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Austin Theory Wins WWE United States Title

Andrew Ravens
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Finn Balor’s reign as the WWE United States Champion has come to an end as Austin Theory has become the new champion. 

In the third hour of the show, Theory battled Balor in a title match which ended with Theory going over with his finisher. Post-match, several heels came out and lifted up Theory as he celebrated. He later took a selfie with Vince McMahon on the stage. 

This is the latest in the push of Theory, who is seen as the next big star by Vince McMahon, who reportedly believes that he can be the next John Cena. Just like Cena, Theory’s first title on the main roster is the United States Title. 

At first, Theory lost matches on TV, similar to Cena, but in his case, was sent back to NXT before returning to the main roster in last year’s Draft. 

This past February on an edition of Raw, Bálor defeated Damian Priest to win the WWE United States Championship for the first time in his career.

Report: Kushida Gone From WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida has reportedly left WWE.

Fightful Select is reporting that Kushida has made his exit from the company. The report notes that his contract expired. There’s currently no word on whether or not he was offered a new deal. The report also mentions that there was no word of bringing Kushida to the main roster before his exit.

Kushida signed with WWE back in 2019. He entered the promotion as one of the most renowned junior heavyweights in Japanese wrestling. He is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice with Alex Shelley as the Time Splitters.

As mentioned, Kushida was able to lay claim to gold in WWE, holding the NXT Cruiserweight Title for 161 days. Once that reign ended, however, he was paired with Ikemen Jiro to form the joke tag team, Jacket Time.

It’s no secret that WWE’s NXT brand has undergone significant changes since Kushida was signed. It’s no longer about signing independent talent and international stars to build the brand. NXT is now about preparing younger talent for Vince McMahon’s vision of the main roster.

Rhea Ripley Turns Heel, Attacks Liv Morgan Following Tag Team Loss (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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As expected, Rhea Ripley has turned on Liv Morgan.

Ripley and Morgan challenged Sasha Banks and Naomi for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Ripley and Morgan had already been unsuccessful in dethroning Sasha and Naomi but Ripley was able to get them a rematch.

On the April 18 episode of Raw, Ripley ate the pinfall and blamed Liv for not making the save. Ripley hit the Riptide on Liv and made her way backstage.

There has been much speculation on what is in store for Rhea Ripley now that she’s turned heel. Some have expressed belief that she will end up joining Edge and Damian Priest. Time will tell if that’s the direction WWE will go in.

WWE RAW Results (4/18/22): Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins, New Champion, Lie Detector Test

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live tonight from the Keybank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Women’s Tag Team Championships and Unites States Championship were defended tonight. Kevin Owens gave Ezekiel a Lie Detector test and Cody Rhodes battled an opponent selected by Seth Rollins in tonight’s main event.

RAW Results

  1. Naomi & Sasha Banks def. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  2. Veer Mahaan def. Jeff Brooks
  3. Ezekiel def. Chad Gable via DQ
  4. Street Profits def. RK-Bro (non-title match)
  5. Theory def. Finn Balor to become the new United States Champion
  6. Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via count out

Here are the takeaways from tonight’s show:

Cody Rhodes Will Battle A Mystery Opponent In The Main Event

Seth Rollins made his way to the ring and welcomed everyone to Monday Night “Rollins”. Seth called Cody Rhodes to the ring and he got a great reaction from the crowd. Rollins wondered how it must feel to be on top of the world. Rhodes noted that Buffalo is Rhodes Country and wanted Rollins to get to his point. Rollins stated that this is about respect and Cody took a break to pose for the crowd.

Rollins got pissed off and told Cody to never do that to him again. Cody then immediately did it again and Rollins cackled into the microphone. Rollins brought up the Rhodes family and he was going to tell Cody how much respect he had for him and his family but now things are going a different way. Rollins instead claimed that he alone made Cody a star in one night at WrestleMania.

Seth claimed that Cody Rhodes had an unfair advantage because he was a surprise opponent. Rollins said that he did have the proper time to prepare for the match at Mania and a loud “Cody!” chant broke out. Seth wondered if Cody believes he is better than him now because he cannot live with that. Rollins shouted that he is better than Cody Rhodes in every possible way. Seth told Cody that he is the flavor of the month and isn’t the future of WWE. Rollins added that he talks the talk, walks the walk, and dresses better than Cody.

Rollins said that he’s already been to the top of the mountain and been WWE Champion, and that makes him better than Cody. Rhodes noted that Seth has actually won the title four times. Rhodes asked the “good folks of Buffalo” who they think is better and they chanted for Cody. Seth told the crowd to shut up and had an idea for tonight’s main event. Rollins suggested that Cody come down to the ring for a mystery opponent of Seth’s choosing later tonight. Rhodes told Seth that he didn’t come back to WWE to run from challenges, and accepted. Cody Rhodes will face an opponent hand picked by Seth Rollins later tonight.

