Steve Fall is back with a special edition of “Getting Impact,” including a full rundown of Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion 2022 pay-per-view.
We run down the Good, the Bad, the What the Heck?! and the MVE (Most Valuable Entertainer) from Impact’s latest PPV offering.
Subscribe to the SEScoops YouTube Channel and be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you think.
Matt Hardy admits that Tony Khan made a mistake with Satnam Singh’s debut but the wrestling veteran believes that the AEW president is trying to do his best.
The AEW star talked about Singh on the latest episode of his podcast. He said that he understands why the former Basketball player debuted the way he did.
Hardy mentioned that they have a big TV deal coming in India. He said that he gets the ramifications for wanting to use the Indian star in the spot. He also admitted that turning the lights off should be saved for a known face:
“The use of turning the lights out and then turning them back on, if you do that, it builds anticipation with the fans and I feel like it has to be a known star.”
Matt Hardy gave examples of people they could have saved the spot for such as Samoa Joe. He later defended Tony Khan, saying that we all make mistakes:
“But it is what it is, we live and we learn. We all make mistakes and Tony Khan, once again, three years in, it is what it is. He is trying his hardest and his best, and I love the fact that he was very accountable for it and he owned it.”
Apart from this, Matt talked about people considering him to be Marty Jannetty of the Hardys. He claimed that he has actually made more money than Jeff because he has been more consistent.
Quotes via WrestlingInc
WWE is expected to put together a big show for their upcoming UK event from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on September 3. Tyson Fury is now teasing being a part of it and facing a former WWE champion.
The Gypsy King successfully defended the WBC and The Ring Heavyweight titles when he defeated Dillian Whyte at the Wembley Stadium this Saturday.
In the post-match press conference, Fury was asked about a potential WWE return. He mentioned how Drew McIntyre has been talking about him recently and said that he would love to knock him out:
“Don’t rule me out of fighting there, you might see me at SummerSlam. I got to speak to Vince and the boys, maybe make this happen.
I know Drew McIntyre has been saying a lot of things about me, I’d love to knock him out.” said Tyson Fury, “I’d love to be at Cardiff. I’d love to be back at center stage in the UK.”
Drew McIntyre had recently discussed three potential opponents for him at the Cardiff event. This list included the boxing star among others.
Tyson Fury wrestled a couple of matches for WWE in 2019. He first defeated Braun Strowman at the Crown Jewel event from Saudi Arabia. Fury later teamed with Strowman to defeat the B-Team a month later.
The Hardy Boyz being featured on the latest episode of AEW Dark: Elevation has started a debate. While Matt Hardy has defended their spot, a lot of people think that this is still a demotion for the wrestling veterans. It appears that Booker T shares the sentiment.
T was asked for his opinion on the matter on the latest episode of his podcast. The former WCW champion claimed that it indeed is a demotion:
“Hell yeah, it’s a demotion. I know that’s going to get picked up, but hell yeah, it’s a demotion. Damnit, I’m not working on Dark. For me, working on Dark, which is a show that is only on the internet should be for the young guys coming up.
Booker T called WWE ‘the big show’ and explained that he wouldn’t go from WWE to AEW to work on Dark. Matt has said that Tony Khan actually asked for their consent before putting them on the show. The WWE Hall Of Famer said that if Vince McMahon ever asked him to work on Velocity, he wouldn’t say no to it. However, Mr Mahon respected him enough not to do it:
“He respected me enough as far as to keep my star power at a certain position. He kept me working around the main event guys. If I wasn’t with the main event guys, I was doing something.”
What do you think about Booker T’s opinion on the matter? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Quotes via WrestlingInc
Daniel Garcia was rocking some new entrance attire in the form of a hat and it’s enough for fans to share comparisons.
Garcia was in action during the April 22 episode of AEW Rampage. He took on Eddie Kingston. Despite his efforts, Kingston emerged victorious.
Kingston teased attacking Garcia after the match but he looked into the camera and said he was saving the beatdown for Chris Jericho.
When Daniel Garcia made his way out for the match, he was rocking a new hat that looked quite familiar to some wrestling fans.
While Garcia didn’t comment on the comparisons, he did relish in the look.
Garcia is one of the members of the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. Jericho reportedly fought to have Garcia in his faction as the initial plan was to have him align with the Blackpool Combat Club. That report comes from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.
Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte is now in the history books.
Fury put the WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Titles on the line against Whyte on April 23. The championship fight was held inside Wembley Stadium in London, England.
It was clear early in the fight that Whyte had difficulty overcoming Fury’s sizable reach advantage. Whyte was in the southpaw stance in the first round, which surprised many. Whyte switched to his traditional orthodox stance in the second stanza.
The story of the fight was Whyte’s failure to effectively close the distance. He paid for it in the sixth round when he ate an uppercut that dropped him with just a few seconds left.
While Whyte got back to his feet, he stumbled bad enough for the referee to call it.
Fury is quite chummy with the folks in WWE. Going into the showdown with Whyte, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and The Undertaker sent good luck messages to the “Gypsy King.” Fury has made several WWE appearances and even had a match with Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel back in 2019.
