Seth Rollins is going to WWE WrestleMania 38 and as expected, his opponent won’t be confirmed until he’s in the ring at the show.
WWE previously announced over the weekend that Rollins would be meeting with Vince McMahon this morning. WWE released a video of the meeting on social media where McMahon informed Rollins that he’ll have a match on the WrestleMania card.
Rollins wanted to know who it would be, but McMahon didn’t name the person. He did say it would be someone of McMahon’s choosing and Rollins will learn his opponent when his opponent is introduced the night of the show.
It’s expected that Cody Rhodes will be facing Rollins at WrestleMania as Rhodes has signed with the company. It had been reported that WWE holding off on Rhodes’ return until WrestleMania was the plan.
Rollins has been involved in a storyline over the last few weeks where he’s failed to find a path to WrestleMania. He lost matches against Kevin Owens and AJ Styles in attempts to get on the WrestleMania card.
Following a loss to Styles, Rollins threatened that tonight’s Raw wouldn’t get started unless he gets his WrestleMania moment.
AEW President Tony Khan reportedly had a heated discussion with MJF over the weekend.
Fightful Select reported today the discussion was said to have left both men frustrated and stemmed from MJF’s interview with Ariel Helwani. The hour-long interview covered various topics from his contract status with AEW to liking WWE’s Bruce Prichard and more.
2024 is when MJF’s deal expires, which looks to be a big year for the pro wrestling industry as WWE reportedly has an interest in signing the top AEW star. MJF admitted that he’s not afraid to “stir the pot” until his deal is up.
MJF said he knows for a fact that the company is interested, but he can’t discuss why for legal reasons.
The report noted, “we’re told that the contract status of MJF is what has left the young star frustrated of late, but that Tony Khan took issue with the interview being set up without notifying AEW’s PR team of such.” T
Sources in AEW didn’t think there would have been an issue with the subject matter or the interview in general if it were set up with AEW’s PR team first.
Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and some even think of him as the GOAT. With so many memorable matches from battling Owen Hart to Shawn Michaels, Hart has shared what he thinks is the greatest match of his legendary career and that’s the submission match he had with Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 in 1997.
Hart went over in the match after locking in the sharpshooter and Austin passing out because of the “pain and blood loss.” It was a double turn as Austin went on to be a babyface and Hart turned heel.
“The match with Steve, that’s the greatest song I ever sang,” Hart said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “When I watch it back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I still love seeing that spot where I’m punching the daylights out of Steve in the corner and he kicks me in the groin. It was a beautiful, violent piece of art. Working with Steve was easy, it was fun, and it was memorable.
“We put a lot of heart into that match. It captures every element you see in a back-and-forth UFC fight. I always love the Iron Man match [against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII, too. Pound-for-pound workload, was the hardest match of my career, but I love the psychology of my match with Steve. I think of the expression, ‘No animals were harmed in the making of the movie.’ There were some hard falls and good shots with Steve, a fight between two warriors.”
Austin will make his return to WWE when he confronts Kevin Owens on the KO Show this Saturday night at WrestleMania 38 in AT&T Stadium. Hart added in this interview that he will be cheering on the fellow WWE Hall Of Famer when he steps into the ring.
WWE has announced the music acts who will perform America The Beautiful this weekend at WrestleMania. Brantley Gilbert will do the honors on WrestleMania Saturday, while Jessie James Decker will kick off the action for WrestleMania Sunday.
“Brantley and Jessie are the latest in a long line of renowned artists who have opened WWE’s biggest event of the year and we look forward to them continuing this great tradition across consecutive nights at WrestleMania 38,” said Neil Lawi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, WWE Music Group.
“It’s such a pleasure to be invited to perform at WrestleMania 38,” said Gilbert. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. See you there!”
“It is always an honor to sing America the Beautiful,” said Decker. “It is a song that means so much to me, celebrating the country I love. Thank you WWE for having me. I can’t wait to be a part of WrestleMania 38.”
WWE has already announced DJ Valentino Khan will perform at the event.
WWE Partners with Dave & Busters
WWE is bringing its monthly premium live events to Dave & Busters locations across the United States, starting with WrestleMania 38.
“Dave & Buster’s is a staple of fun and entertainment in the United States and that matches the energy of WWE Premium Live Events such as WrestleMania,” said Emilio Revelo, WWE Vice President. “We are excited about this year-round partnership and meeting new and existing fans at a place they truly enjoy.”
Dave & Buster’s has over 140 locations nationwide. To locate a Dave & Buster’s showing WrestleMania, JoeHandPromotions.com.
WrestleMania 38 is also being shown in select movie theaters across the United States, presented by Fathom Events.
The Steiner Brothers, Rick and Scott, have been named for the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.
The brothers began teaming together in 1989 and quickly became on of the sports’ most dangerous combinations. Known for their hard-hitting in-ring style, They held tag team gold across the world, with memorable runs in WCW and WWE.
