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Stephanie McMahon Addresses Ronda Rousey & Gable Steveson’s Status with WWE

Chris Stephens
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Stephanie McMahon has commented on the WWE futures of Ronda Rousey and Gable Steveson.

Earlier this week, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer was honored with the Corporate Leadership Award by the March of Dimes Greater New York/New Jersey Market during its 38th Annual Sports Luncheon.

During a brief chat with Adam’s Apple, she noted that Rousey is always welcome back in WWE – on one condition.

“She is always welcome to come back, as long as she stays away from me!” she said.

Gable Steveson in WWE

Gable Steveson Vince McMahon

Gable Steveson was recently drafted to WWE’s Raw brand, but he won’t be an active Superstar anytime soon.

He’s signed to WWE, but will be returning to the University of Minnesota for his senior year where he’ll look to defend his NCAA Heavyweight National Wrestling Championship.

“He’s still in school,” said Stephanie.”When he’s done with school, hopefully he’s gonna be a part of the full-time roster.”

Regarding Gable Steveson and WWE’s new approach to signing collegiate athletes, WWE announced a new NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) program today. The program will see WWE develop partnerships with collegiate athletes.

Those taking part in the program will have access to the WWE Performance Center, given resources on media relations, brand building, live event promotion and more as well. More on that story is available at the link below:

WWE Announces NIL Program To Recruit College Athletes

WWE May Be Ditching NXT Cruiserweight Title

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE may be doing away with its NXT Cruiserweight Championship.

The Orlando-based developmental brand has undergone huge changes in recent months. All aspects of NXT’s identity have been revamped, from the roster to the taping studio at the Performance Center.

On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed there is reporting that WWE is considering dropping the NXT Cruiserweight Title.

NXT Cruiserweight Title Being Replaced?

  • joe gacy

Roderick Strong is the current NXT Cruiserweight Champion. He’s currently feuding with Joe Gacy, who has been hinting at introducing an “all-inclusive” championship.

Gacy will get a chance to dethrone Roderick Strong this Sunday at NXT Takeover: WarGames. Should Gacy capture the title, this would be a prime opportunity to introduce a rebranded undercard title.

Stay tuned this weekend, when we should get a better idea about the future of the NXT Cruiserweight Championship.

Dustin Rhodes On Vince McMahon’s Reaction To Pitching Match Against Cody At WrestleMania

Chris Stephens
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At Double or Nothing 2019, Cody and Dustin Rhodes clashed in a classic match. According to comments Dustin made recently on the Way of the Blade podcast, it was a match that both had frequently pitched to have at WrestleMania.

“I had fought so hard every single year to get to work my brother at WrestleMania,” Dustin said. “And point-blank, Vince (McMahon) would always tell me, ‘This match is not good enough to be on WrestleMania’. That pissed me off, that pissed me off bad. And it was hurtful, and it did something to me. It really depleted every ounce of passion that I had. I fought for it every single year, Cody too. We both fought for it every year.”

cody dustin rhodes don aew 2

Dustin also spoke about not being permitted by WWE to work the All In show. He spoke about thinking his wrestling career was over until he was given the chance to face his brother at Double or Nothing.

“So to get offered this with Cody and Tony Khan, to this new fanbase and this upstart company AEW, on this PPV? And I watched All In on PPV at home. It was like ‘Okay, here we go.’”

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While the match is widely considered one of if not the best match in both their careers, Dustin said he was not feeling confident going into it.

“I’m very excited about this but not confident at all. I was very lost in my confidence and passion, like I said. And very unsure about my ability to step into the ring with my brother and deliver a very explosive match for him.”

The match received a 5-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.

Brett Lauderdale Talks GCW’s Hammerstein Ballroom Show & More

Chris Stephens
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Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) Brett Lauderdale was our guest on this week’s Business of the Business podcast, the official business podcast of SEScoops.

Lauderdale spoke about his promotion selling out the Hammerstein Ballroom. ”The Wrld on GCW” will take place January 23rd, 2022 from the famed venue.

With the big sellout of Hammerstein Ballroom, Lauderdale was asked about GCW possibly being the #3 promotion in the United States right now.

“I’m very confident in our product and I think that what we do is special and unique and entertaining and fun and all that stuff. As far as numbers go, #3, #2 or #1 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7, I don’t really feel like we’re competing with anyone,” Lauderdale said.

“We’re just focussed on what we’re doing and trying to be the best at what we do.”

The Briscoe Brothers

Lauderdale also spoke about some of the talent that will be appearing on the show including the Briscoe Brothers.

“The Briscoes are awesome and it’s not secret that they are awesome and that they are one of the best tag-teams of all time. Obviously, they were under contract with Ring of Honor, which was great for them,” Lauderdale said.

“Unless you were a hardcore Ring of Honor fan, you don’t really see the Briscoes as much.”

“There’s so many matchup and so many people that have never had the chance to work with them. It’s exciting for the fans and I can also tell you it’s exciting for the Briscoes.”

PCO Working With GCW

Lauderdale was asked about bring PCO into the promotion. He noted that there were articles out there stating PCO had signed on for 40 dates but Lauderdale noted that is not true.

“It’s possible he could do that many but I don’t have 40 dates lined up right now and obviously we don’t have contracts or anything,” he said.

“Certainly PCO is a guy we like to have around as often as he can.”

Pabst Blue Ribbon

Lauderdale also spoke about working with Pabst Blue Ribbon. He wouldn’t necessarily call them a sponsor but they will be working together often in the future.

“I hate the term sponsor. We’ve talked about this with PBR. We like to consider what we do to be more of a partnership,” Lauderdale said.

“We’re kind of signed on to work together for the duration of 2022. We’ve got several events lined up that we’re going to partner on. A lot of ideas that we’re working on and developing.

PBR is a very cool brand and I think a lot of people don’t fully understand the history of that brand and what they’re doing now. From a cultural standpoint, they match up with us, they are a good match with GCW. We kind of have the same demo.”