Following his victory over Whyte, Fury said he thinks he’s done with his pro boxing career. With that said, the “Gypsy King” has made it clear in the past that fans will still be seeing a lot from him.
WWE will be making its way to Cardiff, Wales on September 3rd for a premium live event. Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has been teasing a match with Fury at some point. Perhaps that stadium show in Wales fits the bill.
Tyson Fury has received some warm messages from WWE legends ahead of his showdown with Dillian Whyte.
Fury will put his WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Titles on the line against Dillian Whyte today (April 23). The action will be held inside Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Through WWE on BT Sport, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and The Undertaker have sent Tyson Fury some good vibes going into another title defense.
Stephanie got things started, saying the buzz is giving her Summerslam 1992 chills all over again.
“Tyson, it’s Stephanie McMahon and of course, Triple H from WWE. You know, I remember the last time WWE had a big stadium event in Wembley and it was Summerslam 1992. But I’ll never forget what it felt like, the electricity. 94,000 strong there to see you in your homecoming knock the block off of Dillian Whyte.”
Triple H then used one of Fury’s favorite insults, calling Whyte a big “dosser.”
“‘Gypsy King.’ The true king of boxing returns home to Wembley. 94,000 people are gonna be there and we’ll be watching just like the rest of the world. Watching you blow the roof off of Wembley Stadium and knock that big dosser out.”
Finally, The Undertaker pulled out a Muhammad Ali quote to get the “Gypsy King” fired up.
“Hey, champ. The Undertaker here. It’s about that time again, my friend. You’re going to the big house, Wembley Stadium to put on a show. Remember, you are the ‘Gyspy King’ and it’s time to conquer another kingdom.
“Dillian Whyte, he ain’t got the skills to pay any kind of bills you’re about to bring towards him. Remember, my friend float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.
“Take care of business, Tyson. I’m still here just in case you need me to dig a hole to fill a soul. Alright my man, April 23rd take care of business and I’ll see you on the other side.”
There’s been a lot of speculation on what Tyson Fury will do after this fight. He initially said he would be retiring from pro boxing matches but he has appeared to walk those comments back.
Many have also speculated that a showdown inside the WWE ring with Drew McIntyre is a possibility. The two have teased sharing the squared circle.
Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.
Becky Lynch will return this coming Monday on Raw. WWE announced the news on SmackDown and followed up with confirmation on the company website.
This will be Big Time Becks’ first television appearance since losing the Raw Women’s Championship to Bianca Belair at WrestleMania.
During the lead-up to that match, Lynch claimed she would “sell her soul” to remain champion. What will she have to say after tasting defeat?
Based on the what we’ve seen from Lynch since WrestleMania, she hasn’t been handling the loss well. Last weekend, she released a video stating that she wasn’t ready to face the WWE Universe without “her” championship.
In addition to Becky Lynch’s return, WWE has announced the following for Monday’s WWE Raw from the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee:
Ahead of Monday’s Raw, check out this video of Randy Orton looking back on 20 years in WWE, including some of his greatest milestones and wildest moments:
AEW star Dr. Britt Baker has filed a trademark application on the phrase “D.M.D.” to be used in pro wrestling.
D.M.D. stands for Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. If you hadn’t heard, Baker is a dentist. Her office is located at Woodland Lakes Dental in Orlando, Florida.
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office database, Michael E. Dockins applied for the trademark on April 19th.
The ‘usage description’ of the trademark is for, “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”
Baker is a former AEW Women’s World Champion. She lost the title to Thunder Rosa last month in a steel cage match on Dynamite.
On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Baker qualified for the women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament by defeating Danielle Kamela. Later in the show, she stated her intention to win the tournament. The finals take place at Double or Nothing over Memorial Day weekend (late May).
In related news, Britt Baker turns 31 years old today, April 23rd.
WWE Superstar Big E will guest star on an episode of the Nickelodeon series Side Hustle next Thursday night.
In an episode titled Flex to the Future, characters Lex (Jules LeBlanc), Presley (Jayden Bartels) and Munchy (Isaiah Crews) are excited to be in Jaget’s (Jacques Chevelle) entourage for a big Hollywood movie premiere, but dueling outfits, a snake named Jake, and a race against the clock might keep our kids off the red carpet and away from their big night.
Big E wrote on Twitter that he had “so much fun” working on the show and encourages his followers to “lay their eyes” on the episode.
Side Hustle airs Thursdays at 7:30pm (ET) on Nickelodeon.
You can watch the official promo for Big E’s episode embedded below:
Big E has been branching out into various acting roles in recent years. He did voice work on 20 episodes of the show Lazor Wulf (2019-2021).
He also appeared in the WWE Netflix interactive movie, Escape The Undertaker (2021).
You can check out Big E’s IMDB page to see some of his other acting credits.
Steve Fall is back for Episode 1 of Getting Blue, recapping the April 22, 2022 edition of WWE SmackDown in a strange and unique way.
We’re looking at the Good, the Bad and the What The Heck?! moments from this week’s SmackDown.
Plus, we’ll name Getting Blue’s firsts MVE (Most Valuable Entertainer).
Check out the show below, Subscribe to the SEScoops YouTube Channel and be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you think.