Rick Steiner’s son, Bronson Rechsteiner, wrestles as Bron Breakker on WWE’s developmental brand, NXT 2.0.
The 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction ceremony takes place Friday, April 1st. It will stream live on Peacock and the WWE Network immediately following SmackDown.
Ronda Rousey will not be at tonight’s WWE Raw from Pittsburgh, PA, despite WWE advertising her for the event.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet is gearing up for a showdown with Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38 this Saturday night. You can check out the latest WrestleMania 38 Betting Odds to see who is favored to walk out as champion.
On Sunday, WWE posted a graphic on social media teasing a blockbuster women’s tag match featuring Rousey and Bianca Belair teaming up against Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.
Unfortunately, that match has been scrapped, since Rousey has no plans on being in Pittsburgh, PA. During a live Facebook chat on Sunday night, Rousey stated:
“I’m not going to be at Raw tomorrow.”
– Ronda Rousey
Rousey speculated that the match announcement was “a mistake or something.” She will, however, be in attendance at Friday’s SmackDown from Dallas, TX.
Tonight’s WWE Raw is the “go home” show ahead of this weekend’s WrestleMania 38 premium live event. There are several matches announced for the show, including:
Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz
Raw Tag Team Champions Rated RK-Bro vs. The Usos (Non-Title Match)
Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy
Sasha Banks, Naomi, Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya Shayna Baszler, Carmella & Zelina Vega
Plus, Seth Rollins will meet with Mr. McMahon, who is expected to finally give Rollins something to do at WrestleMania.
Wrestling legend Gangrel spoke with SEScoops Ella Jay this week to promote his return to Major League Wrestling (MLW). The Attitude Era star competed on this week’s episode of MLW Fusion, which you can catch on YouTube.
We discussed a wide variety of topics, including why we never got a Brood reunion in WWE, what he thinks is missing from today’s pro wrestling and much more. In this installment, we’re looking at Gangrel’s comments about training MMA fighter and AEW star, Paige VanZant.
Here’s our half-hour interview with Gangrel, with some highlights below:
Training Paige VanZant
Gangrel is currently training AEW star Paige VanZant at Coastal Championship Wrestling in Pompano Beach, Florida.
Gangrel reveals he was actually “super worried” to train VanZant, but now believes she has a bright future in pro wrestling.
“I was super worried about it. I know that Dan Lambert and them were very particular about where she trained. She could have went anywhere but because she’s local, it made a lot of sense for her to come down here in South Florida.
“I was trained by Boris Malenko and he’s a fan of the old school of training and the foundations of it. With training Rusev or Miro, Jacob and some of the other people, I felt comfortable coming there. I was a little worried, but she’s tremendous.
“I think AEW is probably on to something there and they’re gonna have a really good star on their future because like, I’ve trained a lot of people and she’s so coachable. I don’t know if it’s from Dancing with the Stars, that can’t be possible easy. There’s a lot of discipline. She was a gymnast, ballerina and plus she’s a fighter. She’s a bare-knuckle fighter, boxer and a mixed martial artist.
“So she’s got all this background and coming over to pro wrestling that could be very hard transition because it is smoke and mirrors. It’s pro wrestling entertainment or however you want to look at it. It’s not like we’re gonna go out and just kill somebody.
“Anyway, you gotta work together. I was am little worried but what she’s learned in like, three hours has taken me 3-6 months to teach other people. That’s how quick she’s learning. That’s how amazing she is. And her attitude is really, really good about it. I get a little worried when outsiders come in and they kind of take a crap on our business. You know what I mean? She’s got not a bad attitude at all. Just a golden attitude and I think she’s gonna be a something in the future. I think she’s got a future in pro wrestling.”
PVZ’s Transition from MMA to Wrestling
Paige VanZant is a great athlete and is charismatic, which is a winning formula in pro wrestling. Gangrel says PVZ is in this for the long haul and he hasn’t had to change much about the skills she brings to the squared circle.
“I don’t know where AEW is going with her. I think she’ll be hotshotted into some kind of match but but she wants to be actually trained properly on the backside for a future in wrestling. So I think they’re gonna hotshot an angle, but I think she wants to be long term and wrestle so she’s learning the proper way.”
He added, “I’ve haven’t had to change anything yet. She tends to have a fighter stance but it works for her. What I’ve learned about training somebody is that you don’t try to change who they are or what they’ve done. You just try to adapt them to to what suits them best for everybody involved.”
Gangrel was asked if he has a certain teaching style that he’s found to be more effective. The former Brood member said that it varies on the requirement of the student, but he works on the foundation and the basics the most. According to him, if the foundation is strong then one can learn anything whether it’s becoming a luchador, brawler or a high-flying wrestler.
He compared it to a cement slab that could support any type of roof as long as the foundation is strong. With Paige VanZant, Gangrel spends an hour just on the basics. While on the topic, he gave a shoutout to his student Jacob Fatu for being well rounded with everything including his footwork, strikes and highflying ability.
