Home Blog Page 538

Best Tweets from WWE Superstars Going into Survivor Series: WarGames

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE Survivor Series 2023 is just hours away, and this year’s show will feature a huge twist.

For the first time in history, the iconic WarGames stipulation will be used on WWE’s main roster, after being used in recent years in NXT.

Tonight’s show will see a stacked card for the fans in Boston, and the WWE Superstars have been busy on social media making their views clear.

After last night’s SmackDown, Drew McIntyre poked fun at the Bloodline, using the group’s catchphrase ahead of WarGames.

Paul Heyman won’t be entering WarGames with the rest of the Bloodline, but the Special Counsel has been strategizing with his team.

Bianca Belair was delighted with Becky Lynch being revealed as the final woman for her team in the Women’s WarGames match.

Not to be outdone, Asuka shared her plans for WarGames in a way fans of the Empress on social media should be used to.

https://twitter.com/WWEAsuka/status/1593813069561331712

Dakota Kai, who’ll be on Team Damage CTRL was quick to remind fans of her experience with WarGames.

Bobby Lashley is ready to add a fourth United States Championship reign to his resume ahead of his Triple threat match with Seth Rollins and Austin Theory.

Perhaps Austin Theory’s new, more serious attitude after losing Money in the Bank will see the youngest U.S. Champion in history regain the gold.

The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor is ready to finish his war with AJ Styles and the O.C. for good tonight when the two meet in singles action.

WWE Survivor Series will take place tonight, at the TD Garden in Boston, MA, and will be streamed on the WWE Network and Peacock.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 Results, Takeaways: The Bloodline vs. The Brawling Brutes, New Champion

“I Couldn’t Breathe” – Colt Cabana Says He Nearly Died After AEW Dynamite Match

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Colt Cabana’s return to AEW Dynamite was a heartwarming moment but nearly turned tragic after the bout.

Cabana returned to Dynamite on the November 2, episode to challenge Ring of Honor World Champion Chris Jericho in a losing effort.

The match marked Colt’s first televised AEW match in close to a year, as fans (and many in AEW) suspects that CM Punk pressured Tony Khan to remove Cabana from TV.

Compression Socks

With this being such an important match in his career, Cabana wanted to be at his best for the match, but problems arose before the match got started.

On his Art of Wrestling podcast, Colt explained how his usual wrestling socks went missing, and in a rush, he brought compression socks to wear for the match.

“I put on my compression socks, my kneepads, and my boots. And what I don’t realize is that I have essentially made a tourniquet in the bottom half of my body. Essentially what I did was restrict everything. I remember vividly thinking, ‘I can’t feel my legs. I guess it’s just the nerves.'”

Cabana added that with the compression socks, wrestling boots, and kneepads cutting off flow to his legs, he was dealing with high blood pressure and low oxygen for most of the match.

Backstage

Cabana would be unsuccessful in dethroning Jericho but was grateful that the match did not go any longer than it needed.

Speaking on the podcast, Cabana said that after the match, he felt his body go rigid and that at first, nobody knew what was going on.

“I could not move. And as I made my way back to the trainer’s room asking for electrolytes and the trainer being like, ‘We’re not sure what’s going on.’ And me just saying, ‘I gotta get this stuff off of me, I feel so compacted.’ And I ripped my singlet off and it still didn’t feel like enough. And I couldn’t breathe, I felt lightheaded, and I had a headache and my head was pounding.”

“I couldn’t breathe, I felt lightheaded, and I had a headache and my head was pounding.”

Colt Cabana.

Fixing Things

Nobody knew what exactly was going on with Cabana, and unable to move, Colt had to ask the trainers to remove his ring attire.

The ROH star admitted he felt like a “schmuck” for asking for help being undressed, and it was only thanks to a passing reference to the socks that AEW’s medical team learned what was wrong.

“I say, ‘You know, I bought these compression socks last night.’ And then the eyes of the trainers are just like, ‘What?’ As I was asked to lay back for the next two hours while ice was put all over my body, I was educated as to why you should not professionally wrestle in front of 10,000 people and almost a million people at home in compression socks.”

Cabana’s return on AEW Dynamite was meant to be a ‘morale booster’ to the locker room but has reportedly made things worse between Khan and CM Punk.

Colt Cabana Allegedly Feared He’d Lose AEW Job After CM Punk Joined

h/t – 411 Mania

Here’s How You Can Buy WWE’s First Logan Paul Action Figure

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Logan Paul has wowed WWE fans with his in-ring ability, and now the YouTuber-turned-Superstar has his very first action figure.

Paul made his in-ring debut in April, teaming with The Miz at WrestleMania 38, but was betrayed by the A-Lister after defeating the Mysterios.

At Summerslam, Paul got payback on The Miz, and at Crown Jewel, unsuccessfully challenged Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

First Figure

The Maverick took to his Instagram and uploaded a few photos of his own action figure from Mattel.

The Ultimate Edition figure comes with Paul’s black and yellow attire, entrance jacket, and three heads with different expressions.

The figure makes use of TrueFX facial detailing and boasts over 30 points of articulation, including an ab-crunch torso, butterfly joints, double-jointed arms, knees, and articulated toes.

Paul first teased his figure back in September of this year, tweeting a photo from Mattel’s offices.

The figure isn’t on the shelves just yet but can be pre-ordered from Mattel for the price of $45.00.

Logan Paul’s Recovery

For the time being, this figure will be the only way fans will get to see Logan Paul in a ring, as he is recovering from a torn MCL suffered at Crown Jewel.

It was first believed that Paul would have to miss six months of action, which would have forced the Maverick to skip WrestleMania 39.

In an update on his most recent vlog, Paul said that he was informed that he’ll need at least six weeks to be fully healed, meaning he could be wrestling again as soon as January.

Logan Paul on a Tag Team With Jake Paul in WWE: “That Would be Amazing”

What Happens When You Call the Number Shown During the Bray Wyatt Promo on WWE SmackDown

Robert Lentini
-
0

Bray Wyatt returned at Extreme Rules after a White Rabbit teaser campaign that captured the imagination of the WWE Universe.

The mind games are still happening as a phone number flashed on the screen during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Wyatt came to the ring and claimed that he was not the one who attacked LA Knight last week.

LA Knight made the bold decision of slapping Bray Wyatt in the face not once, but twice last week. He was later found buried under a bunch of equipment and showed up this week with his arm in a sling.

Uncle Howdy interrupted Bray Wyatt and accused him of being a liar once again. A phone number flashed on the screen during the segment and the following message is delivered when it is dialed:

“Patient suffers from delusions of grandeur, perhaps the most extreme incidence I’ve encountered. Concerns that no regime or treatment will be able to counteract the imbalance of pattern in the patient’s psyche.

Prone to disorganized thought patterns that communicate a sense of unmatched importance. Bouts of isolation has seems to have amplified their inner monologue and honestly blocked out any outside voice.

