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WWE NXT 2.0 Results (12/14): Jade vs. Kai, Breakker vs. Strong

Andrew Ravens
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The December 14, 2021 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Cameron Grimes def. Duke Hudson.
  • Ivy Nile (w/Malcolm Bivens) def. Amari Miller.
  • Harland (w/Joe Gacy) def. Guru Raaj.
  • Cora Jade def. Dakota Kai.
  • Tony D’Angelo def. Andre Chase.
  • Boa def. Edris Enofe.
  • Jacket Time (Ikemen Jiro & KUSHIDA) def. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson).
  • Bron Breaker def. Roderick Strong.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Grayson Waller Speaks

0NXT 1

WWE had been advertising that Grayson Waller would answer for his actions on thai show after he attacked Johnny Gargano as he gave his farewell speech to the NXT brand on last week’s show. 

The angle was done to write Gargano off television as his contract expired on December 10th. He is officially a free agent. 

Waller cut a promo in the ring about Gargano’s speech and how the fans didn’t help Gargano when he got attacked. He showed footage of his attack on Gargano. He said he ended the career of an NXT legend and touted his week while the fans just complained about him like they always do. He showed off tweets from angry fans as well as a tweet sent out by Wade Barrett. He said that since 2010, he couldn’t care what Barrett has to say about him. He said he doesn’t need anyone except himself to go to the top. 

Non-Title Bout

NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong vs. Bron Breakker in a non-title match took place. 

The match was made after Strong’s manager Malcolm Bivens interrupted Breakker on last week’s show. Bivens said Breakker may have his sights set on Ciampa, but Strong’s sights are on Breakker. Bron stated he doesn’t care who he has to run through to get another title match against Tommaso Ciampa. Their first match happened at Halloween Havoc this October that saw Ciampa retain the NXT Championship. 

This was the main event. Bron took a nasty table bump during it. It was a fun match with power moves by Bron and technical style of Strong. Bron won with his finisher. Post-match, Ciampa planted him with a DDT on the title. 

No Holds Barred Match

Cameron Grimes vs. Duke Hudson in a No Holds Barred match was booked. 

This appears to be the blowoff match for this feud that has been going on for a while and all started when Grimes beat Hudson in a poker game. At WarGames, Grimes beat him in a hair vs. hair match which resulted in Hudson getting a haircut. 

The match featured them using various weapons such as a kendo stick, chairs, and even Grimes going through a poker table. Grimes avoided some clippers and hit his finisher while Hudson was sitting on a chair. 

Harland’s In-Ring Debut

Harland made his in-ring debut against Guru Raaj. Harland beat down this poor guy before hitting his powerslam finisher. After the match, he further beat him down. 

Harland, real name Parker Boudreaux, debuted on NXT this October and is aligned with Joe Gacy, who just lost to  NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong at WarGames.

Harland refers to himself as ‘The Next Big Thing’ and has been praised by Paul Heyman because he resembles Brock Lesnar.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1470934263067557893

Cora Jade vs. Dakota Kai

Cora Jade vs. Dakota Kai in a singles match took place. This was a rematch from last month where Kai defeated Jade in their first meeting.

At WarGames, Jade, Io Shirai, Raquel Gonzalez & Kay Lee Ray defeated Kai & Toxic Attraction (Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) in the women’s WarGames match when Jade pinned Jayne to get the win. Jade overcame a storyline shoulder injury that she suffered during the match.

Last week, Jade appeared with her arm in a sling and interrupted Toxic Attraction after Mandy Rose had mentioned her name. Raquel Gonzalez then made her way out with a steel chair to back up Jade. 

Rose was on commentary for the match. Kai went to get a shuffle and when she got into the ring, Jade rolled her up for the win. Post-match, Kai attacked her until Raquel came out to make the save. Raquel brawled with her through the crowd. Rose laid out Jade. 

Bret Hart Calls Out Hulk Hogan’s Limited Wrestling Ability

Ryan Droste
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Bret Hart’s disdain for Hulk Hogan is nothing new, and the topic came up again this week during an interview with the WWE legend’s hometown newspaper.

Hart took part in an interview with the Calgary Sun in advance of his December 17th induction into the Canadian Walk of Fame. During the discussion, Hart was asked about his influence on future generations of wrestlers. Of course, the topic of Hogan came up.

“I think it all goes back to when Gorilla Monsoon called me the ‘Excellence of Execution.’ I was just a guy who did everything right. I remember when I started wrestling, I knew how everything worked. I knew how to take turnbuckle (hits to the chest), I knew how to body slam. When you want to watch how to do something in wrestling, you watch my matches back. You’ll learn how to do a Sharpshooter. That’s how you do it. Want to learn how to do a standing suplex? That’s how you do it. I was always that guy,” Hart said.

“He didn’t know a headlock from a headlamp. He didn’t know very much.”

– Bret Hart on Hulk Hogan

He continued, “And all the Canadian wrestlers like Natalya or Edge were influenced by me. I think if you look back at wrestling when it was the Hulk Hogan show. He was six-foot-eight and a one-out-of-three wrestler. He didn’t know a headlock from a headlamp. He didn’t know very much. He knew how to do a clothesline and maybe a body slam. He was very limited.”

Bret Hart was crowned WWE Champion in October 1992. The World Wrestling Federation was undergoing a dramatic change during this period. After an era of larger-than-life muscle-bound champions, the Hitman ushered in a new era of technical excellence.

“Vince McMahon took a chance with me and made me that champion. It meant so much to me that I think I tried to live up to be that champion. It was about being the best wrestler. I gave so much as that wrestler. I was a good role model in the dressing room. All that means a lot.”

The SummerSlam Main Event That Wasn’t

Hart’s dislike for Hogan goes back to 1993 when the Hitman claims that Hogan was slated to drop the WWE Championship to him at SummerSlam in Detroit in a passing of the torch moment. Hart had lost the title to Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX earlier in the year, and Hogan came out to assist the injured Hart on the outside of the ring following his controversial loss. It was at that time that Mr. Fuji challenged Hogan to face Yokozuna; Hogan won the WWE Championship in less than one minute.

That eventual Hart vs. Hogan match never occurred in the WWE. Hart wrote in his 2007 autobiography that Hogan refused to lose to him because of his size.

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

Booker T Supportive Of WWE Star Xia Li: ‘She Can Definitely Get Over’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Booker T thinks there could be some serious potential with Xia Li.

Li was brought on board at the WWE Performance Center back in 2017. She competed in the Mae Young Classic and WWE officials were impressed with her efforts.

In 2019, Xia Li made her Royal Rumble debut. She then transitioned to the NXT roster and is now a member of the SmackDown brand. Many have high hopes for WWE’s first Chinese female talent.

