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Interesting Note on this Year’s Money in the Bank Stipulation

Thomas Lowson
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WWE has released a promo video for this year’s Money in the Bank premium live event that sheds some light on how the next “cash-ins” may be handled.

Since the first Money in the Bank ladder match in 2005, the winner has been guaranteed a championship match against a champion of their choosing at any point up to a year.

During WrestleMania Backlash, a commercial aired for Money in the Bank 2022, which takes place July 2nd.

As seen below, Cody Rhodes says the winners of the Men’s and Women’s ladder matches will earn the chance to headline WrestleMania.

“One lucky male and female Superstar will win the chance to main event WrestleMania.”

Cody Rhodes.

Money in the Bank winners have one year to cash in their contracts, including in the main event of WrestleMania. However, WWE has rarely (if ever) invoked “main eventing WrestleMania” when discussing Money in the Bank contracts. Typically, it’s the Royal Rumble winners that earn a shot to main event WrestleMania.

While this should not be taken as a “change” to the Money in the Bank stipulation, it’s interesting that WWE is running with Cody’s comments. This might also provide a hint about how Cody would cash in, if he secures a Money in the Bank contract this year

You can see Cody Rhodes’ comments about cashing in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQf4Nc7DeE&feature=emb_title

Money in the Bank 2022

WWE Money in the Bank takes place on July 2, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The venue hosted Summerslam 2021.

Earlier this year, Brock Lesnar was rumored for the event as he featured prominently in the promotional material for Money in the Bank but has since been removed from the image.

This is the same as what WWE did with WrestleMania Backlash, as the promotion advertised Lesnar for the show but had no plans on him appearing.

The decision to promote Lesnar for both events before WrestleMania 38 was done to stop fans from realizing that Brock would lose to Roman Reigns at the event in April.

Triple H Reacts to 20-Year Anniversary Of Batista’s WWE Debut

Jon Fuentes
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Triple H has taken to Twitter to pay homage to the 20-year anniversary of his good friend, Batista’s, WWE debut.

On May 9, 2002, Batista made his WWE TV debut on SmackDown as Deacon Batista, an enforcer for Reverend D-Von. Nobody knew at the time that Batista would go on to become one of the WWE’s biggest and most accomplished stars of all time.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVukPxOXum/

Triple H, Batista’s longtime friend and former Evolution stablemate, has taken to Twitter to offer his reaction to the 20-year anniversary of Batista’s WWE debut.

“In the 20 years since @DaveBautista was first introduced to the @WWE Universe, he has never stopped growing and evolving. A main event player, multi-time champion and Hollywood star, one thing has stayed the same: he never stopped chasing his dreams. Congratulations Dave!”

Throughout his time with WWE, Batista was able to rack up six World Title runs. He has shared the ring with some of the biggest performers in WWE history; such as John Cena, The Undertaker, Triple H, and so many more. Batista is also a four-time Tag Team Title winner and a two-time Royal Rumble winner.

Batista left WWE as a full-time performer in 2010, instead venturing off into the acting world. He certainly found some success in front of the camera, landing major roles in projects such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “The Guardians Of The Galaxy,” “Army Of The Dead,” “See,” and much more.

He also tried his hand in mixed martial arts (MMA), taking a pro MMA fight in 2012 at heavyweight. Batista actually won the fight via first round knockout under the CES MMA banner. It was “The Animal’s” first and only MMA fight to this day.

Batista has since returned to WWE a handful of times for short programs, including his latest against Triple H in 2019. Putting his career on the line against Triple H at WrestleMania 35, Batista was defeated and later announced his retirement from professional wrestling.

MLW Kings of Colosseum ’22 Preview for This Friday

Michael Reichlin
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Major League Wrestling returns to the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA this Friday for Kings of Colosseum ’22.

This will be an MLW Fusion TV taping. If you’re in the Philadelphia area, limited tickets are still available at MLW2300.com and at the 2300 Arena box office.

The following matches are signed for the event:

  • World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone vs. Richard Holliday (with Alicia Atout)
  • Weapons of Mass Destruction Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Mads Krugger
  • Inaugural Women’s World Featherweight Championship: Taya Valkyrie vs. Holidead
  • nZo vs. Lince Dorado
  • The debut of the Samoan Swat Team vs. Los Aztecas
  • World Tag Team Championship 3-Way: Hustle & Power vs. Von Erichs vs. 5150
  • National Openweight Champion Alex Kane vs. a mystery victim/opponent
  • Matt Cross vs. ACH
  • World Middleweight Champion Myron Reed vs. Arez vs. KC Navarro
  • Brittany Blake vs. Zoey Skye
  • Microman vs. Mini Abismo Negro

Plus, appearances from Davey Richards, Cesar Duran, Gangrel, The Sandman, Blue Meanie and Savio Vega.

Samoa Joe Almost Missed Supercard of Honor

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Samoa Joe made a surprise appearance to close the ROH Supercard of Honor show but it almost didn’t happen.

On April 1, ROH held its first show under a new regime. Supercard of Honor took place inside the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. In the main event, Jonathan Gresham became the undisputed ROH World Champion, defeating Bandido.

After the match, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt attacked Gresham. Lee Moriarty attempted to make the save but the numbers game was too much.

Luckily for them, Samoa Joe made his surprise return. He sent Lethal cowering out of the ring and choked Dutt.

Samoa Joe Barely Made It

During an appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Joe recalled nearly being unable to make it to Supercard of Honor (h/t Wrestling Inc).

“Oh, absolutely, I know there was weather permitting jets to get to Tampa on time. And a lot of mechanical issues on flights that went out.

“So, I had to end up driving to Cross City, Florida, a small little rural town in the middle of Florida to catch a private jet to get up to the show.

