PWinsider provided some more update on the story recently. The site revealed that WWE originally reached out to the Texas Rattlesnake in late December/early January to gauge his interest in a return.
Though there has been zero confirmation within WWE from any source in the following weeks that Steve Austin has agreed to have a match at the Show Of Shows.
The original idea pitched to the Hall of Famer was for the Mania match to be a one-time send-off for the former champion in front of a massive crowd.
Even if Stone Cold Steve Austin doesn’t wrestle at the show, WWE had always intended for him to be a part of the event in some capacity. Austin was featured in the initial announcement about the PPV last year.
His involvement would help the company boost ticket sales for the upcoming PPV. WWE needs to move around 200,000 tickets to sell out the two-night event from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The initial talk about Austin’s return was described as a “Hail Mary idea” to the site. The hope was that the Attitude Era star would begin his storyline at Royal Rumble which obviously didn’t happen.
The status of the whole affair is very much up in the air at the moment. If there are indeed any plans for Austin to have a match at the show, the storyline should begin post-Elimination Chamber this Saturday.
Brock Lesnar is one of the best performers of the current era. He knows how to put on a show and entertain the audience. Looking at him in the ring, nobody can say that The Beast is not comfortable being around a crowd. The truth however is very different.
The former Universal champion has discussed his dislike for social gatherings and being around people in general multiple times in the past. He opened up about it once again during his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Brock Lesnar claimed that he has a ‘total crash’ after being in front of an audience. Per the heavyweight star, it takes him a few days to recover after a big performance:
“I have a total crash after being in front of audiences. Like I go hibernate in Saskatchewan. I like my downers, the anxiety from all that takes me a few days to recover.”
– Brock Lesnar
Lesnar explained that he has been like this since his college wrestling days. According to him, he is ‘awkward as fuck.’ He puts on a show in front of the fans but likes to be left alone otherwise:
“I like to go and just get away from the people. It’s not that I dislike people. I mean, it’s not been that way but some people I don’t like.” said the former UFC star, “I just like to be left the fuck alone because if I’m in front of an audience then it just exhausts me. So I gotta go and recharge up.”
Former WWE stable Hit Row will be reuniting for the first time since their release last year for an upcoming event of MCW Pro Wrestling.
The indie wrestling promotion announced that the group will be a part of their upcoming MCW Spring Fiver event from Tall Cedars Hall in Parkville, MD on March 19.
Not only Hit Row, but the Hardy Boyz have also been announced for the show. They will be competing against Matt Taven and Mike Bennett collectively known as OGK:
The 2022 #MCWSpringFever Tour kicks off on Saturday night March 19th in Parkville, MD with special guests & former #WWE / #NXT Stars formerly known as Hit Row??
The pro wrestling stable consisting of Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-Fab were released from their WWE contracts back in November last year.
B-Fab was first to be released. She was let go by the company on November 4. The rest of the Hit Row members didn’t last long either and they were fired 15 days later.
There were some rumblings of the group reuniting outside of WWE. B-Fab had claimed that having a reunion with her former team members was her ‘biggest dream.’
She had also discussed the potential of Hit Row confronting The Acclaimed in AEW. Now it would be interesting to see if we get to see this exchange as well.
WWE RAW aired live from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Damian Priest defended the US Title against AJ Styles tonight. It was the final episode of RAW before WWE Elimination Chamber this weekend. In addition to the takeaways below, Dana Brooke rejected Reggie tonight but Reggie wound up leaving as the new 24/7 Champion.
Damian Priest def. AJ Styles to retain the US Title
Omos def. Hurt Business
Bianca Belair won the Gauntlet match to enter the Elimination Chamber match last
American Alpha def. The Mysterios
Seth Rollins def. Randy Orton
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Brock Lesnar Sent A Message Ahead Of Elimination Chamber
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring with MVP to kick off this week’s show. Lashley claimed he was going to win the Elimination Chamber and enter WrestleMania 38 as champion.
Seth Rollins interrupted and told Lashley that he will not be champion for long and claimed that he is the only one in the Elimination Chamber match that can beat Lashley.
Riddle joined the party and was wearing a toga. Riddle said it would be cool to win the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber and win the RAW Tag Team Championships back with Randy Orton. Riddle invited everyone to the toga party later on the show.
Austin Theory interrupted and said that he cannot let Vince McMahon down. AJ Styles quickly interrupted and told Theory that he’s had his lips on Vince’s ass so long that he’s not making sense. Styles added that he doesn’t want to lose the Elimination Chamber again and nobody will get in the way of his WrestleMania moment. Styles vowed to become the United States Champion tonight as well.
Lashley pointed out that he is the only one that has won an Elimination Chamber match. Lashley claimed that Styles will never have his WrestleMania moment, Austin Theory is too inexperienced, Rollins isn’t a visionary because he’d see that he isn’t winning if he were, and Riddle’s head is in the clouds if he actually believes he has a shot.Lashley mentioned Brock Lesnar and The Beast’s music hit. Lesnar was dressed as a cowboy again and got a big pop from the fans.
Brock used Austin Theory as a coat rack and got in Lashley’s face. Theory threw Lesnar’s jacket off of him and went for a Sleeper Hold. Brock escaped and started delivering German Suplexes to Theory. Lesnar hit Austin Theory with an F5 as the rest of the superstars in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match retreated. Lesnar took a selfie with Austin Theory to end the segment.
Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler faced Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins in the first match of the night. Tommaso Ciampa was on commentary for the match as Dolph Ziggler has recently appeared on NXT 2.0. Street Profits won the match in quick fashion by isolating Roode. Ziggler got distracted with Ciampa and hit him with a Superkick. Ciampa threw a drink in Dolph’s face and Roode was distracted. Montez Ford hit Roode with the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.
