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Keith Lee Shares Cryptic Posts Amid His WWE Absence

Andrew Ravens
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Keith Lee has fans talking after sending out two cryptic tweets. The WWE Raw star took to Twitter to say today is the day that can and will define the future. 

He wrote, “Today is a day that can and will define the future. The wheels can have motion and move forward….or…. they can stop completely. ……Make your wheels turn. Accept no substitute.”

The Raw star also shared a photo of him standing next to a cage at WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames. This has caused some fans to think he could be headed back to NXT. 

As it stands now, there’s been no word yet on if these tweets are related to anything on television. 

His status has been up in the air for the past few months after being out of action since February. In March, it was reported he was actively trying to get cleared for a return to in-competition. He did make an appearance on the Watch Along livestream for the NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver Night Two show over WrestleMania 37 week. 

The reason he’s been on the shelf is due to health reasons and WWE has not cleared him for in-ring action. He did undergo some testing in February, but it’s unclear what the results or exact reason for the tests. 

Lee did send out some messages to his fans on social media during this time. One time he teased his return while the other was promising to explain everything that has kept him out of action.

Ricky Starks Out Of Action With A Fractured Neck

Michael Reichlin
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AEW star Ricky Starks recently fractured his neck. The best dressed member of Team Taz will miss around three months of action, but will most likely not require surgery. The news was first reported by Voices of Wrestling.

The injury occurred on the April 21st episode of AEW Dynamite. During a match against Hangman Page, Starks took a german suplex and hit his head on the mat during the landing. He worked the rest of the match, which is quite a feat in hindsight.

The video below does not include the spot that caused the injury, but it’s amazing to see how Starks continued to work with a broken [freakin’] neck.

Ricky Starks wrote the following about the outpouring of support for his recovery:

Starks made his AEW debut in June 2020 by answering Cody Rhodes’ TNT Championship open challenge. Rhodes tweeted these words of encouragement:

SEScoops wishes Ricky Starks a full and speedy recovery.

WWE Raw Ratings Hold Steady Headed Into WrestleMania Backlash (5/10)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.817 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is on pair from last week’s 1.872 million viewers and the 0.53 rating. 

This week’s episode was the go-home edition of Raw for WrestleMania Backlash. Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday Night Raw:

  • The first hour did 1.912 million viewers and a 0.55 rating (A18-49).
  • The second hour did 1.828 million viewers and a 0.54 rating.
  • The final hour of the show had just 1.710 million viewers and a 0.51 rating.

This episode featured Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre in a non-title match, A.J. Styles, Omos, Jaxson Ryker & Elias vs. New Day, Randy Orton & Riddle, and Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler & Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka, Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose.

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 2.282 million viewers. This is up from the 2.018 million viewers on FOX that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown pulled in a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demo, up from the 0.49 rating the previous week’s show. The episode drew an average of 2.080 million viewers in the overnight ratings, up from the previous week that did 1.923 million viewers. 

The first hour saw it pull in 2.060 million viewers while hour two did 2.099 million viewers. The show did 1.875 million viewers in hour one while hour two did 1.971 million viewers a week ago.

Nikki Cross Returns To Action This Week On WWE Main Event

Michael Reichlin
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Nikki Cross has returned to action for WWE.

The 2-time Women’s Tag Team Champion competes against Naomi on this week’s edition of Main Event.

She was drafted the the Raw brand back in October 2020. She last appeared on WWE television on February 1st, when she lost a singles match to Alexa Bliss.

WWE Main Event airs Thursdays on the Hulu streaming service.

Nikki Cross: Underutilized

Nikki Cross remains a fan favorite, despite WWE’s reluctance to feature her prominently. Back in January, she cut an impassioned promo expressing her anger and annoyance that she has “no momentum” in WWE.

“It may not be now, it may not even be in the near future, but one day, you’re all going to realize what exactly it is about me that got me to this point. So let me finish with this. I’m gonna be around in this industry for a very long time and I’m gonna go down as one of the best. And I am so done and I am so finished with not realizing that myself!”

You can (and should) check out here promo here:

Todd Pettengill To Host NXT TakeOver: In Your House On June 13th

Chris Stephens
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WWE has announced NXT TakeOver: In Your House will take place Sunday, June 13th. The news was first reported by Fightful. The event will air live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

Former WWE broadcaster Todd Pettengill will return to host. Pettengill is best known to wrestling fans for his time as a WWE host and backstage interviewer during the mid-1990’s.

This is the second installment of NXT Takeover: In Your House, a revival of the mid-90’s WWE pay-per-view series. Last year’s show saw NXT Champion Adam Cole defeat Velveteen Dream in a Backlot Brawl and Io Shirai capture the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match.

Road to NXT Takeover: In Your House

As we look ahead to NXT Takeover: In Your House, WWE presents an all-new episode of NXT tonight on the USA Network. There are two championship matches announced for the show:

  • A rematch for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship will take place on the card. New champion KUSHIDA will defend against former champion, Santos Escobar. The match will be contested under a best 2-of-3 falls stipulation.
  • The NXT Women’s Championship will also be defended tonight. Raquel Gonzalez will look to defend the title when she faces Mercedes Martinez in singles competition.

NXT Champion Karrion Kross is also set for singles action tonight. He’ll take on Austin Theory from the Way.

In other action, former Sanity teammates will collide when Killian Dain faces Alexander Wolfe.

We saw a title change on last week’s edition of NXT on the USA Network. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae defeated Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon for the NXT tag-team championships. Blackheart and Moon had previously defeated the Way at Stand and Deliver. It’s possible a trilogy match between the two teams could take place at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.

