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WWE Legend: Big E Did A Great Job As WWE Champion

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Big E’s WWE Title reign has come to an end but one WWE Hall of Famer feels the former titleholder did his thing.

On the Sept. 13, 2021 episode of Monday Night Raw, Big E cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Bobby Lashley. E pinned Lashley to become the WWE Champion. E held the championship for 110 days before dropping the gold to Brock Lesnar at Day 1.

While Big E most likely won’t be going into WrestleMania 38 as the WWE Champion, Booker T believes the former New Day member is better because of the title reign.

Booker T Praises Big E’s Reign

During an episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T expressed his belief that Big E was solid during his world championship run.

“I thought Big E had a good run and I thought the championship made him better.

“It was almost one of those things to where I always say, when you win the title it makes you a better performer normally just because you know that you’re the world heavyweight champion.

“You walk a different way, you feel a different way. I don’t know what it is but that effect definitely got a hold of Big E and you could see him falling into that role as being the WWE Champion.

“He believed he should have been a WWE Champion. So, I thought he did a great job.

“We didn’t get a chance to see Big E have a whole lot of classic matches as champion or anything like that but I think there again that’s more — I think Big E has a chance to come back and capture it again [and] grow.

“I think Big E is gonna be in this business for at least five to perhaps eight to ten more years maybe. Not the WWE but in the business but he has a chance to literally grow over this time and really become the performer that he wants to be.”

Big E made some key media appearances during his time as WWE Champion. Most notably, he introduced Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder for their trilogy fight and he made an appearance ahead of a college football game at his alma mater earlier that day.

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Bron Breakker Wants to work with Rick and Scott Steiner in WWE

Tyriece Simon
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NXT 2.0 superstar Bron Breakker wants to establish his legacy. However, he still would like to work with his father and uncle in WWE.

Sporting News’s Andreas Hale interviewed Breakker ahead of challenging Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship. The match will be the main event of NXT 2.0 New Years Evil. Hale asked Breakker if there was a possibility of seeing him share a ring with his father and uncle. He also wondered if Breakker thinks about it because of his family legacy. Professional wrestling fans may know Breakker as the son and nephew of professional wrestling legends Rick and Scott Steiner.

Breakker responded that he would like to have them involved in his pro wrestling career in the future. Hale transcribes the following quotes.

“I have. It would be great for both of them to be a part of my career at some point. Who knows? I have no idea. But it would be a cool moment for me because neither of them have seen me wrestle in person. They’ve watched it on TV. Maybe down the line, they can be part of something with me. I don’t know,” said Breakker.

Rick Steiner Almost Appeared at Halloween Havoc

Breakker almost had one of his family members appear on NXT 2.0. In an interview with TalkSport’s Alex McCarthy, Ciampa shared that Breakker’s father Rick almost appeared at NXT 2.0 Halloween Havoc. However, his father pulled out of the event at the last minute.

McCarthy transcribed the following quote.

“So, he was meant to be at Halloween Havoc,” Ciampa started. “He pulled out last minute. Maybe because I retained, but I won’t say that’s why [laughs]. I would love to be friends with him.” 

Bron Breakker vs Tommaso Ciampa Rematch

Breakker will attempt to defeat Ciampa tonight in their rematch to become NXT Champion. Ciampa retained the championship in the first match by using his finisher on Breakker twice. However, Breakker plans to get his revenge and win his first NXT Championship. He also believes it will be the greatest moment of his life to win the title.

Hale asked Breakker what fans can expect to see from him in the rematch. Breakker believes it will be a war.

“I think we are going to see a more polished Bron Breakker this time around. I’m not going to make the same mistakes that I made before. Kudos to him because he exposed me as being inexperienced, as he said he would. I know what he’s about and how tough he is. I know that I’m up against the best in the business, and I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be a hard-hitting battle. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made the first time, and it’s going to be a war,” said Breakker.

It’s unclear if WWE will try to work with Breakker’s father and uncle, and both Rick and Scott haven’t shared if they want to collaborate with WWE publicly. Regardless, Breakker will try to further his legacy with a win over Ciampa tonight.

CM Punk Is Down To Wrestle Okada: “Come See Me” (Updated)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kazuchika Okada hopes that he can share the ring with Bryan Danielson and CM Punk before it’s too late.

Okada is gearing up for Wrestle Kingdom 16. He’ll be challenging Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Okada won the 2021 G1 Climax and if he defeats Takagi on Jan. 4, he’ll defend the gold against Will Ospreay on Jan. 5.

While Okada has a lot on his mind going into the big Tokyo Dome show, he isn’t afraid to look into the future.

Kazuchika Okada’s Dream Matches

Ahead of Wrestle Kingdom 16, Kazuchika Okada spoke to Sports Illustrated. Okada admitted that he wants to have matches with Danielson and Punk but he knows there isn’t a lot of time left.

“Danielson and Punk would make for some incredible matches. A lot of those dream match scenarios are about getting excited for the possibilities, and once the match is done, it’s done. So it is important to keep that excitement and anticipation, I think. Still, if we wait too long, they’ll both retire eventually, so I want to face them both while they’re still active.”

(Update) CM Punk has has since replied to Okada expressing interest in working together. Punk provided the address of Chicago’s United Center and says, “come see me.”

Danielson and Punk are currently members of the AEW roster. NJPW and AEW have been chummy as of late and once Japan allows foreigners to return without a quarantine period, Okada may get his wish.

