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WWE SmackDown Results (1/28): Royal Rumble Go-Home Show, Sasha Banks Returns

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. It was the final SmackDown before WWE Royal Rumble tomorrow night. Naomi and Sonya Deville finally squared off tonight. Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins met face-to-face one final time before their title match tomorrow night at Royal Rumble.

SmackDown Results

  1. Sheamus & Ridge Holland def. Cesaro & Ricochet
  2. Naomi def. Sonya Deville
  3. Rick Boogs & Shinsuke Nakamura def. Jinder Mahal & Shanky
  4. New Day def. Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Sasha Banks Returned & Will Be In The Royal Rumble

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring to begin the show. Charlotte will be in the women’s Royal Rumble and vowed to win it so she can pick her opponent at WrestleMania. Flair got the crowd to boo her by claiming that the Chiefs will never win a title again and hyped the women’s Royal Rumble match as being unpredictable.

Shayna Baszler interrupted and told Charlotte that she will not hesitate to snap her like a twig. Aliyah interrupted wearing an “Aliyah 3:17” shirt and she vowed to win the rumble. Charlotte told Aliyah that she had no chance of winning and Aliyah bragged about embarrassing Natalya a couple weeks back. Natalya joined the party as the crowd became restless. Natalya said that Aliyah’s win was a fluke before Shotzi showed up. Shotzi claimed that this was just a preview for tomorrow night, a whole bunch of egos clashing, creating an opportunity for her to shine.

Sasha Banks’ music hit and The Boss made her way to the ring. Sasha got a great reaction from the crowd and stated that she is ready to rumble. Banks caught Charlotte with a punch and a brawl broke out. Aliyah took out Natalya and sent Shayna out of the ring. Charlotte leveled Aliyah with a big boot and had a stare down with Banks. Flair went for a kick but Banks blocked it. Sasha launched Flair over the top rope to end the segment.

Sheamus & Ridge Holland Picked Up A Win

Sheamus & Ridge Holland faced Cesaro & Ricochet in the first match of the night. Cesaro and Ricochet isolated Sheamus in the corner to start off the match. Sheamus battled back and tagged in Holland. Ricochet knocked Ridge out of the ring and connected with a dive as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Sheamus planted Ricochet with the Irish Curse Backbreaker and tagged Ridge back in. Holland connected with a Body Slam and went for the cover but Ricochet kicked out at two. Sheamus and Cesaro tagged back in and Cesaro unloaded some uppercuts. Cesaro sent Sheamus out of the ring and followed him out there with another uppercut that knocked the Celtic Warrior into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Cesaro climbed to the top turnbuckle and attempted a Crossbody but Sheamus caught him. Sheamus went for the Backbreaker again but Cesaro escaped. Cesaro rolled up Sheamus but Holland broke it up at two. Ricochet connected with a Dropkick off the top rope that knocked Holland to the outside. Cesaro planted Sheamus with a Backbreaker of his own for a two count.

Cesaro set up for the Gotch Neutralizer but Sheamus was able to break free. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but Cesaro blocked it. Holland tagged himself in but Cesaro didn’t see it. Cesaro got Sheamus in the Swing but Holland rushed into the ring with his mask on. Holland hit Cesaro with a headbutt using the mask and followed it up with Northern Grit for the pinfall victory.

Naomi def. Sonya Deville

Sonya Deville and Naomi squared off tonight in a singles match. Sonya tried to boss around the referee during Naomi’s entrance but the ref said that he has to call the match down the middle. Sonya rolled Naomi up for a two count before applying a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Naomi escaped but Sonya threw her down and started yelling at the referee again.

Deville went back to the Headlock while arguing with the referee. Naomi got up but Sonya threw her down by her hair. Naomi battled back with a boot to the face and a Stunner. Naomi booted Deville in the face and slammed her into the turnbuckle. She connected with a Crossbody and went for the cover but Sonya kicked out at two.

Naomi hit a Leg Drop for a two count. Naomi went for a Bulldog but Sonya countered and launched her into the turnbuckle. Deville followed it up with a Suplex into a Uranage type move (what a maneuver!) for a close two count. Naomi hit a Full Nelson slam for another near fall. Deville rolled Naomi up and used her tights for leverage but Naomi still kicked out at two. Naomi hit Rear View and then a split legged Moonsault for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Naomi grabbed a microphone and said she is done with Sonya throwing everything she has at her for 153 days. Naomi claimed Deville couldn’t stop the glow and exited. Deville got on the microphone and announced that she will be in the Royal Rumble match tomorrow night with Naomi.

Boogs & Nakamura def. Mahal & Shanky

Sami Zayn had a talk show segment tonight with Jinder Mahal & Shanky as his guests. Sami said “In-Zayn” is now a live podcast and thanked them for being here. Zayn said he never wanted to hear the name “Johnny Knoxville” again and the crowd started chanting the name. Sami wanted to discuss consumerism in a post-modern society with Shanky but Jinder interrupted. Mahal vowed to embarrass Shinsuke Nakamura and told Sami that Jackass is huge in India.

Shanky complimented one of the stunts and Sami got annoyed. Rick Boogs & Nakamura interrupted and made their way to the ring. Nakamura booted Sami in the face as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Mahal & Shanky battled Nakamura & Boogs in a tag team match. Sami Zayn kept interfering but Nakamura & Boogs prevailed. Boogs planted Shanky with a Suplex and followed it up with the Boogs Cruise for the pinfall victory.

New Day def. Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss

New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) faced Madcap Moss & Happy Corbin this week on SmackDown. New Day controlled the action early and sent Madcap and Happy out of the ring. Kofi went for a Trust Fall but they caught him and threw him into the ring post as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Big E and Corbin were battling in the ring. Big E hit two Belly to Belly Suplexes and went for a third but Corbin blocked it. Madcap got in the ring and Big E planted him with a Uranage before delivering the third Belly to Belly to Happy Corbin.

Kingston tagged in and Corbin connected with a Chokeslam/Backbreaker. Corbin hit Deep Six for a near fall and tagged in Madcap Moss. New Day took out Corbin and connected with Midnight Hour on Madcap Moss for the pinfall victory.

Rollins & Reigns Closed The Show

Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring at the end of this week’s show. Reigns will defend the Universal Championship against Seth Rollins tomorrow night at Royal Rumble.