Booker T Talks Xia Li’s Ceiling

During an episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T was asked by a fan about his thoughts on Xia Li. It’s clear that Booker T thinks there’s some potential there.

“She’s got talent. She definitely can perform and she’s different. I think, man if given a chance and put in the right position she definitely can get over. Let’s just put it that way and that right there, that’s the question for a lot of guys.

“A lot of times you wonder and I’m using examples now because one of my favorite guys before he ever came to WWE was Ricochet, Prince Puma. I was like, ‘Good God, this guy’s amazing.’ And then he gets to WWE and it seemed like it’s taken him a while to figure it out but now you see Ricochet on the rise.

“You see him getting the shine and me personally, I just hope it don’t take that long to see if this thing works out [with Xia Li].”

Xia Li made her SmackDown debut on Dec. 10. She protected Naomi from Shayna Baszler, Natalya, and heel authority figure Sonya Deville.

It hasn’t taken long for Li to gain support within WWE. Before her release, Serena Deeb was a coach at the WWE Performance Center and she praised Li several times. Sasha Banks has also been supportive of Xia.

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Tommy Dreamer Shares Advice For Austin Theory In Midst Of His WWE Push

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Tommy Dreamer has some pointers for Austin Theory.

Theory is currently enjoying a push on the WWE main roster. As a member of the Raw brand, he’s been featured in ongoing backstage segments with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

Theory’s segments have drawn strong viewership from younger audiences. WWE management is taking notice, according to the Wrestling Observer. Theory is particularly a hit with teenager viewers, a demographic WWE seeks to attract.

Tommy Dreamer Has Tips For Austin Theory

Tommy Dreamer spoke with Bully Ray during an episode of The Fat n The Furious on Busted Open Radio. During the show, Dreamer explained how Austin Theory can give himself the best chance at making this push last.

“Yes [I’m a fan of Austin Theory]. He is unproven I feel on the main roster. He was doing an excellent job when he first got called up when he was tagging with Andrade with Zelina Vega.

“I thought he was doing very, very good and then he went to NXT, answered the call in NXT, also became very, very entertaining in NXT, showed different sides of him and I hope we can see different sides of him on Monday Night Raw.

“You’re getting an opportunity, don’t blow that opportunity. Literally, do everything the best that you can, and like I said go above and beyond because they’re interested in you right now. That can change but run with it. It will only change if you mess it up.”

At the Survivor Series PPV, WWE did a movie tie-in with Red Notice, starring The Rock. During the PPV, Vince McMahon showcased Cleopatra’s egg valued at $100 million.

The egg went missing but it didn’t take long to find out who took it. It was Theory who was the culprit. Vince ended up giving him a pass, however, and is taking him under his wing.

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Eddie Kingston on Turning Down WWE Offer, His Road to AEW

Tyriece Simon
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Eddie Kingston has shared what led to him signing with All Elite Wrestling and turning down WWE’s offer. Kingston credits Low Ki, Cody Rhodes, and his mother for helping him secure the biggest break of his wrestling career.

Kingston appeared on the Swerve City Podcast with Shane “Swerve” Stickland and Monteasy Jones to discuss his journey to AEW. In the interview, Kingston shared that he had an opportunity to be a developmental coach for WWE in the past but turned it down. He also shared that Low Ki helped him change his lifestyle and deal with personal issues last year.

“…The pandemic made me mature. It made me deal with issues that I did not deal with. That I shoved down,” said Kingston. He continued, “…During the pandemic, I dealt with a lot of things. I dealt with me being lazy. I dealt with me not being fully focused. You know what I mean? At the time, my boy Low Ki was there with me, and people can say whatever they want to say about him, but he helped me focus.”

During the pandemic, Kingston lived with Low ki. He shared before the pandemic, he went to the United Kingdom and had a hard time getting back to the United States. He ended up staying with Low Ki in Orlando, Florida. However, it’s unclear how long it lasted.

When speaking on Low Ki’s advice, Kingston said, “He was like, ‘what are you doing with your life. Now that you have this time off, what are you doing in your life.’ He just asked me that, and I was like, huh. It just clear as day came to me. It was like, okay, I want to do this, this, and this. He was like, ‘All right, get to work. You have time now.’ And I got to work.”

Eddie Kingston Calling out Cody Rhodes

Kingston refocused on his wrestling career after taking Low Ki’s advice and dealing with his issues. He revealed that he got his opportunity to wrestle for AEW after calling out Rhodes during Internet Championship Wrestling- No Holds Barred Volume 3:Deathmatch Drive-In 2 on July 4, 2020. After his call out, a representative from AEW asked if he wanted to come to do a match with Rhodes. However, Kingston didn’t view the opportunity as more than just a match and just wanted to get paid. At the time, he was selling his wrestling gear for money and had problems with paying off his mortgage. Kingston impressed AEW and fans when he made his first AEW appearance on July 22, 2020.

His Debut Match with Cody Rhodes

Kingston revealed that the aired promo before his match was his second attempt. He mentioned Rhodes as Cody Rhodes in the first promo, and AEW President Tony Khan told Kingston that he had to do it over. Rhodes couldn’t use his wrestling name during that time and was going by Cody. Regardless, AEW liked his debut, and he credits Rhodes as a good opponent.

“…They can say whatever they want to say about Cody, but that man danced with me that night. Cody could’ve been one of these old school vets that sat there and said, Oh, this guy likes to talk Sh*t. I’m on national TV; you get nothing,” said Kingston. He continued, “…But he didn’t. He went and there and worked with me, and I guess that match went well because I got a job like two weeks later.”

Kingston Choosing AEW Over WWE

After the match, people in AEW told Kingston he earned a job with the company. He also had WWE that wanted to sign Kingston. However, he listened to his mother’s advice and signed with AEW.

“…Did I entertain other possibilities? I entertained them, but again momma’s boy. My mother being my best friend. When I told her, hey, mom, I’m getting interest from a lot of people all of a sudden. She goes go to AEW. You won’t be happy at WWE,” said Kingston.

He explained, “… ‘She said yeah go there Papi, go there. You deserve to have fun.’ She said you deserve to have fun. I said okay, and that was it. It was a wrap from that point.”

Kingston has a win/loss record in AEW at 35-13. He is currently in a feud with Daniel Garcia and 2Point0.

Kurt Angle Names Two Of The Most Physical Wrestlers He’s Ever Worked With

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kurt Angle has reflected on two of the most physical wrestlers he’s ever shared the ring with.

Angle knows a thing or two about physicality. His neck has been through the wringer throughout his career and he’ll tell anybody who listens that he won a gold medal at the Olympics with a “broken freakin’ neck.”