Okada has had some classics against the likes of Kenny Omega, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, and many more.

NJPW has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. There has already been rumblings about Wrestle Kingdom this year not being as heavily hyped as it had been in years past. Still, Okada is looking to remind fans of his legendary status.

NJPW has attempted to spice things up by adding a third night of WK on Jan. 8. That show will be a crossover with Pro Wrestling NOAH.

NXT New Year’s Evil Preview For Tonight

Michael Reichlin
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WWE presents NXT New Year’s Evil tonight from Orlando, Florida. The show will air live on the USA Network.

The top of the card will see Bron Breakker challenge NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. The second generation star may be a rookie, but that hasn’t stopped him from climbing the ranks to the top of NXT.

The NXT Women’s Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match. We’ll also see a championship unification match and a huge 6-man tag match that has match-of-the-night potential written all over it.

NXT New Year’s Evil Card

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The following matches are set for tonight’s NXT New Year’s Evil. The event is expected to have limited commercial breaks, similar to last year’s installment.

  • NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Bron Breakker
  • Women’s Champion Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade
  • North American Champion Carmelo Hayes vs. Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong (Unification Match)
  • Riddle & MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner)

Plus, AJ Styles will confront Grayson Waller.

Brock Lesnar Appearing on SmackDown and Raw

Michael Reichlin
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WWE fans should expect a lot more Brock Lesnar in the weeks ahead.

The Beast Incarnate captured the WWE Championship this past weekend at Day 1. Two days later, Lesnar reunited with Paul Heyman on Raw.

Heyman realigning with Brock Lesnar adds another dimension to his relationship with the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns.

Raw went off the air with Lesnar assuring Reigns, “I’ll see you this Friday on SmackDown” from Birmingham, Alabama.

Brock Lesnar will also be on hand for next week’s WWE Raw from Philadelphia, PA.

Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble later this month. It’s interesting to see that Lesnar is still thinking about Roman Reigns, instead of being laser focused on his next challenger.

Lashley should not be taken lightly and he might be able to exploit Lesnar’s lack of focus in the lead-up to the Rumble.

Lashley has wanted a match with Brock Lesnar for several years. Last year, he shared his theory for why the match never happened (until now). You can read all about that below:

Bobby Lashley: Certain People Have Kept Brock Lesnar Away From Me

Cody Rhodes Says AEW Has ‘Its Own Egos And Problems”

Anutosh Bajpai
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Whether it be the reports of backstage rift with other AEW EVPs or the fan reaction to his bookings, in the past few months Cody Rhodes has found himself making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Now the latest comments from the All Elite Wrestling executive about the egos in the company’s locker room are only bound to attract some more negative reactions for the current TNT champion.

Rhodes discussed the growth of AEW in 2021 and what to expect in 2022 during a recent interview with Fite TV’s Fite in Focus. Talking about the backstage environment of the promotion, he claimed that it has its own egos and problems:

“I imagine it will be our biggest and most successful year yet. And I hope fans don’t take that as me being arrogant or anything of that nature. We continue to grow for three years and I don’t see us stopping, because we love it too much. We genuinely do.

If you come backstage at AEW, there is no place like it. It has its own egos and problems, people not liking each other.” said Cody Rhodes, “But for the most part, that’s the most team effort place that I have been part of in my life.”

The former WWE star also talked about the influx of younger talents. He mentioned how Tony Khan likes to call them the new face of AEW.

What do you think about Cody Rhodes’ mention of the egos in the AEW locker room? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Cody Rhodes Reveals His Two Favorite AEW PPV Events

Thanks to ITN for the transcribed quotes

Maki Itoh Vows to Return to AEW & Defeat Thunder Rosa

Michael Reichlin
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Japanese wrestling star Maki Itoh is determined to wrestle in the United States again. She’s plotting a return to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and wants to pin Thunder Rosa’s shoulders to the mat.

Itoh currently wrestles for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. She is their reigning International Princess Champion. TJPW has released a video of Itoh stating her intentions.

The following is translated from Japanese:

“With this belt, Ito will definitely go to AEW! And I’ll fight Thunder Rosa one more time. And Ito will definitely win!”

Itoh added, “There are many, many more attractive people in the world. So Ito wants to beat them one by one with this belt.”

Update: Thunder Rosa has replied to Maki Itoh’s comments. She wrote:

“I was actually thinking the opposite. FOR THE RECORD, I BEAT YOU FOR THAT CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE and I will again! you must be out of your freaking mind if you think you can defeat me. Bitch is open season! Ass whippings are giving for free at @AEW get in line…”

Maki Itoh and Thunder Rosa

Thunder Rosa Maki Itoh

Maki Itoh wrestled for AEW a few times in 2021. She participated in the AEW Women’s World Title Eliminator tournament, but lost to Ryo Mizunami in the first round.

She shared a ring with Thunder Rosa at AEW Revlution in March 2021 during the Buy In kickoff show. Itoh and Britt Baker scored a victory over Thunder Rosa and Riho after interference by Rebel.

Itoh wrestled one more time for AEW, losing to Riho in the main event of the premiere episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.

Maki Itoh’s Popularity

Maki Itoh is very popular. Last summer, one of her t-shirts was the top selling piece of merchandise on Pro Wrestling Tees.