Kevin Owens cut a promo tonight and said that he was a realist. Owens said he probably will not be in the Elimination Chamber match and doesn’t have a path to WrestleMania. KO looked at the positives in that and noted that he doesn’t have to compete in Dallas, Texas now. Owens called everyone from Texas morons and referred to the state as the ass of North America.
Damian Priest defended the United States Championship against AJ Styles on this week’s episode of WWE RAW. Styles defeated Priest in a Championship Contender’s matchup to earn the title shot.
The action started off back and forth in the middle of the ring. Damian took control and connected with some headbutts and strikes to the midsection. Priest planted Styles with a Backbeaker and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two.
Styles battled back and caught Damian with the Pele Kick. AJ knocked Damian out of the ring and made his way to the apron but the champ tripped him up. Back in the ring, Priest caught AJ with a roundhouse kick and rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest is still the United States Champion. AJ Styles and Damian Priest shook hands following the match.
Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin battled Omos in a Handicap match tonight. Omos absolutely dominated the match and defeated them both with ease. Omos pinned Cedric after connecting with a Chokebomb.
Becky Lynch will be defending the RAW Women’s Championship against WWE Hall of Famer Lita at Elimination Chamber this Saturday. Adam Pearce moderated the contract signing tonight for the title match. Becky Lynch came to the ring in a very somber mood and tried to play mind games with the challenger tonight.
Lynch wanted out of the match and claimed that she hasn’t slept all week. Becky said that she was kept up by thinking about her teenage idol physically assaulting her last week so close to WrestleMania. Becky called the fans demented for wanting to see this match and claimed that Lita has nothing left to prove.
Lita claimed to have a title run left and quickly signed the contract. Lynch changed her tune and told Lita that she has studied all of her weaknesses and warned Lita that she will not hesitate to go after her neck. Lynch added that after the match, people will remember Lita with a tear in their eye. Lynch signed the contract and Lita vowed to take it from her at Elimination Chamber.
Bianca Belair Won The Gauntlet Match, Will Enter The Elimination Chamber Last
There was a Gauntlet match tonight on RAW to determine which superstar will get the advantage of having their pod open last at Elimination Chamber. Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. began the Gauntlet match. RAW went to a commercial break as the former tag teammates stared at each other in the ring.
When RAW returned, Nikki was in control and beat Rhea down in the corner. Ripley battled back with some Clotheslines and went for a Riptide but Nikki escaped. Nikki went for a Crowwbody but Ripley caught her. Rhea then hit the Riptide for the pinfall elimination.
Rhea battled Liv Morgan next in the Gauntlet match. Morgan went for a roll-up right away but Ripley kicked out. Liv connected with a Dropkick and locked in a Sleeper Hold in the middle of the ring. Back from a break, Morgan went for a Dropkick off the top rope but Ripley dodged it. Ripley applied the Cloverleaf submission but Liv got to the ropes to break it up. Rhea hit the Riptide on Morgan for the pinfall elimination.
Doudrop entered the Gauntlet match next. Ripley unloaded a bunch of strikes but Doudrop wouldn’t go down. The two superstars began trading headbutts and Doudrop got the better of the exchange. Doudrop hit a Suplex and followed it up with a Senton for a near fall. Doudrop went for another Senton but Rhea was able to avoid it. Rhea Ripley hit a Clothesline and followed it up with the Riptide for her third pinfall elimination of the Gauntlet match.
Bianca Belair was the final superstar in the Gauntlet match. Bianca connected with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Ripley was able to power out at the last moment. Belair connected with a handspring Moonsault but Ripley kicked out again and the match continued.
Rhea battled back and went for the Riptide but Bianca was able to escape. Both superstars battled on the top turnbuckle and Bianca connected with a slam. Bianca eventually took control and hit the KOD for the pinfall victory. Belair will be the final superstar to enter the Elimination Chamber match.
RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy faced The Mysterios tonight in a non-title match. Before the match, Gable and Otis cut a “Public Assembly” promo and Gable claimed that he has never cheated to accomplish anything. The Miz & Maryse interrupted and joined commentary for the match.
Alpha Academy started off the match in control. Otis had Rey set up for the Vader bomb but he was able to escape. Dominik tagged in and hit Gable with a Tornado DDT. Dominik went for Three Amigos but Gable countered the third into a Suplex of his own for a near fall. The Mysterios battled back and knocked American Alpha to the outside as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Gable connected with a Belly to Belly Suplex on Dominik. Rey tagged in and booted Otis off the apron. Mysterio hit a Bulldog on Gable and went for the cover but Otis broke it up at two. Rey and Dominik hit Gable with a double 619 but Miz hopped into the ring. Rey chased The Miz around as Dominik climbed to the top rope. Dominik went for a Crossbody but Gable rolled through into a pin while grabbing Dominik’s tights for leverage. After the match, Maryse distracted Rey and Miz capitalized with a Skull Crushing Finale.
Alexa Bliss’ Journey Back to RAW continued on this week’s episode. During this week’s therapy session, Alexa Bliss announced what her next chapter is. Alexa said that she will be the final superstar in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
Randy Orton faced Seth Rollins tonight in the main event. Riddle held an RK-Broga party backstage throughout the show but Orton wasn’t interested in attending.