Rollins was wearing a shiny purple suit and claimed that he played Roman like a fiddle last week and got The Usos barred from ringside. Roman suggested that it is embarrassing to get pinned by Rollins. Seth responded by saying that Roman has brought more shame on his family than anyone. Roman stated that he’s on god mode now and made light of all the times Rollins has beaten him in the past. Seth brought up turning his back on The Shield and attacking Roman with a chair.

Rollins noted that Reigns has beaten everyone but Rollins when it matters the most. Seth claimed that nothing is personal and that he will always love Reigns like a brother. Reigns told Seth that he will never forgive him for breaking up The Shield and that he hates him. Rollins cackled and called Roman’s family a joke. Reigns shoved him and set up for the Superman Punch but Rollins escaped to end the show.

Lio Rush Signs With Universal Music Group, Thump Records & Virgin Music

Andrew Ravens
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Lio Rush is continuing to find success in the music world as he announced on Twitter that he has signed with Universal Music Group, Thump Records, and Virgin Music.

Rush released his debut single, “Scenic Lullaby,” in 2019, and his second single, “I Wonder”, was released soon thereafter. This past September, his second EP, “Not Found” was released. 

https://twitter.com/IamLioRush/status/1487192579640729603

Rush was released by WWE in 2020 along with several other wrestlers due to budget cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He continued his career by working for MLW and NJPW before making his promotional debut for AEW by being the mystery entrant in the Casino Battle Royale at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in 2021. 

Rush previously announced his retirement from wrestling last August but continued wrestling. He later returned to AEW and last wrestled on AEW programming during the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal on the December 8th, 2021 episode of Dynamite.

Rush announced earlier this month that he will be leaving AEW when his contract expires in February. He just worked last Sunday’s The Wrld on GCW pay-per-view and is scheduled for the PWG Battle of Los Angeles tournament this weekend. 

Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants: Rumor Roundup (Spoilers)

Andrew Ravens
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WWE is bringing in several former stars and legends for this Saturday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view event. 

WWE decided to go against what they typically do regarding surprise entrants for the event as they have already announced Mickie James, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly, Summer Rae, and Lita in advance for the women’s Royal Rumble match in advance. However, WWE will still have surprises in store for fans.

  • Those expected to be in the women’s bout include Aksana, Melina, and Asuka. Kairi Sane’s name has been tossed around as a possible entrant, despite her contract slated to expire next month.
  • Wrestlers who have been spotted in town already include Kaitlyn, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, JBL, Jerry Lawler and Shane McMahon.
  • NXT 2.0 stars Bron Breakker and Gunther (formerly known as WALTER) are being flown into St. Louis.
  • WrestlingNews.co reports that a source in WWE stated Paige is medically cleared and she will be one of the surprise entrants in the Women’s Royal Rumble match. The former WWE Divas Champion had to retire from in-ring action due to a neck injury she suffered at a house show in late 2017. It’s unclear whether this is a one-off or if she will be back full-time wrestling. Her contract is slated to expire in June. The report added that there’s another person who was spotted in St. Louis and is being kept hidden from everyone.

We will update this post throughout the day as there are more ‘sightings’ and additional news comes in.

Sasha Banks Returns From Injury On WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
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Sasha Banks made her WWE TV return earlier than expected during the opening segment of this week’s Friday Night SmackDown. 

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair was in the ring for a promo segment when she was interrupted by Natalya, Shotzi, Shayna Baszler, and Aliyah where they all talked about winning the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Banks came out and declared, “The Boss is back, baby, and I’m ready to Rumble.” A brawl broke out with Banks standing tall to end the segment. 

Banks had been on the sidelines since earlier this month when she suffered an injury at a house show during a match against Charlotte Flair in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The injury occurred when she took an over-the-knee backbreaker as her leg was planted awkwardly. 

WWE later announced that Banks would be out of action for 6-8 weeks due to an injury. 

Before the show, Fightful had reported that WWE had plans to bring Banks back ahead of the publicly announced schedule and the company informed after the injury creative that she wouldn’t be factored into the Royal Rumble plans because they expected her to be out past the show. 

WWE Royal Rumble 2022 Predictions

Michael Reichlin
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The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event takes place Saturday night, January 29th from St Louis, Missouri at The Dome.

The Road to WrestleMania begins at the Royal Rumble. The card is stacked and WWE is about to kick the year’s top storylines into high gear.

SEScoops staff members Fernando Quiles, Andrew Ravens and I have gotten together to provide our official Royal Rumble Predictions.

But first, SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay did an in-depth preview for the Women’s Royal Rumble match on the latest episode of Women’s Wrestling Focus.

Royal Rumble Predictions:

Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz & Maryse

Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz & Maryse

Andrew: Another month, another match involving Edge and Miz against each other. To WWE’s credit, at least they didn’t run back another single match, but got straight to the point. If WWE wants to extend this feud then the heels could go over. As much as I hope WWE moves on from this feud, I can’t see WWE beating Miz in back-to-back matches so have Maryse and Miz go over before booking a third and final match.

Prediction: The Miz and Maryse

Fernando: I’ve gone back-and-forth with this one. A loss in this situation doesn’t hurt anybody although Miz would lose to Edge in back-to-back PPVs with another defeat. Edge will be due for a big singles match at WrestleMania and I can see Miz sharing the ring with another celebrity at the big event. Ultimately, I’m gonna go with Beth pinning Maryse in her return match.

Prediction: Edge & Beth Phoenix

Michael: This match is somewhat of a guilty pleasure. It’s a little corny with the warring couples but most of the participants can really go in the ring and I think they will all rise to the occasion. I don’t see Beth Phoenix coming out of retirement to lose and WWE should want to keep Edge strong in this stage of his career so he can still be featured at the top of cards as a singles wrestler.

Prediction: Edge & Beth Phoenix

Consensus: Edge & Beth Phoenix (2-1)

Beth Phoenix Explains Her Biggest Holdup In Teaming With Edge

Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Doudrop

Andrew: No one is giving Doudrop a chance here to win the match. I wouldn’t be surprised to see if WWE runs this match back for next month’s Elimination Chamber match, but Lynch isn’t losing the title before Mania and especially not to do Doudrop.

