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Ronda Rousey Wins SmackDown Women’s Title at WWE Extreme Rules

Andrew Ravens
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Ronda Rousey and Liv Morgan shared the squared circle for a third time with the WWE SmackDown Women’s Title on the line. 

The match at the WWE Extreme Rules premium live event saw them use various weapons including a chair and a table. Morgan hit a code red with a chair for a near fall. 

Morgan hit a dive off the top rope through a table for a near fall. The finish saw Rousey have her in an armbar then put her in a choke with her legs and Morgan passed out. 

At Money in the Bank, Rousey submitted Natalya to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship, but after the match Morgan, who won the women’s Money in the Bank match earlier in the show, came out with the briefcase and cashed in. Rousey was vulnerable as she was selling the wear and tear of her previous match. Morgan pinned her to win the title for the first time.

At SummerSlam, Morgan made her first premium live event defense as SmackDown Women’s Champion against Rousey, but the match ended in controversy as the finish saw Rousey have Morgan in the armbar, but at the same time, Morgan tapped out and the referee counted the three as Rousey’s shoulders were down. The referee gave Morgan the win. Post-match, Rousey attacked Morgan and the referee. WWE played it up as Rousey getting robbed. 

What are your thoughts on retaining the SmackDown Women’s Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Jordynne Grace Shows Off Incredible Body Transformation

Andrew Ravens
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Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace has put in the hard work in the gym and stayed true to her goals to get into peak shape as she continues to find success as a top wrestler in the entire wrestling business. 

Grace recently took to Twitter to show off her amazing body transformation and provided an inspiring message.

Jordynne Grace is Putting in The Work

Jordynne Grace

She also shared a video from showing off her bodybuilding results. Her dedication has shined through her hard work while sticking with her bodybuilding program as she not only got in better shape but also climbed the ranks in Impact Wrestling to become the top star in the Knockouts division and continue garnering attention from fans.

Grace won the Knockouts World Championship for a second time in the inaugural Queen of the Mountain match at Slammiversary in June. On Friday night at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view event, Grace successfully retained the title over Sasha Slamovich at Bound for Glory.

You can check out her spirited post-match promo below, where she spoke about being an underdog going into the bout and preparing for it more than her opponent did: 

WWE Extreme Rules Match Order Revealed

Andrew Ravens
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WWE Extreme Rules is quickly approaching and the planned match order has been revealed based on the internal listing obtained by Fightful Select. 

WWE has created a lot of buzz going into the show as the belief is the reveal behind the White Rabbit clues will be revealed. As for what has been announced by the company to take place on the card, Edge vs. Finn Balor and Fight Pit between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins were slated to get the most time on the show. SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey in an Extreme Rules Match was slated to have the shortest match.

Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, Scarlett, Dakota Kai, IYO SKY are expected to be ringside for the I Quit Match. WWE had planned to get a ton of gimmicked props for the Donnybrook match between the two factions that opens the show.

WWE Extreme Rules Match Order

Extreme Rules
WWE Extreme Rules
  • Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium: Abyss producing – Six-Man Tag Team Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match
  • Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey: Tyson Kidd producing – Extreme Rules Match
  • Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross: Michael Hayes producing – Strap Match
  • Bianca Belair vs. Bayley: Petey Williams producing  – Ladder Match
  • Edge vs. Finn Balor: Produced by Jamie Noble – I Quit Match
  • Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins: Adam Pearce Producing – Fight Pit

Former WWE Talent Expected To Sign With All Elite Wrestling

Robert Lentini
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Former WWE personality and commentator Renee Paquette (Renee Young) is expected to sign with All Elite Wrestling.

According to a new report from Fightful Select, their sources within WWE are expecting Renee to sign with AEW. Give Me Sport’s Louis Dangoor had heard that WWE reached out to Renee about a possible return to the company but Fightful could not confirm if that was the case. Fightful also reached out to both AEW and Renee Paquette but didn’t receive confirmation that she’s signed with the company.

https://twitter.com/TheLouisDangoor/status/1578817718815379457?s=20&t=EYt0AlLcVnXFtx13Jd6Btw

Renee Young exited WWE after SummerSlam 2020. She was a backstage interviewer, a commentator, and a host during her WWE career. Renee also joined the cast of Total Divas for season six and hosted WWE Backstage on Fox.

After leaving WWE, the 37-year-old launched The Sessions podcast on Fox sports broadcaster Colin Cowherd’s The Volume Network. The Cincinnati Bengals recently announced that they will be partnering with Paquette for a new series called Renée All Day. The series will feature Renee interviewing players from the team. She recently filmed footage for WWE at the Performance Center.

Renee’s husband, AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, just signed a 5-year extension with All Elite Wrestling. His new contract will keep him with All Elite Wrestling until 2027 and has expanded his role in the company to include coaching.

Moxley will be defending the AEW World Championship against Hangman Page in Cincinnati on a special Tuesday night edition of Dynamite on October 18th.

Finn Balor Has ‘Never Quit Once’ and won’t at WWE Extreme Rules

Samantha Schipman
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For the last few months, Finn Balor and his Judgment Day cohorts have been at odds with the man who brought them together: Edge. At WWE Extreme Rules, the two will have an “I Quit” match.

Balor feels like this is the only way to settle their story. He told the New York Post, “Edge says he won’t quit, but he’s clearly quit one time before 11 years ago. I can promise you I’ve never quit once in my career in the ring or outside of the ring. That will remain the same at the Extreme Rules.”

For Balor, this feud with Edge has been a long time coming. Due to Edge’s sudden retirement, Balor thought he’d never get to face “The Rated R Superstar”. “Any idea or hope or dream I had of wrestling Edge in the ring kind of evaporated. He returned to the ring at Royal Rumble (in 2020) and that spark was reignited. Our careers had not been aligned up until recently and I feel like everything has kind of fallen into place the last couple months and the match is finally happening. “

Judgment Day allows Balor to be more authentic

The Judgment Day
(via WWE)

Balor has found success with his new stable. He believes that’s due to being allowed to be a heel and not boxed in as a babyface like he was in his early WWE career.

“I’ve kind of tapped into a more real, authentic version of Finn that has kind of been suppressed the last couple of years in WWE. I feel like I’m finally able to create the version of myself that I feel comfortable with and that is certainly a more vicious, aggressive style of wrestling.”

Being a part of Judgment Day has breathed new life into his character. “I’ve worked for most of my career as a heel or more naturally as a nasty, vicious heel and I was framed to be a babyface by WWE, really against my will. It’s not something that I feel comfortable with or I feel like I execute to the best of my abilities and I feel a lot more comfortable in the role that I’m in now. It doesn’t really feel like a stretch of the imagination. I just really feel like I have to go out there and be myself. That allows me to be a lot more at home in the character and a lot more comfortable in the ring. I’m able to showcase the abilities that I have that I’m not able to showcase as a babyface.”