“The best part was, as I arrived to the airport and I walked into this little office, this little man sitting behind the counter looked at me.

“I said, ‘hey man, I am here, I’ve got a jet coming in to pick me up,’ he said, ‘what time?’ I said, ‘I think seven o’clock,’ he said, ‘well, we close a six, man, I’ll see what I can do.’”

Joe has already made waves under Tony Khan’s ROH. He captured the ROH World Television Championship from Minoru Suzuki on the April 13 episode of AEW Dynamite.

He is currently involved in a feud with Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and their new muscle Satnam Singh.

Roman Reigns Inks New Deal With WWE (Report)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Roman Reigns seems to have scored a new contract with WWE.

Fans grew concerned this past weekend after footage of Reigns addressing the live crowd in Trenton, NJ surfaced.

Many believed the “Tribal Chief” was teasing retirement as he said he doesn’t know if he’ll be back in Trenton since he’s entering a new phase in his career.

As it turns out, Reigns was actually referring to taking fewer dates going forward. Fightful was the first to report. Apparently, the changes have come courtesy of a new deal.

  • Roman Reigns Contract 1

Roman Reigns Signs New WWE Contract

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio is reporting that Roman Reigns has put pen to paper for a new deal with Vince McMahon’s empire.

It’s been said that the deal is for “far less dates,” so don’t expect the “Head of the Table” to be making the house show runs as frequently as he used to.

Such a deal makes sense for Roman. The “Tribal Chief” will turn 37 on May 25, he’s a father, and is incredibly valuable to WWE.

Very few get to call their shots in WWE and Roman is one of those few.

Keeping The Top Dog

It’s no secret that Reigns is the biggest star WWE has at the moment. The company was wise to keep him happy as his absence would leave a huge hole in WWE’s main event scene.

WWE is trying to build talent such as Theory and Bron Breakker but neither are close to taking a top spot in WWE. Especially Breakker, who is still very inexperienced and is learning under the NXT banner.

Rush Teases In-Ring Return, Wants to Wrestle AEW’s Top Stars

Tyriece Simon
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Former Ring of Honor World Champion Rush is ready to return to in-ring competition and is looking to compete in All Elite Wrestling.

After suffering a knee injury at Glory By Honor on Aug. 21, 2021, Rush has shared that he recovered. However, Rush isn’t signed to ROH. Before the sale to AEW President Tony Khan, ROH had released all talent from their contracts.

Now a free agent, Rush hopes to compete for AEW and wants to compete against the company’s biggest stars. In a tweet on May. 7, Rush expressed a desire to wrestle against Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk.

“For all my fans in America, after 8 months out of the ring, I’m back and stronger than ever. I want Rush vs. Kenny Omega, Rush VS Daniel Bryan, and Rush VS CM Punk,” wrote Rush.

What’s Next for the Ring of Honor Brand Under AEW

Since the purchase of ROH, Khan has featured ROH title matches and had former talent in AEW. On the May. 4 episode of AEW Dynamite, the main event had Mercedes Martinez vs. Deonna Purrazzo for the Undisputed ROH Women’s World Championship. However, it doesn’t seem like a weekly ROH show isn’t happening soon.

Free agents like Rush want to return to ROH or sign with AEW, but it’s unclear if Khan will sign former ROH talent. Wrestling fans are also speculating if ROH will turn into a developmental system like NXT is to WWE. The AEW President shared after the purchase that he’s still unsure about the immediate future of ROH.

Rush
(via ROH)

Could Another Wrestling Company Sign Rush?

While Rush is interested in AEW, it’s possible that another wrestling company could sign him. A wrestling fan expressed interest in other companies like Impact Wrestling or New Japan Pro Wrestling hiring Rush, which the former ROH champion retweeted. Impact Wrestling has also had former ROH talents wrestling competing for them.

MLW CEO Court Bauer has also expressed interest in Rush. In an interview with Busted Open last year, he shared that he tried to sign Rush before ROH did.

“Rush because I had him before and with my fans, I mean, I have a Spanish language show on beIN Espanol, we always go down to Mexico. We offered him a deal, Ring of Honor countered, and he went with Ring of Honor. I sold out Cicero Stadium with RUSH. I know his [drawing] power. I know the guy’s injured, but I think he’s gonna come back strong”(h/t Fernando Quiles Jr).

The free agent could have plenty of options on who he will sign with next.

Sasha Banks Threw the First Pitch at Fenway Park on Sunday

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks appeared at Fenway Park this past weekend to throw out the first pitch.

In a clip uploaded by WWE’s official Twitter account, Banks said this was her first time at Fenway Park and her first baseball game.

In a separate interview, Banks, who is a Boston native, spoke about her career starting off in the city and making it to WWE.

“To go from here to main-eventing a WrestleMania… all my dreams have come true thanks to the WWE.”

Sasha Banks.

In a tweet, Banks said that “she’s the legit boss but y’all knew that” and tagged Mariah Carey, her cousin Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.

All three of these celebrities have had memorable first-pitch experiences in the past, with Mariah Carey’s throw in Japan spending very little time in the air.

As for her cousin and 50 Cent, both of their throws went wildly off target.

Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox is one of the most iconic baseball stadiums and has been opened since April 1912.

Banks and Naomi will defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships this Friday on SmackDown against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

Cody Rhodes Not Interested in Third Match with Seth Rollins

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes has said he is not interested in facing Seth Rollins again after defeating the former multiple-time world champion at WrestleMania Backlash.

In the opening match of last night’s Premium Live Event, Rhodes defeated Rollins with a roll-up pin and a handful of tights. It was a bit of tit-for-tat on Cody’s part as Seth had attempted to use the tights for leverage first.