She posted a video back in July stating that she’s received offers from both AEW and WWE. However, she’s yet to sign with either organization.

https://twitter.com/maki_itoh/status/1371650824825303042

Keith Lee Sporting A New Look With Free Agency Looming

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE superstar Keith Lee has changed his look drastically since being released by WWE in November last year.

The former NXT champion shared a photo of himself in a Twitter post. He claimed that he is almost done with his Samuel L. Jackson look:

“Back to work. In the Lab. I think I’m almost done with my Samuel L. Jackson meme look (right after I take a crazy looking photo with it lol). But it’s time to start considering what is next properly.”

Keith Lee should have about a month left on his 90-days non-compete clause. This means fans will have to wait a bit more before seeing him back in the ring.

Though this hasn’t stopped the former WWE star from making headlines. Right after his release, Lee infamously got WWE to dispute some claims about paying his own medical bills while being employed by the company.

The former WWE star was trending as early as last week when he told people to stop watching WWE in hopes of his return, because the promotion has made ‘enough money’ off his name since his release.

There is no word yet on what Keith Lee is planning for his future after his non-compete expires. We should get a better idea about it in the coming days.

Keith Lee on his WWE release: “Worry not. We are not done.”

Angelo Dawkins Would Like A New Day Style Split For Street Profits

Anutosh Bajpai
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The New Day have taken a unique approach when it comes to splitting a team. As opposed to the usual practice of one guy turning on the rest of the team, each member of the trio has branched off towards singles career in his own way in the past couple of years. Yet they have remained friends. All three of the stars celebrate each other’s success and support each other during their failure.

Angelo Dawkins of the Street Profits hopes that they will be able to follow a similar path when it’s time for him and his partner Montez Ford to go their separate ways.

One half of the former Raw tag team champions was the most recent guest on Ryan Satin’s Out Of Character podcast. He was asked about a potential singles run for him and whether he would like The Street Profits to follow the example of The New Day.

Dawkins replied positively. He praised his partner saying that Ford has the potential to become a world champion someday. Angelo Dawkins claimed that he would like to be on his partner’s side when that happens:

“Yeah, that’d be cool. We haven’t really honestly discussed that. But if it ever happens, that’s what we would hope to happen. We still be boys while we watch each other flourish. I think Tez has the potential to be one of the best. He does have [The] Rock vibes. I agree with everybody that says that he has the potential to hold THE title.”

The Street Profits
The Street Profits

“That’s my brother for life”

– Angelo Dawkins on his partner Montez Ford

Angelo Dawkins continued, “So I hope I’m there to support him, and I’ll be right there with him. That’s my brother for life. And he’ll be there for me as well If the opportunity ever went that way. If it does happen, hopefully we kind of do what the New Day does and still be cool with each other. Still be a unit just in case somebody tries to be funny and try to jump up on one of us.”

WWE almost broke up the Street Profits during last year’s drafts before the officials decided against the idea. So while the company doesn’t seem to have any immediate plans for the duo to split up, we can never be sure when it might end up happening. Apart from this, Angelo Dawkins also shared his dream WrestleMania 38 match which you can check out here.

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

WWE RAW Results (1/3): Fatal 4-Way, WWE Title Match Set For Royal Rumble, Alexa Bliss

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar kicked off the show, and there was a Fatal 4-Way between Kevin Owens, Big E, Seth Rollins, and Bobby Lashley tonight to determine Lesnar’s challenger at Royal Rumble.

In addition to the takeaways below, Alexa Bliss’ “Journey Back To RAW” was announced for next week’s show. Alexa Bliss hasn’t appeared since losing to Charlotte Flair at Extreme Rules last September.

RAW Results

  1. Alpha Academy def. RK-Bro
  2. Dana Brooke & Reggie def. Tamina & Tozawa
  3. Queen Zelina & Carmella def. Nikki A.S.H. & Rhea Ripley to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  4. Street Profits def. Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez
  5. Damian Priest def. Dolph Ziggler to retain the US Title
  6. Omos def. AJ Styles
  7. Bobby Lashley def. Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Big E to earn a WWE Title shot at Royal Rumble

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Paul Heyman Is Brock Lesnar’s Advocate Once Again

Paul Heyman kicked off the show to a chorus of boos and introduced new WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. The Beast set up some steel steps in the ring and stood on top of them. Brock mocked Universal Champion Roman Reigns and asked the South Carolina crowd to acknowledge him. Lesnar gave a shout out to “his good buddy Roman Reigns” and vowed to see him soon. Brock thanked Heyman for pulling the strings to get him into the title match at Day 1.

Heyman boasted about negotiating for Lesnar to be a “free agent” and be on whatever show he wants. Paul noted how Owens and Rollins are a team in the Fatal 4-Way match later tonight. Heyman joked that Rollins’ wife is going to leave him if he doesn’t beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.

Paul said that one week away from being Reigns special counsel and he already has COVID. Paul added that “you can get over the rona, but karma is a little bitchy”. Heyman noted that Lashley hit Brock with a Spear two times and got him in the Hurt Lock. Heyman stated Big E was a great champion and would still be champ if it were not for Lesnar. He closed by saying that it would be an honor to watch Big E lose to Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble.

Alpha Academy Pinned The Champs

RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro faced Alpha Academy in a non-title match. Gable and Otis attacked Orton and Riddle before the bell rang. RAW went to a break with Alpha Academy standing over the champions. When RAW returned, Riddle and Chad Gable began the match. Gable connected with a Suplex for a near fall and tagged in Otis.

