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Saraya Announces She’s Cleared to Wrestle

Samantha Schipman
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Ever since debuting in AEW, everyone has wondered if Saraya is cleared to wrestle. She has gotten physical a few times since being in an AEW ring. It was reported that she was clear, but Saraya would not confirm it.

On last week’s Dynamite, Saraya had a sit-down interview with Renee Paquette. They were supposed to be joined by Britt Baker, but she didn’t show. When Paquette asked her for her status, Saraya answered that she was saving it for next week because “there’s one more doctor I’ve got to see.”

Saraya Has Her First Match in AEW

Saraya

During tonight’s Dynamite, Tony Schiavone led a segment with Saraya and Baker. It quickly devolved into a back and forth with plenty of WWE references.

Saraya announced that she was cleared right off the bat. She had MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans. “And unfortunately…for Britt, I’m a 100-percent cleared!”

After detailing her journey in the wrestling business, Saraya focused on how Baker was handed everything by Tony Khan. “Here’s another opportunity handed to you on a silver platter. This is going to be my comeback story and this is going to be the biggest match of your career. It’s going to be you versus me at Full Gear!”

Full Gear will be live from Neward, New Jersey on Saturday, November 19. The main show begins at 8 PM ET.

5 Wrestlers Who Benefited The Most From The Montreal Screwjob

Mike Chin
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25 years ago, The Montreal Screwjob presented one of the infamous moments in pro wrestling history. Yes, it was a pair of iconic in-ring and real-life rivals, main eventing Survivor Series–a PPV where they had significant history with one another. All the more so, it became the ultimate collision point of storyline and reality as management swerved Bret Hart on his way out the door to WCW, causing him to relinquish the WWE Championship via a phantom submission to Shawn Michaels, the one man he had refused to put over.

This moment in wrestling history has been discussed at great length over the last two and half decades and there remains a degree of debate over who was right or wrong and to what degrees or for what reasons. One point is undeniable: the Montreal Screwjob changed wrestling history. There were a handful of talents who wound up benefiting from this unlikely turn events either quite directly, or more circuitously in the long term.

The Rock

rock

When the Montreal Screwjob went down, The Rock was still finding himself. Yes, he’d made major strides with a heel turn and adopting the Rock moniker, but he was still very much a mid-card act, working his way up the ladder. Although he was on good terms with and still speaks reverentially about Bret Hart, Rock was one of the parties who enjoyed the greatest benefits coming out of The Hitman’s fall from grace and departure from WWE.

Hart leaving WWE, followed by Shawn Michaels sitting out most of the Attitude Era from in-ring performance due to back issues left a major void at the top of the card. Steve Austin was already on a course to the tip-top of the business, but Rock and Triple H alike were two clearest cut main eventers in waiting who got a big boost from these openings.

Moreover, The People’s Champion became the man to benefit most directly in storyline, as one year after the Montreal Screwjob, The Great One applied the Sharpshooter on Mick Foley for planned finish that clearly paid homage to what happened to The Hitman. Vince McMahon called for the bell from ringside, gifting Rock his first world championship as WWE refused to shy away from the biggest controversy in company history, instead embracing it for storyline purposes.

Vince McMahon

mcmahon

Vince McMahon was an on-screen character for WWE since before he even took the reins of the promotion from his father. However, there was little to no acknowledgment of McMahon’s real life power, as he was instead portrayed as more of a straight-laced broadcaster. The Montreal Screwjob changed things, as there was a very public acknowledgment of who he truly was when Bret Hart literally spat in his boss’s face.

Fast forward to Survivor Series 1998, and the Montreal Screwjob was the premise off which the Mr. McMahon character screwed Mick Foley. In a single stroke, McMahon cemented himself as a kingpin heel authority figure, embraced the heat from what he’d done to Bret Hart, and set the foundation for he, himself to become a wrestler—most often portraying a conniving heel whom fans were all too eager to watch get his comeuppance.

Hulk Hogan

hogan

Hulk Hogan may seem like an unlikely pick to have benefited from the Montreal Screwjob, given he was in WCW when it happened and wouldn’t return to the WWE fold until over four years later. However, Bret Hart first appeared for WCW shortly after WWE screwed him, and his real life circumstances wound up feeding pretty directly into WCW creative.

As a riff off what had happened at Survivor Series, Starrcade 1997 saw Hogan and company screw Sting out of the WCW Championship. The execution was horribly convoluted and messy, but the net result was that, rather than Hogan dropping the title cleanly to Sting, a Screwjob premise, and Hart demanding the match restart created mass confusion and kept Hogan in the world title picture for months to come.

From there, while booking a babyface Hart vs. a heel Sting may have felt like one of the most natural first time dream matches WCW could’ve booked, they never really got around to it in more than a cursory way. So, Hogan remaining world champion and the top star of WCW after Hart had signed in many ways only enhanced his standing in the business.

Mick Foley

foley

Mick Foley famously took a very strong, principled stand coming out of the Montreal Screwjob, condemning the way WWE had treated Bret Hart and almost walking out of the company before he got talked down. Foley’s ethics, which he laid out clearly in his first book, came across very positively to fans in shoring up his spot as a beloved and well-respected star of his era.

Meanwhile, Foley also enjoyed similar benefits to The Rock, in taking part in the Montreal-inspired storyline at Survivor Series 1998, and enjoying an ascent to the main event picture himself that it’s harder to imagine him getting had Hart or Shawn Michaels still been active on the roster.

Moreover, Vince McMahon was notoriously a bit arbitrary and eccentric about what behaviors would earn his respect. While neither McMahon, nor Foley has spoken directly to this point, it stands to reason that The Hardcore Legend’s willingness to take a stand coming out of Montreal may have also contributed to winning over the boss, and helping convince him Foley should eventually be a world champion.

Shawn Michaels

hbk

Perhaps the most obvious beneficiary of the Montreal Screwjob was Shawn Michaels himself. In many ways, he had already won his real life rivalry with Bret Hart after Vince McMahon reneged on The Hitman’s contract and all but ushered him out the door to WCW. There had to have been a bit of extra pleasure, though—petty as it may have been—in winning the last match the two iconic rivals would ever have, and in Canada no less.

HBK would only remain active with WWE for a few more months after hurting his back at the Royal Rumble PPV, and soldiering through just long enough after that to put over Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14. Nonetheless, wrapping the first act of his career as world champion after beating Hart set up Michaels to return as a top guy, too, when his body and personal issues allowed for a comeback in 2002. That follow up run would end up adding a great deal to his legacy, shoring up his spot as one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time.