This is Rhodes’ second televised victory over Rollins since returning to WWE, after beating “The Architect” at WrestleMania 38.

In a post-match interview shared by WWE, Rhodes said that he is moving forward and does not plan on having another match with Rollins.

“I think we can walk away on this one. Seth is an amazing, amazing Superstar wrestler, I can’t wait to see what he does next. Whatever he does now, good luck. I’m moving forward.”

Cody Rhodes

Rhodes concluded by wishing Happy Mother’s Day to his mother, his wife, and all the mothers in the world.

What’s next for Cody Rhodes?

WWE RAW After WrestleMania Draws Best Viewership In More Than One Year - Wrestling Inc.
On the post-WrestleMania 38 Raw, Cody Rhodes said he will fulfill the promise of becoming WWE World Champion that he made to his father Dusty Rhodes.

Since coming back to WWE, Cody Rhodes has feuded primarily with Seth Rollins but has his eyes set on championship gold.

In a promo on the post-WrestleMania 38 episode of Raw, Rhodes said he plans on becoming a WWE World Champion, fulfilling a promise to his late father “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

In the post-WrestleMania Backlash interview, Rhodes again made his goals clear.

“After the match, I did the generic symbol for wanting the belt – because it’s real. That’s what I want.”

Cody Rhodes

Rhodes is expected to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at some point in the future, which is currently held by Roman Reigns.

The Bloodline Win Six-Man Tag At WWE WrestleMania Backlash

Andrew Ravens
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Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) teamed up with Drew McIntyre vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jey and Jimmy) and Roman Reigns at the WWE WrestleMania Backlash event.

The match started off slow. The Usos beat down Riddle after Reigns refused to fight McIntyre. Finally, Reigns and McIntyre mixed it up. McIntyre with the Claymore Kick to Reigns before getting the tag to Orton, who cleared house. Orton hit an RKO out of nowhere to Reigns then an RKO to Jimmy for a near fall. Riddle with a suplex then hit the floating bro for 2 on Jey. Reigns slammed McIntyre through the announce table. Riddle with an RKO off the top rope to Jey only for Reigns to pin Riddle with a spear. 

WWE made a title unification bout for the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Titles official on the April 15th edition of SmackDown only to change it on the April 29th SmackDown. 

WWE first unified the WWE and Universal Titles in a match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania where “The Tribal Chief” beat “The Beast” in the headliner of night 2. WWE reportedly has no plans to end the brand split. 

However, after Reigns and McIntyre mixed it up, WWE decided to make a change to its plans as the company wants to save Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Universal Title against McIntyre for one of the several upcoming stadium events. 

Ronda Rousey Wins SmackDown Women’s Title At WWE WrestleMania Backlash

Andrew Ravens
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Charlotte Flair is no longer the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion as she failed to retain her title against Ronda Rousey in an I Quit Match at the WrestleMania Backlash event in Providence, R.I.

Flair connected with a nasty german suplex early in the match. They had a kendo stick fight on the stage. After brawling into the crowd, Flair wrapped her around a handrail. Flair powerbombed her onto the barricade.  Rousey with the armbar while using Flair was hanging upside down from the top rope, but Flair ripped the grip away and Rousey landed hard on the ground. Flair with the Natural Selection on a chair. Rousey locked in the armbar with the chair for the win.

At WrestleMania 38, Flair retained the title, but did so in controversial fashion. Charlotte tapped out to Rousey’s armbar when the referee was down. When Rousey woke up the referee, Flair connected with a big boot to retain the SmackDown Women’s Title.

The following episode of SmackDown, Rousey challenged Charlotte to the “I Quit” match at WrestleMania Backlash and while Flair declined to give in at first, Adam Pearce said later in the show that a decision on the match would be made, which it was officially booked. 

Rousey earned the right to become Charlotte’s WrestleMania challenger after winning this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, which also marked her return to WWE after having not appeared for the company since WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Rhea Ripley Joins Edge & Damian Priest In Judgment Day Group

Andrew Ravens
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Rhea Ripley has been revealed as the latest star to join the Judgment Day Group led by Edge and also includes Damian Priest. 

At WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday night, Edge was battling AJ Styles in a WrestleMania 38 rematch which stipulated that Priest was banned from ringside to prevent outside interference based on Priest helping Edge win in their first encounter. 

The finish saw a hooded person distract Styles and Edge connected with the crossface choke for the win. Ripley was revealed as that person with dark hair and she joined Edge in laughing after the match. 

Shortly after WrestleMania, it was reported former WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa and the former Raw Women’s Champion had been pitched to join Edge’s new stable.

As of late, Ripley had been in a team with Liv Morgan where at WrestleMania 38, they took part in a fatal 4-way bout where Naomi & Banks walked away with the Women’s Tag Team Titles after outlasting Ripley & Morgan, Shayna Baszler & Natalya, and Carmella & Zelina Vega. 

Three weeks ago on Raw after losing to the newly crowned champions, Ripley turned on Morgan as she felt like she was the weak link in the team.

WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022 Results: The Bloodline, New Champion, Rhodes vs. Rollins II

Robert Lentini
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WWE WrestleMania Backlash aired live from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence and features four WrestleMania rematches. The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & The Usos) battled Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro in the main event. Charlotte Flair defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda Rousey tonight in an I Quit match.