WWE is headed overseas next week for the annual post-WrestleMania tour of Europe. Since talent will be out of the United States next week, WWE taped the 4/29 edition of SmackDown on Friday night from Albany, NY.
The following are spoiler results from Friday’s tapings. This will be the final edition of SmackDown before WrestleMania Backlash.
Intercontinental Champion Ricochet retained the title against Shanky. They teased a split between Shanky and Jinder Mahal after the match.
We now know who Roman Reigns will be feuding with next.
After a couple of weeks of stalling, many questioned whether or not Reigns would even be featured on the WrestleMania Backlash card. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that the “Tribal Chief” will indeed be headlining the May 8th premium live event.
At Friday’s WWE SmackDown tapings, Reigns re-started his feud with Drew McIntyre. The two had a stare-down and came to blows.
The angle was taped for next week’s SmackDown, which airs on April 29th.
The tapings were held after the April 22nd edition of SmackDown went off the air. This was done because WWE is headed overseas for the post-WrestleMania European tour beginning on April 28.
Here’s fan video of Roman Reigns & Drew McIntyre’s confrontation at Friday’s SmackDown tapings, courtesy of Twitter user @ShiningPolaris:
AEW Rampage was taped Wednesday night at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. Adam Cole faced Tomohiro Ishii in a qualifying match for the Owen Hart Tournament. Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Marina Shafir. In addition to the takeaways below, Danhausen finally was able to get HOOK’s attention tonight in a backstage segment.
Rampage Results
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Adam Cole faced Tomohiro Ishii in the first match of the night. Orange Cassidy and Rocky Romero accompanied Ishii to the ring for the match. The winner of the match qualified for the Owen Hart Tournament. Cole couldn’t get Ishii to go down after a couple shoulder tackles. Ishii hits one of his own and Cole rolled out of the ring.
Back in the ring, Cole sent Ishii to the corner and posed for the crowd. Ishii responded with a thunderous chop to the chest and Cole retreated out of the ring again. Ishii followed him out there and went for a Clothesline but Cole ducked and Tomohiro bashed his arm into the ring post.
The action returned to the ring and Cole connected with a Neckbreaker. Cole unloaded several strikes but Ishii shrugged them off and hit a lariat. Ishii hit a Powerslam and then a Suplex for a near fall. Ishii went for a Powerslam but Cole escaped as Rampage went to a commercial.
When Rampage returned, Ishii dropped Cole with a Superplex for a near fall. Cole hit a Superkick but Ishii responded with a kick of his own that sent Cole back down to the mat. Jay White rushed down the ramp and shoved Rocky Romero into the steel steps. Cole capitalized on the distraction and hit Ishii with a low blow. Cole followed it up with The Boom for the pinfall victory and qualified for the Owen Hart Tournament.
Lance Archer battled Serpentico and this one went as expected. Shawn Spears joined commentary for the match and hyped how Archer versus Wardlow for Dynamite. Lance quickly planted Serpentico with the Black Out for the pinfall victory. Archer attacked after the match and connected with a couple Chokeslams.
Eddie Kingston battled Daniel Garcia tonight on Rampage. Jericho Appreciation Society was barred from ringside and was shown being denied access to the arena earlier on the show. Kingston attacked right after the bell and hit Garcia with some punches. Garcia retreated to the outside and Eddie went after him.
Kingston sent Garcia to the barricade and lit up his chest with some chops. Garcia battled back and sent Eddie into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Garcia hit some knee strikes and focused his attack on Kingston’s ribs. The two wrestlers then started biting each other before Garcia sent Kingston into the ring post as Rampage went to a commercial.
Back from the break, Garcia was in control and had Kingston in the Abdominal Stretch. Kingston escaped and hit a knee strike to the back of the head. Kingston followed it up with a poke to the eye an Exploder Suplex for a near fall. Eddie then connected with the Backfist to the Future for the pinfall victory. Kingston said he was coming after Jericho after the match.
Tony Schiavone interviewed Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland backstage. They want revenge for Taz costing them their match last week. Swerve Strickland said that they will pay them back in blood and this is far from over.
Tony Schiavone interviewed Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Britt Baker backstage to hype up the women’s Owen Hart Tournament. Toni Storm vowed to defeat them both and win the tournament.
Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Marina Shafir in tonight’s main event. Cargill entered the match undefeated at 29-0. Mark Henry interviewed Shafir and Cargill before the main event.
Shafir got in some offense to start off the championship match and applied a chokehold. Cargill escaped and connected with a Clothesline that sent Marina over the top rope and to the floor outside the ring. The Baddies (Red Velvet & Kiera Hogan) taunted Shafir and threw popcorn at her. Mark Sterling distracted the referee and The Baddies attacked Shafir.
Cargill brought Shafir back into the ring and connected with a slam for a near fall. Shafir applied a Headlock but Cargill countered into a Powerslam for a near fall as Rampage went to a commercial break.
When Rampage returned, Shafir was in control but got distracted with Mark Sterling. Shafir attacked Sterling and sent him to the floor with a judo throw. Shafir then started arguing with The Baddies and got absolutely leveled with a pump kick from the TBS Champion.