Prediction: Becky Lynch

Michael: Becky Lynch isn’t losing to Doudrop. She’s in the upper echelon of box office draws on the entire roster and she’s on the fast track to big things at WrestleMania 38. Doudrop’s booking on the main roster has been questionable, despite her in-ring abilities. This is a chance for Doudrop to make a statement with a strong showing on the biggest stage of her career. However, Becky is getting her hand raised.

Prediction: Becky Lynch

Fernando: Becky and Doudrop had a pretty good segment on the go-home episode of Monday Night Raw. Doudrop has done her best to make herself appear to be a viable threat to Becky’s championship but we all know the outcome here. I’m just hoping that this match ends up being a banger, which both wrestlers are more than capable of doing. It’ll boil down to how this one is booked. Becky will move on to a massive WrestleMania match.

Prediction: Becky Lynch

Consensus: Becky Lynch (3-0)

Doudrop vs. Becky Lynch is 15 Years in the Making

30-Woman Royal Rumble Match

WWE Women's Royal Rumble

Michael: The Women’s Royal Rumble has more intrigue this year than the men’s. It’s looking like at least a third of the participants will be legends from the past. Most of these blasts from the past have no chance of winning, but only a handful of competitors have a chance at winning anyways, legends or not. We’ve seen the reports that Ronda Rousey is rumored to be at the Royal Rumble. She could win the Rumble to set up a big WrestleMania match against Becky Lynch. However, I think WWE uses this as a chance to reset Bianca Belair and push her back to the top tier after her big push faltered last year around SummerSlam. Bianca Belair makes history and becomes the first person to win the Women’s Royal Rumble back-to-back.

Prediction: Bianca Belair

Fernando: There’s been a lot of buzz about a potential return for Ronda Rousey. Before the hoopla, I would’ve guessed that Bianca Belair would win her second straight Royal Rumble and go on to avenge her SummerSlam loss to Becky Lynch. With Rousey now potentially in play, there’s only one prediction to make here.

Prediction: Ronda Rousey

Andrew: Before this week, I would say that Bianca Belair is the clear-cut favorite and still could be if Ronda Rousey doesn’t show up during the match. Belair, Rousey, and Charlotte Flair are really the top favorites in my mind. WWE could hold off on plans for Rousey so I will stick with my Bianca pick that will send her to WrestleMania.

Prediction: Bianca Belair

Consensus: Bianca Belair

Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Andrew: This should be the best normal match of the night as these guys have worked together a lot both as a tag team and against each other. There is no chance Reigns loses the title here as WWE has much bigger plans in place for him, but fans can still sit back and watch a classic this match could be.

Prediction: Roman Reigns

Fernando: It’s hard to see this match not being a banger. When it comes to the bright lights, Reigns and Rollins are absolute pros. They also have great chemistry whether they’re teaming together or facing each other. Seth will likely get the babyface treatment from the crowd here but I doubt Reigns is eating a pin before WrestleMania. Get ready for a slew of near-falls, however.

Prediction: Roman Reigns

Michael: These work so well together. Rollins and Reigns will deliver a match worthy of the stadium they’ll be fighting in. Roman Reigns is the top dog in WWE and Seth Rollins is not the man to dethrone him. Once again, WrestleMania fantasy booking comes into play. Reigns is on a collision course with Brock Lesnar an Rollins isn’t knocking this thing off course. Roman Reigns stands tall when all is said and done in what I predict will be match of the night. Believe that.

Prediction: Roman Reigns

Consensus: Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns On COVID-19 Diagnosis: ‘I Still Feel That Actually’

WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

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Fernando: This match has been years in the making and may have never happened if Roman Reigns wasn’t pulled from the Day 1 event, allowing Brock to capture the WWE Championship. I’m hoping this is a fast-paced hard-hitting match similar to Lesnar vs. Goldberg. It doesn’t have to go long, it just has to be exciting. I think Lesnar drops the WWE Title due to interference from either Reigns or The Usos.

Prediction: Bobby Lashley

Michael: I won’t believe this match is really happening until both men are standing in the ring together. The phrase dream match gets thrown around a lot, but Lashley has been talking about wanting to face Lesnar for so long now. This is Lashley’s moment and I see him scoring a career-highlight victory over Brock Lesnar. A win for Lashley would mean much more for Lashley and Lesnar doesn’t need the WWE Championship for the big showdown with Reigns. Bobby Lashley gets his moment

Prediction: Bobby Lashley

Andrew: A title change will happen. WWE doesn’t want to do title vs. title for Reigns and Lesnar at Mania so Lesnar has to drop the title at some point. While the case for Big E to be the man to beat Lesnar can be made, if WWE wanted to go in that direction they wouldn’t have had him eat the pin at Day 1 nor not book Big E vs. Lesnar at the Royal Rumble. Lashley is the second most credible guy on the Raw roster to beat Lesnar so have Lashley take the title and allow Lesnar to move on.

Prediction: Bobby Lashley

Consensus: Bobby Lashley regains the WWE Championship

Bobby Lashley Shares Excitement For Brock Lesnar Match: “He Has No Soul”

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

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Michael: The Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated matches of the entire year. I’m looking forward to seeing the creative spots and surprise appearances WWE has planned. My personal pick would be for Big E to win and get a true ‘chase’ storyline for the WWE Championship. However, I think we’re going to see Brock Lesnar pull double duty, enter and win the Royal Rumble after dropping the WWE title earlier in the night.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar

Fernando: This is going to be a boring prediction but one I can easily see coming to fruition. I don’t believe both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar will successfully defend their world titles. I only see one of them walking out of Royal Rumble with gold and WWE isn’t having Roman lose before WrestleMania. My prediction is The Bloodline costs Lesnar the WWE Title in his match with Bobby Lashley. This will give WWE an excuse to throw him in the Rumble match and win it.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar

Andrew Ravens: My lock here is Brock Lesnar, who isn’t confirmed for the match just yet as he’s facing Lashley on this show. I still stand by my theory that Lesnar will drop the title here so why not have him come back strong and win the rumble match as the #30 entrant in the bout, which will no doubt get a big pop. This would allow WWE to get to their plans at WrestleMania.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar

Consensus: Brock Lesnar

Another Long-term Employee Gone From WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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The internal restructuring in WWE seems to still be going at full pace as another long-term employee has left the promotion after over a decade.

