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Vince McMahon ‘Most Likely’ To Have A Match At WrestleMania

Anutosh Bajpai
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WrestleMania is the event of surprising feuds and big matches. This year it might involve a match featuring none other than the boss himself, Vince McMahon.

The chairman and CEO of WWE was announced for an appearance at the Pat McAfee show during the SmackDown broadcast this week.

According to John Pollock at Post Wrestling, McMahon’s appearance has been scheduled to “launch a program” with McAfee that will lead to something at WrestleMania.

When asked whether this program involving the 71-year-old billionaire will be billed as an official match, Pollock was told that it was “most likely.”

Vince McMahon At WrestleMania

If the WWE owner does end up wrestling at the show, it will be Vince McMahon’s first official match since his bout with CM Punk during a Raw episode back in 2012.

Mr. McMahon’s last match at the Show Of Shows was against Bret Hart during WrestleMania 26 in 2010. The match with Hart was his fifth official WrestleMania match.

Even if McMahon has not wrestled an actual match for a while, he has had numerous physical altercations since then. This includes confrontations with the likes of Kevin Owens and AJ Styles.

Brock Lesnar Views Vince McMahon As A Father Figure

AEW Rampage Results (2/25): Title Match, Contract Signing, Face of the Revolution Qualifier

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage was taped Wednesday night in the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Orange Cassidy faced Anthony Bowes tonight in a qualifying match for the Face of the Revolution Ladder match at the PPV on March 6th. Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship against Andrade El Idolo.

Rampage Results

  1. Sammy Guevara def. Andrade El Idolo to retain the TNT Championship
  2. Wardlow def. Nick Comoroto
  3. Serena Deeb def. Kayla Sparks via submission
  4. Orange Cassidy def. Anthony Bowens to qualify for the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Sammy Guevara Retained The TNT Championship

Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship against Andrade El Idolo in the first match of the night. Andrade went for the Hammerlock DDT early but Sammy escaped. The TNT Champion set up for the GTH but Andrade was able to break free. Andrade hit some chops but Sammy responded with a Dropkick that knocked the challenger out of the ring.

Back in the ring, the TNT Champion hit a Spanish Fly and went for the cover but Andrade kicked out at two. Sammy climbed to the top rope but Andrade hit him with some strikes from behind. Guevara booted Andrade away and went for a springboard move but Andrade blocked it. Andrade shoved Sammy off the top rope and to the floor outside the ring as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Guevara connected with a Clothesline and went for the GTH but Andrade escaped. Sammy sent Andrade out of the ring and hit a dive over the top rope onto him. Back in the ring, Sammy went for a 450 Splash but Andrade got out of the way. Andrade followed it up with a DDT on the ring apron.

Andrade and Sammy traded punches and both men fell down. Matt Hardy removed a turnbuckle pad and then assisted Andrade on getting his foot on the bottom rope during a roll-up attempt. Guevara sent Andrade into the exposed turnbuckle and hit a springboard Cutter for the pinfall victory. Sammy Guevara is still the TNT Champion. Matt Hardy attacked Sammy after the match but Sting & Darby Allin made the save.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1497410625353433088?s=20&t=bpYtB6RGY-TtGSR7xat26Q

Hook Sent A Message To QT Marshall

QT Marshall made his way to the stage and started complaining about Hook to his father, Taz. QT said he wanted to teach Hook some respect and wants him to come out here and thank him for the training. Hook made his way to the ramp and QT called in some reinforcements. Hook fought them all off and casually left while QT was pissed off.

Wardlow Dominated

Wardlow battled Nick Comoroto on this week’s episode of Rampage. Comoroto got in some offense to start off the match but Wadlow quickly battled back. Wardlow threw Comoroto around the ring and hit him with the Powerbomb Symphony. Wardlow pinned Comoroto after the fourth Powerbomb.

Aaron Solo went to attack Wardlow after the match but he was ready for it. Wardlow set up Solo for another Powerbomb but Spears put a stop to it. Spears hit Solo with a chair and told Wardlow that he doesn’t think the Powerbomb thing was getting over. Spears claimed that Wardlow should get back to the basics and Wardlow was pissed off to end the segment.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1497415099040026624?s=20&t=bpYtB6RGY-TtGSR7xat26Q

Serena Deeb Picked Up A Win

Serena Deeb held another 5 minute Rooking Challenge this week on Rampage. Kayla Sparks answered the challenge and didn’t get in any offense. Deeb choked Sparks with her robe to begin the match and beat her down. Deeb applied the Serenity Lock for the quick submission victory.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1497416081094418437?s=20&t=bpYtB6RGY-TtGSR7xat26Q

Thunder Rosa & Britt Baker Signed The Contract

AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker & Thunder Rosa had a contract signing for the title match at Revolution. Thunder Rosa claimed that she would be a better champion than Britt Baker and that is what the people want before signing the contract. Britt stated that Thunder Rosa is only relevant because she is mentioned in the same breath as her and their historic Lights Out match. Britt noted that Thunder Rosa won that match but everyone was talking about her.