We’ve got updated WrestleMania 38 betting odds courtesy of Bet Online.
Sports betting odds have a strong track record predicting the winners of WWE pay-per-view events. They are usually not 100% accurate, but consider these to be “spoilers” if you want to enjoy the show without anything revealed.
These odds will shift throughout the week, based on continued betting. We will update this article on Saturday to reflect any late changes in the betting activity.
WrestleMania Saturday Betting Odds
On the first night of WrestleMania 38, betters predict we will see both Women’s Championships change hands, along with the women’s tag titles.
Drew McIntyre is favored (-1,000) to defeat Happy Corbin (+500).
Rey and Dominik Mysterio are slight favorites (-140) to defeat The Miz and Logan Paul.
RKBro are favored (-200) to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships against The Street Profits (+250) and Alpha Academy (+350).
Bianca Belair is the favorite (-550) to capture the Raw Women’s Championship from Becky Lynch (+325).
SmackDown tag team champions The Usos are favored (-200) to retain against Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs (+150).
Ronda Rousey is favored (-600) to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship from Charlotte Flair (+350).
Sasha Banks and Naomi are slight favorites (-200) to win the Women’s Tag Team championships from Carmela and Zelina Vega (+500). Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley (+185) and Shayna Baszler and Natalya (+750).
WrestleMania Sunday Betting Odds
Universal Champion Roman Reigns is the favorite (-350) to defeat WWE Champion Brock Lesnar (+225) in the Winner Takes All Unification match.
Sami Zayn is an underdog (+200) against Jackass star Johnny Knoxville (-300).
AJ Styles is the favorite (-160) against the Rated R Superstar, Edge (+120).
Austin Theory is a slight favorite (-150) against SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee (+110).
Ric Flair and Mark Madden are going their separate ways after 19 episodes of the Wooooo! Uncensored podcast.
On Sunday night, Madden announced he was moving on from the project. He said the show was not a “good fit” for him, and cited his busy schedule and the extensive preparation required for each episode. He thanked Flair for the opportunity.
Things got ugly very quickly when Flair clarified that he, in fact, relieved Madden of his duties.
Love & Appreciate You @MarkMaddenX, But Actually, I Relieved You Of Your Duties! Best Of Luck With Your Work! I’ll Be Back & Better Than Ever Next Monday! Going Home To My Son In Law @HeyHeyItsConrad! https://t.co/O10esiWAlX
Madden responded by saying Flair “didn’t have the balls” to fire him personally, and instead told him that the show was being cancelled. Madden said Flair had Conrad Thompson do his dirty work for him, and questioned why things had to transpire as they did, in light of their 35-year friendship.
Flair replied, “Mark, it’s so sad. You’ve been telling everyone for 30 years that I’m the greatest wrestler ever. Quit trying to get the rub that made you who you are! Look forward to hearing you on The Pat McAfee Show. Oh wait, sorry, he cancelled you too! Just be happy and enjoy life!”
Madden told Flair to “have another drink” and said it’s said what Ric Flair has become.
Have another drink. God gave you the gift of life a few years back, &you thank him by getting ***t-faced every single night like you are right now. You are the greatest wrestler ever. What you’ve become is sad. https://t.co/uY1DCrsKLC
Madden added that Flair was slated to appear for AEW, before the “Plane Ride From Hell” episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired. Since then, Khan cut all ties with the “toxic” Nature Boy, including disinviting him from his birthday party.
Ric was planning to work at AEW ‘til the Dark Side ep. Not sure what Tony Khan thought. Khan doesn’t talk to Ric now. Disinvited Ric from his b’day party. https://t.co/QfAArF7mUW
WrestleMania week is upon us. WWE’s biggest event of the year takes place this weekend, but there’s plenty of action in store before WrestleMania 38 kicks off Saturday night.
The following is a list of WWE programming scheduled for the coming week:
Monday:
WWE Raw, USA Network (8pm ET, 5pm PT)
Tuesday:
NXT 2.0, USA Network (8pm ET, 5pm PT)
Friday:
WWE SmackDown, FOX (8pm ET, 5pm PT)
WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Peacock (10pm ET, 7pm PT)
Saturday:
NXT Stand & Deliver, Peacock (1pm ET, 10am PT)
WrestleMania Kickoff Show, USA Network, Peacock (6pm ET, 3pm PT)
WrestleMania Saturday, Peacock (8pm ET, 5pm PT)
Sunday:
WrestleMania Kickoff Show, Peacock (6pm ET, 3pm PT)
Last week, multi-time world champion Triple H officially retired from the squared circle. In an appearance on First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Triple H detailed his health struggle last year relating to issues with his heart, including a near-death experience.
Due to his condition and the fact that he now has a defibrillator, Triple H will no longer be able to participate in any wrestling matches moving forward. The news stunned some in the wrestling world, but pretty much universally, people reacted to the announcement by celebrating Triple H’s career.