According to reports from PWinsider, long-time executive Amanda Tustian who was working as the Director of OTT (Over The Top) Content Operations left WWE yesterday. Though there is no word on the reason behind her departure.

The female executive had been with the promotion for almost 12 years. She was hired back in February 2010 as the Creative Writing Assistant.

In her role, Tustian assisted the creative vice presidents of Raw and SmackDown. She also handled the travel logistics for a team of 14 employees.

She was appointed the Talent Development Coordinator in October 2011. She stayed in this role till August 2013 and helped with various tasks concerning talent recruitment. This included booking extras for events.

This trend of changing responsibilities continued throughout her career. Amanda Tustian was finally promoted to the role of WWE Director of OTT Content Operations in September 2020.

Tustian’s LinkedIn profile mentions that in her last role, she oversaw the launch of WWE Network on Peacock. She helped migrate over 14,000+ hours of content and metadata to the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service.

Rey Mysterio Recalls Getting Paid With A Sandwich For His First Match

Update On Who Is In Charge Of NXT Creative

Chris Stephens
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Shawn Michaels is in charge of NXT creative at the moment. WWE rebranded NXT to NXT 2.0 back in September. This is when Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard were said to have taken a larger role backstage in NXT. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, however, McMahon and Prichard do not play a major role in creative in the same way they do for RAW and Smackdown.

“We are told that even with the perception that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard are running NXT, it’s really not the case. When it comes to creative, the guy basically in charge is Shawn Michaels,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Vince McMahon is said to be more involved than he used to be in NXT, however. While he will look at run sheets, he does not change the show last-minute as he often does with RAW and Smackdown.

There are some directions that come from the top that Michaels has to follow. One of those directives is said to be the pushing of Joe Gacy. McMahon apparently believes that Gacy’s gimmick will earn the company mainstream publicity.

Also, there are several NXT talents who could be called up to the main roster shortly. LA Knight is slotted to get called up after WrestleMania, but that may have gotten pushed up. The Creed Brothers have reportedly earned praise as well, with Julius getting some Kurt Angle comparisons.

Currently, there are no plans for Triple H to return to creative for either WWE or NXT due to health issues. WWE officials are pleased with the job Shawn Michaels has been doing in his absence. Michaels is being praised for turning guys like Bron Breakker, Carmela Hayes, Knight, Grayson Waller and Tony D’Angelo into stars.

Former Divas Champion Spotted In St. Louis for the Royal Rumble

Michael Reichlin
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Saturday night’s WWE Royal Rumble premium live event is sure to feature several surprise appearances.

SEScoops has learned that former Superstar Kaitlyn (Celeste Bonin) is currently in St. Louis, Missouri, site of the Royal Rumble.

Kaitlyn WWE Divas Champion

Kaitlyn first signed with WWE back in 2010. She wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling before getting called up to the main roster.

She is a former Divas Champion, but left the company in 2014. Kaitlyn returned to WWE for a brief run in 2018-2019.

Kaitlin is currently involved in Project This is Me, an organization dedicated to, “getting you back to who you were, before you conformed to what you presumed what was expected of you; Clearing the path to create everything you’ve ever wanted to become. Everything.”

Visit our official Royal Rumble event page to catch up on all the latest news regarding the Rumble and all the expected surprise returns.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYcXlBVLeiQ/

Update: Since our report, Kaitlyn posted a photo on her Instagram story of herself in front of the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

kaitlyn

Impact Results (1/27): PCO vs Chris Sabin

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 1/27 was the first show to air from the recent tapings in Fort Lauderdale. The tapings featured the Impact debut of the Guerrillas of Destiny.

Impact Results 1/27:

  1. Jake Something defeated Chris Bey
  2. The iinspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessica McKay) defeated Kaleb with a K & Madison Rayne
  3. W. Morrissey defeated The Learning Tree in a handicap match.
  4. JONAH defeated Johnny Swinger
  5. PCO defeated Chris Sabin

Bullet Club Attack Jake Something & Mike Bailey

Jake Something picked up a victory over Chris Bey in this week’s opening contest. After the match, however, the Guerrillas of Destiny Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa hit the ring and attacked Something. “Speedball” Mike Bailey came out to make the save but Jay White came up behind him and gave him a suplex.

Tama and Tonga then sent a message to the Good Brothers into the camera. We haven’t seen those two teams come face to face since the NJPW USA show this summer.

Honor No More vs Team Impact Booked For No Surrender

Vincent, PCO, and the OKC bought tickets and made their way to ringside. This led to a team of Impact babyfaces (Rhino, Rich Swann, Eddie Edwards, Chris Sabin and Josh Alexander) coming out to the ring to prevent anymore invasions. Scott D’Amore came out and booked a 5-on-5 match for No Surrender with the stipulation that if Honor No More wins, they can remain in Impact. He also booked a match between Chris Sabin and PCO for later in the show. D’Amore noted that the Honor No More faction does not represent ROH like Jonathan Gresham does, they are in it for themselves.

Later in the show, D’Amore brings Honor No More to a backstage room that they can use as their locker room. There, they are visited by former ROH owner Cary Silkin, who says the group do not represent Ring of Honor.

The Iinspiration defeated Madison Rayne and Kaleb with a K

Tenille Dashwood was not able to make it to the tapings in Fort Lauderdale, so Kaleb with a K subbed for her in this match. Since Kaleb is not eligible to compete for the Knockouts tag team titles, the match was changed to a non-title bout. Lee ended up pinning Kaleb with a pinning combination to pick up the win for the Iinspiration.

Mickie James Gives State of the Knockouts Division Address

James put over the division roster. She did refer to Deonna Purrazzo as “the worst person” she’s shared a ring with, which obviously the Virtuosa did not take too kindly to. Purrazzo had a few words for James before leaving the ring area.

James also spoke about taking part in the Royal Rumble on Saturday. She said she is honored and excited to walk into the Rumble as the Knockouts World Champion. Chelsea Green got in the ring and complimented James and listing off her accomplishments. Green said Mickie is going to win the Rumble and she wants the first title shot after she does. Tasha Steelz reacted to this with loud boos, since she’s scheduled to face James at No Surrender next month.