Britt accused Thunder Rosa of being bitter and that winning the title won’t solve her problems. Baker joked about Thunder Rosa spending all this time wrestling on YouTube and added that she will never be the face of AEW. Britt signed the contract after claiming Rosa was just jealous because she wanted to be her. A brawl then broke out before Mercedes Martinez & Jamie Hayer broke it up. Mercedes got some revenge and put Hayter through the table.

Orange Cassidy Qualified For The Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match

Orange Cassidy faced Anthony Bowens in a qualifier for the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match tonight. Max Caster rapped before the match and was ringside for the action. Wheeler Yuta accompanied Orange Cassidy to the ring. Cassidy grabbed the microphone and delivered some of his lazy kicks. Cassidy said “word to your mother” and the match continued. Bowens took control of the match and slammed Orange into the ring apron as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Rampage returned, Cassidy connected with a Crossbody off the top rope. Caster tripped Orange up and Bowens capitalized with a Superkick. Bowens followed it up with a Spinebuster and running knee to the face but Cassidy was able to kick out at two. Orange battled back with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1497420706228936706?s=20&t=1UKYPxE-JTsxRaTV7vF0yA

Bowens went for a Piledriver but Orange countered into a Back Body Drop that sent Bowens to the floor. Cassidy hit a Suicide Dive and followed it up with the diving DDT for a two count. Max Caster interfered again and tried to get Bowens the boombox but the referee got it out of the ring. Danhausen distracted Max Caster outside the ring and Cassidy hit the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory.

Orange Cassidy has qualified for the Face of the Revolution Ladder match. Wardlow, Ricky Starks, Keith Lee, and Powerhouse Hobbs are the other four wrestlers in the ladder match so far. The winner of the Face of the Revolution Ladder match at the PPV will become #1 contender for the TNT Championship.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1497422250563321861?s=20&t=1UKYPxE-JTsxRaTV7vF0yA

Corey Graves Reveals He Has Been Medically Cleared For In-Ring Return

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Corey Graves has been teasing an in-ring return for a while. For a time, there were even rumors of him making a comeback at the Royal Rumble but it didn’t happen.

Though this doesn’t mean that we are not going to see the former NXT star back in action, as he has confirmed that he is cleared for a return.

Graves recently revealed this news during his interview with TMZ. He said that he spent some time with doctors in the middle of last year:

“It [wrestling again]’s crossed my mind. I went and spent some time with doctors in the middle of last year. I kinda got the itch. I think this is one of the first times I’m saying this publicly. I have been medically cleared to compete.”

Though Corey Graves later explained that returning to ring is not an immediate goal for him. It’s something he needed to know for his sanity because his journey got cut short:

“So I went and did the necessary steps and it turns out that I’m a little more okay than I thought I was. Never say never. It’s not an immediate goal, but you can’t ever take the wrestler out of my heart.”

The Savior of Misbehavior had to retire from in-ring action in 2014 after suffering a couple of concussions. There is no word yet on when he might make his actual return.

Corey Graves Reflects On Biggest Commentary Flub

WWE SmackDown Results (2/25): Lesnar & Reigns Contract Signing, Ronda Rousey

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA. Universal Champion Roman Reigns & WWE Champion Brock Lesnar had a contract signing for their winner take all match at WrestleMania 38. New Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn held a celebration for himself during tonight’s episode as well.

SmackDown Results

  1. New Day def. Los Lotharios
  2. Xia Li def. Natalya
  3. Sasha Banks def. Shotzi via submission
  4. Drew McIntyre def. Madcap Moss

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Ronda Rousey Will Face Sonya Deville Next Week

Michael Cole kicked off the show in the ring and introduced Ronda Rousey. Rousey high fived some fans before getting into the ring. Rousey spoke about breaking her hand during the WrestleMania 35 main event, rehabbing, getting pregnant, and everything she has been up to in the three years she has been absent from WWE.

Rousey noted that her mother set a badass example for her and she wants to do the same for her daughter. Cole asked about her accomplishments and winning the Royal Rumble but Rousey said she is focused on what is next, Charlotte Flair. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair interrupted and came to the entrance ramp.