The full podcast can be listened to in the player below:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/creativecontrolnetwork/business-53

Beth Phoenix Done With NXT Commentary After WarGames

Michael Reichlin
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Beth Phoenix is ending her run as a commentator for NXT. Her final show as a full-time broadcaster for the brand will be this Sunday at WarGames.

The WWE Hall of Famer announced her decision on Thursday. Phoenix says she is stepping away to spend more time with her family. She and WWE Superstar Edge have two children together.

“Ahead of WarGames, I wanted to share that this Sunday will be my final night in NXT,” she wrote. “While I will remain a part of WWE, I have made the choice to step away from the weekly broadcast booth to spend more time with my family.”

Phoenix says it was not an easy decision to step away from the NXT commentary table. She’s been with the brand for over three years and has called the action on 135 episodes of NXT TV.

“I’m incredibly proud of the brand.”

– Beth Phoenix

She thanked many people who have helped her in NXT, including Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, Nigel McGuiness, Tom Phillips, Mauro Ranallo, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Michael Cole and more.

“NXT will always be a part of me and Auntie Betty will always be a part of NXT,” she added. “Leave the porch light on for me!”

The Young Bucks Top PWI Top-50 Tag Team Rankings

Chris Stephens
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Matt & Nick Jackson the Young Bucks have topped the PWI Top-50 Tag Team rankings this year. The evaluation period for this award was October 2020 to September 30th, 2021. The Young Bucks were the AEW Tag Team Champions during much of this period.

PWI Tag Team Rankings 2021 Top-5

  1. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
  2. Lucha Bros (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M)
  3. Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi)
  4. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
  5. ALK (Giulia & Syuri)

PWI Tag Team Rankings 2020 Top-5

  1. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
  2. Kenny Omega & Adam Page
  3. Golden Role Models (Bayley & Sasha Banks)
  4. The North (Ethan Page & Josh Alexander)
  5. Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins)

PWI Tag Team Rankings 2019 Top-5

  1. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
  2. Kenny Omega & “Hangman” Adam Page
  3. Golden Role Models (Bayley & Sasha Banks)
  4. The North (Ethan Page & Josh Alexander)
  5. Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins)

Before 2019, PWI gave out an award for the top team and announced 3 runners-up. The Young Bucks won the award in both 2018 and 2017. The New Day won the award in 2015 and 2016 and the Usos won it in 2014. The Shield won the award in 2013, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth in 2012, and Beer Money in 2011.

WWE Announces NIL Program To Recruit College Athletes

Chris Stephens
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WWE has announced a new NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) program aimed at recruiting college athletes. This follows the historic NCAA policy that went into effect this summer allowing college athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness.

“Dubbed “Next In Line,” the NIL program aims to enhance the talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds,” reads a WWE press release.

Triple H was also quoted in today’s press release announcing the Next In Line program.

“The WWE NIL program has the potential to be transformational to our business,” said Paul Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy and Development. “By creating partnerships with elite athletes at all levels across a wide variety of college sports, we will dramatically expand our pool of talent and create a system that readies NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.” 

Part of the program will include college athletes being able to train at the WWE Performance Center. Athletes will also receive education on things such as brand building, media training, live event promotion and more. Upon completion of the program some athletes will be offered a WWE contract.

This program comes on the heels of WWE signing Olympic Gold medalist, Gable Steveson. He will return to school for his senior year and defend his NCAA championship at the University of Minnesota. WWE also announced they will unveil the first class of athletes in the program soon.

Eddie Kingston Talks Mental Health, Toxic Masculinity & Jon Moxley

Chris Stephens
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Eddie Kingston was recently interviewed by CBS Sports. During the discussion, Kingston spoke about mental health, Jon Moxley, and even what toxic masculinity is.

Kingston recently posted an article to the Player’s Tribune where he spoke openly about his struggles with mental health. It’s a subject he is trying to be as open about as he can.

“The best way to move on is to talk about what’s going on. And to make my own normal because no one is going through what I’m going through,” Kingston said. “I’m the one going through it so it’s my normal. Not that I’m broken, I’m just going to move on from it and move forward because that’s all I can do is move forward. Do I feel a little bit of pressure since that Players’ Tribune? Yeah, but I also kind of like it too because, look, I can move on, I can do it. I’m not the most mentally put-together person but I’m moving forward, I’m trying. So why can’t anybody else?”

Kingston also spoke about his friend Jon Moxley taking time to go to rehab and the reaction this has garnered from wrestling fans.

“My thing was, ‘I don’t care if anyone else understands. I get it. Your wife gets it, I get it. That’s all that matters.’ It does feel nice that everybody else got it. My girlfriend said this to me the other day. She’s the smart one. Toxic masculinity. I never heard of that before. She seems to think that’s dying because we’re actually celebrating men like Moxley who can accept their flaws but also work on them.”

The full interview with Eddie Kingston can be viewed in the player below.

In Kingston’s article to the Player’s Tribune he spoke about his mental health issues during the early part of his wrestling career. He also spoke about how much he drank during this period. More information on that story is available in the link below:

Eddie Kingston Talks His Struggles With Depression

Kingston wrestled against CM Punk at AEW Full Gear. In an interview with DAZN, Kingston noted that the match was not the biggest of his career but it was the most personal. Much of the story leading up to the match regarded a backstage altercation him and Punk had back when they were both on the independents.

Eddie Kingston Says Match Against CM Punk The Most Personal Of His Career

Update On Fenix Missing AEW Rampage This Week

Chris Stephens
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Fenix had been scheduled to defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships along with Penta El Zero M on Rampage this week. It was announced on last night’s Dynamite broadcast that he was injured and unable to travel, however. According to a report from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Fenix is not injured but rather just had travel difficulties leading to him missing the show.