Steelz hit James with the Red X from Ultimate-X and a melee ensued between her & Savannah Evans against Green and James. It ended with Green and James throwing both of the heels out of the ring.

W. Morrissey Defeats The Learning Tree In Handicap Match

Brian Myers inducted multiple people into his Learning Tree in the back earlier in the show. Several of these wrestlers then took on W. Morrissey in a handicap match. Morrissey had little trouble with any of them. He squashed all of Myers’ new recruits and is building momentum on the road to his No Surrender title match with Moose.

After the match, Myers tried to attack Morrissey but Morrissey got the better of him. Then Moose attacked from behind. The Learning Tree got back involved but Morrissey fought them off before getting speared by Moose to end the segment.

JONAH Squashes Johnny Swinger

JONAH didn’t have any trouble at all with Johnny Swinger this week. He defeated him with his big tsunami splash off the top rope. American Top Team and AEW’s Dan Lambert was shown watching and applauding JONAH’s performance from the crowd.

After the match, JONAH looked to do more damage to Swinger when the members of Decay came to the ring. They had a bit of a staredown with JONAH as he went to the back.

PCO Defeats Chris Sabin

The night’s main event saw Honor No More’s PCO take on Chris Sabin in singles action. Sabin looked as though he had PCO where he wanted him, but PCO thwarted the Cradle Shock. Sabin then had to fight off the members of Honor No More at ringside but Bennett managed to knock him off the top ropes while Maria had the ref distracted. PCO then delivered a full nelson slam and got the pin.

After the match, Honor No More attacked Sabin but Josh Alexander, Eddie Edwards, Rhino and Rich Swann made the save. Alexander put Vincent in the ankle lock until Honor No More pulled their stablemate to safety as the show came to a close.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week:

  • Digital Media Championship
    Jordynne Grace (c) vs Matt Cardona
  • Jonathan Gresham vs Steve Maclin (traditional rules, not Pure rules)
  • Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Mike Bailey, & Jake Something vs Bullet Club (Jay White, Chris Bey, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa)

No Surrender (February 19th)

  • Knockouts World Championship
    Mickie James (c) vs Tasha Steelz
  • Impact World Championship
    Moose (c) vs W. Morrissey

Charles Barkley: I’m Proud of Jon Moxley

Chris Stephens
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Charles Barkley dedicated a portion of his podcast recently to send a message to AEW’s Jon Moxley. Barkley said he’s proud of the former AEW World Champion for seeking out treatment for his issues with alcohol.

“I know you all don’t know this guy, his name is Jon Moxley. You guys know I’m a big wrestling fan,” Barkley said on the show.

“So Jon Moxley, he’s one of the biggest stars for AEW. He left three months ago for alcohol treatment. You know I had a younger brother who passed away so I know a lot about addiction, and he just came back this week and I just want him to know, we never met, I just want to say, man, I’m really proud of him.”

Barkley continued, “I wish him nothing but the best. I’ve been through it with my family and, man, it’s a tough situation. But I just want him to know that I’m really proud of him and just keep battling. It’s all you can do. So, shoutout to those guys.”

You can listen to Charles Barkley’s comments about Jon Moxley here:

https://twitter.com/EIiteAEW/status/1486905916255522824

Jon Moxley entered an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program in November 2021.

He returned last week on AEW Dynamite and then defeated Ethan Page later that night in a match taped for Rampage.

Moxley would also defend his GCW World title on Sunday at the WRLD on GCW PPV in the Hammerstein Ballroom against Homicide.

A match featuring Moxley taking on the Acclaimed’s Anthony Bowens was also taped for Rampage Wednesday night from Cleveland.

Nakamura Cleared to Return Ahead of WWE’s Royal Rumble

Chris Stephens
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Shinsuke Nakamura has been cleared to return to in-ring action. Nakamura had been on the shelf with a hand injury dating back to mid-December. The winner of the 2018 Royal Rumble noted on his Instagram stories recently that he has been cleared to return.

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Nakamura’s last match was on a December 18th, 2021 WWE live event in Rockford, Illinois. He teamed with Boogz on that card and defeated Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss.

Rick Boogz Comments On Shinsuke Nakamura’s Injury

Nakamura’s injury was first revealed by his partner, Rick Boogz, on the Out of Character podcast.

“We’ve only had a couple of tag matches together and he suffered a hand injury that has kept him out for close to two months now, it seems like. I’m looking forward to him being healthy and cleared so we can kick some tail,” Boogs said on the podcast. 

“From there, down the road, we’ll branch off, but I’m in no rush with that. There is a new approach, pairing up the seasoned vets with new up and comers and it’s obviously for a reason. It helps get more exposure, TV time, valuable insight. I don’t think he’d be as willing to help me out if I wasn’t with him, Strong Style Shred. What’s his incentive to help me?”

(Spoiler) Former WWE Star Returning at the Royal Rumble

Anutosh Bajpai
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Royal Rumble is a PPV of surprise appearances. Reports suggest that this year it will include the return of another star who hasn’t been in quite some time.

Former WWE star Aksana is in St. Louis and is scheduled to appear in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, according to PWinsider.

Aksana
Aksana

Aksana in WWE

Aksana signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2009. She trained at Florida Championship Wrestling held the FCW Divas Championship once during that run.

She made her main roster debut in October 2011 in a Divas Halloween costume battle royal. She was never a major character on WWE television. She did, however, have a brief on-screen relationship with Cesaro. She also had short-lived tag team with Alicia Fox named Foxsana.

The Lithuania native never won a championship on the main roster.

Aksana was with WWE for almost 5 years before getting released in June 2014. She’s been away from the wrestling world since her release.

Aksana is not the only big name that will be making her return for Royal Rumble. Reports suggest that a former women’s champion will be making her comeback during the show as well.

Report: Jeff Hardy Contacted by WWE for Return & HOF Induction

Chris Stephens
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WWE recently reached out to Jeff Hardy regarding a potential return to the company and an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

John Laurinaitis, WWE’s head of talent relations, personally reached out to Hardy in hopes of getting him back in the fold. Hardy declined the offer.

WWE announced this week that the 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place during WrestleMania 38 weekend from Dallas, TX.

“Hardy turned it down and asked for his drug test results because he knew he wasn’t going to test positive for recreational drugs.”

– Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Issue dated 1/30/22)

The report continues to say that WWE does not want Hardy to go to AEW and reunite with his brother Matt Hardy there. The Hardy Boyz would be revitalized going up against teams such as the Young Bucks, FTR, Santana & Ortiz etc.

AEW is not able to make an offer to Hardy until after his WWE contract runs out on March 9th. The belief is that Hardy is AEW bound once he becomes a free agent.

Matt Hardy recently stated that his brother’s passion for wrestling has been renewed.

“You know Jeff’s excitement and passion for wrestling have been so renewed now that he has this new horizon in front of him. I’m very excited about that,” Matt said on the Wrestling Perspectives podcast.

WWE Makes Streaming Deal With Disney

Anutosh Bajpai
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Disney and WWE have made a streaming deal that will see the entertainment giant carry the WWE Network in Indonesia, per Sports Business Journal.

The deal will make all the WWE Network content available on Disney+ Hotstar streaming service including this year’s Royal Rumble PPV from Sunday, January 30.

The subscribers will be able to see all the WWE shows in the Indonesian language, and English. Though this isn’t the first deal between the two organizations.

WWE previously signed a deal with Fox in Latin America. The California-based company inherited this deal when they took over Fox Entertainment assets in 2019.

The wrestling promotion also has a deal with Hulu for the streaming rights of Raw and SmackDown. Disney is the majority owner of Hulu. Though this deal is set to expire later this year.

The recent spree of WWE releases has made many believe that Vince McMahon might be gearing up for a sale of the company. Disney’s name has been thrown around as potential buyers for the promotion numerous times.

Although president Nick Khan recently claimed that they aren’t actively looking to sell the company despite interest from parties. You can check out his comments on the matter at this link.

Rey Mysterio Recalls Getting Paid With A Sandwich For His First Match

Rey Mysterio On WWE Switching To Saturdays For PPVs

Anutosh Bajpai
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After decades of running PPVs on Sundays, WWE has finally made the switch to Saturday. This weekend’s Royal Rumble will be the latest of the WWE premium events to be moved to a Saturday and Rey Mysterio thinks it’s a good idea.

The former world champion recently had an interview with Barstool Wrestling. He discussed things such as his son Dominik Mysterio’s progression and more.

When asked about WWE switching to Saturdays for their big events, Rey Mysterio said that the whole company is making a change for good:

“I don’t mind it. I can kind of see why they switched from Sundays to Saturdays. You know, just the whole company overall, is making a change for good. A lot of people have to work Monday mornings, [so] going to an event on Sunday and having to wake up the next morning [is not convenient].

Even kids. kids have to go school. So I think Saturday is a good family day to go out and have a good time. Even if it’s just the homies, [who] wanna go have a beer and check out some wrestling. What a perfect day to enjoy.”

Apart from this, Mysterio also talked about his very first match in 1989. He revealed that he was paid with a sandwich and Coca-Cola for it.

Rey Mysterio will be entering his record 13th Royal Rumble match this Saturday. He will have the opportunity to join the exclusive club of stars who have won the rumble multiple times including names such as Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin.

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Dominik Mysterio Wants To Face Hook

Anutosh Bajpai
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Dominik Mysterio comes from a family of wrestlers and it’s no surprise that he wants to face fellow generational wrestler and internet sensation Hook.

The WWE star recently had an interview with My Mom’s Basement podcast. During the talk he was asked which Forbidden Door wrestlers he would like to face.

Mysterio unsurprisingly took the name of fellow second-generation wrestler Hook immediately, before revealing some more of his dream opponents:

“HOOK. That would be a fun one. For the culture, Penta (El Zero M) and (Rey) Fenix. Me and my dad against Penta and Fenix, I think we would knock the doors down and bring the house down. We would tear it down with those guys.

Andrade would be another one. He left us, but he’s another one.” said Dominik Mysterio, “(CM) Punk. Sting. There are so many guys I would love to work with. We’ll see what the future holds.”

The 24-year-old also revealed which WWE stars he would like to face. He explained that he would like to go up against names such as Santos Escobar and Angel Garza because of the culture they come from.

Mysterio later said that he would love to get his hands on Seth Rollins again now that he has wrestled a few matches and won a title in the company.

WWE Planning To Split Up Rey Mysterio And Dominik Mysterio (Report)

Thanks to SK Wrestling for the transcribed quotes

Rey Mysterio Recalls Getting Paid With A Sandwich For His First Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Rey Mysterio is one of the most recognizable stars in wrestling right now. Though his beginning in the business was very humble. The wrestling veteran wasn’t even paid in cash for his first wrestling match back in 1989.

The WWE 2K22 cover star was recently interviewed by Brandon Walker of Barstool Wrestling. During a discussion about Mysterio’s longevity in the business, he explained that he’s truly blessed to be still wrestling in 2022.

“So I was talking to Edge the other day in the locker room. He was saying, ‘Rey, you know, we’re the only two guys left that have been part of five decades of wrestling.’ I started in 89. So I was part of the 80s, 90s, 2000s, 10s, and 20s. Now, that’s amazing, man! I’m truly blessed to be able to be in this for this amount of time.”

Mysterio’s First Match was in a Parking Lot

Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio (Photo: WWE)

When Walker showed his amazement at the fact that Rey Mysterio has been wrestling so long, the wrestling legend recalled his first match. He revealed that it took place in parking lot of a church and he was paid for it with a sandwich and a Coca Cola:

“That was my first match. I was 14 years old. Imagine that. It counts because I got paid. Not money, but I got a sandwich and a Coca-Cola. It was in front of maybe 80 fans outside of a church, in a parking lot church in Tijuana.”

Apart from this, Rey Mysterio also talked about the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV, being the cover star of WWE 2K22 video game and more. You can check out his full interview in the embedded video

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Bobby Lashley: “Roman Reigns Is The Best In The Game Right Now”

Anutosh Bajpai
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After almost 17 years in the business, Bobby Lashley has started to understand that wrestling is about more than just impressive-looking moves. He believes that it’s about telling a story and that’s why the All-Mighty thinks that Roman Reigns is the best wrestler in the business right now.