The match started off back and forth. Orton sent Rollins to the corner and hit some punches. Seth battled back but Orton knocked him out of the ring with a Clothesline. Orton followed Seth out there and slammed him on the announce table before the action returned to the ring. Orton went for the Draping DDT but Rollins countered into a Back Body Drop that sent Orton crashing to the floor. Rollins followed it up with a Suicide Dive as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, Orton hit a Superplex and both superstars were down. Orton got an arm on Rollins for a pinfall attempt but Seth kicked out at two. Rollins hit an Enziguri but Orton shrugged it off and sent Seth to the corner. Rollins hit the Slingblade and set up for the Blackout (Stomp) but Orton countered into his Powerslam for a near fall. Alpha Academy rushed the ring but Riddle was chasing after them. Orton got out of the ring to battle Alpha Academy with Riddle. Rollins capitalized on the distraction and hit Orton with the Blackout for the pinfall victory.
Former WWE and WCW referee Mickie Jay passed away on Monday, February 14 at the age of 59 after a battle with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Per PWinsider the wrestling veteran, real name Mickey Henson, had suffered severe lung damage over the course of battling pneumonia. He was taken off life support at 6:19 PM EST.
Jay first broke into the wrestling business working as a referee for Championship Wrestling from Florida. There he worked under Dusty Rhodes and Steve Keirn.
The late talent was then hired by WCW in early 1990s. He remained with the promotion until the company got sold to the then WWF in March 2001.
Mickie Jay wasn’t brought in by WWE immediately. He was hired by the promotion in 2005 to work on Raw. He later worked on ECW and SmackDown brands as well.
As a referee, the former WWE employee officiated a number of marquee matches. This included Edge vs. Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22 and John Cena vs. Kurt Angle at Survivor Series 2005.
Jay left the ring after being diagnosed with Mantle cell lymphoma in 2008. He was officially let go by WWE in 2009. At one point he was told that he had only months to live but he battled back and defeated cancer.
SEScoops extends our deepest condolence to the family and friends of Mickey Henson.
In a WrestleMania season shocker, a new report indicates that WWE is attempting to get “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to return for a match at this year’s WrestleMania in Arlington, Texas.
A match for Austin at WrestleMania would be his first in nearly 20 years. His last match was against The Rock at WrestleMania XIX in Seattle back in 2003. Additionally, this year’s WrestleMania takes place in Austin’s home state of Texas, perhaps presenting an enticing opportunity for the WWE Hall of Famer.
According to the report from Fightful Select, WWE has made a “significant overture” for Austin to wrestle at WrestleMania 38. WWE has not commented officially on the manner, and the Fightful report indicates that WWE sources have responded in various ways to the report — everything from being “coy” to assuming the match will indeed happen.
Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens Being Discussed for WrestleMania
Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline followed up Fightful’s report by noting that an Austin vs. Kevin Owens match specifically has been discussed for the show. Of course, Owens has used the Stone Cold Stunner in recent years, which would make sense as an obvious tie-in.
Over the years, several stars have attempted to convince Austin to return for a one-off match, but nobody has gotten him even close to attempting a comeback. Austin is now 57 years old; he was just 38 when he wrestled for the last time back in 2003.
Interestingly, WWE was offering two-for-one tickets to WrestleMania earlier Monday as a Valentine’s Day special. In year’s past, a ticket special for WrestleMania was almost unheard of due to the popularity of the show. However, with WWE running two nights at one of the biggest stadiums in the country, they have a lot of tickets to move this year. No doubt an Austin return would do a lot for ticket sales.
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.
Josh Alexander announced via a statement on his Twitter account that his contract with Impact Wrestling has expired. As a result, his United States work visa has also expired.
He has been pulled from all events he was scheduled for this month including TERMINUS and AAW. He wrote the following:
“Today my contract expired & subsequently also US work visa. Unfortunately as a consequence I will not be able to honour my commitments to both @TERMINUSpro & @AMLWrestling later this month. I’m disappointed & I’m sorry. Hopefully I’ll have everything in order soon.”
Following this reveal, it explains why Alexander was removed from the No Surrender card this coming Saturday night. He is Canadian and in order to stay in the United States, he needs a work visa.
Alexander started working for Impact in 2018 and since that time, he has found a lot of success including runs as a World Heavyweight, X-Division, and Tag Team Champion.
Moose will defend his Impact World Championship against W. Morrissey at the No Surrender event on FITE TV and Impact Plus.
Three of our finest staff members have gathered to share predictions for the WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 premium live event.
Fernando Quiles Jr., Chris Stephens, and I run down the full card of WWE’s latest Saudi Arabia mega show. After this Sunday, we will have a pretty clear idea of the top matches for WrestleMania 38.
The panel was in agreement for most of the predicted winners, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any surprises when the bell rings and the Elimination Chamber is lowered.