“So I feel like this is really the direction I wanted the heel NXT version of Finn to go. We just never had a chance to fully execute that. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

WWE Extreme Rules is live on October 8 at 8 PM ET on Peacock.

WWE Extreme Rules: Final Betting Odds for Tonight’s Event

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Extreme Rules 2022 is finally upon us. After weeks of build, WWE’s latest premium live event offering rolls into the home of extreme, Philadelphia, PA.

Six matches are signed for the event. You can check out WWE Extreme Rules Predictions to see who our staff thinks will be victorious tonight.

Here are the final betting odds for Extreme Rules, courtesy of BetOnline:

  • Imperium is favored (-160) to defeat the Brawling Brutes (+120) in their 6-Man Tag team match.
  • Finn Balor is favored (-260) to beat Edge (+200) in their “I Quit Match.”
  • Karrion Kross is now favored (-400) to defeat Drew McIntyre (+250) in their Strap Match.
  • Bianca Belair is a slight favorite (-130) to retain the Raw Women’s Championship against Bayley (+100).
  • Matt Riddle is a strong favorite (-1500) to defeat Seth Freakin’ Rollins (+600) in the Fight Pit match.
  • Ronda Rousey is favored (-260) to re-capture the SmackDown Women’s Championship from Liv Morgan (+180) in their Extreme Rules match.

Check back later tonight for our WWE Extreme Rules results and reactions.

Hikaru Shida Is Currently The Top Female Merchandise Seller For AEW

Joey Galizia
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AEW’s women’s division continues to grow.

The promotion most recently added Saraya (formerly known as Paige) to their talented roster, one that already includes Britt Baker, Athena, Jade Cargill, Serena Deeb, Madison Rayne, Riho, Nyla Rose, Kris Statlander, Penelope Ford, Anna Jay, and a ton of rising stars like Willow Nightingale, Red Velvet, Leyla Hirsch, Jamie Hayter, and Skye Blue.

When looking at the top merchandise sellers for AEW the most common names, like CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Adam Page, MJF, and Orange Cassidy sit at the top, with some hotter acts like Danhausen and The Acclaimed working their way up. However, the top selling female star is not who you may think it is.

Former AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida Is The Best Female Merch Seller For AEW

According to the ShopAEW numbers (thanks to a report by WrestleNomics), Hikaru Shida currently sits among the top sellers for AEW, and is even outselling Saraya, who debuted a few weeks ago, and Britt Baker, arguably the company’s most featured star. Shida’s appearances in AEW have been scattered since she lost the title to Baker at Double or Nothing 2021, but she is set to compete this Wednesday in tag team action, which will be AEW’s debut show in Canada.

Shida defeated Nyla Rose at Double or Nothing 2020 to become the third-ever AEW women’s champion. Unfortunately, the entirety of her title reign was in front of a few fans due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite her scattered use Shida continues to remain one of AEW’s most popular stars.

A photo of the merch numbers can be seen below.

Screen Shot 2022 10 08 at 11.19.24 AM 1

Impact Wrestling Confirm Date & Location for Hard to Kill 2023

Thomas Lowson
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Impact Wrestling is returning to Atlanta, Georgia next January for its annual Hard to Kill event.

During last night’s Bound For Glory Pay Per View, it was announced that Hard To Kill will be held at Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 13.

This will be the first time Hard to Kill will take place in Georgia, after previously being hosted in Dallas, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Hard to Kill

Despite being the newest Pay Per View event for the company, Hard to Kill has become one of the big four shows that Impact hosts each year.

The inaugural event in 2020 saw Tessa Blanchard capture the Impact World Championship from Sami Callihan, the first (and to date only) woman to win the title.

2021’s event took place without live fans due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and saw Rich Swann, Chris Sabin, and Moose face AEW’s Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers.

Last year’s event saw then-Knockouts World Champion Mickie James retain against Deonna Purrazzo in a Texas Death Match, the first all-female main event.

Main Event?

No matches have been confirmed for Hard to Kill 2023, but we may already know what will headline the event.

During last night’s Bound for Glory Pay Per View, Bully Ray made his return to Impact Wrestling, winning the Call Your Shot Battle Royal.

The Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer has earned a title match at any time of his choosing and could headline Impact’s next Pay Per View.

After the event went off the air, Ray confronted Impact World Champion Josh Alexander, and the two slammed Mike Bennett through a table.

Eddie Edwards on Bound for Glory, Being Impact’s Veteran Performer, More

Report: Jon Moxley Was Working Without a Contract Before Recent Re-Signing

Thomas Lowson
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AEW World Champion Jon Moxley had been without a contract for quite some time prior to re-signing with the company this week.

In a statement, AEW confirmed that Moxley is now under a new five-year contract with the company, and will also serve as a mentor and coach in addition to his on-screen role.

AEW President Tony Khan praised Moxley in the statement, for being “on the best run of his already legendary career.”

Not Under Contract

Moxley’s new five-year deal will keep him in AEW for a long time yet, but he had been a free agent recently.

Sources who spoke to Fightful Select within AEW claimed that Moxley had been working without a contract, but did not specify for how long.

When Fightful asked about Moxley’s status prior to re-signing, they were told it was “quite a situation.”

Tony Khan had made it clear that re-signing Moxley was a priority, given the amount of time and money the promotion has invested in him.

Exclusivity?

In the statement, it was noted that Moxley will wrestle exclusively for AEW, but will be able to compete for New Japan Pro Wrestling, who AEW has a working relationship with.

The statement did not specify Moxley’s status for other promotions, including DEFY Wrestling or Game Changer Wrestling.

Fightful’s report notes that AEW wouldn’t comment on what his new deal means for his status with any of those companies.

Moxley, the reigning GCW World Champion will face Nick Gage in a title vs. career match later today.

“One Of The Best Promos In Wrestling” – Jim Cornette Praises Jon Moxley For Speech On AEW Dynamite

Wade Barrett Won’t be a WWE SmackDown Commentator for Long

Thomas Lowson
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Fans of Wade Barrett who tune in to SmackDown should enjoy his commentary while it lasts, as he won’t be on the brand for long.

Barrett, a five-time former WWE Intercontinental Champion, made his SmackDown commentary debut on last night’s episode on FOX.

The move is part of WWE’s new lineup of commentary teams across SmackDown, Raw, and NXT, in line with the season premieres of each brand.

Back to NXT

Wade Barrett brings a unique perspective to the SmackDown commentary team, but his appearances on the show will end within months.

In a tweet responding to the move, Barrett said he was thrilled to be working with Michael Cole, but said that he will be back in NXT one day.

PW Insider reports that this is the case and that Barrett will leave SmackDown when Pat McAfee returns.

McAfee has been absent from programming for weeks since taking a role with ESPN’s College Game Day.