For as tough as Angle is, there are some other wrestlers who were just as willing to dish out punishment as well as take it.

Kurt Angle Reveals His Most Intense Opposition

  • Stone Cold Steve Austin Chris Benoit

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, Angle said that Stone Cold Steve Austin and Chris Benoit were the most physical and intense wrestlers he’s ever been in the ring with.

“Yeah, him and Chris Benoit were the two most physical athletes I’ve ever faced in the ring. Austin was very physical. That’s the one thing about him that made him special. He was really intense. He kept the intensity up very high and he was very physical.”

It should come as no surprise that Stone Cold made Angle’s list. After all, Austin was the one who taught Kurt how to blade and it wasn’t a pretty sight.

Angle went on to say that he always felt at home when his opponents threw stiff strikes.

“I was comfortable being snug cause I was snug. That’s just one thing that I tried to work on, my finesse but there were times when I throw punches or kicks they’re gonna stick, they’re gonna hurt and Austin was the same way. So, I enjoyed that because in order to give it you have to be able to take it and I did.”

Angle also said that he never gave anyone a receipt because he always assumed that if he got caught with a good strike it was just how his opponent worked.

It also helps that Angle was a legit amateur wrestler so not many in the locker room would dare to test him.

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Anthony Bowens Comments On Fan Yelling A Homophobic Slur On Dynamite

Chris Stephens
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On last week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, a fan can be heard yelling a homophobic slur at the Acclaimed’s Anthony Bowens during his match. The Acclaimed teamed with 2.0 in a losing effort to the Varsity Blondes and Jurassic Express on the show.

Bowens recently spoke to TMZ about the incident.

“Unfortunately that kind of stuff comes with the territory, being an out LGBTQ athlete,” Bowens said.

“This is actually the first time that I’ve audibly heard something like that during a performance or during television.”

Bowens also responded to a Tweet featuring a video of the fan yelling the slur.

Bowens continued to say that when he started a YouTube channel with his boyfriend, the comments they received were quite hateful.

“I have really thick skin, I’m kind of used to it from my boyfriend Michael and I,” Bowens said. “We have our YouTube channel and when we first started that the comments were brutal.”

Bowens would continue to say, however, that the comment is not indicative of AEW fans at all.

“This is not indicative of the AEW fans at all,” Bowens said. “Any interactions I’ve had with them since starting the company have all been positive.”

Bowens also spoke about how when he first arrived in AEW, he was happy to see LGTB wrestlers such as Nyla Rose and Sonny Kiss freely being themselves. His full comments are available in the player below:

Adam Page On If There Were Plans For Feud With Brodie Lee Before His Passing

Anutosh Bajpai
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Adam Page had several interactions with Brodie Lee and the Dark Order in 2020. Many fans wondered if AEW was building to a feud between the Hangman and the Exalted One prior to Lee’s untimely passing in December 2020.

Page recently appeared on Oral Sessions with Renée Paquette. They discussed parenthood, his time as a high school teacher, starting off on the wrong foot in AEW and much more.

When asked if there were any plans for him to feud with Brodie Lee, Page said that it’s something that he wanted. He tries to plant storyline “seeds” on Being The Elite, because Tony Khan watches the show closely and has picked up several angles from the web series.

“I wanted to,” Paige said about feuding with Brodie Lee. “A lot of times in AEW it feels like what I’m thinking I would like to work towards might not be what that person’s thinking. It might not be what Tony’s thinking. But [I go] ‘Oh, I’ll do a BTE scene and plant a seed for it to see what kind of reaction it gets.’ And almost, 99 out of 100 cases, I’m pretty confident and the seeds that I would plant, what reaction they’re going to get.” said Adam Page, “And then I know that’s going to drive where the story goes on TV as well. When there’s a built-in reaction to something you go with it.

He continued, “And that’s what this company does. Let’s be honest. AEW exists because of something like Being The Elite where we could have just these stupid ass storylines that in Ring of Honor and New Japan started influencing the actual wrestling shows. Or in a lot of cases, were more popular than the wrestling shows. I remember I’d be wrestling in Ring of Honor and people were chanting stuff from our little stupid BTE storyline. That’s why they were there. That’s why AEW exists because of those kinds of things.”

Adam Page Was Planting Seeds For A Brodie Lee Feud

Adam Page continued by explaining that he was planting seeds for a future rivalry with the former TNT champion. When Lee was away, there were times that made Page consider stopping the storyline. Though according to him, he felt like it would have been a disservice to Brodie and the members of the Dark Order, so he kept going:

“So, I was planting seeds to do something with Brodie because I really wanted to and when he was ill and was gone, we didn’t know what was going on. I guess there were points where I thought ‘I don’t know, should I keep going [in] this direction? I don’t know. I don’t know what to do.’ But I felt it would have been a disservice to him and to all of the Dark Order who are incredible people to not keep going the only way that made sense, regardless of where we would end up with it. I’m very glad we did that.”

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

Hangman Page Admits He Felt ‘Inferior’ In Bullet Club

Former WWE Ref: McMahon Family “Torn Apart” Over Triple H & Shane’s Falling Out

Chris Stephens
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Former WWE referee Mike Chioda recently shed some light on the rocky dynamics within the McMahon family.

During a recent Q&A session on his podcast with AdFreeShows, Chioda was asked if Triple H was ever warned against dating Vince McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie. He revealed that Shane McMahon did exactly that – to the detriment of his relationship with The Game.

“Yes, Shane did,” said Chioda. “Shane McMahon did. That’s why the feud fell out, that’s for sure,” Chioda said. “It was a thing from Vince Sr. that came around many years ago. They didn’t want anybody dating talent, none of the kids and none of their family.”

Vince McMahon Triple H Shane McMahon
Vince McMahon, Triple H & Shane McMahon

Chioda continued to say that the falling-out between Shane and Triple H had a negative impact on Shane’s standing in WWE.

“I think Shane really had a big part of that and that’s why Shane and Triple H had a falling out for many years, and that’s why Shane was exiled for 10 years. Shane is still not on top of the list. Where is he at now? Is he in the office? Is he running things?”

Shane McMahon departed WWE in 2009. He announced his resignation from the company in October of that year. Shane would not return to WWE until 2016 when he was named the General Manager of Smackdown.

McMahon Family “Torn Apart”

Triple H Shane McMahon
Triple H & Shane McMahon

Chioda continued to say that the McMahon family is torn apart. Perhaps they are not torn apart completely but they are definitely severed to some degree.

“It gets more interesting, believe me. It’s sad because when I started working for this company, there was Linda McMahon, Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon and now it seems to be all broken apart.”