Rinku Singh: From “Million Dollar Arm” Pitcher To WWE’s Main Roster

Chris Stephens
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Jinder Mahal and the tag-team of Indus Sher are now a new faction on WWE RAW. The former NXT tag-team of Rinku Singh and Dilser Shanky are now known as Veer and Shanky. For Veer (Singh), his debut on WWE RAW takes place after a long journey that included a stint in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

In 2008, Singh won a 2008 reality television show competition in India titled “The Million Dollar Arm.” The show took Indian athletes from other sports and had them tryout in baseball as a pitcher. Prior to appearing on the show, Singh had been a high-level javelin thrower and cricket player.

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Rinku Singh – Bucs Pipeline

After winning the competition, Singh signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The story was turned into the 2014 film “Million Dollar Arm.”

Along with Dinesh Patel, who also competed on the reality television show, Singh became the first Indian to sign with an MLB team and in 2009 became the first Indian to appear in a professional baseball game. He pitched in the minors and in the Dominican summer league for several seasons. Singh would go through some injuries during his minor league career, however. He got in just one inning of relief work in 2016 and his baseball career ended soon after.

Rinku Singh TW 21819
Rinku Singh – Pirates Prospects

WWE signed Singh to a contract in 2018. He would then help form the Indus Sher team in 2020. At the WWE Superstar Spectacle earlier this year, the duo joined forces with Drew McIntyre and faced Jinder Mahal and the Bollywood Boyz. The team have since joined forces with Jinder and debuted on the main roster. Mahal picked up a win over Jeff Hardy last night on RAW.

Rinku Singh On Signing With WWE

Upon his debut on NXT last year, Singh spoke with local media in Pittsburgh about transitioning from baseball to WWE.

“I wanted to share the journey of Rinku Singh,” Singh said. “I want to put a smile on peoples’ faces all around the world, inspire them and share my story with them. So many kids can relate to it, and WWE allows you to do that.”

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He also compared the feeling of putting on a baseball jersey to stepping in-between the ring ropes.

“When I put on the [baseball] uniform, I was a totally new human,” Singh said. “Now I feel like I did when I would put a baseball uniform on. It’s game time. There’s new energy. I’m ready to go out there and perform.”

WWE Evil: John Cena To Produce & Narrate Peacock Series

Chris Stephens
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John Cena is set to create, produce and narrate a new WWE series set for NBC’s peacock streaming service. The show will be titled “WWE Evil” and will take an entertaining look into the minds of some of the most diabolical antagonists, AKA bad guys, from WWE history.

“For every good guy, there has to be a bad one and WWE has created some of the BEST bad guys (and ladies) in the history of entertainment. Excited to highlight those who made us boo, scream, and sometimes cry! WWE Evil on Peacock!” Cena Tweeted.

News that Cena will be creating this program for Peacock comes on the heels of him teasing a new WWE project on Instagram. Over the weekend, Cena posted the following leading some to speculate a return to WWE was imminent.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COm2jlStOUg/?utm_source=ig_embed

Karrion Kross Wants To Work With John Cena

Cena has also been targeted by Karrion Kross as of late. The NXT Champion has been stating in interviews that he would like to face Cena in the ring.

“John Cena would be the match that would I be interested in for the immediate future,” Kross responded. “Everyone has already called out The Rock and Brock Lesnar, and everyone has exercised interest in seeing Scarlett and myself vs. The Fiend and Alexa Bliss,” Kross said in an interview with BT Sport.

“But having the opportunity to work with John Cena on a big stage, hopefully with people, would be awesome. I think it would be a battle of two generations. I attribute a lot of my modern-day inspirations to his generation. I’ve never met the guy before, but it’s very easy to see that he’s one of the hardest working people in the history of this industry. He’s the reason why a lot of us have jobs today. Personally, it would be an honor to work with him.”

Randy Orton Thought Matt Riddle Was a ‘Motherf*cker’ When They Met

Jake Skudder
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WWE Superstar Randy Orton recently appeared on The Kurt Angle Show podcast via AdFreeShows. Orton discussed a number of topics with the Olympic Gold Medallist, including his ‘RK-BRO’ tag team partner Matt Riddle.

Orton revealed that he was not a fan of the ‘laid back’ Riddle, saying that he felt disrespected the first time that he met him. Randy would however get to finally enjoy the company of the former UFC fighter.

“My olive branch was basically me just looking at Matt and I go ‘Oh, there he is, there he is,’ just kind of ice breaker, expecting a ‘Oh hey Randy, my name is Matt, nice to meet you’” Randy Orton revealed of Riddle and their initial meeting.

“But instead, Matt just kind of, with the bloodshot eyes, glanced over at me and just kept walking” Orton continued. “I remember thinking ‘That motherf***er.’ For quite a while I didn’t like Riddle and it was because of that little scenario.”

Randy Orton on ‘That Motherf*cker’ Riddle

“I love the guy now,” Orton continued, not confirming what the bloodshot eyes referred to… “I’ve been in the locker room with the guy for probably a year, I was there when a couple weeks ago he forgot his verbiage live on RAW and scooted off on the scooter with Asuka in the back and everyone thought it was brilliant.”

“That was some of the best s–t I’ve ever seen” Orton added of the seemingly messed up segment a few weeks ago. “His backstage character, the ‘everything’s cool,’ and rambling nature of his promos, that works because in the ring, he goes. He reminds me of [Kurt Angle].”