Here are our WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 predictions:
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Viking Raiders
Michael: This match comes off as filler to me. The Viking Raiders are not on The Usos’ level and are simply the latest team up for a tag title shot to keep things churning. I can’t say what’s next for The Usos after they brush off this minor inconvenience, but a loss to the Viking Experience would come out of left field. (Prediction: The Usos)
Chris: The Usos should win this one, albeit they will do so through underhanded tactics. WWE could put the belts on the Viking Raiders if they want but the Usos and Roman all holding titles as part of the Bloodline seems like something they will want to keep intact until at least WrestleMania. I’m not sure they will have much planned for these belts at WrestleMania, however. (Prediction: The Usos)
Fernando: It’s possible that this is where WWE will begin to show some serious cracks in The Bloodline ahead of WrestleMania. An upset win for the Viking Raiders over The Usos would certainly do that. With that said, I think The Usos will keep looking strong ahead of the big event. I expect the champions to retain. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: The Usos
Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
Fernando: This storyline isn’t dead? Alrighty then. I don’t think Drew McIntyre should be losing any singles match until he gets a WWE Universal Title shot. I have McIntyre winning and hopefully moving on to a big WrestleMania match. No, Happy Corbin doesn’t count. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Chris: I’m expecting this to be a short and dominant win for Drew McIntyre. Reports are he is still rehabbing his injuries at the moment in the hopes that he’ll be fully ready for WrestleMania. This could be as quick as one Claymore Kick and a 1-2-3. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Michael: Drew McIntyre is still working through injuries, so I don’t expect WWE will keep him out there for long. Although Moss has far more upside at this stage in both men’s careers, I think WWE feeds Madcap to McIntyre to give the crowd an exciting and short, dominant win for the former WWE Champion. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Consensus: Drew McIntyre
Ronda Rousey & Naomi vs. Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville
Chris: I don’t see Ronda Rousey losing anytime soon, let alone before her match with Flair at WrestleMania, even if it’s just in a tag match. Rousey will make Deville submit to win things for her team. Flair might attack after the match and get some heat but Rousey will get her hand raised for sure. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey & Naomi)
Michael: The real story here is the WrestleMania feud between Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Neither woman is eating a pin here. Although Rousey losing her return match doesn’t look great on the surface, I think Charlotte Flair scores the win over Naomi to put an even bigger chip on Rousey’s shoulder leading up to their showdown at WM38. (Prediction: Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville)
Fernando: One thing that should be a guarantee with this match is that neither Ronda Rousey nor Charlotte will be taking the pinfall or submission here. This is either gonna be Ronda taking Sonya’s arm home with her, or Naomi getting screwed over by the WWE authority figure one last time before Mania. I’m leaning towards the latter (Prediction: Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville)
Consensus: Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Lita
Chris: I’d love to see Lita win this match but it’s not going to happen. As great as it is to see her back, I don’t think Lita is factoring into WWE’s plans for WrestleMania. Lynch vs Charlotte Flair will headline one of the two nights in Dallas, and having Lynch drop the belt the month before just isn’t a decision the company is going to make. Hopefully, this is the start of a full-time or part-time return to the company for her, but Lita is not winning the title here. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Michael: Thank goodness Lita was able to put aside her feelings about the regime in Saudi Arabia to take this booking. It will be cool to see Lita challenging for a WWE Women’s Championship for the first time in over a decade, but this is a special attraction match and nothing more. Lita gets her big payday, but Big Time Becks leaves with the gold and goes on to bigger and better things at WrestleMania. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Fernando: After lasting longer than most expected in the Royal Rumble, Lita will be getting a world title shot in 2022. This will certainly feel nostalgic for those who are fond of the Attitude Era and the Ruthless Aggression Era but Becky should get the win here. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Consensus: Becky Lynch
Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair vs. Doudrop vs. Nikki A.S.H
Fernando: There are some potential solid options for the mystery participant in this match. I’m gonna guess that it’s Asuka but I won’t pick her to win. I think this will be a win for Bianca to set the stage for a WrestleMania showdown with Becky Lynch (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Michael: The big story here will be the mystery sixth entrant. WWE has several former Women’s Champions sitting on the sidelines and pretty close to returning. Asuka, Bayley and Alexa Bliss could all step up to this challenge to determine Becky Lynch’s WrestleMania opponent. My pick is Asuka, who I think is the “most ready” to return to WWE TV. However, the real star in this match is Bianca Belair, at least she could be, if she was booked properly. Out of all my Elimination Chamber predictions, I feel this one is the most important. WWE cut her legs out last year at SummerSlam and she hasn’t reached the same level since. I see WWE giving Belair another big push and maybe she’ll get revenge on The Man at Mania. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Chris: This is a tough one. It won’t be Doudrop because Lynch just beat her at the Royal Rumble. It won’t be Liv Morgan, because Lynch has already beaten her multiple times and she also just lost to Doudrop on RAW. Nikki ASH… it just won’t be. Bianca Belair is a possibility. Behind Rousey, Lynch, and Flair, Bianca is the biggest female star WWE has, so Belair vs Lynch at WrestleMania is a possibility. Ripley winning is also possible.
The best odds in this match must belong to TBA, however. There is a reason they aren’t announcing who this person is ahead of time, it’s because they are saving the surprise. In all likelihood, TBA will be Bayley or Asuka. Lacey Evans could be in the mix too. Ultimately, however, I think the most likely scenario is Bayley returning, winning the Chamber, and moving into a WrestleMania storyline with Lynch (Prediction: Bayley)
Consensus: Bianca Belair
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg
Chris: There can be little debate that Roman Reigns is going to win this match. The only thing left to question is how much will they try and protect Goldberg in the process. Will Reigns have to cheat to win? Will someone interfere? If this is Goldberg’s last match on his WWE contract, he might just get beat clean. The Universal title has been on Roman Reigns for a very long time. He’s not dropping it at Elimination Chamber when he’s got the biggest match of his title reign already booked for WrestleMania. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Fernando: Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg in 2022 isn’t exactly music to my ears. Maybe these two can have a short, fast-paced match that is solid enough. Regardless, I’m taking Reigns here as he is destined to meet Brock Lesnar again at WrestleMania (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Michael: This is the final match on Goldberg’s WWE contract. Love him or hate him, you’ve gotta admire his ability to maximize his dollars-to-minutes pay rate. Assuming this is Goldberg’s retirement match, he’s made enough money from this business to go out “the right way” and do the honors for our beloved Tribal Chief. Reigns has a date with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, so there’s no way he’s losing to a part-time legend at Elimination Chamber. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Consensus: Roman Reigns
Chamber Match for the WWE Championship: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins vs. Riddle vs. Austin Theory
Fernando: I expect this to be a good one. Seth Rollins rarely disappoints in the main event and I think he’ll be the star of this match but don’t rule out AJ Styles taking that distinction. Ultimately, I think there’s no way Brock Lesnar gets pinned in back-to-back PPVs. I see a title vs. title match closing out WrestleMania this year (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Michael: We’ve seen the reports about Paul Heyman pushing for a title vs. title match at WrestleMania, when Lesnar and Reigns square off. I also don’t think WWE putting the championship up for grabs in the Elimination Chamber for Lashley to retain. This match was booked so WWE can shake things up one last time before the biggest show of the year. Lashley got another ceremonial title reign to pad out his record, but Brock Lesnar is the real star here and he’ll add another title reign to his own legacy as we jump the final hurdle and see the final destination WWE has planned for Mania. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Chris: If WWE wants a title vs title match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar then Lesnar is going to have to win this match. Everything WWE is building right now is about Reigns vs Lesnar so to have Lesnar either pinned or submitted, even if it takes 5 other wrestlers to do it, probably isn’t something that’s going to happen before WrestleMania. If WWE wasn’t going to have Lesnar win this match, they would not have put him in it. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Consensus: Brock Lesnar
That wraps up our Elimination Chamber predictions. Hit up the comments to let us know what you think about our picks and share your own!