Jade Cargill brought Shafir back into the ring and went for the pin with one foot and Marina locked in a submission hold. Cargill broke the hold by kicking Marina in the face several times and then connected with Jaded for the pinfall victory. Jade Cargill is 30-0 and remains the TBS Champion.
Darius Martin of Top Flight has reacted to the Fightful report that he recently suffered a leg injury and will miss significant ring time.
On Friday, he posted a tweet and gave a different perspective:
The 22-year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota just got back to AEW after over a year on the sidelines due to an ACL tear. He returned on March 2nd. Top Flight is 6-1 since then. The team wrestled in the main event of the latest episode of AEW Dark. They teamed with The Hardys in an 8-man tag match against Private Party, The Blade & Angelico.
Kenny Omega continues to rehabilitate his various injuries, but he probably won’t be back in time for AEW’s next pay-per-view event.
The former AEW World Heavyweight Champion has been out of action since late 2021. Last month, it’s believed that Omega had arthroscopic knee surgery and also went under the knife to correct a sports hernia. Both procedures have a recovery time of approximately 8-10 weeks.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer said he doesn’t expect Omega to be healthy in time for AEW Double or Nothing in late May.
“I don’t know where Omega is as far as recovery on everything. But I don’t think he’s gonna make the May PPV. I don’t know that, the last I heard, it didn’t sound promising for May.”
– Dave Meltzer on Kenny Omega’s stauts
Kenny Omega is not your average athlete, but he should not rush his return. At this stage of his career, staying healthy is a top priority.
The June 23rd AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view would be incomplete without Kenny Omega, so it’s probably best that he plays it safe and gives himself that extra month of recovery time.
It appears plans for the April 29 episode of WWE SmackDown have already been revealed.
Fightful Select reports that the following plans have been put in place for the April 29th episode of SmackDown.
The report also notes that Raquel Rodriguez is due for a squash match and that there was a “series of confusingly listed New Day/Ridge Holland and Sheamus matches.”
Of course, this is all subject to change.
Tonight’s (April 22) episode of SmackDown takes place inside MVP Arena in Albany, New York. The April 29th edition will be taped since WWE talent will be on the move for a European tour, which begins on April 28.
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the MVP Arena in Albany, NY. Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair signed the contract to make the I Quit Match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship official at WrestleMania Backlash. Sami Zayn faced Drew McIntyre in a Lumberjack Match in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, Lacey Evans had another promo ahead of her in-ring return.
SmackDown Results
Here are the takeaways from this week’s SmackDown:
WWE Official Adam Pearce was in the ring to moderate the contract signing for the SmackDown Women’s Championship I Quit Match between Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring first as highlights of her beatdown of Drew Gulak from last week were shown. Ronda Rousey made her way to the ring with a smile on her face and high fived the fans.
Pearce said he needed to signatures before realizing that they didn’t have the contracts. Drew Gulak jogged to the ring with the contracts and said he prepared a very special Powerpoint presentation breaking down the rules for an I Quit Match. Charlotte told Gulak to shut up and the crowd started relentlessly chanted “you tapped out!” at Flair. Charlotte claimed that she was fixing her bra before turning her attention back to Rousey.
Charlotte wondered about all the ways she could make Rousey quit and suggested the Figure Eight before saying it was too predictable. Flair said that maybe it will just be a good old fashioned beating and that she always finds a way to win. Rousey said there is no referee in an I Quit match. Flair boasted winning at Mania and the crowd chanted “you tapped out!”.
Rousey vowed to make Flair quit and went to sign the contract before Flair tipped the table over. Charlotte hit Rousey with a kendo stick but Ronda ripped it away. Rousey beat Flair down with the kendo stick before Drew Gulak broke it up. Rousey slammed Gulak to the canvas and applied an Arm Bar. Rousey signed the contract while maintaining the hold and then had a stare down with Flair to end the segment. Later on SmackDown, a “Beat the Clock I Quit Challenge” was announced for next week between the two superstars.
Xavier Woods battled Butch in the first match of the night. Kofi Kingston accompanied Woods to the ring as SmackDown went to a break. Sheamus & Ridge Holland were in Butch’s corner for the match. Woods rolled up Butch for a two count to start off the action. Woods connected with some chops and followed it up with a Clothesline that turned Butch inside out for a two count.
Butch got angry and leveled Woods with a forearm to the face. Butch unloaded some more strikes before Double Knees to the shoulder of Woods. Butch started bending back Woods’ fingers and then stomped on his elbow. Butch fish hooked Woods and slung him into the middle turnbuckle as Ridge & Sheamus chuckled ringside.
Woods sent Butch to the outside with a Back Body Drop and then delivered a Dropkick through the ropes that sent Butch tumbling over the announce table. Sheamus & Ridge got in New Day’s face and Butch capitalized with a flying forearm. Sheamus & Holland held Butch back as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Butch was still in control and had Woods trapped in the corner. Woods rolled up Butch out of nowhere for the pinfall victory. Butch flipped out after the match and attacked a security guard before exiting through the crowd.
After the match, Intercontinental Champion Ricochet was backstage having a conversation with Aliyah. Jinder Mahal & Shanky rolled up and Mahal wanted a title match. Ricochet wound up giving Shanky a title match next week and Mahal was annoyed.
Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther and he came down to the ring as SmackDown went to a break. Gunther battled Teddy Goodz and Ludwig was ringside. Gunther connected with a big boot and an uppercut that knocked Goodz to the corner. Gunther hit a Suplex on Teddy and followed it up with a big chop to the chest. Gunther hit a Body Slam and posed in the ring before some more chops. Gunther applied a Sleeper Hold and then hit a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
Riddle faced Jey Uso this week on SmackDown. Randy Orton and Jimmy Uso were ringside for the match. Before the match, RK-Bro had a conversation backstage. Drew McIntyre showed up and buried the hatchet with Orton. Riddle announced that they will be Lumberjacks in the match between Zayn & McIntyre later tonight. Sami Zayn then was revealed to be listening to the conversation.
Jey and Riddle locked up to begin the match as Roman Reigns & Heyman were shown watching backsage. Jey hit a shoulder tackle and knocked Riddle to the mat. Riddle hopped up and went for a Sleeper Hold but Uso escaped. Jey unloaded some punches to the face but Riddle responded with a Gutwrench Suplex.
Riddle sent Jey to the ropes but Uso caught him with a Clothesline and a stomp to the midsection. Riddle hobbled to the corner but Jey stayed on him with some punches and chops against the ropes. Riddle went for a kick but Jey rolled out of the ring. Riddle went for a Suicide Dive but Jey was ready and caught him with an uppercut. Jey sent Riddle into the steel steps and then taunted Orton by slamming him on top of the announce table as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
The action returned to the ring and the two superstars traded punches. Riddle unloaded a flurry of forearm strikes and a boot to Jey’s face. Riddle followed it up with a Pele Kick and a running forearm. Riddle hit an Exploder Suplex and went for a Senton but Jey got out of the way as the Tribal Chief nodded in approval backstage in his recliner.
Jey went for a Suplex but Riddle escaped and leveled him with a kick to the face. Riddle climbed to the top rope and hit the Floating Bro but Jey somehow kicked out at two. Riddle got Jey up in the Fireman’s Carry but Uso countered into a cradle for a near fall. Riddle connected with the draping DDT but Jimmy hopped on the ring apron. Orton snuck up from behind and slammed him on the announce table. Riddle went for the RKO but Jey countered into a pop-up Neckbreaker for a close two count.
Jey hit a Superkick and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Jey went for the Splash but Riddle got his knees up. Riddle then rolled Jey up for the pinfall victory as Roman Reigns was shown frustrated backstage. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro celebrated as SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos exited to end the segment. The two teams will battle in a Winners Take All Unifying Match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi came to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd as SmackDown went to a commercial.
Kayla Braxton interviewed the champs when the show returned and said that they have been unstoppable since winning the titles at WrestleMania. Banks and Naomi said that they are trailblazers and flow so good together. Natalya & Shayna Baszler interrupted and joined the champs in the ring. Natlaya shouted that she is a three time Guinness record holder and Shayna vowed to stretch & snap every bone in their bodies. Shayna added that they are looking at the next Women’s Tag Team Champions. Baszler shoved Sasha Banks over to end the segment.
Madcap Moss faced Angel tonight on SmackDown. Happy Corbin tried to reconcile with Madcap backstage but Moss joked that Corbin had a better chance of growing his hair back. Moss then laughed in Corbin’s face before heading to the ring as SmackDown went to a break. A vignette for Rachel Rodriguez aired before the match and she will have her in-ring debut next week. Humberto Carrillo accompanied Angel to the ring for the match.
Moss shoved Angel to the corner to start off the action. Angel hit a forearm to the face and Madcap responded with a flurry of strikes. Moss hit a big shoulder tackle and sent Angel flying out of the ring and onto Humberto. Madcap taunted Angel before rolling him back into the ring. Humberto held Moss up and Angel caught him with a Dropkick. Angel delivered a chop to the chest but Moss shrugged it off and connected with a Fallaway Slam. Moss unloaded some strikes in the corner and then hit Humberto with a Clothesline as he entered the ring. Moss absolutely leveled Angel with a shoulder tackle and then hit the Punchline (Neckbreaker) for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Happy Corbin rushed the ring as Madcap Moss was celebrating his victory. Corbin hit Madcap with some punches to the face and then planted him with the End of Days. Corbin got out of the ring and took Moss’ trophy for winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal with him.
Roman Reigns had a conversation with The Usos backstage. Paul Heyman interrupted and said that Reigns has a guest. Sami Zayn showed up and told Roman that he’s a big fan and acknowledges him. Zayn claimed to be a locker room leader and stated that he hears everything that is going on. Sami said he saw Drew McIntyre getting real chummy with RK-Bro.
Sami told Reigns that RK-Bro will be Lumberjacks in the match tonight and claimed that McIntyre and RK-Bro said very disrespectful things about The Bloodline. Zayn stated that he needs to defeat Drew McIntyre tonight and wondered if there was some way to get some help with that, he would more than happy to help in return. Zayn got on a knee and told Reigns that he acknowledges him and now needs Roman to recognize him. Sami left and Reigns told The Usos to “take my name out of their mouths” to end the segment.