“That dude, he can do it all and he busts his ass in the ring” Randy Orton stated. “Some of the matches he’s had with Sheamus, not my style of match I like to do have, but the Riddle – Sheamus matches I’ve seen as of late have been amazing. I think he’s going to do quite well, he’s going to do well” Orton concluded.

How far do you think Matt Riddle can go for WWE? Let us know in the comments

Jeff Hardy WWE Contract Update

Jake Skudder
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WWE RAW Superstar Jeff Hardy was defeated in pretty quick fashion this week on the program. Facing a returning Jinder Mahal, Hardy was on the receiving end of a loss whilst Mahal made a big return.

Mahal was flanked by former NXT tag team Indus Sher (Rinku Singh and Dilser Shanky). They are now going by the names Veer and Shanky.

Jinder also appeared on the May 3rd Main Event TV tapings where he beat Hardy in a singles match. Mahal also worked the Superstar Spectacle special back in January that aired on the WWE Network. Interestingly, Mahal teamed up with The Bollywood Boyz to face Drew McIntyre and his new on-screen cohorts Indus Sher. 

With Jeff Hardy seemingly falling further and further down the card, fans have been assuming that he will be leaving the company at some point soon.

Jeff Hardy is not going to be in a position to work elsewhere anytime soon. The site He signed a new contract with WWE back in 2020. It’s not known exactly how long the deal is for, but it was believed to be for 2-3 years.

Even if Jeff were looking to leave and potentially join his brother Matt in AEW? He would have at least another year on his contract with WWE.

Would you like to see Jeff Hardy join his brother Matt at some point in AEW? Let us know in the comments

Chelsea Green Expresses Interest In Posing For Playboy

Chris Stephens
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Chelsea Green has goals. The 30-year-old wrestler recently spoke to Metro UK and talked about what she would like to accomplish outside of a wrestling ring. One of the goals Green says she’s chasing, is building some contacts at Playboy.

“Right now, I’m trying to work at making contacts in Playboy to hopefully do that,” Green said during the interview.

Wrestlers posing for Playboy was a popular occurrence back in the 1990s and 2000s. Shawn Michaels actually got the ball rolling here in 1996 when he posed for Playgirl magazine while WWF Champion. Sable, Torrie Wilson, Maria Kanellis and others would continue the trend.

Green’s outside of wrestling goals also include being killed in a horror movie.

“Definitely, I wanna be killed in a horror movie. I’ve always wanted that, I always found it so hilarious where you see the girl running and they always trip and fall, and then they get killed.”

Green continued to say she’d like to be a social media influencer and continue with her podcasting as well. She didn’t drop any hints regarding where wrestling fans might see her in a ring next, however.

“When one door closes, so many more open. Sometimes you can’t see what those doors are gonna be,” she continued.

Listen to the latest episode of Chelsea Green’s 50 Shades of Green podcast:

Velveteen Dream Reportedly Backstage At RAW This Week

Chris Stephens
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Velveteen Dream hasn’t wrestled a match in WWE since December. He was defeated by Adam Cole on the “Very Gargano Christmas” episode of NXT that aired on December 23rd.

According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, Dream was backstage at RAW last night. It is not known why he was there or if there were plans to use him on the show, however.

Last year, Dream was the subject of multiple allegations of inappropriate communication with minors. He has denied all allegations and Triple H has issued several statements saying WWE looked into the allegations against him and determined there was nothing to them.

“Everything that we have done, we are comfortable with him continuing to do what he does and everything else,” Triple H said about Dream last summer.

“We looked into what was there and we didn’t find anything,” Triple H also said.

“You know, in this day today, accusations are made and you take them all very seriously,” Triple H continued. “You look into them the best you can, and you find out what is there and what isn’t. In this situation, (Dream) was also involved in a car accident. That’s what took him off TV. In the moment, all this other stuff happens and you look into it and you find that there is a situation that people bring to everyone’s attention, you look into it and find that it is what it is and there’s nothing there.”

Triple H has since sounded annoyed when similar questions regarding Velveteen Dream have been asked at other media events.

“There’s really nothing to add with Velveteen Dream. We’ve gone over it a million times. Status update – he’s still training,” Triple H said on a call in February. “He had a little bit of a physical thing here for a bit. But, still there, still with us, still PC, still training, still on the roster.”

A since-deleted Tweet from Dream following the allegations stated as follows:

“Be assured I did not communicate inappropriately with anyone. A private photo of mine was shared without my consent or knowledge and I am working with a third party to look into this matter,” Dream Tweeted.

Karrion Kross Vignette On RAW for Match with Austin Theory

Alex Laybourne
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It was a big night on RAW for Karrion Kross. The NXT champion and his valet Scarlett appeared on the main roster show in a promo vignette for their upcoming NXT match with Austin Theory.

Karrion Kross is a formidable figure in the ring. He will no doubt be wrestling on the main roster in the future. However, his appearance in a vignette for an NXT show is indicative of how NXT has grown as a brand.

Raw has been the flagship WWE show for decades and NXT was the development territory. Yet the growth of the NXT brand has seen it become a highly watched brand each week. The position of WWE shows each week means that RAW could now be used more frequently as a platform to advertise upcoming NXT matches.

There is no doubt that Karrion Kross vs Austin Theory will be a good fight. However, it is really the statement that the vignette makes on a larger branding scale that makes it interesting.

WWE has been investing solidly in NXT. Under the careful guidance of HHH NXT has moved from strength to strength. This newest step forward shows what a good thing WWE have in their Florida-based brand. NXT figures dropped during the Wednesday Night Wars. Using Raw to promote NXT is a great way to pull viewers back to the new Tuesday night show.

