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Christian Cage Discusses Samoa Joe Being Released from WWE

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar and newly signed AEW roster member Christian Cage recently spoke to Bleacher Report. Captain Charisma discussed a number of topics during the interview, including the recent WWE release of his former TNA colleague, Samoa Joe.

“That surprised me” Christian Cage began, speaking to Bleacher Report. “Joe is a super-talented guy. You see it in the ring, and obviously he has tremendous verbal skills.”

“He was a natural as a commentator as well,” Cage noted, referring to Joe’s recent run on Monday Night RAW in the booth. “When you have that kind of multi-talented individual who can wear a lot of hats, that’s invaluable.”

Samoa Joe: “Top Performer”

Christian continued, “He truly is, in my eyes, a top performer. He’s not going to have any shortage of suitors when the time comes, that’s for sure.”

Many fans have said that Samoa Joe should be a sure-fire signing for AEW. It is worth noting however that he was not cleared by WWE officials to perform, so there may well be lingering issues that mean he may not be able to perform in ring for some time if not ever.

IMPACT Wrestling EVP Scott D’Amore has however been teasing a return to IMPACT/formerly TNA for the former TNA and X Division Champion. It remains to be seen if a return to his former stomping grounds is on the cards for Samoa Joe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgFZK-yUpnY

Kurt Angle Reveals Ric Flair Urged Him To Sign With WWE Over WCW in 1998

Jake Skudder
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Kurt Angle recently discussed a conversation he had with Ric Flair back in 1998. The Olympic Gold Medallist was apparently choosing between WCW and the then WWF for his pro wrestling debut.

Speaking on his Kurt Angle Show podcast, Angle revealed that he reached out to the Nature Boy for career guidance.

“Somebody called me and said ‘Hey, if you want advice, call Ric Flair.’ So, I called Ric Flair, we started talking about wrestling. I said ‘Would it be smart to go to WCW?’ He said, ‘Hell no. No way, you go to WWE, Vince will take care of you.”

Angle said that Flair was not finished delivering his blunt message. Flair told him flat out, “Don’t come to WCW, they’re going to bury you.”

Angle and Flair 1

Kurt Angle on Ric Flair Advice

Ric Flair was working for WCW at the time of this discussion, so Angle had to decide how to take this advice. “I thought, he either doesn’t want me to take his spot or he’s being honest — and I think he was being honest.”

Kurt Angle had originally been offered a deal by WWE following his win at the 1996 Olympic Games. He turned down the offer at the time, thinking that he would continue as an Olympian.

It was only a few years later that Angle decided to make the jump to pro wrestling, at which point the offer on the table from WWE was substantially lower. WCW may well have offered a deal to Angle with a better monetary guarantee, but clearly Kurt made the right choice.

Luckily, Kurt Angle and Ric Flair would cross paths several times long after WCW went out of business in 2001. They competed against each other in a WWE ring on multiple occasions and had some memorable interactions in TNA, now Impact Wrestling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPBz41R8OQM

Snoop Dogg Says WWE Disciplined Him For AEW Appearance

Jake Skudder
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Rap Icon Snoop Dogg recently appeared on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning podcast. The star behind hits such as ‘Gin N Juice’ and ‘Nuttin But a G Thang” discussed a number of topics during the podcast, including how WWE were not happy that he appeared in AEW.

Snoop got physical on the January 6th “New Year’s Smash” edition of AEW Dynamite. He hit a ‘frog splash’ (if you can call it that) during the show as part of promo for the Go-Big Show on TBS.

“Let me tell you this, Snoop Dogg ain’t no wrestler. He’s bigger than that” Snoop Dogg began, speaking on the podcast. “You gotta understand that. This is the dynamics of what happened: I had a show on TBS called Go-Big Show.

“So, Cody Rhodes was one of the judges on the show, and he’s one of the top dogs at AEW” Snoop noted. “So, as a promotional vehicle for the gig, I went on AEW.”

749ed8dc93809f7261fd9f5191ea93d2

Snoop Dogg’s AEW Appearance

Snoop reveals that WWE disciplined him for his appearance on AEW Dynamite by putting their working relationship on hold.

Recounting WWE’s communication to him, Snoop said, “‘Hey, you running with them? We got to push pause on your ass for a minute. So, I stayed cool. They pushed pause for about two weeks, and then they go, ‘Hey man, we got this video game and we need you.’”