After seeing the outpouring of support from the industry as a whole, as well as fans and family, Triple H took to social media on Sunday to react.
The post starts with a quote from author Louis L’Amour.
“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning.”
Triple H then wrote, “I am truly humbled by the texts, calls, posts and all the kind words. I’m grateful to each and everyone one of you. I wish I could respond to each of you, but I type so slow I’d never leave the house again. Please know how much they all mean to me. Stay healthy, be grateful for all you have and seize the day……. I know I am!”
During the interview with Smith, Triple H confirmed that he is back at the office working now though he has taken a step back in recent months. He mentioned he has been focusing on recruitment and development for the company, talking about the pending arrival of NCAA star Gable Stevenson, as well as the propect of opening more WWE Performance Centers in the future.
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.
We are less than one week out from WrestleMania 38 kicking off in Arlington, Texas, and the stadium is starting to transform into the face of wrestling’s biggest event.
This is the second time that the massive stadium has been transformed for WrestleMania, having hosted WrestleMania 32 back in 2016 as well. With six years of technological development, we’d expect this year’s event to surpass what we saw that year, visually-speaking.
Check out some of the photos of the outside of the venue below as it prepares to host WWE’s Super Bowl.
Per Austin Kellerman, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram also featured a front pay overlay ad for WrestleMania on Sunday. Interestingly, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the only talent featured in the advertisement.
The full card for WrestleMania 38 so far is as follows:
Night One
WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bianca Belair
The Miz and Logan Paul vs. Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match The Usos (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Match Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
KO Show Featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin
Night Two
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match Queen Zelina and Carmella (c) vs. Sasha Banks and Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan vs. Natalya and Shayna Baszler
Anything Goes Match Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
WWE RAW Tag Team Championship Match RK-Bro (c) vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy
Edge vs. AJ Styles
WWE Championship vs. WWE Universal Championship – Winner Take All Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns (c)
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.
Tony Khan is making a big promise to fans ahead of the Owen Hart Cup.
Back in Sept. 2021, AEW announced a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation. The business relationship between AEW and the foundation means the company will be able to market merchandise using Owen’s likeness. This includes the upcoming AEW console game.
Tony Khan On Owen Hart Cup
AEW’s head honcho Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio and said he has high hopes for the tournaments and made a bold promise to fans (via Wrestling Inc).
“I’m excited, in May, we’re going to start the Owen Hart Cup tournament. And before the cup tournament starts, similar to the Olympics or the World Cup or a lot of the big tournament events out there, there’s qualifying. You know, pre-tournament qualifying. And we’re going to have that for The Owen Hart Cup, both the women’s tournament and the men’s tournament.
“And I’m really excited about getting in there and finding out who’s going to make the competition. I’ll have announcements coming up soon about The Owen Hart qualifying matches, but I promise the fans these tournaments, both the men’s tournament and the women’s tournament, will be excellent.”
There will be a men’s and women’s tournament for the cup. The widow of Owen, Dr. Martha Hart, will be presenting the trophies to the winners.
Alexa Bliss has poured cold water on a recent rumor involving her and Ronda Rousey.
A Twitter user caught wind of a rumor that claimed Bliss badmouthed Rousey behind her back in a group chat with other WWE talent. The rumor also claimed that Bliss took issue with Rousey for not being safe inside the ring.
Alexa Bliss Dismisses Rumor
Alexa Bliss took aim at the rumor and said she’s not even in a group chat outside of one for her bridal party.
This is quite comical & not true . I’m only in one group chat & it’s with my bridal party ? … #keeptryingtrolls
— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) March 27, 2022
“This is quite comical & not true. I’m only in one group chat & it’s with my bridal party. #keeptryingtrolls.”
In the past, Bliss has heaped praise on Ronda Rousey. Back in 2018, she appeared on the Cheap Seats Podcast and gushed over Rousey’s ability to fit in the wrestling industry so quickly (h/t Wrestling Inc).
“I am absolutely impressed, Bliss said. “She does really well at her facial expressions, which I appreciate because I am really big on facial expressions. It is really easy to appreciate the fact that you know she has been hit before, and you know that pain, you have that emotional connection to her one way or another when you watch her perform. I was very impressed with her match against Nia Jax, and also her match at WrestleMania with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, it was just awesome. I am very proud of her and it’ll be fun to see where things go with that.”
Logan Paul has been prepping for his in-ring debut.
The YouTube sensation is set to team with The Miz on night one (April 2) of WrestleMania 38. The two will take on Rey and Dominik Mysterio inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Logan Paul Trains At WWE PC
WWE released footage of Paul having a training session a week prior to the “Grandest Stage of Them All.” In the clip, Shane Helms heaped praise on Paul’s fast progression.