Brock Lesnar has detailed the difference in his relationships with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and UFC President Dana White.
Lesnar knows what it’s like to perform at an elite level in both WWE and the UFC. In WWE, Lesnar is a top attraction and a big draw for the company. It’s the same story in UFC and he even won the heavyweight title at one point.
Brock-Vince Dynamic
It’s well-documented that Brock Lesnar left WWE in 2004 due to burnout and a desire to make it in the NFL. Despite the nasty split, Lesnar returned to the promotion in 2012 and it’s been smooth sailing ever since … for the most part.
During an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Lesnar talked about the differences in dealing with Vince McMahon and Dana White.
“I really can’t compare the two guys. They’re just so — Honestly, my relationship with Vince is so different than it is with Dana over the years. Vince and I have had a love-hate relationship for the last 20 years but it’s been good.
“We’ve got a lot of water under the bridge. I have a lot of respect for both men but dealing with Dana and — It’s just a totally different business approach.”
Brock went on to say that when it comes to Vince, things are a bit more personal.
“I met Vince when I was younger. I look at Vince more as a father figure actually because I’ve learned a lot of things from him. I was able to carry those things over and handle business with Dana.”
At the age of 44, Brock is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, many believe he’s gotten even better. He’s received praise for his promo ability as of late without Paul Heyman by his side.
Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article
It’s safe to say that Brock Lesnar’s Hall of Fame status is secure in WWE but he simply doesn’t care.
Lesnar is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in WWE. While his first run with the company didn’t end gracefully, amends have since been made. Lesnar has been back in the saddle with WWE since 2012 and he has been relied on by the company due to his drawing power.
Not A Single Care Given
Lesnar is a multiple-time WWE Champion and remains in the main event scene. In fact, many agree that he’s a part of the most pivotal storyline in wrestling today with Roman Reigns.
Despite the accolades, Brock Lesnar told Pat McAfee that he couldn’t care less if he ever gets induced in the WWE Hall of Fame (via Wrestle Purists).
“I don’t really care or give a sh*t. I’m serious, I don’t, like I don’t give a f*ck if I’m in the Hall Of Fame or not.
“I’ve done what I did, I don’t care if I’m leaving a legacy behind. What I do care about is, you know I’m a good person.”
Lesnar is set to challenge for the WWE Championship once again at the Elimination Chamber event on Feb. 19. He’ll take part in the chamber match along with WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Riddle, and Austin Theory.
If Lesnar emerges victorious at Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia, then he will become a seven-time WWE Champion. It would also be his 10th world title under the WWE banner.
Brock Lesnar has some sound advice for the next generation of wrestlers looking to shatter the glass ceiling.
Lesnar knows a thing or two about how to thrive in the world of sports and entertainment. When Brock lost the urge to stick around in WWE, he gave football a try. While Lesnar didn’t make it on the Minnesota Vikings team, he transitioned to the world of MMA.
“The Beast” quickly made his way to the UFC and captured the heavyweight championship. Fast forward to 2022 and Lesnar has been enjoying his second stint with WWE for 10 years now.
(via WWE)
Advice From Lesnar
Brock Lesnar appeared as a guest on The Pat McAfee Show and he kept it short and to the point with his advice for the next crop of talent (h/t Wrestle Ops).
“Get over. Figure out how to fucking put asses in seats. Not worry about your next high spot. Figure out how the hell I can be different. How can I make money.”
Wrestling nowadays has a slew of special athletes. Many talents have the ability to perform high spots that wouldn’t have been imaginable just a few years ago.
With that said, some believe that the spots have become too choreographed and don’t have a proven track record of drawing. There’s also the matter of safety as one misstep can lead to a life-altering change.
Brock knows all too well just how dangerous things can get.
During his OVW days, Lesnar was known for being able to pull off a Shooting Star Press. Once he started putting on more muscle, Brock stopped using the move. At WrestleMania 19 back in 2003, Lesnar went for the high-risk move and landed on his head and neck.
Luckily for Lesnar, he was able to avoid any serious injuries.
Bianca Belair doesn’t want Fenty to be the end-all-be-all of a partnership with Rihanna.
Belair has risen to prominence in WWE rather quickly. She headlined night one of WrestleMania 37 and defeated Sasha Banks to become the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
The “EST” of WWE has certainly seen her stock rise and people outside of the wrestling industry are taking notice. Belair has been working with the Fenty brand, which is owned by music star Rihanna.
Rihanna & Belair Tag Team?