“On tonight’s show for Rampage, they were supposed to do FTR against Penta and Fenix for the AEW tag team titles in a 2 out of 3 falls match. They kind of said Fenix was injured, he’s not injured he’s fine,” Meltzer said. “He had travel difficulties, he could not make it to the show, they were taping today for Friday. So, that’s why they did the promo and Pentagon and PAC faced FTR. It was obviously in a non-title match and it ended up being a 1-fall match as well.”

Meltzer continued to say that Pentagon and Fenix vs FTR for the AAA tag team titles on Saturday at TripleMania TripleMania Regia II is still scheduled to go ahead as planned.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1466228600122884097

PAC was Fenix’s replacement in the match against FTR. The titles were no longer on the line. The match was also switched from a best 2-of-3 falls match to just one fall. That match will air Friday night on AEW Rampage.

Footage of Arn Anderson’s Scary Fall On Dynamite

Chris Stephens
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Arn Anderson took a scary looking fall just as the main event to last night’s AEW Dynamite started. Cody Rhodes was making his entrance when Andrade El Idolo and his assistant Jose attacked. As Andrade went after Rhodes, Anderson lost his footing and fell off the ramp. He seemed to fall in-between the stage and the ramp area. Jose helped pick him up and then started to attack him as party of the storyline.

Anderson appeared okay and continued with the melee without showing any ill effects from the fall he took.

“I was told everyone is okay,” said Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio regarding Arn Anderson’s fall (as well as Cody’s flaming table spot).

Several fans have posted footage of Arn’s fall to social media.

https://twitter.com/JoelPearl/status/1466257948762591234

It was quite the main event last night from Atlanta. Rhodes picked up the victory over Andrade El Idolo in the Atlanta Street Fight. The finish came when Brandi Rhodes ran into the ring and poured gasoline on a table before lighting it on fire. Rhodes then suplexed Andrade through the table and got the pin. Rhodes seemed to take the brunt of the move, however, going directly through the highest part of the flames.

Following the match, AEW would post photos of Cody’s burnt back to social media. Those photos can be viewed in the link below:

Cody Rhodes’ Back Burned Following Flaming Table Spot (Photos)

Cody Rhodes’ Back Burned Following Flaming Table Spot (Photos)

Chris Stephens
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In the main event of last night’s AEW Dynamite Cody Rhodes and Andrade El Idolo went through a flaming table. After the move, Rhodes pinned Andrade while both men still had bits of flaming table attached to them.

“I was told everyone is okay,” said Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio regarding the flaming table spot (as well as Arn Anderson’s fall off the stage).

Following the match, AEW posted several photos of Cody’s burnt back to social media.

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CW905UiAY9v/

Cody Rhodes has a habit of doing big moves in Atlanta. He previously did a moonsault off the top of a steel cage when wrestling Wardlow in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena in February of 2020. He would later speak to Sports Illustrated about the spot.

“That was a very Terry Funk style of a moonsault,” said Rhodes. “I’m a bigger guy than people think, so the moonsault doesn’t come off easily.”

“The only piece of thinking in my mind was to throw my head back,” Rhodes continued. “My body will go where my head will go, that’s something John Laurinaitis and Dean Malenko told me when I first started doing the moonsault. As long as I threw my head back, I knew I’d be OK.”

Last night’s main event was the second time Rhodes and Andrade have faced off in singles action. Andrade defeated Rhodes the first time they met back on the November 3rd, 2021 episode of Dynamite.

AEW Dynamite Results (12/1): CM Punk & Bryan Danielson In Action, Atlanta Street Fight

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA. Cody Rhodes faced Andrade El Idolo in an Atlanta Street Fight in the main event. CM Punk squared off against Lee Moriarty and Bryan Dranielson faced Alan “5” Angels from Dark Order. The TBS Championship Tournament continued with a quarterfinals matchup between Ruby Soho & Kris Statlander.

Dynamite Results (12/1)

  1. Bryan Danielson def. Alan “5” Angels
  2. CM Punk def. Lee Moriarty
  3. Wardlow def. AC Adams
  4. Darby Allin & Sting def. Gunn Club
  5. Ruby Soho def. Kris Statlander to advance in the TBS Championship tournament
  6. Cody Rhodes def. Andrade El Idolo in an Atlanta Street Fight

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan Danielson def. Alan Angels, Title Match Set For Winter Is Coming

Bryan Danielson faced Alan “5” Angels from Dark Order in the first match of the night. AEW Champion Hangman Adam Page joined commentary for the match. Hangman Page will defend the title against Bryan Danielson in two weeks at Dynamite: Winter is Coming.

Danielson controlled the action early and quickly applied a Half Crag. Angels got to the bottom rope but Danielson waited until the referee counted to four. Danielson laughed and stayed by the ropes as Angels wanted to fight. Eventually, Danielson locked up with Angels and drover him to the corner.

Angels escaped and lit up Danielson’s chest with some chops. Danielson hit Angels with an uppercut and some knee strikes to the face. Angels hit a weak kick to Danielson’s leg and Bryan no sold it. Danielson shoved Angels back to the corner and delivered some chops until Alan collapsed to the canvas.

Danielson pulled Alan up only to drop him back down with a running Dropkick to the face. Bryan posed before bouncing Angel’s face off the turnbuckle. Bryan hit a series of uppercuts before posing again for the booing crowd. Angels reversed an uppercut into a roll-up for a two count before hitting some punches. Danielson hit a Suplex and went for an Armbar but Angels reached the bottom rope to break it up.

Angels caught Bryan with a Dropkick and knocked him out of the ring. Angels hit a Suicide Dive and quickly climbed to the middle turnbuckle. Alan connected with a Moonsault and rolled Danielson back into the ring. Angels climbed to the top rope but Danielson was back up. Angels hopped down and hit a standing Spanish Fly for a near fall. Angels went back to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Danielson got out of the way.

Bryan hit the Running Knee but waved to the crowd that the match wasn’t over. Danielson stomped on Angel’s face over and over again before applying a Knee Bar for the submission victory. Bryan flexed while maintaining the hold for a bit after the match was over. Danielson flexed into the camera and vowed to become the next AEW Champion.