Charlotte claimed that she was going to get Rousey in the Figure Eight at WrestleMania and that Ronda will tap out. Flair joked that at least Rousey will get to go home and work on baby #2 after she loses at WrestleMania. Sonya Deville showed up and attacked Ronda Rousey from behind as the champion laughed on the entrance ramp.

Flair joined in on the attack and bashed Ronda’s knee into the ring post several times. Rousey struggled to get up as Sonya Deville was taunting her. Rousey launched Deville across the ring and Sonya retreated. Rousey yelled at Sonya “is that all you got?!” to end the segment. Adam Pearce informed Sonya Deville that she will be facing Ronda Rousey next week and the match has already been approved by upper management.

Big E & Kofi Kingston Picked Up A Win

New Day faced Los Lotharios in the first match of the night. Kingston and Humberto Carrillo started off the action and locked up. Angel distracted Kofi and Humberto capitalized with a kick that sent Kingston to the outside. Angel and Humberto isolated Big E and beat him down.

When SmackDown returned, Los Lotharios had Kingston in the Tree of Woe and took turns stomping on him. Angel applied a Half Crab as Big E fired up the crowd on the apron. Big E eventually got the tag and planted Angel Garza with a Uranage. Kofi tagged in and New Day hit Midnight Hour but Humberto broke up the cover at two.

Humberto sent Big E to the outside but turned around into a Dropkick from Kofi that sent him out of the ring as well. Angel hit Kingston with a Suicide Dive as Big E planted Carrillo with a Belly to Belly outside the ring. Back in the ring, Angel leveled Kingston with a Superkick for a near fall. Kingston battled back with a a knee to the face and tagged in Big E. New Day hit the Midnight Hour again for the pinfall victory. \

Xia Li def. Natalya

Xia Li squared off against Natalya on this week’s edition of SmackDown. Shayna Baszler, Mansoor, Aliyah, and Drew Gulak were shown backstage as the announcers hyped up Xia’s in-ring debut. Natalya controlled the action early and sent Li to the corner.

Li connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Natalya kicked out at two. Natalya hit a Clothesline but Li kicked out at one. Natalya connected with a Suplex and unloaded some strikes until the referee warned her. Natalya applied the Abdominal Stretch with a big smile on her face as the crowd booed.

Xia battled back with some elbows to the midsection to escape the hold. Xia booted Natalya to the corner and delivered a running knee. She followed it up with a Suplex but Natalya kicked out at two. Xia connected with a spin kick to the head for the pinfall victory.

Johnny Knoxville Interrupted Sami Zayn

Intercontinental Champion Samy Zayn made his way to the ring for a championship celebration as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Sami was sporting a flashy gold jacket and had balloons tied to the ring post. Sami claimed the title is back where it belongs before complaining that the balloons were not the color he was hoping for.

The fans were chanting “what?” during Sami’s promo and he demanded some respect. Zayn joked that he shattered Nakamura’s knee cap and he can get a rematch when he recovers. Sami said he will defend the title against anyone brave enough to get into the ring with him and Johnny Knoxville interrupted.

Knoxville told Sami that he crashed the Jackass Forever premiere, so now he’s here to crash SmackDown. Johnny heard Sami’s challenge and accepted it. Sami was getting pissed and Knoxville suggested that he didn’t have any balls. Zayn and Knoxville met face to face before Zayn made it seem like he wasn’t going to fight.

Sami caught Knoxville with a cheap shot as Johnny was distracted with the fans. Zayn set up Johnny in the corner and hit him with the Helluva Kick. Knoxville was still held up by the ropes in the corner and Sami leveled him with another Helluva Kick. Sami raised the Intercontinental Championship as the crowd booed. Zayn complained backstage and it led to Adam Pearce announcing he will defend the title next week against Ricochet.

Sasha Banks Tapped Out Shotzi

Sasha Banks faced Shotzi Blackheart tonight in a quick match. Banks got in a Crossface but Shotzi escaped. Banks went for Three Amigos but Shotzi blocked the third Suplex and hit one of her own for a near fall. Sasha responded with a Meteora, Codebreaker and the Bank Statement for the submission victory. After the match, Naomi joined Sasha Banks in the ring and said that they are going after the women’s Tag Team Championships.

Drew McIntyre def. Madcap Moss

Drew McIntyre was set to face Happy Corbin tonight. Before the match, Corbin grabbed a microphone and wondered if McIntyre really wanted to have a WrestleMania caliber match in front of these fans in Hershey and get humiliated. Corbin complimented Madcap Moss on being tough and asked if he wanted to face McIntyre again. Moss agreed as SmackDown went to a break.