He continued, “All the money in the world probably can’t fix it. They have all the money in the world, a publicly traded company, which is ok. The family is torn apart at this point I think. Maybe not torn apart all the way, which I hope not, but it’s torn apart.”

In WWE storyline, McMahon has won several titles in the promotion. He is a 1x European Champion and a 1x Hardcore Champion. Upon returning to the WWE in 2016, he won the Smackdown Tag Team Championships along with The Miz once.

At 2018’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia, Shane replaced The Miz in the finals and won the Best in the World tournament.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcriptions.

Hangman Page Says He Got Off On The Wrong Foot To Start AEW Career

Chris Stephens
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AEW World Champion Hangman Page will make his first title defense this Wednesday against Bryan Danielson. His ascent to the world title has been lauded as an example of long-term booking but Page doesn’t feel it was. He recently appeared on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette and spoke about his AEW career thus far.

“I wouldn’t even talk about, at least my journey, to the AEW World Championship, as like some kind of grand scheme that was hatched on day one, or something like that, because it never was. At least to me, it was never that way,” Page said.

He continued to talk about how he was booked in the first ever AEW World Title match but at the time, he didn’t feel the fans saw him as a main event guy.

“When AEW started, and I, you know, realized, I was going to be suddenly… I was just a guy losing all the Bullet Club multi-man matches. I wasn’t nobody, but I certainly wasn’t the main event guy, who was suddenly going to be main eventing the first-ever title match in AEW. Like, I knew people wouldn’t buy it and it didn’t matter what i said, it didn’t matter what I did, it was too fast, too soon. I knew people, they might be forgiving, but I knew deep down they wouldn’t buy it.”

Hangman Page Said His AEW Career Got Off On The Wrong Foot

Page felt like he got off on the wrong foot by challenging Chris Jericho to determine the first-ever AEW World Champion.

“I felt like I got off on the wrong foot and I wanted to rectify that. I felt like the only way you can is to be vulnerable to let that loss and that disappointment come out over a long time. and every week, we’d get to tv and it wasn’t like some grand scheme of ‘how we get back to Adam Page winning the world title.’ I just think, how do I feel about this? What would I feel about this? Then ok, let’s do that this week.”

Page’s full appearance on the show is available below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

WWE Files To Trademark “Piper Niven”

Chris Stephens
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Will Doudrop be going back to her pre-WWE main roster name of Piper Niven? According to a report from PW Insider, WWE filed to trademark several names recently and one of them was Piper Niven. Other names WWE is looking to trademark include Odyssey Jones and Ivy Nile.

When Doudrop/Piper Niven debuted on the main roster she was aligned with Eva Marie and given the name Doudrop. Eva Marie was released from WWE on November 4th, however. In an interview with Metro UK, Niven said she was heartbroken over Marie’s release from the company.

“Honestly, I’m absolutely heartbroken because that woman is a big sister to me,” Doudrop said. “Behind the scenes, she is the nicest person you will ever meet… Every single person, she’s got a funny story with them. I just love her so much.”

“I hope it’s not the last we’ve seen of her in WWE, I think she’s amazing. When you see her in real life, you’re like… you’re amazing at being a heel. But time will tell – who knows what will happen in this crazy world?”

Doudrop has dropped two straight matches to Bianca Belair on RAW. Last week, she bailed on the match and was counted out. This week, Belair pinned her after a 450 splash from the top rope.

Doudrop “Heartbroken” Over Eva Marie’s WWE Release

QT Marshall Comments On Training Shaq for AEW

Chris Stephens
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QT Marshall trained Shaquille O’Neal for his match along with Jade Cargill against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet earlier this year. Shaq and Cargill were victorious in the match that took place at “AEW Cross Rhodes” on March 3rd, 2021.

Marshall recently discussed training Shaq during an appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox for Barstool Sports.

“I was like, I could teach you how to do this in 10 days,” said Marshall. “For what I think we’re looking to do, 100%.’ He got in there and I suplexed him, right, with a crash pad. Then he was like, ‘Alright, let’s move the crash pads’ and I suplexed him again. He was saying, ‘That’s not too bad.’ He’s like, ‘It hurts, but it’s not that bad.’ I said, ‘When the adrenaline’s going, you don’t feel anything.’”

Marshall continued to say that they tried to hold off the match for as long as possible due to the pandemic. Eventually, the decision was made to go forward with it, however.

QT Marshall on Training Shaquille O’Neal

“We were trying to hold off as long as we could, because of, you know, the pandemic, and the crowd, all that stuff. But then one thing led to another, but like I said, he was there all the time and really paying attention to what I was saying. I mean, he powerbombed by me the first time and he dropped me right in my head. I was like, ‘Hey, you’re really tall. So if you don’t squat down with this, you’re gonna dump everyone on their head, and you can’t do that to Cody.’ So, yeah, he was really dedicated. Also, he was having fun.”

The match was officially the 2nd of Shaq’s pro-wrestling career. In 2016, he also appeared in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.

His appearance in the match looked as though it was going to lead to a match against the Big Show (Paul Wight). The match never materialized, however.

The full interview with QT Marshall can be viewed in the player below:

H/T To Fightful for the transcriptions.

Liv Morgan Wants To Apologize To “Disappointed Liv Girl” Fan

Chris Stephens
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When Becky Lynch cheated to defeat Liv Morgan in the main event of RAW last week, the camera cut to the live reaction of an upset young fan. The disappointment on the girl’s face rivalled “Miz girl” from years ago.

Liv Morgan was recently a guest on WWE El Brunch and noted that she hopes to make contact with the young fan.

“I want to find her and send her a letter or a video,” Morgan said. “I just want to thank her for supporting and watching and being there.”

Liv continued to say she wants to tell the fan that things aren’t over between her and Becky Lynch.

 “I just want to apologize if I disappointed her, but I want to let her know that this isn’t over with and I’m going to keep on fighting. I definitely want to find her somehow and say hello. She’s so cute.”

Liv Morgan’s full appearance on the show can be viewed below:

Liv Morgan confronted Becky Lynch on last night’s RAW. She was attacked and had her hand trapped in the steel steps by “Big Time Becks”, however. WWE would later send out an injury update on social media.

H/T To Fightful for transcriptions.

Gable Steveson Makes First Raw Appearance

Anutosh Bajpai
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Olympic Gold medallist and WWE superstar Gable Steveson made a surprise appearance on Monday’s episode of Raw from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The episode saw the company promoting the new Next In Line program scouting college athletes as potential future WWE stars.

Steveson is part of the list of 16 athletes WWE contracted in the first wave of signings under the new program. He was shown in the crowd and waved to the fans in attendance. Later, had an interaction with both Bobby Lashley and MVP when the all-mighty came out for his match against Kevin Owens on the show.