WrestleMania Backlash Results

  • Cody Rhodes def. Seth Rollins
  • Omos def. Lashley
  • Edge def. AJ Styles
  • Ronda Rousey def. Charlotte Flair in an I Quit match to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion
  • Madcap Moss def. Happy Corbin
  • The Bloodline def. RK-Bro & Drew McIntyre

Here are the takeaways from WWE WrestleMania Backlash:

Cody Rhodes def. Seth Rollins

Cody Rhodes battled Seth Rollins in the first match of the night. Cody made his WWE return at WrestleMania last month and defeated Rollins. The action started out in a test of strength and Rhodes drove Rollins to the corner. Seth caught Cody with a boot to the midsection and rolled him up for a two count.

Rhodes chased Rollins out of the ring and Seth hit a Clothesline that turned Cody inside out. Back in the ring, Seth went for the cover but Rhodes kicked out at two. Cody connected with the Disaster Kick and went for the cover but Seth kicked out. Cody went for another springboard move but Rollins shoved him over the top rope and to the floor.

Seth followed Cody to the outside and launched him into the barricade surrounding the ring. Rollins bounced Cody’s head off the announce table and rolled the American Nightmare back into the squared circle. Rollins beat Cody down in the corner but Rhodes battled back.

Cody and Seth battled on the top turnbuckle. Rhodes held Seth up for a bit before planting him with a massive Superplex as the crowd cheered. Cody connected with a Powerslam and sent Seth to the outside via a Clothesline. Cody went for a Crossbody but Rollins got out of the way.

Rollins went for a Suicide Dive but Cody caught him with a forearm to the face. Rhodes followed it up with a springboard Cutter and went for the cover but Seth somehow kicked out at two. Rollins pulled himself up on the ropes and hit Cody with an elbow to the face.

Seth went for the Pedigree but Rhodes broke free. Rollins quickly caught him with an Enziguri and a boot to the side of the head for a near fall. Cody then went for the Pedigree but Rollins blocked it and hit the Falcon Arrow for a close two count. Rhodes went for a Disaster Kick but Seth countered into a Buckle Bomb. Rollins followed it up with a Frog Splash for another close two count.

Cody leveled Rollins with a Superkick and fired up the crowd. Cody escaped a Suplex and planted Seth with the Cross Rhodes for a two count. Rhodes went for a Moonsault but Rollins got out of way. Seth planted Cody with the Pedigree but the American Nightmare once again kicked out at two and the bout continued.

Rhodes hit another Cross Rhodes and set up for one more but Rollins countered with a knee to the face. Rollins and traded roll-ups. Cody grabbed Seth’s tights for leverage but the referee didn’t catch it.

Omos def. Lashley After MVP Interfered

MVP distracted Lashley early and Omos capitalized with a big boot to the face. Omos dominated some more and followed it up with another big boot. Omos taunted Lashley as MVP danced around the outside of the ring. Lashley battled back and went for a Sleeper Hold.

Omos escaped and continued to beat Lashley down. Bobby eventually battled back again and connected with a Spinebuster. Lashley went for a Spear but Omos was ready and sent him into the ring post. MVP then bashed Lashley with his cane and Omos hit the Chokebomb for the pinfall victory.

Rhea Ripley Joined Judgement Day

AJ Styles connected with a Dropkick to start off the match. Edge rolled out of the ring and Styles hit him with another Dropkick through the ropes. Styles hit a springboard Moonsault on Edge outside the ring. Back in the ring, Edge went after AJ’s injured shoulder and slammed it into the ring post.

Edge then catapulted Styles into the ring post. Back in the ring, Edge continued to control the action but AJ finally responded with a Pele Kick. Both superstars went for a running Crossbody and collided in the ring. Styles perched Edge up on the top turnbuckle and sent him down to the mat with a Hurricanrana for a near fall.

Styles hit a Neckbreaker over his knee and went for the cover but Edge kicked out at two. AJ got Edge in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring but Edge was able to get to the ropes to break the hold. Edge connected with a Spear and went for a cover but Styles kicked out at two. AJ battled back and hit the Styles Clash for a two count.

Damian Priest showed up on the entrance ramp but Finn Balor attacked him. A masked person tripped AJ Styles up on the top rope and Edge capitalized with a Crossface for the submission victory. After the match, it was revealed that Rhea Ripley has joined Judgement Day.

Ronda Rousey Captured The SmackDown Women’s Title

Charlotte Flair defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda Rousey in an I Quit match. Charlotte sent Rousey to the mat with a German Suplex and brushed off her shoulder like it was nothing. Charlotte brought Rousey to the outside and hit her with some chops against the barricade.

Flair leveled Rousey with a boot to the face before getting a kendo stick from under the ring. Rousey ripped it away and chased Charlotte up the entrance ramp. Rousey ripped the kendo stick in half and beat Charlotte down with the two pieces. Charlotte tried to hit Rousey with a video camera but Ronda ducked. The action then spilled into the crowd and Flair launched a drink into Rousey’s face.

Charlotte slammed Ronda into a barricade but Rousey wouldn’t quit. Ronda grabbed a steel chair and chased Charlotte through the crowd and back to the ringside area. Charlotte raked at Ronda’s eyes and launched her into the ring post. Ronda trapped Flair in the ropes and applied an Armbar. Charlotte wouldn’t quit and the two eventually tumbled out of the ring.

Back in the ring, Charlotte connected with Natural Selection on the steel chair but Rousey still wouldn’t quit. Charlotte applied the Figure Four and bridged into the Figure Eight in the middle of the ring.

Rousey wouldn’t quit and broke free by hitting Charlotte with the chair. Charlotte responded with a big boot and Rousey fell back to the mat. Ronda then trapped Charlotte in the chair and applied an Armbar. Charlotte Flair shouted “I Quit!” and Ronda Rousey won the match. Ronda Rousey is the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Madcap Moss def. Happy Corbin

Happy Corbin faced Madcap Moss tonight at WrestleMania Backlash. Corbin sent Moss to the apron and booted him in the face when he tried to get back into the ring. Corbin followed it up with a Clothesline and knocked Madcap out of the ring.