The NFL punter, who competed at this year’s WrestleMania is said to be well-liked within WWE, and his enthusiasm has also been commended.

There’s no word on what this will mean for Booker T, as the two-time WWE Hall of Famer has replaced Barrett in NXT.

In-Ring Return?

Barrett has been a commentator for WWE for two years, but some remain hopeful for an in-ring return.

From 2010 to 2016, Barrett wrestled for WWE and is perhaps best remembered for his role as leader of the Nexus.

Speaking last year, Barrett teased an in-ring return, telling NXT colleague Vic Joseph that it will not take much to get him competing again.

Wade Barrett Explains How He Got His Current Role In NXT

Former Impact World Champion Makes Return at Bound for Glory 2022

Thomas Lowson
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A former Impact World Champion is back with the company and seeking one more reign on top of the promotion.

Last night saw Impact Wrestling host their biggest event of the year, Bound for Glory, marking the 18th event in the show’s lineage.

Bully Ray Returns

In the third to last match of the night, a 20-person intergender ‘Call Your Shot’ gauntlet match took place.

The match segmented entries are similar to WWE’s Royal Rumble match.

During the match, Bully Ray made his Impact Wrestling return as the #14 entrant and would win the entire thing.

Ray eliminated Johnny Swinger (with an assist from Tommy Dreamer) and Tasha Steelz, before pinning Steve Maclin to win the match.

As a result of his win, Bully Ray now has a championship opportunist for any title, at any time of his choosing for up to a year.

After the show ended, Bully Ray confronted Impact World Champion Josh Alexander, who retained in the main event against Eddie Edwards.

The intense staredown was interrupted by the returning Mike Bennett, and both Ray and Alexander slammed him through a table.

Bully Ray in Impact Wrestling

Working for Impact from 20015 to 2015, Bully Ray’s highest point came in 2013 when he was revealed as the leader of the Aces and Eights.

As part of the group, Bully Ray became a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and feuded with Hulk Hogan.

Ray is also a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion and was inducted into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, alongside his ‘brother’ Devon.

Bully Ray On How The Elite Should Have Reacted To CM Punk’s Rant

Report: WWE Bringing Back Sarah Logan

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE Superstar Sarah Logan’s return to WWE is imminent according to a vignette that played out on this week’s SmackDown.

During the episode, which served as the brand’s season premiere, a ‘Valhalla Awaits’ segment was played which featured Logan.

While she was part of the segment, Logan’s face wasn’t shown on camera.

According to a report from Fightful, several more segments are being produced to re-introduce Logan to the fans.

Sarah Logan

Logan’s first WWE appearance came in 2014 as the on-screen make-up artist for The Miz, an ironic role considering she does not enjoy wearing make-up.

After being signed, Logan would have sporadic appearances in the ring before becoming part of the Riott Squad in 2017.

When the group dissolved in 2019, would bounce around several feuds which she would lose prior to her release.

Logan after WWE

Sarah Logan was released as part of the April 15, 2020, releases, the first of what would become two years of mass releases, explained by WWE as budget cuts.

Weeks after her release, she and husband Raymond (Viking Raider Erik) announced they were expecting their first child, and Raymond Jr. was born in February 2021.

In June 2020, Logan said she was taken an extended hiatus from wrestling, but would make a one-night return to WWE as part of this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match.

Since then, she has had two matches for Control Your Narrative, winning at their May 13, event in Cleveland and their May 14, event in Detroit.

Following her release, Logan has maintained a very positive relationship with the company and has had several people within WWE go to bat for her.

Sarah Logan: I Am Planning On Wrestling Again, One Day

Watch: What Happened With Damian Priest After SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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While both Matt Riddle and Damian Priest weren’t part of the Extreme Rules go-home SmackDown, they did get to compete in a dark match after the episode.

The main event of this week’s season premiere episode of the Blue Branded show saw Gunther once again putting the IC title on the line against Sheamus.

At one point during the bout, Gunther tapped out to a Clover Leaf from Sheamus but the referee didn’t see it and the match continued.

The ending of the bout saw Giovanni Vinci, Ludwig Kaiser, Butch and Ride Holland all coming out to the ring side. These four brawled as Gunther hit Sheamus with a shillelagh and picked up the win.

What Happened After SmackDown

Damian Priest and Riddle came out and had a fun match after the cameras stopped rolling. Priest tried to walk out of the bout at one point but the Ultimate Bro brought him back.

The ending of the match saw Riddle hitting an RKO on the Judgement Day member and then pinning him for the victory.

This was the final episode of SmackDown before the upcoming Extreme Rules PPV. WWE dropped many more White Rabbit clues on the show and teased the reveal at the upcoming PPV.

5 Takeaways From AEW Battle of the Belts IV (10/7): FTR Defend Tag Titles, Jade Cargill, Chris Jericho

Robert Lentini
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AEW Battle of the Belts IV aired immediately following Rampage in Washington DC. FTR defended the ROH Tag Team Championships against Gates of Agony in the main event. PAC put the All-Atlantic Championship on the line against Trent Beretta. Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Willow Nightingale.

Battle of the Belts Results

  • PAC def. Trent Beretta to retain the All-Atlantic Championship
  • Jade Cargill def. Willow Nightingale to retain the TBS Championship
  • FTR def. Gates of Agony to retain the ROH Tag Titles

Here are the takeaways from AEW Battle of the Belts:

PAC Retained, Orange Cassidy Attacked

PAC defended the All-Atlantic Championship against Trent Beretta of Best Friends in the first match of the night. Death Triangle had just retained the Trios Championships on Rampage after Rush gave Pac the timekeeper’s hammer to use as a weapon. Pac bashed Reynolds over the head to retain the titles.

Trent dominated the match early and beat the weakened champion down against the ropes. The action spilled out of the ring and Trent connected with a Spear. Back in the ring, Trent went for the cover but Pac kicked out at two and the match continued.

The champion battled back and set up a table outside the ring. Beretta bashed him in the face a few times and set up the champion on the table. Trent charged but Pac rolled away and retreated to the ringside area.

Beretta caught him with a Dropkick through the ropes and rolled Pac back inside the ring. Trent climbed to the top turnbuckle but Pac hopped up with him. Pac connected with a Superplex and both men were down as Battle of the Belts went to a commercial break.

When Battle of the Belts returned, Trent connected with a Double Stomp in the corner of the ring. Beretta hit a massive Belly to Back Suplex that sent the champion flying across the ring. Trent delivered a Splash in the corner and followed it up with a Tornado DDT but Pac kicked out at two.

Trent launched Pac face-first into the top rope and followed it up with a massive Clothesline. Beretta connected with a Piledriver but couldn’t keep the champion down for a three count. Pac and Trent battled to the entrance ramp and the champion connected with a Suplex through the table below.