Whatever the reasoning, it was great to see Karrion Kross on the main brand. Whether to moves up, or stays on NXT, he is bound to become a name the entire WWE universe is familiar with.

Humberto Carillo Suffers Injury at the Hands of Sheamus

Alex Laybourne
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Humberto Carillo took a spill during his match with Sheamus on Raw which saw the ref call an end to the fight. The injury was a legitimate one and not part of the ongoing story between the pair.

The end came after Sheamus hit a sunset flip powerbomb on Carillo outside of the ring. It was not the move that caused the injury but rather the fact that Sheamus landed on Carillo’s knee.

The match ended swiftly thereafter, with the ref stopping his count to attend to the injured superstar. It was an unlucky accident, with the feud between Carillo and Sheamus gaining traction in recent weeks. A series of squashes set the scene for the classic David vs Goliath style feud. Things were set for the pair to build an interesting storyline.

There has been no official word as of yet on the extent of the injury, or if Carillo will need to take any time off to recover. It is unlucky timing for the Mexican star who after quickly impressing at WWE had been relegated to Main Event in recent months. The Sheamus feud looked set to put him back into the main event picture, if only for a short time.

The 25-year old is an exciting talent. When he does return, hopefully, he will get the air time he deserves. There are places on all WWE brands where Humberto Carillo could shine.

Damian Priest Sets Stipulation for His Match With The Miz at Backlash

Alex Laybourne
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Damian Priest is set to battle The Miz one-on-one at Wrestlemania Backlash, and after his victory over John Morrison this week on Raw, Priest had the honor of naming the stipulation.

Damian Priest has been feuding with the A-Lister since before Wrestlemania. Good friends with Bad Bunny, who had quite the impressive showing on the first night of Wrestlemania, Priest will be looking to end the feud on Sunday.

After picking up the win, Damian Priest decided that their fight at Backlash would be a lumberjack match. Priest wants to end their feud once and for all and choosing a match with no escape surely means he will get the resolution he seeks.

Their feud has been interesting but has arguably run its course. This match at Backlash will end the feud one way or another. If anything, the build-up could be dropping hints at future storylines. Having cost his partner a match two weeks in a row now, could WWE be teasing a feud between the tag team pair?

Not only did the Miz cost Morrison two matches, but his attempted assault on Priest after the bell resulted in Morrison getting hit by a second Hit the Lights.

Bad blood may be brewing. Could we see Morrison turn on his friend at Backlash, costing him the match? It would not only be fitting after recent weeks but would be a transition from one feud into another.

Whatever the outcome from Backlash, Damian Priest will surely be looking to insert himself into a title hunt somewhere. Impressive since his debut on the main roster, the future is looking bright for the Archer of Infamy.

WWE RAW Results (5/10): Lashley vs. McIntyre, Jinder Mahal Returns

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome. It was the final episode of RAW before WWE WrestleMania Backlash this Sunday night. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley faced Drew McIntyre in the main event.

RAW Results (5/10)

  1. Asuka, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke def. Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, Charlotte Flair
  2. Jinder Mahal def. Jeff Hardy
  3. RKBro & New Day def. AJ Styles, Omos, Jaxson Ryker, Elias
  4. Sheamus def. Humberto Carrillo
  5. Shelton Benjamin def. Cedric Alexander
  6. Rhea Ripley def. Asuka
  7. Damian Priest def. John Morrison & will pick the stipulation for his match against The Miz at WrestleMania Backlash
  8. Drew McIntyre def. Bobby Lashley via DQ

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Alexa Bliss Interfered In The 6-Woman Tag Team Match

Charlotte Flair and Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler faced Asuka, Mandy Rose, and Dana Brooke in the first match of the night. Baszler stomped on Mandy Rose in the corner of the ring and applied an Armbar to begin the action. Rose tried to escape but Shayna wrestled her to the canvas.

Mandy battled back and drove Shayna to the corner. Asuka tagged in and unloaded some kicks to Shayna’s ribs. Baszler escaped from the corner and went for a Headlock but Asuka countered with a Dropkick. Mandy hit Charlotte with a Dropkick that sent her off the apron and then Dana Brooke knocked Reginald to the floor.

Everyone started arguing but Alexa Bliss interrupted with Lily. Bliss swung on the swing and laughed into the microphone. Bliss apologized for interrupting but then added that Lily wasn’t sorry. Bliss said she was out here with Lily to keep an eye on “someone” as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Charlotte was in control and tagged in Baszler. Shayna went back to work on Mandy’s arm and then went for a cover but Rose was able to kick out at two. Nia tagged in and connected with a Body Slam for a two count. Nia went for a Samoan Drop but Rose escaped and tagged in Dana Brooke.

Nia greeted Dana with a shoulder tackle and tagged in Baszler. Dana knocked Flair off the apron and hit Shayna with an elbow to the face for a near fall. Shayna connected with a Backbreaker and then stumbled to the corner. Baszler’s knee kept buckling and Asuka tagged in. Asuka hit a Shining Wizard for the pinfall victory. After the match, Charlotte laid out Asuka with a boot to the face as Asuka and Lily laughed on the entrance ramp.

MVP Suggested That Strowman Should Injure Drew McIntyre

MVP approached Braun Strowman’s locker room backstage. MVP knocked but he did not answer. MVP entered the room and Strowman told him to leave. MVP said he wanted to discuss business and pointed out that McIntyre beat Braun last week and not Lashley.