Watch Snoop Dogg’s comments this situation here:

Snoop’s Doggy Splash

Snoop’s appearance on AEW Dynamite got a lot of attention for his less-than-graceful dive off the top rope. His cousin, WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, teased him on social media that his moves need a little work.

Snoop’s History With WWE

Snoop Dogg has appeared for WWE many times over the years. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

Check out some of Snoop’s memorable WWE appearances:

Goldberg Tells Former WWE IC Champion: “You’re Next”

Alex Laybourne
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Ever since his return to the WWE back in 2016, Goldberg has enjoyed a part time run that has caused quite some controversy among fans. His two reigns as universal champion were met with mixed views. Not to mention the typical Goldberg match style no longer really flies with the post attitude era audience.

Regardless of this however, Goldberg has confirmed that he has a contract with WWE that runs until 2022 for two matches a year. This means that we have not seen the last of the 54 year old in the ring. There can be no denying that Goldberg is in great physical condition, for a man of any age, let alone being 54.

Talking in a recent episode of WWE The Bump, Goldberg also went on to say that there are a number of current roster wrestlers who he would love to face in the ring.

“The question is: could this era of Goldberg match up with anyone and have it be interesting? I think the answer is absolutely, yes.” He said.

You could accept if he was to call out a lower-tier wrestler. Someone who he could have some fun matches against. However, his choice is a far more intriguing one. It also has a very interesting backstory.

Big E… Goldberg Says You’re Next!

Calling out a man the size of Big E might seem a little strange for a man in the twilight of his career, and whose recent matches have been less than memorable. However, there is a fantastic backstory to Goldberg and Big E that certainly could make it a nice feud for the Hall of Famer to end his career with.

“So the story goes with Big E and I, that the only match I was ever late for, or I ever missed in WCW, was a match that I called in and told them I couldn’t catch the plane because I was at a signing and I had to stay until everyone was taken care of.” Goldberg explained.

“Big E was one of the kids I stayed for, OK? So, I will never forget his face, I’ll never forget that day.”

Wrestling is all about the story, and it is about the memories. There can be no denying that this would make a great story. A match between the old and new behemoth guard would make for compelling viewing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNfh9yFJgM0/

WWE SmackDown Results (4/23): Roman Reigns & Daniel Bryan, IC Title Match

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome. Apollo Crews defended the Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens tonight. A huge Universal Championship match was announced for next week during tonight’s show as well.

SmackDown Results (4/23)

  1. Daniel Bryan & Cesaro def. Jey Uso & Seth Rollins
  2. Tamina def. Nia Jax
  3. Apollo Crews def. Kevin Owens to retain the Intercontinental Championship
  4. Rey Mysterio & Dominik def. Alpha Academy

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Daniel Bryan & Cesaro def. Jey Uso & Rollins

This week’s episode of SmackDown kicked off with Cesaro in the ring. Cesaro was about to speak but was immediately interrupted by Seth Rollins. Seth said he was out here to congratulate Cesaro on finally reaching his potential. Rollins claimed that Cesaro only reached his potential because he was in the ring with him at WrestleMania.

Seth complained about not getting a thank you from Cesaro and mocked him for going after the Universal Championship. Rollins told Cesaro that nothing is over until he says so and claimed that the rain delay at WrestleMania through him off his game. Seth added that Cesaro could not beat him again and Cesaro challenged him to a match right now.

Jey Uso interrupted and told Cesaro that he doesn’t deserve to be in the same ring as Reigns. Rollins told Jey that they should team up and teach Cesaro a lesson. Rollins and Uso started circling the ring but Daniel Bryan’s theme hit. Bryan joined Cesaro in the ring and Jey & Seth retreated.

Bryan claimed Rollins was embarrassed about losing to Cesaro at WrestleMania and Jey was just out here because Roman told him to do so. Bryan said Cesaro has outworked all of them and deserves an opportunity at the Universal Championship. Roman Reigns joined the party with Paul Heyman.

Reigns smirked and boasted about beating Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania. Roman pointed to his new t-shirt with Bryan and Edge being pinned on it and called Daniel a loser. Reigns added that Cesaro is a loser because he is letting Daniel Bryan talk for him. Roman called Bryan stupid for being out here running his mouth when he is surrounded by people that want to whoop his ass.

Rollins and Jey faced Bryan and Cesaro in a tag team match when SmackDown returned. Rollins complained about having to be in the match as Cesaro and Bryan took turns beating down Jey Uso. Rollins tagged in and stomped Cesaro down in the corner of the ring.