Speaking to Metro, Bianca Belair said she isn’t opposed to teaming up with Rihanna inside the WWE ring.
“When she’s ready to come back, I would love that! Come tag team with me, we can be tag team champions! I think we would break the internet with that one!
“I’m a huge fan of Rihanna, I love Fenty Beauty and I’ve always thought that being a WWE superstar, makeup is such a huge part of what we do, of our characters and our personas and our presence.
“Listen, we go in the ring, we have a face full of makeup but we’re in there fighting! I’m in the Royal Rumble for 56 minutes and at the end of it, lipstick still intact – you know, sometimes my lashes fall off! But it’s a perfect collaboration.”
WWE certainly is no stranger to dealing with celebrities. We’ve seen all-time NFL great Lawrence Taylor headline a WrestleMania as well as Mr. T. Whether or not Belair gets her wish of teaming with Rihanna remains to be seen.
Former WWE NXT general manager William Regal has filed for a couple of interesting trademarks including his ring name “William Regal” and “Lord Steven Regal.”
Both the trademarks have been filed for various merchandising usage as well as ‘performances by a professional wrestler.’
Steven Regal is the name he used before his WWE signing. The wrestling veteran was known by the moniker during his time with World Championship Wrestling as well.
Apart from the trademark filing, the former Intercontinental champion has also opened a Pro Wrestling Tees store. His official PWT page describes the former WWE star as a ‘Gentleman Villain.’
Look at me. I’m all hip and stuff, I’ve got a page on @PWTees. Thank you to all the staff who made this possible in a very short time. https://t.co/6noSEOMAHe
William Regal was released from his WWE contract in January this year. This ended his 22-year long stint with the company. He donned many hats during his tenure with the promotion.
After retiring from in-ring action, he started recruiting and training wrestlers in NXT. The former champion also acted as an on-screen general manager for the brand.
The new trademarks are proof that Regal is getting ready for life after WWE. He has been offered a role at Impact wrestling but Regal has not taken up the proposal yet.
There is no news on how WWE is reacting to the trademark filing or if the company is planning to file an objection to it.
WWE has filed a new trademark related to the NXT 2.0 brand. The company filed for the term “NXT Level Up” on February 9th. The listed purposes of the trademark state that it is ” intended to cover the categories of a show about professional wrestling.”
Back in December, there had been talk that WWE was getting ready to rebrand 205 Live. Bryan Alvarez had the following to say about the rebranding of 205 Live on Wrestling Observer Live.
“So, it’s gonna get a new name. I don’t know what it is. It’s probably just going to be a tertiary show. I don’t know what form it would be. It’s going to be a low-level WWE show that God bless them, nobody is going to watch. But, this is where they will get their experience in front of a live crowd. It’s coming. It’s no longer going to be 205 Live.”
The trademark filed could also be for a new show focussed more on developmental talent, however.
It’s a big week for the NXT brand as they present NXT Vengeance Day tomorrow night on the USA Network. The following matches have been booked for the show:
NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships: Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) (c) vs. Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta
NXT North American Championship: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Cameron Grimes
WeaponizedSteel Cage: Pete Dunne vs Tony D’Angelo
Dusty Rhodes Classic Finals: MSK (Nash Carter & Wes Lee) vs. The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed & Julius Creed)
NXT North American Championship: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Cameron Grimes
Mickie James has not gotten to work with All Elite Wrestling yet but the Impact Knockouts champion knows who she will face if she gets the chance. The Impact star recently appeared on Women’s Wrestling Talk. During the interview, she revealed her dream opponents from all the major promotions.
Speaking about Tony Khan’s promotion, Mickie James went straight to the top and picked the current AEW women’s champion Britt Baker as her dream opponent:
“AEW, Britt Baker, I think, period, I feel like yeah, I really kind of, I’ve met her a few times. I’ve just recently actually got to know her, like, got to chat with her more to kind of get to know her a little bit recently. I just, I always She’s kicking down doors and doing so much amazing stuff over there.”
Mickie James continued by mentioning how Baker has been carving out her own unique path. The wrestling veteran applauded the AEW star for that.
The former WWE star also revealed her pick within her former promotion. She said that she would like to face the SmackDown women’s champion Charlotte Flair because the two have never faced off in WWE.
WWE Hall Of Fame Eric Bischoff has revealed that he will be having surgery to fix an issue with one of his fingers.
The wrestling veteran talked about it on the latest episode of his 83 weeks podcast. He mentioned that he is not able to extend his finger because of Dupuytren’s Contracture.
Bischoff continued by mentioning how he should have gotten the surgery over a year ago. However, he put it off because it wasn’t bothering him until now:
“I can’t put a glove on. I’ve been putting this off. I should have done this a year and a half ago to be honest. I put it off and put it off and it wasn’t a problem.
Now all of a sudden it’s wintertime and I can’t put my hand in a glove” said Eric Bischoff, “and I’m like, ‘F*ck that. I’m going to go in and have it cut out.’”
Apart from this, the former WCW president watched the February 17, 1997 episode of WCW Nitro on his podcast. He discussed matches and segments from the show including the Chris Jericho vs Jeff Jarett main event.
Eric Bischoff did not reveal when he will be having the procedure done. SEScoops wishes him a speedy recovery.
The new UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is open to following the footsteps of many others before her and having a pro wrestling career in WWE once she is done with MMA.
The Venezuelan Vixen recently had an interview with New York Post (via MMANews). Among other things, she discussed the possibility of a career in pro wrestling.