Naomi & Sasha Banks Retained, Rhea Ripley Turned Heel

Naomi & Sasha Banks defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships in the first match of the night. The champs controlled the action early and sent Liv to the outside. Naomi and Banks slammed Liv into the ring post but Rhea broke it up. Ripley connected with the Riptide on Banks onto the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

Ripley leveled Naomi with a Clothesline and tagged in Liv Morgan when RAW resumed. Liv climbed to the top and connected with a Bulldog for a near fall. Liv followed it up with an Enziguri and Rhea Ripley tagged in. Rhea hit Riptide but Sasha Banks broke it up at the last moment after hitting Liv with a Backstabber. Naomi and Banks hit some Codebreaker/slam combo on Ripley and Banks covered her for the win. Banks & Naomi are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

After the match, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan argued in the ring. The argument appeared over but Ripley took the opportunity to attack Liv from behind. Rhea planted Morgan with the Riptide and left her behind in the ring.

Bianca Belair Confronted Sonya Deville, Title Match Next Week

Sonya Deville came down to the ring and claimed that she was forced into this position until she could find her way back to being a WWE superstar. Deville said she was a natural leader. Deville brought up the RAW Women’s Champion and Bianca Belair interrupted. Sonya suggested that they have their RAW Women’s Championship match next week in Belair’s hometown so she can embarrass her. Deville added that the fans are so used to watching Bianca lose the title quickly and began talking to her like a child. Bianca got pissed and ripped the microphone away from Sonya. Belair lifted her up for the KOD but Sonya shouted that she will make sure that Bianca is fired if she hits the move. Belair dropped Sonya down and exited the ring to end the segment.

Adam Pearce informed Sonya Deville that there is an investigation into Belair’s actions and she will eb fined. Sonya wondered if the fine was for a million dollars and suggested that it is the “biggEST” fine available. Bianca showed up and paid Adam Pearce her fine of $1.

Veer Mahaan Dominated

Veer Mahaan faced Jeff Brooks (enhancement talent) this week on RAW. Mahaan absolutely dominated the match and quickly applied the Camel Clutch for the pinfall victory. After the win, Mahaan locked in the hold for a third time until WWE officials finally broke it up.

Ezekiel “Debuted” With A Win & Passed The Lie Detector Test

Kevin Owens came to the ring with a lie detector test set up in the ring. Chad Gable administered the test as Kevin Owens wanted to make sure that this was not biased. Owens claimed that Gable was going to expose Elias as the fraud that he is and then beat him in a match immediately after.

Ezekiel came to the ring and once again claimed that he was Elias’ younger brother. Ezekiel added “who wants to hear Zeke speak?” and Owens pointed out how that was similar to Elias’ catchphrase. Gable asked if Ezekiel was his actual first name and Ezekiel said “yes” and there were no lies detected.

Gable asked Ezekiel if Elias was his older brother and he said “yes” and passed the test. Owens got annoyed and kicked Gable out of the ring. Owens went on a rant and called Buffalo “Canada’s landfill”. Kevin threatened Ezekiel to admit he is Elias “or else”. Ezekiel stood face to face with Owens and KO walked away.

When RAW returned, Ezekiel battled Gable in a singles match. Ezekiel slammed Gable on top of the steel steps and rolled him back into the ring. Gable connected with a Suplex and made his way to the top rope. Gable went for a Moonsault but Ezekiel got his boot up. Otis then attacked Ezekiel from behind to end the match in DQ.

Street Profits Pinned The Champs After A Distraction

Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) battled RK-Bro tonight in a non-title match. Dawkins got Riddle to the canvas and tagged in Ford. Montez climbed to the top turnbuckle but Riddle met him up there and sent him down with a Belly to Belly throw as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Orton tagged in and planted Dawkins with his patented Powerslam. RK-Bro then delivered draping DDTs in stereo and Orton fired up the crowd. Riddle tagged in and set up for the RKO. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos theme hit and Street Profits capitalized and hit Riddle with an Electric Chair/ Blockbuster combo for the pinfall victory. After the match, Street Profits said that The Usos aren’t the only tag team RK-Bro should be worried about.

Edge Challenged AJ Styles To A Rematch At WrestleMania Backlash

Edge and Damian Priest had a backstage promo. Edge was sitting on a throne as Priest was by his side. Edge claimed that Damian Priest played 2nd fiddle to Bad Bunny last year at WrestleMania despite holding that all together. He took a shot at the Buffalo crowd by saying he actually wins championships unlike the Bills and Sabres.

Edge claimed that WWE Universe has the attention span of a tick and he no longer cares what they think. Edge added that they will pass judgement on anyone that gets in their way. He challenged AJ Styles to a rematch and ended the promo by saying it will Styles judgement day at WrestleMania Backlash. AJ Styles was then interviewed backstage and the lights flickered. Edge and Priest arrived and beat him down in the locker room.

Theory Captured The US Title

Finn Balor defended the United States Championship against Theory tonight. Theory controlled the action early and got Balor in a headlock in the middle of the ring. Balor escaped but Theory knocked him to the outside. Theory connected with a Neckbreaker on the floor as RAW went to a commercial.

Theory had Balor back in the headlock when RAW returned. Theory hit a stomp to the midsection and got distracted with the crowd. Balor capitalized with a flying forearm to the face and then a Double Stomp to the midsection. Balor followed it up with some more stomps to the ribs and then a Slingblade.

Balor hit a Dropkick and made his way up to the top turnbuckle for the Coup de Grace but Theory tripped him up. Theory hit an awesome springboard Spanish Fly for a near fall. Finn battled back and went for the Coup de Grace but Theory got out of the way. Theory connected with ATL on Balor for the pinfall victory. After the match, all the heels carried Austin Theory around. Mr. McMahon celebrated with Theory on the entrance ramp and took a selfie.