In short, the patient would need to think as highly of a medical practitioner as they do themselves and honestly that seems to border on the impossible. I’ve become concerned that this patient has become such a danger to themselves and anyone that they encounter that… Hello? Hello? Is someone there? Hello? I…”

H/T: WrestleTalk

WWE Survivor Series WarGames Coverage

WWE Survivor Series WarGames airs live tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The premium live event will feature two WarGames matches, two title matches, and a grudge match.

Here is the card for WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022:

  • Men’s WarGames Match: Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn
  • Women’s WarGames Match: Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Mia Yim vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO Sky, Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley
  • United States Championship Triple Threat match: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory
  • SmackDown Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Shotzi
  • Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles

Our live coverage will begin alongside the event in the link below.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 Results, Takeaways: The Bloodline vs. The Brawling Brutes, New Champion

What Happened with Braun Strowman After WWE SmackDown Went off the Air?

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Braun Strowman and Ricochet were opponents on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX, but proved to be formidable allies after the show.

During the show, Ricochet got a huge win over Strowman to advance to the finals of the SmackDown World Cup Tournament.

Ricochet, representing the United States, will face Santos Escobar (Mexico) in the finals on next week’s show, with the winner earning a title match against Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.

After SmackDown

Ricochet’s win over Strowman was far from clean, as GUNTHER and Imperium were at ringside and ensured that Braun did not win the match.

After the match, Imperium attacked Strowman, and while at first conflicted, Ricochet made the save on the man he had previously beaten.

Once SmackDown went off the air, Braun and Ricochet teamed up to face Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

Despite their differences on TV, Strowman and Ricochet got the win to send the crowd home happy.

Punishment?

Strowman’s loss came as a shock to some fans, but it may have been more than just WWE’s creative plans that caused this booking decision.

After losing to Ricochet, his first loss since returning to WWE in early September, fans online speculated that this was a punishment for the former Universal Champion.

Strowman earned considerable heat with fans and wrestlers after his ‘flippy floppy’ comments on Twitter, in which he mocked indie wrestling and wrestlers.

It has been reported that while Strowman has been nothing but good at WWE events ‘Social Media Braun’ has proven to be a problem for WWE’s higher-ups.

Ricochet on Earning Braun Strowman’s Respect During Their SmackDown World Cup Match

WWE Superstar Receives Name Change on SmackDown

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE Superstar Sarah Logan has been given a new name on SmackDown.

She returned alongside the Viking Raiders recently on the blue brand. Erik and Ivar beat Hit Row and the Viking Raiders down. Sarah attacked B-Fab of Hit Row before making eye contact with Zelina Vega of Legada Del Fantasma.

Vega hopped over the barricade and ran away out of fear. Zelina referred to it as a “big brain play” on Twitter after WWE uploaded a video of her escape.

Sarah Logan has used the phrase “Valhalla is here” during vignettes leading up to the Viking Raiders return. It appears that her official new name is Valhalla to go along with her new look.

The Viking Raiders picked up a dominant win against Hit Row tonight and seem to be on their way to earning a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in the near future.

Valhalla scoops

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 Coverage

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 airs live tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. There are two WarGames matches and two title matches on the card.

Here is the full card for tonight’s premium live event:

  • Men’s WarGames Match: Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn
  • Women’s WarGames Match: Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Mia Yim vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO Sky, Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley
  • United States Championship Triple Threat match: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory
  • SmackDown Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Shotzi
  • Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles

Our live coverage will begin alongside WWE Survivor Series 2022 in the link below.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 Results, Takeaways: The Bloodline vs. The Brawling Brutes, New Champion

Ricochet on Earning Braun Strowman’s Respect During Their SmackDown World Cup Match

Robert Lentini
-
0

Ricochet squared off against Braun Strowman tonight in the semifinals of the SmackDown World Cup.

Braun Strowman was the heavy favorite in the matchup and controlled the majority of the action. However, the Monster of All Monsters became distracted by Intercontinental Champion Gunther making his way to the ring.

Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci of Imperium hopped on the ring apron but Braun fought them off. Ricochet was able to capitalize on the distraction and rolled Strowman up for the pinfall victory. Imperium attacked Braun after the match but Ricochet ran back to the ring for the save. Ricochet and Strowman shook hands and posed in the ring after the match.

Santos Escobar Says He Has A Game Plan for the SmackDown World Cup Finals Next Week

Ricochet on Wanting Braun Strowman’s Respect, the Importance of the IC Title

Ricochet sat down with Cathy Kelley in a WWE Digital Exclusive after SmackDown went off the air. Braun Strowman sent out a controversial tweet after defeating Omos at WWE Crown Jewel. In boasting about the victory, Braun mocked smaller wrestlers and their “flippy” style. Ricochet, Mustafa Ali, and other professional wrestlers responded to the tweet.

During the interview, Ricochet revealed that it was important for him to get Braun to respect him tonight in their SmackDown World Cup match.

“I was going to go into this match no matter what to make sure that Braun Strowman respected me at least,” said Ricochet. “He can think what he wants, he has his own opinions, but I was going to come in tonight, knowing very well that as soon as we leave this match he is going to respect me. Of course, it wasn’t my idea to have Imperium come out, and obviously, it wasn’t because they beat me up.”

Ricochet also discussed his opponent in the SmackDown World Cup finals next week, Santos Escobar. He noted that they have a history before WWE and he is excited to bring their rivalry to the fans. Ricochet added that winning the Intercontinental Championship back from Gunther represents a chance to redeem himself.

“It means the world. It means everything to me. It was devastating when I lost it. So that is another key motivating factor behind all of this. It is not just to win for America, to win the SmackDown World Cup, and to just win in general for Ricochet. Because we know Ricochet’s past, this hasn’t been the best couple of years for him so this is a chance for me to redeem myself and show that I belong here,” he added.

H/T: Sportskeeda Wrestling

Santos Escobar Says He Has A Game Plan for the SmackDown World Cup Finals Next Week

Robert Lentini
-
0

Santos Escobar battled Butch in the semifinals of the SmackDown World Cup tournament tonight on the blue brand.

Butch had the match in control as Legado Del Fantasma and The Brawling Brutes were ringside. The camera cut backstage on the jumbotron to reveal that The Usos were brawling with Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre.

Butch told Sheamus and Ridge to go help out backstage. As the referee was distracted, Cruz Del Toro booted Butch in the face and Santos capitalized with the Phantom Driver for the pinfall victory.

Ricochet earned a spot in the finals tonight by defeating Braun Strowman in the semifinals. Intercontinental Champion Gunther and Imperium distracted Strowman and Ricochet capitalized with a roll-up to advance in the tournament. Imperium attacked Strowman after the match but Ricochet made the save.

Santos will go on to battle Ricochet in the finals of the SmackDown World Cup next week. The winner of the World Cup will earn a shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship.

Santos Escobar Warns Ricochet

Santos Escobar was interviewed by Cathy Kelley in a WWE Digitial Exclusive following this week’s episode of SmackDown. Escobar said that he had a game plan for Ricochet and vowed to win the tournament next week. The Legado Del Fantasma leader added that he will go on to win the Intercontinental Championship as well.