Back in the ring, Corbin connected with an uppercut for a near fall before beating Moss down in the corner. Corbin continued to dominate but Moss caught him with a big Powerslam for a close near fall. Corbin hit Deep Six and went for the cover but Moss powered out at two. Corbin followed it up with a Splash in the corner of the ring. Corbin went for a Clothesline but Moss ducked and rolled up Corbin for the pinfall victory.

The Bloodline def. RK-Bro & Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre and RAW Tag Team Championes RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) battled SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos & Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in tonight’s main event. Randy Orton pretended that he was going to grab Angela the sword before locking up with Jimmy Uso.

Orton slammed Uso to the mat and tagged Riddle into the match. Jimmy hit Riddle with a couple of chops to the chest before sending him into the turnbuckle. Riddle lifted Jimmy up for a Gutwrench Suplex and carried him to the corner.

McIntyre tagged in and took a look at Roman Reigns before hitting Jimmy with a couple of chops. Drew followed it up with a boot to the midsection and then a Suplex. Jimmy rolled to the corner to regroup as McIntyre pointed at Roman Reigns.

Roman extended his hand and Jimmy tagged him in. Paul Heyman pleaded with Roman Reigns to not get into the ring but the Tribal Chief ignored the Wise Man’s suggestion. Reigns then promptly tagged Jey Uso in and the crowd booed.

Drew hit Jey with a big boot and then sent him across the ring with an overhead throw. Riddle tagged in and stomped on Jey’s hand before hitting another Suplex. Jimmy Uso tagged in and booted Riddle in the back. Jey got in a cheap shot before exiting the ring.

Jey hit Riddle with another cheap shot and McIntyre got into the ring to complain. Jey tagged in and connected with a Body Slam in the middle of the ring. Uso stomped on Riddle’s hand again and shoved him to the corner. Jey choked Riddle against the ropes and Orton started arguing with the referee.

Jimmy tagged himself in as Jey connected with a Backbreaker. Jimmy followed it up with an Elbow Drop off the top and went for the cover but Riddle kicked out at two. Roman Reigns tagged in with the match in control and planted Riddle with a Uranage for a two count. Jimmy tagged in and went for a Splash but wound up launching himself into the ring post.

Jey tagged in and sent Riddle into the ring post before hitting Orton with a Superkick to the face. Jey posed for the crowd and turned around into a kick from Riddle as McIntyre pleaded for a tag. Roman then tagged himself in as Drew got the tag. Reigns stood on the ring apron for a bit before getting into the ring with McIntyre.

The two superstars started trading words in the middle of the ring and then some punches. Reigns sent McIntyre to the corner but he bounced off the turnbuckle and leveled Roman with a Clothesline. Drew set up for the Claymore but Jey hopped on the apron.

Roman Reigns capitalized on the distraction and hit McIntyre with a Superman Punch. Reigns bashed McIntyre off the barricade before rolling him back into the ring. Roman connected with a big Clothesline and posed for the crowd. Reigns didn’t like the crowd’s reaction and asked Heyman to give him both titles. Roman held both belts up for a bit before knocking Riddle off the ring apron.

Reigns got distracted with Orton and Drew McIntyre caught him a Claymore. Orton tagged in and planted Jimmy with a Powerslam. Jey got in the ring and Orton sent him to the mat courtesy of a Powerslam. Jimmy got trapped in the ropes and Orton hit the draping DDT before gearing up in the middle of the ring. Roman Reigns went for a Spear but Randy countered into an RKO out of nowhere. Orton hit Jimmy with an RKO and went for the cover but Jey broke it up at two.

McIntyre got back into the ring and went for a Claymore but Jey countered with a Superkick. The Usos delivered a double Superkick to McIntyre’s face and knocked him out of the ring. Riddle tagged in and booted Jey in the face. Riddle followed it up with the Fisherman’s Buster and the Floating Bro for a near fall. The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Riddle geared up for an RKO.

Jey escaped and planted Riddle with a Neckbreaker. Randy sent Jimmy out of the ring and followed him out there. Roman Reigns hit a Superman Punch off the steps but then got sent into the steps by Drew McIntyre. Drew started clearing off the announce table but it backfired.

Reigns sent McIntyre through the table, but Riddle then flipped onto him. Jey hit Riddle with a Suicide Dive and brought him back into the ring. Jey connected with a Superkick and both superstars fell down. Uso climbed to the top turnbuckle but Riddle caught him with an RKO off the top rope. Roman Reigns tagged himself in during the move and hit Riddle with a Spear for the pinfall victory.

WWE WrestleMania Backlash Match Order Revealed

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

Cody Rhodes competing against Seth Rollins is the planned opener while Drew McIntyre and RK-Bro vs. The Usos and Roman Reigns is expected to headline. 

Rhodes vs. Rollins and the main event are currently scheduled to have the most time on the show. There are no plans to add a stipulation to the six-man tag team bout despite the fact that WWE was originally planning a unification match between the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Champions 

Omos facing Bobby Lashley, and Madcap Moss against Happy Corbin are set to be quick bouts. 

WWE WrestleMania Backlash Match Order

  • Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes is expected to be the opening match 
  • Bobby Lashley vs. Omos. MVP is set to accompany Omos
  • AJ Styles vs. Edge
  • Smackdown Women’s Title I-Quit Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair 
  • Madcap Moss vs. Happy Corbin
  • RKBro & Drew McIntyre vs. The Bloodline is expected to be the main event.

As a reminder, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight.

