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Asuka Mocks Reports About Her WWE Return Status

Michael Reichlin
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Asuka is once again calling out rumors about her status with WWE.

The Empress of Tomorrow has been the subject of a great deal of speculation. Her most recent match for WWE took place at Money in the Bank 2021. When she wasn’t seen on television for weeks, then months, fans began to wonder about her condition.

Back in August 2021, Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Asuka was healthy to compete, but left a Raw taping early because she wasn’t being used. Asuka denied the report, calling it “totally wrong” and a fake story.

“Nothing has been revealed,” wrote Asuka last summer. “That information is totally wrong. Really different. Completely different. Everything is different. I would like to ask the information provider. Don’t make a fake story.”

It later came out that Asuka had shoulder surgery and also got some new teeth implanted.

https://twitter.com/WWEAsuka/status/1432837555498618880

Asuka Update

The latest report from Asuka comes from PWInsider, which stated that the hope was for her to return in February but “obviously there’s been nothing for her creatively.”

The 3x WWE Women’s Champion has emerged to once again debunk incorrect rumors about her

https://twitter.com/WWEAsuka/status/1500057464447725572?s=20&t=TUM-BAGU7oJn4_Uz8cbQyA

She also called into question a report that she’s medically cleared.

Whenever she does return, Asuka is sure to make a big impact on WWE’s women’s division. A lot has transpired since we last saw Asuka on television. WWE has released many female competitors, including Nia Jax, Ember Moon, Eva Marie, Toni Storm, Tegan Nox and more. We’ve also seen the returns of Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey.

Video: Ricochet Wins The Intercontinental Championship On SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
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This week’s episode of SmackDown saw a big title change where Ricochet defeated Sami Zayn to become the new Intercontinental Champion.

This title match was the very first bout of the night. It saw the One and Only doing some amazing work and he almost took out Zayn at the very beginning.

The ending of the bout saw the high-flying star flipping over the top and taking Zayn down on the floor for a big pop. He then brought Sami back into the ring.

Ricochet went to the top rope but the IC champion cut him down and sent the former NXT star back on the floor. It looked as if Sami was going to retain his title.

However, as Zayn tried to bring his opponent back into the ring, the Jackass music hit, and Johnny Knoxville came down the ring to a pop.

Knoxville called Sami a chump. Zayn tried to get Knoxville but he hopped back off the apron. This gave Ricochet an opportunity to strike back.

He came back into the ring and put Sami Zayn down with a hurricanrana. Ricochet then pinned Sami to become the new IC champion.

Sami Zayn had won the championship last month. His reign with the title officially only lasted for 13 days. You can check out the title change in the video below:

AEW Rampage Results (3/4): Title Match, Paige VanZant, Keith Lee, Revolution Qualifier

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage aired live this week from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida. Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship against Darby Allin & Andrade El Idolo in a Triple Threat match. Christian Cage faced Ethan Page in a Qualifying match for the Face of the Revolution Ladder match this Sunday. In addition to the takeaways below, a promo by CM Punk was aired following the brutal attack by MJF on Dynamite.

Rampage Results

  1. Sammy Guevara def. Andrade El Idolo & Darby Allin in a Triple Threat match to retain the TNT Championship
  2. Keith Lee def. JD Drake
  3. Serena Deeb def. Leila Grey via submission
  4. Christian Cage def. Ethan Page to qualify for the Face of the Revolution Ladder match

Here are the takeaways from tonight’s episode of Rampage:

Sammy Guevara Retained The TNT Championship

Sammy Guevara put the TNT Championship on the line against Darby Allin & Andrade El Idolo in a Triple Threat match to begin the show. Darby connected with an Arm Drag on Andrade and Sammy Guevara followed it up with a kick to El Idolo’s face. Darby connected with a Destroyer but couldn’t capitalize as he began battling with Sammy.

Guevara hit Allin with a knee to the face as Andrade got back in the action. Andrade hit a Powerbomb, Sammy hit a Superplex on Darby (Tower of Doom spot) and Andrade covered the champ for a two count. Andrade grabbed the TNT Championship and hit both of his opponents over the head with it.

When Rampage returned from a break, Andrade planted Allin with a Backbreaker. Andrade went for a Moonsault on Allin but he dodged it. Andrade was still able to connect with the Moonsault on Sammy. Andrade knocked Sammy out of the ring and connected with Double Knees on Allin for a close two count.

Allin battled back and went for a Coffin Drop but Andrade countered by getting his knees up. Andrade made his way to the top turnbuckle but Allin tripped him up and got Andrade in the Tree of Woe. The TNT Champion climbed up the opposite corner and delivered a Coast to Coast Dropkick to Andrade.

Darby and Sammy briefly aligned to sent Andrade out of the ring. Sammy went for a roll up but Allin kicked out at two and the match continued. Andrade got back into the ring and sent Sammy to the outside. Allin hit Andrade with the Coffin Drop Guevara broke up the cover with a Senton onto both wrestlers. Guevara then covered Andrade to retain the TNT Championship.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1499947768516915204?s=20&t=ZVyltZYmX_8HjflnoEtnlA

Paige VanZant & Title Match Announced For Next Week

Dan Lambert cut a backstage promo tonight with Scorpio Sky by his side. Lambert announced that he has made an offer Tony Khan cannot refuse. Scorpio Sky will face Sammy Guevara next week for the TNT Championship and Paige VanZant will be at Dynamite next week to sign her contract with the promotion.

Trios Match Announced For Revolution

PAC & Penta cut a promo tonight with House of Black. Erick Redbeard showed up and will be teaming up with PAC & Penta at Revolution. House of Black were on the entrance ramp and had a bunch of security in front of them. Pentagon snapped one of the security guard’s arm to send a message ahead of the PPV. House of Black (Malaria Black, Brody King, Buddy Matthews) will face PAC, Pentagon Jr, Erick Redbread (FKA as Erick Rowan in WWE) at AEW Revolution.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1499949507932565509?s=20&t=ZVyltZYmX_8HjflnoEtnlA

Keith Lee Picked Up A Win

Keith Lee faced JD Drake this week on Rampage. JD Drake got in some offense early and kept the big man grounded. Lee battled back and sent Drake flying across the ring with a shoulder tackle.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1499950308109295616?s=20&t=ZVyltZYmX_8HjflnoEtnlA

JD Drake battled back and beat Keith Lee down in the corner. JD connected with a Cannonball and made his way up to the top rope. He hit a Moonsault and went for the cover but Keith Lee powered out at two. Lee took control and connected with a Powerslam for the pinfall victory. After the action, the Wingmen attacked Lee but he beat them down with ease.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1499952148896964609?s=20&t=Q09K5omrLiFrVBe7vrlGeA

Serena Deeb Dominated Again, Hikaru Shida Returns

Serena Deeb issued another five minute rookie challenge this week and Leila Grey answered the call. Grey started off the match by trying to avoid Deeb and rolled to the outside. Deeb chased her around and quickly caught up to her. Serena slammed her on the floor and followed it up with a Backstabber in the ring. Deeb then applied the Serenity Lock for the quick submission victory. After the match, Deeb continued to attack but Hikaru Shida showed up and made the save.