Otis dominated and sent Riddle to the corner. Otis went for a Splash but Riddle got out of the way and Otis crashed into the ring post. Riddle connected with an Enziguri and went for the tag but Gable pulled Orton off the apron. Otis then leveled Orton outside the ring as he battled with Gable. Back in the ring, Riddle went for an RKO but Otis blocked and hit a Powerslam for the pinfall victory.

Reggie & Dana Brooke Picked Up A Win

Tamina & Akira Tozawa faced 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke & Reggie in a mixed tag team match. The tag team match was apparently for the 24/7 Championship(?). Tozawa accidentally booted Tamina and she got pissed off. Tamina slapped Reggie in the face and then Reggie hit a Senton for the pinfall victory.

Liv Morgan & Bianca Belair Interrupted Becky Lynch

RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch made her way to the ring and said that she knows all the women in the back have becoming a champion at the top of their lists, but remaining champ is at the top of hers. Becky boasted about being unbeatable and how she is a work of art. Lynch claimed that she makes the audience feel and that is what good art does. Lynch added that Liv Morgan broke her promise to herself and the fans by losing again at Day 1.

Liv Morgan interrupted and mocked Becky’s ridiculous jacket. Morgan said that Becky knows how close she was to winning the title at Day 1 and that she gave it her all. Becky told Liv that was “lovely” and that maybe Morgan can become champion once she retires.

Bianca Belair joined the party and announced that she was back in the title chase after dealing with Doudrop for the past several weeks. Liv wasn’t thrilled about Bianca interrupting and said that they were in the middle of something. Bianca noted that her history with Lynch goes back farther and Lynch told them to go figure it out and let her know.

Bianca and Liv then attacked the RAW Women’s Champion and threw her out of the ring. Belair and Morgan started battling and Bianca got the better of the exchange. Bianca was about to hit Morgan with the KOD but Becky leveled them from behind. Becky hit Belair with the Manhandle Slam and posed with the title to end the segment.

Queen Zelina & Carmella Retained The Women’s Tag Team Championships

Queen Zelina & Carmella defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. Rhea Ripley dominated Zelina Vega to begin the action and planted her with a massive vertical Suplex for a near fall. Nikki tagged in and the champs immediately took control of the match. Vega sent Ripley off the apron and then rolled up Nikki for the pinfall victory. Rhea Ripley looked very disappointed after the match as Nikki apologized.

Street Profits Picked Up A Win

Street Profits faced Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez tonight on RAW. Azeez launched Montez to the corner of the ring and went for a Clothesline but Ford got out of the way. Montez hit an Enziguri before tagging Dawkins in. Apollo tagged in as well and walked into the Silencer from Dawkins. Angelo went for the cover but Azeez broke it up at two. Dawkins and Azeez brawled to the outside and Angelo sent the Commander into the ring post. Back in the ring, Montez tagged in and hit Crews with the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.

Damian Priest Retained The US Title, Triple Threat Announced For Next Week

Damian Priest defended the United States Championship against Dolph Ziggler. Priest would lose the title if he was counted out or lost via a disqualification.

Before the match, Doudrop was shown backstage with Pearce & Deville. Doudrop claimed everyone was sick of the same people challenging Becky Lynch and wanted a title shot. Sonya announced that Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, and Doudrop will battle in a Triple Threat match next week. The winner of the Triple Threat will face Becky Lynch at Royal Rumble for the RAW Women’s Championship.

Priest beat Dolph down in the corner but stopped just before the referee counted to 5. Damian knocked Ziggler out of the ring and followed him out there. Dolph was ready and hit a Tornado DDT on the floor as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Damian went for Broken Arrow but Ziggler blocked it. Damian connected with a DDT and went for the cover but Ziggler kicked out at two. Dolph went for a Suplex but Damian blocked it and hit a boot to the face. Priest climbed to the top rope but Robert Roode showed up and shoved him down while the referee was distracted with Ziggler.

Dolph quickly capitalized with the Zig Zag but Priest was able to kick out at two. Priest was angry and attacked Roode outside the ring. Damian grabbed a chair and went to hit Roode but got back into the ring instead as the referee was at a 9 count. Ziggler dared Priest to use the chair on him in an effort to get him disqualified. Damian got distracted by Roode on the apron and hit him with the chair. Dolph capitalized with another Zig Zag but Priest wouldn’t stay down. Ziggler followed it up with a Superkick but Damian shrugged it off. Priest hit the Reckoning for the pinfall victory and remains the United States Champion.

Vince McMahon Told Austin Theory He Is In The Royal Rumble

Vince McMahon and Austin Theory had another conversation backstage during this week’s edition of RAW. Theory knocked on the door and McMahon asked who it was. Austin barged in and went for a hug but McMahon wasn’t interested. Vince said he asked who it was and didn’t tell Theory to come into the office. Austin apologized and Vince said that apologizing was a sign of weakness. McMahon told Theory that it didn’t matter that he lost to Balor, and that he admired how he beat the holy hell out of him later on. Vince informed Theory that he will be in the 30-man Royal Rumble and will get a shot at the champion of his choosing if he wins.

Edge & Beth Phoenix Will Face Miz & Maryse At Royal Rumble

The Miz & Maryse came to the ring to begin the final hour of tonight’s show. They complained about Beth Phoenix showing up to help Edge at Day 1. Miz claimed he was one Skull Crushing Finale away from beating Edge and that victory would have finally gotten him the respect he deserves. Miz noted that he is the only two time Grand Slam Champion in company history and that Edge has only accomplished that feat once. The Miz complained about fans enjoying Edge ruining the vow renewal last week but then claimed that the fans don’t bother him because true love conquers all. Maryse complimented her husband and then claimed that she would punch Beth in the face if she were here.