McIntyre battled Madcap Moss in a rematch from Elimination Chamber. McIntyre went for the Alabama Slam spot again early where Madcap landed on his head but Moss ran away. Corbin interfered and Moss capitalized with a rake to McIntyre’s eyes. Moss hit a DDT but McIntyre kicked out and quickly hit the Claymore for the pinfall victory.

Reigns & Lesnar Signed The Contract

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Universal Champion Roman Reigns made their way to the ring. It was announced that The Usos will defend the titles against Viking Raiders next week. The match was originally supposed to take place at Elimination Chamber but The Usos attacked Viking Raiders during their entrance.

Paul Heyman said this is the contract signing for the biggest WrestleMania match off all time. Heyman claimed that security guards in the ring were here to protect Brock Lesnar from his tribal chief, Roman Reigns. Paul then said “that, ladies & gentleman, is what they call a cliffhanger” and SmackDown went to a commercial on cue.

When SmackDown returned, cowboy Brock Lesnar made his way to the ring to a big pop from the crowd. The WWE Champion took off his cowboy hat and put it on the turnbuckle before entering the ring. Lesnar put the title down and shared a laugh with Roman Reigns. The crowd chanted “Suplex City!” as Lesnar introduced himself like Paul Heyman used to.

Brock said that these “skid mark” security guards won’t stop him from kicking Reigns & Heyman’s asses tonight. Lesnar claimed the only one stopping him from doing that is himself so he can do it at WrestleMania. Brock signed the contract and threw it at Roman Reigns before taking a seat. Heyman told Brock that he is going to lose the WWE Championship next Saturday in Madison Square Garden and isn’t going to make it to WrestleMania. Roman Reigns signed the contract before grabbing the microphone.

Reigns called Lesnar “farm boy” and vowed to smash Lesnar at WrestleMania. Roman told Brock that this is his show, his cameraman, and these are his people because they acknowledge him. Reigns got out of the ring and shouted that the commentary team belongs to him and he runs this show. Roman shouted that everyone works for him, including the security in the ring. The tried to attack Brock but he just beat them all down with ease. Lesnar hit a massive F5 on one of the guards and delivered some German Suplexes as Reigns watched on from the top of the entrance ramp.

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Mick Foley

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

Mick Foley Begs for Vince to Push Cesaro

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

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

Steve Austin agreed with Foley’s assessment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tony Khan Gushes Over Keith Lee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reigns vs. Lesnar: Title For Title

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(Photo: WWE.com)

On SmackDown, it was stated again:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tony Chimel Takes On Different Job

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ronda Rousey Recalls Wanting to Curse Out WWE Fans

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Ronda Rousey

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

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

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

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

Advice from Paul Heyman & Vince McMahon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Owen Hart T-Shirt

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

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

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

Tony Khan Hopes to Drop His Major Announcement on AEW Dynamite

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brock Lesnar Went Off-Script at WWE Elimination Chamber

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WrestleMania Changes, Rousey vs. Charlotte Set for Night 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The following is matches are confirmed for WrestleMania 38:

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

John Cena Receives Backlash for Peacemaker Tweet

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

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

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

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

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

The Peacemaker was recently renewed for a second season.

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

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

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

Here are quick results from the show:

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

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

Kevin Owens Keeps Saying Stuff That Would Upset Steve Austin

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

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

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

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

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

Owens also took a shot at Dallas, Texas recently.

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

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

AEW All Out 2021 PPV Buys Shattered Company Records

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

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

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

AEW All Out PPV Buys

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

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

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

More on Cesaro’s Exit From WWE

Ryan Droste
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0

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

Drew McIntyre Credits “John Cena Approach” For Quick Return

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

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

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

Drew McIntyre’s Impressive Recovery

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

“They dropped a lighting rig on my head and I came back three and a half weeks later. I think everybody, including the doctor, was surprised at how soon I was able to come back. They told me, ‘You’re not making the Rumble. WrestleMania is possible, but let’s say it’s unlikely right now.’

“‘Okay Doc, no problem. I went straight to rehab and I’ve always had the John Cena approach to rehab with every injury. What’s the most I can do for maximum benefit? ‘Well, you could come twice a day for six days a week, but that would be crazy.’

“‘Done.’ I did that, rehab-wise, twice a day, six days a week, while also working out, so three times a day, six days a week, take Sunday off. When I saw the doctor a few weeks later, they were like, ‘Alright, wow, you’re a cyborg, probably why you were called the Scottish Terminator. I guess you’re ready to go.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeff Hardy Confirms He’s Going to AEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cesaro Departs From WWE After Contract Expires

Andrew Ravens
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0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

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

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

Goldberg Battled COVID

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

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

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

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

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

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

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