Dana Brooke Is Still 24/7 Champion

R-Truth officiated two weddings tonight. 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke & Reggie, and Akira Tozawa & Tamina. Los Lotharios, Sasha Banks, Naomi, Nikki ASH and others were in the ring for the ceremonies. Tamina objected and wanted to swap grooms. Everyone tried to marry each other before working their way back to the original configuration. After the ceremonies, everyone rolled each other up and Dana Brooke wound up winning the 24/7 Championship back at the end of the segment.

Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via Count Out, Seth Rollins Attacked

Cody Rhodes faced an opponent of Seth Rollins’ choosing in the main event.

Rollins came down to the entrance ramp and revealed that Rhodes’ opponent was Kevin Owens. Rhodes and Owens battled to the corner to start off the match. Cody sent Owens out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Kevin caught him. Owens hit a Fallaway Slam into the barricade as RAW went to a break.

Owens was still in control of the match when RAW returned. Kevin planted Cody with a Backbreaker and taunted the crowd. Owens unloaded some elbow strikes to the face and laughed as Cody stumbled to the ropes. Cody hit a Suplex and went for Cross Rhodes but Owens countered into a DDT for a near fall.

Kevin climbed to the top rope and went for a Senton but Cody got his knees up. Owens rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cody tackled him over the announce table. Seth Rollins’ theme hit again and he made his way down the entrance ramp as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Owens hit a Frog Splash and a Senton but couldn’t keep Cody down for three.

Owens went for a Pop-Up Powerbomb but Cody countered into a Hurricanrana. Rhodes followed it up with a Clothesline and both superstars fell to the mat. Owens then planted Cody with the Pop-Up Powerbomb for another near fall. Rollins and Owens couldn’t believe that Rhodes kicked out.

Cody perched Owens up on the top turnbuckle and joined him up there. Rhodes went for a Superplex but Owens countered into a Fisherman’s Buster off the top. Owens went for the cover but Cody got his boot on the bottom rope to break it up. KO went for a Powerbomb on the apron but Cody reversed into a Back Body Drop.

Rollins shouted at Owens to get back into the ring but he walked away. Cody Rhodes was angry that the match ended that way. Rhodes was standing on the turnbuckle saying something to the crowd when Rollins attacked him from behind. Seth sent Cody flying off the turnbuckle and to the floor as RAW went off the air.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT, Table For 3 Set to Return

Jon Fuentes
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Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar Set for NXT

Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar has officially been announced for the April 19 episode of WWE NXT 2.0. Last week, Escobar demanded Hayes go to the back of the line for the NXT North American Title, after the latter dropped the strap to Cameron Grimes at Stand & Deliver.

In response, Hayes challenged Escobar to a match, leading to their confrontation this week. Check out the updated card for this week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:

Table For 3 Set to Return

  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar
  • Natalya vs. Tatum Paxley
  • Tiffany Stratton vs. Sarray

WWE has announced that their Table For 3 series will be making its return on the Peacock TV streaming service. This will be the first new episode of Table For 3 since 2019. The episode will feature WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle, alongside Alpha Academy, Chad Gable and Otis. You can watch the episode when it goes live on April 22.

Table For 3 was a staple of WWE’s original content on the WWE Network before being sold to Peacock. It has featured dinners and conversation between some of the business’ most groundbreaking and influential trios of all time. Past episodes have featured the likes of The New Day, The Kliq, The Shield, and so many more.

This week’s episode will feature Angle, a WWE Hall Of Famer who has made several appearances on the program already. Alongside him will be the former RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy, who recently challenged for the titles at WrestleMania 38 – but came up short to RK-Bro.

Alexa Bliss Frustrated With Lack Of WWE Creative Direction (Report)

Andrew Ravens
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Alexa Bliss returned to WWE TV in January after being sidelined for several months and was last seen while competing in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. However, she once again disappeared from TV because she reportedly was preparing for her wedding. Bliss is currently on her honeymoon.

Bliss filmed up to 9 vignettes in January for her return which culminated in her competing at the Chamber event, according to Fightful. At that point, there was no substantial creative direction for Bliss.

Bliss expressed interest in working WrestleMania and there were pitches to involve her in Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair’s match, but they were quickly shot down. 

According to talent and creative, “it became known Bliss voiced her displeasure in the days following Elimination Chamber about her creative direction or lack thereof.” 

It’s unclear whether those WrestleMania pitches came from Bliss or someone in creative, but at the end of February, it was pretty well determined internally that Bliss would not be featured on WrestleMania.

The priority of booking Bliss shifted significantly after the vignettes. It was said “talent and creative were told that Bliss was very transparent about frustration that nothing of substance had been booked after being out of action for half a year. “

There has been backstage talk that Bliss voiced her frustration to Vince McMahon. Despite not being used, she’s listed internally as the number two babyface on the depth chart for the Raw women’s division.

Three More Big Matches Added to WWE UK Tour

Jon Fuentes
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Three more big matches have been added to the WWE UK tour coming up later this month.