Christian Cage Qualified For The Face of the Revolution Ladder Match

Christian Cage squared off against Ethan Page in a Face of the Revolution Qualifying match. The winner will claim the final spot in the ladder match this Sunday to determine the #1 contender for the TNT Championship. Mark Henry interviewed Page & Christian before the match.

Ethan shoved Cage to the corner and Christian responded with a taunt. Page got angry and unloaded some punches on Christian. Cage shrugged them off and sent Ethan out of the ring. Christian connected with a Dropkick through the ropes as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Ethan Page was in control and hit an awesome Cutter. Page threw Cage into the ring post and set up for the Ego’s Edge. Christian reversed it and connected the the Killswitch for the pinfall victory. Christian Cage has qualified for the Face of the Revolution Ladder match this Sunday at the PPV.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1499958484980412418?s=20&t=quyqOqSyjJtPTv3fWkG4Iw

After the match, AEW Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express came to the ring and celebrated with Christian Cage. ReDragon and Young Bucks showed up and Kyle O’Reilly took the tag titles. Luchasaurus reached over the ropes and ripped them back. Jungle Boy hit a dive onto the two teams to close the show. Jurassic Express will defend the AEW Tag Team Championships against Young Bucks & ReDragon in a Triple Threat tag team match at Revolution.

Watch: Former WWE Star Returns To AEW During Rampage

Anutosh Bajpai
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Erick Redbeard, better known to WWE fans as former Wyatt Family member Eric Rowan made his return to AEW programming during this week’s episode of Rampage.

The Friday night show featured matches such as a triple threat for the TNT championship and a qualifier for the face of the Revolution ladder match.

The final segment of the night saw Pac and Penta Oscuro confronting the House of Black in the ring. This is when Redbeard made his return to the company.

The former WWE star aligned himself with the members of the Death Triangle. The segment broke out into a fight with his arrival and Erick took out several security guards.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTV/status/1499949234644127746

AEW later confirmed that Eric Redbeard will team up with Pac and Penta to face The House of Black in a trios match at the AEW Revolution Buy In Show this Sunday.

Redbeard previously made an appearance for AEW during the ‘Brodie Lee Celebration Of Life’ tribute show back in December 2020. He protected members of the Dark Order from an attack by Wardlow.

It’s unknown whether Erick has signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling. It looks more likely that this will be a one-off appearance for the former champion.

  • AEW Revolution: Final Match Card

WWE SmackDown Results (3/4): Ronda Rousey vs. Sonya Deville, New Champion, Roman Reigns

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida. The Intercontinental and Tag Team Championships were defended on tonight’s show. Ronda Rousey battled Sonya Deville in the main event.

SmackDown Results

  1. Ricochet def. Sami Zayn to become the new Intercontinental Champion
  2. Naomi def. Carmella
  3. Drew McIntyre def. Jinder Mahal
  4. The Usos def. Viking Raiders to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
  5. Ronda Rousey def. Sonya Deville via submission

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Johnny Knoxville Helped Ricochet Become The New IC Champion

Sami Zayn defended the Intercontinental Championship against Ricochet to begin this week’s edition of SmackDown. Sami controlled the action early but Ricochet battled back with an Enziguri for a near fall. The champ lured Ricochet to the apron and planted him with a Suplex as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Sami went for an Exploder Suplex but Ricochet countered into a cradle for a near fall. Ricochet quickly hit a standing Moonsault and went for the cover but Sami kicked out at the last moment. Ricochet hit an absurd Moonsault over the top rope and onto Zayn outside the ring.

Ricochet rolled the champion into the ring and made his way to the top rope. Zayn popped up and shoved Ricochet off the turnbuckle. Ricochet crashed on the ring apron and crashed to the floor below.

Zayn smirked and made his way towards Ricochet but Johnny Knoxville’s theme hit. Knoxville provided a distraction and Ricochet connected with a Hurricanrana into a cover for the pinfall victory. Ricochet is the new Intercontinental Champion.

Sami flipped out backstage after the match and wound up challenging Knoxville to a match at WrestleMania. Kayla Braxton caught up to Knoxville backstage and he accepted the challenge.

Austin Theory Will Face Pat McAfee At WrestleMania

Austin Theory came to the ring and said wherever Vince McMahon goes, Austin Theory goes. Austin claimed Vince McMahon set Pat McAfee up and doesn’t really like him. Theory claimed that he was going to make McAfee eat through a straw and beat McAfee to a pulp at WrestleMania. Theory slapped McAfee’s headset off and took a selfie as Pat shouted from on top of the announce table.

Naomi def. Carmella

Naomi faced Carmella tonight on SmackDown. Sasha Banks and Queen Zelina were ringside for the match. Queen Zelina & Carmella will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Naomi & Banks at WrestleMania. Carmella rolled out of the ring to have her assistants put on her mask before the bell rang.

Naomi punched Carmella in the face and climbed to the top rope. Carmella tripped her up and slammed Naomi down to the mat. Carmella posed before applying a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Naomi escaped into a Jawbreaker and followed it up with a boot to the side of the head for a close two count.

Carmella sent Naomi to the corner and unloaded some strikes. Queen Zelina hopped on the apron but Banks knocked her down. Sasha hit Double Knees as Naomi booted Carmella to the mat. Naomi connected with the split-legged Moonsaulted for the pinfall victory as Natalya was shown watching on backstage.

Drew McIntyre def. Jinder Mahal

Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss were playing a poker game backstage and laughed at Drew McIntyre during his entrance. McIntyre will face Happy Corbin on Night 1 of WrestleMania.

McIntyre faced Jindler Mahal in a singles match tonight and Shanky was ringside. Mahal got in some offense early but McIntyre took control. Shanky hopped on the ring apron for a distraction but Drew sent him to the floor. McIntyre then leveled Mahal with the Claymore for the easy pinfall victory. After the victory, Drew vowed to defeat Happy Corbin at WrestleMania. McIntyre crashed Happy Corbin’s party later on the show and threw Angela the sword at a dart board. Corbin and Moss retreated as McIntyre laughed.

Roman Reigns Warned Brock Lesnar

Shinsuke Nakamura and Boogs were about to make their entrances but The Usos attacked them. The Usos, Paul Heyman and Universal Champion Roman Reigns made their way to the ring. Reigns vowed to defeat whoever he has to defend the Universal Championship against tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden.

Reigns said he wants Lesnar to win his title match tomorrow night so he can hand deliver him the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Roman asked Heyman if they should give Miami a spoiler and the crowd cheered. Reigns claimed he was like Babe Ruth around here because he delivers every time he calls his shot.