“Training Logan Paul has been one of the easiest celebrity trainings I’ve ever done. He’s a natural athlete, natural charisma, natural personality. It’s just a matter of feeding him a little bit of information, he processes it and dude, it’s been super easy.”
The Miz also chimed in, saying Paul has been passing every test with flying color thus far.
“Logan Paul, I had a bar set. He has exceeded the bar every step of the way. This kid is on another level.”
Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.
WWE has always been open to outside collaboration and bringing in celebrity guests or talents from other sports. However, such partnerships also attract criticism for stealing the spotlight from regular hard-working talents.
One such star who has received criticism for taking the spots from the more deserving talents is Ronda Rousey who will be facing Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania.
The Queen recently had an interview with Bleacher Report where she discussed a number of things. When asked about the complaints about Rousey, Flair mentioned how the former UFC champion was the one who wanted to join WWE. She then explained why she welcomes such collaborations:
“Sometimes people get critical of outside talent coming in, but she wants to be a part of what we’ve done here, that should make you feel good, and she does bring more eyeballs to people who aren’t necessarily familiar with the product, like Total Divas.” said Flair.
“Total Divas brought outside viewers and that’s great for us,” she added. “I want Bad Bunny to come back! He was incredible. It’s an entertainment show. That’s what we do!”
Charlotte also mentioned how the special attractions have led to more spotlight and main events for the women’s division on the whole. She also responded to people who are critical of her constant push.
You can check out Flair’s comments on the matter here.
Despite claiming that he wasn’t done with the business, Bo Dallas has not been seen inside a wrestling ring since his WWE release in 2021. However, he is now promising to return very soon.
The former NXT champion recently took part in a virtual signing with Captain’s Corner. Among other things, he also provided some update on his in-ring future.
Dallas first mentioned that he has been busy with other business ventures since his release. He then claimed that he will be back in the ring within the next couple months:
“Not saying I’m done with wrestling or that’s what I’ve been saying for the past year and now that I’ve got that squared away and that’s in the works, I can get back to my passion.
I will be back in the ring in the next couple of months” revealed Bo Dallas, “And that’s a guarantee because I don’t make promises I don’t deliver on.”
The former WWE star also responded to a comment saying that he belongs in AEW. He said that while he appreciates the remark, he is not sure anyone knows what to do with him.
Though continuing on the topic, Dallas said that he takes the remark as a compliment. He noted that showing up in AEW is not out the realm of possibility.
Wrestling legend Gangrel spoke with SEScoops Ella Jay this week to promote his return to Major League Wrestling (MLW). The Attitude Era star competed on this week’s episode of MLW Fusion, which you can catch on YouTube.
We discussed a wide variety of topics, including his 30+ years in the business, what’s missing from wrestling today, his career coming full circle, his goals in MLW and much more.
Here’s our half-hour interview with Gangrel, with some highlights below:
His Goals in MLW
Gangrel was asked if he is interested in going after a championship or if he simply enjoys working with up-and-coming talent and showing fans that he can still go in the ring.
“Well as my records show in the past, I don’t think I’ve had too many championships in any major company. So that’s not really my number one goal but I do enjoy working with the young talent and most of that locker room I’ve crossed paths with in the ring at some time or another, throughout the early points in their career and stuff like that”.
He continued, “I’ve trained Jacob Fatu – he was one of my students so I trained him, and then I hear rumors Holidead’s coming to MLW, I’ve trained her. Plus I’ve probably wrestled Alexander Hammerstone thirty times, and many of the other guys in the locker room. I enjoy bringing a bit of the old school meeting the new school, and mixing it in the middle and seeing what we come up with.”
Old School vs. New School
Gangrel was asked how he would describe the old school style vs the new school style, and what happens when the two styles meet together.
“The key word is ‘moment’. There’s no wasted moments. There’s no wasted moves to build to great moments. They’re so talented and athletic, there’s so much athletic ability. Also with the luchadors and the international market that MLW is in right now, it’s insane. I’ve travelled the world, probably wrestled more in Europe than I have in the United States and when you start logging in matches, I’ve done eighteen years in Europe. So if you had them up against the full-time schedule in the States, it’s really close and I think Europe might outweigh it working seven days a week there twice a day sometimes.
So with that and then the time I spent in Puerto Rico and then in Calgary and whatnot, so many different styles and I love that MLW has that flavor and that little spark to it – that international flavor. No one match is the same. You watch it, and you can watch other companies and it’s like the same match after the same match but here, they’re all different and I’m really looking forward to adding my bit of ‘hot sauce’ to that ‘stew’.”
Why MLW is a Good Fit for Gangrel
Gangrel in MLW (2022)
Gangrel was also asked what made MLW a good fit for him. He said that he always drifted to MLW whenever he wanted to watch some wrestling while doing cardio, and that’s why he wanted to work in the promotion.