“Shinsuke and Butch were no easy task and rest assured, my family [Legado Del Fantasma] will always be with me. So as for Ricochet, there is a universal truth. What goes up must come down. The game plan is easy, win the World Cup and become the new Intercontinental Champion,” Escobar said.

H/T: Sportskeeda Wrestling

WWE SmackDown Results, Takeaways (11/25/22): Survivor Series Go-Home Show, Becky Lynch Returns, World Cup

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, MA. It is the go-home show for WWE Survivor Series. The premium live event will air tomorrow night from the TD Garden in Boston, MA.

  • WWE Survivor Series 2022 Preview

WWE SmackDown Results

  • Santos Escobar def. Butch to advance to the finals of the SmackDown World Cup
  • The Viking Raiders def. Hit Row
  • Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler def. Shotzi & Raquel Rodriguez
  • Drew McIntyre & Sheamus def. The Usos to earn the advantage at Survivor Series WarGames

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Becky Lynch Returned and Will Compete at WWE Survivor Series WarGames

WWE SmackDown kicked off with Damage CTRL in the ring. Bayley demanded Bianca come down to the ring and announce the 5th member of her team. Belair, Asuka, Mia Yim, and Alexa Bliss made their way to the entrance ramp.

Bianca added that they didn’t come alone and Becky Lynch made her way to the ring as the 5th member of the team. A brawl broke out between the two squads. Lynch hit Bayley with an Exploder Suplex and posed in the ring. Rhea Ripley got in the ring with Lynch but retreated to end the segment.

Santos Escobar Advanced to the Finals of the SmackDown World Cup

Butch battled Santos Escobar in the semifinals of the SmackDown World Cup. The winner of the tournament gets a shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship. Brawling Brutes and Legado Del Fantasma were ringside for the match. Zelina Vega joined Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on commentary.

Santos controlled the action early and got Butch in a Headlock. Butch escaped and stomped on Escobar’s elbow. Santos connected with an Enziguri and went for the cover but Butch powered out at two. Butch knocked Escobar out of the ring with a Dropkick. Back in the ring, Butch climbed to the top rope but Santos shoved him over. Butch fell onto the ring apron and then to the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Butch got distracted by Legado and Santos capitalized with a dive. Back in the ring, Butch and Santos battled on the top turnbuckle. Butch bent back Santos’ fingers and he fell to the floor. Butch flipped onto Legado Del Fantasma and followed it up with a Tornado DDT on Escobar in the middle of the ring.

Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre were shown brawling with The Bloodline backstage. Butch told Brawling Brutes to go backstage to break it up and they joined the backstage brawl. Zelina Vega hopped up on the ring apron and distracted Butch. Cruz Del Toro booted Butch in the face and Santos followed it up with the Phantom Driver for the pinfall victory. Santos Escobar has advanced to the finals of the SmackDown World Cup.

Uncle Howdy Interrupted Bray Wyatt, LA Knight was Attacked Again

Bray Wyatt made his way to the ring to a great reaction. Wyatt said that he knows people are going to whisper behind his back but he has the pulse on what people think he is. Bray stated that most people just want to see the monster inside of him, The Fiend, and that’s it.

Wyatt said he doesn’t want to be a human tornado and destroy everything around him anymore. He added that it is very hard to explain the burdens that he’s gone through. Bray claimed that he was not the one that attacked LA Knight.

Uncle Howdy interrupted and said that Wyatt was lying in another vignette featuring images of Bray’s past. Howdy added that a “snake in a cage is still just a snake”. LA Knight was then interviewed backstage with his arm in a sling. Knight referred to Bray as a “human trash bag” before Wyatt’s logo flashed again after his promo. LA Knight was later found stuck behind a storage crate.

Viking Raiders def. Hit Row

The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) battled Hit Row (AJ “Top Dolla” Francis and Ashante Adonis) tonight on SmackDown. B-Fab and Sarah Logan were ringside for the match. Viking Raiders dominated early and isolated Adonis in the ring. Top Dolla tagged in and got in some offense before Erik dumped him over the top rope. Ivar leveled Adonis with a kick and tagged in Erik. The Viking Raiders hit Ragnarok (Powerbomb) on Adonis for the quick pinfall victory.

Imperium Helped Ricochet Advance to the Finals

Braun Strowman battled Ricochet in the semifinals of the SmackDown World Cup. The Monster of All Monsters shoved Ricochet to the corner to start off the action. Braun taunted Ricochet’s height and the former IC Champion slapped Strowman in the face. Strowman went for the Running Powerslam but Ricochet escaped.

Ricochet booted Braun in the chest and hit him with a Dropkick to knock Strowman into the barricade. Braun leveled Ricochet with a shoulder tackle that sent him flying over the announce table. Strowman dragged Ricochet back into the ring and went for the cover but he kicked out at two.

Strowman battled back and took control but got distracted as Intercontinental Champion Gunther made his way down the entrance ramp. Imperium distracted Braun as well and Ricochet capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory. Ricochet will battle Santos Escobar in the finals of the SmackDown World Cup.

After the match, Imperium attacked Braun Strowman and beat him down in the ring. Ricochet paused for a moment before rushing the ring to make the save. Imperium beat him down as well. Gunther hit Ricochet with a big chop to the chest. Braun knocked Vinci and Kaiser out of the ring as Gunther retreated. After the match, Braun Strowman helped Ricochet up and shook his hand.

Sami Zayn Lied to Jey Uso

Kevin Owens tried to talk to The Bloodline but Sami Zayn stopped him. Jey Uso creeped open the door and listened to the conversation between the two. KO wondered what is going to happen to Sami when he pisses The Bloodline.

Owens suggested that Sami Zayn strike first before Jey Uso popped open the door. Jey wondered if Sami has talked to anyone since he’s been here and Zayn said no. Jey asked again and Sami once again lied to his face before going into The Bloodline locker room.

Becky Lynch Warned Damage CTRL

Becky Lynch was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. Lynch said that she has spent four months thinking about destroying Damage CTRL and that everybody is tough until The Man comes around.

Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler Picked Up A Win

Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were supposed to battle Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez tonight in a tag team match. Ronda and Shayna attacked Raquel backstage and bashed her arm with a storage crate. Shotzi made her way to the ring alone and wanted a Handicap match one night before her title match against Ronda tomorrow night.

Shotzi knocked Shayna out of the ring and delivered a forearm strike to Ronda Rousey. Shotzi hit a Senton on Rousey but turned around into a knee strike from Baszler. Shayna applied an armbar before Raquel’s music hit.

She got up on the ring apron and Shotzi tagged her in. Rodriguez bashed Ronda off the ring apron. Raquel went for a Chokeslam but Rousey tagged herself in. Ronda bashed Raquel’s shoulder and applied an Armbar as Shayna held Shotzi back. Raquel tapped out to end the match. Shotzi was interviewed after the match and claimed that Raquel’s arm was broken. She added that this was now personal and vowed to beat Ronda Rousey tomorrow at Survivor Series.

The Brawling Brutes Will Have the Advantage at Survivor Series WarGames

The Usos battled Sheamus and Drew McIntyre to determine which team has the advantage at Survivor Series WarGames. McIntyre and Sheamus controlled the action early as SmackDown went to a break.