Strowman said enough of this BS and MVP finally got to his point. MVP said that Lashley would rather lose the title to Strowman than Drew and noted that Braun hasn’t gotten his 1 on 1 match for the WWE Title. MVP suggested that if McIntyre were to get injured tonight, he wouldn’t be able to make it to the WWE Championship Triple Threat match this Sunday at WrestleMania Backlash.

Jinder Mahal Returned

Jinder Mahal faced Jeff Hardy tonight. Shanky & Veer accompanied Jinder to the ring.

Mahal dominated early and hit a couple Clotheslines for a near fall. Jeff stumbled around until Jinder knocked him to the canvas and stomped on him. Mahal planted Jeff with a Suplex and delivered a knee to his lower back. Jinder applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Jeff battled back with a Clothesline of his own and went for an Atomic Drop but Mahal blocked it. Jinder then hit the Khallas for the pinfall victory.

RKBro & New Day Picked Up A Win

RKBro (Randy Orton & Riddle) teamed up with New Day to face Elias, Jaxson Ryker and RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Omos. RKBro and New Day controlled the match early but that all changed once Omos tagged in. Omos dominated and then had a stare down with Randy Orton as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Elias leveled Riddle with an elbow to the face and tagged in Ryker. Jaxson hit a Suplex and tagged in AJ Styles. AJ went for the cover but Riddle kicked out at two. Kingston tagged in and unloaded some kicks on Styles. Woods tagged in and hit a Dropkick for a near fall.

Kofi tagged back in and connected with a Crossbody for a two count. Xavier tagged in as Kofi hit a Backbreaker. Woods hit Elias with a Dropkick off the top rope but turned around into a Spinebuster for AJ Styles in the middle of the ring. Jaxson tagged in and bounced Woods’ face off the top turnbuckle.

Ryker kept Woods grounded for the next few minutes and prevented him from making a tag. Jaxson planted Woods with a Spinebuster for another two count. Riddle tagged in and Omos hit him with a punch. New Day dragged AJ Styles around and distracted Omos. Randy Orton hit Elias with an RKO for the pinfall victory. After the match, Randy Orton hit Woods and Kingston with an RKO. Orton stared at Riddle before leaving the ring.

Sheamus def. Humberto Carrillo

United States Champion Sheamus faced Humberto Carrillo in a non-title match tonight. Before the match, Sheamus boasted about beating Mansoor and Humberto last week. Sheamus said that Adam Pearce suggested that he walk in the footsteps of those before him and have an Open Challenge for the US Title. He thought that was stupid because people should have to earn a shot at his title. Sheamus added that Carrillo is going to try and earn a title shot tonight but all he is going to get is a Brogue Kick to the side of the head.

Sheamus and Humberto locked up in the middle of the ring to start the match. Sheamus connected with a shoulder tackle and several strikes to Carrillo’s midsection. Humberto caught Sheamus with a boot to the face and followed it up with an Arm Drag. Humberto Dropkicked Sheamus out of the ring and went after him. Sheamus tripped him up and launched Carrillo into the timekeeper’s area as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Sheamus had Humberto in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Carrillo broke free with a Jawbreaker but the Celtic Warrior responded with an Alabama Slam for a two count. Sheamus brought Humberto up to the middle turnbuckle and went for White Noise but Carrillo escaped.

Humberto connected with a Hurricanrana off of the middle turnbuckle and both superstars crashed to the canvas. Carrillo went for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the apron but it was botched and both superstars fell to the floor. The referee called for the bell because Carrillo could not continue due to an injury.

Shelton Benjamin Taught Cedric Alexander A Lesson

Cedric Alexander faced Shelton Benjamin tonight on RAW. Benjamin and Alexander battled to the ring apron. Cedric tied up Benjamin’s knee on the ropes and then delivered a Dragon Screw. Alexander locked in a Heel Hook in the middle of the ring but Shelton was able to each the ropes to break the hold. Cedric once again got Shelton in a submission hold but Benjamin countered into a Sharpshooter. Alexander quickly reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

Alexander dropped Benjamin with a kick to the knee and followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked Shelton out of the ring. Alexander hit a Suicide Dive that sent Shelton into the barricade. Cedric went for another one but Shelton was ready this time and caught him with a knee to the face. Cedric connected with a Dropkick and then started taunting Shelton and it cost him. Benjamin then hopped up and connected with a slam for the pinfall victory.

Rhea Ripley def. Asuka

Rhea Ripley faced Asuka tonight on RAW. Ripley will defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat match this Sunday at WrestleMania Backlash.

Ripley controlled the action early and started taunting her. Asuka battled back but Ripley sent her flying across the ring. Rhea stomped on Asuka several times in the corner of the ring. Asuka escaped and went for an Armbar but Ripley was able to reach the ropes.

Asuka went for a Hip Attack but Ripley avoided it and hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Ripley bounced Asuka’s face off the ring apron and then Charlotte Flair’s theme hit. Charlotte made her way to the entrance ramp and Ripley got distracted. Asuka connected with a forearm to the face and then stared at Flair as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Rhea was in control as Charlotte Flair was on commentary. Asuka hit a knee to the face but Rhea threw her out of the ring. Charlotte distracted Asuka and Ripley attacked her from behind. Ripley brought Asuka back into the ring and hit her with an elbow to the face. Rhea connected with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count.