Gable Steveson In WWE

Gable Steveson’s residence in Apple Valley, Minnesota is close to St. Paul. He is often seen at WWE events in Minnesota. The Olympic gold medallist signed with WWE in September earlier this year. He was drafted to the Raw brand in October but is yet to make his in-ring debut for the show.

Officials expect Steveson to become a full-time roster member after graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2022. His interaction with the former WWE champion on Raw was still very interesting. We will have to see if it leads to a future on-screen partnership between the two.

Gable Steveson Already Targeting WWE Champion Big E

Ricky Starks Recalls Roman Reigns Stomping ‘The S**t Out’ Of Him During Raw Appearance

Anutosh Bajpai
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Before becoming an AEW star, Ricky Starks spent a good amount of time in the independent circuit working for various promotions. He also worked for WWE numerous times as an enhancement talent.

The FTW World Champion recently had an interview with Brandon Walker of Rasslin. Among other things, he also told the story of one such time when he was called in to work as an extra on Raw.

Starks played the role of a US Marshall sent in to arrest the tribal chief. He detailed how things went and what Roman Reigns told him after the segment:

“I went there, talked to Roman, put these cuffs on and they were really tight. He goes, ‘I can’t do anything while I have my hands cuffed, so, sorry ahead of time.’

I went to grand him and he [double axe handles me].” recalled Ricky Starks, “We get to the corner and he starts stomping the shit out of me. He’s a really great guy because afterward he apologized,”

The current champion made his pro wrestling debut in 2012. He officially signed with AEW in June 2020, after a two-year-long stint with NWA.

He made several other appearances for WWE apart from this and wrestled matches against people like Jinder Mahal and Kane. You can check out the Raw appearance from 2018 Stark discussed in the video below:

WWE RAW Results (12/13): Lashley Added To Title Match At Day 1, McMahon & Austin Theory

Robert Lentini
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This week’s edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Bobby Lashley could earn his way into the WWE Championship match at Day 1 if he defeated Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins and WWE Champion Big E tonight in separate matches. In addition to the takeaways below, Gable Steveson was shown in the crowd tonight and had an interaction with Bobby Lashley.

RAW Results

  1. Otis def. Riddle
  2. Bianca Belair def. Doudrop
  3. Lashley def. Kevin Owens via submission
  4. Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler def. Finn Balor & Damian Priest
  5. Queen Zelina def. Rhea Ripley
  6. Lashley def. Seth Rollins via DQ
  7. Lashley def. Big E to earn his way into the title match at Day 1

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Lashley Has To Win Three Matches Tonight To Get Into The Title Match At Day 1

Lashley and MVP kicked off this week’s episode of RAW. Lashley attacked Big E and Kevin Owens last week during a commercial break in the main event.MVP claimed that people were terrified of saying Lashley’s name because bad things happen when he shows. MVP added that there is an issue in respect with this generation of superstars and that they complain every week. He said that MVP doesn’t complain or whine, he makes statements.

MVP demanded that Lashley be added to the WWE Championship match at Day 1 because there is no better way to start of the new than Lashley as the All Mighty WWE Champion. Kevin Owens interrupted and said that he wasn’t disrespectful to Lashley and hasn’t paid any attention to him for the past several years.

Owens said that he and Rollins have earned their way into the title match at Day 1 and Lashley hasn’t earned anything. Kevin claimed that he needed to become champion in 19 days so the WWE Universe can have a champion they can be proud. Owens added that he was going to speak with Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville before Seth Rollins interrupted.

Rollins complimented Lashley’s suit but agreed that Lashley shouldn’t be in the match. MVP joked that they were both terrified and Lashley challenged them to get in the ring and do something about it. Owens and Rollins formed an alliance to take out Lashley but ultimately couldn’t agree which superstar should get in the ring first.

WWE Champion Big E joined the party and noted that he beat Lashley to become the champion. Big E added that he beat Lashley in a Steel Cage and has no issue with defeating him once again. Adam Pearce & Sonya Deville made their way to the entrance ramp and threatened fines & suspensions if anyone touches Lashley. Pearce said that if Lashley wants in the match he has to beat Owens, Rollins, and Big E in singles matches tonight.

Otis def. Riddle

Riddle battled Otis in the first match of the night. Chad Gable and Randy Orton were ringside for the match. Riddle went for a Crossbody but Otis caught him and connected with a Body Slam. Riddle battled back with a series of kicks but Otis shrugged it off and leveled him with a shoulder tackle.

Otis threw Riddle out of the ring and Orton got up to make sure Gable didn’t try anything. Otis bashed Riddle into the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Riddle was in control as Orton was firing up the crowd. Otis caught Riddle with a Powerslam for the pinfall victory. Alpha Academy attacked Riddle after the match but Orton broke it up. Orton connected with an RKO on Gable but Otis leveled Orton with a shoulder tackle to end the segment.

Doudrop Attacked Bianca Belair After Losing To Her

Bianca Belair faced Doudrop again on this week’s RAW. Belair dominated the action early as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Belair went for a Crossbody but Doudrop caught her. Belair escaped but Doudrop hit her with a shoulder tackle. Doudrop followed it up with a Michinoku Driver and went for the cover but Bianca powered out at two.

Doudrop hit a Belly to Back Suplex and went for the cover but Belair would’t stay down. Doudrop climbed to the middle turnbuckle but Bianca caught her with a big Powerbomb. Belair made her way to the top turnbuckle and hit an awesome 450 Splash for the pinfall victory. After the match, Doudrop attacked Bianca Belair as she celebrated on the entrance ramp.

Lashley Tapped Out Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens faced Lashley to begin the 2nd hour of this week’s WWE RAW. MVP was ringside for the match. Lashley dominated early but Owens countered into a roll-up for a close two count. Kevin went for the Stunner but Bobby blocked it and connected with a massive Spinebuster. Lashley didn’t even get the Hurt Lock applied but Owens quickly tapped out.

Owens quickly got out of the ring and retreated up the ramp as Lashley & MVP celebrated. Seth Rollins complained to Sonya Deville that Owens tapped out even before the hold was applied. Sonya informed Rollins that he was up next and wished him luck.

Becky Lynch Send A Message To Liv Morgan

RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch came to the ring and boasted about defeating Liv Morgan last week and retaining the title. Lynch claimed that nobody has returned better than ever like she has and vowed to be the champion for a very long time. Liv Morgan interrupted and showed how Lynch used the ropes for leverage during the pin last week. Liv told Becky that she is the best at cheating to win and knows she can defeated her. Morgan wanted another title shot at Day 1 so she can make the title mean something again to the people like the viral disappointed little girl shown after the conclusion of last week’s match.