WWE will be running shows from the Utilita Arena on Thursday, April 28 in Newcastle, England; The O2 Arena from London, England on Friday, April 29; the Accor Arena from Paris, France on Saturday, April 30; and finally the QUARTERBACK Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday, May 1.

Earlier today, WWE confirmed several matches for the Newcastle and Leipzig shows. First, former WWE Champions Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre will be going head-to-head. Also, current SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will take on Sasha Banks. In what should be a real treat, RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro will be taking on SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos. And finally, Sami Zayn will go one-on-one with Gunther.

We also mentioned last week that WWE announced three big matches for their respective shows in London and France. Check them out here below:

  • Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
  • SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
  • SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro

It should be noted that WWE Intercontinental Champion Ricochet, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi, Gunther, and Bobby Lashley are also advertised for those shows. More so, the SmackDown Live taping on Friday, April 22 from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York has a special start time of 6:30pm ET.

This indicates that the show will be a double taping, meaning the April 29 episode of SmackDown Live will be pre-taped as WWE is running their shows in the UK.

Kurt Angle: Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle agrees that the times are changing in professional wrestling – and the days of the big men being the only ones who can survive at the top of the card, are gone.

Recently, Angle was interviewed by WhatCulture Wrestling to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Angle gave his take on the landscape of the industry today. Angle noted that he believes the days of big guys like Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Batista, and others being at the top of the food chain are over; thanks to guys like AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio helping change that stigma.

Also, according to Angle, these younger talents who are on their way up are more athletic than he and those who came up with him during his heyday in WWE.

“I think people don’t buy into the fact that you have to be big to be dominating. There are a lot of athletes like AJ Styles that are undersized, that are doing tremendously well,” Angle said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I credit those guys. These guys today are so much better athletes than we were in our heyday. It’s because of the new training. The core training and the CrossFit training and everything that they have going on.

“Technology has put them ahead of the game now. Rey Mysterio is still going, and he’s been so undersized. 140 lbs, and look what he’s done in the business. I like where the business is headed. I just wish they would pull it back a little bit. Slow down and take their time in the matches, rather than it being a spot fest.”

Kurt Angle came up during a time when the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and The Undertaker were sitting atop the card. None of those men would typically be described as “high flyers,” however, in terms of pure athleticism, an argument could be made that the talent today has more to offer in that respect.

Of course, there’s no denying that the likes of Austin, Rock, “The Game,” and Undertaker are athletic specimens in their own right. What do you make of Angle’s comments? Do you agree that today’s talents are more athletic than those of Angle’s generation? Sound off in the comment section!

Cody Rhodes Details Moment AEW Star Inadvertently Helped Him Decide on WWE Return

Jon Fuentes
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Cody Rhodes is back in WWE, and he has one thing on his mind – a World Championship run.

Rhodes made his highly-anticipated return to the company at WrestleMania 38, introduced as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. In a stellar matchup that ended up being one of the best of the weekend, Rhodes came out on top when it was all said and done, making quite the statement in his return to the WWE.

Recently, Rhodes joined “Out of Character with Ryan Satin” to discuss everything surrounding his WWE return. During the interview, Rhodes explained a moment back in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) when manager Dan Lambert inadvertently helped him make the decision to return to WWE.

“Dan Lambert handed me the WWWF Championship, he handed me the title that my dad is holding in that picture from 1977, he handed it to me and in that moment, I felt like that decision was almost made for me,” Rhodes said (via Wrestling Inc.).

“I don’t know if he inadvertently caused this industry-changing moment but there were times when it was, this is what has to happen.

The night after WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes returned to Monday Night RAW to cut an emotional promo about his father, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes, and how he wants to win a WWE World Championship in his honor. It is a goal that clearly means a lot to Rhodes, and is certainly a possibility given the hype around his name at the moment.

In the meantime, Rhodes will have his hands full with Seth Rollins, who he’ll rematch at WrestleMania Backlash from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhodes Island on May 8.

AJ Styles Reveals Who Is Responsible for Bringing Him to WWE

Jon Fuentes
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Former WWE Champion AJ Styles is one of the company’s most exciting signings in history.

“The Phenomenal One” inked a deal with WWE back in 2016 after departing from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). For years prior there was a lot of chatter as to whether or not fans would get to see Styles, widely regarded as one of the most talented non-WWE performers in the world at the time, compete inside a WWE ring.

That was finally silenced on January 24 2016, when Styles made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble. Since, Styles has become one of the company’s biggest stars and now has over six years of experience with the company under his belt. Recently, Styles was interviewed by Wrestling Inc. to reflect on his WWE career.

During the interview, Styles revealed that it was actually Triple H who is responsible for getting him to WWE in the first place.

“Yeah, Triple H was here, and I am glad to see him, man,” AJ Styles said. “You’ve got to think, when I think about his retirement I am here because of him. Because he called me, that’s huge for me.”

Unfortunately for “The Game,” he was recently forced to call it a career due to health concerns. AJ Styles and Triple H never got to share the ring together as opponents in a television match, which is a shame considering they likely would’ve put on a tremendous program against each other.

For now, Styles is currently busy in the midst of his feud with Edge and Damian Priest. As for Triple H, he will continue to help mold the WWE stars of tomorrow from backstage now that his in-ring career has come to an end.