Drew McIntyre battled Sami Zayn in a Lumberjack Match in this week’s main event. New Day, RK-Bro, Shinsuke Nakamura, Mansoor, Ridge Holland, Sheamus, Mahal, Shanky were the lumberjacks ringside. The Usos music hit and Sami celebrated as the SmackDown Tag Team Champions came to the entrance ramp.
Sami Zayn tried to escape the ring but the lumberjacks caught him and threw him back inside. Drew launched Zayn to the corner and hit him with a few chops. Sami knocked McIntyre out of the ring and Holland & Sheamus hit him with some strikes as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Sami booted McIntyre to the outside again and the heels got in some shots before rolling Drew back into the ring. Drew launched Sami across the ring with an overhead throw and planted him with a Neckbreaker. Drew geared up for the Claymore but Sami rolled out of the ring. RK-Bro went to roll Sami back into the ring but The Usos attacked them. Jimmy and Jey beat Orton down and threw Riddle into the ring post before exiting.
The lumberjacks then all started to brawl and Sami tried to escape but Drew caught him on the barricade. Drew brought Sami back into the ring but then the heels attacked McIntyre on the outside. McIntyre got back into the ring as the lumberjacks continued to brawl. McIntyre sprinted across the ring and flipped onto everyone. Zayn once again took the opportunity to run away through the crowd. Adam Pearce came to the entrance ramp and announced a Steel Cage match for next week’s show.
Jinder Mahal then attacked Drew McIntyre in the ring and stomped him down. Shanky hit McIntyre with some kicks before Drew battled back with some headbutts. McIntyre leveled Mahal with a Claymore and stared at Sami Zayn in the crowd. Drew posed with the sword to close the show.
Wrestling legend Mick Foley has provided a positive update on another legend, Terry Funk.
Back in July 2021, Don Muraco revealed that Funk was suffering from dementia and was in an assisted-living facility. Mike Johnson of PWInsider later confirmed that claim.
“I heard that Terry Funk is in a home for dementia. I spoke with Scott Casey over the weekend and I guess he’s driving all the way down to Amarillo,” Muraco said on the show.
The official Twitter account of Funk followed up with this statement:
“Yes, Mr. Funk is currently receiving residential care for his multiple health issues, which do affect his mind as well as the rest of his body. As you can imagine, some days are better than others. He & his family appreciate all of your kind words! FOREVER!”
Mick Foley took to a High Spots signing session to give a positive update on the 77-year-old Terry Funk.
“Terry is doing better than it was reported. So, I will tell you he is in assisted living but I talked to him about a month ago, Tony Hunter talked to him a few days ago. He’s doing pretty good.”
Foley went on to explain what Funk might need assistance for these days.
“So, he does need some assistance but that can be as simple as not remembering to turn a burner off. So, he’s doing good.”
Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.
Earlier this week it was reported that WWE had loosened its policy on marijuana use, and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has offered up his reaction.
It was reported by Fightful this week that WWE hasn’t fined or suspended talents in “years” for marijuana use. In the past, the promotion would issue out fines of $2,500 for those who tested positive for marijuana. However, it was noted that talents are still tested for “everything.”
Booker T took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer up his take on the news. He noted that the move is “long overdue” and thinks it could be a huge benefit for talents dealing with lingering pain and injuries.
“It’s a long time overdue, I think – marijuana policy being lifted,” Booker T said. “Just because, like, science approved what marijuana can do for so many different types of ailments, especially pain management. And one thing about the professional wrestling game, the opioid problem got huge at one point in time. You know, guys trying to self-medicate and we lost a lot of guys due to that.
“So for me, I’ve been somewhat of an advocate, you know, not as outspoken as (Rob Van Dam). I’m sure he’d be proud right now. I’m sure he’d be happy. I’m sure he’s jumping for joy. I’m sure he’s celebrating, you know what I mean? But definitely, I’ve always been something that believed that shouldn’t be something that was on the banned list.”
It was reported that current WWE RAW Tag Team Champion Randy Orton was actually a big advocate for the change. His tag team partner, Matt Riddle, has been an open advocate for marijuana use since his days in NXT. Going even further back to the 90s, WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion Bret Hart was also a pro-marijuana advocate.
Hart mentioned it gave athletes a better alternative to the dangerous methods commonly used amongst professional wrestlers to deal with pain.
The Cavinder Twins, Haley and Hanna Cavinder, have announced a transfer from Fresno State, over to The University of Miami – far closer to the WWE Performance Center.
Both young ladies are big stars in women’s college basketball, as well as social media after the massive following they’ve garnered. Back in December of 2021 the Cavinder Twins were signed to WWE as part of their Next In Line (NIL) program, allowing them to sign WWE deals once their college athletic eligibility is up.
The Cavinder Twins, along with Gable Steveson, were just a few of several big names inked to the WWE’s program. Thanks to the NCAA’s new Name, Image, and Likeness rule, allowing college athletes to monetize their likenesses, the Cavinder Twins will have an even better opportunity to bolster their NIL possibilities playing in the ACC. Including WWE, the duo already have deals with the likes of Boost Mobile and Champs Six Star Nutrition.
However, speaking to Front Office Sports, Haley Cavinder claims the NIL potential had little to do with their decision.