In the end, the Montreal Screwjob is generally looked at as a dark moment in WWE history. With their backs against the wall, WWE made regrettable choices around one of their top stars and their top title, dishonoring the business and fracturing a relationship with Bret Hart for a decade to follow. Nonetheless, there were a number of acts in wrestling who benefited from how things went down in the long term, regardless of whether they ever intended to.

WWE’s 24/7 Championship Has Been Officially Retired

Samantha Schipman
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One burning question since RAW went off air has been answered: WWE’s 24/7 Championship has been officially retired.

After making quick work of Dana Brooke in the ring, Nikki Cross became the 24/7 Champion. In a move that hurt the former champion more than anything that just happened, Cross pulled a Madusa and threw the 24/7 Championship into the trash can. There was immediate speculation that the title was no more.

On Wednesday, WWE confirmed the news by updating the WWE Championships section of their website. Underneath the 24/7 Championship, it has the dates 2019-2022.

The Legacy of the 24/7 Championship

R Truth as the WWE 24/7 Champion
R Truth as the WWE 24/7 Champion

The 24/7 Championship was initially viewed as a negative by fans. Eventually R-Truth would change that perception. He made it fun while people chased him all over to try to win the title. Some Superstars would win it, only to immediately lose it to him. He held the title a total of fifty four times. Overall, Truth held the title for an astounding 425 combined days.

A number of non-wrestlers were 24/7 champions including Bad Bunny (who took it with him to Saturday Night Live), Rob Gronkowski, Doug Flutie, Enes Kanter, Kyle Busch, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton.

No Way Jose claims that he came up with the idea of the championship. “I might have the year wrong, but in December of 2018, I wrote to my writer, and I, word for word said, ‘What if we do a 24/7 Championship?’ I’ll pull it up right now. What if we do a 24/7 title that gives everybody something to do.”

R.I.P. 24/7 Championship. You had a good run while it lasted.

Chris Jericho Wants to Make a Painmaker Movie

Michael Reichlin
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Chris Jericho wants to bring his Painmaker character to the big screen. Jericho believes his serial killer-inspired alter ego can hugely successful outside of pro wrestling.

AEW’s Inaugural World Champion recently appeared on Howie Mandel Does Stuff. During a discussion about super heroes, Jericho said The Painmaker has a comic book in the works and has a rich backstory that could put it on the level of super heroes like Batman, Superman and Spider-Man.

“The idea is to make it into a movie at some point. That’s my overall goal. We’re just writing and illustrating the graphic novel now.”

– Chris Jericho

The Painmaker Lore

“So the idea is The Painmaker is an intergalactic former serial killer. He’s changed his life, and he’s not a serial killer anymore, but now he travels the galaxy hunting down other serial killers in different galaxies, different planets.”

Jericho further explained what makes the character tick, and likened it to the character Dexter Morgan from the Showtime series Dexter. He’s already brainstorming ideas for a big love interest storyline.

“What if The Painmaker falls in love and can’t help himself, and he has to kill the one he loves?!” Jericho questioned. “Who knows? The possibilities are endless.”

The Painmaker first appeared in New Japan Pro Wrestling during Jericho’s feud with The Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada. He’s since appeared in AEW on several occasions.

The Painmaker

H/T Transcription: Wrestling Inc

Why AJ Styles Once Told Kevin Nash to ‘Go F*** Himself’

Robert Lentini
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AJ Styles is currently involved in a bitter rivalry with the Judgment Day. Finn Balor spent a few weeks trying to recruit Styles to Judgment Day but the Phenomenal One declinded.

The Judgment Day then attacked Styles and it led to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson returning to the company to reform The OC. The group didn’t have an answer for Rhea Ripley and Judgment Day defeated The OC at Crown Jewel in a 6-man tag.

Seth Rollins issued an Open Challenge this past Monday on RAW and Finn Balor was about to accept it. The OC interrupted and Mia Yim made her return to the company. Mia attacked Rhea outside the ring and aligned with The OC in their battle against Judgment Day.

Mia Yim Returns to WWE on Raw

Kevin Nash on AJ Styles Telling Him to F*** Off

WWE legend Kevin Nash spoke about the Phenomenal One on a recent edition of the Kliq This podcast. The Hall of Famer revealed the advice he gave AJ ahead of his WrestleMania 32 match against Chris Jericho in 2016.

“I remember AJ’s first WrestleMania. He was just like ‘F*** man, I just want to get through this,’ because they ran him ragged. I said no, I said that’s what they do, they rob you of these moments. I said cherish this because one day you’re going to be my age knowing that you’re never going to get out there again, and you’ll wish to God that you savored this moment that you have right now.”

AJ Styles responded by telling Nash to f*** off.

He said ‘Well go f*** yourself.’ I said okay, I was just trying to help.

H/T: Ewrestlingnews

Ivelisse Lashes Out at AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa

Robert Lentini
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AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa has been off of television since the Dynamite before AEW All Out on September 4th. The disastrous media scrum that followed took all the attention away from the current odd situation regarding the champion of the women’s division.

Thunder Rosa announced that she was stepping away with injury before the PPV. Toni Storm won the AEW Interim Women’s Championship at All Out and has since taken a couple of shots at Thunder Rosa. Britt Baker has as well and the AEW Women’s Champion recently responded on Busted Open Radio. She claimed that she will be back in January and that Toni should go talk to the booker if she has an issue.

Thunder Rosa Responds to Toni Storm’s Comments About The AEW Women’s Championship

Ivelisse Lashes Out at Thunder Rosa

Ivelesse battled Thunder Rosa at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville on a September 2020 edition of Dynamite. The NWA Women’s Championship was on the line during the match. It was a debacle with real punches being thrown and professional wrestlers no-selling each other. Ivelisse took to Twitter to remind the fans of when the current AEW Women’s Champion threw a shoot punch at her during Dynamite.

“Never forget the moment this b decided to be a coward piece of sh and shoot punch me when she was supposed to block my shot + something else, and also the balls to pull my hair this way. She lucky I’m a pro and didn’t proceed to break her jaw.”

Former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker also recently took a shot at Thunder Rosa during the SwerveCity podcast with Swerve Strickland. You can check that out in the link below.

Britt Baker Comments on Thunder Rosa’s Hiatus from AEW: “I Was at Work Every Week”

WWE Expected to Bring Back King of the Ring as Premium Live Event

Andrew Ravens
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It’s looking more likely that WWE is bringing back the King of the Ring tournament as a standalone event.

Dave Meltzer originally reported last week that “there is talk of bringing back the King of the Ring tournament with a show that would be both King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring.”