Roman vowed to smash Brock Lesnar, pin him, stand over him, and raise both titles with the pyro going off. Reigns shouted that Lesnar is going to acknowledge him and kept shouting “me!” over and over until he calmed down. He looked directly into the camera and said that Brock Lesnar will acknowledge him at WrestleMania.

The Usos Retained The SmackDown Tag Titles

The Usos stuck around after the Tribal Chief exited the ring and defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Viking Raiders. Erik & Ivar knocked Jimmy & Jey to the outside and Ivar hit a Cannonball. Ivar climbed to the top rope and hit a Splash but Uso kicked out at two. Jimmy & Jey battled back and isolated Erik in the corner as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Erik and Jey Uso tagged in. Viking Raiders leveled Jey with a Clothesline and went for the cover but he kicked out at two. Jimmy tagged in and Jey knocked Ivar off the ring apron. Jimmy hit a Superkick and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Jimmy went for a Splash but Erik got his knees up.

Ivar got the tag and planted Jimmy with a big Powerslam and went for the cover but Jey broke it up at the last moment. Erik & Jey tagged in as Jimmy took out Ivar outside the ring. Jey hit a Superkick and Erik fell to the ropes. The Usos then hit the 1D (Dudley Boyz 3D move) for the pinfall victory. Jimmy & Jey remain the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

Sheamus & Ridge Holland Destroyed New Day’s ATV

Big E squared off against Sheamus tonight. Kofi Kingston & Ridge Holland were ringside for the match. Kofi was dancing around on the ATV that New Day drove to the ring and Ridge Holland attacked him from behind with a steel chair. Sheamus then attacked Big E before the bell rang. Sheamus & Ridge Holland stole the ATV and destroyed it with sledgehammers in the parking lot. Big E & Kofi vs. Ridge Holland & Sheamus was announced for next week.

Ronda Rousey def. Sonya Deville & Sent A Message To Charlotte Flair

Ronda Rousey faced Sonya Deville in tonight’s main event. Before Rousey made her entrance, Sonya tried to bargain with referee Charles Robinson to favor her during the contest. Rousey made her entrance and then SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair’s theme hit. Charlotte was then ringside for the match.

Rousey got in a strike to Deville’s face right away and followed it up with a slam. Ronda went for an Armbar right away but Charlotte distracted her. Deville capitalized with a chop block and beat Ronda down in the corner of the ring as Charlotte got on commentary to boast about her actions.

Deville caught Rousey with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Ronda powered out at two. Sonya kept Rousey grounded for the next couple minutes and got her in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Rousey eventually escaped and knocked Sonya to the apron. Rousey hit a running knee to the face and then unloaded some strikes.

Ronda started throwing Sonya around the ring with ease and planted her with a Samoan Drop. Rousey then applied the Armbar for the submission victory as Charlotte was pissed off on commentary. Charlotte then got into the ring and Rousey got her in an Ankle Lock. Charlotte screamed in pain and tapped out until referee Charles Robinson broke it up. Ronda Rousey posed for the cheering crowd to close this week’s show.

Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory Set For WrestleMania 38

Andrew Ravens
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Pat McAfee will take on Austin Theory at WrestleMania 38. WWE confirmed the match during this week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown when Theory came out to cut a promo on him by stating that McAfee had been set up by Vince McMahon when McMahon was on McAfee’s podcast on Thursday afternoon.

Theory walked to the announce table to inform McAfee that he was McAfee’s opponent for WrestleMania. He then slapped McAfee, which stunned him as Theory took selfies and left.

During McMahon’s appearance on Thursday’s episode of The Pat McAfee show, he offered McAfee a match at WrestleMania with McAfee accepting. As of last Thursday, it was reported a match between McAfee and McMahon was in the internal WrestleMania 38 schedule. It’s possible that McMahon will still be part of the match. 

WWE presents the WrestleMania 38 event on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at AT&T Stadium that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks.

Roman Reigns Advertised For Final WWE Raw Before WrestleMania 38

Andrew Ravens
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It appears WWE is bringing in SmackDown’s Roman Reigns for an appearance on Raw in advance of his main event match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 next month in Dallas, Texas at AT&T Stadium.

WWE is advertising Reigns for the Monday, March 28 episode of Raw at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This will be Raw’s go-home show for WrestleMania 38. Lesnar is also advertised for the final Raw before WrestleMania.

Lesnar will wrestle Reigns in a winner-take-all match to unify the WWE Championship and Universal Championship.

Reigns did appear last September on an episode of Raw as he wrestled twice as he teamed with The Usos in a six-man tag match against The New Day and later faced Big E and Bobby Lashley in a triple threat match.

Moving along to November, Reigns & The Usos also faced Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods in a dark match after an episode of Raw in Long Island, New York. 

Both Reigns and Lesnar will be in action at Saturday’s WWE house show at Madison Square Garden in New York City as they’re both supposed to defend their titles against unknown opponents. 

AEW Reaches $1 Million Gate For Double Or Nothing Off First Day Ticket Sales

Andrew Ravens
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AEW is off to a good start for its Double or Nothing pay-per-view event thanks to first-day ticket sales. 

The promotion will hold the show on Sunday, May 29th in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for it went on sale today and the promotion reached its first-ever $1 million gate. AEW President Tony Khan announced on Twitter Friday by writing. 

“It’s Friday, you know what that means: #AEWRampage Live TONIGHT on @TNTdrama on the Road to Revolution this Sunday, and tonight we’re celebrating a milestone because today #DoubleOrNothing 1st day sales just gave us our 1st EVER $1 Million gate! Let’s celebrate tonight @ Rampage!”

WrestleTix noted that AEW has set up the venue for 14,000 seats. The entire lower bowl is sold out, which helped the promotion get to the $1 million gate as those are the most expensive seats. 

The Dynamite and Rampage shows leading up to the pay-per-view will take place in the city at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, formerly known as the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

AEW presents its next pay-per-view event this Sunday with Revolution, which sold out the the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida. 

Conflicting Reports Surface On Potential Thunder Rosa Injury

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Depending on who you believe, Thunder Rosa is either hurt going into AEW Revolution or is perfectly fine.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Thunder suffered an injury of some sort during her tag team match on the go-home episode of Dynamite. There weren’t much more details given in the report.

During the match, Thunder teamed with Mercedes Martinez to take on Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter. Thunder ended up pinning Britt for the victory.

Thunder Rosa Injured? Not So Fast

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select followed up on Meltzer’s report. He says that sources have told him that they “vehemently” deny the claim that Thunder Rosa was injured during the tag team match.

It’ll be interesting to see what the real story is but for now, Thunder is set to challenge Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s Championship this Sunday night (March 6).

Going into Sunday’s PPV, many had been assuming that this was Thunder’s time to win the championship. After her pinfall victory over Britt in the tag match on Dynamite, many are singing a different tune.

For our AEW Revolution predictions, click here.