Two Top Stars Not Scheduled For Raw, More Live Notes

Michael Reichlin
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We have a couple more exclusive news items from tonight’s WWE Raw taping in Buffalo, New York.

As noted earlier, SmackDown star Butch is at Raw. WWE has been running a storyline that Butch keeps going missing, so we’ll see if he pops up on tonight’s broadcast.

SEScoops has learned that The Miz is not scheduled to be at Raw tonight. The Miz kicked off last week’s show by hosting Miz TV with special guest Cody Rhodes.

The segment saw Rhodes drop several “banned” words, including wrestler (instead of Superstar) and belt (instead of championship). Later in the night, Rhodes defeated Miz in singles action.

Additionally, Rey Mysterio Jr. won’t be at Raw either. Mysterio was scheduled to compete against Veer last week, but did not appear due to an undisclosed medical issue. Whatever Mysterio is dealing with, he won’t be back on TV tonight.

Finally, another wrestler who is at the arena is independent star Kayla Sparks.

Sparks “pulled a Rick Rude” back in February when she appeared on episodes of WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage on the same night.

Her most recent appearance from WWE came earlier this month when she appeared in Dayna Brooke’s bachelorette party segment.

Raw will feature a double wedding ceremony, with R-Truth officiating the dual marriages between Dana Brooke/Reggie and Tamina/Tozawa. Sparks will likely be an extra at the wedding as a friend of Dana Brooke.

Quick Raw Preview:

  • Theory vs. Finn Balor for the United States Championship
  • Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi for the Women’s tag titles
  • Ezekiel takes a lie detector test administered by Kevin Owens. Ezekiel wants to prove he is not Elias.

Mark Henry Comments on Potential In-Ring Return

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Mark Henry could possibly step back into the ring again now that he’s with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Henry ran with WWE for over 20 years after signing with the company back in 1996. During that time, he was able to pick up an ECW World Title, a WWE European Title run, and a World Heavyweight Championship run. Henry was later inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2018.

In May of 2021, Henry debuted for AEW at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would serve as a commentator and coach for talent. Recently, Henry was interviewed by Sportskeeda to talk about a variety of topics, including his jump to AEW. When asked about potentially wrestling again, Mark Henry doesn’t sound too interested.

Instead, Henry seems more focused on helping mold the top stars of tomorrow from behind the curtains in AEW.

“I would say don’t hold your breath, because I do not want to get hit. And if somebody hits me, I will call the police,” Henry said (via WrestleZone). “A lot of it is just growing up. As you get older, you start thinking about how you can stay in the business that you love when your body starts to hurt and you don’t want to do whatever the sport is no more.

“That was my mindset. I wanted to continue to be around the business and make a living, but I also wanted to share my knowledge and I found myself to be one of the most studied people about pro wrestling and how it works. I wanted to share that and you’re not supposed to take gifts to the grave,” Henry pointed out. “So I wanted to, before I go to God, everybody that loves my business the way that I love the business to know what I know.”

With a wealth of talent currently on AEW’s roster, there’s no shortage of young stars for Henry to mentor. And with over 20 years of experience under his belt; having shared the ring with the likes of The Undertaker, The Rock, Chris Jericho, and so many more, they could learn a lot from the man formerly known as “Sexual Chocolate.”

SmackDown Star Spotted At Monday’s WWE Raw

Michael Reichlin
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SmackDown star Butch went missing again over the weekend, but we’ve found him.

WWE is in Buffalo, New York for tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw from the Keybank Center. SEScoops has learned that Butch has arrived at the arena.

It’s unknown if Butch will appear on television, but he arrived to Keybank Center with Tommaso Ciampa around 1:30pm local time.

Butch
(WWE)

Former NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne was recently called up to the main roster. He was renamed “Butch” and has been paired with Sheamus and Ridge Holland as part of the new Fight Night stable. Butch is unhinged and loves to fight.

Sheamus and Holland have had to restrain Butch, who has being going “missing” as part of his ongoing storyline.

On Sunday, the official WWE Twitter account asked if anybody has seen Butch, so he apparently “went missing” once again after Sheamus and Holland tied up him on Friday.

Check out our Raw Preview for everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s broadcast.

CM Punk Teases Kazuchika Okada For Rumored AEW-NJPW Crossover Show

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

CM Punk has dropped a big hint pertaining to a potential crossover show.

Tony Khan is set to make a major announcement on the April 20 episode of Dynamite. The AEW boss is known for having his share of big announcements. Back in March, he revealed that he is now the owner of ROH.

Speculation has run rampant on what the announcement will be this time. Ringside News has reported that there are plans in place for a joint show involving AEW and NJPW in Chicago this June.

The outlet made note that there’s no guarantee that the crossover show will be the announcement, however.

CM Punk seems to be having fun with the rumors as he has taken to his Instagram Stories to tease the crossover show. He even threw in the coin drop, potentially signaling an appearance from the “Rainmaker,” Kazuchika Okada.

SEScoops will keep you posted on Tony Khan’s major announcement and whether or not it will indeed be about the joint show with NJPW.

Triple H on NXT Stars Jumping to AEW: “I’m Happy for Them”

Michael Reichlin
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Triple H says he’s happy for former NXT talent who have jumped to AEW. He keeps in touch with “almost all of them” and thinks the WWE machine gave them the tools to be successful “over there.”

