with a Spinebuster and Montez followed it up with a Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins Confronted Austin Theory

United States Champion Austin Theory came to the ring and boasted about his victory over Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. Theory claimed he is the face of Monday Night Raw and said that everyone is jealous of him. Austin added that he doesn’t want to be kid anymore and is the now.

Seth Rollins interrupted in an absurd outfit and claimed that Austin lucked his way into the title and called him a kid once again. Seth shouted that they can fight right here and dared Theory to give him his best shot. Theory said he will fight Seth on his time because the champion and added that he’s not Rollins’ kid to end the promo.

Dexter Lumis Earned a WWE Contract

Dexter Lumis battled The Miz in an Anything Goes match tonight on WWE RAW. If Lumis won the match, he would be given a WWE contract. The Miz hobbled down the entrance ramp with a duffle bag. He tried to go backstage but Adam Pearce showed up on the entrance ramp and walked him down the entrance ramp.

Lumis tackled Miz down to the canvas and unloaded some punches. Dexter bounced Miz’s face off the ring apron a couple of times before launching him into the barricade. Lumis cleared off the announce table and battled with Miz on top of it. Dexter shoved Miz off the table and into the barricade as Raw went to a commercial break.

Dexter set up Miz on a table and hit him with an Elbow Drop when RAW returned. Back in the ring, The Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale but Lumis kicked out. The A-Lister rolled up Miz and used the ropes for leverage but Dexter was able to kick out. Lumis applied a Vice lock for the submission victory and won a WWE contract.

Dexter signed the contract after the match and started handing out money to the fans. The Miz leveled Dexter from behind and took the money back from a fan. Johnny Gargano attacked The Miz and gave the money back to the fan before posing with Dexter on the entrance ramp.

Candice LeRae def. Dakota Kai

Candice LeRae was set to battle Dakota Kai in a singles match tonight on RAW. She attacked Dakota during her entrance and a brawl broke out as Raw went to a commercial break. Kai booted Candice in the face and stomped on her when Raw returned. Candice rolled up Kai for a near fall. Dakota delivered another kick to the face and the Poison Pixie fell to the canvas.

LeRae sent Dakota to the corner and beat her down before hitting a Northern Lights Suplex. Dakota battled back and hit LeRae with a running kick. Candice shrugged it off and rolled Kai up for a two count. Candice went for a Moonsault but Kai got out of the way at the last moment. LeRae sent Dakota down with an avalanche Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

Kevin Owens def. Jey Uso

Jey Uso battled Kevin Owens in the main event of WWE RAW. The Bloodline was ringside for the match. KO started off the bout in control and launched Jey into the barricade. Uso battled back with an Enziguri and Owens tumbled to the floor as Raw went to a commercial break.

Owens planted Jey with a DDT and dragged him to the corner. KO went for a Swanton Bomb off the top rope but Jey got his knees up at the last moment. Kevin Owens and Jey battled to the top rope again and KO hit a Fisherman’s Buster.

Jey responded with a Suoerkick but Owens kicked out at two. Uso went for a Frog Splash but KO dodged it. Owens hit Jey with a Stunnter for the pinfall victory.

Becky Lynch Will Kickoff Commercial-Free Hour of WWE Raw Tonight

Robert Lentini
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WWE has announced that the first hour of tonight’s episode of WWE RAW will be commercial-free.

Byron Saxton broke the news in a video uploaded on WWE’s social media. Saxton also announced that Becky Lynch will be kicking off tonight’s edition of the red brand.

Tonight we expect a lot of special happenings. In fact, the first hour of Monday Night Raw will be completely commercial-free.

And kicking off that commercial-free first hour of Monday Night Raw will be none other than The Man, Big Time Becky Lynch.

Becky Lynch Returns to the Ring at WWE Survivor Series

The Man came around again this past Saturday at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. Becky was named the 5th member of Team Bianca for the Women’s WarGames match at the premium live event.

Lynch wound up being the MVP of the match for Belair’s squad and guided the team to victory. Becky climbed to the top of the steel cage and connected with a Leg Drop on Damage CTRL below to pick up the pinfall victory.

  • 8 Best Moments from WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022

After Survivor Series WarGames went off the air, Belair and Lynch were a part of the press conference following the event. Lynch quoted Eminem and admitted she was terrified of doing the Leg Drop before the show.

“Lads, I was terrified [laughs.] No, I wasn’t terrified in the moment. I was terrified getting up there in practice today, I climbed up [the cage] as I wanted to see the height of it. And my palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms spaghetti [laughs].

Our live coverage of WWE RAW will begin right alongside the commercial-free first hour at the link below.

WWE Raw Results, Takeaways (11/28/22): Survivor Series Fallout

Unique Stipulation Match Pitched for WWE Royal Rumble (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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With Survivor Series in the rearview mirror, WWE will look ahead through the holidays and start building towards the Royal Rumble premium live event in January. 

WrestlingNews.co reports that WWE has already mapped out the entire card for the show. Last week, there was a pitch within the creative team for a “Pitch Black” match and it was being seriously considered for the show. 

Bray Wyatt’s Speciality? 

Bray Wyatt Backstage

However, the source didn’t provide any further details on the structure/rules of the match but another source in the company believes that the match is for Bray Wyatt. 

Since returning to WWE, he has been involved in a feud with LA Knight. Last week on SmackDown, Wyatt claimed to not have been involved in the attack on Knight. This has left the door open for more characters to be introduced or perhaps the first member of the rumored Wyatt 6 faction. 

The source said that they are being careful to not overexpose Wyatt in the ring because they want everything he does to feel extra special. WWE previously did this with him when he was portraying The Fiend character as he wrestled on a limited schedule. 

In addition to this possible match, WWE will of course have its two Royal Rumble matches – one for the men and one for the women – as well as a defense of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship by Roman Reigns. 

Spoiler on WWE Plans for Roman Reigns’ Royal Rumble Opponent
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