After the match, Tony Schiavone interviewed Bryan Danielson. A rare “Tony!” chant broke out as Schiavone said the Danielson seemed more than ready for his title shot. Danielson joked that he may have snapped Angels MCL and stated that he is going to stomp in a Dark Order’s member from Long Island next week.

Danielson told Hangman Page that he is going to take the AEW Championship in two weeks. Bryan added that he will the show the world that it is “Coward Shit” and not Cowboy Shit. Hangman was about to make his way to the ring but John Silver stopped him. Silver noted that Tony Khan has mandated that Hangman Page and Danielson cannot fight tonight. Silver said that he can fight Danielson and rushed the ring. Danielson exited the ring and said that Silver is beneath him.

MJF Mocked CM Punk & Hid Behind Wardlow

CM Punk battled Lee Moriarty tonight on Dynamite. Just as CM Punk hopped on the ring apron, MJF’s theme hit and he joined commentary for the match. Punk stared at him as MJF noted that Punk looks haggard. MJF joked that “CM” stands for cooking meth as Punk & Moriarty locked up to begin the action.

Punk cartwheeled out of a Wrist Lock and applied one of his own. Moriarty took Punk down to the canvas as MJF showed off his Dynamite Diamond Ring. MJF claimed that CM Punk already looked tired and that this is laughable. Maxwell wondered if CM Punk really was a top guy if he was struggling this much with Lee Moriarty.

Lee took Punk down with an Arm Drag but Punk battled to his feet. Punk connected with a leg lariat and followed it up with a springboard Clothesline as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Punk was in control after hitting a couple Body Slams and getting Moriarty in a Headlock.

Moriarty escaped and hit Punk with a Clothesline. Lee followed it up with a kick to the face and then an uppercut. Lee hit a Suplex and went for the cover but Punk kicked out at two. The crowd got behind Punk as he battled back. Punk hit a Crossbody but Moriarty rolled through for a near fall. Lee got Punk in a Crossface in the middle off the ring but Punk was able to get his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold.

Punk hit a boot to the midsection and perched Lee up on the top turnbuckle. CM Punk punched Moriarty in the face and joined him up on the top rope. Punk hit a Hurricanrana but Lee rolled through into a cover for a two count. CM Punk booted Lee on the side of the head and bought himself some time to regroup. Lee hit Punk with the Pepsi Twist and followed it up with a running kick to the face. Moriarty hit a slam and went for the cover for a two count. Punk hit the GTS for the pinfall victory and improved to 8-0 in AEW.

After the match, MJF grabbed a microphone and told Punk that he was proud of him because it takes a lot of balls to claim you are the Best in the World when you are struggling to beat QT Marshall and Lee Moriarty. MJF joked that Punk was the best in world in trying to get in Britt Baker’s pants and Punk asked for a microphone. CM Punk told MJF that QT Marshall and Lee Moriarty were both better than MJF and he knows it. Punk challenged MJF to bring his little needle dick into the ring right now and he will kick his ass all the way to Long Island.

MJF told the crowd that they weren’t going to see a fight tonight. Maxwell vowed to win the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal next week in his hometown. MJF claimed that he was going to be better that Piper in Portland, Bret Hart in Canada, and CM Punk in Chicago. MJF threatened to put Larry (CM Punk’s dog) to sleep and Punk marched up the entrance ramp. Wardlow showed up and got in CM Punk’s face. AEW officials broke it up and Punk stared at MJF & Wardlow as they left.

Later on Dynamite, Wardlow faced AC Adams and beat him in a quick squash match. Wardlow hit Adams with four Powerbombs for the pinfall victory. Shawn Spears attacked AC Adams with a steel chair after the match before raising Wardlow’s hand.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1466224004482707456?s=20

Adam Cole & Young Bucks Attacked Orange Cassidy

Adam Cole joined commentary and traded words with Tony Schiavone. Orange Cassidy made his entrance for a match but got distracted by the Young Bucks. Adam Cole hit Cassidy with a low blow and Young Bucks mocked his lazy kicks before delivering a double Superkick to the face. Matt and Nick posed before Best Friends made the save. Cole and Young Bucks retreated as Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta checked on Cassidy.

Darby Allin & Sting def. Gunn Club

Darby Allin & Sting faced Billy & Colten Gunn this week on Dynamite. Allin and Colten started off the action. Colten got Darby in a Headlock but Darby escaped. Colten hit a shoulder tackle but Allin battled back. Darby went for an Arm Drag and connected before hitting a Dropkick that sent Colten to the corner.

Billy Gunn tagged in and started at Sting. Darby backed to the corner and Sting tagged in. Sting and Billy Gunn got in a stare down before Gunn went for a jab. Sting blocked it and hit an Atomic Drop. Sting followed it up with a Clothesline and set up for a Splash but Billy rolled out of the ring. The Gunn Club regrouped before Colten got into the ring.

Darby tagged back in and got Colten in a Headlock. Billy tagged in and slammed Darby to the mat. Billy taunted Sting before lifting Darby up by his tights. Billy bashed Darby’s face into the top turnbuckle and tagged Colten back in. Colten beat down Allin for a bit before tagging Billy in as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Allin knocked Billy off the apron and tagged in The Icon. Sting unloaded a couple Clotheslines and followed it up with Splashes in opposite corners of the ring. Sting Clotheslined Billy to the outside and planted Colten with a Spinebuster. Sting fired up the crowd and applied the Scorpion Deathlock but Billy distracted the referee.

Austin Gunn got in a cheap shot on Sting but Darby took him out with a Suicide Dive. Billy hit Sting with the Fameasser and Colten went for a cover but Sting somehow kicked out at two. Allin then leveled Billy with a ridiculous dive before hitting Colten with a Stunner. Sting followed it up with the Scorpion Death Drop for the pinfall victory.