Jey knocked Sheamus out of the ring and Sami taunted Sheamus. Jey got pissed at Zayn and told him to “back his ass up” before rolling the Celtic Warrior back inside the ring. KO shouted at Sami that The Bloodline will turn their backs on Sami in a heartbeat as Jimmy Uso beat Sheamus down in the ring.

Sheamus connected with a Powerslam and tagged in McIntyre. Drew hit a Neckbreaker on Jey but turned around into an Enziguri from Jimmy. Uso hit a shoulder tackle but McIntyre responded with a Spinebuster for a near fall. Drew hit a Neckbreaker on Jimmy and stared at The Bloodline outside the ring. McIntyre geared up for the Claymore but Jey broke it up. Jimmy hit a Superkick and knocked McIntyre out of the ring. Jimmy and Jey followed it up with a couple of Suicide Dives and threw Drew into the steel steps as SmackDown went to the final break of the night.

When SmackDown returned, both Jimmy and Drew were down. Sheamus and Jey tagged in and the Celtic Warrior hit a Clothesline. Sheamus knocked Jimmy out of the ring and delivered an Irish Curse Backbreaker to Jey.

Sheamus hit the 10 Beats of the Bodhran (actually 17 beats tonight). McIntyre hit Jimmy with a Claymore but turned around into a Superkick from Jey. Uso followed it up with a Crossbody to Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior responded with a knee strike on Jey for a near fall.

The Celtic Warrior geared up for the Brogue Kick but Sami provided a distraction. Jey capitalized with a Superkick but Sheamus kicked out at two. Jey climbed to the top turnbuckle but Sheamus punched him in the face. Sheamus joined Jey on the top rope but Solo Sikoa distracted the referee. Sami shoved Sheamus to the mat and Jey capitalized with a Frog Splash for a near fall.

Solo and Butch traded punches outside the ring. Ridge and Sami joined in on the brawl and McIntyre took everyone out with a flip over the top rope. Zayn grabbed a tag title and went to slide it to Jey but Kevin Owens got in the way.

KO ripped the title away and said he’s not letting him do this. Kevin rolled Sami in the ring with the title but the referee caught him. The referee kicked Sami out and KO hit Jey with a Stunner while he was distracted. Sheamus leveled Jey with a Brogue Kick to earn the WarGames advantage tomorrow night at Survivor Series. SmackDown went off the air with Jey Uso staring at Sami on the entrance ramp.

Watch: AEW Star Unmasks on Rampage

Robert Lentini
-
0

Dark Order battled The Butcher, The Blade, and Rush in the main event of the Black Friday edition of AEW Rampage tonight.

John Silver and Alex Reynolds were interviewed by Mark Henry before the match and 10 was noticeably absent. Silver and Reynolds then made their way to the ring but 10 still had not shown up for the match yet.

The Butcher, The Blade, and Rush controlled the match early but the camera cut to the entrance ramp. Evil Uno and Brodie Lee Jr. were waving 10 down the ramp. 10 rushed to the ring but made a shocking decision once he arrived in the squared circle.

10 (Preston Vance) leveled John Silver with a Clothesline and Rush capitalized with a Dropkick for the pinfall victory.

AEW Rampage Black Friday Results, Takeaways (11/25/22): ROH Tag Title Match, Final Battle Main Event Set

After the match, 10 ripped away at Evil Uno’s mask before throwing his own mask down in front of Brodie Lee Jr. on the entrance ramp. An unmasked 10 then posed with La Faccion at the end of AEW Rampage.

10 took to Twitter after the Black Friday edition of Rampage went off the air and stated that hearts were meant to be broken.

Brodie Lee Jr.’s mother, Amanda Huber sent a message to 10 and said that he let his true family down.

Former TNT Champion Brodie Lee handpicked 10 to be in the Dark Order faction. Amanda said that he made the wrong choice, 10 disagreed and said it was time for him to step out on his own.

I know what I’ve done. I didn’t sell my soul. I decided for once to look out for myself. Now it’s time to be great and unleash the true potential he always saw in me. #StillHandpicked

AEW Rampage Black Friday Results, Takeaways (11/25/22): ROH Tag Title Match, Final Battle Main Event Set

Robert Lentini
-
0

AEW Rampage Black Friday was taped this past Wednesday night. It was the first episode of AEW Rampage following Full Gear. In addition to the takeaways below, Dax Harwood versus Bryan Danielson was announced for next week’s AEW Dynamite.

Rampage Results (11/25)

  • FTR def. Top Flight to retain
  • Darby Allin def. Anthony Henry
  • Hikaru Shida def. Queen Aminata
  • Rush, The Butcher, The Blade def. Dark Order

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

FTR Retained The ROH Tag Team Championships

FTR defended the ROH Tag Team Championships against Top Flight (Dante and Darius Martin) tonight on Rampage. Dax Harwood and Darius started off the action. Harwood dominated and tagged in Cash. Dante got the tag as well and traded strikes with Cash Wheeler in the middle of the ring.

Darius booted Cash in the face after tagging back in and Top Flight took control of the match. Top Flight took control after a commercial break and knocked FTR out of the ring. Darius hit a dive and Dante followed it up with a Crossbody on the entrance ramp.

Back in the ring, Dante hit another Crossbody on Dax and went for the cover but Harwood kicked out at two. FTR isolated Dante in the corner and planted him with a Powerbomb. Cash followed it up with a Splash and went for the cover but Darius broke it up at two.

Harwood leveled Darius with a Clothesline and crawled to the corner. He tagged in and set up for the Big Rig but Darius blocked it. Dante went for a roll-up but Harwood kicked out. Darius hit a Tornado DDT and Dante followed it up with a Splash but Harwood broke it up at two and the match continued.

Darius hit Wheeler with a Spanish Fly but Dax planted him with a Brainbuster. Dante rolled up Wheeler for a near fall. FTR hit Dante with the Big Rig for the pinfall victory and retained the ROH Tag Team Championships in a great match. After the match, Gunn Club came to the entrance ramp and mocked FTR.

Claudio Castagnoli Will Join JAS if He Loses to Chris Jericho at Final Battle

ROH Champion Chris Jericho made his way to the ring with the Jericho Appreciation Society tonight on Rampage.

Chris claimed that he is the greatest Ring of Honor of all time. Jericho boasted about his win over Tomohiro Ishii on Dynamite and brought up Claudio Castagnoli giving him a cheap shot last Wednesday. Jericho wondered who it was going to be that uncrowns the “king of Ring of Honor”.

Castagnoli interrupted and said that he knows that he has to beat Jericho for the Ring of Honor Championship. Chris asked the crowd if he should give him another shot at the title and declined even though the crowd cheered. Matt Menard suggested that if Claudio loses he will have to join the Jericho Appreciation Society. Claudio accepted and the match was set for ROH Final Battle on December 10th.