Liv Morgan attacked Becky and hit her with an Enziguri that knocked the champion out of the ring. Becky battled back and sent Liv into the steel steps. Lynch stomped on Liv’s arm several times and joked that she’s on if she still wants the match. Becky added that since there are no other able bodied women to challenge her, she’s going to go home and train with her “hot husband and hang out with her beautiful baby”. Becky accepted Liv’s challenge and told Liv to go ice her arm and left with the RAW Women’s Championship. Lynch versus Morgan was later announced for Day 1.

Omos & AJ Styles Reconciled

AJ Styles was interviewed backstage about Omos leaving him behind last week. Styles stated that it was disrespectful but he is not ready to give up on the tag team. Styles said that Omos is a good kid and he genuinely wants to see him succeed in this business. Omos showed up and put his arm around Styles. Omos asked “are we good?” and AJ responded “we are golden”. AJ added that he doesn’t want to give up on this team and Omos agreed.

Roode & Ziggler Picked Up A Win

Damian Priest & Finn Balor faced Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler tonight. The action quickly spilled out of the ring and Priest connected with a double Clothesline off the steel steps as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Balor hit a Dropkick on Ziggler and made his way to the top rope for the Coup de Grace. Austin Theory interrupted and Balor hit him with a Clothesline. Ziggler capitalized on the distraction and hit the Zig Zag for the pinfall victory. Austin Theory took a selfie with Balor after the match.

Queen Zelina def. Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley faced Queen Zelina tonight on RAW. Before the match, Nikki A.S.H. told Rhea that she feels like she is letting her down. Rhea said that wasn’t the case and hyped Nikki up. Nikki appreciated it and told Rhea that she has her back no matter what.

Ripley hit Zelina with a Dropkick to start off the action. Carmella tried to interfere but Nikki fought her off. Nikki and Carmella battled into the ring and Rhea was distracted. Zelina capitalized on the distraction and hit Rhea with a knee to the face as she was checking on Nikki. Queen Zelina then rolled Rhea up for the pinfall victory.

Kevin Owens Cost Rollins The Match

Seth Rollins yelled at Kevin Owens backstage and Owens told him to calm down. Owens said he wanted to accompany Rollins to the ring to counter MVP. Rollins wasn’t interested and Owens admitted that he tapped out early to avoid injury before the match at Day 1.

Rollins and Lashley circled each other to start off the match. Seth applied a Headlock but Bobby quickly broke free. Lashley charged but Rollins retreated to the outside. Rollins dragged Lashley to the outside and sent him into the ring post. Lashley made it back into the ring at the count of nine as Big E is shown watching backstage.

Lashley battled back with a Flatliner and Seth once again retreated out of the ring. Kevin Owens rushed down the entrance ramp and tapped Seth on the shoulder. Owens punched Rollins in the face to end the match in a DQ. Lashley picked up the win and now has to defeat WWE Champion Big E later tonight to make it a Fatal 4-Way at Day 1.

Vince McMahon Isn’t Impressed With Austin Theory

Mr. McMahon was in the middle of a conversation with Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez backstage when Austin Theory showed up. Austin told McMahon that Finn Balor was not expecting the unexpected. Vince told Theory that he deserves a pat on the back but hasn’t really impressed him yet. Austin wanted a match to show McMahon what he was made of but Vince told him to shut up. McMahon told Austin that they were not friends and that he doesn’t want any friends. Vince vowed to use the deadliest weapon he has, a pencil. McMahon noted that the lead isn’t as important as the eraser.

Maryse Slapped The Miz

The Miz and Maryse came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV. The Miz wanted to nominate himself of the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame class and rolled a highlight package of his best moments. Edge came down to the ring and called Miz a mouse that won’t stop squeaking. Edge added that Miz was insecure and Miz immediately denied that. Edge told Miz that he knows how good he is but also knows why he acts the way he does. Miz told Edge that they used to be afraid of him, but nobody is afraid of the current version of Edge.

Edge told Miz that people have been saying he is not good enough for so long that he now believes it and that is why he acts like a backoff. Edge admitted that The Miz is a future Hall of Famer and isn’t taking him lightly at Day 1. However, Edge vowed to teach Miz a lesson at the PPV.

Miz claimed Edge didn’t help him back in 2006 and threw champagne in his face. Edge battled back and hit the Edgecution. Edge set up for a Spear but Miz pulled Maryse in front of him. Miz then hit Edge with the Skull Crushing Finale. Maryse yelled at Miz that she has two kids and Miz told her that she wasn’t in danger. Maryse then slapped The Miz and walked away. The Miz chased after her to end the segment.

The Title Match Will Be A Fatal 4-Way At Day 1

Bobby Lashley faced WWE Champion Big E in a No DQ match in this week’s main event. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins approached Big E backstage before the match. They said that Big E is their last chance to keep Lashley out of the match at Day 1. Big E called them idiots and warned them to stay away from the match tonight if they want to keep it a Triple Threat.

Rollins and Owens continued to offer help but Big E declined and vowed to stop Lashley. MVP hyped up Lashley before the match and said that if he beats Big E tonight, there will be no denying that we are in the All Mighty Era. Lashley added that everyone will bow down to their new champion at Day 1.

Big E went to grab a table from under the ring but Lashley knocked him into the barricade/ Back in the ring, MVP put the table away but Big E took control and got the table again. Lashley put a chair in between the ropes but Big E caught him with three Belly to Belly Suplexes as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, the table was set up in the ring as Big E and Lashley battled on the outside. Lashley lifted Big E up in the Fireman’s Carry and bashed his head into the ring post. Lashley set up a table next to the ring and rolled the WWE Champion inside. Bobby went for a Suplex onto the table but Big E blocked it. Lashley kneed Big E in the face and then hit a Uranage through the table in the ring. Lashley went for the cover but the WWE Champion powered out at two and the match continued.

Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins rushed the ring and attacked Big E & Rollins. Owens sent Big E into the barricade a couple times and tried to Powerbomb him but Big E blocked it. Big E put Owens through the table outside the ring with a Uranage. Lashley then sent Rollins through the table in the ring with a Spear. Big E got back into the ring but MVP hit his knee with the cane. Lashley then hit Big E with a Spear and pinned him. The WWE Championship match at Day 1 is now a Fatal 4-Way between Big E (c), Lashley, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens.

WWE Day 1 Updated Card: Lynch vs. Morgan Set, Lashley Added To Title Match

Andrew Ravens
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Liv Morgan’s challenge for a rematch at the WWE Day 1 pay-per-view event against Becky Lynch with the Raw Women’s Title was accepted by the champion on Monday’s episode of Raw. 