“It’s the flavor of it. It’s just that allure. I just sit down when I’m doing cardio, like a lot, when I watch wrestling. I can’t sit still. I don’t have enough time to sit down at home and watch wrestling. But when I do cardio, I always drift – out of all the companies that you can go find out there – WWE, the AEW, Ring of Honor, Impact – I always drift to MLW. I think it just has something about it, that flavor and something just draws me to it that I just really enjoy. I’ve enjoyed watching that out of all the other companies, now I’m gonna enjoy being a part of that company and hopefully I can add my own little bit of pizzazz and my own little spark to it and and make it a better way.”
His Career Coming Full Circle in Florida
Gangrel trained in Florida in the late ’80s and about 35 years later, it’s kind of a full circle moment for him as he’s training wrestlers in the same state that he trained in. Gangrel was asked what’s it like for him to have his career come full circle like that in Florida:
“Well, it’s home, Florida’s home. Born and raised, so full circle back around. When I was getting into wrestling, I didn’t have a lot of money and whatnot for tuitions and things that go along with the school. The people training me, I said [to them] ‘Listen, I can’t really afford this.’ and I was gonna pull out of it and everything. And they said ‘We’re gonna train you. Don’t worry about it. We’re gonna put you on the books as a trainer, just always give back to professional wrestling.’
“So I’ve just tried to stay true to my word and I’ve always tried to continue on in some type of training somewhere. Whether it was California with KnokX Pro which is a school I opened with Rikishi, or I had my own school for a while, GWA here [Florida]. Now I’m with CCW – Coastal Championship Wrestling and running their facility which is so crazy busy. I’m there Monday through Thursday. It’s crazy, and I’m doing private sessions. I’m doing one-on-one, training Paige VanZant now. Things are crazy so I’m like super super busy, but it’s an honor. I’m honored to be able to give back. It’s a blessing and I love pro wrestling so anytime I get to do what I love, anytime I get to lace a pair of boots up, climb through some ropes and get into that ring… It’s just a blessing and I’m honored. I might be nice and smiling now, but when I get in there, I’m gnarly and nasty. I’m even nastier as a trainer than I am as Gangrel the vampire.”
Today’s Generation of Wrestling Fans
Gangrel also touched on the differences in the wrestling community today compared to the old school days:
“Well, one is the size of the wrestlers has changed. But I don’t know, MLW got Killer Kross there now, Alexander Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu, you got some pretty big guys walking around in MLW, some pretty gnarly dudes too. It’s still wrestling, the objective of it is to win a match. Pin somebody’s shoulders. As for the characters, for a lack of better words, heel and babyface – a good guy or a bad guy. Well now it’s more like, the fans kinda cheer for who they want. The MLW though, I feel that’s another thing that I’m drawn to. There is a clear villain. There’s a clear white hat and black hat. Pick a side and ride it out. I like that a lot about MLW. But with a lot of wrestling, in the sense that’s changed. It’s just like everybody goes out there and does a million moves. There’s a lot of wasted movements and stuff like that. So that’s changed, but it’s still pro wrestling. You’re still trying to pin somebody, get your hand raised for the victory and all that.”
What’s Missing from Wrestling Today
Modern pro wrestling is very different than the pro wrestling of past eras. According to Gangrel, the number one thing missing from wrestling is..
“Magic. Everybody knows the tricks now. Magic made a difference. Everybody wants to believe in something. I think a wrestler’s believability. I believe that Killer Kross could kill somebody, you know? Alexander Hammerstone. I believe that he could pick anybody up and give him the pendulum. Jacob Fatu, I believe is a savage. I trained him so I know he’s a savage. I know if you get on his bad side, it can go all all kinds of sideways. This magic, the mystique, the mystery of a pro wrestler is what I think is missing.”
Gangrel added that MLW is touching base on that and trying to dial that back in, but he thinks the allure is missing from professional wrestling overall. He also thinks the advent of the internet and social media has contributed significantly to this.
“With the internet and social media you can’t really pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. It’s super hard. But one person can make you believe that they’re one bad mofo. That one person can make you believe in him and if next to you a guy across the ring makes you believe, it can be a chain reaction. Slowly, you can at least get people to believe in you and your character, even if they think they know what’s gonna happen and they can research it and go get spoiler alerts. But you can make them believe in you and that’s still magic.”
Freedom of Speech in Wrestling
Conversely, Gangrel wished there was more freedom of speech present in the wrestling business when he started out:
“More freedom of speech. When I broke in, it was more like ‘ears open mouth shut’. Whereas in this generation, they have a lot more input in things. They’re not afraid to put their thoughts out there and personal things in their characters. Back then it was just ‘Shut up kid or we’re gonna break your legs,’ and you’re gone tomorrow. I hate to say it, but it was the ‘Hey brother’ system. Now it’s more open to things and wrestling just in a general is a wide open area now. You can take advantage of more things. It was just all like, black and white back then. I believe in the good guy and a bad guy, a heel and a face. I truly believe in the whole good guy-bad guy thing but I think there was still a whole spectrum of characters missing with people’s individualities and the freedoms to be who they are.”