“Honestly, it did not [factor in] at all,” Haley said. “I know that a lot of people can assume it could be about NIL,” Hanna added, saying she and her sister looked for a program where they could win and “have the best opportunity to get to the March Madness tournament.” Haley did add she and her sister are “really excited for future business opportunities” that Miami presents.
Haley and Hanna have a combined social media presence of over 5 million followers. Per Time, the duo were nearing $1 million in sponsorship income late last year. And it’s all certainly well deserved if their on-court performances are any indication. Haley led Fresno State with 19.8 points per game last season. Hanna was right behind her at 14.6 points per game.
Haley also led the team in rebounds with 9.4 points-per-game, with Haley at third with 3.8. The twins held the two top spots in minutes played for the Fresno team as well. Haley took home All-Mountain West honors for the third year in a row for 2021-2022, and Hanna was a selection for the 2020 and ’21 All-Mountain West team.’
With all their elite college athletic experience, and a WWE opportunity already on the table, these two certainly have the makings for a bright future in professional wrestling. In fact, could they be the next Bella twins?
The celebrity match at WrestleMania 38 between Sami Zayn and Johnny Knoxville worked out so well that even Kevin Owens wants in on the fun.
Earlier this month in Dallas, Knoxville topped Zayn in a No Disqualification match at “The Showcase Of The Immortals,” and it actually ended up being one of the more entertaining matches of the entire weekend. That wasn’t the only celebrity performance from WrestleMania that weekend. Logan Paul also stepped into the ring, teaming up with The Miz to defeat Rey and Dominik Mysterio in tag team action.
Paul actually greatly impressed the professional wrestling community with his performance throughout the bout. During an appearance on Corey Graves’ “WWE After The Bell” podcast, Kevin Owens discussed the possibility of participating in a celebrity match of his own.
Owens named his favorite actor, Matthew McConaughey, as his desired celebrity opponent. “KO” said he saw McConaughey backstage at a WWE event once, and got the feeling that he’s the kind of guy that would want to step into the squared circle and do things the right way.
“I did interviews before WrestleMania and people were asking me ‘if you could pick a celebrity to have a match with, like Sami’s doing this weekend, who would it be?’ He’s my favorite actor, which happens to be a coincidence but a few years ago Matthew McConaughey came to a show and he was backstage.
“I didn’t get to meet him because there was a lineup of people waiting to talk to him so I didn’t get to see him. I remember not long after that he talked about how he’d love to do something in WWE. I don’t know him, I don’t know him at all but to me he seems like the kind of guy who would be coming in to do it right and have a blast. People like that to me are welcome in our industry any time.”
While Owens would love to wrestle a celebrity, he certainly had the experience of a lifetime in his own WrestleMania match this year, welcoming WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin back to the ring for the first time in over 19 years.
Owens and Austin battled it out in a No Holds Barred match to close out Night One. However, when it was all said and done, “The Texas Rattlesnake” left Texas victorious with a stunner.
Drew McIntyre has some advice for boxing champion Tyson Fury: don’t screw things up this weekend.
Fury returns to the ring this Saturday. He defends the WBC heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
McIntyre spoke with Sky Sports this week to discuss the fight, his relationship with Fury and his desire to wrestle the big man at WWE’s big UK stadium show from Cardiff, Wales in September.
McIntyre says he cheers on Tyson Fury every time he fights. They keep in touch and “go back and forth” pretty regularly. However, whenever Fury attends WWE live events, McIntyre says the Gypsy King manages to avoid him. He joked that Fury is the World’s Tallest Ninja, due to Fury’s ability to avoid him when they’re in the same building.
McIntyre says, “I’m a big fan of his. He’s highly entertaining, he’s such an attraction. That’s why I’m always saying to him, ‘Hey, the door’s always open in WWE. The ball is in your court.'”
He’s no boxing expert, but even he can see Fury that is a superior fighter to Whyte. His cardio is second to none and he’s proven he can take a knockout punch and get back up. “There’s no reason he shouldn’t run right through him this weekend,” said McIntyre.
McIntyre advises Fury, “Don’t screw it up!” because there’s a big-money wrestling match on the table, if he’s up for it.
“All I’ll say to Tyson is, Don’t screw it up! Don’t screw it up. Get through this fight, win it, and then give us a call. We’ll figure out if it can happen in Cardiff.”
– Drew McIntyre to Tyson Fury
WWE’s first UK stadium show in 30 years takes place on Saturday, September 3rd from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
WWE should have no problem packing 70,000+ fans into Principality Stadium. However, a Drew McIntyre vs. Tyson Fury showdown all-but-guarantees a sellout crowd.
Watch Drew McIntyre’s comments to Tyson Fury:
Former WWE Superstar Zach Gowen says WWE wanted Brock Lesnar to F5 him off the SmackDown fist during their 2003 feud.
Luckily for Gowen, the spot never happened. According to the one-legged wrestler, WWE was unable to hammer out the logistics.
On Friday, Gowen replied to a tweet by the official account of McDonald’s. The burger chain asked, “bring back ______.” Gowen replied, the SmackDown fist.
This prompted him to reveal an interesting piece of information about the infamous angle that saw Lesnar throw a wheelchair-bound Gowen down a flight of stairs.