They just main evented last week’s episode of Raw when Lynch used the ring rope to secure leverage for her pin to retain the title. On this week’s show, Lynch was confronted by Morgan. 

Although Lynch declined, a brawl broke out with Lynch getting the advantage on the outside and putting Morgan’s arm between the ring steps and the ring post before stomping it on. Lynch then accepted the challenge if Morgan still wanted it. 

https://twitter.com/WWEonFOX/status/1470580639078359043

Also, Bobby Lashley has been added to the WWE Title Match as Big E will now defend the title against Lashley, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens. Lashley won a gauntlet match, which included victories over Rollins, Owens, and Big E, to earn his way into the bout. 

WWE presents the Day 1 pay-per-view event on Saturday, January 1, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia at the State Farm Arena that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:

Updated WWE Day 1 Card

  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
  • WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley – Fatal 4 Match
  • Edge vs. The Miz
  • WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
  • WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan

Matt Hardy: WWE May Have ‘Jumped The Gun’ by Releasing Jeff Hardy

Andrew Ravens
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Matt Hardy addressed the status of his brother, Jeff Hardy, who was released by WWE last week, during a stream on his Twitch account. 

Matt stated that he is not worried about his brother and WWE “may have jumped the gun” in releasing Jeff, who was sent home by the company after a house show in Edinburg, Texas on December 4 before ultimately releasing him on December 9th. 

“Before anyone rushes to judgment, obviously they [WWE] drug tested him after all this stuff, wait until you hear the results of that and when that comes back clean then hopefully people will feel better about it. They [WWE] felt like they were backed into a corner because of his [Jeff’s] history. Even though they may have jumped the gun with this a little bit, they made a decision and it is what it is.”

Matt stated WWE did ask Jeff to go to rehab, but Jeff Jeff refused because he did not think he needed to go. “And I don’t think he did either,” Hardy stated. Fightful was the first to report that Hardy was let go and also refused help. 

“Jeff is in the best place I’ve seen him in a very long time,” said Matt. “As far as the details of what went down on that evening, and in that match, I’ve talked with Jeff, I feel good about everything he said and that’s Jeff’s story to share. And he told me he will when he’s ready to.”

Matt and Reby Hardy said they have talked to Jeff about starting a Twitch channel to show off his music and art. Jeff was said to be excited to start doing Cameo video messages, and that the two would like to do more Final Deletion-style matches together. 

Jeff nor WWE has yet to publicly comment on the departure, although his wife, Beth, did issue a brief statement. 

WWE Delays RK-Bro-Nament Finals Due To Injuries

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WWE has announced that its final match in the RK-Bro-Nament has been pushed back.

The Dec. 13 episode of Raw was supposed to feature a tag team match between Rey & Dominik Mysterio and The Street Profits. The winners would’ve been guaranteed a shot at Randy Orton and Matt Riddle for the Raw Tag Team Championships.

As plans will be, plans will go awry.

RK-Bro-Nament Finals Rescheduled

WWE’s Sarah Schreiber has announced that due to injuries on both teams, the mini-tournament has been pushed back to Dec. 27.

“I have some breaking news for you. The finals of the RK-Bro-Nament between Rey and Dominik Mysterio and The Street Profits have been postponed for tonight due to injuries on both set of teams.

“But we have it rescheduled in two weeks to find out who will earn the Raw Tag Team Championship opportunity on December 27th on Monday Night Raw.”

There is no word on exactly who suffered injuries. It should be noted that Montez Ford of The Street Profits did not appear at the house show events this past weekend. His partner, Angelo Dawkins, was in singles action.

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Bully Ray: ‘Ring of Honor Has Created More Stars Of Today Than Any Other Company’

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Bully Ray believes Ring of Honor deserves credit for creating many of the stars that are renowned today.

ROH held its Final Battle PPV event this past Saturday (Dec. 11). The main event saw Jonathan Gresham defeat Jay Lethal to become the ROH World Champion. This was the final event before ROH goes on hiatus.

Back in October, Ring of Honor announced that it will be going dark to undergo a “reconceptualizing” process. It was later revealed that the company planned to release all of its on-air talent.

Bully Ray Praises ROH’s History Creating Stars

  • CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson ROH
    (via PWI)

We’ve seen plenty of fan favorites get their first run in ROH. That fact isn’t lost on Bully Ray, who gave the company its due during an episode of Busted Open Radio.

“Pound-for-pound Ring of Honor has created more stars of today than any other company. We talk about ECW and how ECW changed the landscape of a wrestling business.

“Very few ECW guys came out of ECW and were considerably more successful than they were in ECW as Ring of Honor. I mean, the list goes on and on. From the Samoa Joes, to the AJ Styles’, to the Seth Rollins’, to the CM Punks, yadda yadda.

“Star after star after star and that’s why so many other companies, including NXT in its early days, mimicked everything that went on in Ring of Honor because Ring of Honor was truly giving wrestling fans an alternative in-ring style to what they were seeing in the WWE.”

Many stars who made their first big mark in the industry under the ROH banner made pre-taped appearances at Final Battle. Some of the names include CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole.

It’ll be interesting to see where some of the ROH wrestlers will end up.

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Tony Khan Teases AEW Debuts in the Coming Weeks

Michael Reichlin
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AEW presents a special Winter is Coming edition of Dynamite this Wednesday night on TNT.

Last year’s installment saw Kenny Omega capture the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley and the surprise debut of Sting. This Wednesday, Adam Page defends that same title against Bryan Danielson. Some fans are expecting another big debut to keep that tradition going as well.

AEW President Tony Khan knows that fans are on high alert for more debuts. According to TK, fans should stay tuned to AEW programming over the next several weeks for some big surprises.

These Next Few Weeks…

Tony Khan spoke with DAZN this week and addressed the rich free agent market. He hinted at having a few tricks up his sleeve in the weeks ahead.

“I’m more than aware that there’s a number of free agents out there,” said Khan. “Wrestlers I admire, too. But I’ve got to say, you’ve just have to keep watching over these next few weeks — and not just, ‘Winter is Coming.’”

In addition To Winter is Coming, AEW has a few more special hows taking place over the next month. AEW Dynamite moves to TBS on Wednesday, January 5th. You can be sure that AEW will pull out all the stops to ensure that’s a memorable broadcast.

Just a few days later, All Elite Wrestling presents Battle of the Belts, a 2-hour Saturday night event on TNT (Saturday, January 8th).

There is no shortage of big names that could appear on AEW television at any time. Although nothing is certain, potential AEW debuts in the weeks ahead could include Wyndham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt), Johnny Gargano, Kyle O’Reilly or even new ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham.