Jey tagged in and hit Cesaro with a Superkick. Rollins went for a Crossbody but Cesaro caught him with a Backbreaker. Bryan tagged in and hit Jey and Seth with a couple Dropkicks. Daniel planted Seth with a German Suplex and went for the cover but Rollins kicked out at two.

Bryan went for the Running Knee but Rollins countered with a massive Buckle Bomb. Jey tagged in and hit a Frog Splash but Cesaro broke up the cover. Rollins and Jey brought Cesaro out of the ring and planted him with a Suplex on the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Jey and Rollins had Bryan isolated in the ring. Cesaro got the ThunderDome crowd fired up on the apron and pleaded for a tag. Rollins booted Bryan down to the canvas and started arguing with referee Charles Robinson. Rollins taunted Bryan and sent him to the corner. Bryan broke free and both superstars collided and crashed to the canvas.

Cesaro and Jey then tagged in as Bryan hit Rollins with a Suicide Dive outside the ring. Jey hit a Clothesline that knocked Cesaro to the outside. Jey went for a Suicide Dive of his own but Cesaro caught him with an uppercut. Cesaro jumped off the top rope but Jey was ready and leveled him with a Superkick as SmackDown went to another break.

Jey Uso tagged in when SmackDown returned. Uso made his way to the top rope but Cesaro caught him with another uppercut as Seth made his way up the entrance ramp and left Jey behind. Cesaro brought Jey back into the ring with a Superplex and Bryan tagged in. Daniel did the “yes!” chant and leveled Jey with the Running Knee for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Daniel Bryan dared Roman Reigns to come down to the ring. Jey tried to attack Bryan but Cesaro got him in the Swing. Bryan counted the rotations from the top turnbuckle. Cesaro leveled Jey with an uppercut and Bryan claimed that Roman Reigns is too afraid to accept his challenge. Daniel suggested that Cesaro give Jey another Swing around to see if Roman Reigns will come to the ring and help him.

Cesaro swung Jey around again as Daniel Bryan mocked Roman Reigns for not helping Jey as the head of the table. Bryan continued to say that Reigns was afraid and he couldn’t beat anyone without Jey’s help. Daniel added that Reigns if afraid because if he faces Cesaro and loses, Cesaro will become the new Universal Champion.

Tamina def. Nia Jax

Tamina battled Nia Jax tonight on SmackDown. Reginald, Shayna Baszler, and Natalya were ringside for the match. Nia controlled the action early but got distracted by Shayna and Reginald arguing outside the ring. Baszler got in Reginald’s face and he tumbled over the steel steps. Tamina capitalized on the distraction with a Superkick and then rolled up Nia for the pinfall victory.

Apollo Crews Retained The IC Title

Apollo Crews defended the Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens tonight. Commander Azeez was in Apollo’s corner for the match. Owens brought Crews down to the canvas and applied a Headlock. Kevin started taunting Crews as he battled back to his feet.

Owens brought the Intercontinental Champion down to the canvas and kept Crews in the Headlock. Crews finally escaped but Owens hit him with a Dropkick. Owens followed it up with some chops to the chest as Commander Azeez looked on from outside the ring.

Kevin hit an elbow to the face and followed it up with a Senton. Owens then Clotheslined Crews out of the ring and was about to jump onto him but Azeez got in the way. Apollo capitalized with a Clothesline and then a Suplex for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Owens dropped Crews with a Superkick.

Back in the ring, Kevin Owens climbed to the top rope and hit a Swanton Bomb for a near fall. Sami Zayn’s music hit and he danced his way to the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Sami Zayn joined commentary as Crews and Owens battled on the turnbuckle. Crews knocked Owens to the canvas with a headbutt but Kevin hopped right back up. Owens hit a Superkick and went for the cover but the Intercontinental Champion kicked out at two.

Crews leveled Owens with a Clothesline for a two count. Apollo hit Owens with an Enziguri and followed it up with three German Suplexes for another near fall. Owens battled back and hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb for another two count. Kevin set up for the Stunner but Commander Azeez hopped on the apron.

Crews capitalized on the distraction and rolled up Owens to retain the IC Title. Owens then hit Crews with the Stunner but turned around into the Nigerian Nail (Samoan Spike) from Commander Azeez. Sami Zayn then danced around Kevin Owens after the match.