What was unclear about this report is how WWE would do the tournament. Originally, the tournament was held on a single night, while in later years, WWE spread out the opening round matches on television and saved the semi-finals and finals for the night of the event. 

King of the Ring is Back

On Wednesday, WrestleVotes reported that there is a good chance the event is coming back and it will use the original format. 

“There’s a very good chance that King of the Ring is back, and likely back in the format that had happened in the late 80s. The idea is that every single match will happen that night. In the 90s, a lot of the matches happened on Superstars and Raw, with the semi finals and finals on pay-per-view. If it’s going to come back on pay-per-view, which I would say is probably going to happen, you’re going to have a full-on one-night tournament.”

With WWE using the original format, it’s unclear how WWE would also do a Queen of the Ring tournament in a single night as there would be a lot of matches that would have to take place. 

WWE recently filed a trademark application on the term Queen of the Ring, which you can read more about below.

‘Queen of the Ring’ Trademark Hints at Upcoming WWE Tournament

AEW Dynamite Results, Takeaways (11/9/22): Road to Full Gear, Danielson vs. Guevara, Saraya

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite airs live tonight on TBS from the Agganis Arena in Boston. In addition to the takeaways below, AEW ran another video package for Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks and seemingly hinted that they will back at AEW Full Gear.

  • AEW Full Gear 2022 Preview
  • 5 Best Moments of CM Punk’s AEW Career

AEW Dynamite Results (11/9/22)

  • FTR & The Acclaimed def. Gunn Club & Swerve in Our Glory
  • Ethan Page def. Eddie Kingston in the first round of the World Title Eliminator tournament
  • Jay Lethal def. Trent Beretta
  • Jamie Hayter def. Sky Blue
  • Bryan Danielson def. Sammy Guevara in a 2 out of 3 Falls match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

FTR & The Acclaimed Picked Up A Win

AEW Tag Team Champions FTR and AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed teamed up to battle the Gunn Club and Swerve in Our Glory tonight on Dynamite. Billy Gunn rushed down to the ring with his hands taped and tackled Swerve Strickland.

Billy got in some strikes before he was brought backstage. Max Caster hit Swerve with a Back Body Drop and the babyfaces unloaded punches in all four corners of the ring as the crowd chanted along. The Acclaimed knocked KeithLee out of the ring and scissored as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Anthony Bowens beat Strickland down and unloaded some strikes. Gunn Club broke it up and hit FTR’s finisher (Big Rig) on Bowens but FTR broke it up. The two teams brawled in the ring.

Strickand took everyone out with a Corkscrew Splash outside the ring. Dax tripped up Keith Lee and Superplexed Austin Gunn onto everyone below.Back in the ring, FTR hit the Big Rig on Colten as Max Caster delivered the Mic Drop on Austin Gunn for the pinfall victory.

MJF Warned Jon Moxley

MJF joined the Pardon My Take podcast on Barstool Sports and a segment from the podcast aired on Dynamite. Maxwell said this will be one of the most important matches of all-time. He listed off several generational talents and stated that all he has to do is have a long title reign to join them.

Maxwell said he respects that Jon Moxley because he was not born to be a champion, he wasn’t born with an athletic bone in his body. MJF complimented Moxley for putting in the work to become the best wrestler on the planet. MJF said he’s the guy who can do movies, TV shows, commercials, and talk shows, and wave the flag of AEW and professional wrestling.

Friedman said he is sick of waiting his turn and brought up Cody’s neck tattoo taking away the spotlight. Max claimed that Chris Jericho stole the spotlight from him for a full calendar year and that his big return was overshadowed by a press conference. Friedman closed the promo by saying “come Full Gear, the devil gets his due.”

Ethan Page Advanced in the World Title Eliminator Tournament

Ethan Page squared off against Eddie Kingston in the first round of the World Title Eliminator tournament. Stokely Hathaway and Ortiz were ringside for the match and Ethan dominated the match early as Dynamite went to a break.

Kingston battled back and hit a DDT for a near fall when Dynamite returned. Eddie connected with an Exploder Suplex and applied a submission hold. Page tapped out but Stokely distracted the referee.

Page capitalized with a boot to the side of the head and crawled to the corner. Page got Kingston up and hit the Ego’s Edge off the top rope for the pinfall victory. Ethan Page has advanced in the World Title Eliminator Tournament.

Samoa Joe Attacked Wardlow

Wardlow defended the TNT Championship against Ari Daivari tonight on Dynamite. He absolutely dominated and hit the Powerbomb Symphony for the pinfall victory. After the match, Wardlow grabbed the microphone and called out Powerhouse Hobbs.

Wardlow said the TNT Championship will always be his and vowed to take every title in the company. ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe looked at his title and then attacked Wardlow from behind. The camera shot was very obvious that this was going to happen, but AEW still somehow managed to cut away right when Joe attacked him.

Saraya will Battle Britt Baker at AEW Full Gear

Saraya announced that she is 100% cleared to wrestle and the crowd erupted. Baker said she built AEW from the ground up that “superstars” like Saraya wanted to move into. Britt stated that she is proud of that but that pride turns into resentment when Saraya claims it is “her house”.

Britt claimed that Saraya is obsessed with her because she is everything she wished she could be. The DMD added that Saraya left her house and walked into AEW, and they don’t take walk-ins so make an appointment.

Saraya shouted that Britt doesn’t even know what it takes a star, let alone a superstar. She added that Baker has only been in front of the camera for three years while she has done it for 17. Saraya challenged Britt Baker to a match at AEW Full Gear on November 19th. Baker went for an attack but Saraya was ready for it Saraya hit the Rampaige (or whatever the move will be called now in AEW).

Jay Lethal Picked Up A Win

Trent battled Jay Lethal tonight on Dynamite. Lethal targeted Trent’s knee early and knocked him out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Beretta battled back with a running kick and set up for Strong Zero. Satnam Singh and Danhausen battled on the ring apron. Danhausen punched Sonjay in the groin but Singh knocked him down. Jay hit the Lethal Injection on Trent for the pinfall victory.

Jeff Jarrett joined the group on the entrance ramp and grabbed a microphone. Jarrett hyped Jay Lethal for having wins over Sting and becoming a grand slam in ROH. Jeff added that Sonjay has an IQ of 180. Jeff demanded that the camera man do a slow pan on Satnam Singh and took a shot at Braun Strowman by saying Singh is a real monster, not only that wears red skinny jeans. A member of AEW production tried to count Jeff down and he threatened to hit him with his guitar to end the segment.

Jon Moxley Sent a Message to MJF

AEW World Champion Jon Moxley came to the ring with William Regal tonight for a promo. Moxley noted Regal that beat the hell out of him early in his career and drove him to work harder. Jon added that he got his revenge on Regal when they met again.