Darby Allin Picked Up A Win

Darby Allin battled Anthony Henry on this week’s AEW Rampage. Sting was ringside for the match, as was JD Drake. JD interfered to give Henry the advantage but Darby battled back. Sting took out JD as Allin hit Henry with a Scorpion Death Drop. Allin followed it up with a Coffin Drop for the pinfall victory.

Toni Storm was interviewed by Renee Paquette following her loss to Jamie Hayter at AEW Full Gear. Storm was pissed about Britt’s interference in the match and vowed to get revenge. Toni noted that she broke her face to try and retain the title and will do the same to get it back.

Hikaru Shida def. Queen Aminata

Former AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida was in action tonight against Queen Aminata. Penelope Ford and The Bunny watched the match ringside. They distracted Shida for a moment but Hikaru wound up dominating the match. She hit the Falcon Arrow for the pinfall victory and stared at Ford and The Bunny after the match.

Athena was interviewed backstage about her shoving referee Aubrey Edwards. Athena said she wants a shot at Mercedes Martinez’ ROH Women’s Championship.

10 Betrayed Dark Order

Dark Order battled The Butcher, The Blade, and Rush. John Silver and Alex Reynolds were interviewed before the match by Mark Henry. 10 was supposed to be in the match but didn’t show up to the interview of for Dark Order’s entrance. Dark Order put up a fight but the numbers game caught up to them. Rush beat John Silver down as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Silver battled back with a couple of kicks and made his way to the corner. Rush knocked Reynolds off the apron and kept Silver isolated in the ring. Evil Uno and Brodie Lee Jr. showed up on the entrance ramp and tried to get 10 to rush to the ring. 10 ran to the ring but leveled John Silver with a Clothesline. The Butcher and The Blade then held Evil Uno back as Rush hit Silver with a Dropkick to the face.

10 leveled Reynolds with a Clothesline and posed with Rush. Brodie Lee Jr. was shown sad on the entrance ramp as Reynolds connected with another Clothesline on Evil Uno and started ripping away at his mask. 10 exited the ring and set up a table. 10 and Rush then Chokeslammed Reynolds off the ring apron and through the table below. 10 ripped off his mask and threw it down in front of a saddened Brodie Lee Jr.

ROH World Title Match Set for Final Battle 2022

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The first match that will serve as the main event has been announced for the upcoming ROH Final Battle pay-per-view.

During Friday’s episode of AEW Rampage, it was confirmed that Chris Jericho would defend the Ring Of Honor World Championship against  Claudio Castagnoli on December 10th. 

The two originally faced off at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam back in September, where Claudio lost the title to Jericho, who has held it ever since. This long-standing feud between the Jericho Appreciation Society and the Blackpool Combat Club has been going on for months and will now roll on to Final Battle. 

At AEW Full Gear, Jericho retained the ROH World Heavyweight Title over Bryan Danielson, Sammy Guevara, and Claudio Castagnoli.

The Segment

Chris Jeriocho
(AEW)

During Rampage, Jericho kicked off the show and did a promo where he bragged about being the greatest Ring Of Honor Champion ever. Castagnoli interrupted him and challenged Jericho to an ROH Title rematch.

While Jericho initially denied Castagnoli the opportunity, Matt Menard suggested that Castagnoli should get another crack at Jericho and the ROH Title. However, he added a stipulation: if Claudio loses again, he should be forced to join the Jericho Appreciation Society.

Matt Hardy says WrestleCade match with Jeff Jarrett Might Get ‘Controversial’

Samantha Schipman
-
0

Every Thanksgiving weekend, WrestleCade is held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It brings together wrestlers and fans convention-style with a wrestling show to boot. A new match has been added to the card in a co-main event: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett.

On last week’s episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, Hardy alluded to his relationship with Jarrett (Jarrett brought it up on his on podcast, My World, a few days prior because workers gonna work). It’s professional, but they don’t care for each other. On this week’s episode, Hardy opened up more about their relationship.

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett Could be ‘Controversial’

48a8ddefc61912ec2ab7a9eb89d78040

Of their match this weekend, Hardy predicts that someone will get hurt. “I’ve got a feeling when it’s all said and done, either this match is going to turn out really bad and controversial — which people would probably like if that happened, especially if our wives are around. They’re both going to be there, which is scary in itself — or maybe there’s some way we come out of this with some new found respect. I don’t know what direction it’s going to go. The biggest thing I can say is this match is going to be a wild card. This incident happened seven years ago, but its been four or five years of not associating with each other at all.”

Alba asked Hardy if this could go from a match to a fight because of the underlying animosity. “It weighs heavy on my mind. I just honestly don’t know what’s going to happen when we get into that ring.”

History at WrestleCade

maxresdefault34

Hardy and Jarrett’s history at WrestleCade goes back to 2015. Hardy put the WrestleCade championship on the line and Double J had some help from EC3. A guitar shot split Hardy’s forehead open. Hardy talked about how it was supposed to be just a basic, straight up match. “It was really shocking that I ended up dropping the WrestleCade title to him. Maybe that could’ve been a case of him being a better politician than I was at that time.”

“The guitar shot ended up filleting my head, leaving me in the hospital late at night. Left my wife there as well. That was the real big issue that kind of drove a wedge between us. It really kickstarted the issues we have. That was the start of it. There wasn’t a lot of ‘I’m sorrys’ or apologies. We did business and he just fucked off. And then I ended up going to the hospital to get my head stitched up. WrestleCade helped out and took care of me a little bit.”

“The fact that he split me open on this errant guitar shot, y’know it kind of ruins my night. Ruins my wife’s night as well. And there was very little remorse. There was no real sorrow over it. No apology. It’s like he didn’t give a shit. ‘I just split this guy’s head open. Fuck ’em. I hope I ended his career’ as he said on his podcast. And I almost felt like that was his mentality when that was going down.”

This incident caused him to lose all respect for Jarrett. Hardy does wonder if it was “a receipt for not going to TNA” and going back to WWE.

The match will be live-streamed on Title Match Network this Saturday. Jon Alba, Kevin Gill, and Veda Scott will be on commentary.

Randy Orton Undergoes Back Surgery, WWE Future in Question

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Fans shouldn’t expect to see Randy Orton return and perform inside of a WWE ring anytime soon due to a back injury. 

The former WWE Champion has been out of action since late May when he and RKBro teammate Matt Riddle dropped the Raw Tag Team Championships to The Usos, who were the SmackDown Tag Team Champions and now Unified Champions. WWE later wrote him off television in an attack angle. 

At the time, Orton reportedly had a “significant” injury, and was expected out for a few months and then later the rest of the year. 

Injury Update

Randy Orton has undergone a fusion in his lower back that would keep him out of action for an extended period of time. Orton’s wife recently posted a photo of him in a hospital bed, which got fans concerned about the timeframe for his return.

Back fusion surgery is very serious business and could keep him out of action for an extended period of time. At 42 years old, he’s already in the later stages of his in-ring career.

Orton remains under contract with WWE through 2024, although the company could ‘freeze’ the contract due to his prolonged hiatus.

Logan Paul Could Be Back in a WWE Ring by January

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Logan Paul has provided an update on his health and it’s great news for fans hoping to see him back in a WWE ring.