2point0 & Daniel Garcia Attacked Jericho

Alex Marvez caught up with Chris Jericho backstage. Jericho saved Eddie Kingston from 2point0 and Daniel Garcia at the conclusion of last week’s episode of Rampage. Jericho said he wasn’t trying to help Eddie Kingston, he came out there to put a stop to 2point0 and Daniel Garcia. The interview was cut shot by 2point0 and Garcia. They attacked Jericho and bashed him over the head with a steel chair.

Ruby Soho Advanced In The TBS Championship Tournament

Ruby Soho faced Kris Statlander in the quarterfinals of the TBS Championship tournament. Statlander got Soho in a Headlock in the middle of the ring to start off the contest. Ruby escaped and got Statlander in a Headlock of her own. Kris escaped and ducked under a punch. Soho and Statlander had a stare down before locking up again.

Statlander went back to the Headlock but Ruby countered into a roll-up. Statlander went for a kick but Ruby got her hands up. Kris allowed Ruby to get up and then rolled her up for a two count. Statlander did a handstand to get out of a move and went to boot Ruby on the nose but Soho wasn’t having it. Ruby sent Kris across the ring with an Arm Drag. Soho hit another one and went for the cover but Kris kicked out at two.

When Dynamite returned from a commercial break, Statlander was in control of the match. Ruby battled back and went for a Bulldog but Statlander countered into a Powerbomb for a two count. Soho connected with a reverse Hurricanrana and went for the cover but Statlander was able to kick out at two. Statlander set up for Big Bang Theory but Soho countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Statlander and Soho shook hands and Kris left the ring. Nyla Rose took the opportunity to attack Soho and beat her down before Statlander made the save. Ruby Soho will face Nyla Rose in the semifinals of the TBS Championship Tournament.

Cody def. Andrade In A Street Fight

Cody Rhodes faced Andrade El Idolo in an Atlanta Street Fight in the main event of this week’s episode of Dynamite. Jose and Arn Anderson were ringside for the match. Cody got booed by his hometown crowd during his entrance. Andrade attacked Cody at the top of the entrance ramp and the two wrestlers battled next to the stage. Arn and Jose traded punches and made their way backstage.

A “Cody!” chant broke out and Rhodes hit a Moonsault off the barricade. Cody brought Andrade through the crowd and back to the ringside area. Andrade hit Cody with a chop to the chest and lifted him up in the Fireman’s Carry. Andrade dropped Cody onto the steel steps.

Cody battled back and hit a Powerslam in the ring. Rhodes’ back looked like it was peeling from a bad sunburn as Andrade took back control. Andrade brought out a tool bag and bashed Cody with a laptop computer. Back from the break, Andrade went for a Moonsault but Rhodes countered by throwing a chair at him.

Cody went for a Suicide Dive but Andrade countered with a chair shot. Andrade took the padding off to expose the concrete floor. Andrade went for the Hammerlock DDT but Cody countered into a Back Body Drop. Cody pulled out a sledgehammer from under the ring before grabbing a golden shovel. Rhodes bashed Jose in the face as he ran down the entrance ramp. Andrade leaped off a chair onto the top turnbuckle. Andrade almost took a spill but thankfully got his balance and hit a Crossbody.

Back in the ring, Andrade put a chair on Cody’s face in the corner of the ring. Andrade hit a Running Knee that sent the chair into the busted open face of Cody. Andrade went for the cover but Cody was able to kick out at two. El Idolo set up a table in the corner and put Cody through it with an Arm Drag.

Andrade got another table and brought it into the ring. Cody grabbed the other end of it but Andrade punched him in the face. Andrade set Cody up on the table and climbed to the top turnbuckle. He took forever and Cody cut him off. Cody went for a Superplex but Andrade was able to block it. Andrade then turned his back to Cody to set up for a Moonsault. Brandi Rhodes showed up and Cody crotched Andrade on the top turnbuckle. Brandi poured gas on the table and lit it on fire. Cody hit a reverse Suplex through the table and landed back first on the flames. Cody was still on fire a bit as he covered Andrade for the pinfall victory. Cody and Brandi celebrated to end the show.

Tony Khan Shows Support For Jim Ross As He Undergoes Skin Cancer Treatment

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

AEW boss Tony Khan has heaped praise on Jim Ross and sent well wishes as he begins treatment.

In late November, JR announced that he will be stepping away from the AEW booth for a while as he starts radiation treatment for his skin cancer. Ross has battled skin cancer before and has overcome it.

Tony Khan Rooting For Jim Ross

Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio and said that despite taking time off for treatment, Jim Ross remains invested in the AEW product.

“With JR this past week making that announcement there’s a lot of people rallying around him too. JR I think is a great voice in wrestling.

“In talking to him, he was talking about the buzz around the show today too. Jim doesn’t wanna just sit back and get these treatments and step away from wrestling.

“He’s still very much involved even though he’s not gonna be calling the show tonight. That’s another thing.

“For fans who are new to AEW, even though he won’t be in the booth tonight, one thing that has made people feel comfortable, made them feel at home watching wrestling is the voice of JR and the voice of Tony Schiavone out there.

“We’re all gonna miss Jim for the next several weeks very much. But I agree with you, he adds so much to the matches he calls, to the shows he calls, and JR I think is the greatest voice in wrestling.”

At first, JR didn’t anticipate missing any time on AEW TV. He then realized that keeping up with all of his treatments while making shows each week was a tall order and it’s best for him to simply focus on his health.

JR is hoping to make his return on the Dec. 29 episode of AEW Dynamite. Of course, that’ll be the final Dynamite show of 2021 and the last episode on TNT. The program will move to TBS on Jan. 5.

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

Xavier Woods Set To Host Nickelodeon’s ‘Treasure Truck’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Xavier Woods is a busy man these days.

In addition to being crowned “King” on WWE TV, Woods also plays host on the revived G4 network. His next gig is hosting a holiday special on Nickelodeon called, Treasure Truck.