Beth Phoenix and Edge interrupted to a great crowd reaction. Phoenix asked Maryse to repeat herself but Maryse declined. Edge told Miz that he knew he’d make excuses for the loss and claimed that he would have won if Beth was involved or not. Beth added that it was her idea to show up at Day 1. Edge and Beth then suggested a mixed tag match at Royal Rumble as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Miz accepted the challenge and Maryse didn’t look thrilled about it. Beth hit Maryse and she rolled out of the ring. Miz followed an angry Maryse backstage to end the segment.

Omos def. AJ Styles

AJ Styles battled Omos tonight on RAW. Styles hit Omos with a bunch of strikes and kicks to begin the action but the big man was unfazed. Omos hit a big boot and yelled to the crowd. Omos went for a Body Slam but Styles broke free. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Omos knocked him out of the air with ease. Omos then hit a Chokeslam Powerbomb for the pinball victory as the crowd booed.

Bobby Lashley Will Face Brock Lesnar At Royal Rumble For The WWE Title

Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, and Big E battled in a Fatal 4-Way in this week’s main event. The winner of the match will face Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship. Owens and Rollins worked as a team to start things off and beat Lashley and Big E down. They brought Big E to the outside and Powerbombed him through the announce table.

The action returned to the ring and Lashley battled back with a Clothesline. Big E and Lashley then looked at each other and decided to team up as well. Lashley and Big E chased Rollins and Owens over the barricade and through the crowd. Big E put Kevin Owens through a WWE Shop table as RAW went to a final commercial break.

When RAW returned, Big E and Lashley were beating Rollins down in the crowd. Kevin Owens hit an insane Senton off the top of the stairway onto everyone as the crowd went crazy. Owens hit another one and then Rollins hit a Frog Splash on Big E in the ring. Owens allowed Rollins to go for the pin and raised his hands but Big E kicked out at two.

Lashley slammed Rollins to the canvas and knocked Owens to the outside. Big E went for the Big Ending but Rollins escaped. Lashley hit Big E with a Spear and then delivered one to Rollins. Kevin Owens got into the ring and Lashley hit him with a Spear for the pinfall victory. Bobby Lashley will face Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar was asked for a comment about Lashley winning and said “tell Roman Reigns I’ll see him this Friday on SmackDown” to close the show.

Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar Set For WWE Royal Rumble

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, Bobby Lashley is next in line to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title. 

On Monday’s episode of Raw, Lashley vs. Seth Rollins vs. Big E vs. Kevin Owens in a Fatal 4-Way Match with the winner becoming the number 1 contender was booked as the main event from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC.

It was a wild match with them brawling in the stands and backstage. Lashley pinned Owens with a spear. 

Just like it was previously reported, this match is going to take place at the Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 29, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri from The Dome. 

Big E vs. Rollins vs. Owens vs. Lashley was originally supposed to be the WWE Championship match at Day 1 this past Saturday night. However, the show had to be changed in a big way when Roman Reigns tested positive for COVID-19. Thus, he was pulled from his scheduled Universal Title match with Brock Lesnar at the event. Lesnar pinned Big E to win the WWE Championship.

WWE is still planning to continue the feud between Lesnar and Reigns despite Lesnar being moved internally to the Raw roster with the idea that he is a free agent as a way for him to appear on Friday Night SmackDown. 

Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman Reunite On WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
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Brock Lesnar has officially reunited with his advocate Paul Heyman on WWE television just 24 hours after he won the WWE Title. 

During Monday Night Raw, Heyman introduced Lesnar to kick off the show, which was the Day 1 fallout episode as Lesnar credited Heyman for pulling the strings to get him added to the WWE Championship match. This was after his match at Day 1 with Roman Reigns was nixed when the Universal Champion had to pull out due to him testing positive for COVID-19. Lesnar also gave Heyman credit for his “free agent” status in WWE. 

Lesnar defeated Big E, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Bobby Lashley in a fatal five-way match to win the WWE Championship in the headliner of the show. 

Lesnar called himself the real champion in WWE and mocked Reigns by telling the crowd to “acknowledge me.” Heyman took a shot at Reigns by saying that after only one week without him as Reigns’ special counsel, Reigns already has COVID.

Three weeks ago, Reigns fired Heyman as his special counsel after questioning Heyman’s loyalty during the main event segment on SmackDown then attacked him. WWE reportedly still has plans for Reigns vs. Lesnar despite “The Beast Incarnate” being on Raw. 

Chris Sabin Discusses ROH Championship match at Hard To Kill

Tyriece Simon
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Impact Wrestling talent Chris Sabin is looking forward to challenging Jonathan Grisham for the ROH World Championship. The anticipated match will take place at Hard to Kill on January 8th.

The Sportster’s Denise Salcedo interviewed Sabin ahead of his match with Grisham. He shared that he didn’t know that Impact Wrestling booked the match until they announced it online. Salcedo mentioned that Sabin would join the likes of Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, and Eddie Edwards to win the ROH Championship and the Impact(Formerly TNA) World Heavyweight Championship. When asked what winning the ROH World Championship could mean for Sabin, he discussed how it adds to his career.