Moxley brought up his opponent at AEW Full Gear, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Jon noted that he wrestled MJF a couple of years ago and beat the hell out of him to let him know where he stood in the pecking order.

Jon wondered what is going to be different this time and claimed that he is having an identity crisis at the moment. Moxley joked that MJF wore clothes his mom bought for him at JC Penny and talks the talk.

He noted how MJF calls himself a pillar, yet doesn’t know what it is like to have any weight on his back. Jon stated that MJF is not the devil at all. Moxley added that he wants MJF to lead the company one day. He claimed that everything that MJF has done up to this point has been easy and he’s in for a fight at Full Gear.

Jamie Hayter def. Skye Blue

Jamie Hayter battled Skye Blue tonight on AEW Dynamite. Blue put up a fight for a couple of minutes but Jamie picked up the win a Ripcord Lariat. Jamie will battle Toni Storm for the AEW Interim Women’s Championship at Full Gear on November 19th.

Bryan Danielson def. Sammy Guevara in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match

Bryan Danielson faced Sammy Guevara in a 2 out of 3 Falls match in the main event of this week’s Dynamite. Chris Jericho will defend the ROH Championship against Danielson, Guevara, and Claudio Castagnoli in a 4-Way match at Full Gear.

Tay Melo kept getting involved early and Sammy capitalized on the distraction. The referee warned Tay and Sammy started arguing with him. Guevara bashed Danielson with a microphone a few times and the first fall ended in a DQ. Sammy kept hitting Danielson with a microphone and posed in the ring as Dynamite went a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Guevara hit the GTH for a pinfall. Danielson tried to battle back and went for a Flying Headbutt but Geuvara dodged it. Sammy applied a Crossface in the middle of the ring. Danielson escaped and AEW went to the final commercial break of the show with the falls tied at 1-1.

Back from the break, Tay Melo was kicked out of the ringside area as Danielson was busted open. Sammy and Bryan traded punches in the corner. Danielson hit a Suplex and tied Sammy up in the Tree of Woe. Danielson unloaded a bunch of Yes Kicks as the crowd chanted along. Danielson hit a Dropkick and perched Guevara up on the top rope.

Sammy hit a Shooting Star Press onto Danielson outside the ring and rolled him back inside. Guevara went for a springboard Cutter but Danielson countered into the LeBell Lock. Sammy was able to reach the ropes and the match continued. Sammy applied the Walls of Jericho on Bryan in the middle of the ring but Danielson got to the ropes to break it up.

Danielson turned Guevara inside out with a Running Knee but didn’t go for the cover. Guevara hit an awesome springboard DDT and went for a Senton but Bryan got his knees up. Danielson unloaded a bunch of elbow strikes before applying the LeBell Lock once again. Guevara tried to get to the bottom rope but Bryan locked the hold in deeper. Sammy eventually gave up and Danielson won the great main event.

Legend Pitched for Big E to Win WWE Title at WrestleMania 35

Andrew Ravens
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Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Title from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 was a big deal as it wasn’t originally planned, but once Kingston got over as a late replacement in the Elimination Chamber match where he came up short in dethroning Bryan, there was a Kofi Mania movement among the fans. 

Kingston lost the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in a match that lasted about 10 seconds on the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX on October 4, 2019. 

On the latest episode of his Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Road Dogg noted that Big E is doing well while recovering from a broken neck. He also revealed that while he was the lead writer of WWE SmackDown, he pitched Big E to win the WWE Title instead of Kingston. 

Road Dogg’s Pitch

“When I wrote Smackdown, I wanted him to be the champion,” he said. “I wanted him to be the champion of Smackdown. I actually pitched, and I’ve said this before, I actually pitched Big E Mania, and Kofi got the nod because of his time and service for lack of a better word or phrase.”

“Kofi had been there, and look, it worked, maybe better than it would have with Big E. Only time will tell if and when he comes back and they put the title on him because he can cut great promos. He’s a great guy. He’s always in great spirits. Just an honor to be able to call him my friend.”

The New Day will challenge The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown. 

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H/T: WrestlingNewsCo

Chris Jericho Comments on AEW All Out Brawl Between The Elite and CM Punk

Andrew Ravens
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Chris Jericho has emerged as a locker room leader in AEW alongside Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley following All Out, where there was an altercation between CM Punk, Ace Steel, Matt & Nick Jackson, and Kenny Omega

Everyone involved was suspended while Steel was fired. CM Punk and AEW are reportedly in talks about the promotion buying out his contract. 

While appearing on Howie Mandel Does Stuff, the AEW altercation was indirectly referenced. 

Jericho on the Situation 

Chris Jericho

“There was a locker room fight that happened a couple months ago between a couple of guys. When these things happen, you have to deal with them. Sometimes, the way to deal with it is guys just have to not be there anymore.”

As previously reported, Jericho approached Punk the night of All Out after the fight and was unhappy about it. He reportedly told Punk that he was a “cancer to the locker room and a detriment to the company.”

The discussion about the incident in this interview began with Jericho being asked about locker room altercations in general and how things are dealt with.

“It happens, sure it does. If you’re cast in a movie and you hate your co-star, either you make it work, do your job, put on a great performance and never talk to each other again or you leave the project. It’s that simple. If there are people you have a problem with, which I’ve had over the years, not a lot but this guy can rub me the wrong way, ‘he’s a fucking asshole,’ whatever, you still have to put on a good show. Sometimes you have fight in the locker room and that sort of thing. It’s a big team. Sometimes guys get into fights, sometimes guys just have the wrong attitude for how to make the team work. That’s how you have to look at it. Sometimes, guys just have to leave.”

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

The Elite Rumored for Big Match at AEW Full Gear 2022

Andrew Ravens
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The Elite (The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) have yet to make their return to AEW television, although they have been backstage at recent Dynamite events. 

The top tag team has been away from AEW since the All Out brawl with CM Punk and Ace Steel. At All Out, they won the AEW Trios Championships, but they were stripped of the titles because of their suspension. 

However, there have been indications that The Elite is on their way back to television as there have been vignettes promoting the “deletion” of the Bucks and Omega in addition to The Young Bucks and Omega being added back to television commercials for Dynamite and Rampage.

The Match

Collage Maker 05 Sep 2022 06.15 PM

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that other stuff teased for Full Gear “is Penta & Pac & Rey Fenix vs. Kenny Omega & Young Bucks for the trios titles (I’ve heard this is probable but not 100 percent).”

A Trios Title match has yet to be confirmed for the event, nor who the champions will defend against, but with the Full Gear pay-per-view event taking place next Saturday (November 19th), the match will be announced soon.