The action returned to the ring and Pac climbed to the top turnbuckle. Pac went for Black Arrow but took too much time and Trent got his knees up. Beretta went for another Spear but Pac countered with a knee strike. Trent rolled Pac up for a close near fall and the champ climbed back up the turnbuckle.

It was a mistake as Trent shoved him and crotched the champion on the top turnbuckle. Trent sent Pac flying across the ring with another Belly to Back Throw for another near fall as an “AEW!” chant broke out. Pac got the Brutalizer locked in and Beretta fell to the mat. Trent got his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold and the match continued.

Pac grabbed the hammer once again and bashed Trent in the face while the referee didn’t see it. Pac fell on top of Trent for the pinfall victory. After the match, Orange Cassidy rushed the ring and got in some punches on Pac until AEW security broke it up. Pac versus Orange Cassidy for the All-Atlantic Championship was announced for Wednesday night’s Dynamite.

Chris Jericho Warned Bryan Danielson

Daddy Magic Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Chris Jericho were interviewed backstage about Daniel Garcia. Angelo said that they weren’t mad at Garcia, just disappointed and it is time for Daniel to come home.

Jericho suggested that Menard and Parker were Garcia’s dads, and he is his brother. Chris vowed to “pillage the legend of Bryan Danielson” as the Lionheart. Jericho ended the promo with “all hail The Ocho”. Chris will put the ROH Championship on the line against Bryan Danielson next Wednesday on Dynamite.

Jade Cargill Retained TBS Championship

Jade Cargill put the TBS Championship on the line tonight at Battle of the Belts against Willow Nightingale. Willow and Jade locked up to start off the action. Jade drove Willow to the corner and the two locked up again. Nightingale drove Jade to the corner this time and the two trash-talked.

Willow hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Nightingale connected with a Suplex and went for the cover but Cargill kicked out at two. Cargill went for a Powerslam but the challenger escaped. Cargill regrouped with the Baddies but Willow took them out with a big Crossbody that got a pop from the crowd. Jade bounced Willow’s face off the steel steps and taunted the audience as Battle of the Belts went to a commercial break.

The TBS Champion dominated through the break and kept Willow on the canvas. When Battle of the Belts returned, Nightingale hit a Clothesline and fired up the crowd. Willow hit the champion with a Hurricanrana. Nightingale followed it up with a Dropkick off the top turnbuckle but Cargill kicked out at the last moment.

Jade went for the Pump Kick but Willow dodged it. Cargill showed off her power and hit a massive Powerslam. Cargill followed it up with Jaded for the pinfall victory. Jade Cargill is still the TBS Champion.

After the match, Vickie Guerrero interrupted and Nyla Rose ripped the TBS Championship away from Cargill. Nyla ran away with it as Jade and The Baddies chased her.

The Firm Confronted Matt Hardy

Matt Hardy, Ethan Page, and Stokely Hathaway were interviewed backstage. Page and Stokely mocked Matt Hardy for being a terrible boss to Private Party. Ethan used the term “contract tampering” and Stokely pulled out Jose the Assistant’s iPad. They rolled footage of Matt talking to Private Party and he vowed to “delete!” them to end the segment.

FTR Retained The ROH Tag Titles

FTR defended the ROH Tag Team Championships against Gates of Agony (Kaun & Toa Liona) tonight. Prince Puma accompanied the challengers to the ring. Austin and Colten Gunn were dressed as FTR and mocked the champions in the front row of the crowd. The ROH Tag Champions got a great reaction from the crowd in DC.

Kaun and Dax Harwood started off the action. Kaun connected with a massive Clothesline and unloaded some punches to Dax’s face. Harwood battled back with some chops to the chest in the corner of the ring.

Toa Liona got into the ring but FTR unloaded some punches and knocked him to the outside. Dax planted Kaun with a Suplex and tagged in Cash Wheeler. Cash hit a Splash but Kaun powered out at a one count. Wheeler unloaded some chops to the chest but Kaun responded with a thunderous Clothesline as Gunn Club celebrated ringside.

Gates of Agony isolated Cash in the corner and took turns beating him down. Toa tagged in and hit a Body Slam. Liona followed it up with a diving Headbutt and unloaded some elbow strikes before applying a submission hold on Wheeler in the middle of the ring.

Wheeler went for a roll-up but Liona wouldn’t go down. Liona hit a Senton and tagged in Kaun. Gates of Agony whipped Cash to the corner and Liona hit a big Belly to Belly Suplex. Kaun went for the cover but Harwood broke it up at two. Outside the ring, Toa launched Wheeler into the barricade and charged. Cash jumped out of the way and Liona crashed into the steel as Battle of the Belts went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Battle of the Belts returned, Kaun and Cash Wheeler were battling in the ring. Kaun applied a Headlock but Cash escaped with an Atomic Drop. Liona charged again and Cash sent him into the ring post this time.

Cash went for the tag but Kaun stopped it. Cash escaped again and got the tag. Dax unloaded some punches but got planted with a Samoan Drop by Liona for a close two count. Toa perched Dax up on the top turnbuckle but Cash distracted him. Harwood went for a Crossbody but Liona caught him. Wheeler hit a Dropkick but Liona kicked out at two.

FTR grabbed Toa by the hair and planted him with a double DDT. Kaun tagged in and booted Harwood in the face. Wheeler ducked under a Clothesline but got distracted by Prince Puma. Kaun capitalized with a Gutbuster and went for the cover but Wheeler kicked out at the last moment.

Dax tagged himself in and FTR hit Kaun with a spike Piledriver for a two count. FTR tried for the Big Rig but couldn’t lift Liona up. Toa hit some headbutts but wound up running into the Big Rig in the middle of the ring. Kaun unloaded some chops but Dax rolled him up. Prince Puma hopped on the ring apron and Harwood launched Kaun into him. Dax then got Kaun in a backslide pin for the pinfall victory. FTR are still the ROH Tag Team Champions. After the match, Brian Cage ran to the ring and joined in on the beatdown of FTR.

TNT Champion Wardlow joined the party and got in some strikes before the numbers game caught up to him. The heels beat Wardlow and FTR down until ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe arrived. Samoa Joe unloaded some punches and Clotheslined Brian Cage out of the ring. The babyfaces stood tall with FTR as the heels retreated to close the show.

5 Takeaways From AEW Rampage (10/7): Trios Championship Match, Blackpool Combat Club, The Acclaimed

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage aired live tonight in Washington DC. Death Triangle defended the Trios Championships against Dark Order in tonight’s main event. Blackpool Combat Club competed in a Trios Match as well against Rush & Private Party.

Rampage Results

  • Blackpool Combat Club def. Rush & Private Party in a Trios Match
  • Tony Nese & Josh Woods Picked Up A Victory
  • Anna Jay & Tay Melo def. Skye Blue & Madison Rayne
  • Death Triangle def. Dark Order to retain the Trios Championships

Here are the takeaways from this week’s AEW Rampage:

Blackpool Combat Club Picked Up A Win

AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli battled Rush, Marq Quen, and Isiah Kassidy in a Trios match. The Firm was shown in the front row.