The Importance of Creative Freedom
Gangrel also talked about how creative freedom is so important, especially when you’re playing a character like Gangrel that needs its own unique style in the ring.
“I was terrified to do the vampire thing. Luna [Vachon] kept telling me ‘That was always okay, you can do it!’ I was like ‘Oh no way!’ Because I broke in ’87, there were no vampires running around with fangs and stuff in the ring. They’d be like ‘Beach up. What’s wrong with you kid? You on drugs? I told you not to take that acid or whatever it is you’re taking.’
“But I did it slowly and then the times just kept changing. I came in during the late ’80s and ’90s and then things evolved and it is where it is today. Now they don’t think twice about it. They go, ‘Yeah, a vampire. At least it doesn’t sparkle’ [referring to the Twilight series].”
How He Keeps up with Wrestling
Gangrel was asked how he manages to stay informed on professional wrestling programming and news with his hectic schedule, to be able to cover it on his podcast Fangin n Bangin.
“Don’t tell anybody, but I just listen to the dirtsheets,” Gangrel said jokingly. “I try to watch it, but it’s very hard. I get so lost, there’s just so much to keep track of in current wrestling. I need to stay current and it’s tough.”
Gangrel explained that he has to keep up to date with current programming to know what his students’ mindframes are. “As far as the results go, I look at it on certain sites and read the results. If something piques my interest then I go watch it. For the most part, I watch a lot of wrestling when I’m doing cardio.”
MLW’s two next shows are scheduled for WrestleMania weekend, at Gilley’s in Dallas, TX. If you’re in town, visit MLWTix.com for ticket information.
Former WWE Superstar Lana’s movie Cosmic Sin won a Razzie Award. That’s not a good thing.
Lana (C.J. Perry) appeared in the film alongside Hollywood legend Bruce Willis. The Die Hard and Sixth Sense star has become somewhat of a meme for churning out a staggering number of “B-movies” each year.
Willis makes so many movies that the latest Razzie Awards has an entire category dedicated to, “Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie.”
That category had eight nominees, including:
American Seige
Apex
Cosmic Sin (Winner)
Deadlock
Fortress
Midnight in the Switchgrass
Out of Death
Survive the Game
How bad was Cosmic Sin? It currently has a 3% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which puts it into “so bad, it’s good” territory.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTVU58oPd9J/
At the end of the day, Bruce Willis is cashing huge paychecks for these films. Lana is building her acting portfolio, which will help her land future roles. Her next project, a sci-fi movie WolfLike, is currently in production.
Lana was released from WWE in June 2021 after eight years with the company. Her husband, Miro, is signed with All Elite Wrestling.
Bret Hart has heard only good things about Brock Lesnar’s abilities in the ring, which is the complete opposite of his own experience with another monster athlete – Goldberg.
During a recent appearance on Sports Guys Talking Wrestling podcast, Natalya had discussed how The Beast Incarnate told her that Hart was a dream match for him.
Bret Hart addressed this during his appearance on Signed by Superstars event. He praised Brock, saying that he has always heard the WWE champion to be a good worker:
“I heard that I was his [Brock Lesnar] dream match. That was just a week ago I heard that. Always heard Brock was a good worker.
I’ve never heard that [Lesnar was stiff in the ring].” said Bret Hart, “Always heard just the opposite, that he looks stiff, but he’s a real pro in the ring. Totally the opposite of Goldberg.”
Hart is of course referring to the botched kicked from Goldberg during their infamous WCW championship match at WCW Starrcade 1999. The wrestling legend suffered a severe concussion due to it.
The injury later forced the Canadian star to retire from active competition. Bret Hart has been critical of Goldberg ever since, and has called the former world champion out on many occasions.
John Cena main evented several WrestleManias during his decade-long stint as the face of WWE. One of them was against The Miz at WrestleMania 27.
The A-lister recently took on his Twitter to remind the Cenation leader of his victory on the Show of Shows 11 years ago. In response, the 16-time world champion praised his opponent for his work ethic.
John Cena replied positively while responding to the question of whether he remembers the match. He mentioned how The Miz did his best for the audience and claimed that his passion has not changed:
“I do. Vividly. You worked your a** off on the road to the event and at the event itself. Sacrificing your body during the event to do all you could to give the audience every ounce, even possibly at the expense of your own memory. Your passion and dedication hasn’t ever changed.”
I do. Vividly. You worked your a** off on the road to the event and at the event itself. Sacrificing your body during the event to do all you could to give the audience every ounce, even possibly at the expense of your own memory. Your passion and dedication hasn’t ever changed. https://t.co/VJkfwOOiYV
The Miz walked into WrestleMania 27 as the WWE champion. He managed to win the match after The Rock interfered and delivered a Rock Bottom to John Cena.
The Miz is currently involved in a feud with The Mysterios. He is set to face Rey Mysterio on the WrestleMania go-home episode of Raw this Monday. John on the other hand, is not expected to be part of the big event in any way.