Jon Moxley defending the World Title against MJF will serve as the main event. 

Drew McIntyre Teasing ‘Big Things’ With Bollywood Star Varun Dhawan And More

Anutosh Bajpai
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Drew McIntyre is currently in India working on an undisclosed project for Sony Sports Network and he is teasing collaborations with top Bollywood stars such as Varun Dhawan and John Abraham.

The former WWE champion has been on a tour of the country after the Crown Jewel PPV. He defeated Karrion Kross in a brutal match while battling health issues during the PLE from Saudi Arabia.

McIntyre has been engaging with local fans throughout the trip. On the very first day he tweeted about Surya Kumar Yadav, who has been the explosive face of India’s campaign in the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup.

Drew McIntyre In India

Drew McIntyre and Varun Dhawan

WWE or Sony have not revealed the true purpose behind Drew McIntyre’s India visit. The Scottish Warrior, however, has been teasing collaborations with some top names from Bollywood.

The WWE star recently posted a photo with action hero John Abraham. He teased the Indian fans with an upcoming surprise, claiming that there are some ‘big things coming.’

Drew then shared another picture with one of the rising faces of Bollywood in India in Varun Dhawan. McIntyre touted Dhawan as a big fan of the business and interestingly mentioned the possibility of a future WWE event in India:

Varun Dhawan Loves WWE

Varun Dhawan has been pretty open about his love for pro wrestling and he had several interactions with none other than The Rock himself.

Their most famous interaction came back in 2016 when Dhawan mimicked The Great One during an appearance on Comedy Nights With Kapil.

The People’s champion had actually responded to this impression and praised the Bollywood star for it. The two fitness freaks also recently exchanged tweets over the release of Black Adam.

WWE has collaborated with many international stars from different streams who share a passion for the business in the past. People such as Bad Bunny and Logan Paul are some of the most recent additions to this list.

If their next target is to increase exposure in India then Varun Dhawan is the perfect name to bring on board and maybe even get involved in some future storylines.

Pat McAfee & Wife Expecting Their First Child Together

Michael Reichlin
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WWE broadcaster Pat McAfee is gearing up to become a father next year.

McAfee is currently on hiatus from WWE while he focuses on his role with ESPN College GameDay. He also hosts the wildly popular Pat McAfee Show.

On Wednesday, McAfee’s wife Samantha announced they are expecting their first child together in May 2023. The couple has been public about their parenthood journey, which has not been easy. They’ve endured two miscarriages and began IVF treatments back in July.

Samantha knows how difficult the journey can be, but hopes that sharing their story will bring hope to other couples who have traveled the same road.

“For those of you who haven’t followed along with our parenthood journey, we have lost two pregnancies, I almost lost my life both times with internal bleeding, resulting in losing both of my Fallopian tubes which has caused us to not be able to conceive naturally,” she wrote. She went on to expand on this big announcement.

In July, we started our IVF journey. It’s hard to put into words what all comes with IVF. It is physically demanding and emotionally challenging for the both of us. Pumping my body with so many hormones, the anxiety, the hope, truly being a human science project. Also despite my many tattoos, I absolutely hate needles so getting shots everyday (sometimes 3 in one day) was not easy on me or for Patrick to have to cause pain to me. I would like to believe IVF has made our relationship stronger.

Dear women and couples trying and battling, I hope this isn’t a trigger but rather serves as hope. Hope that you too can over come the battle of infertility. You will be parents! And remember that after a storm, a rainbow can occur.”

Pat and Samantha McAfee were married in August 2020. Samantha is the founder and president of Fur The Brand, a non-profit that provides support and financial assistance to families whose pet faces a cancer diagnosis requiring veterinary care in which they are unable to afford.

John Cena Used to Get “Violently Ill” While on Tour with WWE

Michael Reichlin
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It’s not easy being a WWE Superstar and constantly being on the road. Countless performers have spoken about the difficulty of living out of a suitcase and the never-ending slew of airports, rental cars and hotels. Aside from the grueling schedule, talent also has to make time for exercise and eating healthy.

John Cena was the consummate professional during his time as an active member of the WWE roster. When you consider Cena’s charitable work with organizations like Make-a-Wish, it’s even more impressive that he was on top of the industry for as long as he was.

Cena carried WWE on his back throughout the TV-PG era, but even he faced challenges keeping up with the lifestyle.

Former WWE Superstar René Duprée worked alongside Cena in for several years in the mid-2000’s. According to Duprée, Cena regularly battled food poisoning and got “violently ill” at times.

Travel Woes

John Cena Renee Dupree

Duprée discussed Cena’s situation on the latest episode of his Cafe de Rene podcast.

“A guy that got food poisoning a lot was John Cena. The fact that he always ate so clean that anytime he’d have like some sort of undercooked meat or some type of weird spice, he would get like violently ill.”

– Renee Dupree on John Cena

Cena’s WWE career has been winding down in recent years. He’s been more focused on Hollywood than pro wrestling as of late, but he hasn’t wrestled his last match. He’s spoken about wanting to wrestle again and might be back on WWE television in early 2023…

Ric Flair Not Convinced The Rock Will Return for WrestleMania

Michael Reichlin
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We are currently on the road to WWE Survivor Series, which takes place in less than 3 weeks on Saturday, November 26, 2022. Attention will then turn to January’s Royal Rumble event, but planning is already well-underway for WrestleMania 39.

Looking back over a year ago, there’s been speculation that the main event of next year’s WrestleMania will be Roman Reigns vs. The Rock. Each man has spoken publicly about this hypothetical match-up, as has WWE’s Chief Content Officer and Head of Creative, Triple H.

Related: The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania would do blockbuster business for WWE, but there is a big complication that could prevent it from happening. The Rock is the biggest star in the Hollywood. He’s also a successful entrepreneur, with multiple ongoing ventures including Project Rock Apparel, Teremana Tequila and the XFL, just to name a few.

The match could happen, but the odds are probably less than 50/50 at this point. Rock’s schedule is the biggest issue, but WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair thinks there’s another factor that could hold things up.

Flair Comments on Rock vs. Reigns at WrestleMania

On the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast, Flair says there are major creative considerations to take into account. If The Rock does return for a retirement against Reigns, it makes sense that the part-time special attraction would ‘do business’ one last time.

Flair says that it would not make sense for The Rock to win the championship from Reigns, because he’ll never be a full-time wrestler again. He’s also not so sure The Rock wants to come back only to lose.