Charlotte Already Making Excuses Ahead of WrestleMania Backlash

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Just ahead of the WrestleMania Backlash event, Charlotte is already prepared to accuse Ronda Rousey of cheating.

Charlotte will be defending her WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Rousey tonight (May 8). The action will be held inside the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

  • Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey
    (via WWE)

Charlotte Ready To Take An L?

Appearing on WWE’s The Bump, “The Queen” let it be known that if she can’t successfully retain her gold tonight then it must be due to something nefarious on “Rowdy’s” part (h/t Fightful).

“I have nothing left to prove. I already beat Ronda on the grandest stage. I was the first female to beat her in a singles competition. If she wins or if she has me say I quit, it’s because she cheated.

“I don’t know, it’s hard [to rank my different accomplishments.] They’re also different. I mean, beating Asuka’s streak at WrestleMania 34 was a huge accomplishment. Main eventing WrestleMania 35. But I think beating Ronda just cemented that I’m the top woman here. So every accomplishment has a different feel to it. It was a big one.”

Rousey was indeed pinned by the SmackDown Women’s Champion at WrestleMania 38.

“The Queen” had tapped out to an armbar but the referee never saw it. She hit Rousey with a big boot as she was trying to wake the referee up for the three-count.

Keep it locked on the SEScoops homepage for coverage of WrestleMania Backlash.

Mia Yim Makes Return To Impact Wrestling At Under Siege 2022

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE Superstar Mia Yim made her return to Impact Wrestling at last night’s Under Siege 2022 event.

After Taya Valkyrie retained her AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Deonna Purrazzo, an irate Purrazzo blindsided Valkyrie with a post-match attack but was stopped by the returning Yim.

Yim attempted a package piledriver on Purrazzo, who escaped before taking the move.

After the event, Fightful reported that Yim’s appearance wasn’t a one-off but that she has signed a new deal with the promotion.

Last night marked Yim’s first televised appearance at a wrestling event since her release from WWE in November 2021.

Her last match in WWE was a four-minute loss to Nikki Cross during a December 2020 taping of WWE Main Event nearly a year before her release.

In February 2022, Yim married Keith Lee, who was also released from WWE last November.

She made her return to wrestling at the WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on March 31, where she defeated fellow WWE alum Athena (Ember Moon.)

Mia Yim In Impact

Yim wrestled for Impact Wrestling as Jade from 2015 to 2017 and signed with WWE in 2018.

Debuting as part of ‘The Dollhouse,’ a heel faction led by Taryn Tarrell, the group would split in March 2016 and Yim would win the Impact Knockouts Championship the following month.

Her last match in Impact was on the January 12, 2017 Xplosion tapings, losing a Last Woman Standing match to Rosemary.

No, Roman Reigns Isn’t Retiring Anytime Soon

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Roman Reigns seemingly hinted at retirement during a recent live event but it turns out he is referring to something else.

The “Tribal Chief” performed during a house show in Trenton, New Jersey on May 7. Reigns successfully defended his WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre. After the match, Roman grabbed a mic and had the following to say:

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever be back here again.”

Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns’ “New Phase”

Roman Reigns also discussed changing his schedule to enter a new phase of his career. This led many to believe that WWE’s top star could be making his exit from the wrestling business soon.

As it turns out, that isn’t the case.

  • Roman Reigns feature
    Photo: WWE.com

What Roman Really Meant

Fightful is reporting that Roman is strongly factored into creative plans for the foreseeable future. People within the company don’t believe he will be leaving anytime soon.

With that said, Roman’s words did hold some weight. As it turns out, Reigns will likely be reducing his live event schedule. This means he’ll be dialing back on his house show appearances.

No Clear Next Man Up

Reigns has finally settled in as the top draw in WWE. For years, Vince McMahon has been looking for that one difference-maker to fill the shoes of John Cena. WWE now has that in Reigns.

If Reigns were to leave tomorrow, there’s no clear answer on who would replace him. Reports have indicated that Vince sees potential in Theory to be the next big thing but he isn’t nearly ready for that role.

Luckily for WWE officials, it looks like Roman Reigns is staying put for now.

Kurt Angle Hopes to Manage Stable of Olympians in WWE

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has said he hopes to manage a team of Olympians one day should he one day return to the company.

Angle joined the WWF in 1998 and debuted on TV in late 1999, becoming the first Olympic Gold Medalist to join Vince McMahon’s promotion.

Speaking on his podcast ‘The Kurt Angle Show,’ the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion discussed his idea after saying he missed out on managing American Alpha.

“I’d like to manage the olympians… When Gable Steveson starts his career, he and Chad Gable, that would be the new Team Angle. I would love that.”

Kurt Angle.

Gable competed at the London 2012 Summer Games in the 84kg category but didn’t win a medal.

Steveson captured gold for Team U.S.A at last year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, competing in the 125kg weight class.

He signed with WWE in September 2021, becoming the second Olympic Gold Medalist (behind Angle) to do so.

In addition to Gable and Steveson, Ronda Rousey is also a former Olympian having won Bronze in the Women’s Judo (70kg) at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

The Original Team Angle

Charlie Haas says Russ Haas was supposed to be a part of Team Angle
Benjamin, Angle, and Haas as ‘Team Angle’ in 2003.

Kurt Angle is no stranger to managing young Superstars, as he managed Team Angle in 2003.

Comprising of Angle, Charlie Haas, and Shelton Benjamin, the group came together as part of Kurt’s feud with Brock Lesnar, though they failed to prevent Lesnar from winning the WWE Championship from Angle at WrestleMania 19.

After Kurt took time off to recover from an injury, the team would split upon his return with Haas and Benjamin being redubbed ‘The World’s Greatest Tag Team.’