Paul Heyman Names Two ECW Legends Who Should Be In WWE Hall of Fame

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Paul Heyman has two names in mind as far as ECW legends who should be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame go.

Heyman once ran the show for ECW, so he knows a thing or two about some of the legends to have come from the promotion. Of all the names he could list, Heyman has two in mind who he feels should be in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Paul Heyman’s Hall Of Fame Picks

Serving as a guest on the Battleground Podcast, Paul Heyman shared his take on why Sabu and Joey Styles are his picks for the WWE Hall of Fame (via Wrestling Inc).

“I would say Sabu definitely belongs in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Because I think the concepts that Sabu was introducing, were 20 years ahead of its time. And I don’t just mean the breaking of the tables. I mean just the manner in which he performed in the ring was so far ahead of its time that he never got the credit he deserved.

“I would say Joey Styles was a very progressive announcer that no one understood just how valuable he was to the ECW brand. Because here you had these criminals, and these gangsters and these barroom brawlers and these misfits. Yet you also had these supreme, elite, exquisite technicians. Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, Psychosis, Juventud Guerrera, that came over from Japan or Mexico. We scoured the world for the greatest talent.

“And no American announcer had ever called the moves for what they were, Joey Styles did. Joey Styles ushered out the era of, ‘wow that looked great, here’s a replay,’ and started calling the moves by the names that were associated with the moves. And he was completely different than any other announcer because he did his job solo for so many years. So I would say Joey Styles, absolutely.”

Styles was the voice of ECW known for his signature, “Oh My God!” call. Sabu is a renowned legend all over the world and he was a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.

Both Styles and Sabu worked under the WWE banner but they’re more well-known for their ECW runs.

Report: WWE Working On Creative Plans For Cody Rhodes

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

There have been conflicting reports on the status of Cody Rhodes but the latest word indicates that “The American Nightmare” is WWE-bound.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE has been working on creative plans for Cody. The plans are expected to be in motion soon barring a last-minute fallout between the two sides.

Conflicting Reports On Cody Rhodes

This goes against a recent report from Bodyslam.net, which claims that talks between Cody Rhodes and WWE “fizzled out.” The report also indicated that there was a possibility that Cody could make his way back to AEW.

Cody and Brandi Rhodes announced their departure from AEW back in February. Cody, Brandi, and Tony Khan all issued statements expressing gratitude for their time working together.

Reports claimed that Cody had grown unhappy with the loss in booking power. It was also said that he wanted a big enough contract that Khan wasn’t willing to pay.

Cody had been working without a contract since the end of 2021. Despite this, he won the TNT Championship but eventually dropped it to Sammy Guevara on the Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite.

SEScoops will keep you posted with the latest updates regarding the status of Cody Rhodes.

ROH Statement On Acquisition By Tony Khan

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

ROH has sent out a statement in response to being acquired by AEW President Tony Khan.

On the March 2 episode of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan announced that he purchased Ring of Honor from Sinclair Broadcast Group. In a statement released by AEW, they gushed over the promotion’s video library.

ROH Speaks On Acquisition

Here is ROH’s statement in full:

“An agreement has been reached for All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan to acquire the assets of Ring of Honor Wrestling Entertainment, LLC from Sinclair Broadcast Group.

“Khan made the announcement during Wednesday night’s episode of AEW: Dynamite on TBS.

“’Ring of Honor’s influence on modern professional wrestling is etched permanently in the history books, and this acquisition ensures that its legacy will be kept alive and treated with the utmost respect,’ Khan said.

“ROH COO Joe Koff said: ‘Ring of Honor has produced some of the best professional wrestlers over the past 20 years, but more importantly, it created a family. I will be forever grateful to everyone in the ROH family who has worked tirelessly for the past two decades to take ROH to levels previously unimagined. Tony has the utmost appreciation and respect for Ring of Honor, and I’m truly excited to see how he continues the legacy.’

“ROH was founded in 2002 by a Philadelphia-based pro wrestling video production company and has gone on to become one of the most influential promotions in the industry.

“Emphasizing unparallelled in­-ring action and athleticism, ROH initially catered to a niche audience of disenfranchised hardcore wrestling fans, recording live events in Philadelphia and a few other cities in the Northeast and selling them on DVD and VHS. 

“From those humble beginnings, ROH steadily grew into a global brand that launched the careers of a number of top stars, including CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, the Briscoes, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens.

“In 2011, SBG acquired ROH from Cary Silkin, who had been ROH’s sole owner since 2004. Under SBG’s ownership, ROH became the only wrestling company in the U.S. with a major, multi­-market presence on broadcast TV. 

“The next chapter in ROH’s storied history will now be written by Khan, who described himself as ‘a huge fan of Ring of Honor’ when he made the announcement on Dynamite.

“’This deal adds thousands of hours of content to our rapidly growing library and creates new opportunities to expand our footprint on national and global scale, while having the potential to produce new content under the ROH banner,’ Khan said.”

There has been plenty of speculation regarding AEW’s plans for the Ring of Honor brand. We’ve already seen a report from Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net that ROH will be used as a “developmental territory of sort.”

Pat McAfee Will Compete at WrestleMania

Tyriece Simon
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Friday Night Smackdown Commentator Pat McAfee will be making his main roster in-ring debut at Wrestlemania.

Since working on the main roster, McAfee has stayed behind the commenter desk working alongside Michael Cole. However, WWE initially brought McAfee to compete as a wrestler. The former Indianapolis Colts Punter made his in-ring debut in NXT against Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on Aug. 22, 2020.

Despite his inexperience in the ring, McAfee impressed his peers with his athleticism and wrestling ability. He also competed in an NXT Wargames match on Dec. 6, 2020. Once called to the main roster, fans expected McAfee to wrestle or manager, but WWE made him Smackdown’s commentator. After accepting the commentator role, it seemed that McAfee’s wrestling career had ended.

On The Pat McAfee Show, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon praised McAfee’s work and allowed him to have a match at Wrestlemania 38.

“…I know you love what we do, and you are a part of the time big time. People in the organization really enjoy you, and fans all over the world really enjoy you being you,” said McMahon. He continued, “…With that, I’d like to offer you an opportunity to actually wrestle at Wrestlemania.” McMahon also cautioned McAfee that it would be different from his time playing for the NFL and would find a worthy opponent.

Austin Theory
(via WWE)

Will Austin Theory Be Pat McAfee Opponent?

During the Pat McAfee Show broadcast, Austin Theory’s name came up, and McAfee’s co-host AJ Hawk thought Theory might appear. Theory is also the companion of McMahon and teased potentially confronting the Smackdown Commentator at Monday Night Raw on Feb. 28. Although he didn’t show up on the show, WWE could decide to make McAfee vs. Theory at Wrestlemania 38.

It’s unclear whether WWE decided that Theory will be McAfee’s opponent. McAfee also joked that he must get in shape to make his Wrestlemania debut. Regardless, the former Indianapolis Colts Punter will look to have a Wrestlemania moment next month.