“I don’t think it’s a given that the Rock is going to do it. As much as he might respect Roman, I’m sure they do, all those guys. It’s a brotherhood like no other. I don’t think The Rock would come back and do a favor. Why would he? Tomorrow morning, what, he goes back to his acting career with a loss? I don’t think so. I don’t see that happening.”

– Ric Flair

The Other Option

There are ways around this predicament, including Reigns dropping the title before WrestleMania. If The Rock does not return next year, Flair likes the idea of Cody Rhodes facing Reigns at the biggest show of a the year, a match that many fans see as the most likely alternative to Rock vs. Reigns.

“I’ve said before, if The Rock happens, that’s great. If it doesn’t, I would like it to be Cody Rhodes… I thought those matches that Cody had with Seth Rollins were off the hook. Seth really did a good job getting him over.”

Rhodes has been sidelined since suffering a pectoral tear earlier this year. His most recent match took place at Hell in a Cell on June 5th. Since then, he’s undergone surgery to repair the injury. Earlier this month, Rhodes said his physical therapy is “fn’ awful. He’s a tough guy, but admits he regularly screams and even sheds a tear during the sessions.

WWE Star Denies he’s Behind Mysterious Scrypts Vignette Teasers in NXT

Andrew Ravens
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Over the last few weeks, WWE has been airing mysterious vignettes to tease the arrival of a new NXT star. The company recently filed a trademark for the term Scrypts. 

On Tuesday’s episode of NXT, Scrypts sent their last message, warning that they will have an imminent start on NXT television. The vignette had an altered voice left another voice message inside the halls of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, after leaving voicemails. This mysterious person called themselves “Scrypts,” and said they were coming to watch NXT fall. 

The Message

“My name is written on the walls, my voice sounds through the halls, and soon I’ll be in NXT to watch the whole thing fall. Pain is truly among thee. Imagine what will happen, has happened because it was always meant to be. Sincerely, Scrypts.”

This person is not WWE SmackDown AJ “Top Dolla” Francis, or so he claims as he took to Twitter to deny he is the person behind the voice following the vignette that aired on Tuesday night. 

This mysterious character comes after the success of “The White Rabbit Project” that WWE did ahead of the return of Bray Wyatt at Extreme Rules. It’s been reported that WWE will do more of these mysterious videos as they’re popular with fans. 

Logan Paul Already Back Training As He Eyes WWE Return

Michael Reichlin
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Logan Paul is wasting no time getting back to training after suffering serious injuries during his match against Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel.

Paul came up short against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but impressed everybody with his athleticism and charisma. He’s already being compared to Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey, two people who stunned fans with their ability to pick up the sport of pro wrestling so quickly. Not to take anything away from the 27-year-old, but it certainly helps when you’re training with all-time greats like Shawn Michaels.

Logan Paul Injury Update

The Maverick revealed on social media that he tore his meniscus, MCL & potentially ACL halfway through the match with Reigns. He’ll be out of the ring for some time while he recovers, but Paul is already back in the gym rehabbing.

He’s expected to miss 6-8 months of action, which means he most likely won’t be able to compete at WrestleMania 39 in April. This is a big setback for WWE, because there’s been talk of the Paul brothers, Logan and Jake, teaming up together at a future event.

Injuries are a part of wrestling, but Paul is showing guts and determination once again. He’s already eyeing a return to WWE and is wasting no time getting started on the road to recovery.

On Tuesday, Paul posted a video on Instagram of himself at the Sports Rehab LA facility in Encino, California. He included a caption on the video that reads, “I’ll be back in no time.”

5 Things WWE Should Do With WarGames At Survivor Series

Mike Chin
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Triple H made major waves in September when he dropped the insight in an interview that WarGames would make its debut on the WWE main roster at Survivor Series this year with not just one, but two matches under that gimmick. It’s a controversial move, given the match type may be unfamiliar to WWE-only fans who didn’t keep an eye on NXT. By all indications, Vince McMahon, who has owned the WCW intellectual property since 2001, didn’t see value in promoting such a match himself.

Nonetheless, given the rumors Triple H always wanted to work a WarGames match in his heyday, and the way he promoted it when he was in charge of NXT, it only makes sense that he’d make it a reality for the main roster this November. But what do fans want to see out of WarGames?

WWE Should Stick To Conventional WarGames Rules

Undisputed Era WarGames

One of the tricky things about booking WarGames is that fans can be uncertain what to expect. WCW and its predecessors booked it in relatively straightforward fashion with four or five-person teams going against each other, alternating which team got to add new combatants at timed intervals before the match could only via submission or surrender.

WCW contorted these rules almost beyond recognition in its final years to the point the matches were only WarGames in name. From there, NXT itself started running WarGames matches with a three teams of three format. While the resulting match was well-received, it was nonetheless refreshing when the matches to follow were composed of two teams of four.

Keeping the rules simple and traditional to deliver on what old school fans expect is key to the success of the gimmick as WWE both serves nostalgia and rolls WarGames out to a segment audience members who may not have seen it before.

WWE Should Tell Very Different Stories Between The Men’s And Women’s WarGames Matches

Rhea Ripley Candice LeRae WarGames

There’s always a danger when WWE books two iterations of a major gimmick match in the same night, as they’ve come to do regularly for the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, Hell in a Cell, and others. Will fans still be excited for the second go-round? How can WWE avoid fans feeling like they’re seeing the same story play out twice?

NXT was mostly successful at differentiating WarGames matches on the occasions when they booked two in the same night, so there is hope. There’s room for variation between which performers are booked into the match and what their storylines are, in addition to matters such as which team wins, what the key spots are, or if anyone turns on their team. Having one of the matches dedicated to male talent and the other to female talent will offer one step in that differentiation.

WWE Should Have The Bloodline Go To War

WWE Bloodline

When WWE downgraded its Money in the Bank PPV from Allegiant Stadium to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, major names like Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar quickly disappeared from the marketing. Nothing suggests a “throwaway” PPV more than failing to feature the biggest stars.

While Money in the Bank generally had a good reception from fans, it also felt a bit underwhelming when it came to star power—reliant on the eponymous gimmick more so than the talents in the ring to sell the show.

One way to ensure WarGames does not feel like a crutch, but rather a vehicle for meaningful storytelling is to ensure big names and angles are in the mix. The Bloodline is the most obvious choice. Maybe it’s all five wrestlers, Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, The Usos, and Sami Zayn involved as the top pushed group in the company. Otherwise, it could be interesting if they promoted a four-man team with Reigns leading them to victory, or else sitting it out and setting up Zayn to cost them the match and jeopardize his tenuous standing in the faction.