Big E then attacked Apollo Crews backstage during an interview. Big E threw Crews onto a storage crate and got in some shots before WWE officials broke it up. Commander Azeez showed up and stared at Big E to end the segment.

Aleister Black Returned

A vignette for Aleister Black aired during this week’s episode of SmackDown. Black said that most people are not honest with you but he wants you to know the truth. Aleister opened up a book and read chapter 1 entitled “The Dragon”. Black stated that his father became distant as he grew older because he was training him to become the dragon. Aleister said that everyone watching this right now are monsters and are turning their children into monsters. Black added that they should be scorched from the earth like crops to make room for more fertile things.

Bayley Laughed In Belair’s Face

Bayley approached SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair backstage. Bayley said it will be an honor to be Belair’s first challenger at WrestleMania Backlash. Bayley congratulated Bianca on her victory at WrestleMania and walked away. Bayley then returned and laughed in Belair’s face before walking away again.

Rey & Dominik Picked Up A Win

Rey & Dominik Mysterio faced Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable). Otis slammed Dominik to the canvas and went for a Splash but Dominik got out of the way. Otis got right up and absolutely leveled Dominik with a Clothesline as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Gable planted Dominik with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Otis tagged in and unloaded some punches to Dominik’s ribs. Otis stared at Rey on the apron before taking Dominik down with another Clothesline. Otis followed it up with a Body Slam and then an elbow to the midsection.

Gable tagged in and drove his shoulder into Dominik’s ribs. Otis tagged in and did the same before connecting with a Splash in the corner of the ring. Gable tagged back in and went for the cover but Dominik kicked out at two. Dominik tried to battle back but Gable halted his momentum with a couple Belly to Belly Suplexes.

Chad went for a third but Dominik escaped and was finally able to tag in Rey. Mysterio connected with a Hurricanrana and then a Destroyer on Gable for a two count. Rey climbed to the top rope and hit Gable with another Hurricanrana for a near fall. Dominik tagged back in and sent Gable to the apron.

Rey tripped up Gable and Dominik followed it up by sliding out of the ring and hitting a Powerbomb into the barricade in an awesome sequence. Dominik sent Otis over the announce table as Rey hit Gable with the 619. Rey then hit a Frog Splash off the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Opinion: This was the second very good tag match of the night. Bryan & Cesaro vs. Jey & Rollins was the match of the night and lasted nearly a half hour. I thought this match was great and Dominik was impressive. He sold the majority of the match but also able to show what he is capable of in the ring.

Reigns Will Defend The Title Against Daniel Bryan Next Week

Cesaro and Daniel Bryan made their way to the ring again in the final segment of the show. Cesaro demanded that Roman Reigns give him answer to his challenge or they will come back there and get an answer.

Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. Reigns told Cesaro that he doesn’t deserve to be in the ring with him and that the answer is no. Roman told Cesaro that he will never be on his level and the Universal Champion issues the challenges around here.

Reigns then stepped away from Cesaro and told Daniel Bryan that he will give him one more opportunity next week on SmackDown. Cesaro gave Bryan the microphone and told Daniel that he has to take the match. Reigns added that if he beats Daniel Bryan next week, he doesn’t ever want to see him again on SmackDown. Bryan accepted the challenge and Reigns raised the Universal Championship in Daniel’s face before exiting the ring to end the show.

Bayley vs. Bianca Belair Set For WWE WrestleMania Backlash

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has confirmed another big title match for the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view. Hot off a historic championship victory at WrestleMania 37, Bianca Belair will defend the SmackDown women’s title against Bayley.

WWE first announced the news in an email blast promoting Friday’s SmackDown. It was later confirmed in a video posted on the company’s official social media channels.

Check out their interaction on Friday’s WWE SmackDown:

WrestleMania Backlash Card

In addition to Bianca Belair vs. Bayley, the only other match confirmed for WrestleMania Backlash is WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre in a WrestleMania rematch. Additional matches will be announced in the weeks ahead.

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.

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.

First Look At CM Punk In “Heels” Series On Starz (Photo)

Andrew Ravens
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CM Punk stepped back into the squared circle, but for a television series. He will be appearing in at least one episode in the first season of Starz’ series “Heels” that has Stephen Amell, who is best known from the “Arrow” series, as the leading man. 

The television series completed filming its first season earlier this month. Starz has released a ‘first look’ photo of the former WWE Champion as he makes his way to the ring in this fictional universe. Meet CM Punk’s character in Heels, Ricky Rabies!