The former WWE champion was recently asked about his training routine during his appearance on The Pat McAfee show. Replying to it, Bobby explained that his training is the same but as time has gone on, he has started putting more thought into his character work. He also offered some big praise to The Tribal Chief:

“Roman is the best in the game right now because he’s the best storyteller. He has incredible character. He sticks to his character and he makes everything that he does mean more.” said Bobby Lashley, “So as you go on in your career [you understand that]. When you’re young, you want to throw everything out there.

When you start getting to the point of really just understanding what it’s kind of about [you think more]. Mine is [that] I’m mean. So I throw a few mean things in there like the whiplash when I sling the guy against the pole and everything like that. That’s just dirty and that’s mean. As I’ve gotten further in my career, I just think of things to make my character better, not just another cool move that I can throw out there.”

Bobby Lashley is currently scheduled to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE championship at the Royal Rumble PPV this Saturday. You can check out the betting odds for the PPV here.

What Bobby Lashley Would Like To Do After Retirement

Mickie James Wants Title vs. Title Match At WrestleMania

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mickie James is all set to make history at Royal Rumble this year by becoming the first outside champion to enter the battle royal. Though she is looking even further. The Knockouts champion is ready to defend her own title in a champion vs champion match at WrestleMania if she wins this Saturday.

The wrestling veteran hyped up her upcoming appearance during a promo on the latest episode of Impact Wrestling. She mentioned how it will be the first time a world champion that doesn’t belong to WWE will be represented at Royal Rumble. She then explained her plans for WrestleMania if she wins:

“For the first time ever, a world champion will be represented at the Royal Rumble that doesn’t belong to them, because it belongs right here.” said Mickie James, “I am truly honored and I can’t tell you how excited I am to walk into that Royal Rumble as your Impact Knockouts World Champion.

Hardcore country is going to bring everything she has because I am in it to win it. You talk about making history, I talk about at the end of the Rumble winning and walking into WrestleMania, putting my Knockouts Championship on the line. Title versus title. Champion vs champion. We’re gonna see just who the best in the world is.”

Mickie James won’t be the only exciting name returning for Royal Rumble. Stars such as Lita and Summer Rae have been announced for the show already. Reports suggest that there is another big return planned for the show which hasn’t been announced yet. Click here to read the spoiler on the surprise entrant.

Spoiler: Celebrity Entrant Planned for the Royal Rumble

Joey Janela’s Spring Break And More Returning For GCW The Collective 2022

Anutosh Bajpai
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Game Changer Wrestling has made some big announcements for the 2022 edition of The Collective during the WrestleMania 38 week in Dallas, Texas.

The extreme wrestling promotion first announced the return of The Collective in December last year, confirming that it will be taking place from March 31 to April 2.

The return of Joey Janela’s Spring Break was confirmed by the hardcore star himself today. He revealed that this time it will be a two-night event:

“Everything is bigger in Texas, And One night isn’t big enough for Spring Break! Thursday 3/31 8pm And When the clock strikes midnight and Friday turns into Saturday, Join me for “THE GREATEST CLUSTERFUCK”  4/2 12am!!!!!”

https://twitter.com/JANELABABY/status/1486843502810042375

Not only that but GCW also announced the return of For The Culture and Effy’s Big Gay Brunch for the 2022 edition of The Collective.

The company has previously confirmed the debut of Wrld Fair for the weekend as well. The Wrld Fair will include 17,000 square feet of vendors, exhibits, games, podcasts and stage shows.

No matches have been announced for the shows as of yet but we can expect to see some big names being added to the card for the event as the weekend gets closure.

Nick Gage Comments On Being Left Off GCW PPV

Jim Ross Wants Someone New To Win Men’s Royal Rumble

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Legendary play-by-play announcer Jim Ross would rather see a fresh talent win this year’s men’s Royal Rumble match than an already-established main eventer.

The Road to WrestleMania will officially begin this Saturday night (Jan. 29). The 2022 Royal Rumble event (see betting odds here) will be held inside The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Besides the two Royal Rumble matches, the event will also include three world title matches. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will put his gold on the line against Seth Rollins. Brock Lesnar’s WWE Title will be at stake against Bobby Lashley.

The third world title match will see Becky Lynch put the Raw Women’s Championship up for grabs against Doudrop.

A Fresh Face?

During an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross shared his belief that a new star can be born by winning the men’s Royal Rumble match.

“One of those new young guys, I’m not sure. I’d say it’s a great opportunity to make somebody, so to speak. If they use that philosophy, I’m thinking one of their young studs is gonna be victorious just to get a fresh start, new winner, all that.

“We could go through all the top guys that are in it, there are tons of em’ that could theoretically and realistically win the damn thing. But I think if I were WWE and I were Vince, this is an opportunity that I would take to make some talent.”

Stick with SEScoops this Saturday as we’ll be providing coverage of the WWE Royal Rumble event. We’ll be sure to update you on the Rumble match winners and any title changes should they occur.

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

Mark Henry: The Rock vs. Roman Reigns Would Be The Biggest Thing To Happen In Wrestling

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Mark Henry is of the belief that things in the wrestling industry wouldn’t get much bigger than The Rock vs. Roman Reigns.

Reigns’ “Bloodline” angle has been praised by wrestling fans. “The Tribal Chief” was in need of a fresh coat of paint and he got it in the form of a heel turn back in Aug. 2020.

“The Head of The Table” aligned himself with Paul Heyman and The Usos to create the Bloodline faction. The story has evolved and Reigns turned on Heyman for re-aligning with Brock Lesnar.

Enter The Great One?

During an episode of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry said he feels The Rock and Roman Reigns beginning a feud would go down in history.

“There’s only one thing that can be changed and it’s really not even a change. It’s only one thing that can happen that can take it out of this world and make it — and that’s for The Rock to come and say, ‘No, you don’t run the family. I run the family.’

“If that was to happen it would be the biggest thing to happen in pro wrestling. Because this is already historically [a] top tier story without The Rock. You add The Rock, man you can put it right up there with [The Mega Powers].

“You can put it right up there with another thing that The Rock was involved in, The Nation. You can put it right up there into Stone Cold Steve Austin’s run and rise to prominence. There’s really nothing that it wouldn’t surpass.”

The question remains, can The Rock fit WWE in his schedule? As everyone knows, he is Hollywood’s biggest star and constantly stays busy.