Rhea went for Riptide but Asuka countered with a Codebreaker for a near fall. Ripley started arguing with Charlotte outside the ring and Asuka capitalized with a Dropkick. Asuka followed it up with another Dropkick off the top rope and went for the cover but Rhea was able to kick out at the last moment. Asuka went for a Hip Attack but Ripley caught her. Rhea then connected with the Riptide for the pinfall victory.

Damian Priest Will Face The Miz In A Lumberjack Match At WrestleMania Backlash

Damian Priest faced John Morrison tonight on RAW. The Miz was ringside for the match. The winner of the match will choose the stipulation for the match between Damian Priest and The Miz at WrestleMania Backlash.

Priest beat Morrison down in the corner of the ring and then hit a Sidewalk Slam for a two count. Morrison took down Damian in an awkward sequence and followed it up with a knee to the face for a two count. John got Damian in a Headlock as The Miz cheered him on.

Damian battled back and slammed Morrison into the turnbuckle. Morrison dodged a kick but Priest caught him with a punch to the face. Damian went for the cover but Morrison grabbed the bottom rope. Morrison rolled out of the ring but Damian went after him. Priest rolled Morrison back into the ring and started trash talking with The Miz as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Morrison Clotheslined Priest out of the ring and then Miz hit him with a cheap shot. Back in the ring, Morrison applied Headlock but Damian broke free with a series of kicks. Priest hit a Splash in the corner and followed it up with a Falcon Arrow for a near fall.

Both superstars battled on the turnbuckle as Miz clapped while sitting on the barricade. Priest threw Morrison to the canvas and Miz covered his face in horror. Priest then hit a spin kick off the top rope for a near fall. Priest went for a Chokeslam but Morrison countered into a roll-up for a two count. The Miz then distracted the referee as Priest was setting up for his finisher.

Morrison countered into a roll-up but the referee was late due to the distraction. Priest then connected with Hit the Lights for the victory. After the match, The Miz attacked Priest but Damian battled back. The Miz cowardly scampered out of the ring and Priest planted Morrison with another Hit the Lights.

Damian then approached Adam Pearce backstage and said he wanted to face The Miz in a Lumberjack match this Sunday at WrestleMania Backlash.

Braun Strowman Sent A Message Heading Into WrestleMania Backlash

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley faced Drew McIntyre in tonight’s main event. MVP accompanied Lashley to the ring for the match. Lashley will defend his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman in a Triple Threat match this Sunday at WrestleMania Backlash.

Lashley controlled the action early and applied a Headlock. McIntyre lifted Lashley all the way to the ring apron but Lashley didn’t break the hold. Lashley got back in the ring and planted McIntyre with a Neckbreaker as Strowman was shown watching the match backstage.

McIntyre battled back and unloaded some punches in the corner of the ring. Lashley shrugged them off and hit some punches of his own. McIntyre leveled Lashley with a boot to the face that knocked the WWE Champion out of the ring. McIntyre followed him out there and hit a massive Suplex on the floor as RAW went to a commercial break.

Back from the break, Lashley sent McIntyre to the turnbuckle and then slammed him to the canvas. Lashley applied a Headlock again but Drew quickly battled to his feet. Lashley ducked under a Clothesline and went for a Suplex but McIntyre countered into a Suplex of his own.

Lashley leveled McIntyre with a shoulder tackle as MVP shouted “that is why you are the champ!” from outside the ring. Bobby shoved his boot in McIntyre’s face until the referee broke it up. Lashley knocked McIntyre out of the ring and to the floor. Lashley bounced McIntyre’s face off the apron and rolled back into the ring.

Lashley got back out of the ring and slammed McIntyre’s face into the ring post. The action returned to the ring with Lashley in control. Lashley charged at Drew but he was ready and launched the WWE Champion into the turnbuckle. McIntyre and Lashley then traded punches in the middle of the ring.

McIntyre hit an overhead throw that sent Lashley across the ring. McIntyre followed it up with a Neckbreaker and went for the Future Shock DDT but Lashley blocked it. Drew connected with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Lashley powered out at two.

Drew went for the Claymore but Lashley countered with a Crossbody. Lashley applied the Hurt Lock but Drew escaped. McIntyre then connected with the Claymore but didn’t go for the cover because Strowman’s theme hit. Braun attacked McIntyre from behind to end the match in a DQ. Strowman planted McIntyre with a Running Powerslam and then walked over to Lashley.

Braun helped the WWE Champion up and shook his hand. Lashley gave Braun a hug and then Strowman planted him with the Running Powerslam as well. Strowman then delivered another Running Powerslam to McIntyre as Lashley rolled out of the ring. Strowman went after him and MVP tried to hit Braun with his cane. Strowman blocked it and hit Lashley with a Running Powerslam through the barricade. Braun got back into the ring and delivered a third Powerslam to McIntyre to close the show.

New Match Set For WWE WrestleMania Backlash, Updated Card

Andrew Ravens
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A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE WrestleMania Backlash PPV.

WWE confirmed Damian Priest vs. The Miz. On Monday’s Raw, it was revealed that a singles match between Priest and John Morrison would see them battle it out to determine a stipulation for this match. 

Thus, when Priest won the contest, it was confirmed what the upcoming match will be a lumberjack match. He has been feuding with Miz and Morrison since January. Priest teamed up with Bad Bunny for a special tag team match at WrestleMania 37 where they went over the heels. It appears this will be the blowoff match in this feud. 

WWE presents the WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, May 16, 2021 from Tampa, Florida at Yuengling Center that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming days. 