The series about two brothers, one a babyface and the other a heel inside the ring, and the struggles they have both on camera and behind the scenes after the death of their father, the promoter of the Georgia-based wrestling promotion they both work for and have now inherited.  Amell will be playing Jack Spade, the heel brother.

Punk impressed casting directors for the role of Jack Spade back in 2017, but never got the role because the project was put on hold. Amell later filled that role so now Punk will be portraying his adversary.

Punk is featured in the new horror movie Jakob’s Wife, which was just released. He plays Deputy Colton in the film that stars Barbara Crampton.

https://twitter.com/StephenAmell/status/1355972265050050563

WWE Introduces New Class Of International Performance Center Recruits

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has officially announced the new class of international Performance Center recruits. 

The company confirmed on Friday evening that several new talents are now training at the facility located in Orlando, Florida.

Most notably, Sari Fujimura, who debuted on NXT television as Sarray this past week, is part of the class. She went by the name Sareee before joining WWE where she worked for various promotions such as Sendai Girls, JWP Joshi Puroresu and World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana.

WWE made the announcement by issuing the following: 

Sanjana George is a 24-year-old from Bangalore, India. In addition to her passion for running grueling obstacle courses, George also holds a 5-1 record in mixed martial arts.

Jennifer Michell Cantu Iglesias is a 23-year-old champion powerlifter from Monterrey, Mexico.

Hideki Suzuki joins the WWE PC’s coaching staff. The Hokkaido, Japan, native trained in catch-as-catch can wrestling at Japan’s Snake Pit under the legendary Billy Robinson before stepping into the ring for Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle-1 and Zero1, among others. In 2017, Suzuki was named the MVP of Japanese independent wrestling by Samurai TV.

Matt Farrelly of Sydney, Australia, is a former history teacher with experience in the ring and on reality television. He competed on “Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders” in 2019.

Stephanie De Landre of Sydney, Australia, has a background in dance and soccer, and has been a standout on the independent wrestling scene down under.

AEW Blood and Guts: Rules Revealed, Format For May 5th Dynamite

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling will present the first Blood and Guts match in company history on the May 5th edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Blood and Guts is AEW’s version of War Games, the double steel cage match created by the late Dusty Rhodes.

Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle will square off MJF’s Pinnacle faction in what’s sure to be a violent affiar that lives up to the Blood and Guts name.

On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed some details about what fans can expect from this special episode of Dynamite.

“I think it’s going to be a one match show,” said Meltzer. He clarified that AEW might pre-record some other matches and video packages, but he expects that entire show to be built around B&G and for it to be the only live match that takes place that night.

AEW Blood and Guts: May 5th

AEW Dynamite is a 2-hour show, so Blood and Guts will be a long match. The 10-man elimination match will feature ‘old school’ rules – with no pinfalls.

The Blood and Guts double steel cage will feature a roof, which stays true to Dusty Rhodes’ original concept. WWE’s version of the match, War Games, did not feature a roof.

AEW is just the latest promotion to present their own version of the mythical War Games match. Aside from the original War Games match presented by the National Wrestling Alliance in 1987, other companies that put their own spin on the “match beyond” include ECW, Smoky Mountain, Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling and WWE/NXT.

NWA: When Shadows Fall PPV Announced For June 6th

Michael Reichlin
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The National Wrestling Alliance’s next pay-per-view has been announced.

The NWA presents “When Our Shadows Fall” live on pay-per-view on Sunday, June 6th. The event will feature a ‘dark and ominous’ circus theme and streams exclusively at FITE.TV.

All of the NWA’s top champions will be part of this show, including World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis, National Champion Chris Adonis, Women’s Champion Serena Deeb, Tag Team Champions Aron Stevens and Kratos and Television Champion, The Pope.

NWA President Billy Corgan was quoted in a press release sent in to SEScoops.com:

“We ask our fans from all over the globe to join us as we continue to build on the 73 years-and-counting tradition of the National Wrestling Alliance. It’s an awesome legacy to have to navigate, but as you’ve seen recently with Triller’s headline-making acquisition of FITE, the future of television and live broadcast events is in the digital sphere.”

You can pre-order NWA: When Our Shadows Fall now at FITE.TV.

John Cena Comments On Missing WrestleMania This Year

Chris Stephens
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John Cena didn’t perform at WrestleMania this year. The 44-year-old was unable to make it to the event due to his filming schedule. He spoke to the Bleacher Report about what it was like to miss the big show this year.