“…That’s something that you could always go back to and reference as some sort of history in wrestling that you made,” said Sabin. He continued, “…It’s not easy to really to do something new and solidify your name and on such a historic level like that by winning two world championships and two different companies like that. But yeah, it would mean a lot, and it would just, you know, add to my credentials of my career, and it was something I would be proud of.”

Chris Sabin Thoughts on Jonathan Gresham

In the interview, Sabin had positive things to say about his opponent. He praised Gresham’s work ethic and his style. Sabin also credited his opponent for being influential to other wrestlers.

“…I respect John a lot. I mean, he works really hard to be a unique talent just to be something different,” said Sabin. He explains, “Obviously, he works hard in the gym, he works hard when he’s training in the ring outside of wrestling, and you can just tell by his body of work. He’s just an amazing talent.”

https://twitter.com/TheJonGresham/status/1477808892071530501

Jonathan Gresham Title Defense

Sabin vs. Gresham for the ROH World Championship will be the first time an ROH champion will defend the title under Impact Wrestling. While it’s unclear who will win, Gresham is scheduled to defend the title at Terminus and The WRLD on GCW later this month. Regardless, Sabin will have the opportunity to make history when he challenges Gresham this Saturday.

Update on Ember Moon’s Future Following WWE Release

Michael Reichlin
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Ember Moon will be a free agent in just a month’s time.

She posted a Tweet on Monday revealing that she will officially be a free agent in just 30 days.

So, what’s next for Ember Moon? She’s back to using the ring name Athena and her first post-WWE appearance has been announced.

Athena will be appearing at Baltimore Celebfest 3 on Sunday, February 6th.

The former NXT Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion will be signing autographs at the event.

If you’re in the Baltimore area and want to meet Athena (fka Ember Moon) next month, head over to Eventbrite.com for ticket information.

Kurt Angle Shares Advice To Newcomers In Wrestling Industry

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kurt Angle has some sound advice to those who are looking to make a name for themselves in wrestling.

The wrestling business could always use aspiring talent. No matter how many wrestlers come and go, there will always be a need for talent throughout various promotions.

A lot of wrestlers were inspired to get their start by stars such as Angle. One fan sought out the Olympic gold medalist’s advice.

Kurt Angle’s Wrestling 101

On an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, Angle answered a fan’s request for advice on how to get noticed as a wrestler.

“Make sure that you got your psychology, how to put together a match, how to structure it. Make sure your bumping is sharp and your selling is phenomenal.

“What you need to do is when you have shows you need to record these matches and you can watch them over and over again and make yourself improve.

“Improve every week and get better and when you think you’re good enough, record these matches and send them to the WWE talent relations department.

“That’s how you get noticed. That’s where they have the tryouts for NXT. That’s where they pick the people that come down to try out for the company.”

Angle entered the WWE as a premier athlete given his amateur wrestling credentials. It didn’t take long for Angle to develop a personality that related to the fans and it lead to a legendary career.

Today, Angle is a retired WWE Hall of Famer.

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

Bully Ray: D-Von Felt Ring Of Honor Was Beneath Him

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Bully Ray has looked back on the time D-Von felt he was above a run in ROH.

Bully and D-Von were a legendary tag team as The Dudley Boyz. They made their mark in ECW, WWE, and TNA Wrestling. Eventually, the team split apart and Bully found himself going solo in ROH.

Bully Ray Claims D-Von Wasn’t Sold On ROH

During an episode of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray made quite the claim that D-Von felt ROH was beneath him.

“I’ll never forget the first day I was there. They asked me, ‘Hey man, what do you wanna do?’ I said, ‘I wanna work with The Briscoes.’

“That was the big deal for me, I wanted to work with The Briscoes. Me and D-Von when we had left the WWE for the second time actually had a deal in place from Ring of Honor to work with The Briscoes.

“It was supposed to be The Dudleyz vs. The Briscoes. D-Von felt that Ring of Honor was beneath him. I completely disagreed so we never got Dudleyz vs. Briscoes.

“I went there and I made sure I got to do something with them because I had a lot of respect for those two guys.”

Bully ended up winning the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Jay and Mark Briscoe. The Briscoes are heavily rumored to be making their way to AEW soon. The team has already been feuding with FTR.

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

TNT Championship Rematch Set for AEW Battle of the Belts

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling has announced another championship match for Saturday night’s AEW Battle of the Belts special.

Sammy Guevara will get a rematch against Cody Rhodes after the American Nightmare captured the gold from the Spanish God last week.

AEW Battle of the Belts is a 1-hour special that airs this Saturday night on TNT. It’s part of a big week of programming for AEW, which kicks off with Dynamite’s move to TBS this Wednesday night.

AEW Battle of the Belts Card

The following matches are signed for AEW Battle of the Belts

  • TNT Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara
  • AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker vs. Riho

Expect to see at least one more match added to the card at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

Angelo Dawkins Shares His Dream Match for Wrestlemania 38

Tyriece Simon
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The Street Profits Angelo Dawkins has shared his dream match for Wrestlemania 38. This year, the event occurs at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 2nd and 3rd.

Dawkins appeared on Out of Character with Ryan Satin, where he revealed his dream match. He wants to team with Montez Ford to challenge The New Day and The Usos in a three-way tag team match for the Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Championships. He also wants to show that The Street Profits are on the same level as both teams.