“The People’s Champ” was able to make some room for WWE from 2011 to 2013. By the end of his return run, The Rock suffered torn abdominal and abductor muscles as well as a hernia.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article. Thanks to Putting You Over for the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ko6eyAjMBs

Finn Balor Was Tired Of ‘Politics’ In WWE Before Second NXT Run

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Finn Balor admits he was bogged down before he returned to the NXT brand.

Balor has enjoyed success in WWE on both NXT and the main roster but he got the sense that things were at a bit of a standstill. In 2019, Balor had been on the sidelines for nearly two months before he returned to NXT.

A Second Wind

Finn Balor appeared on Mark Andrews’ My Love Letter to Wrestling podcast and he revealed that he had been burned out by backstage politics before returning to NXT (h/t POST Wrestling).

“I think it’s yet to come [his prime]. I feel like, I had got a little bit stale and I was just kind of like — I was tired, I was exhausted. I was kind of like worn out by dealing with the politics and the office and the writers and all the everything that goes with it and I just had enough and when I returned to NXT, I really feel like that rejuvenated me in the ring and one thing I feel that helped in all the negative effects of the pandemic.”

A lot has changed since Balor was last on NXT. The brand has gone in a new direction, focusing on younger and less-seasoned talent than independent and international wrestlers.

Balor currently competes on the Monday Night Raw brand. WrestlingNews.co reported that Vince McMahon has given up on pushing Balor as a main event player.

Balor was pinned clean by Austin Theory on the Jan. 17 episode of Raw.

Paul Heyman Discusses CM Punk’s Return to Wrestling

Michael Reichlin
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Paul Heyman has shared his unique insight on CM Punk’s return to professional wrestling. According to Heyman, Punk is still riding the momentum of the excitement surrounding his return. He believes it will be at least a year until we can truly evaluate the impact of his current run.

Heyman appeared on The Ringer’s The Masked Man Show podcast this week to promote Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble premium live event. He spoke with David Shoemaker and Kazeem Famuyide about working closely with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, what it means to be a Paul Heyman Guy and much more.

CM Punk returned to wrestling last summer. He made his debut for All Elite Wrestling at AEW Rampage: The First Dance on August 20, 2021. Since then, Punk has worked memorable programs with Darby Allin and MJF. He appears to be thoroughly enjoying himself, a stark contrast from when he left WWE in 2014.

When asked what he thinks about the work CM Punk is doing in AEW, Paul Heyman says he’s not sure if Punk should be judged on the work he is currently doing.

“I think what will be interesting is what happens when the novelty that he’s back wears off, both for the audience and for him.”

– Paul Heyman on CM Punk’s return to wrestling

According to the mastermind behind ECW, it’s going to take some time before we can truly gauge Punk’s return to wrestling. Will Punk simply ride the wave of nostalgia, or will he revolutionize the business again?

“What happens a year from now? How’s he going to feel? How will the audience look at him and accept him in a year? If he can continue to drive himself to being a progressive, compelling, riveting character on the cutting edge that presents himself in a different manner than anybody else can present himself, herself, then he’s going to be fascinating character to watch.”

Heyman continued, “If he can’t, then he’s going to be someone that came back, rode a wave of nostalgia but didn’t progress into the future when he as a rebel was always looking forward in the business and never trying to live off what the business had already accomplished or what he had already accomplished in the business.”

What fascinates Paul Heyman most is the vision CM Punk has for his character. We are still in the “honeymoon period” of Punk being back in wrestling.

CM Punk & Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns, CM Punk
Roman Reigns & CM Punk

Heyman says Punk’s current situation is very similar to Roman Reigns’ transition from The Big Dog to The Tribal Chief. Before they joined forces on WWE television, Heyman had a heart-to-heart conversation with Reigns. He told Reigns that everything he had done up to that point was the “appetizer” of his career. Even though he had already main evented WrestleMania four times, that was practice.

“This is where your legacy gets crafted,” he told Reigns. “This is your Hall of Fame run. This is what you will be remembered for and everything before was just getting you here, including four WrestleMania main events.”

Heyman says CM Punk is still in the “warm up” phase of what could be an all-time great career. A year from now, when this current honeymoon phase is over, he’ll have a chance to solidify his legacy.

“Where does he take the CM Punk character in 2023, 2024, 2025? Can he make that character so progressive, so revolutionary, so evolutionary, so riveting, so compelling, so different and unique than anybody that’s out there that he truly defines himself as a transformative figure, a true disruptor in the professional wrestling/sports-entertainment game? That’s the interesting part to me.”

Heyman added that “momentum eventually stops” and Punk has to create the next wave of momentum to truly touch the audience in a meaningful way.

Listen to Paul Heyman’s appearance on The Masked Man Show:

The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event airs this Saturday night on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network internationally.

H/T to Post Wrestling for the transcribed quotes

Kofi Kingston Shares He was Unsure He’d Win WWE Championship

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston shared that he doubted that KofiMania would happen until his Wrestlemania 35 entrance.

CBS’s Shakiel Mahjouri interviewed Kingston ahead of the Royal Rumble on January 29. Kingston will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match to earn a title opportunity at Wrestlemania. During the interview, Mahjouri asked Kingston to reflect on his WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 35 on April 7, 2019. Kingston admitted that he was unsure until that day.

“…It really wasn’t until like I heard my music or rather like when the promotional package right before the match came on I was like oh my god,” said Kingston. He continued, “…I’m looking around making sure no one’s going to come up to me like ‘Oh well, we just changed the plans. Sorry, We are not going to go with you right now, and you know we’re going to do this. Brock Lesnar is going to come in the middle of the match, and you know what I mean, you just have no idea.” Kingston added that Mustafa Ali had a similar situation with Lesnar winning the Money in the Bank match on May 19, 2019.

Kingston also shared that he didn’t want to get his hopes up to be let down by WWE. Luckily for him, the company decided to have Kingston defeat Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship.

What’s Next for the New Day

The New Day faction of Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E is having a difficult time in the WWE. Woods suffered an injury, and the WWE hasn’t added him to the Men’s Royal Rumble. However, both Kingston and Big E will compete in the match, but it’s unclear if either will win. The former WWE Champion Big E hasn’t won a match since Monday Night Raw on December 6, 2021. Kingston has worked as a singles competitor against Madcap Moss for several weeks. It’s unclear what WWE has planned for The New Day heading into Wrestlemania this year.

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