Vince McMahon Will Induct The Undertaker Into the WWE Hall of Fame

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will help induct “The Deadman” The Undertaker into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The WWE announced on Feb. 18 that The Undertaker would be inducted into their 2022 Hall of Fame Class. So far, he is the only member revealed to be going into this year’s Hall of Fame. After the announcement from WWE, wrestling fans have wondered who will help induct “The Deadman.” On The Pat McAfee Show on Mar. 3, McMahon shared that he will help induct The Undertaker.

Vince McMahon on Why He’s Inducting The Undertaker

The WWE Chairman hasn’t inducted a wrestler since Stone Cold Steve Austin on Apr. 4, 2009. When explaining why he chose to introduce The Undertaker, McMahon gave an emotional response and why it will be the most challenging thing McMahon has ever done.

“This will be one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life. He explained I like the guy. I love the guy. We’ve known each other for so many years. We’ve you been through all kinds of situations, some that glad didn’t make the newspapers and so forth. When you live on the road like that, you know you have your family at home. When you live on the road, man, you have to have a family on the road, and you have to have people you can count on, you rely on, that are loyal and trustworthy and not have to look over your shoulder. He’s that kind of guy. He’s an extraordinary human being.” He also shared that it will be difficult because he knows The Undertaker personally.

It’s unclear if The Undertaker will be the only inductee for this year’s Hall of Fame. However, McMahon personally inducting “The Deadman” will make for an emotional moment.

The Undertaker Reacts

The Undertaker has commented on the news that Vince McMahon will induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Dead Man said McMahon is the perfect person to bestow the honor upon him.


Jade Cargill Reveals What She’s Learned From Bryan Danielson

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jade Cargill has taken some pointers from Bryan Danielson.

Danielson isn’t just one of AEW’s top stars, he’s also become a bit of a mentor backstage. One rising star who Danielson has kept his eyes on is Cargill, who is the inaugural TBS Champion.

In fact, Danielson even admitted on The Masked Man Show that he’s “jealous” of Jade’s ability to come across as a big star so quickly.

Learning From A Legend

While Cargill’s wrestling journey is in its beginning stages, Danielson has been around the block for many years. Speaking to Muscle and Fitness, Jade Cargill shared some of the things she has learned from Bryan Danielson.

“I’m learning a whole different style of wrestling. Grappling and that sort of thing. I’m used to the ‘big man’ style of just throwing people. He is such an intelligent man, he has so much knowledge.

“Right now, I’m actually getting more in-tune with British wrestling and prior to this I didn’t have much knowledge of it, and how different the style is but also how technical it is, so I’m learning all of that right now and trying to fit it into my form of wrestling. It’s a blessing, I’m very thankful.”

Cargill is scheduled to put her TBS Title on the line at the AEW Revolution PPV on March 6. She’ll go one-on-one with Tay Conti inside the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

For our 2022 AEW Revolution staff predictions, click here.

Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin Set for WrestleMania Saturday

Tyriece Simon
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Drew McIntyre will get a chance at revenge against Happy Corbin next month at WrestleMania 38.

The “Scottish Warrior” has feuded with Corbin since Day 1 on Jan. 1. Corbin and Madcap Moss attacked The “Scottish Warrior” backstage. The attack resulted in the storyline for McIntyre to take time off from WWE TV. The company’s reason for briefly sidelining the former WWE Champion was to deal with a neck injury.

McIntyre returned in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on Jan. 30 to eliminate Corbin and Moss. He also defeated Moss at Elimination Chamber on Feb. 19 to continue his feud with the Corbin. On Mar. 3, WWE officially announced that McIntyre would face Corbin at Wrestlemania 38 Saturday on Apr. 2.

Drew McIntyre Recovering From Neck Issue

WWE fans were uncertain if McIntyre would return to wrestle in time for Wrestlemania 38. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that he had neck issues for several weeks and needed testing. Although he did not compete for 29 days, doctors were surprised that McIntyre recovered quickly.

In an interview with the Sports Guy Talk Wrestling Podcast, the “Scottish Warrior” shared how he rehabbed his neck.

“They dropped a lighting rig on my head, and I came back three and a half weeks later. I think everybody, including the doctor, was surprised at how soon I was able to come back. They told me, ‘You’re not making the Rumble. WrestleMania is possible, but let’s say it’s unlikely right now,” said McIntyre(h/t Fernando Quiles Jr). He continued, “Okay, Doc, no problem. I went straight to rehab, and I’ve always had the John Cena approach to rehab with every injury. What’s the most I can do for maximum benefit? ‘Well, you could come twice a day for six days a week, but that would be crazy.'” 

Mcintyre took the doctor’s advice and did his best to return before Wrestlemania 38. “…I did that, rehab-wise, twice a day, six days a week, while also working out, so three times a day, six days a week, take Sunday off. When I saw the doctor a few weeks later, they were like, ‘All right, wow, you’re a cyborg, probably why you were called the Scottish Terminator. I guess you’re ready to go,” said Mcintyre(h/t Fernando Quiles Jr).

The former WWE champion will look to defeat Corbin at Wrestlemania 38. Although with Moss in his corner, Corbin has the advantage.

Tyson Fury Guarantees: “You Will See Me in the WWE Again”

Tyriece Simon
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Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says there is a “One Million Percent” chance that he will return to WWE one day.

Fury made his WWE debut on Fox’s first Friday Night Smackdown on Oct. 4, 2019. His appearance led to a brief feud with former WWE talent Braun Strowman, culminating at Crown Jewel on Oct. 31, 2019. The boxing star won his match against Strowman by countout. His last WWE appearance was at Smackdown on Nov. 8, 2019.

Although Fury hasn’t competed in WWE for two years, fans and WWE stars have remained curious if he will return. In an statement from GiveMeSport, he promised that he will return to the company in the future.

One million percent, you will see me in the WWE again. One million percent.

Tyson Fury to GiveMeSport’s Tom Ward

WWE Stars Want to Wrestle Fury

Tyson Fury Drew McIntyre
Heavyweight Boxing Champion Tyson Fury & WWE Champion Drew McIntyre

The “Gypsy King” has become a dream matchup for several top talents in the WWE. Both Fury and Drew McIntyre have teased wanting to have a match against each other in 2020. In an interview with The Sun, Big E has also expressed intrigue about a possible Wrestlemania match between himself and the WBC Heavyweight Champion.

“Of course, that’s just rumors and speculation, but I think he’s going to find a way to get back into WWE soon. That’s what we do at WrestleMania. It’s about theatrics, entertainment and being larger-than-life. So, if we are going to do it, that would be the place to do it,” said Big E. He continued, “So I am open to a Tyson Fury WrestleMania match. As absurd as it may be to some, it would be a lot of fun.” (h/t SEScoops’s Anutosh Bajpai).

Before Fury can return to WWE, he will defend his WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Championship against Dillian Whyte on Apr. 23. He also teased fighting UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in MMA. It’s unclear when he wants to return to the WWE, but he believes fans haven’t seen the last of him wrestling.

WWE 2K22 Roster, Release Date, Special Editions, DLC

Jaychele Nicole
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The WWE 2K22 full roster has been released, including the in-game Superstar Ratings for every playable character.

The long-awaited next installment of the WWE 2K video game series will be released to the general public on March 11th.

WWE 2K22 will be released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.

WWE fans who pre-order WWE 2K22 (Deluxe Editions) will be able to play a few days early on March 8th.

WWE 2K22 Roster & Ratings

Over the past few weeks, the developers of WWE 2K22, 2K Games, have begun to announce the members of the roster and their overall ratings. They even released some videos on their Twitter where they spoke to a Superstar and revealed their rating to them.

Below is a list of the currently announced WWE 2K22 roster members, along with their ratings.

* The names in italics are wrestlers that have been released or have left the company since 2020

  • AJ Styles: 91
  • Akira Tozawa: 75
  • Alexa Bliss: 84
  • Alexander Wolfe: 77
  • André the Giant: 88
  • Angel Garza: 79
  • Angelo Dawkins: 80
  • Apollo Crews: 81
  • Ariya Daivari: 70
  • Asuka: 90
  • Austin Theory: 80
  • Batista: 88
  • Bayley: 88
  • Becky Lynch: 92
  • Beth Phoenix: 87
  • Bianca Belair: 87
  • Big Boss Man: 81
  • Big E: 87
  • Billie Kay: 77
  • Bobby Lashley: 91
  • Booker T: 88
  • Braun Strowman: 90
  • Bret “The Hitman” Hart: 91
  • Brock Lesnar: 94
  • Cameron Grimes: 79
  • Candice LeRae: 77
  • Carmella: 79
  • Cedric Alexander: 76
  • Cesaro: 84
  • Chad Gable: 76
  • Charlotte Flair: 90
  • Chyna: 87
  • Dakota Kai: 79
  • Damian Priest: 84
  • Dana Brooke: 74
  • Danny Burch: 77
  • Demon Finn Bálor: 90
  • Dexter Lumis: 79
  • Diesel: 87
  • Dolph Ziggler: 82
  • Dominik Mysterio: 79
  • Drew Gulak: 79
  • Drew McIntyre: 91
  • Eddie Guerrero: 90
  • Edge: 91
  • Elias: 75
  • Ember Moon: 81
  • Eric Bischoff (nWo 4-Life Edition): 69
  • Erik: 80
  • Faarooq: 88
  • Fabian Aichner: 80
  • Fandango: 77
  • Finn Bálor: 87
  • Goldberg: 88
  • Gran Metalik: 79
  • Happy Corbin: 81
  • Hollywood Hogan (nWo 4-Life Edition): 92
  • Hulk Hogan: 91
  • Humberto Carrillo: 77
  • Io Shirai: 82
  • Isaiah “Swerve” Scott: 80
  • Ivar: 81
  • Jake “The Snake” Roberts: 85
  • JBL: 88
  • Jeff Hardy: 85
  • Jerry “The King” Lawler: 86
  • Jey Uso: 85
  • Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart: 86
  • Jimmy Uso: 85
  • Jinder Mahal: 77
  • Joaquin Wilde: 79
  • John Cena: 92
  • John Morrison: 80
  • Johnny Gargano: 82
  • Jordan Devlin: 79
  • Kalisto: 74
  • Kane: 82
  • Karrion Kross: 84
  • Kay Lee Ray: 81
  • Keith Lee: 80
  • Kevin Nash (nWo 4-Life Edition): 90
  • Kevin Owens: 85
  • King Nakamura: 88
  • Kofi Kingston: 88
  • Kushida: 79
  • Kyle O’Reilly: 81
  • Lacey Evans: 81
  • Lana: 71
  • Lince Dorado: 75
  • Liv Morgan: 77
  • MACE: 76
  • ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage: 88
  • Mandy Rose: 80
  • Mansoor: 80
  • Marcel Barthel: 79
  • Maryse: 79
  • Mia Yim: 79
  • Mickie James: 81
  • “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase: 85
  • Montez Ford: 82
  • Mr. McMahon: 76
  • Murphy: 77
  • Mustafa Ali: 77
  • MVP: 80
  • Naomi: 79
  • Natalya: 84
  • Nia Jax: 82
  • Nikki A.S.H.: 82
  • Oney Lorcan: 76
  • Otis: 77
  • Papa Shango: 79
  • Pete Dunne: 81
  • Peyton Royce: 79
  • R-Truth: 77
  • Randy Orton: 88
  • Raquel González: 81
  • Raul Mendoza: 79
  • Razor Ramon: 84
  • RECKONING: 76
  • Rey Mysterio (1996) [Pre-Order Bonus] – Rating: TBD
  • Rey Mysterio (2005) – Rating: 84
  • Rey Mysterio (2006): 87
  • Rey Mysterio (2008): 86
  • Rey Mysterio (2009): 88
  • Rey Mysterio (December 2009): 87
  • Rey Mysterio (2022): 90
  • Rhea Ripley: 86
  • Ric Flair: 88
  • Ricochet: 82
  • Riddle: 85
  • Road Dogg Jesse James: 85
  • Robert Roode: 81
  • Roderick Strong: 80
  • Roman Reigns: 95
  • Rowdy Roddy Piper: 85
  • Sami Zayn: 80
  • Samoa Joe: 86
  • Santos Escobar: 81
  • Sasha Banks: 88
  • Scott Hall (nWo 4-Life Edition): 90
  • Seth Rollins: 91
  • Shane McMahon: 79
  • Shawn Michaels: 88
  • Shayna Baszler: 84
  • Sheamus: 85
  • Shelton Benjamin: 81
  • Shotzi: 77
  • SLAPJACK: 71
  • Sonya Deville: 77
  • Stephanie McMahon: 77
  • Stone Cold Steve Austin: 91
  • Syxx (nWo 4-Life Edition): 88
  • T-BAR: 76
  • Tamina: 75
  • Tegan Nox: 79
  • The Brian Kendrick: 74
  • The Miz: 86
  • The Rock: 93
  • Timothy Thatcher: 80
  • Titus O’Neil: 76
  • Tommaso Ciampa: 84
  • Toni Storm: 80
  • Trent Seven: 77
  • Triple H: 91
  • Trish Stratus: 88
  • Tucker: 71
  • Tyler Bate: 82
  • Tyler Breeze: 77
  • Ultimate Warrior: 88
  • Undertaker: 90
  • Undertaker – Ministry of Darkness (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 93
  • Undertaker- Phantom Mask (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 88
  • Undertaker – Boneyard Match (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 91
  • William Regal: 85
  • Xavier Woods: 86

Hit up the comments of this post and let us know what you think about the WWE 2K22 Roster and the Superstar Ratings.