“…Us, me and Tez vs. The New Day vs. The Usos for all the marbles. Both tag team titles on the line,” said Dawkins. He explains, “We beat The New Day at Survivor Series. We have yet to beat the Usos. They probably have the best rivalry in tag team history, pretty much. New Day being dawned the greatest tag team ever in WWE history, and the Usos are right up there with them at the mountaintop, and we’re the new kids on the block that are still trying to find our way, but we scratch the surface because we beat The New Day, but now we have to beat the Usos, but if we beat them both, we’re right up there with them.”

Street Profits Waiting on Wrestlemania Moment

The Street Profits have yet to perform at Wrestlemania in front of a crowd. WWE didn’t have them on Wrestlemania 37 last year. They also won a tag team match against Angel Garza and Austin Theory at Wrestlemania 36 on April 5th, 2020. However, due to Covid-19, they wrestled to no audience. When asked by Satin if Dawkins was frustrated that The Street Profits weren’t at Wrestlemania 37, Dawkins said he wasn’t.

“…Everything happens for a reason. I’ve always prided myself for being a patient guy, and I got a feeling that we are going to be on this year’s Wrestlemania. If not, we’ll be on next year’s Wrestlemania. I’m just going to have that mindset, and patience has always been a key for me and Tez, and we’ve both like prided ourselves on that no matter what,” said Dawkins.

What’s Next for The Street Profits

The Street Profits lost a Raw Tag Team Championship match against RK-BRO at Day 1 on January 1st. The Usos also defeated The New Day to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships at Day 1. However, it doesn’t look like their rivalry is over. For Dawkins to have his dream match, The Street Profits will need to win the Raw Tag Team Championships. If that happens, the WWE could potentially have The Street Profits vs. The Usos vs. The New Day in a winner takes all match at Wrestlemania 38. It’s unclear if WWE has plans for The Street Profits, but Dawkins seems to have an exciting idea for fans.

Brock Lesnar Added To Raw Roster, But Will Remain a “Free Agent”

Michael Reichlin
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Brock Lesnar shocked the world by capturing the WWE Championship once again at Saturday’s Day 1 pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA.

Lesnar was a late addition to the multi-man title match after his original opponent Roman Reigns tested positive for Covid-19 and was unable to compete.

lesnar champion 1
Brock Lesnar (Photo: WWE)

Brock Lesnar will remain a “free agent” in WWE storylines, according to a report at PWInsider.com. This means Lesnar could show up on Raw or SmackDown at any time. However, The Beast Incarnate has “officially shifted over to the Raw roster internally.”

The new WWE Champion will be on hand for tonight’s WWE Raw, which takes place from Greenville, South Carolina at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

As of this writing, the only match advertised for the show is United States Champion Damien Priest vs. Dolph Ziggler.

We can also expect fallout from Day 1, including Big E losing the WWE Championship, as well as early build for the Royal Rumble.

Johnny Knoxville Says He Wants to Enter WWE Royal Rumble

Odyssey Jones Sparks Backlash Over Transphobic Social Media Post

Chris Stephens
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Omari Palmer, better known to wrestling fans as Odyssey Jones is being called out for having made a transphobic social media post recently.

Jones posted a picture to his Instagram stories of an article headline that reads, “A transgender ‘man’ who “gave birth” is outraged over nurses calling him ‘mom'” and added 3 laughing emojis to the post.

Jones has since set his Twitter account to private.

https://twitter.com/TransGraps/status/1477777824228462592
https://twitter.com/TransGraps/status/1477778322272800774

Odyssey Jones in WWE

Odyssey Jones
Odyssey Jones

Odyssey Jones, 27, has been with WWE since 2019. He previously played football for the Syracuse Orange.

In addition to wrestling on NXT, he worked a series of dark matches on the main roster in September and July of last year.

Earlier this year, Odyssey Jones was on Corey Graves’ After the Bell podcast and spoke about having been recruited to WWE by Mark Henry.

“Every year, Joe [Saladino] does a jiu jitsu symposium in New Jersey. For some reason, Mark Henry went one time,” Jones said.

“I don’t know what Mark Henry knows about jiu jitsu, but Mark Henry was there. They talked and exchanged contacts. Next thing you know, he was sending him pictures of me and him in the gym to Mark Henry. Next thing you know, I’m getting a call from Canyon (Ceman) contacting me for a tryout, and you know, the rest is history.”

Mickie James On WWE Rejecting Pitch For Storyline With Chelsea Green

Chris Stephens
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Mickie James has spoken previously about wanting to have worked an angle with Chelsea Green that mirrored the one she had with Trish Stratus leading up to WrestleMania 22. She recently spoke to Metro UK about what she felt when WWE decided not to go forward with the idea.

“Within the pitch of Chelsea Green on the way out, it would’ve been a perfect, magical re-circling way to build Chelsea and elevate her and make her a star as I was transitioning to find my foot into this other [backstage] role,” James said.

“For me, I felt like it was the perfect set of business but didn’t seem to hit on that level, and whatever. I don’t wanna say, “I get it” because I don’t get it.”

Green would have portrayed the stalker role similar to what James did in 2005/06 while James would have been in the Trish Stratus role.

“I know that that story would have been money and I know that would have ended up probably rivaling Trish and I’s angle, because it was going to mimmick and mirror it, but in a different capacity so well,” James continued.

Leading up to WrestleMania 22, James’ character was portrayed as something of a stalker for Trish Stratus. James won the WWE Women’s Championship from Stratus on the show, just months after making her debut with the company.