Wheeler and Claudio dominated the action early and isolated Marq of Private Party in the ring. His tag team partner, Isiah Kassidy tagged in and hit Wheeler with an Arm Drag. Yuta responded with one of his own and then applied a Stretch Muffler submission hold in the middle of the ring.

Yuta went for a Dropkick but Kassidy retreated to the ropes. Moxley and Rush tagged in and Rush sent the champion into the turnbuckle with an Exploder Suplex as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Claudio and Kassidy tagged in. The former ROH Champion delivered a few uppercuts to Kassidy and followed it up with a big boot to the face. Claudio went for The Swing but Quen broke it up. Castagnoli lifted Marq onto his shoulders and spun Kassidy around at the same time in the Swing in an epic moment.

Moxley hit Rush with a Cutter. Private Party hit the champion with a couple of Superkicks. Wheeler hit a Splash onto Private Party and followed it up with another one on Kassidy. Yuta went for the cover but Rush broke it up at two. Jon hit a Clothesline and followed it up with a Suicide Dive onto Rush outside the ring.

Kassidy went for a DDT but Claudio countered into a big uppercut. Wheeler hit a Neckbreaker and followed it up with an Armbar on Quen for the submission victory. Blackpool Combat Club celebrated in the ring after the match.

Tony Nese & Josh Woods Picked Up A Win, The Acclaimed Appeared

The Varsity Blonds (Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison) battled Tony Nese and Josh Woods in a tag team match. Varsity Blonds isolated Tony Nese in the ring early and beat him down. Josh Woods tagged in and and blasted Griff with a knee strike to the face. Back in the ring, Woods and Nese followed it up with a Neckbreaker/Slam combo for the pinfall victory. A frustrated Arn Anderson was shown backstage during the match.

After the bell, Mark Sterling cut a promo in the ring. Mark said he trademarked to the term “Varsity” for professional wrestling. Sterling stated that Varsity Blonds can never use the name and Nese & Woods are now the “Varsity Athletes”. AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed interrupted and Caster rapped about stomping Smart Mark and The Varsity Athletes in the nuts as the heels retreated.

Anna Jay & Tay Melo Picked Up A Win

Jericho Appreciation Society’s Anna Jay and Tay Melo battled Madison Rayne & Skye Blue in a tag team match tonight. Madison got Tay in a Headlock in the middle of the ring to start off the action.

Skye tagged in and hit Tay with a Dropkick to the face for a two count. Anna tagged in and booted Skye in the ribs. Anna went for an elbow strike but Skye dodged it. Tay tripped Skye up on the ring apron and delivered a kick to her face. Tay and Anna Jay posed on the ring apron as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Jericho Appreciation Society isolated Sky Blue into the ring. Tay booted Skye in the face and Anna applied the Queen Slayer submission for the pinfall victory.

Swerve Strickland Warned Billy Gunn

Swerve Strickland cut a backstage promo on Billy Gunn ahead of their match next week on Dynamite. Strickland vowed to hurt Billy next week. He said “Daddy Ass” will be known as “Daddy Time” going forward because time comes for us all, and he’s the clock.

Death Triangle Retained

Death Triangle (PAC, Pentagon Jr., and Rey Fenix) defended the Trios Championships against Dark Order in the main event of this week’s Rampage. Mark Henry interviewed both teams ahead of the main event.

Dark Order hit some Suicide Dives as Rey Fenix hit a Hurricanrana on 10 in the middle of the ring. Alex Reynolds and John Silver of Dark Order caught Fenix and slammed him to the canvas. Silver followed it up with a Suplex and tagged in Reynolds. Alex connected with a slam and then an Elbow Drop for a two count. Silver and Penta traded punches in the middle of the ring as Rampage went to a break.

When Rampage returned, Rey Fenix somehow orchestrated John Silver into hitting a Powerbomb on Reynolds by accident. Rey Fenix hit a big Crossbody off the top turnbuckle and sent Silver flying onto 10 into the corner with a Death Valley Driver. It didn’t look right and Silver fell out of the ring as 10 went to check on him.

Thankfully, Silver was fine and was treated to a Superkick to the face from Penta as the All-Atlantic Champion hit a Northern Lights Suplex on Reynolds for a near fall. Death Triangle isolated Alex in the ring and took turns putting the boots to him. PAC followed it up with a Suplex and Reynolds crawled to the corner.

Pac hit him with a running uppercut and went for the cover but Alex kicked out at two. Fenix tagged in and planted Reynolds with a Spinebuster. Penta followed it up with a Dropkick off the top rope to Reynold’s groin. Penta then tagged in and continued to beat Reynolds down.

Penta locked in a submission hold before hitting Reynolds with a chop to the chest on the ropes. Pac got back into the action and ripped Reynolds to the canvas. Pac delivered a knee strike to his face and posed for the crowd. The action spilled out of the ring and Pac planted Alex with a Suplex on the floor as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Rampage returned, Reynolds battled back with a Clothesline as Silver and 10 pleaded for a tag. 10 and Penta tagged in. 10 unloaded some lariats and sent Lucha Bros down with a double Clothesline. 10 followed it up with a couple of Spinebusters and posed for the crowd.

Death Triangle leveled 10 with a Superkick as Jim Ross yelled about the referee allowing three men in the ring at the same time. Penta unloaded some strikes on 10 but he responded with a slam. John Silver and Pac then tagged in and traded punches. Pac hit a German Suplex but Silver hopped right up.

Silver hit a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Pac powered out at the last moment. The All-Atlantic Champion escaped and tagged in Rey. Silver hit a Clothesline and Dark Order knocked Pac and Penta to the floor. Fenix battled back and went for a double Cutter but Dark Order blocked it. Dark Order hit a big Back Body Drop for a near fall and the match continued. Reynolds tagged in and perched Fenix on the top rope. Fenix escaped and hit a Hurricanrana. Penta tagged in and hit a Slingblade on Reynolds. Penta hit a Backstabber on Silver but John responded with a boot to the face. 10 hit a big Clothesline but Pac broke it up at two as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.

Jose the Assistant showed up on the entrance ramp and distracted Dark Order. Rush gave Pac the hammer he used to defeat Orange Cassidy recently. Pac bashed Reynolds in the face with it as Fenix took out Dark Order with a Crossbody. Pac applied the Brutalizer on Reynolds for the victory as Alex was passed out.

What Time Does WWE Extreme Rules Start?

Ryan Droste
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WWE Extreme Rules takes place this Saturday, October 8th.

The show will air live from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center.

WWE Extreme Rules starts at 8pm (ET) / 5pm (PT).

In case you forget what time Extreme Rules begins, you can always catch the show on-demand on Peacock (US) and on the WWE Network (international).