Paul injured his knee during his match against Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel earlier this month. He knew something was up mid-match, but decided to gut it out. He ended up turning in a performance that people are still talking about.

Despite the setback, he was thrilled with the experience. He plans to wrestle for a very long time and is already plotting a blockbuster match at WrestleMania.

Logan Paul’s Injury

Paul initially thought he tore his MCL, ACL and meniscus, which would have kept him out for a long time. Luckily, it was “only” a Grade-3 MCL tear.

He posted a new vlog on Friday and shared the news of what his doctor told him:

“You have a significant tear of the MCL, you have what we call a Grade 3, which is almost a complete tear of the MCL. We’re going to treat this with a brace and rehab, it’s going to take a minimum of six weeks for this to heal fully.”

– Logan Paul relaying what his doctor told him

Anybody who has been through physical therapy will tell you, it’s not pleasant. Paul has spent November undergoing PT and sports rehabilitation sessions. He says “it’s been great thus far” and teased that he knows when he’ll be able to return to WWE.

The vlog ended with Paul saying, “As of now, it looks like I’ll be back to the WWE, sometime in …” and it cuts off.

Recovery

If Logan Paul stays on course with his recovery, six weeks from today brings us to January 6. Hypothetically, he could appear in the 2023 men’s Royal Rumble match on January 28.

That would be an aggressive timeframe, perhaps too aggressive. Even if he plays it safe and returns at a more conservative pace, a match at WrestleMania 39 in April seems very realistic. If only there was somebody he wanted to work with…

Logan Paul Texted Triple H About Wrestling John Cena at WWE WrestleMania 39

Mandy Rose Explains Why She’s Ready for Another WWE Main Roster Run

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Mandy Rose sees herself on the main roster again while in the middle of a long and successful reign as the WWE  NXT Women’s Champion for over a year.

There are no signs of her slowing down alongside her Toxic Attraction running mates, Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. 

Rose has retained her title over the likes of Alba Fyre, Meiko Satomura, Zoey Stark, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez, and more. 

While speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Rose was asked what’s next for her in her career. She noted that she’s beaten everyone in NXT and while she doesn’t mind being champion for a longer time, she’s ready to have another shot on the main roster. 

One More Shot

Mandy Rose and Toxic Attraction

“I’m at a point now where, who else can I beat in NXT? I totally don’t mind remaining the champ for a long time, but I think it’s time. I want Gigi and Jacy to be able to experience the main roster. Being up on Raw or SmackDown, I want to get back up there because I’m a whole different person I feel. Whether it’s from the outside looking in it looks like that, I just feel so much more respected now, and that has a lot to do with it. Not that I was scared to like say anything, but I feel I’ve earned the respect over the last 386 days; whatever it’s been, even before I won the title, I earned that respect. I know I belong. I think I have another good run on Raw or SmackDown and I want to prove to people, and I’ve already proven, but I want to showcase myself with my girls, Toxic Attraction. That’s going to be really cool. We’ve shown so much over the last year, we run NXT, and it’s time.”

Rose made her most recent title defense by beating Alba Fyre in a Last Woman Standing match on the November 15 episode of NXT.

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Ric Flair Attending WWE’s Royal Rumble and Raw XXX Anniversary

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The legendary Ric Flair is gearing up to attend two big WWE events in January 2023.

On the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast, the 16-time world champion revealed that he’d been invited to be part of the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw (“Raw is XXX”) on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA.

“I’m gonna be there. They didn’t say don’t tell anybody. I’ve been invited and it’s a f**king big deal. Why, because it’s Raw and it’s a big f**king deal. I’m on it, hell yea are you kidding me? 30 years.”

– Ric Flair

Five days later, Flair will be stylin’ and profilin’ in San Antonio, TX at the 2023 Royal Rumble. The event takes place from the AlamoDome and is already setting box office records.

Flair Back on WWE Programming

Raw is XXX

Flair and WWE parted ways in August 2021 after he requested his release. The two sides parted ways after Flair was featured in the controversial Plane Ride from Hell episode of Dark Side of the Ring.

Back in June, WWE announced a new documentary is in the works focusing on Flair’s life and wrestling career. The following month, Flair partnered up with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo in his “last match” against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. The event took place during SummerSlam weekend at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Flair has a storied history with the Royal Rumble and Monday Night Raw. Flair won the vacant WWF Championship at the 1992 Royal Rumble, an event that is considered by many to be one of the greatest Rumble events in history.

The Nature Boy competed on Monday Night Raw during its early run back in 1993. After WCW folded in 2001, he’d go on to be the General Manager of Monday Night Raw from November 2001 through June 2002.

Just a few weeks ago, Flair said he’d welcome the opportunity to appear on WWE programming again. He won’t have to wait long to get his wish.

H/T: WrestlingNews.co

Dante Martin Injury Scare Update: “Doing Fine” After Close Call

Michael Reichlin
-
0

AEW star Dante Martin is said to be “doing fine” after an injury scare at Wednesday’s AEW Rampage tapings. The 21-year-old high-flying phenom wrestles a high-risk style, but that comes at a steep price.

During a backstage segment on Dynamite, Top Flight challenged Ring of Honor tag team champions FTR to a match on this week’s Rampage, which was taped after Dynamite went off the air.

As seen below, fans on social media became concerned when fans in attendance noted that Martin was hurt during the contest.

https://twitter.com/TranquiloSZN/status/1595624999360004096

High Risk, High Reward

Top Flight has dealt with a slew of injuries since arriving in All Elite Wrestling. They’re looking to re-establish themselves as contenders for the AEW World tag team championships, so another injury is the last thing they need.

Speaking of the AEW tag titles, Anthony Bowens of The Acclaimed has provided an update on Martin’s status. On Thanksgiving, Bowens posted a photo of The Acclaimed and Top Flight with the caption, “Happy Thanksgiving from the House of Half Black.”

Twitter user @FrozennAngell replied to the photo and asked Bowens about Martin’s health. Thankfully, he had good news to share.

Catch Top Flight vs. FTR on this week’s AEW Rampage, which airs at a special start time of 4pm EST on Friday afternoon. “Uncle” Dax Harwood of FTR is excited for fans to see this first meeting of the two teams.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames Predictions

Ryan Droste
-
0

WWE Survivor Series takes place this Saturday from Boston, Massachusetts. This will be the 36th Survivor Series event for the company; it originated in 1987.

SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Robert Lentini, and Ryan Droste have assembled to provide our official WWE Survivor Series predictions.

