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Freddie Prinze Jr. Planned to Build New Promotion Around Bray Wyatt and Karrion Kross

J. Cunningham
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Actor and screenwriter Freddie Prinze Jr. has been working on the formation of his own wrestling promotion for some time now.

On a recent episode of his Wrestling with Freddie podcast, the Scooby-Doo star shed some light on a feud he had in mind for his promotion. At the top of the card, Prinze Jr. wanted Karrion Kross vs. Bray Wyatt. The angle would’ve also included Kross’ wife Scarlett and Wyatt’s real-life brother Bo Dallas.

Perhaps most curious of all was the manner in which Prinze Jr. wanted to use Bo Dallas. Instead of being a standard, active professional wrestler, Dallas would’ve essentially been a figment of Wyatt’s personality. It would’ve lent an almost supernatural vibe to Wyatt in his feud with Kross. Interestingly, the Hollywood star would’ve booked Kross as a babyface, something he’s rarely played in his professional wrestling career.

Ultimately, though, the feud had to be cancelled when Kross made his surprise return to WWE last year. At that point, Prinze Jr. considered booking ‘The Eater of Worlds’ as a babyface before he too returned to WWE.

Karrion Kross Reportedly Has Freddie Prinze Jr.’s Blessing To Use The Angle In The Future

Freddie Prinze Jr.

On the same podcast episode, Prinze Jr. revealed that Karrion Kross knows the full story that was planned out for his and Bray Wyatt’s feud.

Despite both me ultimately backing out to rejoin WWE, the podcast host is happy for Kross to use the angle down the road if he wants to. The former White Rabbit in Lucha Underground plays a devilish heel in WWE managed by Scarlett. His return and subsequent feud with Drew McIntyre in 2022 drew a polarized response from audiences.

Bray Wyatt, meanwhile, returned to much fanfare at Extreme Rules 2022. Since then, he’s engaged in a complex, slow-burning feud with LA Knight. The angle appears set to climax at the Royal Rumble when the two finally wrestle.

While both stars are on the SmackDown roster at the moment, an angle between them seems unlikely for now. Bo Dallas, meanwhile, has not been seen on WWE TV in a long time. Rumors are currently swirling that he will turn out to be the Uncle Howdy character later this year.

XFL Announce 2023 Schedule – Vipers Vs. Renegades to Kick Off February 18

Thomas Lowson
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Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia are hoping that the third time’s the charm ahead of the launch of their version of the XFL.

Johnson and Garcia purchased the league from former WWE CEO Vince McMahon in 2020 after his second attempt at a football league was thwarted by Covid-19.

McMahon’s first foray into the world of professional football kicked off in 2000 but low ratings led to the league not getting a second season.

Kick-Off

The new XFL will kick off on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3 pm Eastern a statement from the league has confirmed.

That game will see the Vegas Vipers face the Arlington Renegades at Choctaw Stadium in the first of four matches for the opening weekend.

That evening will see the Orlando Guardians face the Houston Roughnecks at the TDECU Stadium, and will be aired on ESPN and FX.

The next day will see the St. Louis Battlehawks Vs. the San Antonio Brahmas (3 pm. ABC) and the Seattle Sea Dragons against the D.C. Defenders (8 pm. ESPN.)

XFL 2023

The XFL will feature a total 43 games: 40 regular season games, two playoffs and one championship game.

The games will be split across four channels, with ABC airing seven, ESPN and ESPN22 getting 22 games each, and FX airing 15.

All XFL games will be streamed on ESPN+ and simulcasted in 142 countries around the world.

The eight XFL teams are split into two divisions: XFL North (D.C. Defenders, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis Battlehawks, Vegas Vipers) and XFL South (Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas.)

XFL & NFL Partner For Innovation Opportunities & Player Development

Bret Hart Turned Down Kurt Angle Match for Fear He’d Embarrass Himself

Thomas Lowson
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Who would have won in a dream match between two of the greatest technical wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots?

For years, Bret Hart was the standard-bearer for excellent wrestling in WWE, becoming the promotion’s World Champion on five separate occasions.