Jonathan Gresham Wants To Defend ROH Title Against CM Punk & Bryan Danielson

Jonathan Gresham Wants To Defend ROH Title Against CM Punk & Bryan Danielson

Chris Stephens
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Jonathan Gresham defeated Jay Lethal in the main event of Final Battle 2021. The event represented the end of an era for Ring of Honor. The promotion is now moving forward without keeping any talent on contract. When the company announced its change in business plans, it also noted there are plans to hold a return event in April during WrestleMania week.

New ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham spoke to Sports Illustrated recently and noted that it is up to him to keep the spirit of ROH alive.

“Final Battle was a night that was full circle for me,” Gresham says. “I spent a lot of time with the fans at ringside. There were so many people there I knew—from the independents, from seminars, fans from smaller independent shows, like NOVA Pro [in Virginia], guys that stayed on my couch during our travels—and everyone kept telling me they had to see me win the Ring of Honor title. I have enjoyed this entire ride, so all of that meant the world to me.”

“As champion, it is up to me to keep the spirit and the essence of Ring of Honor alive,” Gresham says. “I will preserve and protect Pure wrestling as Ring of Honor world champion.”

Gresham continued to say that he plans on making the Ring of Honor title the most important championship in wrestling. To do that, Gresham says, he has to wrestle CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

“I am going to make this championship the best wrestling title in the world,” he says. “In order to do that, I need to wrestle two men who helped make the Ring of Honor title the best in the world: Bryan Danielson and CM Punk.”

https://twitter.com/TheJonGresham/status/1469898842229583874

Gresham is the 29th wrestler to win the ROH World Championship. His victory at Final Battle 2021 was the 36th title change in the championships lineage. Adam Cole is the only wrestler to win the title 3x. Jay Lethal has spent the most time as champion at 707 days. Samoa Joe holds the record for the longest single reign with the belt at 645 days.

The full article can be read here.

Jimmy Rave Passes Away at 39

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jimmy Rave, an ex-TNA and ROH star, has died at the age of 39.

Well-known talent agent Bill Behrens broke the news on his Twitter account. Here’s what was said in his statement.

“James had been struggling with drug addiction for many years. His struggles resulted in the amputation of his arm and, later, both of his legs.

“James is survived by his ex-wife Felicia, daughter Kailah, son James II, and parents Jim & Toni Guffey. At the time of his death, he was living in the Philadelphia, PA area with Gabby Gilbert.

“RIP, James Michael Guffey, 12/8/82 — 12/12/21

“Memorial services will be held in Georgia. Details will be released at a later time.”

As Behrens mentioned, Jimmy had to endure serious health problems as a result of his drug addiction. Back in Nov. 2020, he announced his retirement after he needed to have his left arm amputated due to an infection.

Things only got worse for Jimmy Rave the following year. Back in October, he revealed that he had to have both his legs amputated as well.

At the time, Jimmy explained that he had MRSA in both his legs. He also revealed steep medical expenses. A GoFundMe page was set up for Jimmy and $47,361 of the $100,000 goal was met.

Reactions to Jimmy Rave Passing Away

The wrestling world has reacted to this devastating news.

We at SEScoops send our condolences to the family and friends of Jimmy Rave.

Fan Confronts Jim Ross For Smoking Despite Cancer Diagnosis

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One caring fan has taken Jim Ross to task over smoking cigarettes again.

Back in October, JR revealed that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer. The voice of AEW is taking time off in order to keep up with his treatment schedule. He expects to be fine once he’s undergone all of his treatments.

Fan Gives Jim Ross Tough Love

During an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross answered some fan questions. One fan was quite concerned over the fact that JR smokes cigarettes despite his cancer diagnosis.

Fan: “I’ve got a little bit of a bone to pick with you. You kinda pissed me off and I’m gonna tell you why but it’s out of love that I’m pissed off at ya. So, are you still smoking?”

JR: “I’m not smoking this very moment but yes. Is that your bone?”

Fan: “What the hell man? I need you to live for another at least 30 years and if you’re smoking that ain’t gonna happen. Especially, you got cancer, right? Why?”

JR: “Thanks for reminding me [laughs].”

Fan: “Hell, if you’re smoking you’re not making it any better. I need you around, man. I love you.”

JR: “Thank you very much. I love you too.”

Ross went on to explain why he picked up smoking again after quitting for 20 years.

“It’s a bad habit and I’m not gonna try to defend it. Look, I quit for 20 years and when Jan [JR’s wife] got killed followed by the freaking COVID, those are my two excuses. The stress of her dying had me pick up cigarettes again. I’m glad I didn’t pick up anything heavier, so I didn’t. But nonetheless, they’re poor reasons. They’re not reasons, they’re excuses but nonetheless, I appreciate your concern.”

Back in 2017, Jan Ross was struck by a car as she was riding her Vespa in Oklahoma. Jan passed away due to her injuries.

Despite being off AEW TV temporarily, JR is still very much active on his podcast. He’s also in the midst of starting his own cannabis company.

Ross may be battling skin cancer now but this isn’t the first time. He underwent a skin procedure back in 2016 and had the cancer removed from his shoulder two years later.

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Bret Hart Honored By Canada Walk of Fame Induction

Chris Stephens
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Bret Hart will be honored on Canada’s Walk of Fame on December 17th. Chris Jericho is set to induct him during the ceremony. Hart recently spoke to the Toronto Sun about what the induction means to him.

“It will always mean a lot when you’re celebrated and honoured amongst your peers and fellow wrestlers,” Hart said.”The WWE Hall of Fame always meant a lot to me. This is even higher to me in a sense. You’re being lumped in with Canadians – great Canadians and the contributions they’ve made in their fields. It means a lot to me to be honoured by Canadians across the country for my wrestling career.”

Among other inductees for this year’s Canada Walk of Fame are Bruce Cockburn and Keanu Reeves.

Hart talked about some of the best matches of his career. He noted a flag match from 1997 in Halifax he had as one of his favourites.

“I think one that stands out is a flag match I had in Halifax at the height of the U.S. and Canada bashing (storyline in 1997). It was me, Jim Neidhart , Owen, (Brian) Pillman and Davey Boy (Smith) . It was all five of us on one side. I remember we ended up winning and it just pissed off the American wrestling fans so much.”

Much like MJF did in Long Island last week on AEW Dynamite, the Hart Foundation cheated to win the match and the Halifax fans cheered them on while they did it.

“We cheated all the way through the match and we celebrated like the good guys and the (Halifax) fans cheered. It was very warped in a sense because the American fans were like, ‘that ain’t right.’ The next week we’d be in San Antonio where they wanted to kill us.”

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