Earlier this month, Triple H was interviewed by Chris Vannini for The Athletic. During their discussion, he spoke at length about AEW, including whether or not he views Tony Khan’s promotion as true competition for WWE.

A staggering number of former NXT performers now work for AEW. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, Andrade, Malakai Black, Keith Lee, Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe and William Regal are just some of the names on this list.

Triple H worked closely with all of them and he’s thankful for that opportunity.

“I like all those guys,” said Triple H. “They helped us get where we needed to get, and I’m thankful for it. The truth is there was a period of time where we were trying to build NXT. We built NXT. Then we were trying to build a brand that could get a television show and sustain it. All those names helped us get there.”

Ultimately, Vince McMahon decides who belongs on the main roster. Triple H says he’s happy for the NXT alumni who have moved on to AEW.

“If they have great gigs, I’m happy for them. I stay in touch with almost all of them. I like to think they came into us here, we taught them a lot, got them to (a higher level) where they learned how to do television, how to be professionals and all that to be successful there.”

Triple H says some of the people he worked with in NXT may come back to WWE at some point. Some may not and that’s ok.

The Adam Coles and Keith Lees of the world got NXT where it needed to go, at one time. However, Triple H says the show must go on. He likened today’s wrestling landscape to football. “People leave football teams, move to different teams all the time, and it’s great.”

The Weeknd Channels The Shield for Coachella 2022 Performance

Michael Reichlin
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Pop star The Weeknd channeled legendary WWE faction The Shield for his Coachella 2022 performance this past weekend.

The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia wrapped up the Coachella music festival’s first weekend on Sunday night. SHM played solo for the first hour, Weeknd joined for a few songs together, and then finished solo for the final hour playing all of his big hits.

Wrestling fans couldn’t help but notice the outfit worn by The Weeknd. Dressed in all black, including a tactical vest and gloves, the “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears” singer looked like he was cosplaying as a Shield member.

Of course, The Shield is the disbanded faction that made Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose (Jon Moxley) household names. The group catapulted each man into the stratosphere of pro wrestling and is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous groups in WWE history.

The Shield disbanded when Jon Moxley left WWE nearly three years ago, but they remain popular to this day. Just a few months ago, Seth Rollins donned his Shield gear for his championship match against Roman Reigns at the 2022 Royal Rumble.

Here’s a look at The Weeknd looking like a member of The Shield at Coachella 2022:

https://twitter.com/lNT0THENIGHT/status/1515957897095614464

Cody Rhodes Explains What Held Him Back in AEW

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cody Rhodes’ decision to leave AEW surprised a lot of people. Not only because he was one of the company’s top on-screen talents but an Executive Vice President behind the scenes as well. Many would not be willing to give up the power that comes with such a position. Though after returning to WWE, Rhodes had claimed that he wasn’t mature enough for the role.

The American Nightmare explained his comments during his most recent appearance on Ryan Satin’s Out Of Character podcast. He said that while he did well with the role, it was probably not suited for him in the prime of his career:

“I think that role. I did well with it. I was very active. I did start a department. The community department and Brandi did bring KultureCity into the wrestling and sports entertainment space. So we were very active in terms of all the facets and assets of that gig. But I think that job was meant maybe for [someone older]. We wanted a wrestling company brought to you by wrestlers for sure.

That’s a huge part of the mission. But maybe it would have been better served for me at age 45 than it did at age, you know, 33 or whatever it was. I am just now entering the prime of my career. So to make political decisions, like boxing myself out of winning a world championship, those decisions in hindsight, were not the correct decisions and [not] what I should have been doing.”

‘I Am The Best Wrestler In The World’

Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes repeated his comments about being the best wrestler in the world. However, the decisions he had to make as an EVP were stopping him from realizing this potential. Per Cody, the role would have probably served him better a little later in his life, when he did not have the desire to be on the top spot on the show anymore:

“I’m the best wrestler in the world. Ryan, I can tell you that without it sounding braggadocious and it’s simply because this is all I do. I train to do it. I live and breathe it. I have a school here with four rings. I treat this like an athlete in the NFL would treat a game and their team. But with that in mind, I needed to go and be that.

I wanted it to be both and it was just too difficult and that’s where I did not have the maturity to balance it. It wasn’t a matter of being one of the boys versus not because I’m no longer just one of the boys. I love it and wish I could be one.” said Cody Rhodes, “But I’ve been in this position before. I’ve been on the other side. I’ve been in these production meetings and things of that nature. I’ve been part of the technical production.

But I just think it would have served me better a little later in my in my life when I could look at a show and say I don’t want to be in the top spot. You need that good competition in your locker room, that positive real competition. If I can’t be the best wrestler in the world on television because I’m afraid I’m going to offend colleagues, because I am also their boss. That was the situation we were in and I just played it in the middle. There was only so much of playing in the middle I could do. Now you know I’m not in charge of nothing, other than me.”

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Raw Preview: Double Wedding Ceremony & Lie Detector Test

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight’s edition of WWE Raw is scheduled to take place from Buffalo, NY at the Keybank Center. The show will feature two championship matches, a “double wedding” and a lie detector test.