Men’s WarGames Match: The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch), Kevin Owens, and Drew McIntyre vs. The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn)

Andrew Ravens: The Bloodline goes over. It’s so hard to bet against Roman Reigns in any match, including a WarGames match. This could be the match of the night and given the star power, it arguably should be and that be the bar. It will be interesting to see how limited Kevin Owens is in this match, given his injury, which could play into the finish. (Prediction: The Bloodline)

Robert Lentini: The Bloodline should win this match on paper, but I think something will go wrong for them this Saturday at Survivor Series. Jey Uso’s ego might get in the way, Sami Zayn may be the one that costs them after he guaranteed a victory, just something is going to go wrong for The Bloodline and cost them the match this Saturday night. (Prediction: The Brawling Brutes, Kevin Owens, and Drew McIntyre)

Ryan Droste: Given the booking of the last few years, how do you bet against The Bloodline? Obviously the key here is that Roman doesn’t have to take the pinfall, so I think WWE uses that to their advantage to give his team a rare loss. Spoiler alert: Roman Reigns isn’t taking the pinfall. (Prediction: The Brawling Brutes, Kevin Owens, and Drew McIntyre)

Consensus: Split

Women’s WarGames Match: Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and TBA vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky), Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley

Andrew Ravens: This is a real pick ’em here, but I’ll side with Team Belair based on the rumored fifth member of the babyface team and want to keep this person strong. This is going to be one of the best matches of the night and one I look forward to seeing. (Prediction: Team Belair)

Robert Lentini: Becky Lynch is rumored to be the fifth and final superstar on Bianca Belair’s squad. I was holding out hope for Sasha Banks as Survivor Series is in her hometown, but appears that The Man will come around again. Bianca Belair’s team gets the victory and perhaps a rivalry between Rhea Ripley and the RAW Women’s Champion begins following Survivor Series. (Prediction: Team Belair)

Ryan Droste: Yeah, the babyface team goes over here with the surprise member of the team putting them over the top. Becky Lynch would be great, Sasha would set the world on fire. The women will be out to prove something, and this could end up being very good. (Prediction: Team Belair)

Consensus: Team Belair

WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. Shotzi

Andrew Ravens: There’s no way that Rousey loses the title here. Shotzi is a fresh challenger and for that, I can respect it, but no one takes her as a serious title contender. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)

Robert Lentini: Ronda Rousey will retain against Shotzi in what should be a lopsided match. Shotzi will get in some offense but doesn’t stand a chance of winning this match. I’m expecting a return or something after this match to set up Ronda’s hopefully more interesting next feud. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)

Ryan Droste: To quote one of my favorite Christmas movies, “If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.” That would be my reaction to Shotzi pulling out an upset. It ain’t gonna happen. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)

Consensus: Ronda Rousey

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor

Andrew Ravens: Balor should get the win here, but this is just for them to have a classic match while holding off the eventual multiple-person match down the road, likely on an episode of Raw. Let Balor, a heel, get the win here, but the babyfaces go over in the end. (Prediction: Finn Balor)

Robert Lentini: The Judgment Day and The OC have been battling for weeks now. AJ Styles challenged Finn Balor to this match at Survivor Series because he wants to put an end to their rivalry once and for all. I don’t think that will be the case and Finn Balor will escape with a win after outside interference from Judgment Day. (Prediction: Finn Balor)

Ryan Droste: Feels like Balor will go over here. These two have been involved in a lot of tag team matches of late, but it’s been a really long time since they’ve had a singles match together — TLC 2017. That match was outstanding and there’s no reason to believe that this one won’t be another great one. (Prediction: Finn Balor)

Consensus: Finn Balor

WWE U.S. Champion Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory

Andrew Ravens: I’m siding with Rollins here, although there’s more to this story. WWE is really building up Theory and I can see him having another run as the United States Champion, but he’s going to have to wait a while. I see WWE saving a one-on-one match between these two at either the Royal Rumble or the Elimination Chamber. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Robert Lentini: Seth Rollins has made a lot of enemies on WWE Raw lately and has made life difficult on himself if he wants to have a long reign as United States Champion. Rollins wins by pinning Theory and Lashley will have a reason to demand another match. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Ryan Droste: I just don’t see Rollins dropping the U.S. title yet. I’d go with Rollins pinning Theory here to keep Lashley strong. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Consensus: Seth Rollins

  • WWE Survivor Series WarGames Preview

Bray Wyatt News Headed into Friday’s WWE SmackDown

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Bray Wyatt’s new feud with the recently-rebranded LA Knight is set to continue tonight on SmackDown.

The primary focus of the show will be the final build to Survivor Series, including an ‘Advantage Match’ on the men’s side, and Asuka, Alexa Bliss and Mia Yim revealing the final member of their team for the women’s WarGames match. However, WWE has several other ongoing storylines that are worth tuning in for.

LA Knight

Wyatt has been trying to keep himself on an honest path since returning to the company, but he’s had a difficult time keeping his violent tendencies at bay. He slipped up by recently attacking LA Knight, and attempted to apologize for his actions last week. Knight wasn’t having it. After interrupting a Wyatt’s in-ring promo, he slapped Wyatt in the face, twice.

Later in the show, Knight was found badly beaten backstage. Maybe the attack was carried out by Waytt, maybe someone else was responsible.

Headed into tonight’s SmackDown, Fightful Select reports that plans call for Knight to sell his injuries “pretty heavily” on the show.

It would be (very) short notice to add Wyatt vs. Knight to the Survivor Series card less than 24 hours before the event. One thing we o know: this storyline still has a ways to go as we head into the final weeks of 2022.

Wyatt Masks

Finally, Fightful also notes that several Bray Wyatt masks are being brought to SmackDown.

Check back later tonight for our WWE SmackDown results and takeaways feature.

Injured NXT Superstar Not Expected Back Until Spring 2023

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Fans of Arianna Grace will have to keep on waiting for the second-generation Superstar, who isn’t expected to return until the spring of next year.

Grace, real name Bianca Carelli, signed with WWE in February 2022, and received the Grace name in April of this year.

Last month, Grace suffered an injury, which was later reported to be a torn ACL.

Recovery

Grace isn’t just a WWE Superstar, but is a second-generation Superstar, as she is the daughter of Santino Marella.

Speaking to Fightful, the ex-Intercontinental Champion said that Grace will be sidelined for the remainder of this year, and they are hopeful for a spring return.

Marella added that he is also fine with his daughter not using the Marella name, as he wants her to carve her own path in WWE, without being compared to him.

The Marella surname is actually a tribute to Gorilla Monsoon (Robert James Marella) who worked for decades in wrestling before his passing in 1999.

Santino

Santino Marella is excited for his daughter to get back in the ring, but don’t expect to see the pair in mixed-tag team action.

In the same interview, Santino said that while he remains active in the ring, his days as a wrestler are behind him as far as a career goes.

Marella is open to working as a producer or color commentator but said he wants to raise his children and is worried about the risk of injury.

Santino made his main roster debut in 2007, being pulled from the crowd as a ‘fan’ and defeating then-Intercontinental Champion Umaga, albeit thanks to Bobby Lashley.

Plans for Two Recent WWE Signees Debuting for NXT Soon

WWE SmackDown Preview (Nov. 25): WarGames is Coming

Michael Reichlin
-
0

We’re just a day away from WWE Survivor Series, but there’s still one more stop on the road to the final premium live event of 2022. WWE SmackDown takes place live from Providence, Rhode Island at the Amica Mutual Pavilion and it’s sure to be an eventful show.

There are several items advertised for SmackDown, but the most consequential match will determine which team gets the numbers advantage the men’s WarGames match. This Saturday night, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens and the Brawling Brutes go to war with The Bloodline.

Tonight on SmackDown, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre will face Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title match to determine which team will gets the first entry into WarGames, which provides a 1-man advantage for a good portion of the match.

RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will be on SmackDown, along with Asuka, Alexa Bliss and Mia Yim, to reveal the final member of their WarGames team. The SmackDown World Cup Tournament also continues with two semi-final matches.

WWE has announced the following line-up for tonight’s SmackDown:

  • Sheamus and Drew McIntyre vs. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos for the Men’s War Games numbers advantage
  • RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will announce the final member of her team for Women’s War Games
  • World Cup Semi-finals: Butch vs. Santos Escobar
  • World Cup Semi-finals: Braun Strowman vs. Ricochet
  • SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez

WWE and the arena website are also advertising the following Superstars for SmackDown: Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn, Liv Morgan, The New Day, Ricochet, Hit Row, Shinsuke Nakamura and WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.

Sami Zayn: Fan Response to the Honorary Uce has Exceeded Expectations

Thomas Lowson
-
0

Sami Zayn was confident that his work in the Bloodline would go well, but even he has been blown away by just how popular it has been.

Zayn has been aligned with the faction for months now and was crowned the Honorary Uce on SmackDown last month by Roman Reigns.

Tomorrow night, Zayn and the rest of the Bloodline will enter WarGames against the Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens.

  • 5 Funniest Moments of Sami Zayn and The Bloodline in WWE

Strange Beginnings

Prior to becoming an official member, Zayn had been trying to worm his way into the group for months.

Speaking on After the Bell, Zayn explained how at first glimpse, the idea of a Syrian-Canadian being part of the Anoa’I wrestling dynasty must seem odd.

“It’s not something you predict ahead of time. It’s not something that you want to see or would think would make sense. But in the execution [it has worked.]

“The concept is a bit strange. All the Bloodline is a family, and here’s this person who is clearly not family. The whole thing doesn’t make sense on paper. But it’s the perfect example of when things work in execution more than they do on paper.”

“All the Bloodline is a family, and here’s this person who is clearly not family.”

Sami Zayn on his role with The Bloodline.

The Execution

On paper, Sami Zayn in the Bloodline shouldn’t work, but not only has it worked, but it has become arguably the most popular act in WWE today.

Zayn admitted that the execution of the idea has proven to be the difference maker, and it’s not the first time that a strange idea has been pulled off by the right person.

“There are so many things that I think you could say the same about. The easiest one that we often fall back to, just as an example: the People’s Elbow. If you wrote down ‘Rock comes up with a new move called the People’s Elbow, where he stands over the guy and does this,’ it doesn’t read like something that’s going to become iconic.”

“It’s the execution. It’s the performer, the time, and the place, and all these variables that make it magic and make it special.”

Sami Zayn.

Speaking to BBC Radio 1 in 2020, Triple H, the first recipient of the People’s Elbow, said that The Rock invented the move as a way to make his opponents crack up and break character.

Exceeding Expectations

Sami Zayn spent years as a lovable underdog babyface, but it is perhaps his role as the heelish Honorary Uce, that has proven to be his most popular work.

When asked, Zayn said he was confident in his own abilities, but he could not predict just how ‘over’ his role in the Bloodline has been.

“I’m not entirely surprised at the success of the segments that we’ve done, but it has still exceeded my expectations.”

“I knew it would be good, but I didn’t think that fans would take to it the way they have.”

Sami Zayn.

Zayn has proven to be so popular, that fans were chanting for him in Saudi Arabia, despite Sami not attending any Saudi shows due to his Syrian heritage.

Is Sami Zayn the “Top Performer in the Entire Industry?”

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

Rumor Killer on WWE Already Planning Men’s 2023 Money in the Bank Winner

Thomas Lowson
-
0

LA Knight may be impressing fans with his actions on SmackDown, but he isn’t destined to hold the Money in the Bank briefcase just yet.

Knight was called up to the main roster in April this year, originally as Max Dupri, the heel manager of the Maximum Male Models.

Ditching the name in favor of his NXT moniker, Knight recently began a feud with Bray Wyatt.

Money in the Bank

Recently, it was rumored that Knight has been penciled in to win the Men’s 2023 Money in the Bank Ladder match, earning himself a future World Champion.

Knight is rumored to be a favorite of WWE’s Head of Creative and Talent Triple H, but this hasn’t guaranteed him the briefcase.

One source within WWE who spoke to Fightful Select said that while they like Knight, there are no plans for him to win Money in the Bank at this time.

The source added that there are no “definitive plans across the board for months down the line,” never mind picking a specific person to win the briefcase.

It was also said that Knight winning the Men’s contract next year could happen, as he is a “great performer” but nothing has been confirmed or even discussed yet.

Austin Theory

Austin Theory is the most recent holder of the Men’s Money in the Bank contract but failed in his cash-in on U.S. Champion Seth Rollins.

Speaking to Fightful, the source added that if WWE really wanted Knight to hold the briefcase, it would have been easy for Theory to lose his contract to the former Million Dollar Champion.

Since losing his match with Rollins, a much more serious Theory has attacked the U.S. Champion, and both he and Bobby Lashley will challenge for the title at WWE Survivor Series WarGames.

10 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (10/14): Bray Wyatt, Fatal 4-Way, LA Knight

Latest on WWE Possibly Scrapping Popular Stipulation Premium Live Event

Thomas Lowson
-
0

WWE’s Premium Live Event calendar is expected to undergo a major overhaul next year, as part of the promotion’s new regime.

Since Vince McMahon’s retirement, Triple H has been appointed as both head of Creative, replacing McMahon, and head of Talent Relations, replacing John Laurinaitis.

The Game’s tenure in the roles has seen multiple ex-Superstars brought back and remove rules on certain ‘banned’ terms.

Premium Live Events

Last month, it was reported that WWE’s annual Hell in a Cell event is “completely dead,” as part of Triple H’s plan to scrap stipulation events.

Instead, high-profile stipulations will be used when the storyline demands, an idea that has gone down well with fans.

There have been rumors that WWE could also scrap the annual Money in the Bank event, and would likely host the two ladder matches on each night of WrestleMania.

Fightful Select asked several members of creative and higher-ups in WWE, who said that the idea of scrapping Money in the Bank as an event hasn’t come across their desks as of yet.

The report added that the idea of ending the Premium Live Event, which has been a staple since 2010 “isn’t impossible.”

Other Shows

Even if WWE Money in the Bank is safe, many Premium Live Events may not be as lucky.

Starting in 2009, WWE introduced several stipulation-based Premium Live Events which may now face the ax.

Elimination Chamber is likely to go, as, like Hell in a Cell, it is a stipulation close to the heart of Triple H.

Not only did the Game compete in the first three Chamber matches, but he also won the second one in Summerslam 2003.

Other events that could go include WWE TLC and WWE Extreme Rules.

3 Reasons to Love WWE’s New Premium Live Events Strategy
1...537538539...3,396Page 538 of 3,396