WWE Should Not Feature WarGames At The Expense Of Traditional Elimination Tag Team Action

Ric Flair 1991 Survivor Series Team

Survivor Series dates back to 1987, making it second only to WrestleMania as the longest running annual  PPV WWE has, and the original gimmick-match-based PPV. From the beginning and with very few exceptions, the show has featured elimination tag team matches, traditionally among four or five-person teams.

Having two WarGames matches both consumes a large portion of the roster and already sets up two team-based feuds going into the PPV. These dynamics may make booking big elimination tag team matches less practical, but it’s nonetheless a good idea for WWE to maintain some of its roots in this scenario with at least one traditionally formatted bout.

Feature A Surprise Team Member

Bray Wyatt WWE

Triple H has proven himself a master of booking surprise returns and debuts since taking control of WWE creative and talent relations. That includes Braun Strowman, Johnny Gargano, Damage Control, and the pair of Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bourdeaux among the most dramatic examples to date.

Having two matches likely to feature at least sixteen wrestlers invites at least one mystery team member or last-minute replacement to be in the mix. With no shortage of allusions to Bray Wyatt potentially returning soon and other part time talents and free agents conceivably in the mix, it both feels as though WarGames would be a great platform for a major surprise and such a surprise could be a good way of establishing WarGames on the WWE main roster landscape.

In the end, Triple H’s respect for the tradition of WarGames and drive to introduce it first to NXT and now to the main roster bode well for how the concept will be handled at Survivor Series. Time will tell how it all plays out, but it should, at least, offer a unique spectacle for the fans.

Natalya Believes WWE Will Hold Another Evolution PPV

Tyriece Simon
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WWE superstar Natalya thinks we will see the all-women’s Pay-Per-View Evolution again under the leadership of Stephanie McMahon.

Wrestling fans have wanted to see WWE hold another Evolution event since its inaugural PPV in 2018. Although fans have shown interest in another all-women’s PPV, WWE hasn’t shown any signs of doing it again. However, Natalya is optimistic fans may see it return now that McMahon has taken over the company after her father retired.

In an interview with Faction 919’s Darren Stone, Natalya shared she does think Evolution PPV will return and her reason why.

“I definitely see Stephanie wanting to do more with women’s wrestling,” said Natalya. “Stephanie always wanted women to have more representation. She doesn’t want a show where it’s like, okay, we have 75 percent male matches, and we’ve got 25 percent women’s matches. She wants a show where it’s half men and half women. She wants equality for the women in WWE.”

Triple H & Stephanie McMahon’s Leadership

Natalya believes that WWE’s future is bright under the leadership of McMahon and Triple H. She shared that both McMahon and Triple H’s thoughts on women wrestling could bring more opportunities for more female wrestlers in the company.

“One of the first things I thought about all these new changes, especially with Stephanie, is that Stephanie and Triple H, they really care about women’s wrestling, and you know the thing is that when you’re in that position of authority, you’re never going to please everyone,” said Natalya.

Triple H Stephanie McMahon
(WWE)

She continued, “…I know how hard that was for Vince McMahon because we wouldn’t have had any of this without Vince and so I always expressed so much gratitude to Vince because we wouldn’t have this company with to do our work and I wouldn’t have the dreams that I have without Vince McMahon having allowed those dreams come true because he built all this.”

Although Natalya expressed gratitude to the former chairman, she is looking forward to the new changes. She also shared in the interview that she hopes to have an opportunity to win the Raw Women’s Championship and become a Grand Slam Champion.

The future of WWE does look promising, but it’s unclear if that means we will see an all-women’s PPV again. Although, WWE superstars like Natalya are optimistic that fans will get to see the event make its return.

“Forever Grateful for That”: Ex-WWE Star Credits Triple H For Creating Her Character

Thomas Lowson
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CJ Perry’s time with WWE may be over, but the former Lana will always be grateful to Triple H.

After a career in music and acting, Perry signed with WWE in 2013, initially the manager of real-life husband Rusev (now Miro in AEW.)

In 2016, Perry would transition into a wrestling role which would continue until her release in June 2021.

Forever Grateful

Perry has been absent from WWE for over a year, but has kept a close eye on the product in this time.

In July, Triple H was appointed WWE’s Head of Creative, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon after the latter’s retirement.

During a recent interview with Fightful, the former Total Divas star praised The Game as a genius for his work behind the scenes.

“Triple H is a genius. He hired me. He was at my tryouts in the beginning of 2013. He paired me with Miro. He guided me so much in the approach of creating, essentially, the character of the Ravishing Russian with the suit, the hair.

“He was really hands-on with that, very hands-on with Miro and I. So I will always be grateful for that because people still talk about the tank, still talk about the Ravishing Russian and her accent and her look. So I’m forever grateful for that.”

Miro and Perry would be split on-screen in 2015 but reunited later that same year after TMZ broke the news of the couple’s real-life engagement.

What’s Next?

Perry hasn’t competed since her WWE exit last year, which was said to have been partly due to her high-dollar contract.

Speaking last month, the Ravishing Russian told Busted Open Radio that she would “love” to go to AEW, as it is where the “hardcore” fans are.

Perry added that she misses seeing close friends who now call AEW home, including Saraya, Renee Paquette and Dustin Rhodes.

C.J. Perry (Lana) Joins “The Surreal Life” Reboot
h/t eWrestlingNews

Who Produced Austin Theory’s Failed Money in the Bank Cash-in On WWE Raw?

Thomas Lowson
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Austin Theory made history on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, but not in the way he would have wanted.

After U.S. Champion Seth Rollins issued an open challenge, it appeared that Mustafa Ali was going to answer, before Bobby Lashley assaulted the ex-Retribution leader.

Lashley also assaulted Rollins before a title match could begin, and Theory became the first man to cash-in Money in the Bank, not for a World Championship.

Producing a Cash In

Theory’s cash-in has divided fans, many of whom believe that WWE has wasted the Money in the Bank contract and buried Theory.

Jason Jordan was the one who produced Theory’s failed cash-in attempt, in one of many segments created by the American Alpha alum, according to Fightful.

Jordan was also responsible for all Seth Rollins segments this week, including his in-ring segment with The Judgment Day.

The son of Kurt Angle also produced Rollins’ segment issuing the open challenge, as well as Lashley’s assault on the United States Champion.

Theory’s cash-in attempt wasn’t listed backstage in WWE to avoid spoilers of what was going to happen being leaked.

Welcome to the Club

In failing to cash in successfully, Theory joins a select club of unfortunate WWE Superstars.

In 2007, Mr. Kennedy became the first person to win Money in the Bank and not win a title, but he lost his briefcase to Edge before he could even cash in.