Prior to the start time of the main show, there will be a kickoff show that airs one hour earlier at 7pm (ET) / 4pm (ET). The kickoff show will stream on Peacock, the WWE Network (internationally), as well as WWE’s YouTube channel and social media pages.

For more information, including the full match card and the latest news, visit our WWE Extreme Rules event page.

10 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (10/7): IC Title Match, White Rabbit, Go-Home Show For Extreme Rules

Robert Lentini
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0

WWE SmackDown aired live from the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. It was the season premiere of the blue brand. Roman Reigns & Logan Paul appeared face-to-face ahead of their title match next month at Crown Jewel. Gunther defended the Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus in a rematch from Clash at the Castle in tonight’s main event.

SmackDown Results:

  • Solo Sikoa def. Ricochet
  • Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi def. Sonya Deville & Xia Li
  • New Day & Braun Strowman def. The Usos & Sami Zayn
  • Gunther def. Sheamus to retain the IC Title

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Triple H Kicked Off The Show

The Game kicked off the season premiere of WWE SmackDown to a big reaction from the crowd. The crowd chanted “Triple H!” as the Chief Content Officer paced around in the ring.

Triple H said that there will come a time when you believe that everything is finished but that is the beginning. Triple H welcomed everyone to the season premiere of SmackDown and exited the ring.

Sami Zayn Calmed Down The Bloodline

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring with The Wiseman Paul Heyman and The Bloodline for a face-to-face with Logan Paul. Reigns will be defending the title against the popular YouTuber/boxer/wrestler on November 5th at Crown Jewel.

Reigns asked the crowd to acknowledge him before Logan interrupted. Roman asked Logan to enter the ring and claimed that this was a safe space. Reigns noted that the crowd used to be him as well and now he’s the greatest of all-time. The champion asked The Wiseman to “smarten this boy up” and handed the microphone to Paul Heyman.

Paul hyped up Roman Reigns and claimed that the Tribal Chief asked who the hell Logan Paul was the other day. Heyman joked that Anderson Silva is going to hit Jake Paul in the head when they fight, and claimed that Logan is this generation’s Mr. T.

He’s the outside celebrity that they bring in to bring more eyeballs to the product, which means more people will get to acknowledge The Tribal Chief. Heyman took shots at Ben Shapiro, Andrew Tate, and other social media stars. He claimed that none of them would ever have the balls to fight Roman Reigns.

Heyman added that Logan will have tons of content to create after he gets smashed by Reigns at Crown Jewel. Logan suggested that Jey Uso was actually The Tribal Chief in The Bloodline and they started arguing. Honorary Uce Sami Zayn grabbed the microphone as the crowd loudly chanted his name.

Roman and Jey stared at each other with Zayn in between them. Sami told Roman that he’s the Head of the Table, The GOAT, and The Tribal Chief. Sami added that nobody is questioning that, and Jey Uso did nothing wrong. Zayn called Logan Paul a fake and a “giant number two”. Sami added that The Bloodline will be stronger than ever following Crown Jewel because “we the ones”.

Solo Sikoa def. Ricochet

Solo Sikoa battled Ricochet tonight on SmackDown. Sikoa dominated the action early and sent Ricochet out of the ring as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Ricochet got in some offense but it was short-lived. Sikoa hit the Spinning Solo Uranage for the pinfall victory.

Legado del Fantasma Debuted

Hit Row (Top Dolla, AJ Francis, B-Fab) made their way to the ring but were quickly attacked by Legado del Fantasma. They were wearing suits and lucha masks during the attack. Zelina Vega was with the group as well. Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde were under the masks.

Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi Blackheart Picked Up A Win

Raquel and Shotzi battled Xia Li and Sonya Deville tonight on SmackDown. Sonya and Xia controlled the action early but the babyfaces quickly battled back. Raquel connected with a one-armed Powerbomb on Sonya Deville for the pinfall victory.

Drew McIntyre Attacked Karrion Kross

Karrion Kross made his way to the ring with Scarlett tonight on the blue brand. Drew McIntyre attacked from behind and beat him with a strap. Security rushed to the ring but McIntyre dodged them and beat Karrion down some more. Kross responded and bashed Drew into the ring post several times. Kross and McIntyre will battle in a Strap Match tomorrow night at WWE Extreme Rules.

The New Day Pinned The Tag Champs

Sami Zayn and The Usos battled New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) and Braun Strowman tonight on SmackDown. The Bloodline controlled the match early and isolated Kofi Kingston in the ring. Sami got in some offense before Jey Uso tagged himself in. The two started arguing for a bit before Jey planted Kofi with a Suplex for a two count.

Braun got the tag and hit Jimmy Uso with some Splashes int he corner. Strowman launched Sami out of the ring and sent Jimmy to the canvas with a Chokeslam. Sami and Jey argued outside the ring as Jimmy was alone. Strowman leveled Sami and Jey with a shoulder tackle that sent them out of the ring. New Day hit Jimmy Uso a Backbreaker/Stomp combo for the pinfall victory. It was announced that Kofi Kingston will battle Sami Zayn next week.

Max Dupri Is LA Knight Once Again

Max Dupri continued to target his former group, Maximum Male Models tonight on SmackDown. He attacked Mace and Mansoor backstage until Maxxiine Dupri showed up. He told her to not call him “Max Dupri” anymore and said he’s LA Knight now. He ended the segment with his signature “yeah!” as the crowd cheered.

The White Rabbit Will Appear At Extreme Rules

WWE dropped multiple White Rabbit clues during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. A QR code appeared during Triple H’s promo to begin the show and you can check that out here. The video below also appeared during tonight’s show and revealed the date of Extreme Rules tomorrow night.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingNewsCo/status/1578549826584645632?s=20&t=bcUGkVFvWUjnomfberIAbA

Gunther Retained The Intercontinental Championship Due To Outside Interference

Gunther defended the Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus tonight in the main event of SmackDown. It was a rematch from their instant classic at Clash at the Castle. Sheamus told Butch and Ridge Holland to stay backstage for the match and went into the ring alone. Gunther told Imperium to head backstage as well before the match.

Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) will battle The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch, Ridge Holland) in a 6-man tag team match tomorrow night at WWE Extreme rules. The action spilled out of the ring early and The Celtic Warrior sent Gunther flying into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Gunther caught Sheamus with a boot in the face but the challenger responded with a Powerslam. The Ring General blocked a Suplex attempt and delivered some chops to Sheamus’ chest. Gunther shoved Sheamus into the ring post a couple of times before taking off the turnbuckle padding to expose the metal beneath. Gunther bashed Sheamus’ chest into the exposed turnbuckle and the challenger fell to the floor.

Back in the ring, Gunther and Sheamus traded strikes to the face. Gunther brought Sheamus down to the canvas with a Sleeper Hold in the middle of the ring. Sheamus escaped and the two stars traded more punches. Gunther got the better of the exchange and sent Sheamus to the canvas with a German Suplex as SmackDown went to the final commercial break of the night.