Here’s what’s on tap:

  • Theory challenges Finn Balor for the United States Championship
  • Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan challenge Sasha Banks and Naomi for the Women’s tag team championships
  • R-Truth will preside over a double wedding ceremony. Dana Brooke marries Reggie and Tamina marries Tozawa.

Top superstars advertised for the show include Cody Rhodes, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and AJ Styles.

Becky Lynch claims she’s not ready to return to Raw without the Raw Women’s Championship, so we’ll see if she appears on TV.

If you’re in the Buffalo area, tickets for Raw are still on sale at Ticketmaster.

Check back later tonight for our WWE Raw Live Discussion and Results.

Becky Lynch “Not Ready” To Appear on Raw Without Her Championship

Michael Reichlin
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Becky Lynch isn’t emotionally ready to appear on WWE Raw.

Lynch hasn’t appeared on television since losing the Raw Women’s Championship to Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 38. The loss has affected her confidence. Lynch got accustomed to being a champion that she’s not yet ready to face the WWE Universe without her prized possession.

On Sunday night, Lynch posted a video from backstage at the WWE Live Event from Syracuse, NY. Lynch explained her television absence in a rare display of vulnerability.

“It’s been three years since the last time I walked out on RAW without the championship,” she said. “I’m not ready to walk out on Monday Night RAW without my championship.”

Lynch did not get to the top of WWE without being resourceful. She revealed that she had a plan to make things right. Ahead of her Sunday night showdown against Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley, she continued:

“I always have a plan, that’s why I’m here in Syracuse because I’m going to win back my championship. I will walk out tomorrow on Monday Night RAW as your new Women’s Champion.”

She will not walk out on Raw as the new Women’s Champion. Bianca Belair picked up the victory to retain the title.

Either Becky Lynch needs to get over the fear of facing WWE fans without being Women’s Champion, or it’s going to be a while before she’s back on Raw.

Jonathan Gresham Injured At Battle Of The Belts

Anutosh Bajpai
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Jonathan Gresham sustained an injury at last week’s AEW Battle of the Belt tapings that prevented him from traveling to the UK over the weekend.

Gresham was expected to make appearances for Progress Wrestling this week. However, the company posted a video of him apologizing to fans for not being able to appear as scheduled.

“Hello, everyone,” said Gresham. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it to London this weekend for the Sunday and Monday events due to an injury, I have not been cleared to compete.

So, I do want to apologize to Progress and the fans for not being able to make it this weekend. I really wanted to but my health comes first and I have to just take a little time off.”

He assured Progress fans that he’ll be back to perform for the organization once he’s healthy. He also asked fans to keep him in their prayers.

While the exact details of his injury are unknown at the moment, it appears he sustained the injury during his match against Dalton Castle that aired at Battle Of The Belts on Saturday.

Gresham was checked for a possible concussion following his successful title defense, according to Fightful. Details about the injury are still trickling in, but there was a moment in the match where he landed on his head while taking a gut wrench suplex.

SEScoops wishes the AEW star a speedy recovery.

Mark Henry On Which AEW Star He Thinks Is Underrated

Anutosh Bajpai
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Serena Deeb has been wrestling for almost 17 years. She is one of the best in-ring workers of the current era. Mark Henry believes that she doesn’t get the credit for being as good as she is.

The WWE Hall Of Famer recently had an interview with SportsKeeda. He discussed things such as Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill being future stars and more.

When asked which AEW talent he thinks is underrated, Henry took the name of Deeb. He explained that the female star is one of the most excellent wrestlers on the current AEW roster:

“Underrated? I think Serena Deeb. [She] is one of the most excellent wrestlers, not just male or female, but one of the most excellent wrestlers in the company. I don’t think she gets enough credit for how good she is,”

Mark Henry has previously said that he is not done with wrestling just yet. He has teased getting back in the ring and having a retirement match in AEW.

When asked which AEW names he can see himself competing against, the heavyweight star took the names of Wardlow, MJF and Ricky Starks. He said that all three of them are very talented and they can work with anybody.

Matt Hardy Responds To Fan Complaining About Jeff Hardy Being On Dark

Anutosh Bajpai
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Matt Hardy has responded to a fan complaining about Jeff Hardy being featured on AEW Dark: Elevation this week.

A fan noted how people were complaining when Jeff Hardy was in WWE and he was featured on Main Event a few times, while he is on Dark now.

Replying to him, the wrestling veteran noted how Tony Khan treats legends with the utmost respect. He revealed that the AEW owner had asked for their consent before putting them on the show:

“I’ll give you insight. TK treats veterans/legend with the utmost respect & uses us the same. It’s refreshing. Tony asked us if we were ok being on & we were both happy to. We want to work with young stars like Top Flight. It’s a treat to work at AEW.”

Matt Hardy first announced his departure from WWE back in March 2020 after his contract expired. He ended up joining AEW later that month, making his debut during the March 18 episode of Dynamite.

Jeff Hardy on the hand remained with WWE until late last year. He was released in December 2021. He has since joined his brother in Tony Khan’s promotion and returned to tag team action.

Mick Foley Details His First WWE Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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Things were very different in the wrestling industry when Mick Foley began his career back in 1986. One such big difference at the time was that wrestlers were not offered guaranteed contracts or the offered amount was really low. This meant that if the company you signed with decided not to use you for some reason, then you couldn’t make a living in wrestling until the deal expired.