Both Chelsea Green and Mickie James were released earlier this year on April 15th, 2021. Green and James are both now with the NWA and Impact Wrestling.

Watch: Triple H Discusses WWE Recruiting College Athletes

Michael Reichlin
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Paul “Triple H” Levesque has made his first public appearance since undergoing heart surgery following a ‘cardiac event’ back in September.

Triple H appeared on the New Year’s Day edition of NBC’s Nightly News broadcast to discuss WWE’s new NIL initiative to recruit collegiate athletes.

A new era for college sports is underway after the National Labor Relations Board authorized NCAA athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness.

College sports are an $18 billion industry, so there are many new (and lucrative) opportunities for the athletes responsible for generating this money.

WWE’s NIL Program

WWE recently launched the NIL (“Next In Line”) program and signed 15 athletes they believe could be the Superstars of tomorrow.

WWE Unveils Inagrual NIL Class

Triple H Comments

Triple H is the Executive Vice President of WWE’s Global Talent Strategy & Development division. He has a big influence recruiting and developing these athletes.

“To allow college students to sort of monetize and utilize their name, image and likeness it’s opened up an avenue for us,” said Triple H. “This allows them to have that open door to earn money while in college.”

Recent WWE signee Joe Spivak, a football player at Northwestern University, was also interviewed for the segment.

Watch Triple H’s appearance on NBC’s Nightly News:

https://youtu.be/-BexsJl4MEU?t=964

Triple H spoke with Fast Company in December and had this to say about the WWE NIL program:

“We immediately saw it as an amazing recruiting tool for us because it allows us to show athletes a path to WWE, and engage with them in a way where they can learn more about it, we can learn more about them, all while working together, and finding out if it’s a good fit before they’re even finished college, and before they need to make any decisions about what they’re going to do in that next stage of their life.”

Tony Khan Comments On His New Year’s Resolutions For AEW

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan was recently interviewed by CBS Sports. During the discussion, he spoke about what his new year’s resolutions for AEW are in 2022.

“To continue expanding,” Khan said. “We’ve got the Battle of the Belts, and the Owen Hart Cup, and so much more to come in 2022. We’ve developed the roster so much in the past year, more than I honestly had ever dreamed we could going into the year.”

“So I look forward to what’s ahead in 2022. What a year it was. Our four pay-per-views this year happened to be the four biggest pay-per-views we’ve ever done. Our top four box office shows of all time. The last two are the top two. We’ve ended up in an amazing place and it’s very exciting going into 2022.” 

When asked about what wrestlers he expects to have a big year in 2022, Khan mentioned Dante and Darius Martin.

“I think for a variety of reasons, there’s a number of people I’m excited to feature in the coming year,” Khan said. “For example, it was completely out of everyone’s control, but Darius Martin has been out injured and I think he’s tremendous. I would love to get him back soon and teaming with his brother, Dante. Dante has become a big star and I think they were tremendous as a tag team.”

Khan also spoke about the success AEW has seen over the last year on PPV and numerous other topics. The AEW President noted how the roster for his company has expanded well beyond what he dreamed it could have in the last year as well as Serena Deeb’s role as a producer backstage.

The full interview with Tony Khan can be heard in the player below:

The Miz Comments On How John Morrison Made Him A Better WWE Superstar

Chris Stephens
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John Morrison was released from WWE on November 18th, 2021. He had re-signed with the company in 2019 after having left in 2011. His tag team partner and run-in buddy, The Miz, recently spoke about Morrison during an appearance on Freddie Prinze Jr.’s podcast “Wrestling with Freddie”. During the discussion, The Miz spoke about how he feels Morrison made him a better WWE Superstar.

“If you want to be in the entertainment industry, you have to be a sponge and you have to be willing to fail. As much as you [Freddie Prinze Jr.] said I was the glue in Miz & Morrison, it’s not true. Morrison is such an out-of-the-box thinker. He would think of the oddest, weird things that aren’t supposed to work and then we would come together and make them work.

“We had such great chemistry, and he’s so smart and able, and willing, and we both push each other to be the best that we possibly can, so we’re both the glue in that. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. John pushes me to be the best Superstar I could possibly be and he always has.”

Morrison and Miz won the Smackdown tag-team championships from the New Day at Super Showdown on February 27th, 2020. They’d drop the titles back to New Day on an episode of Smackdown just less than two months later. In Morrison’s first run with the company, they won tag team gold twice as well. In 2008, they won the Slammy Award for best tag team of the year.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the above transcriptions.

Sasha Banks “Good” After Injury Scare at Live Event (Video)

Michael Reichlin
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Sasha Banks says she’s fine after an injury scare at a WWE live event over the weekend.

Banks wrestled Charlotte Flair at Sunday’s house show from the Crown Coliseum Arena in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Mid-way through the match, Charlotte delivered a backbreaker to her longtime rival. Sasha Banks’ left ankle appeared to buckle as she landed.

She was helped to the backstage area by WWE officials, leaving fans to wonder if she’s the latest Superstar to go down with a health-related issue.

You can see video of the spot in question here:

Here is a zoomed-in look at the way she landed. Your ankle is definitely not supposed to bend like that.

https://twitter.com/uncrownedkingjj/status/1477834866645295104?s=21

Sasha Banks Update

Sasha Banks provided an update on her condition late Sunday night.

The Boss let her fans know she’s “good” and thanked everybody for their concern.

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