When SmackDown returned, The Ring General was in control and unloaded strikes to Sheamus’ face and chest. Sheamus responded with some big time forearm strikes to the face and drove the champion to the corner. The Celtic Warrior bashed Gunther down with a flurry of elbow strikes and beat him down some more in the corner.

Sheamus stood tall in the middle of the ring as the camera zoomed in on the welts building on his chest. The Celtic Warrior delivered 10 Beats of the Bodhrán to and then kept going as the crowd erupted. Sheamus brought Gunther up to the middle turnbuckle and hit White Noise for a two count.

The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Sheamus went for the Cloverleaf submission. Gunther escaped and hit a Dropkick to the face. Gunther planted Sheamus with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but The Celtic Warrior kicked out at two.

Gunther followed it up with a Splash off the top rope but somehow Sheamus kicked out at two. Sheamus responded with the Irish Curse Backbreaker and locked in the Cloverleaf in the middle of the ring. The champion pounded on the mat and the referee waved it off. WWE official Jessika Carr waved it off and claimed that Gunther was trying to get to the ropes.

Imperium made their way ringside but The Brawling Brutes showed up as well. The two teams brawled as the Intercontinental Championship match continued. Kaiser slid Gunther a shillelagh and The Ring General hit him with it. The crowd booed loudly as SmackDown went off the air.

Details on Jon Moxley’s 5-Year AEW Contract Extension

Robert Lentini
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AEW World Champion Jon Moxley is set to remain in with the promotion for a long time.

All Elite Wrestling has announced Moxley has signed a five-year extension. The new agreement expands his responsibilities to include mentoring and coaching talent. The champion will work exclusively for AEW and its international partners.

By 2027, Moxley will have been with AEW for 8 years, longer than his run with WWE.

The champion is set to defend the title on against #1 contender Hangman Adam Page on a special Tuesday Night Dynamite on October 18th from his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Press Release

Here’s the official press release sent in by AEW, including quotes from Tony Khan and Moxley:

All Elite Wrestling and President Tony Khan released the following statement about Moxley signing an extension:

October 7, 2022 – AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan announced that AEW World Champion Jon Moxley has signed a five-year contract extension. This ensures that one of professional wrestling’s top stars will remain in All Elite Wrestling through 2027, while expanding his responsibilities to include mentoring and coaching talent. Moving forward, Moxley will work exclusively for AEW and its international partners, including New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a two-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.

Moxley has had an incredible run in 2022, most recently recapturing the AEW World Championship at “AEW: Dynamite GRAND SLAM” against Bryan Danielson, pitting the Blackpool Combat Club’s top stars against one another for the grandest prize in professional wrestling. He defends the AEW World Championship next against Hangman Adam Page in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, on Oct. 18 on a special Tuesday edition of “AEW: Dynamite,” live on TBS at 8 p.m. ET. Moxley will kick off the action on tonight’s live episode of “AEW: Rampage,” the first night of year four of AEW on TNT at 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CT.

“Jon Moxley is on the best run of his already legendary career, and this five-year extension ensures that he was not only here for AEW’s meteoric rise, but also remains a key part of the sustained success we’re witnessing, just days after the three-year anniversary show for ‘AEW: Dynamite,’” said Tony Khan.

“Jon is a great world champion for us in his third reign. His wrestling mind is invaluable, and our roster is lucky to have the opportunity to utilize him as a mentor and a coach as we continue to build the stars of today and tomorrow.”

“I love AEW and the spirit of both the company and its fans,” said Jon Moxley. “I cherish our shared passion for the sport of professional wrestling, and I’m going to dedicate everything I have in mind, body, and spirit to helping AEW be the best it can be going forward.”

WWE Drops More White Rabbit Clues On SmackDown

Robert Lentini
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WWE had the season premiere of SmackDown tonight on Fox and one night before the Extreme Rules Premium Live Event tomorrow night.

Triple H, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, appeared at the start of the show and welcomed the crowd to the show.

Fans spotted another QR code on Triple H’s microphone and when scanned it brings you to another secret WWE website. You can see the QR code appear on the microphone in the video below.

The latest video is another cartoon pig with the narrator saying “let me in” over and over. Bray Wyatt would use the catchphrase while he was portraying The Fiend in WWE. A loud banging can be heard throughout the video as if someone is trying to bang down a door.

Another video appeared during the show and revealed tomorrow’s date. WWE Extreme Rules will air tomorrow night in Philadelphia. The words “feed your head” appeared on the screen.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingNewsCo/status/1578549826584645632?s=20&t=bcUGkVFvWUjnomfberIAbA

WWE has been playing the 1967 song “White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane during live events and random commercial breaks on RAW and SmackDown.

The initial QR code brought fans to a secret WWE website in which the question posed was “WHO KILLED THE WORLD?” and the answer was “YOU DID”. During this week’s episode of RAW, a code appeared that brought fans to a painting of Samson and Deliah. There was a number on the painting that brings fans to “White Rabbit Milk” when googled.

Alexa Bliss has also referenced the song by Jefferson Airplane in a recent promo and Monday’s QR code appeared just after she exited the screen.

You can check out our deep dive on WWE’s White Rabbit here.

Watch: Paul Heyman Reveals The Opening To WWE Extreme Rules

Robert Lentini
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0

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is having a face-to-face with Logan Paul tonight on SmackDown ahead of their title match at Crown Jewel on November 5th.

The Wiseman Paul Heyman took to Twitter just before the season premiere of WWE SmackDown went on the air and revealed the opening to tomorrow night’s Premium Live Event. Reigns is not scheduled to defend the title at tomorrow night’s show in Philadelphia.

Paul Heyman took ECW to new heights in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena. The Wiseman narrated the video package and you can check it out below. A child appears at a spelling bee and Paul Heyman gave him the word “extreme” to spell.

The kid asked for a definition of the word “extreme” and Heyman said it is “an act or measure taken to excessive lengths beyond the ordinary or average.” The child then asked for the word in a sentence and Heyman said the following:

“The unbridled passion, the fearlessness to just go into something with a reckless abandon that allows you to create something from nothing. That allows you to innovate, that allows you take things to the Extreme.”

He was then asked the place of origin for Extreme and The Wiseman said “Philadelphia”. Paul appeared on the screen at the end of the video to congratulate the child for spelling the word correctly.

“Congratulations kid and welcome everyone to Extreme Rules!”

WWE Extreme Rules Predictions

Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Triple H & Former Champions Hype Big Title Match Tonight On WWE SmackDown

Robert Lentini
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Gunther will defend the Intercontinental Championship tonight against Sheamus in a rematch from their epic encounter at WWE Clash at the Castle.