This was the case for Foley too. The WWE Hall Of Famer told the story of his first contract while getting treated by Dr. Beau Hightower. He revealed that his first contract with the company in 1996 guaranteed him a total of 5 matches per year:

“I was guaranteed $25 a night.” joked Mick Foley, “The contract that I signed for WWE. I was guaranteed five matches a year at $150 for five years. So if they [had] chosen not to push me then I could have been in a position where I can’t go anywhere else. I’m locked in for five years, but this is the place to go, WWE.”

Mick Foley also discussed how former boxer Marc Mero was the first man to have gotten a guaranteed deal with a significant amount. Foley revealed that Mero got his contract only days after he signed his own:

“Luckily, Marc Mero got that contract. He got it about three days after I signed for nothing. $750 a year. I said ‘Yeah I was guaranteed 750’ and they went ‘per year?’ ‘Yeah’, ‘That’s a lot. $750,000.’ I said ‘No, no, $750.’ That’s what I was guaranteed.”

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Update on Possible AEW/NJPW Show in Chicago This Summer

Ryan Droste
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Tony Khan will make another “huge announcement” this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.

The last time that Khan promised such an announcement, he revealed that he had purchased ROH Wrestling.

Rumors have been running rampant since last week, and one possibility has since started to make the rounds.

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AEW vs. NJPW Super Show

According to the Super J Cast, AEW is set to run a cross promotional show with New Japan Pro Wrestling on Thursday, June 23rd in Chicago. While some have speculated about this being a stadium show, sources I have spoken to about the possible event have denied the stadium rumors and believe that it will take place at the United Center. That week is indeed clear on the United Center’s calendar of events.

New Japan’s Dominion event takes place on June 12th, and the G1 Tournament will begin in July and run through August. This joint show would be sandwiched between that and may end up leading to some AEW involvement in the G1.

This would not be the first time AEW has run the United Center. The company sold out the venue last August for the second-ever edition of AEW Rampage with the tease that CM Punk would debut on the show (and he did). Even more amazing, that event sold out after the company already had three events (Dynamite, Rampage, and All Out) in the Chicago metro two weeks later booked and on sale to the public.

Other specifics of the show are not yet known, including how it would be covered for television or streaming, and the AEW/NJPW show might not even be the surprise that Khan reveals on Wednesday evening (that could be something else and the Chicago event might just be a straight reveal later on). A television/streaming deal for ROH is another possibility for Khan’s announcement.

June 23rd is the same night as the NBA Draft and one night after Dynamite airs live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

AEW & NJPW Growing Closer In Recent Months

This would be the first time that AEW has officially co-promoted an event with another promotion, though they have worked with other organizations such as AAA, IMPACT, and of course NJPW itself over the last couple of years.

It was recently revealed that AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage will start airing on the NJPW World streaming service soon (exclusively for Japanese users), so a co-promoted show between the two organizations seems to be in line with what we see happening from a business perspective.

NJPW held an event on Saturday night in Chicago dubbed “Windy City Riot.” Though an event with AEW was not announced, several AEW stars appeared on the show. Jon Moxley worked with Will Ospreay in the main event and called out Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NJPW show in Washington, D.C. on May 14th.

Make sure 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. 

Rob Gronkowski Wants to Wrestle Alongside The Rock

Ryan Droste
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It’s been a while since multi-time Super Bowl Champion Rob Gronkowski has been around the wrestling business. However, the NFL legend and big-time wrestling fan has made it known that he wants to wrestle a match — and this time he wants one of the greatest to ever do it involved.

Speaking with TMZ Sports, Gronk talked about wanting a future match that involves The Rock.

“It would definitely be a tag team match, no doubt about that,” Gronkowski said (h/t Fightful). “I just love the tag team aspect of everything, you know? It’s my first time so I really wouldn’t want to be on my own doing a one-on-one match, I’d be able to get help, and then grow into that role of maybe going doing a one-on-one match after a couple of tag team matches, my tag team partner can help me out with some moves, and all that good stuff. But who would it be [against]?

“I’m getting put on the spot. It would be pretty cool to have The Rock come back and face The Rock or have him as my tag team partner. It’d be cool to get a People’s Elbow, but it would also be cool to have him on my squad.”

Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski at WrestleMania 33 in 2017.

Gronk was front row at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. At that show, he helped his friend Mojo Rawley win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Gronk later hosted WrestleMania 36 just weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic. He wound up walking away from that show with the WWE 24/7 Championship and held it for about two months until he revealed he was returning to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Bucs alongside Tom Brady.

Later in the interview with TMZ, Gronk elaborated more on his ideas for WWE. It consisted nearly entirely of names from the past rather than current superstars.

“You and I maybe we can go back, make a quick appearance, be the Tag Team Champions, and we can go vs. The Rock, and then you know, maybe like, D-Generation X, we can bring them back we can tag team against them, that’d be pretty cool. Maybe Val Venis can come back, we can tag team, he was one of my favorites. I love the old school guys. I wouldn’t want to go for someone like The Big Show or The Undertaker. They’re just too massive dudes. I don’t like when I go [against] a guy who is bigger than me. I like to be the biggest guy,” Gronk said.

Make sure 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. 

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