Cesaro Teases the Return of Claudio Castagnoli

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE Superstar Cesaro has teased the return of Claudio Castagnoli, the name he used prior to signing for Vince McMahon.

The Swiss wrestler left WWE in February 2022 after his contract expired and both sides failed to come to terms.

On Twitter, Cesaro shared an image of him with the caption

“Ya’ll know me, still same O.G.”

Cesaro.

Cesaro has also added the Claudio Castagnoli name to his Twitter bio.

Cesaro’s Departure From WWE

Despite being consistently over with fans who hoped to see Cesaro as either WWE or Universal Champion, the Swiss wrestler left the company without winning either title.

After his departure, it was reported that the WWE roster had been disappointed and dismayed over his leaving, as he was one of the most universally liked people in the company.

WWE did offer Cesaro a new contract, but the former United States Champion turned it down.

Cesaro had reportedly been telling those close to him back in October 2021 that he was not planning on being with WWE much longer, saying he was frustrated with the way he had been booked in recent years.

Last month, AEW’s Mark Henry teased Cesaro joining, saying that “there will be a Cesaro sighting” in AEW.

Jake Roberts Says Vince McMahon Banning Marijuana Led to Wrestlers Using Hard Drugs

Joey Galizia
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WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts spoke in-depth about his past substance abuse issues on the latest edition of his DDP Snakepit podcast.

The Master of the DDT began by discussing his love of marijuana, and how it never got him or any of the boys in trouble. He further elaborates by saying that anytime he got a drop of alcohol, which he considers a gateway drug, bad things would follow.

“I don’t think marijuana is a gateway drug. I think alcohol is. I never got in a fight when I was smoking pot. I never got in trouble when I was smoking pot. I never wanted to do cocaine when I was smoking pot. But you give me a few Jack Daniels, brother, I want to fight and I want some s**t to go down.”

Roberts reveals that he had a regular marijuana routine that would help him relax after wrestling. However, that routine would be compromised as Vince McMahon would at one point ban marijuana for all the WWE talent at the time, a move that led to harder drugs entering the picture.

“My routine, in the beginning, was beer, a little pot, a little sleeping pill. And then Vince came along and cut the pot out. Man, when he cut that pot out, that was tough, because we didn’t have a go-to thing to relax us now. We had to double up on the beer. Then a lot of us started taking different pills and that leads to problems.”

Ending his rant…Roberts believes that banning marijuana was one of the worst things McMahon could have done because it led to many wrestlers not taking as good of care of themselves.

“For Vince, the worst thing he could’ve done was take marijuana away from us. Because that was everybody’s go-to thing, to relax.”

Roberts wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Bret Hart has gone on record in the past stating that marijuana was very beneficial to wrestlers during the grind of the 90s, even going as far as to say that many more would be alive if the substance wasn’t frowned upon.

You can check out the full DDP Snakepit episode here.

(Quotes via Wrestling Inc.)

Cody Rhodes Meets Uncanny Dusty Rhodes Impersonator (Video)

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When Cody Rhodes entered a WWE live event in Trenton, New Jersey, he probably didn’t expect to see one heck of a Dusty Rhodes impersonator.

Cody has made it clear that he wants to honor his late father by becoming the WWE Champion. It’s a title that Dusty never won. “The American Nightmare’s” first stop on the road to the title has been Seth Rollins.

Clone Of A Plumber

At the house show in Trenton, Cody defeated Rollins. The two will mix it up at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8. Cody already scored a pinfall over Seth on PPV, marking a successful return at WrestleMania 38.

After his match with Seth in Trenton, Cody Rhodes got on the mic and he put a Dusty Rhodes impersonator on the spot. The fan certainly looked the part but did he have the vocal chops?

The answer might surprise you (courtesy of Angel Rivera):

Trish Stratus On A Potential GM Position In WWE: “I Would Gladly Accept That Role”

Joey Galizia
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WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus discusses what she would do with a potential WWE return.

During a Q&A session with on ‘For the Love of Wrestling‘ the former multi-time women’s world champion speculated on what different roles she could play for the company at this point in her career, which included a question on whether she would ever want to be an on-screen authority figure. Her response:

“Do I want to be GM? I would gladly accept that role. I always think — like I said, to go back, it has to be something challenging, something different, something different for you guys.”

Stratus last wrestled for WWE back at the 2019 edition of SummerSlam, where she lost in her hometown of Toronto to Charlotte Flair. While teases of a return have continued to happen since that defeat, Stratus has remained relatively inactive.

Speaking further on a return Stratus recalled turning heel an aligning with Christian Cage back in the day. She adds that one final run as a heel would be sort of fun, indicating that if she did come back she would lean into her heel persona.

“I always say if I go back, the one thing I’m missing is a heel run so that would be kind of fun, you know?”

One dream match that Stratus has constantly teased is a showdown with Sasha Banks. The two briefly faced-off at the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble matchup back in 2018, but a proper singles-contest between The Boss and The Stratisfaction has yet to occur.

(Quotes by Post Wrestling)

Roman Reigns Teases Retirement At WWE Live Event

Thomas Lowson
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Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns teased retiring from the ring during a recent live event in Trenton, New Jersey.

In the final match of the show, billed as ‘Saturday Night’s Main Event, Reigns retained his championship against Drew McIntyre.

In a post-match promo to the crowd, Reigns spoke about this year marking ten years since he debuted on WWE’s main roster at Survivor Series 2012.

Reigns also spoke about competing in Trenton several times, and when speaking about a “new phase” of his career, teased his retirement.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever be back here again.”

Roman Reigns.

Reigns ended his promo by saying he hopes the fans get home safe.