Updated WWE WrestleMania Backlash Card

  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman
  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro
  • WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley
  • WWE Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair
  • WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode vs. Rey & Dominik Mysterio
  • Damian Priest vs. The Miz – Lumberjack Match

Jinder Mahal Makes His WWE Raw Return

Andrew Ravens
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Jinder Mahal is back on WWE Monday Night Raw as he made his return on the May 10 edition of the program. 

He did so when he beat Jeff Hardy in a quick match. He was joined by former NXT tag team Indus Sher (Rinku Singh and Dilser Shanky). They are now going by the names Veer and Shanky.

He appeared on the May 3rd Main Event TV tapings where he beat Hardy in a singles match. Mahal did work the Superstar Spectacle special back in January that aired on the WWE Network as he teamed up with The Bollywood Boyz to face Drew McIntyre and Indus Sher. 

In June 2019, Mahal went to Birmingham, Alabama to undergo knee surgery at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center.

While wrestling Ali, who won the match, at the WWE live event in Denver, Colorado in June he ruptured his patella tendon. Mahal had signed a new deal that was said to be for 5 years while on the shelf. 

He returned to action in April 2020 before suffering another injury. WWE was forced to scrap a planned feud between Mahal and McIntyre. 

Original Plans For Mia Yim’s WWE SmackDown Debut

Andrew Ravens
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Mia Yim, also known as Reckoning, was set to make her SmackDown debut last week, which was the throwback edition. 

There were rumors that Yim had been pulled from the show due to unknown reasons. Fightful Select reported today she was slated to start a feud with Carmella but it was cut for time as WWE had to add in throwback content to fit the theme of the show.

The throwback idea came from FOX and WWE quickly accommodated their request. It was said that time was added to WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns’ segment, but it’s unknown if this added to the time cut directly affecting Yim’s delay.

Dave Meltzer reported in the daily update on F4Wonline.com that Yim is slated to make her debut on the blue brand this coming Friday night. 

She was moved from Raw to smackdown after WWE broke up the Retribution group. Yim hasn’t worked a match since dropping a loss to Nikki Cross last December during a Main Event TV taping. 

A new Aleister Black vignette was also scheduled to air this past Friday, but that was nixed due to time as well.

Dark Side Of The Ring Air Dates For Upcoming Episodes

Andrew Ravens
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The third season of Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring started last Thursday. The first episode was about the life and career of Brian Pillman. 

The topics for the third season were previously announced as there will be two parts of the season. The exact air dates weren’t known for the first part until now. 

The Nick Gage episode will air on May 13th followed by Collision in Korea, Becoming Warrior on May 27th, Grizzly Smith episode airing on June 3rd, and the first part of the season finale on June 10th with Dynamite Kid.

Here is the synopsis for each episode: 

The Ultra-Violence of Nick Gage – “Nick Gage is the self-proclaimed king of deathmatch wrestling, but his road to the top has been marked with a six-year prison sentence for armed robbery and personal tragedies.”

Collision in Korea – “In one of the most bizarre acts of political theatre ever conceived, professional wrestlers who were deployed to North Korea faced a terrifying ordeal that had them fighting for their lives.”

Becoming Warrior – “The Ultimate Warrior was a divisive force in and outside of the ring; his first wife reveals how an aspiring chiropractor morphed himself into wrestling’s most polarizing figure.”

In The Shadow of Grizzly Smith – “Having survived familial abuse at the hands of their father and the mysterious abduction of their sister, Jake The Snake and his siblings struggle to reconcile with their past.”

Dynamite Kid – “The Dynamite Kid earned worldwide fame with a riveting, self-sacrificing style, but violent confrontations outside the ring would destroy his family, his body, and his legacy.”

The following topics will be covered in the second part of the season: 

  • Johnny K9 aka Bruiser Bedlam
  • The Steroid Trials (Vince McMahon’s 1994 trial)
  • FMW
  • The Plane Ride From Hell (Infamous WWE flight back from European tour in 2002)
  • Luna Vachon
  • XPW
  • Chris Kanyon

Dave Bautista Has Joined “Knives Out 2” Cast

Andrew Ravens
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Dave Bautista has landed another movie role as his successful career in Hollywood continues. Deadline.com is reporting that he has joined the cast of the “Knives Out 2” film. 

The film is directed by Rian Johnson and is the Netflix sequel to the 2019 murder mystery film. As it stands right now, there is no word yet what characters Bautista will be playing.

Daniel Craig will be returning for the second film as Benoit Blanc, who is the lead star. It will start filming this summer in Greece.

The plot of the first film reads like this, “The circumstances surrounding the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey are mysterious, but there’s one thing that renowned Detective Benoit Blanc knows for sure — everyone in the wildly dysfunctional Thrombey family is a suspect. Now, Blanc must sift through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth.”

Bautista’s latest film, “Army of the Dead,” is directed by Zack Snyder. The plot reads, “ARMY OF THE DEAD takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world.”

It will be released in select theaters on May 14, 2021. One week later, it will be made available on Netflix.

WWE SummerSlam Set For August 22nd, Location TBD

Andrew Ravens
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WWE SummerSlam expected to be held on Sunday, August 22nd. The date has not yet been confirmed by WWE and the location is still ‘to be determined’ as of this writing.

WWE has talked about holding this year’s SummerSlam in various locations such as Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere in Texas. There has also been some speculation about the event being held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The company wants to have fans in attendance at SummerSlam and that is still the goal. While it’s expected to be held outdoors, the exact capacity will remain a big question as WrestleMania 37 had over 20,000 fans in attendance. 

The belief is after SummerSlam will mark the beginning of WWE touring on a weekly basis with fans in attendance for TV. 