John Cena would be the first person to cash in and not win a title, when he cashed in on WWE Champion CM Punk for Raw’s 1,000th episode in July 2012.

A year later, Damien Sandow would cash in on Cena but lose to the then-World Heavyweight Champion, and Baron Corbin failed to dethrone AJ Styles as WWE Champion in 2017.

In 2018, Braun Strowman’s cash-in attempt against Roman Reigns would be interrupted by a returning Brock Lesnar, and Otis would lose his briefcase to The Miz in 2020.

3 Reasons Austin Theory Losing His MITB Cash-In was the Right Call

Torrie Wilson Recalls Turning Down X-Rated WWE Angle

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson has said she turned down an x-rated segment during her time with the company which made her feel uncomfortable.

Wilson joined the WWE in 2001 following the demise of WCW and would pose for Playboy twice, once on her own and a second time with Sable.

In 2019, Wilson returned to WWE to be inducted into the Hall of Fame by her real-life friend and fellow WWE Superstar Stacey Kiebler.

Saying No

Wilson’s beauty was the focal point for much of her wrestling career, but one idea proved to be too much for the Hall of Famer.

Speaking with the Generation Iron Fitness & Bodybuilding Network, Torrie recalled turning down the idea to be fully nude on TV, but for her privates to be covered in paint.

“They wanted me, like what Sable did, paint my boobs and walk out there naked, and I said no. There are certain things that I turned down that I could’ve gotten ahead with. But it just didn’t feel right.”

Torrie Wilson.

A similar spot was done by Sable in 1998, when the future Mrs. Lesnar appeared on Raw with her privates covered in handprints.

Torrie Today

Wilson’s days in the ring as a full-time Superstar may be over, but she hasn’t left wrestling entirely.

Less than a year after her 2008 release, Wilson returned to compete in a Battle Royal at WrestleMania 25 but was unsuccessful.

Wilson also competed in the first Women’s Royal Rumble in 2018, where she eliminated Dana Brooke before being thrown out by Sonya Deville.

Torrie also competed in this year’s Women’s Rumble, where she was again eliminated by an ex-MMA fighter (Shayna Baszler) and was the only Hall of Famer in the match.

Torrie Wilson Responds To Negative Backlash Over Hall Of Fame Inclusion
h/t – eWrestlingNews

WWE has “Craziness” Planned for Survivor Series WarGames Matches

Thomas Lowson
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Things are going to get ‘crazy’ during the upcoming Men’s and Women’s WarGames matches scheduled for later this month.

WarGames, a staple of the NWA and later WCW, was first used by WWE in 2017 as part of the NXT brand.

Ths year’s Survivor Series will mark the first time the match type has been used as part of the main roster.

WarGames

With this being the first usage of WarGames on the main roster, there is (unsurprisingly) a lot of excitement around this year’s Survivor Series. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alverez reported that WWE is planning for some “craziness” as part of both matches.

It was added that WWE wants exciting footage that they can use for future video packages of the match.

While WWE already has footage from NXT, many of the Superstars in those matches have since been released.

The only WarGames matches which were filled with still-employed Superstars took place at last year’s NXT WarGames event.

Filling the Cage

At this time, no men have been announced for their WarGames match, but the women’s match is nearly full. Its been confirmed that Damage CTRL, Nikki Cross, and a mystery partner will face Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and two partners.

On this week’s Raw, a backstage segment teased that Rhea Ripley could feud with Belair next, and it’s likely she will be added to the heel team.

If so, then fans can expect Mia Yim to enter the match, who returned on this week’s Raw and attacked Ripley.

Candice LeRae is also a likely candidate to fill out the babyface team, given that she too has had issues with Damage CTRL in recent weeks.

Latest on WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Ticket Sales

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s upcoming Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is likely to be another sell-out show judging by the ticket sales.

The 2023 Royal Rumble will take place on January 28, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The show will be the 36th Royal Rumble event, and the sixth to feature both a men’s and women’s Rumble match.

Tickets

So far, no matches (other than the two titular matches) have been announced for the show, and no participants have been named for either Rumble match.

That hasn’t stopped fans from purchasing tickets however as WrestleTix noted on Patreon the show has sold 30,157 tickets.

The venue will reportedly be set to a capacity of 33,874 seats, meaning there are 3,717 seats left to purchase.

WWE initially planned a smaller capacity, but added more rows of seats last week.

Favorites

Even with the show still 80 days away, there has been plenty of speculation about the Men’s Rumble match.

The winner will earn a guaranteed title shot against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 39, which is expected to be current-champion Roman Reigns.

One popular name being considered a favorite by fans is Cody Rhodes, who returned to WWE in April and vowed to become a WWE World Champion.

Bray Wyatt, who returned to WWE last month at Hell in a Cell 2022, is also being considered a favorite by fans.

It has been reported that WWE is planning Reigns vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 39, which will take place in Los Angeles.

The Rock won the 2000 Rumble match, and if victorious this year, would break the record for the longest gap between Rumble victories.

Watch: What Happened After Royal Rumble Went Off Air

Austin Theory Breaks Silence after Failed MITB Cash-In on WWE RAW

Robert Lentini
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Austin Theory had an eventful night last night on WWE RAW. The 25-year-old superstar defeated Shelton Benjamin in a singles match on the show, a rare victory for Theory since winning the Money in the Bank ladder match in July.

Theory was added by WWE Official Adam Pearce as a surprise entrant in the ladder match and went on to win it. Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon had numerous backstage segments with Austin as a way to put his stamp of approval on the up and coming star.

However, things change fast in the wrestling business and Austin Theory has to start over. Vince McMahon resigned in late July and was Theory’s biggest supporter. The 77-year-old introduced Austin as a future WWE Champion at WrestleMania and Theory certainly has some work to do for that to come to fruition.

Seth Rollins issued an Open Challenge for the United States Championship last night on RAW. Bobby Lashley beat Mustafa Ali down backstage to prevent him from accepting it and made his way to the ring. The All Mighty opted to attack Seth and put him through the announce table rather than fight for the title.

Austin Theory seized the opportunity to cash-in his Money in the Bank contract on the United States Championship. He connected with the A-Town Down on Rollins and went for the cover but Lashley dragged the referee out of the ring. Bobby got the challenger in the Hurt Lock and Rollins capitalized with the Stomp for the pinfall victory.

3 Reasons Austin Theory Losing His MITB Cash-In was the Right Call

Theory Speaks After Failed Cash-In

Austin Theory took to Twitter following his shocking defeat on last night’s WWE RAW and delivered a message to fans. He vowed to never stop and included a rocket ship emoji to the tweet. The post also had a video of highlights of his main roster career thus far.

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