The Celtic Warrior came up short in the match at the Premium Live Event earlier this month, but the crowd in Audience still gave him a standing ovation. It was a match that received rave reviews from fans and critics, and the rematch is going down tonight on the season premier of WWE SmackDown.

Former Intercontinental Champions and WWE legends have taken to Twitter to hype tonight’s match. The legendary Bret Hart recently posed that he was in the crowd for their bout at Clash at the Castle and is excited to see the rematch tonight.

Had the pleasure of watching @WWESheamus and@Gunther_AUT’s Intercontinental Championship match from ringside in Cardiff. Can’t wait for the rematch tonight on #SmackDown.

Shawn Michaels promoted the match tonight as well. He noted that the title meant so much to him during his career and is pumped to see Sheamus & Gunther lay it all on the line tonight.

Sheamus responded to both Bret and Shawn ahead of tonight’s match.

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H took to Twitter to hype up tonight’s massive title match.

Two of the hardest hitters in this business battling for one of WWE’s most storied championships. I know@Gunther_AUT and @WWESheamus are ready to tear the house down tonight on #SmackDown. #ICTitle

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle also posted on Twitter that the IC Title really helped jumpstart his career. Angel announced that he will be tuning into the title match tonight.

Sheamus has won a world championship four times, the United States and tag titles three times, the Money in the Bank, the Royal Rumble, and the King of the Ring. The Celtic Warrior has never captured the Intercontinental Championship in his incredible career and time will tell if that changes tonight.

3 Reasons Sheamus Should Win The Intercontinental Championship

The Rock Says Running for US President is ‘Off The Table’

Andrew Ravens
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not going to run for President of the United States.

In a preview of their upcoming interview with the former WWE star, CBS released a clip where Johnson states his plans to run for the presidency are “off the table.”

Johnson cited his desire to be present for his second daughter than he was for his first daughter Simone, who is currently training at the WWE Performance Center. 

Johnson entertained the idea of Johnson running for President in the past to the extent that it was the basis of his NBC series “Young Rock,” where Johnson is running in the 2032 election.

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The Rock’s Reasoning

“Yes, it is off the table,” he said. I will say this because it requires the B side to this. I love our country and everyone in it. I also love being a daddy, and that’s the most important thing to me is being a daddy number one, especially during this time, this critical time in my daughter’s lives. Because I know what it was like to be on the road and be so busy that I was absent for a lot of years in my first daughter’s growing up in this critical age at this critical time in her life, anyway. That’s what the presidency will do. My number one priority is my daughters. Sure, CEO sounds great, but the #1 thing I want to be is daddy. That’s it.”

You can watch The Rock’s comments about not running for office here:

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

Top WWE Star is Getting Close to Returning to The Ring

Andrew Ravens
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Former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch appears to be returning very soon.

Lynch has been out of action since her defeat to Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at SummerSlam in July, as she suffered a separated shoulder during the match. Despite the pain, she pushed through it and was able to finish the match. 

The Man Comes Around

becky lynch sling

After the match, Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Io Shirai made their returns. Alexa Bliss and Asuka have taken Bianca Belair’s side in the feud with Damage Control amidst Lynch’s absence.

It may not be too long until “The Man” returns to WWE TV, as she was seen backstage at this past Monday’s Raw in  St. Paul, Minnesota. 

When Lynch suffered her injury, the word making the rounds as she was set to be out for “several months.” PWInsider added, “she’s coming closer and closer to returning to action.”

Earlier this week, Lynch showed off her new look as she is sporting long hair again thanks to extensions. She will be back as a babyface after Triple H turned from being a heel following her SummerSlam match. When she does return, she has a feud waiting for her against Bayley’s Damage CTRL stable.

Potential Spoiler on WWE’s Plans for Debuting Faction

Andrew Ravens
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Legado del Fantasma is headed to the main roster, but the group will see a change made to it by WWE officials. 

It’s been reported by multiple outlets that Legado del Fantasma are slated to make their main roster debut soon and be at tonight’s episode of SmackDown. 

Pwinsider.com reports the company’s initial plans to include Elektra Lopez with the group when they go to SmackDown have been dropped. She was originally slated to be at the show tonight, but over the last 24 hours, creative changed.

This is despite her exit from NXT television being with the group. Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, and Raul Mendoza have been spotted in Worcester, MA, the site of SmackDown with the belief that they will debut as soon as tonight.

Legado del Fantasma Getting a New Member? 

Legado Del Fantasma

As previously reported, Zelina Vega is slated for tonight’s show to make her return and is sporting a new blonde look.

To make things even more interesting, Fightful Select reports there was a heavy pitch and push to put Vega with the Legado Del Fantasma faction, possibly in place of Lopez. 

This hasn’t been confirmed, and no plans have been locked in, but there was a notable pitch for it to happen.

Matt Riddle: Personal Insults from Seth Rollins have been “Therapeutic”

Thomas Lowson
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Matt Riddle has no problem with Seth Rollins airing some of the Original Bro’s ‘dirty laundry’ to millions of WWE fans each week.

Rollins and Riddle have been feuding for months, with Seth making reference to Riddle’s recent divorce.

Riddle’s now ex-wife Lisa divorced the WWE Superstar in March 2022, when Matt admitted to having a consensual affair with wrestler Candy Cartwright, who accused Riddle of sexual assault.

Therapy

It was during the August 29, 2022 Raw, that Rollins brought up Riddle’s divorce, saying that Lisa “took your kids and they don’t want to see your b*tch a** anymore.”

Speaking on the latest After the Bell, Riddle explained why referencing his real-life situation has been a blessing in disguise.

“I think he [Rollins] realizes what I bring to the table. What I’m willing to do to get reactions from the crowd. You know, when we go personal, we talk about things we probably shouldn’t be talking about. But I’m like, bro, I don’t care. I do pay child support. Things are rough for me. And for me, I honestly see this as more of a therapeutic thing because anybody who knows me knows what I’m going through.

“I do pay child support. Things are rough for me… I honestly see this as more of a therapeutic thing.”

Matt Riddle on personal feud with Seth Rollins.

“[People] are like ‘I can’t believe. If he would have said that to me. If I was going through that.’ Everybody who’s been in that spot, in that moment, can relate.”

Making it Real

Riddle’s willingness to bring up real-life situations has made his feud with Rollins a highlight of Raw in this post-Vince McMahon era.

Speaking about his feud with Rollins, Riddle said that making things seem real is incredibly important to him.

“I want people to relate. Everybody can relate to being the smaller brother or friend who just wants to be cool and have the other brother like him. That’s me and Randy. With Seth, it’s just two guys who don’t like each other and Seth has talked some crap that he shouldn’t have been talking.

“For me, the more real it is, the easier it is and the better it is. And that’s what makes me working with Seth so good. Because he’s the same way. He likes to go all in.

Riddle and Rollins will face at tomorrow night in the Fight Pit match at Extreme Rules 2022, with special guest referee Daniel Cormier.

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