Peña said that right now her focus is on fighting for UFC. Though she didn’t say no to a WWE career and claimed that she doesn’t see why it couldn’t happen down the line:
“Right now my focus is on fighting. Later on, if that opportunity presents itself, I don’t see why I couldn’t explore that avenue.” Julianna Peña said “Definitely, my focus is on fighting for the UFC,”
Bobby Lashley Explains Why He Never Signed With UFC
We have seen some big names crossing over to WWE from UFC over the years. This includes Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey who are arguably the biggest stars of their respective divisions right now.
WWE will not say no to the opportunity as UFC stars usually bring mainstream attention to the product. It wouldn’t be a surprise if AEW makes a play for her as well.
Though Julianna Peña is focused on her rematch with Amanda Nunes right now. An official date for the same hasn’t been announced but it’s targeted for sometime later this year.
WWE received some major visibility during the most-viewed sporting event of the year on Sunday night. Peacock reportedly paid for a WWE WrestleMania 38 advertisement to air during Super Bowl LVI on Sunday night between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.
With the WWE Network moving to the Peacock streaming service domestically last year, the brand looked to hype up WWE’s biggest show of the year during what is always the biggest sporting event of the year.
During the pre-show for the Super Bowl, a 30 second advertisement aired for WrestleMania 38, which will of course air on Peacock in early April. Then, during the first half of the Super Bowl game itself, a 15 second spot aired promoting WrestleMania.
Both commercial feature the voice of Pat McAfee. You can view the 30 second advertisement below, which aired during the pre-game show.
Two matches have been confirmed so far for WrestleMania 38, which is just under two months away in Arlington, Texas at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will take on Brock Lesnar, while WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will wrestle Ronda Rousey.
Lesnar has a chance to make his match against Reigns a title vs. title match. Next Saturday at WWE Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia, Lesnar will participate in the Elimination Chamber match for Bobby Lashley’s WWE Championship. As the Top Rope Nation podcast first reported last week, Paul Heyman has been pushing hard for a title vs. title match at WrestleMania during creative meetings for several weeks now.
Do you want to see Reigns vs. Lesnar as a title vs. title match? Let us know in the comments section below!
Don’t forget to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Despite all the other things he has to do, Dwyane Johnson made time for a Super Bowl intro and he channeled The Rock in his full form for it. The former WWE star kicked off the big game between Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals from the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday.
Giving the camera his signature eyebrow, The People’s Champion cut a passionate WWE-style promo. He got the crowd hyped up for the big match:
“It is time. It is time for all of us here and millions around the world to bear witness to these incredible players who will leave every ounce of sweat, guts and pride and legacy on this hallowed field” said The Rock, “because that is what champions do, Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to say, finally, it is time for the Super Bowl!”
The Hollywood star had been rumored for a WWE return at WrestleMania 38 but those talks have since cooled down. Reports suggest that WWE is now trying to build a match between him and the Universal champion Roman Reigns for WrestleMania 39 in Hollywood. Though anything can happen between now and then. We will have to see if the former champion is able to make time from his busy schedule for this bout.
Miro learned quite a bit from John Cena during his run in WWE.
AEW star Miro competed as Rusev when he worked under the WWE banner. He was signed to FCW in 2010 and made his main roster debut in 2014. While Miro captured the United States Title three times, many felt he wasn’t utilized properly long-term and he was released from the promotion in 2020.
Learning From Doctor Of Thuganomics
During an appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, Miro went in-depth on being able to pick John Cena’s brain on how to thrive in the wrestling business.
“Oh man, John is the best. John is absolutely the best. I learned so much from him even to this day. Once again, he’s such a teacher.
“He’s so good and he’s one of those guys, ‘What’s your four best moves?’ That’s what I learned from him that I utilize to this day. He asks you that not because — He just wants to highlight you in the best spots, in the best lighting. So, he’s just trying to understand in his head where he’s gonna put these four best moves.
“I learned that, I learned psychology of a match a lot more. I learned how to control a match because beating up John for 10 minutes, 15 minutes a night the whole time what he’s doing is he’s [talking].
“All I’m doing is just listening and then after the match, he’s telling me why we did this. ‘You hear the crowd was here? We’re trying to get it there, that’s why we did this.’ This whole thing, I found out, it’s all about psychology.”
Miro also said that another key piece of advice Cena gave him was to listen to the crowd when every show starts to get a feel of who he is working in front of.
Nowadays, Cena is more focused on Hollywood but he still makes the trip back to the squared circle when he can. As for Miro, he works for AEW where he is a former TNT Champion.
Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article
Mark Henry believes it’s possible for Ronda Rousey to better embrace her babyface role.
Rousey has seemingly had a love-hate relationship with fans dating back to her days in the UFC. “Rowdy” often doesn’t take too kindly to jeers from crowds, which doesn’t bode well for her as a face.
Ronda Rousey (Photo: WWE)
Advice For Rousey
WWE has tried to spruce up Rousey’s babyface persona by using artificial crowd noise. During an episode of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry suggested a different approach.
“What can be done is you can start slowly intergrading her into doing the babyface things. You can have her do the community involvement and the association of being around the kids.
“She’s a mom now. She’s gotta make statements, ‘Hey, I gotta be better. I have to be better. I gotta be a better example for my family, for my daughter. I have to be a better example for the fans. I have to be a better example for the other women in pro wrestling.’
“Now, that tells me, ‘Okay, this person is on the nicer side of things.’ You have to keep her moving with a trajectory of positivity and success.”
Ronda has admitted that trash talk from fans has thrown her for a loop in the past. Rousey is set to challenge Charlotte for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at this year’s WrestleMania event.
Charlotte has been positioned as a top heel in WWE. It’ll be interesting to see how WWE handles Rousey’s promos throughout the buildup of this title match.
Do you think Ronda Rousey should be a full-blown babyface or a tweener?
Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article
Mia Yim recently took to social media to comment on why she’s hasn’t wrestled since being released by WWE. Yim was released from the company on November 4th, 2021.
She clarified that due to her recent wedding to AEW’s Keith Lee, she opted not to take any bookings until March.
“To those wondering why I’m not back in the ring yet.. February is a busy month. With the wedding and the move, I decided to not take any bookings until March to focus on getting everything handled at home first. So don’t worry, I’ll see you all in the ring in March,” Yim Tweeted.
To those wondering why I’m not back in the ring yet.. February is a busy month. With the wedding and the move, I decided to not take any bookings until March to focus on getting everything handled at home first. So don’t worry, I’ll see you all in the ring in March ? #HBICpic.twitter.com/7s0dg7EQRA
The 32-year-old hasn’t wrestled a match in over a year. Her last actual match was a loss to Nikki Cross on Main Event on December 28th, 2020. This was under her “Reckoning” gimmick along with Retribution. Her only ever victory on the main roster came the week before on Main Event, when she defeated Cross.
Yim is a former 1x Knockouts Champion in Impact Wrestling. She also previously held the SHINE title as well.
It’s not clear where Yim could end up in the future. She might be signed by AEW, where her husband made his debut last week. Yim could also return to Impact Wrestling, where she has spent much of her career thus far.
“If he beats Goldberg next week, Roman Reigns will have beaten every person to hold the Universal title during his current reign.”
This Tweet did not sit well with Wyatt. His Fiend character was the Universal Champion heading into a triple threat against Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman at Payback. Reigns pinned Strowman to win the title, however, and not Wyatt.
“Worth pointing out that Roman Reigns didn’t actually beat Seth Rollins at the Royal Rumble, but he retained the title over him, so the point still stands,” Dangoor also noted.
Where Will Bray Wyatt End Up?
Bray Wyatt was released on July 31st, 2021. He’s been gone from wrestling ever since. There were rumors that Impact Wrestling was interested in him but any thought of him going there is pretty much dead at this point.
According to sources close to Bray Wyatt, there is no deal with IMPACT Wrestling in place, or close.
Nick Wayne is All Elite. The 16-year-old son of the late Buddy Wayne received a contract offer from AEW during a recent Defy live event in Seattle. Wayne lost to Christopher Daniels in the night’s main event. Following the match, Darby Allin came out to offer Wayne an AEW contract.
Nick Wayne was recently prevented from appearing on The WRLD On GCW show after the athletic commission discovered his age.
“Due to circumstances that neither I nor GCW had control of, I was unfortunately not able to perform tonight at The Wrld on GCW at Hammerstein Ballroom. We still live to perform another day, Love y’all ?? Tonight was history making,” Wayne wrote on Twitter about missing the show.
Joey Janela Tweeted about this after the fact.
“This is 100% not a work, I walked up to nick & his mother before & told him I’d give him whatever he wanted. I told him to tell me what he wanted, he wants @WillOspreay we will make it happen. Nick is one of my favorites of all time! And I’m gonna look out for him @WillOspreay”
Due to circumstances that neither I nor GCW had control of, I was unfortunately not able to perform tonight at The Wrld on GCW at Hammerstein Ballroom. We still live to perform another day, Love y’all ?? Tonight was history making.
There are numerous pro-wrestling connections attached to this year’s Super Bowl. Most notably, Los Angeles SoFi Stadium will be hosting the big game this year and in 13 months will host WrestleMania 39. Also, The Rock will be part of the pregame show this year. Next year, Rock could be headlining WrestleMania from the same venue.
WWE will also have a presence during the broadcast of this year’s Super Bowl. Ads for the WWE Network are scheduled to air. These have been paid for and produced by the Peacock Streaming Service rather than WWE itself, however. WWE previously paid for a Super Bowl ad in 1999.
Batista will also be featured in a Super Bowl ad this year. He’s in a commercial for Nissan. A recent Tweet from Batista about the ad is below.
The WWE Championship once changed hands at halftime of the Super Bowl. The Rock defeated Mankind in an empty arena match that aired during halftime of the Super Bowl in 1999.
The following year, WWE aired a sit-down interview with Steve Austin during halftime of the game. In 2019, NXT aired a match taped after TakeOver: Phoenix during halftime of the Super Bowl. That match saw Aleister Black, Ricochet and Velveteen Dream defeated Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.
Brian Pillman, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Super Bowl
The Cincinnati Bengals will be in the Super Bowl this year for the first time since 1989. Brian Pillman played for the Bengals in 1984. He’d later play for the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL before transitioning to wrestling. The Rock also was once on the Stampeders practice squad before doing the same.
When the Bengals last went to the Super Bowl in 1989, Pillman had an idea. His plan was to get Mark Madden’s media pass and chain himself to the field goal posts in order to get publicity. Madden was understandably not willing to give up his media credentials, however.
During our "off season" we'll be sharing some bonus clips & deleted scenes.
— Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) June 14, 2021
Wrestlers Cheering For The Bengals Or Rams
Brian Pillman Jr. will be cheering on the Bengals tonight. He’s been re-tweeting posts from his father’s old team. On an unrelated note, he also posted the below Tweet:
I swear my chihuahua takes the biggest tiny little shits ever! Like they are small to me but compared to his body they are MASSIVE lol ? ?
Pillman is not the only wrestler cheering for the Bengals tonight, however. Jon Moxley is from Cincinnati and has converted his wife, Renee Paquette, into a Bengals fan as well.
Aaaahhhhhhhh holy crap!! Wow!! (I’ve literally lived in Cincinnati for less than 3 months, but I’m pumped to see this history being made!!) @Bengalspic.twitter.com/CtexcXu4bI