WWE presents the WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view event on May 16th with WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman being billed as the top match. 

After that, the Money in the Bank event takes place on June 20th and this year’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view show goes down on Sunday, July 18th. These three shows will be broadcasted from Tampa, Florida at Yuengling Center.

3 Matches Announced For Monday’s WWE Raw (5/10)

Michael Reichlin
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WWE returns to the ThunderDome in Tampa, FL for an all-new edition of Raw.

Just six days away from WrestleMania Backlash on May 15th, WWE is hyping a strong line-up for this “go home” episode.

Raw Preview (5/10/21)

  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre in a WrestleMania rematch.
  • The New Day and R-K-Bro vs. Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Omos, Jaxson Ryker & Elias
  • Charlotte Flair teams up with Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Asuka, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke.

We’ll update this article if additional matches are announced.

Check back Monday night for our weekly WWE Raw & Takeaways feature.

Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last week’s WWE Raw:

PROGRESS Release Recap Video Ahead of Best of 3 Series Finale

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS Wrestling has confirmed that the final match in their Best of 3 Series for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship will take place in just under two weeks.

Kanji and Gisele Shaw will do battle for the third time in as many chapters to determine who will be the next Women’s Champion on Saturday May 22.

Former Champions Jordynne Grace and Jinny commented on the importance of the title ahead of the final match between the two stars.

“The PROGRESS Women’s Championship is tied as one of the most prestigious belts I’ve ever held, on par with the IMPACT Knockout’s Championship” Jordynne Grace said recently. “Only the best women’s wrestlers in the world have held that belt, and it’s an honor to be among them.”

PROGRESS Chapter 111

“PROGRESS gave me my start in wrestling” NXT UK Superstar Jinny recently noted. “It allowed me to make my dream a reality. There wasn’t a Women’s Championship when I started.”

“From having the first women’s match on a Chapter show and proving we need a Championship for the women of PROGRESS, to becoming a two-time PROGRESS Wrestling Women’s Champion, makes the title that much more special to me,” Jinny concluded.

The company has also released a video ahead of the final match between Kanji and Gisele Shaw hyping the trilogy match:

WWE 2K22 Developers Provide Behind-The-Scenes Update (Video)

Michael Reichlin
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WWE 2K22 is the next WWE video game currently in development by Visual Concepts, a 2K Studio. We got a first look at the title during WrestleMania 37 weekend. You can see that 30-second teaser video here:

2K sent in word that the developers of WWE 2K22 will be providing an “unprecedented behind-the-scenes look” at the game’s production.

WWE 2K20 was plagued by technical issues and universally panned by critics and gamers.WWE 2K21 was scrapped entirely so the franchise could be reimagined from the ground up.

2K and Visual Concepts will chronicle the development of WWE 2K22 with a “social media content series providing ongoing access to work-in-progress production and development.”

https://twitter.com/WWE2Kdev/status/1391785420673802240

Visual Concepts is promising “frequent and in-depth communication” with the press, content creators and the WWE 2K community.

Check out SEScoops’ official WWE 2K22 Review

AEW Announces Return To Live Touring: Miami, Austin & Dallas

Michael Reichlin
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AEW sent in the following press release:

“AEW DYNAMITE” IS BACK ON THE ROAD WITH LIVE, TICKETED EVENTS IN MIAMI, AUSTIN, DALLAS

— Rescheduled Dates Announced for St. Louis and New Orleans Shows —

May 10, 2021 – After safely hosting 27 live, ticketed events throughout the past nine months at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Fla., AEW is bringing the excitement of its flagship show AEW DYNAMITE to Miami, Austin and Dallas this summer. AEW will become the first major wrestling promotion to safely return to a traveling schedule since March 2020.

The dates for the live shows in Miami, Austin and Dallas are:

  • Wednesday, July 7: James L. Knight Center in Miami.
  • Wednesday, July 14: H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas (greater Austin area)
  • Wednesday, July 21: Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas (greater Dallas area)

General tickets for the three shows will go on sale this Friday, May 14, at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT via AEWTIX.com. At the same time, tickets for the Miami and Austin shows will be available via Ticketmaster.com, while tickets for the Dallas show can be purchased at CurtisCulwellCenter.com. Tickets start at $30 (not including service charges or fees).

Each event will be held in compliance with state COVID safety guidelines, and seating capacities will adhere to state and local mandates.

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“We’re so appreciative of our fans in Jacksonville who have been with us these past nine months, ” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “Their support and incredible energy have lifted us week after week, and viewers have fed off their enthusiasm and support. Daily’s Place will always be our home.

“Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome our fans back to become part of the action in Miami, Austin and Dallas. We’ve missed touring cities, meeting the fans and hearing their roar during our live shows. Please be assured, we are working closely with the venues to comply with state and local regulations in each city. Miami, Austin and Dallas are the first of many as we gear up the trucks to travel around the country again! ”

In the near future, AEW will be announcing additional live events for the late summer.

The company also announced two rescheduled dates for St. Louis and New Orleans:

• The show at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis on June 23 has been rescheduled for Friday, November 5, 2021. The live event will be an AEW TNT television taping.

• The show at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January, 12, 2022, as an AEW DYNAMITE event.

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Fans who have already purchased tickets to either show will have their original tickets valid for admission to the respective rescheduled show, or they can receive a refund via the point of purchase.

As AEW continues to deliver the best matches and most entertaining moments in professional wrestling today, be sure to tune into AEW DYNAMITE every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on TNT.

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