At Survivor Series 1999, two years after Bret’s departure in Montreal, Kurt Angle would bring his amateur wrestling background to the promotion and become a huge star.

Dream Match

Kurt and Angle never had the chance to wrestle each other in any promotion, but the Olympic Gold Medalist tried to make that happen over 15 years ago.

Speaking in an interview with The A2theK Wrestling Show, Angle said that he always hoped to face the Hitman during his career.

“Bret Hart was always my dream match from when I started in WWE. I always thought I’d have a match with him… He went to WCW, and unfortunately, he got knocked out and had the concussion and then he had a stroke.”

Kurt Angle.

Hart’s in-ring career ended after a concussion during a match at Starrcade 1999 but he would perform in a handful of matches in 2010 for WWE.

WrestleMania

Even after Hart’s retirement, Angle was hopeful that he could pull off a match with the Excellence of Execution.

On the show, Kurt recalled pitching the match which was promptly declined.

 “I tried to get Bret to wrestle at WrestleMania, I believe, 21 (in 2005). I understood why he said no because where I am in my life now, I know I can’t have the Kurt Angle match that fans expect and Bret was trying to tell me at that particular time ‘I’m not the Bret Hart I used to be and I’m not gonna go out there and embarrass myself.’

“I’m not the Bret Hart I used to be and I’m not gonna go out there and embarrass myself.”

Bret Hart’s response to Kurt Angle when offered a match.

“That’s where Bret Hart always was. And if he can’t do that, he’s not gonna do it at all.” 

Instead of Hart, Angle would have a match-of-the-year candidate with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21, getting a victory over HBK.

Bret Hart: Punching Vince McMahon is Probably the Greatest Thing I Ever Did

h/t – Sportskeeda

News on The Young Bucks’ Futures with AEW

Andrew Ravens
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Although it was originally believed that AEW reached out to The Young Bucks about negotiating a new contract, the two sides have yet to officially begin the process of doing so. 

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed the situation on Wednesday’s Wrestling Observer Radio. 

According to Meltzer, the deals for both Nick & Matt Jackson are up at the end of 2023. AEW President Tony Khan is looking to “lock them in” to a new deal for multiple years.

Where Things Stand

“AEW contacted them and wants to start the negotiations, but there have been no negotiations as of today, and they are certainly not close to a deal,” Meltzer said on the show.

Alvarez noted that it’d been acknowledged by both sides that they should be negotiating, but that acknowledgment is all that has been done right now.

Meltzer stated it’s similar to when AEW re-signed Chris Jericho to a new deal despite him still having time on his existing deal. 

On next week’s episode of Dynamite, The Young Bucks will team with Kenny Omega in the seventh and final match in their series with Death Triangle for the AEW Trios Titles.

Ric Flair Didn’t Know Charlotte Was Returning At SmackDown

Jon Fuentes
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Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair didn’t know his daughter, Charlotte, was returning on last week’s SmackDown.

Flair recently took to his podcast, “To Be The Man,” and discussed a variety of topics. The 16-time World Champion discussed being backstage for last week’s episode of SmackDown Live. The show featured some big spots, including a main event with Kevin Owens and John Cena teaming up against Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.

Charlotte Flair wwe
(WWE)

However, it also featured Flair’s daughter, Charlotte, returning from a long layoff to capture the SmackDown Women’s Title yet again. As it turns out, Flair had no idea his daughter was going to be at the show, and he had already left the building when she did.

“I was in the building and left and didn’t know it. It was the first time in so many years that nobody knew. I was in the building, I went and saw Roman (Reigns) and John (Cena), it was the greatest time and I really felt like part of the family again.

“I had a ball, but I didn’t even know. I left and went to American Social [sports bar in Tampa, FL], and then I got word that she was there. I had a couple of drinks with the hockey players.

“Hockey players on the Lightning like to drink. I wasn’t going to go back to the building. I watched it and they put it on every TV for me. It was amazing. That was old-school kayfabe.” 

Charlotte Flair returned on SmackDown, challenging Ronda Rousey for her title just after Rousey had defended the title successfully against Raquel Rodriguez. After a big boot and a spear, Flair was crowned the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.