Roman Reigns will team with The Usos to face RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre tonight at WrestleMania Backlash.

https://twitter.com/Taboy1232/status/1523138063924219905

Roman Reigns in Hollywood

While Reigns is the unquestionable top star in WWE it is believed by many that he will one day follow his cousin The Rock into Hollywood.

The Tribal Chief has already dabbled in acting with his biggest role to date being alongside the Brahma Bull in 2019’s Fast and Furious spinoff ‘Hobbs and Shaw.’

Reigns also lent his voice to the character ‘Ramarilla’ in the 2021 animated movie ‘Rumble.’

HOBBS & SHAW - EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING STORY OF FAST & FURIOUS | Naturally Uncanny Reviews!
Reigns appears alongside The Rock in 2019’s Fast and Furious spinoff ‘Hobbs and Shaw.’

Reigns himself said he would like to do more movies during an appearance on the Michael Kay Show last November.

Last month, Randy Orton said that he will remain a WWE Superstar while Reigns will one day be in Hollywood.

W. Morrissey Says He “Kept Drinking & Kept F***ing Up” In WWE

Thomas Lowson
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Impact Wrestling star W. Morrissey has opened up about his battles with sobriety in an interview with Renee Paquette.

Morrissey, known as Big Cass in WWE was released in June 2018 due to behavior issues, including being publicly intoxicated during a WWE tour.

Since then, the seven-foot wrestler has cited depression, anxiety, and alcohol addiction as factors behind his release.

Speaking to Paquette on ‘The Sessions,’ Morrissey spoke said he had been heavily drinking in 2017, a year before his release, and that he let himself down with his actions.

“I was really not living up to my end of the bargain. I was making a lot of mistakes.”

W. Morrissey.

Morrissey added that in 2017 his drinking was “really out of hand but easy to hide,” and that he was taking medication that he “definitely” should not have been taking with alcohol.

The Impact star said that after returning from an injury in 2018 it was well-known backstage that he had problems with drinking.

“I kept drinking and kept f***ing up… the drinking got out of hand to the point where everybody [in WWE] knew.”

W. Morrissey.

Despite his problems, Morrissey said he knew at that point that everybody knew about his drinking but he still didn’t care.

After being released in 2018, Morrissey was relieved for a “small amount of time” but said that his drinking got worse afterward.

Morrissey went to rehab in 2020 for the third and final time and has been able to keep clean since.

He joined Impact Wrestling in 2021 and made his debut for AEW this week in a losing effort to Wardlow.

Kurt Angle Reveals TNA Match He Called An Audible On Without Consulting Anyone

Joey Galizia
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Kurt Angle may be a Hall of Famer for WWE, but the Olympic Hero put on some dominant performances during his run in TNA.

Angle held a ton of TNA gold in those days, including the prestigious X-Division championship that put the promotion on the pro-wrestling map. During the latest edition of the Kurt Angle Show he revealed that he once changed the finish to an X-Division title match without telling anyone.

The match in question was his 2007 showdown with Jay Lethal at that year’s Victory Road pay-per-view. Angle, who dropped the title to Lethal on that night, says that was not the matchup’s original finish.

“The crazy thing about that match is Jay Lethal wasn’t supposed to beat me. He got some heat for that match. Now understand at this particular time they wanted me to hold all the titles. So I was TNA World Heavyweight Champion, I was IWGP Champion, I was TNA Tag Team Champion, I was X Division Champion. They wanted all the gold around me.”

The master of the ankle-lock later explains that his thought process was to give back to the young hungry talent that TNA had at the time. Unfortunately, Lethal would lose the championship shortly afterwards due to management being upset.

“I felt like, ‘You know what, I want to give back to these guys.’ I thought, ‘You know what, why not put Jay Lethal over in the X Division.’ I thought it was a great idea. Of course, we got a little heat for it and Jay Lethal didn’t hold that title very long afterward.”

Angle adds that he had pulled Lethal aside before the match started to change the finish, with both men agreeing not to tell anyone.

“Beforehand I pulled him aside and I said, ‘Let’s just not say anything. Don’t tell anyone, let’s just put you over.’ That’s what I did and I wasn’t supposed to.”

Angle’s instincts may have been right as Lethal became a prominent figure in the industry following his TNA run. He was the longest reigning ROH Television champion of all time, won the ROH world championship, and is now competing for AEW, where he’s engaged in a feud with another TNA alumni, Samoa Joe.

(Quotes via Fightful)

Adam Cole, Britt Baker To Appear On ‘Bar Rescue’

Ryan Droste
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If you’re a fan of Bar Rescue, get ready for a little wrestling flare.

Adam Cole and Britt Baker are scheduled to appear on this Sunday’s episode of the hit show. The episode, which aires on Paramount, features the couple performing surveillance on a bar that host John Taffer looks to improve.

Friday night, the real-life couple tweeted about their appearance on the show.

“Tune into @BarRescue this Sunday at 10pm et on @paramountnet!” Baker wrote, accompanied by a screenshot from the episode.

Cole followed that up, writing, “We are gonna shut it down BayBay!”

Cole And Baker Look To Win Owen Hart Cup

Owen Hart Mens Foundation Tournament

Both Cole and Baker are participating in the Owen Hart Cup tournament, which recently finished qualifying matches on AEW television. Both the men’s and women’s tournament final matches will occur at the end of this month as part of the AEW Double Or Nothing PPV event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cole is scheduled to open the tournament by facing Dax Harwood in the quarterfinals of the men’s tournament, while Baker will face a surprise “Joker” entrant in the quarterfinals of the women’s tournament. The Cole vs. Harwood match is scheduled for this week’s AEW Dynamite broadcast.

Owen Women's Tournament Brackets

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

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