Xavier Woods Hosting ‘Treasure Truck’

TheWrap is reporting that Xavier Woods has agreed to host Treasure Truck. The show will see four families compete to win gift prizes. It wouldn’t be a Nickelodeon special without slime, of course.

As of late, Woods has developed a reputation for being a solid host when it comes to gaming. He definitely seems to be branching out a bit more with this new gig at Nickelodeon.

Woods garnered success with the UpUpDownDown YouTube channel but there has reportedly been tension in that area. It was reported by Fightful that the content creators of UpUpDownDown have halted production as there is a sense that WWE is taking advantage of Woods’ hard work on the channel.

Woods surprised some when he told SportsKeeda that if he were to be released by WWE, he’d simply say, ‘Deuces, it’s been a fun ride.’

For others, his response wasn’t surprising as Woods has carved a niche for himself outside the wrestling business.

Cody Rhodes Still Speaks With Fellow AEW EVPs

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Cody Rhodes insists he’s still in communication with the core members of AEW.

Rhodes is one of the key figures that started a movement that would eventually lead to AEW. The others were Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. Their efforts ultimately led to Tony Khan gaining the confidence to start a new wrestling promotion.

While everything seemed to be smooth sailing between the four, it had been rumored that Omega and Young Bucks have distanced themselves from Cody. It’s even been speculated that Cody doesn’t talk to his fellow EVPs anymore.

Cody Rhodes’ Relationship With AEW EVPs

During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Cody Rhodes claimed that he’s still in contact with Omega and The Young Bucks.

“As of now, my future is with AEW. AEW would be very strange without the core members of the revolution. We all still talk. We all have this admiration for each other. I can’t see myself anywhere else, and I’m very optimistic about what the future holds.”

Rhodes went on to discuss how far AEW has come in a short period of time.

“We’re essentially at the three-year point of AEW, and our stability is the tell-tale sign that our vision was the proper vision. We have such a stable company that Bryan Danielson decided to cross that line, that CM Punk decided to join after seven years away, that Adam Cole—who was being groomed to be a massive star in WWE—decided to cross the line. And that’s not a knock on them, it just shows that we have built a very stable infrastructure.”

Cody has been involved in a storyline with PAC, Malakai Black, and Andrade El Idolo. On the Dec. 1 episode of AEW Dynamite, Cody will be taking on Andrade in a street fight.

The last time Cody was in the ring with Andrade El Idolo, he ended up getting pinned thanks to interference from FTR.

Ric Flair: Crazed Fan Clearly Got The Better Of Seth Rollins

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Ric Flair doesn’t believe Seth Rollins held his own in the midst of a fan attack.

On the Nov. 22 episode of Monday Night Raw, Seth was in for an unpleasant surprise. A fan, who has been identified as 24-year-old Elisah Spencer, hopped the barricade and tackled Seth on the ramp.

Seth had a guillotine choke position but he lost it before security grabbed a hold of Spencer. The fan was escorted out of the Barclays Center and arrested by the NYPD for attempted assault and attempted violation of arts and cultural affairs.

Ric Flair Talks Seth Rollins-Fan Incident

During an episode of the Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast, Ric Flair said he’s seen a lot of fan incidents with wrestlers but he’s never seen the fan get a clear upper hand the way he feels Spencer did on Seth Rollins.

“In all fairness, I could say a lot of cute things, but I’m not going to. Every time I say something, I have to involve other people and they have to endure the consequences, so I’m just going to say this. I’ve seen that happen, but I’ve never seen it where I recall the mark, the fan, clearly was getting the better of the individual.”

Flair went on to say that he feels Seth didn’t exactly make himself look good by telling TMZ that he was “terrified” of the situation.

“My problem with Seth is if you’re a top guy in this business, and you know anything about the psychology of what the fans think and feel, which they really do, you never, ever, ever, get off an airplane in L.A.and say, ‘I was terrified.’ Terrified of what? Terrifying is being in an airplane crash. You were terrified or horrified by a wrestling fan? Come on man.”

Flair went on to say that Rollins essentially admitted to getting his “ass kicked.” He was also dismissive of the notion that Seth wanted to avoid legal troubles, which was suggested by WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray.

It’s been said that the crazed fan had been catfished by a Seth Rollins impersonator. The impersonator allegedly scammed Spencer into buying Amazon gift cards.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the quotes.

The Rock Reveals His Mt. Rushmore Of Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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The Rock recently responded to a Tweet from FITE.TV asking followers to name their Mt. Rushmore of wrestling. He referred to the question as one of his favorite debates.

The Rock named Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and Ric Flair as his top-3 and then he revealed a 3-way tie for the 4th spot between the Undertaker, Pat Patterson, and Jackie Fargo. He also said that on the back of the mountain is him and Dusty Rhodes dropping devastating elbows.

The Rock Touts Success of Red Notice

The Rock’s latest film, Red Notice, has broken the record as the most-watched film on Netflix. The film also stars Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot.

How much of the film’s success can be attributed to the golden egg angle at Survivor Series and on RAW is unclear. The Rock was originally planned to be at Survivor Series to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut. He was unable to be there, however, as the 2nd season of Young Rock is currently filming in Australia. This was addressed recently by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“Dwayne’s out of the country and can’t come back. They’re doing a movie and they can’t go back and forth because of quarantine. There was no way he could be at the show tonight,” said Dave Meltzer.

Reason Why The Rock Couldn’t Appear At Survivor Series

Ric Flair Says AEW Should Sign Bray Wyatt

Chris Stephens
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Ric Flair released a new episode of his Woo Nation podcast today. During the discussion, Flair mentioned he believes AEW should sign Bray Wyatt.

Mark Madden asked Flair if AEW was signing too many wrestlers and Flair took the opportunity to mention his belief that the promotion should sign Wyatt.

“I most definitely would hire Bray Wyatt,” Flair said. “I’m a huge fan of his. The kid can work and talk and he comes up with some incredible ideas. I know you aren’t crazy about those gimmicks but when you think that he put the time and effort, those were his thought process. Plus, he’s legit, he’s a tough kid, he’s an amateur wrestler, played football at Troy.”