According to Gowen, WWE had other plans for Lesnar’s method of assault.
“Fun fact: The original plan was for Brock to F5 off the FIST through the stage, but we couldn’t come up with HOW we would get up there. The that plan evolved into him throwing me down the stairs in a wheelchair.”
Brock Lesnar F5’ing Zach Gowen off the SmackDown fist would have been a sight to behold. However, the whole “shoving a man in a wheelchair down a flight of steps” still stands out as one of the most violent and surreal moments in WWE history.
For those who are wondering if Zach Gowen went down the steps himself, he didn’t. Gowen was smart of enough to use a stunt man, despite a thoughtful offer by Vince McMahon himself.
During a 2015 interview with Nick Hausman, Gowen reveals that Vince McMahon offered him the chance to take the stunt himself. He respectfully declined.
“Right before the stunt man is about to take the fall, I’m standing up there watching them film it,” said Gowen. “Vince McMahon looks at me and he says, ‘You know, kid, if you want… you can take the bump. You can do it yourself if you want.’ I said, ‘No thanks, man!” I know I’m stupid, but I’m not that stupid! I’m not going to fall down two flights of stairs in a wheel chair. I’m not trained to do that.”
Good call, Zach. Good call.
FTR members Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood will square off in an Owen Hart Memorial Tournament qualifying match next week on AEW Dynamite.
Shortly after the match announcement, Dax Harwood tweeted about the significance of this match. He revealed this will be the, “First time. Only time.” that the partners wrestle each other.
The reigning ROH & AAA World tag team champions appeared on the Wrestling Perspective Podcast to discuss the unique matchup.
According to Harwood, they’ve always wanted to have a match. Interestingly, they had to “fight” in order to get the match booked in an AEW ring.
“That was our idea, totally,” said Harwood. “We had to fight for it, but that was completely our idea.”
Harwood said they’ve always wanted to have a match, but it had to be under the right circumstances.
“There had to be a reason and this is the perfect reason to do it,” he continued. “The Hart family means a lot to both of us personally and professionally. So being able to show respect to Owen Hart and his whole family, what better way to do it than allowing the two biggest Hart family fans in the world compete?”
Dax Harwood says FTR will never break up so there hasn’t been a chance for them to wrestle each other.
“I’ll retire before we ever even entertain that idea,” said Harwood, about FTR breaking up. “I’ll say that right here right now. Print it. Tattoo it. I don’t care. We’re never going to do a breakup angle.”
When AEW announced the Owen Hart tournament, FTR went straight to Tony Khan and pitched the match idea. Khan liked the idea, but wasn’t immediately sold.
“[Tony Khan] did like it, but he was like, ‘Okay, I gotta see if I can make it make sense.’ We just stayed on him about it, ‘Hey, can we? Can we? Can we?’ Finally, he was like, ‘Alright, I got a way where we can make it all work. You’ll do it in Philly. It’s going down.’ So yeah, he liked the idea, and he finally gave us the nod, and here we are.”
Elsewhere in the interview, FTR spoke about their rising popularity. They acknowledged that fans are starting to “take to them” because they’re not “playing wrestler” or working a gimmick. They eat, sleep and breathe pro wrestling and fans are smart enough to know you can’t fake that.
Listen to FTR on the 300th episode of the Wrestling Perspective Podcast:
The finals of the Men’s and Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will take place in May at AEW Double or Nothing 2022.
The Steiner Brothers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this month during WrestleMania 38 weekend.
Their induction was long overdue. Rick and Scott Steiner were one of the most dominant tag teams of the 1980’s and 90’s. There was little debate about whether or not they deserved to be honored. However, the induction was likely delayed a few years due to Scott’s contentious relationship with WWE.
Scott Steiner has been very outspoken about WWE since leaving the company in 2004. He’s ripped the company during various interviews and podcast appearances, including Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.
As recently as 2020, Steiner was calling Triple H a “p*ssy” who got ahead by sleeping with “the boss’ daughter.”
Big Poppa Pump recently spoke with the Detroit News and discussed reconciling with WWE. Steiner told Adam Graham that it’s important to let go of bad feelings and move on with your life.
“You’ve gotta’let it go. you can’t harbor all the bad feelings. You’ve gotta grow up.”
– Scott Steiner
Scott Stiner and Triple H made amends and were photographed together backstage at the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
He also commented on his late 1990’s transformation from tag team wrestler Scott Steiner to Big Poppa Pump, the Genetic Freak.
Steiner had flirted with the idea of a heel solo run for years, but finally pulled the trigger during the height of the nWo’s reign in WCW.
“I knew I had to go in a totally different direction, so I just totally flipped the switch,” said Steiner. “In amateur wrestling, you really didn’t talk too much trash. Wrestling is a humbling experience: if you get too big, you’ll get beat.”
“So I had always had that mindset. But after a while, once I saw everything in the business, the politics, I had a totally different mindset than when I broke in. I had a whole different attitude, it was more of a rage. And that’s what came out.”
Head over to Detroit News to read their full interview with Scott Steiner.
Watch The Steiner Brothers “bark” their way into the WWE Hall of Fame:
