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Mick Foley on Cesaro Leaving WWE: Their Loss is Pro Wrestling’s Gain

Michael Reichlin
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Mic Foley is speaking out about Cesaro leaving WWE. Foley has long advocated for the company to get behind the Swiss Superman, as seen below.

Cesaro has received occasional pushes during his 11 years with WWE. He’s won championships and even main-evented a pay-per-view last year. However, many feel WWE never truly believed he could be a featured player like John Cena, Randy Orton or Roman Reigns.

On Friday, Foley released a video statement addressing Cesaro’s time with WWE and his future. Foley says he’s disappointed. He’s been a fan of Cesaro since his early days on the independent scene. He thinks Cesaro can work anywhere in the world and tear down the house working all different styles of wrestling.

Mick Foley called the 41-year old grappler “one of the greatest workers of his generation” who can and will be a world champion in the future.

“WWE’s loss is going to be professional wrestling’s gain”

– Mick Foley

Watch Mick Foley’s video statement about Cesaro’s WWE release:

Mick Foley Begs for Vince to Push Cesaro

This is far from the first time Mick Foley has advocated for Cesaro to be pushed as a main event player. During his appearance on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions, Foley literally begged Vince McMcMahon to give Cesaro a chance.

“Can I talk to the camera? Vince, please… you [Steve Austin] started in 88 or 89? 60 years of experience, we know a little something. We both proved Vince wrong, right? He had us set for this level and I’d say we exceeded that level. Trust us and give him the chance. Let him prove… I’ll get down on my knees, and I’ll beg… Vince, please. All we’re saying is give Cesaro a chance. I just believe in that guy wholeheartedly. Give him a chance.”

Steve Austin agreed with Foley’s assessment.

“Give him a chance, give him a gimmick. Just put a rocket ship on his back, no telling what the kid can do.”

Tony Khan Was “Stunned” When Keith Lee Hit Free Agency

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AEW boss Tony Khan couldn’t believe Keith Lee was available on the market.

Lee had been a member of the WWE roster since 2018. Things were looking up for Lee early on as he held the NXT Championship and North American Championship simultaneously.

His early appearances on the main roster were also a good sign at the time. He came close to being the sole survivor at the WWE Survivor Series and even Brock Lesnar took notice of his size during the Royal Rumble match.

Ultimately, Lee was released by WWE in Nov. 2021 and the general consensus was that a huge opportunity had been wasted.

Tony Khan Gushes Over Keith Lee

During an appearance on Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, Tony Khan admitted that Keith Lee’s WWE release caught him off guard.

“I am a huge fan of Keith’s work. I am a huge Keith Lee fan and when Keith became available, I was stunned. But I was very eager to jump on it and sign Keith.

“So, I was thrilled to have Keith debut on AEW Wednesday Night Dynamite this week and you know, he was a big part [of the show]. The anticipation of his arrival and the big free agent signing and Keith Lee in AEW was a big part of AEW being the number one show on all of cable on Wednesday.

“AEW finished ahead of the NBA, ahead of everything. South Park, a great show that I love, and ahead of the Olympics on [USA Network].

“So, it was a big AEW Wednesday Night Dynamite rating this week and I think tonight, we’ve got a great show on Friday Night Rampage on TNT. Huge card and a lot to look forward to tonight.”

Keith Lee made his AEW debut on the Feb. 9 episode of Dynamite. He defeated Isiah Cassidy. With the win, Keith Lee will now compete in the “Face of the Revolution” ladder match at Revolution on March 6. The winner will get a shot at the TNT Championship.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

It’s “Winner Take All Championship Unification” at WrestleMania

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar WrestleMania 38 will be a “winner take all championship unification” match.

Going into WrestleMania 38, Reigns holds the WWE Universal Championship, while Brock Lesnar is the WWE Titleholder. Something has got to give and it will on night two of the mecca in sports entertainment.

Reigns vs. Lesnar: Title For Title

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(Photo: WWE.com)

On SmackDown, it was stated again:

The updated match preview at WWE.com now explicitly references that the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship will be unified:

“It’s WINNER TAKE ALL in a highly anticipated Championship Unification Match on WrestleMania Sunday”

Previously, the match was simply referred to as “Winner Take All.”

Reigns and Lesnar did battle back in October for Crown Jewel. Reigns successfully defended his gold through nefarious means. The feud didn’t stop there as Reigns cost Lesnar the WWE Championship after nailing him with the title that was handed to him by Paul Heyman.

Lesnar ended up regaining the gold at WWE Elimination Chamber. On that same show, Reigns successfully defended the WWE Universal Championship against Goldberg.

Former WWE Announcer Tony Chimel Now Works For Trader Joe’s

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Ex-WWE announcer Tony Chimel is now in the Trader Joe’s business.

Chimel began working for WWE back in 1989. At first, he worked the smaller shows and filled in for Howard Finkel whenever he was needed. Eventually, Chimel became the voice of SmackDown.

Who could ever forget Chimel’s iconic voice crack every time the “Rated-R Superstar” Edge walked through the curtain?

Tony Chimel Takes On Different Job

Tony Chimel was released by WWE back in 2020. It didn’t take long for Chimel to find another job, although it has nothing to do with the wrestling business.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Chimel revealed that he now works at Trader Joe’s (h/t WrestlingHeadlines.com).

“I figured out there is life after WWE, because you figure I started when I was 22-years old and now I’m 60. I found a job at Trader Joe’s, which I never really knew about.

“I had heard of Trader Joe’s, but I didn’t really know what it was. And when I first told my daughter that I was working at Trader Joe’s she was like ‘oh dad, that’s great. You gotta get this and get that,’ and I was like ‘what are you talking about?’

“There’s a lot of similarities because at WWE they always wanted to put smiles on people’s faces and at Trader Joe’s all they want to do is wow the customer and make the customer feel happy.”

Chimel noted that he likes his job and enjoys working with the people over at Trader Joe’s. He also believes morale is high within the company.

Ronda Rousey Recalls Wanting to Curse Out WWE Fans

Michael Reichlin
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Ronda Rousey is opening up about her adversarial relationship with the WWE Universe.

On the latest episode of Ronda on the Road, Rousey spoke candidly about her departure from WWE in 2019 and her recent return.

Rousey made history at WrestleMania 35 when she, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair became the first women to headline a WrestleMania. Unfortunately “shattered” a knuckle in her hand during the match. She was also extremely discouraged with WWE fans

“Everyone was booing me out of the stadium,” Rousey recalls. “I was just like, man, fuck these people, I can’t wait to go home.”

She added, “When I left WWE, I had been getting booed out of the stadium, like, every day for months.”

“Do I stay true to myself and tell them to go fuck themselves?”

– Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey has portrayed a babyface character for the majority of her time in WWE. However, she’s found it difficult to play the hero when fans have rejected her so forcefully.

“I think one of the most uncomfortable and disingenuous I’ve ever felt was when I had to be a babyface and the crowd was being hostile towards me and I couldn’t just tell them exactly what I fucking felt,” she said.

“I was stuck between, do I stay true to myself and tell them to go fuck themselves, or do I, you know, respect Vince who has done so much for me, and not go against what he wants me to do?”

When she’s had the chance to act like a heel, she’s loved it, because she could finally be herself.

Advice from Paul Heyman & Vince McMahon

Despite some unpleasantness, she really missed wrestling during her time away. She wanted to return, but knew fans might still harbor some animosity towards her.

When Rousey returned at the Royal Rumble, she admits she was “super defensive.” At Raw after the Rumble, she was ready for fans to troll her into oblivion. She expected them to heckle her and bring signs with hurtful messages directed at her.

During her promo at the post-Rumble Raw, Ronda Rousey seemed agitated. Backstage after her segment, Paul Heyman pulled her aside and told her Vince McMahon was going to tell her one thing: she has to smile. She met with Vince and thats exactly what he said. “That was fantastic, you just need to smile.”

She told Vince the fans were booing her out of the building toward the end of her first run. Vince told her, “Yeah, but they’ve forgiven you for that.” She said she hasn’t forgiven the fans yet, but Vince told her it’s not about her, it’s about the fans.

She’s taken these words to heart and now has a more-balanced outlook on her relationship with WWE fans.

Ronda Rousey will challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38.

Watch Ronda Rousey speak about her WWE return on the latest episode of her Ronda on the Road series:

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any of the transcribed quotes in this article

Owen Hart “King of Harts” AEW T-Shirt Now On Sale

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling’s first merchandise featuring Owen Hart is now on sale.

The “King of Harts” t-shirt is available for $24.99 at ShopAEW.com.

Owen Hart T-Shirt

The t-shirt is part of AEW’s partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation.

The primary focus of this working relationship will be the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s and Women’s Tournaments. The participants have yet to be announced, but we know the finals of the two tournaments will take place at AEW Double or Nothing in May.

Dr. Martha Hart, Owen Hart’s widow, will be on hand to present trophies to the winners.

Tony Khan Hopes to Drop His Major Announcement on AEW Dynamite

Michael Reichlin
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Tony Khan hopes to make his major announcement next week on AEW Dynamite.

Earlier this month, the AEW President began hyping something “massive” that he wasn’t able to reveal just yet.

Khan appeared on Friday’s edition of Busted Open Radio and provided some new details about what we can expect. He’s been working overtime behind the scenes to get everything in place and hopes to let the cat out of the bag next week.

“I am going to tell everyone right now, you definitely will not want to miss Wednesday night Dynamite next week,” said Khan.

“I promise you guys right now, I have a huge announcement coming and nobody knows what it is. It’s going to be something very important in the wrestling business.”

Khan previously compared the magnitude of this announcement to The First Dance, which turned out to be CM Punk joining AEW. However, Khan clarified that next week’s announcement is not “just one particular piece of talent.”

TK is setting high expectations, but he does have a track record of delivering on things like this.

Some fans have speculated that AEW will announce a formal working relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, a “super show” featuring talent from multiple promotions or the purchase of Ring of Honor.

Listen to Tony Khan tease his big announcement on Busted Open Radio, courtesy of our friends at the Putting You Over podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbwlR11QTus

Brock Lesnar Went Off-Script at WWE Elimination Chamber

Ryan Droste
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Brock Lesnar’s WWE Championship victory at last weekend’s Elimination Chamber premium live event setup his title vs. title match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38. Lesnar’s victory seemed obvious before the match even started.

However, the real intrigue with the match was how WWE would get the title off Bobby Lashley without making him look weak. In the end, that ended up being a nonissue as Lashley was taken out of the match due to an injury angle. The angle was setup because Lashley has a real life shoulder injury that is going to keep him out of action for up to four months.

However, there was something that happened during the Chamber match that wasn’t planned. Brock Lesnar reportedly went off-script during the match, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

When Lesnar crashed through his pod to enter the match, it was not planned to happen that way. Per the Observer, Lesnar was not aware that the Chamber spotlight and countdown would land on Lashley’s empty pod before Brock’s own entrance.

Lesnar obviously knew that Lashley was going to be taken out of the match, but he thought the lights landing on Lashley’s empty pod was an error by production. It was known going into the event that Elimination Chamber had a “hard out” time of three hours. Lesnar, thinking the show might end up late on time, took it upon himself to break out of his pod and enter the match at that point.

Apparently the other participants had some spots planned that they had yet to get to which were abandoned upon Lesnar’s entrance since the plan was for him to obliterate everyone upon his entrance, as we saw play out.

WWE continues to sell Lashley’s exit and absence from television based on the spot done between Seth Rollins and Austin Theory in the match. Rollins buckle bombed Theory through Lashley’s pod, giving Lashley a storyline concussion in the process. In reality, Lashley met with doctors in Birmingham, Alabama this past week to go over options for his injured shoulder.

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.

WWE and A&E Network Tease ‘Big News’ on Future Project

Ryan Droste
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WWE and the A&E Network are working together again, and it looks like fans are going to be getting a second season of their Biography series.

Last year, the network aired eight full length (2 hour) Biography documentaries on Bret “Hitman” Hart, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Booker T, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and The Ultimate Warrior. On Thursday, a social media post went out teasing “Big News” to be revealed soon related to the two companies working together again.

“Watch this space, @WWE fans! BIG news is coming soon,” the tweet reads.

According to PWInsider, the news set to be revealed is indeed a second season of the Biography series, which really seems like the logical conclusion here. The network also produced a Most Wanted Treasures series concurrently with the Biography series that was well received.

There’s no confirmation on who could be featured this season, though Jim Ross recently said on an AdFreeShows podcast that he was asked to be interviewed for a DX documentary.

“A&E wants me to be on a documentary about DX,” Ross said (h/t Wrestling Inc). “I haven’t decided if I’m going to do it or not but we’ve got to work out the time. It becomes bureaucratic bullsh**. Here’s what we can pay you, here’s what we can’t pay you, why should we pay you? You shouldn’t if you don’t want to, I’m not going to go do a lot of free sh** and I sure as hell am not going to travel, get on another airplane for free so I can say I was on television again. That doesn’t work for me, it’s not me being greedy.”

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.

Eddie Kingston: Cesaro “Doesn’t Have The Balls” to Join AEW

Michael Reichlin
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AEW star Eddie Kingston sounds ready to reignite his rivalry with Cesaro. In an unexpected turn of events, these two could cross paths again in the very near future.

News broke earlier this week that Cesaro is no longer with WWE after the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new contract. Cesaro was willing to stick with WWE, but wasn’t satisfied with the money WWE offered him.

Due to his previous contract expiring, Cesaro is free to work anywhere else effective immediately. He is not bound by a 90-day non-compete clause, which is only for cases when wrestlers are released from their contracts.

Cesaro (as Claudio Castagnoli) has a long, violent history with Eddie Kingston from their days in the CHIKARA promotion.

Once it became public knowledge that Cesaro was a free agent, Eddie Kingston took to social media to address his former rival.

Kingston tweeted, “All I am going to say is, he doesn’t have the balls to come to AEW.”

https://twitter.com/MadKing1981/status/1497036893049036802
Kingston, also known as the Mad King, later re-tweeted a video that someone posted of a match between the two men from their days in CHIKARA.

AEW has been signing talent left and right, with some fans questioning if their roster is reaching maximum capacity.

Former WWE Superstar Buddy Matthews made his AEW debut this week on Dynamite. Jeff Hardy and Shane “Swerve” Strickland are also expected to be joining AEW soon, as well.

Hit up the comments section and let us know if you think AEW should sign Cesaro.

WrestleMania Changes, Rousey vs. Charlotte Set for Night 1

Michael Reichlin
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WWE will be making some changes to the WrestleMania 38 premium live event.

Since WrestleMania was expanded to two nights in 2020, the shows have been presented as “WrestleMania Night 1” and “WrestleMania Night 2.”

This year’s WrestleMania will instead feature “WrestleMania Saturday” and “WrestleMania Sunday.”

WWE has already begun using this new naming convention, so expect to hear the branding hammered home on television in the weeks ahead.

As the WrestleMania 38 card takes shape, WWE has confirmed that Ronda Rousey’s match against Charlotte Flair will take place at WrestleMania Saturday.

WWE has yet to confirm that Rousey vs. Charlotte will be the main event of WrestleMania Saturday, although this is what we expect to see.

WrestleMania 38 takes place over two nights on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The following is matches are confirmed for WrestleMania 38:

  • SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
  • Winner Takes All: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
  • RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair
  • Rey and Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz and Logan Paul

John Cena Receives Backlash for Peacemaker Tweet

Michael Reichlin
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John Cena is receiving backlash on social media for a tweet that seemingly references Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The entire world is watching as Russian Vladamir Putin leads his army into its sovereign neighbor. Putin has called the Russian offensive a “peacekeeping” mission, which prompted Cena to reference his Peacemaker super hero character.

John Cena says he wishes he could summon the powers of a real life Peacemaker to end the bloody conflict.

John Cena’s tweet is getting a lot of negative reactions. Some people are referencing an incident from last year when John Cena apologized to China for referencing Taiwan as an independent country while promoting his Suicide Squad movie.

John Cena’s HBO show The Peacemaker, a spinoff from his character in The Suicide Squad, has been a hit with viewers and critics.

The Peacemaker was recently renewed for a second season.

Terminus 2 Results From Atlanta, GA (2/24)

Michael Reichlin
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Jonathan Gresham’s Terminus promotion held its second event on Thursday night from Atlanta, GA.

The main event saw Gresham retain the ROH World Championship against AEW star Santana. The event aired live on FITE and is now available for on-demand purchase.

Here are quick results from the show:

  • Chris Sabin defeated Tre Lamar, Kenny Alfonso, & Leon Ruff
  • Queen Aminata defeated Killa Kate
  • Joe Keys & Dante Caballero defeated Daniel Garcia & Kevin Blackwood
  • Serena Deeb defeated Liiza Hall
  • Sw3rve the Realest defeated Davey Richards
  • Jay Lethal defeated Baron Black
  • ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham defeated Santana

At the conclusion of the event, Gresham announced there will be a third Terminus event.

Kevin Owens Keeps Saying Stuff That Would Upset Steve Austin

Chris Stephens
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In recent weeks, Kevin Owens has been saying a lot of things that are sure to piss off “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Owens and the Texas Rattlesnake are believed to be facing off at WrestleMania this year, and Owens has been saying a lot of things that could be paving the way for Austin’s return.

Owen’s has been antagonizing all of Texas in recent promos. With Texas both being Austin’s home state and the host of WrestleMania this year, it seems as though WWE has already started building the angle between the two of them.

He recently took a specific jab at Victoria, Texas. Austin spent much of his childhood living in Edna, Texas, a small town about 30 minutes away from Victoria.

Steve Austin has been known to drink a few “Steveweisers” in his day. Granted, he does seem to spill a lot of beer when he drinks them. Still, his association with beer is well-established. Kevin Owens recently let it be known that he is not a fan of beer.

Austin may have to return in order to defend beer’s good name. Owens has also been using the Stunner in recent years. That could play into the rivalry between him and Austin as well.

Owens also took a shot at Dallas, Texas recently.

On Friday, February 25th, Kevin Owens reflected upon his main roster debut. Owens defeated then-United States champion John Cena at Elimination Chamber. Owens says it was an unforgettable moment, but wishes it took place anywhere but Texas.

At some point, a beer loving wrestler from Texas might just have to give Owens his comeuppance.

AEW All Out 2021 PPV Buys Shattered Company Records

Michael Reichlin
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AEW All Out 2021 garnered the most PPV buys in company history.

All Out was AEW’s first pay-per-view outside of Jacksonville, Florida since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main event saw Kenny Omega retain the AEW World Championship against Christian Cage. It also featured CM Punk’s first match in seven years (he defeated Darby Allin), Chris Jericho vs. MJF and the AEW debuts of Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole and Ruby Soho.

AEW All Out sold 205,000 buys across all outlets, according to the Wrestling Observer, and grossed over $10 million. To put this into perspective, AEW All Out 2021 surpassed the previous company record for PPV buys by over 40%.

AEW All Out PPV Buys

The following is an updated look at the AEW All Out PPV buys since the event was founded in 2019.

As you can see, the estimated figures were largely steady for the first two years before more-than-doubling last year for CM Punk’s return to the ring.

  • 2019: 88,000
  • 2020: 90,000
  • 2021: 205,000

More on Cesaro’s Exit From WWE

Ryan Droste
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As reported on Wednesday, Cesaro looks to be out at WWE and immediately will become a free agent. The news came as a bit of a shock for some, as it was assumed he had re-signed with the company one year ago. However, it turns out that was only a one year extension rather than a new long-term deal.

In an update to their reporting on Cesaro’s WWE contract expiring (a story first broken by PWInsider), Fightful Select noted that the backstage mood at WWE over the news has been one of disappointment and dismay. Cesaro has been one of the most universally liked people in the company for some time now.

WWE wanted to keep Cesaro around, offering him a new contract as negotiations were ongoing. However, it was Cesaro who turned down the deal. There had been plans for using Cesaro on some upcoming shows, but Fightful notes that is no longer the case. His contract has expired and he will be immediately available to sign with another wrestling company if he chooses to do so; there is no non-compete with his deal having been fulfilled.

The Fightful report goes on to note that Cesaro began telling his friends on the roster as far back as October that he may not be staying with the company long-term. He had been frustrated with the way he had been booked in recent years and how he had been left out of certain spots.

The door is still reportedly open for a return to the company and it is not completely out of the realm of possibilities that he could yet re-sign with WWE until he signs elsewhere. He didn’t burn any bridges on the way out and company officials were said to be impressed with how he handled everything in recent months.

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.

Drew McIntyre Credits “John Cena Approach” For Quick Return

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Drew McIntyre says his speedy return can be attributed to the mentality John Cena has used during rehab.

McIntyre was briefly out of action due to a neck injury. It didn’t take long for the former two-time WWE Champion to get back on the horse, however. He ended up making his return at the Royal Rumble event and had a singles match with Madcap Moss at Elimination Chamber.

Drew McIntyre’s Impressive Recovery

Drew McIntyre made an appearance on the Sports Guys Talk Wrestling podcast and said he took the “John Cena approach” in order to speed up the recovery process.

“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.’

“‘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.’

“‘Done.’ 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, ‘Alright, wow, you’re a cyborg, probably why you were called the Scottish Terminator. I guess you’re ready to go.”

McIntyre has been involved in a feud with Madcap Moss and Happy Corbin. As mentioned, McIntyre has already defeated Moss and is now turning his attention to Corbin.

Jeff Hardy On Recent AEW Comments: “Nothing Is Official”

Andrew Ravens
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Jeff Hardy has walked back his recent comments about his pro wrestling future as he says he’s not going to AEW, just yet. 

On Wednesday, an interview with Hardy came out where he stated that he’s going to AEW and he’s excited about it. The former WWE star posted the following statement on Twitter where he claimed his comments were taken out of context and nothing is official yet: 

“Nothing is official, http://SocialMedia.It can’t be right now. I’ve simply set a goal for myself & I will achieve it…eventually? The main thing is, Don’t get excited!”

Hardy’s “official” remark is in reference to his non-compete clause still being in play as he cannot sign anywhere else until the 90-day clause runs out on March 9 following his WWE release on December 9th. 

It should be noted that POST Wrestling later reported that the interviewer, Jared Myers, told them that Hardy was very clear in stating he would be going to AEW when the non-compete expires, but not that he had signed a contract yet. 

In recent weeks, Matt Hardy has addressed his brother’s status now that he’s no longer with WWE. Matt has stated you can “never say never” about seeing the Hardys back together in AEW. The brothers have already lined up several independent dates including at Big Time Wrestling’s live event on March 12.

Jeff Hardy Confirms He’s Going to AEW

AEW Picks Up Brian Cage’s Contract Option Despite Not Using Him In Months

Andrew Ravens
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Brian Cage will be sticking around in All Elite Wrestling. Fightful Select reported today that the word going around backstage at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite event was that Cage had told those close to him that AEW picked up his option year on his contract. AEW nor Cage has confirmed this.

Cage was reportedly surprised by this as he thought just like most people on the AEW roster that the promotion would simply not pick up the option and the deal would expire. The report also noted that they hadn’t heard anything in regards to when he could be brought back to TV or if there are even any plans for him. 

Cage hasn’t worked a televised match for AEW since October 6th on Rampage when he wrestled Ricky Starks. He was sent on the Chris Jericho cruise that same month where several AEW stars wrestled. 

While not being used by AEW, Cage continues to work the independent scene for the likes of Revolver, Warrior Wrestling, among others. 

In 2020, Cage made his AEW debut in the Casino Ladder Match at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida. He was later paired with Taz as his manager and held the FTW Title. 

Cage’s wife, Melissa Santos, did confirm in November 2021 that her public comments regarding the way AEW had been booking her husband did get him some backstage heat: 

Melissa Santos Reveals Brian Cage Got Backstage Heat In AEW Due To Her Comments

Cesaro Departs From WWE After Contract Expires

Andrew Ravens
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The free-agent market just became more interesting as Cesaro is no longer under contract with WWE. 

PWinsider.com reported today the WWE star has quietly left the promotion after his current contract expired. Per the report, the two sides were in talks, but couldn’t come to terms on a new agreement. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful also confirmed the news.  

Due to his deal expiring, he’s free to sign with any promotion he wants as he isn’t under a  90-day non-compete clause. 

Cesaro earned a reputation for being a great worker under his real name Claudio Castagnoli and found success as one-half of the Kings of Wrestling with Chris Hero in ROH, Pro Wrestling NOAH, CZW, and CHIKARA. 

Cesaro signed with WWE in 2011 where he went to work in FCW before being called up to the main roster. While with the company, he became the first-ever Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner at WrestleMania 30 in 2014. He also held the United States Championship in addition to the Raw and SmackDown Titles with Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Tyson Kidd.

His last WWE match came against Baron Corbin on the February 11th edition of SmackDown.

Goldberg Reveals He Had COVID When WWE Called Him To Face Roman Reigns

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Goldberg got the call for a showdown with Roman Reigns at a less-than-ideal time.

The man who once ran rampant on WCW television was called upon by WWE at least one more time for Elimination Chamber. He challenged Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship in a losing effort.

Goldberg Battled COVID

During an appearance on the CarCast podcast, Goldberg revealed that he had COVID-19 when WWE contacted him for the match with Reigns (h/t F4WOnline).

“I have COVID when I get the phone call to go (to face Roman Reigns). I literally had two weeks in the gym to get ready for this.”

The former four-time world champion also detailed the struggle that wrestling can take a toll on someone mentally.

“In doing (wrestling), it’s very tough mentally to keep yourself in a positive space because you’ve got so many negatives going against you. And then, 90% of fans understand what the storyline is gonna be, so I’m fighting an uphill battle the whole way. But you know, at this point and throughout the years, I have been able to do this on a short schedule.”

Reports have claimed that Goldberg is now a free agent. Time will tell whether or not the 55-year-old will find his way back to WWE or pursue other options.

Those expecting Goldberg to retire may be in for a surprise. He recently told Corey Graves on the After The Bell podcast that he’ll “never” be ready to retire.

Hideki Suzuki Reflects on Altercation with NXT Coach

Tyriece Simon
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Former Coach Hideki Suzuki recalls getting into a heated argument with his co-worker in WWE.

WWE hired Suzuki as a performance center coach on Apr 23, 2021. He also worked under the name Hachiman in NXT as a member of Diamond Mine. While he didn’t have a long career in WWE, the former coach had some thoughts about the company’s developmental program.

In an interview with Weekly Pro Wrestling and translated by Connor Writing, Suzuki shared that he disagreed with WWE’s style of coaching talent. When asked if he disobeyed the other coaches, the former coach gave his honest opinion.

“I didn’t disobey them, but I did kick up a fuss and give them attitude. As you might expect, WWE’s a big company, even in NXT alone, there are so many people employed, and things change day-by-day, so a lot of things get decided without any contact with you,” said Suzuki(H/t Connor Writing)

hachiman

Hideki Suzuki Altercation with NXT Coach

When asked about his style, Suzuki shared that he did things at his own pace. He also admitted that he chose not to attend the coach meetings because he felt unnecessary. Although Suzuki thought it wasn’t necessary, one NXT coach decided to address him.

“I’m not gonna go into details about this, but one day one of the coaches asked me, “Why the hell did you [not go to the meeting]?” He tried explaining to me what he was mad about, but I didn’t understand anything of it, and I wasn’t convinced,” said Suzuki. (H/t Connor Writing)

He continued, “This was happening in front of the wrestlers, so a bunch of them got in between us like, “Calm down, coach!” Afterward, Bernard told me, “(The coach I fell out with) is really mad at you.” and I just said, “So what?” Something had to change. We always kept telling the trainees, “You gotta change, we need to change things up,” but at that moment, I thought, “It’s you guys who really have to change. Wrestlers don’t need coaches, but coaches couldn’t exist without wrestlers. You’ve forgotten that.”(H/t Connor Writing)

diamond mine

WWE Released Hideki Suzuki

Although Suzuki had a heated argument, he shared that he respected the coaches’ work and they were nice people. He also believes that the NXT coaches acted more friendly towards him after the incident. It’s unclear if the incident or his coaching beliefs played a role in WWE releasing Suzuki on Jan. 5.

The company released talent and employees throughout last year due to budget cuts. He revealed in the interview that Matt Bloom gave him the news that WWE decided to let him go. While he’s still unsure why WWE released him, Suzuki is ready to move on.

Jeff Hardy Confirms He’s Going to AEW

Ryan Droste
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After months of speculation, Jeff Hardy has confirmed that he is headed to AEW.

Hardy was released by WWE back in December after a well-publicized incident at a house show where he exited a match early by leaving through the crowd. Due to his release from WWE, Hardy has a non-compete that is in effect until March 9th. At that point, he will be free to sign with another wrestling company.

Hardy has been rumored to be joining his brother Matt in AEW, though no reports have officially confirmed these rumors. Well, Jeff himself appears to have now confirmed the reports. Speaking with Jared Myers, Hardy declared recently at one of his concerts that he is “going to AEW.”

“I’m going to AEW,” Jeff Hardy said. “I’m so excited, until this morning I didn’t really know…. I’m so nervous and excited.”

https://twitter.com/Machobeard4life/status/1496665014698221571

Despite Hardy’s release from WWE in December, WWE recently offered Hardy the opportunity to return at be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame class. However, Hardy declined the offer.

AEW Hinted at Jeff Hardy Arrival Previously

During the February 9th edition of AEW Dynamite, a pretty obvious nod was made in Hardy’s direction during the Keith Lee vs. Isiah Kassidy match. During the bout, Matt Hardy abandoned Kassidy by jumping the ringside guard rail and exiting through the crowd. The story was he was frustrated by another poor outing from one of his proteges.

However, the reference to Jeff came with how Matt exited the ringside area. This was exactly what Jeff Hardy did during his final match with WWE at a house show in Edinburg, Texas back in early December.

Tony Schiavone even overtly made reference to that incident on commentary during Dynamite, saying it was an “erratic” move. Reports at the time of Hardy’s WWE departure mentioned his behavior as being “erratic.” His brother Matt referenced this during a Twitch stream in January when he came to his brother’s defense, noting that WWE “may have jumped the gun” with Jeff’s release.

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.

AEW Dynamite Results (2/23): MJF & CM Punk, Buddy Matthews Debuts, Title Match

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. There was a tag team Battle Royal tonight with the winning team getting a shot at the titles at Revolution. Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against The Bunny and Bryan Danielson faced Daniel Garcia in tonight’s main event.

Dynamite Results

  1. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly won the Battle Royal to get into the AEW tag title match at Revolution
  2. Death Triangle def. Kings of the Black Throne
  3. Ricky Starks def. 10 to qualify for the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match
  4. Jade Cargill def. The Bunny to retain the TBS Championsip
  5. Bryan Danielson def. Daniel Garcia

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

reDRagon Won The Tag Team Battle Royale

The Battle Royale kicked off the show to determine AEW Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express’ opponents for AEW Revolution. Butcher & Blade connected with some Clotheslines outside the ring. Blade eliminated Reynolds but John Silver sent Blade over the top rope. Gunn Club posed in the ring while everyone battled around them. Santana & Ortiz unloaded some punches but Gunn Club battled back. Santana & Ortiz eliminated Gunn Club from behind.

Butcher unloaded some more Clotheslines and knocked Young Bucks to the canvas. Fish and O’Reilly got in some offense but but Butcher sent them down with another Clothesline. Trent went for a Tornado DDT but Butcher blocked it and countered into a Suplex in the middle of the ring. Butcher threw Trent over the top rope but he held on. Chuck made the save and shared a hug with Trent before dumping Butcher over the top rope.

Chuck Taylor and Trent beat Bobby Fish and O’Reilly down. Bobby Fish hit Chuck with a Dragon Screw and then Kyle O’Reilly eliminated Chuck. Private Party were eliminated and Matt Hardy was disappointed. Santana & Ortiz eliminated 2.0. Young Bucks eliminated Ortiz and hit Santana with a couple Suerkicks. FTR and Young Bucks had a stare down before Fish & O’Reilly broke it up.

Dax Harwood unloaded some chops to Bobby Fish in the corner of the ring. FTR tried to eliminate Kyle O’Reilly but he held onto the ropes. They tried again but Kyle would’t let go of the ropes. FTR went for it a third time but Nick Jackson made the save. FTR then launched Nick Jackson over the top rope.

Santana beat Matt Jackson down in the corner as Fish & O’Reilly slammed Trent to the canvas. Fish & O’Reilly tried to eliminate Trent but Orange Cassidy made the save. Trent unloaded a Suplex on O’Reilly and sent Fish to the corner. Trent planted Bobby Fish with a DDT and eliminated him as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Cash Wheeler was eliminated and tried to get back into the ring but the referees prevented him. Kyle O’Reilly, Dax Harwood, Santana, Trent, John Silver, and Matt Jackson were the final 5. Silver hit Matt with a German Suplex and then a Backstabber.

O’Reilly unloaded some knee strikes to Silver but turned around into a DDT from Harwood. Santana and Trent circled each other and traded punches as the crowd cheered. Trent hit a Suplex but Santana responded with a big Clothesline. Santana booted Trent to the apron but he held onto the ropes. Matt and Kyle then eliminated Santana & Trent to a chorus of loud boos.

The crowd was now heavily behind John Silver as Matt tried to eliminate him. Dax planted Kyle with a Suplex and battled with him to the ring apron. Bobby Fish tripped up Harwood from behind to eliminate him. It was now down to O’Reilly, Fish, and Silver. John planted them both with a Suplex and unloaded some Clotheslines. Silver flexed before hit a running boot to the back of Matt’s head.

Matt hit Silver with a Superkick and O’Reilly followed it up with a Suplex. Matt sent John Silver over the top rope but Kyle snuck up from behind for the elimination on Matt. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly have earned their way into the AEW Tag Team Championship match at Revolution. AEW Champion Hangman Page made his way to the ring following the match and attacked Bobby Fish. Adam Cole rushed the ring for the save and Hangman beat him down. Hangman set up for the Buckshot Lariat but O’Reilly & Fish made the save. John Silver then hit a Cannonball onto them.

Hangman hit the Buckshot Lariat on O’Reilly before cutting a promo on Adam Cole. Page stated

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496657380435759111?s=20&t=EFI_1jHZyWxiGvrfmPs8SQ

MJF Cut An Incredible Promo On CM Punk

MJF came to the ring to loud “CM Punk!” chants. Maxwell said he used to love CM Punk too and asked the crowd for an opportunity to speak without being booed. MJF admitted that the photo Punk showed was important to him and that he loves professional wrestling. MJF added that day meant everything to him and was 11 years old with a bunch of learning disabilities.

Maxwell said he ADD but the one thing he was good at was football and joked that he was one of the only jewish kids that tried out. MJF told a story of being beaten up by some bullies and how they launched quarters at him shouting “pick it up jewboy!”. MJF claimed that was the day he got to meet his hero at an autograph signing. He said that he made a promise to become like CM Punk and be the best in the world.

MJF brought up January 2014 and claimed that CM Punk left him and the crowd when they needed him most. Maxwell claimed that caused him to quit on his dreams for a period of time. MJF vowed to not quit at Revolution because he would be no better than CM Punk and wanted to be the “best in the world” now in spite of his former hero.

CM Punk marched down to the ring and stared at Maxwell from the apron. Punk got in the ring with MJF who appeared to be emotional. CM Punk asked MJF if what he just said was true but Maxwell didn’t answer. MJF exited the ring with tears in his eyes as Punk looked confused.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496659914600632323?s=20&t=nCJrrDooDObQNpWB22sHkw

Buddy Matthews Debuted & Aligned With Malakai Black

Kings of the Black Thrown (Brody King & Malakai Black) faced PAC & Pentagon JR. Penta unloaded some Superkicks before the bell rang. The match officially started and Pac connected with a 450 Splash. Penta and Pac then kept Malakai Black isolated in the corner.

Brody eventually got the tag and unloaded some strikes. Brody beat Pac down in the corner for a bit before Malakai tagged in. Malakai and Brody then isolated Pac in the corner and took turns beating the hell out of him. Brody King hit a dive onto Penta and Pac before the action returned to the ring. King connected with a German Suplex on Pac for a near fall. Malakai went to spit the mist but Penta covered his mouth. Penta then rolled up Malakai for the pinfall victory.

After the match, the lights went out and Buddy Matthews debuted. Buddy attacked Pac & Penta as Malakai laughed. Buddy Matthews is in the Kings of the Black Thrown. Malakai demanded that Buddy stomp Penta’s face into the chair.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496666796245630980?s=20&t=nCJrrDooDObQNpWB22sHkw

Jericho & Kingston Will Battle At Revolution

Chris Jericho & Eddie Kingston met face to face tonight on Dynamite. Kingston mocked the security in the ring and Jericho called Eddie a street thug. Eddie responded by saying he’s not a sports entertainer like Jericho and this is a wrestling company. Jericho joked that they are down the road from Stamford but this sports entertainment is actually entertaining.

Jericho told Eddie that he had never heard of him before AEW hired him and joked that he thought they were talking about Eddie Edwards at first. Jericho added that Eddie looks like a jobber but complimented his promo skills. Chris said that Eddie got over his issues and made it to the big time at 38 years old, before bragging about getting there when he was 22. Jericho pointed out that he had already main event PPVs and made several millions of dollars by the time he was Eddie’s age.

Kingston joked that the only reason Jericho main evented PPVs in the past is because he wasn’t there. Kingston challenged Jericho to a match at Revolution. Jericho told Kingston that deep down he knows he is a failure that cannot win the big one. Chris accepted the challenge and Kingston told him to be the version of himself that won the AEW Championship & that “Levesque hated” (Triple H).

Ricky Starks Qualified For The Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match

10 battled Ricky Starks in a Face of the Revolution Qualifying match. The winner will get a spot in the Ladder Match at the PPV to become the #1 contender for the TNT Championship. Starks and 10 locked up to begin the action. 10 took control and connected with a delayed Vertical Suplex as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, 10 locked in the Full Nelson and started dragging Starks around. Ricky escaped and raked at 10’s eyes before hitting him with a Spear for the pinfall victory. Ricky Starks has qualified for the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496673670051377153?s=20&t=nCJrrDooDObQNpWB22sHkw

Jade Cargill Retained The TBS Title

Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against The Bunny tonight on Dynamite. Cargill dominated the match early but Bunny battled back as the action spilled out of the ring. The Bunny sent the champ into the barricade with a Russian Leg Sweep as Dynamite went to a commercial.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496675047020417025?s=20&t=ZJGqRlW2qX9QDk_Mgx6Xdg

When Dynamite returned, Bunny poked Cargill in the eye but couldn’t capitalize as Jade connected with a Spinebuster. Matt Hardy went for a distraction and then threw Bunny brass knuckles. Mark Sterling slid the title into the ring and Jade used it to block the brass knuckles. The referee ejected Sterling and Hardy. Cargill connected with Jaded for the pinfall victory and retained the TBS Championship.

After the match, Jade gets on the microphone and wondered who was next. Tay Conti interrupted and said that she isn’t just next, she is going to be the one to beat Jade’s ass. Conti got into the ring and the two started talking trash. Jade kissed Conti on the forehead like she was a kid and a brawl broke out. The Bunny tried to attack Conti from behind but ran into a pump kick. Cargill leveled Conti with a big boot to end the segment. Cargill versus Tay Conti for the TBS Championship was later announced for Revolution.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496676950315778049?s=20&t=ZJGqRlW2qX9QDk_Mgx6Xdg

Danielson Challenged Moxley To A Match At Revolution

Bryan Danielson squared off against Daniel Garcia in the main event of this week’s episode of Dynamite. Danielson and Garcia traded punches and uppercuts to begin the match. Garcia lit up Danielson’s chest with a chop and Bryan smirked at him. Garcia went for some more chops but Bryan was ready and tackled him to the canvas. Danielson went for the LeBell Lock but Garcia got to the ropes as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Bryan and Garcia battled towards the ropes. Danielson Suplexes Garcia out of the ring and to the floor. Bryan then followed it up with a running knee off of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Daniel Garcia took control and got Bryan in an Ankle Lock. Bryan crawled towards the ropes but Garcia broke the hold only to unload a bunch of stomps to Danielson’s head. Danielson battled back and returned the favor with some stomps of his own. Danielson then locked in the Triangle and flexed as Garcia tapped out.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496680202646265864?s=20&t=ZJGqRlW2qX9QDk_Mgx6Xdg
https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496680844618235904?s=20&t=ZJGqRlW2qX9QDk_Mgx6Xdg
https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496681344964997121?s=20&t=ZJGqRlW2qX9QDk_Mgx6Xdg

Danielson began a promo after the match but 2.0 showed up to beat him down. Jon Moxley made the save and sent 2.0 to the outside. Danielson prevented Garcia from hitting Moxley with a chair and Jon planted Daniel with the Paradigm Shift. Danielson grabbed the microphone and told Moxley that if they need to bleed together, he won’t need a chair. Danielson told Moxley that he’s got a match at Revolution if he wants it and the two had a stare down to close the show.

Buddy Matthews Makes AEW Debut On Dynamite

Andrew Ravens
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Buddy Matthews, former WWE star Buddy Murphy, made his promotional debut on AEW Dynamite this week when he appeared as the House of Black were attacking Penta El Zero Miedo and PAC. 

The heels had just lost a tag team match. At first, Matthews teased helping Penta and PAC but he attacked them, which revealed he is now part of Black’s stable. Matthews stomped Penta’s face into a steel chair as part of the attack

For months, Matthews had been rumored to be AEW-bound and even teased it on social media. Outside of the ring, Matthews, Black and Brody King are also close friends outside of the wrestling ring so this pairing makes perfect sense. 

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496666168295309312
https://twitter.com/BRWrestling/status/1496666347249364993

AEW President Tony Khan confirmed on Twitter that Buddy has officially signed a full-time deal with the promotion: 

His ring name is a combination of keeping Buddy as his first name but also using his Matthews as his last name considering his real name is Matthew Adams.

He signed with WWE in 2013 and held the Raw and NXT Tag Team Championships as well as the Cruiserweight. Buddy was part of the names to be released by WWE in June 2021.

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