WWE 2K22 Roster & Ratings Reveal

Deluxe Editions & Cross-Gen Digital Bundle

There are many different perks to pre-ordering one of the WWE 2K22 deluxe versions or the cross-gen bundle. If you pre-order the cross-gen digital bundle, you would receive an Undertaker Immortal Pack that includes additional Undertaker personas. The bundle also includes a Starrcade ’96 Rey Mysterio Pack that features a ’96 Rey Mysterio playable character.

The deluxe edition of WWE 2K22 includes all of these perks along with a Season Pass and WWE SuperCard Limited Edition cards, featuring Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio, if you purchase the physical copy. The Season Pass allows players the opportunity to try to gain access to all 5 of the DLC packs that feature new Superstars and legends.

The NWO 4-LIFE edition includes the ‘Taker Immortal Pack, the Starrcade ’96 Rey Mysterio Pack, a Season Pass, two classic WCW PPV venues, the nWo Wolfpac Championship Belt., and playable nWo versions of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Syxx, and Eric Bischoff.

WWE 2K22 Deluxe Editions

WWE 2K22 Trailer

WWE 2K22 is nearly here and it’s filled with stunning graphics, a redesigned gameplay engine, new controls, and more! From all-new game modes to unbelievable storylines, prepare for the next installment of the WWE 2K franchise.

Check out SEScoops’ official WWE 2K22 Review

WWE Holding Tryouts During WrestleMania Week

Michael Reichlin
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WWE continues to actively recruit collegiate athletes in hopes of finding the next generation of Superstars.

The company will hold a multi-day tryout during WrestleMania 38 week, according to The Athletic.

The tryouts will take place at the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and practice facility. More than 50 athletes are expected to participate.

The Athletic report also states that WWE has sent talent scouts to this week’s NFL combine and National Scouting Combine.

Back in December, WWE announced its new NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Program to recruit college athletes.

The NIL program aims to, “enhance the talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds.”

WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) appeared on NBC’s Nightly News in January 2021 to discuss this ongoing effort to recruit collegiate atheletes.

WWE Unveils Inagrual NIL Class

Charlotte Flair Says She Can’t Control Her Father’s Controversial Comments

Michael Reichlin
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Charlotte Flair says she can’t control her father, Ric Flair, and how vocal he is about issues related to her career.

The SmackDown Women’s Champion was interviewed by Hot 97 this week to promote WrestleMania 38 and Saturday’s WWE live event from Madison Square Garden.

The Nature Boy has been very outspoken about Charlotte’s career and has made headlines when talking about her being underutilized. Ric Flair also has an ongoing beef with Becky Lynch.

During for a conversation with Peter Rosenberg, Ebro and Laura Stylez, Charlotte said she’s spoken to her father about reigning in the things he says. However, she realizes Ric Flair is his own man with his own opinions.

“I’ve tried to control that and I’ve realized that I can’t,” said Charlotte about her father’s controversial comments. “So, whether my dad’s my biggest cheerleader or what… He’s gonna say what he wants to say and I can’t persuade him any other way.”

Charlotte feels that Ric Flair’s comments about her career and her co-workers come from a place of love. “My dad would do anything in the world for me and how much he loves me, and my career means everything to him. So, I’m gonna try not to fight that battle anymore.”

She doesn’t think she needs to be protected by her father, but at the end of the day, she still considers herself “daddy’s little girl.”

Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey

Charlotte Flair Ronda Rousey

Charlotte Flair will battle 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Saturday.

The women first met at Survivor Series 2018. Their match did not have much build or backstory at the time, but Charlotte says they earned one another’s respect that night. She compares Ronda Rousey to Kurt Angle, as others have, when describing how quickly she excelled in pro wrestling.

“I mean, just she picked up so quickly,” she said of Rousey. “It’s all about instinct and she has the instinct and that’s half the battle. You can be in this business for a long time and never figure out instinct, in my opinion.”

Catch Charlotte Flair’s appearance on Hot 97:

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair sits down with Ebro in the Morning to discuss her recent success, what’s next for her, her opinion on Ronda Rousey, being the daughter of a legendary wrestler in Ric Flair, her thoughts on some superstars in the Women’s Division and even addressed rumors of her future in the WWE. You can watch her live on the Road To Wrestlemania Saturday, March 5 at Madison Square Garden on Ticketmaster!

WWE Terminates Broadcast Partnership & Shuts Down WWE Network in Russia

Michael Reichlin
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WWE is severing ties with Russia in the days following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The company has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcast partner Match, effective immediately. The WWE Network has also been blocked in Russia, which means Russian fans will be unable to watch WrestleMania 38 next month.

The following statement was released Thursday morning:

“WWE has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcaster Match and shut down WWE Network in Russia effective immediately.

The move eliminates access in Russia to any WWE programming, including the company’s weekly Raw, SmackDown and NXT shows, its on-demand library, and all of its premium live events, including WrestleMania 38.”

WWE Was In Talks To Buy ROH, But Tony Khan Closed The Deal

Michael Reichlin
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WWE and AEW were both offered the chance to purchase Ring of Honor, but it was AEW President Tony Khan who did what was necessary to secure the deal.

Khan has been hyping an industry-changing announcement and delivered the news at the start of this week’s AEW Dynamite. The purchase includes the complete ROH video library, as well as the brand’s assets and intellectual property.

Tony Khan now has the ability to shop around both the AEW and ROH libraries to a streaming service, which could land him (and AEW) a huge influx of revenue in the years ahead. It also gives AEW a secondary brand where they can send young and underutilized talent (think NXT to WWE).

Dave Meltzer addressed Tony Khan’s purchase of ROH on Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Meltzer, both WWE and AEW were contacted about buying the company.

“Both WWE and AEW were contacted when the idea was to sell the company and AEW was the one that, obviously, made the better offer of the two and got the company,” said Meltzer.

Valuable Tape Library

Khan now owns 20 years of footage from ROH, including tapes featuring CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and many more.

“The tape library is very valuable to AEW because they want to do some sort of a streaming service,” Meltzer continued. “Whether they sell something to HBO Max or they do their own streaming service in some form. That amount of library with a lot of wrestlers, including, one of the keys to that library is Ring of Honor owned the All In show which is an important part of the history of AEW.”

WWE’s Interest in Buying ROH

This is not the first time that WWE considered purchasing Ring of Honor. A few years ago, around 2018, Triple H (Paul Levesque) wanted to buy Ring of Honor for the same reasons that Tony Khan ultimately did. There were talks and WWE made a pitch, but the deal fell apart.

“From what I gather, Vince wanted to buy somebody bigger, not realizing that the ‘bigger’ which was New Japan Pro Wrestling, he couldn’t buy,” Meltzer added. “WWE tried to buy New Japan. They tried to buy Stardom. They tried to buy NOAH. They tried to buy AAA. Nobody would sell to them from foreign countries for the price that they were willing to pay, so none of these deals ever got going, but this is one, obviously, that was in play, and you know, whatever.”

Ring of Honor’s most recent show was December’s ROH Final Battle 2022 pay-per-view. The company ‘went dark’ after that to restructure and evaluate the company’s future operations. In recent weeks, ROH has announced the inductees for the company’s inaugural Hall of Fame Class, including The Briscoe Brothers, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe.

The next ROH show, Supercard of Honor XV, is scheduled to take place during WrestleMania 38 weekend in the Dallas, TX metro area. More information on that show below:

Reactions to Tony Khan Buying Ring of Honor

Michael Reichlin
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Tony Khan has purchased Ring of Honor, including the company’s video library, brand assets and intellectual property.

This development is a game-changer and has widespread ramifications for the industry, including the operations of AEW and ROH. It also puts AEW in a stronger position to eventually secure a lucrative streaming deal that leverages both the AEW and ROH content libraries.

We’ve rounded up some reactions from people in the industry:

Gabe Sapolsky: “Here’s how Ring Of Honor started. It was announced as a monthly indie in a mail order catalog for a video company. I never dreamed that 20 years later it would be featured on a prominent, red hot wrestling show on TBS. I’m very happy that so many more will now enjoy the legacy of ROH and that it will continue to blaze a path in the world of pro wrestling. Congratulations to Tony Khan on becoming the new owner. I normally give a pro tip in my IG posts. All I’ll say here is to never limit yourself and anything is possible in life. It means so much to me that this little indie darling from 2002 will forge forward in 2022 and continue to build community while bringing entertainment to the fans.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaoFDBHO3T3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cary Silkin: Congrats to Tony Khan and AEW. At least I feel my baby is in good hands. What a long strange trip it’s been!!

Ian Riccanboni: Do I follow Tony Khan now or does that come across weird? Somebody help here! I haven’t dated since 2010 and I haven’t looked for a wrestling job since 2014 when ROH came calling.

https://twitter.com/IanRiccaboni/status/1499192918116028417

Mick Foley: As far as major announcements go, @TonyKhan acquiring @ringofhonor is pretty freaking major!

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/1499198956198375429?s=21

Matt Hardy: Hope my ICONIC Title was included in the deal, Papa Khan! #AEWDynamite

https://twitter.com/MATTHARDYBRAND/status/1499191026313056257

Mikey Rukus: All the themes… ??? LETS FKN GOOOOOO!!! ?????

Lee Moriarty: So All In can be used by AEW for whatever they want correct? That was the one that was owned by ROH?

https://twitter.com/theleemoriarty/status/1499190017817825280

Maria Kanellis: Congratulations @TonyKhan !!! Let me know if you are interested in @ringofhonor Women’s Division. They are incredibly talented, great humans, and deserve all the accolades in the world!!! #ROHWD

Nyla Rose: So do we gotta shake hands before we fight now ooorrrr???? #AEWDynamite

Matt Koon: Some friends and I went to the first ROH pay-per-view after ALL-IN. Almost the exact same talent appeared; the elite, okada, etc. There was like 800 people there. ROH had a HUGE branding issue WAY before AEW. AEW didn’t screw ROH. ROH screwed ROH. VERY Glad they’re back!

Adam Cole Reflects on Triple H & Shawn Michaels’ Impact on his Career

Michael Reichlin
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Adam Cole says Triple H and Shawn Michaels have given him the confidence to be the main-event-caliber performer he is today.

This Sunday, Cole challenges “Hangman” Adam Page for the AEW World Championship in the main event of AEW Revolution 2022.

Cole spoke with Sports Illustrated this week to promote the show. During the discussion, Cole spoke about working under Triple H and Shawn Michaels during their time together in NXT and how much he learned from the two all-time greats.

Adam Cole made a rare WWE main roster appearance on the November 1, 2019 edition of WWE SmackDown. This was the show that took place when a large portion of the WWE crew was stuck in Saudi Arabia. Cole was called in to defend his NXT Championship against Bryan Danielson. This was a big stage for Cole at the time.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels believed in him that night and made him feel like he truly deserves all the success he’s earned throughout his career.

“Both Hunter and Shawn gave me this unspoken confidence,” Cole tells SI. “They put me into this next gear and gave me this championship mentality. That night, neither Hunter nor Shawn talked about the stakes, the stress or how everyone there was counting on me. They trusted my ability, that I could get on a plane that afternoon and wrestle later that night on SmackDown against one of the top stars in the industry.”

Cole remembers that Triple H and Shawn Michaels “didn’t bat an eye” or question him for a moment. They knew he and Bryan Danielson would tear the house down – and they did. “I learned so much from them that I will carry with me for the rest of my career,” said Cole. “Being in that environment taught me certain aspects of my game that I didn’t know before I was there. That’s benefited me in a lot of ways.”

That confidence he gained in NXT sticks with him to this day. It’s given him an edge in AEW, as well. He feels at home wrestling in a PPV main event and that’s partially thanks to Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ support.

“Two of the greatest to ever do it had full faith and belief in me. I’ll never forget that. So I know I deserve to be in this spot and deserve to be in this role.”

“I’ve only scratched the surface of showing what I’m capable of & now I get to do that in a main event PPV slot against an excellent world champion in Adam Page. This is big for me. It’s put-up-or-shut-up time, & it’s time for me to make a statement.”

– Adam Cole to Sports Illustrated

DDP Discusses His New Netflix Project, “Change or Die”

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page has another new project in the works.

Earlier this week, Guardians of Justice hit netflix, a live action super hero show with DDP on board doing voice work. The synopsis reads:

“The alien superhero MARVELOUS MAN has kept the earth at peace for 40 years. But when a devastating secret and its tragic consequences throws our world into chaos, it’s up to Marvelous Man’s bitter, violent lieutenant KNIGHT HAWK and idealistic do-gooder THE SPEED to stop nuclear war. A dark satire of the superhero genre, Guardians of Justice mixes live action with traditional animation, claymation, cut out paper animation, and 8-bit video game footage in a kaleidoscope of pop art insanity.”

Change or Die

According to DDP, he has another new show in the works. On the latest episode of his DDP Snake Pit podcat, the former WCW Champion discussed his new project, Change or Die.

The docu-series will feature everyday people moving in with him an an effort to turn their lives around. The show already began shooting in the Atlanta area.

“Jake moved into my place in the Accountability Crib,” said Page. “I rented it after everybody got out because I bought another place. I asked my renters to leave so we can go back in there because we have six bedrooms there.

He continued, “So we’re gonna bring five people into the house and try to help them through this journey. It will end up on a major cable network or who knows, maybe primetime. It’s gonna be really educational.”

DDP described Change or Die as a cross between The Biggest Loser, The Apprentice and Fear Factor.

SEScoops will keep you updated when there is more information available about Change or Die.Netflix.

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