“I’m just a big fan of his. I like his brother a lot too. You couldn’t find a handsomer more athletic guy. I think if I’m going to hire one more guy, I’d hire Bray Wyatt.”

“The last guy I would have fired if I were Vince would have been Bray Wyatt. So, there must have been something there that I’m missing.”

Regarding Bray Wyatt’s free agency, it was recently noted by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that he is absolutely not going to Impact Wrestling.

The full podcast with Flair can be viewed in the player below:

Jim Ross Reveals He’s Going To Write Another Book

Chris Stephens
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Jim Ross is planning to write another book. He revealed this news on the latest edition of his Grillin JR podcast.

In 2024, JR will celebrate 50 years in the wrestling business and publishers are interested in releasing another book to celebrate the anniversary.

“I’m going to write another book, it looks like,” Ross said on the show.

“We’ve been offered a deal from a couple of publishers about my 50 years in wrestling. I got in in ‘74, so it’s 2024, a couple of years. If I’m above ground, that’s what’s going to happen. That should be fun. I never stopped loving what I did.”

Jim Ross’ Books

Jim Ross has written three books to date. In 2003, he released “JR’s Cookbook” in association with WWE.

In 2017, he released “Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling.”

Last year, he released “Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond.”

Health Update

Good o’l JR will miss tonight’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite as he continues radiation treatment for skin cancer.

Ross has been documenting his treatments on social media. Just today, he noted that he is ready to start day 3 of his 21-day treatment.

He expects to return to AEW television at the December 29th edition of Dynamite from Jacksonville, FL.

Once again, we wish Jim Ross the very best of luck with his health!

H/T to WrestleNewsCO for the transcription.

Bryan Danielson Debuts New Masked Gimmick On AEW Dark (Allegedly)

Chris Stephens
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Although this can’t be officially confirmed, it is believed that Bryan Danielson debuted a new masked gimmick on AEW Dark last night. The character Infinito made his AEW debut on the show wearing a black and gold full body suit with a mask. He defeated Ray Jaz in single’s competition.

“Introducing first, from the infinite universe, from the beginning and end of time, weighing more than you could possibly imagine, Infinito!” The character was introduced as by Justin Roberts.

Infinito and Jaz started the match off with some basic grappling. He then gained the advantage with a series of monkey flips. Infinito would later set up his opponent in what was referred to as the infinite airplane spin. While the move did not go on infinitely, it did go on for quite some time. After finally putting his opponent down, Infinito cradled him and got the 3-count. His official record is now 1-0.

Cody Rhodes is also alleged to have dawned a mask and debuted as Fuego 2. This character has been teaming with Fuego del Sol in the tag-team Too Fast Too Fuego.

Infinito appears to have been awarded an official AEW contract.

The full episode of AEW Dark featuring the debut of Infinito can be viewed in the player below:

Eric Bischoff On If AEW Is Hoarding Talent

Chris Stephens
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Eric Bischoff recently commented on if AEW is hoarding talent similar to what WCW is often alleged to have done during the Monday Night Wars. Bischoff was on his 83 Weeks podcast when he made the below comments.

“One of the biggest criticisms that I got from the dirt sheet community led by Dave Meltzer was ‘he’s signed too many WWE guys. Got too many people on the roster. Not letting the young talent get a shot because it’s bloated with ex-WWE guys.’ Okay, guess what? Some of that was true and some of that I deserved. Is history repeating itself? I don’t know, maybe?”

Bischoff continued to say he’s not aware of what Tony Khan’s strategy is regarding roster size. He would also say, however, that if there is no strategy, signing too many wrestlers could backfire.

“That being said, if there is no strategy and if you’re simply loading up your roster for the sake of building a big roster because having a big roster is your measure of success, then yeah there’s a chance it could backfire.”

Bischoff then continued to say that if you have a large roster but many wrestlers feel they are not being utilized enough, it could lead to disgruntled workers.

“If you’re not using those people to the extent that they feel like they’re getting their part of that dream, then ultimately, you can have a challenge and that challenge can become malignant and dangerous.”

Bischoff has been critical of AEW as of late. He has accused AEW President Tony Khan of manipulating data in order to make his promotion seem more competitive to WWE. More on that story is available in the link below:

Eric Bischoff Claims Tony Khan Manipulates Ratings Data To Make AEW Appear Competitive

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.

Trish Stratus To Host WWE Live Event In Toronto

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Trish Stratus is returning to WWE next month to host a live event from her hometown of Toronto. The show will emanate from the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Wednesday, December 29th.

“Excited to step through that curtain and feel the energy of the WWE Universe one more time. Let’s do this Toronto!” Stratus wrote on her official website.

The WWE Hall of Famer and 7x World Champion took to social media to officially announce she will be hosting the event.

The event will be a RAW branded house show. Matches advertised on local WWE programming in the area include Big E defending the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley, and Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair for the RAW Women’s Championship. The RK-Bro team of Matt Riddle and Randy Orton are also advertised as being on the show.

Stratus is also set to be a judge on Canada’s Got Talent along with Kardi and Lilly Singh. The season will begin airing next spring. The Toronto native is also promoting the movie “Christmas in the Rockies” which was released on DVD last week. Stratus plays the role of Marie Brown in the film.

Stratus had her last ever match in Toronto at SummerSlam 2019. She was defeated by Charlotte Flair on the show.

WWE NXT 2.0 Results (11/30): #1 Contenders Match, Ladder Bouts

Andrew Ravens
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The November 30, 2021 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.