It was Flair’s first appearance since she dropped the title to Rousey last year at WrestleMania Backlash in their I Quit Match.

Quotes via NoDq.com

WWE Expects Mercedes Mone To Return Eventually

Jon Fuentes
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WWE expects Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) to return to the company eventually.

As noted, Mone made her New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) debut this week at Wrestle Kingdom 17. She confronted IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI, teasing an eventual title match.

Also, it was teased that Mone could end up being revealed as Saraya’s surprise tag team partner against Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter for next week’s episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Dynamite in Los Angeles.

However, on yesterday’s episode, it was revealed that Saraya would be teaming up with Toni Storm instead. Baker did tease the Mone rumors during her own promo, suggesting that she is “The Boss.” Dave Meltzer shed some light on the situation during a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer noted that Mone is not in Los Angeles and is not coming to AEW. He speculates that Mone doesn’t want to make the commitment to AEW, as any would be a long-term one. It was added that WWE feels “very strongly” that she won’t wrestle for AEW.

Sasha Banks Mercedes Mone KAIRI NJPW Wrestle Kindom 17

In fact, WWE expects Mone back at some point after she gets this out of her system. Mone will do a few NJPW matches which will only keep her contracted for a short period of time. However, if she were to work with AEW it would likely be under a three-year deal minimum.

It wouldn’t be a smart move on AEW’s part to put Mone on television, only to have her back with WWE in a few months.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hollywood

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eric Bischoff.

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

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

Dethroning the Tribal Chief

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

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

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

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

Eric Bischoff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Match

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

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

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

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

History

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

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

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

New TNT Champion Crowned – Promises Title Match to AEW Prospect

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

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

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

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

Allin’s Title Defense

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

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

Nick Wayne

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

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

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

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

Nick Wayne.

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

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

h/t – Wrestling Inc

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

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

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

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

Contracts

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frozen Contracts?

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

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

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

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

Kenny Omega Message of Respect for Will Ospreay

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

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

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

Kenny Omega Praises Ospreay

Kenny Omega Will Ospreay

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

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

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

Will Ospreay Discusses Potential Crossover Match With Seth Rollins

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

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

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

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

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

A Respected Actor

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

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

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

Dave Batista.

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

The Greatest?

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

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

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

Rian Johnson.

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

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

MJF Trashed Seattle Before AEW Dynamite Began (Video)

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

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

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

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

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

William Regal is Officially Back With WWE (Report)

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

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

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

How We Got Here

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

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

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

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

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

NJPW Founder Antonio Inoki Biopic is in the Works

Thomas Lowson
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0

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

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

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

Antonio Inoki: Wrestling Legend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inoki Out of the Ring

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

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

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

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

NJPW and WWE Share Touching Memoriam For Antonio Inoki

Will Ospreay Discusses Potential Crossover Match With Seth Rollins

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

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

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

Seth Rollins
(WWE)

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

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

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

Quotes via 411Mania

Mick Foley On He & Stephanie McMahon Standing Up To Vince

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

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

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

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

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

Mick Foley
Mick Foley

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/qtuntLOhdc8

Quotes via 411Mania

Kazuchika Okada Regains IWGP World Heavyweight Championship At Wrestle Kingdom 17

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

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

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

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

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

Kazuchika Okada’s First Challenger Revealed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today Marks Four Years Since Kenny Omega Last Wrestled In NJPW

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

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

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

Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega in AEW.

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

WWE Superstars Spotted in the Crowd at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

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

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

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

WWE in Tokyo

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

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

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

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

Mercedes Mone: All Elite?

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

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

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

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

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

New IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Crowned At Wrestle Kingdom 17

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

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

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

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Takashi champion again at Wrestle Kingdom 17

Where Does Hiromu Takahashi Go Following Wrestle Kingdom 17?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Retirement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tama Tonga
Tama Tonga bested Karl Anderson today.

Where Does Karl Anderson Go From Here?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TVBelt 1
Zack Sabre Jr.’s TV Title.

Zack Sabre Jr. Moving Into New Faction

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

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

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

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

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