Bobby Lashley has not been seen on WWE programming since the Elimination Chamber PPV. Latest reports suggest that he might be returning to TV soon.
According to Mike Johnson of PWinsider, the former WWE champion is expected to make his return to WWE on this Monday’s episode of Raw from Pittsburgh.
Lashley is rumored to face Omos in a singles match at WrestleMania 38. It’s likely that this match will be set up during the go home episode of the red branded show.
The All-Mighty has been out of action since the Royal Rumble PPV in January. He suffered a shoulder injury in his match with Brock Lesnar at the show.
While Bobby Lashley was officially a part of the Elimination Chamber match, WWE did an angle to remove him from the bout before the action started.
Bobby Lashley Reveals Why He Retired From MMA
The former champion has been rehabbing his injury since then. Though he hasn’t had a surgery which is a good sign for the Raw star.
Apart from Lashley, both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are scheduled for this week’s Raw. The show will also see RK-Bro going up against The Usos in an inter-brand champion vs champion match among other.
Dustin Rhodes worked a match against Lance Archer this week on AEW Rampage, and Rhodes revealed on Saturday that he did not walk away from the match unscathed.
Rhodes won the match but was attacked by Archer after the final bell. In a post to social media on Saturday, Rhodes revealed that he had to get five stitches and also suffered a ruptured eardrum.
“Hey guys, rough night, told you all I’d give you an update,” Rhodes said. “Got five stitches in the head. Pretty sore. The main thing is that I have a busted eardrum. Cannot hear out of it at all. But guess what? I’m in good spirits and I’m not going anywhere.”
You can view Rhodes’ video addressing the injury below.
Rhodes looks to remain a member of the AEW roster for the immediate future as his brother, Cody Rhodes, prepares to return to WWE this week as part of WrestleMania 38 in Arlington, Texas. This is likely what he was referring to with the “I’m not going anywhere” comment, at least tongue-in-cheek. It’s unknown how long the injury will keep Dustin out of action.
At the first-ever AEW event back in 2019, the Double or Nothing PPV event in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the Rhodes brothers had what is still arguably one of the top matches in the history of AEW. Dustin walked away bloody from that encounter as well.
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.
Charlotte Flair has been the chosen face of WWE’s women’s division since her debut in 2015. She always finds herself in the center of the most important stories concerning the division. This constant push, however, has also led to a lot of criticism for the Queen.
The SmackDown women’s champion recently addressed the IWC’s grudge against her in an interview with Bleacher Report. Flair claimed that she has put in an incredible amount of work to stay in the position she has been. Instead of praising her ethics, however, people take the critical approach:
“People don’t realize how much pressure and hard work and dedication and I’ve never been about for a lengthy time. Instead of looking at it as a positive, like ‘Wow, what a consistent performer, what a hard-worker,’ it’s just, ‘Ugh, she’s always in the title picture, she always has the title.'”
Charlotte Flair then explained that she must be doing something right if she is always talked about. She mentioned how the male workers of the industry aren’t always met with the same criticism as her:
“I don’t think the same criticism always goes toward men being in the title picture. In this business, you want to be the champion. It’s not like you wake up and say, ‘Today, I don’t want to be the champion.’ No, you should always want to be the champion.”
Flair noted that being the champion means that you have to be the hardest worker in the room. She claimed that while she doesn’t understand the criticism sometimes, her haters make her that much better all the same.
Jonathan Gresham was in a good spot financially when the COVID-19 pandemic first took effect but he thought his in-ring career could be over.
Gresham has been renowned for his technical wrestling and his hard work has paid off. He is the current ROH World Champion and is set for a big undisputed title match with Bandido at Supercard of Honor on April 1.
While it looks to be smooth sailing for Gresham now, there was some uncertainty back in 2020.
Jonathan Gresham On Dealing With Pandemic
Jonathan Gresham appeared on The Kurt Angle Show and said that from a financial standpoint, he was more worried about wrestlers who were on per appearance deals and didn’t have a job guaranteed. With that said, he was still concerned about his own career (h/t Fightful).
“Yes. I try to stay optimistic. I’m a pessimist from the start, but when it hit I was financially in a pretty good situation but I was more concerned about my comrades, guys that were coming up and on pay-per-appearance with Ring of Honor. So, I was really thinking about them.
“ROH did a really good job of keeping us on payroll the entire pandemic, so I was concerned but I was also thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to jump to what next?’ I spent my entire adult life becoming a professional wrestler, so there was really nothing else I could really use that knowledge for, so that was kind of scary.
“But yeah, I thought it was over for me. But I was just going to ride the wave of the contract. Money was still coming in and hope for the best.”
It’s safe to say that Gresham will be sticking around in the wrestling business. Reports have already surfaced claiming that Gresham could very well be in business with both ROH and AEW for the foreseeable future.