WWE NXT Results 

  • Kay Lee Ray defeated Dakota Kai in a ladder match
  • Cameron Grimes defeated Andre Chase 
  • Von Wagner and Kyle O’Reilly defeated Legado Del Fantasma
  • Joe Gacy defeated the shorter enhancement wrestler 
  • Solo Sikoa defeated Edris Enofe
  • Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell defeated Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz
  • Bron Breakker defeated Johnny Gargano

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bron Breakker vs Johnny Gargano

Bron Breakker vs Johnny Gargano was set up when the fans voted for them to represent their teams in the Men’s WarGames match this Sunday. 

There was a promo segment where the new school talked about taking out the older guys. Gargano cut a promo about how Bron is “The Big Bad Booty Nephew”He asked Bron to leave his team in the back and Bron agreed. 

This ladder match served as the main event. There were various nasty bumps with Gargano taking a back bump on the ladder while Bron hit an elbow dive on a ladder. Bron got the briefcase to win the match. Bron has earned the advantage for his team at WarGames. 

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1465876943706984449

Cameron Grimes vs. Andre Chase

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Cameron Grimes vs. Andre Chase in a singles match was booked after Chase had issued a challenge via a video posted on his Twitter account. 

This came just days before Grimes steps into the ring with Duke Hudson in a hair vs. hair match at WarGames. 

The match was short and one-sided with Grimes going over with his double foot stomp for the win. Post-match, Hudson appeared to congratulate on his final victory with a full head of hair. He showed off photoshopped photos of Grimes with different hair styles. Grimes this Sunday he would be shaving him bald. 

#1 Contenders Match

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Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde of Legado del Fantasma vs. Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner took place with the winners becoming the new #1 contenders to NXT Tag Team Champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner of Imperium for a title match at WarGames.

Barthel and Aichner won the NXT Tag Team Titles from MSK at Halloween Havoc last month. 

The match was fun with Wagner hitting his finisher for the win.

Ladder Match

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Kay Lee Ray vs. Dakota Kai in a WarGames Advantage Ladder Match kicked off the show.

They did a lot of brawling. At one point, Kai hit a double foot stomp off the top of the ladder. Ray knocked Kai off the ladder and grabbed the briefcase. It wasn’t the wildest match you’ll ever see, but it was a solid performance. 

As a result of the win, earned the WarGames entrance order advantage for her team as Io Shirai, Raquel Gonzalez, Cora Jade & Kay Lee Ray are facing Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin, Jacy Jayne & Kai in a WarGames match at NXT WarGames this Sunday. 

Who Got Invited? 

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Joe Gacy held his “All-Inclusive Invitational” on this show. Gacy is challenging for Roderick Strong’s Cruiserweight Championship at NXT WarGames.

Gacy talked about his vision and sees there be no weight limits or the views of someone looking different. He said that he will have a conflict resolution this Sunday. He asked fans to take a look at a glimpse into the future. 

Gacy proceeded to have a gauntlet match against a small dude, who got crushed. He then was about to wrestle a big guy and a woman, but Diamond Mine then came out. Malcolm said that Diamond Mind is going to shut up Gacy for good. Gacy got into a brawl with the group and laid out Strong with a clothesline. 

The Rock Touts Record-Breaking Success Of Red Notice

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The Rock continues to have immense success in the world of Hollywood.

“The People’s Champion” stars in a new film called, Red Notice. He is joined by Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot. The movie hasn’t even been out a full month and has already broken a record.

The Rock Helps Red Notice Top Netflix Record

Netflix has announced that Red Notice is the most-watched film in the platform’s history. The Rock took to his Twitter account to express his gratitude.

“I also received confirmation (these metrics take time to be verified from the Wall Street folks) that well over 50% (closer to 60%) of all Netflix accounts have viewed RED NOTICE with an INCREDIBLE 92% AUDIENCE SCORE. THANK U GUYS!!”

Cleopatra’s Egg Used On WWE TV

  • Austin Theory vince mcmahon e1637640728610
    Photo: WWE.com

WWE reportedly made an “insane” amount of money for using “Cleopatra’s Egg” at Survivor Series, which was a Red Notice tie-in. Fightful Select reported that WWE could be receiving seven figures for the deal.

At the Survivor Series PPV, the egg went missing. As it turns out, it was Austin Theory who took the prized possession simply because he wanted to take a selfie with it.

Vince McMahon ended up awarding Austin a title opportunity against WWE Champion Big E at a future date. He also ended up slapping Theory on the Nov. 29 episode of Monday Night Raw.

Fightful Select reported that the initial pitch for the movie tie-in was “much worse” and would’ve involved the WWE 24/7 Championship.

Big Swole Announces She’s No Longer in AEW

Tyriece Simon
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Former AEW talent Big Swole has announced that she has left All Elite Wrestling. AEW signed her to the company on December 9, 2019.

She shared on Twitter that she and AEW had decided not to renew her contract. Big Swole thanked AEW President Tony Khan and the company for her time with them. She ends her AEW career with a record of 33-13.

https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1465814400653213699

Big Swole Career in AEW

Big Swole made her AEW debut at AEW All Out on August 31, 2019. She competed in the Women’s Casino Battle Royal in a losing effort. Throughout her career in AEW, she mainly appeared time on AEW Dark. Big Swole’s most notable rivalry was with current AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker last year. The feud also had memorable moments like Big Swole kidnapping Baker. The rivalry culminated at AEW All Out on September 5, 2020, where she defeated Baker in a Tooth and Nail match.

Despite her success in AEW, Big Swole faced issues in her personal life. She battled pneumonia in 2020, which also resulted in a flare-up of her Crohn’s Disease. Big Swole wrestled on January 22, defeating Alex Garcia at AEW Dark before taking a brief time off. She shared that she couldn’t take medicine because it could’ve resulted in death because of COVID-19.

Big Swole made her return to AEW on March 15 at AEW Dark Elevation defeating Skyler Moore. In her last match for the company, she defeated Allie Katch at AEW Dark on September 21. She also ends had a record of 16-4 this year in AEW.

Big Swole has not shared what her plans are now that she didn’t re-sign to AEW. However, based on her announcement, it seems Big Swole wrestling career isn’t over.

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