“We all have a window,” Cena said. “And I love listening to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin talk about his window. My goal when I stepped foot in WWE was to leave it better than I found it, and it’s really great to be able to see an event.”

“I almost had the best transition you can possibly have. My last two WrestleManias were very interesting: an almost cinematic-type match and before that I was a fan. I got to sit in the crowd and see WrestleMania. I got to see the product. I got to see a stadium full of fans and it was beautiful. I felt at home.”

Cena continued to say that he was happy to see that life after him for the WWE is thriving.

“I think it’s really special, and we all think they’re never going to go on without us. That’s not true. It’s more reassuring to me to not only see that WWE has a life after me, which is inevitable for sure, but that the life is thriving.”

“There’s so many great storylines, so many great matches. It’s called WrestleMania, not CenaMania, you know? I’ve been a part [of it], and that part is over.”

John Cena vs John Oliver

Today is John Cena’s 44th birthday. It is also HBO’s John Oliver’s 44th birthday. That the two were born on the exact same day as been a reoccurring joke on Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” show.

https://twitter.com/JohnCena/status/1385469454058885121

Impact Results (4/22): Go-Home Show For Rebellion

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 4/22 was the go-home show for Sunday’s Rebellion PPV. Eddie Edwards faced Eric Young in the main event.

Impact 4/22 Quick Results:

  1. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) defeated Decay (Black Taurus & Crazzy Steve)
  2. Tenille Dashwood defeated Susan
  3. Shera defeated Jake Something
  4. Jordynne Grace defeated Kiera Hogan via DQ
  5. Eric Young defeated Eddie Edwards

Rich Swann and Kenny Omega’s Final Segment Before Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPUJyg8bSZQ

Rich Swann came out for a promo this week and called out Kenny Omega. Omega and Don Callis appeared on the big screen and said they couldn’t be in the Impact Zone for the show. Omega plans on being on Impact regularly, however, as the new Impact World Champion.

After Omega and Callis logged off, Moose made his return to Impact and confronted Swann in the ring. Moose gave Swann a warning that if he loses his two title belts, he’ll have to deal with him after.

Violent By Design Scores Victory Ahead Of Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixYkpPblJnQ

With a huge 8-man tag taking place at Rebellion, the leaders of the two sides faced off in singles action in this week’s main event. With the two sides brawling on the outside, VOD’s Joe Doering tripped up Eddie Edwards and allowed Young to score a pinfall with a small package. After the match, the melee between the two sides would continue.

Rachael Ellering To Team With Jordynne Grace At Rebellion

Jordynne Grace faced Kiera Hogan in singles competition this week. With Jazz now having officially retired, Grace is in need of a partner for the Knockouts tag title match at Rebellion. Just when Grace looked as though she had this match won, Tasha Steelz interfered to cause the DQ. It was then a 2-on-1 attack until Rachael Ellering hit the ring and made the save. Ellering will now be Grace’s partner at Rebellion.

The Good Brothers and FinJuice Prepare For Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ect0peiW4

The Good Brothers defeated Decay in tag-team action this week as they head to Rebellion on a winning note. After their victory, Anderson and Gallows cut a promo directed at FinJuice. They said they are glad that Finlay and Robinson broke them out of their comfort zone.

Later in the show, FinJuice would cut a promo at Anderson and Gallows, telling them they are dreaming if they think they are going to take the belts from them on Sunday.

Tenille Dashwood Defeats Susan En Route To Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQml4MdGj44

Tenille Dashwood put away Susan in singles competition this week. After the match, she cut a promo to her Rebellion opponent, Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. Dashwood said that Purrazzo owes her for all that she has contributed to women’s wrestling.

Sami Callihan Sends Trey Miguel A Warning Ahead of Rebellion

Sami Callihan and Trey Miguel will face off at Rebellion. Just days before the event, Callihan sent Trey a message that at Rebellion he’s going to see to it that he never walks again.

Brian Myers Sends Matt Cardona A Message Ahead of Rebellion

Brian Myers cut a promo this week on his Rebellion opponent, Matt Cardona. Myers said that he’s not interested in living in the past and that at Rebellion, Cardona will be just another “roster cut.”

Final Lineup For Rebellion

Here is the final lineup for this weekend’s Rebellion PPV:

  • AEW World Championship vs Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Rich Swann
  • Impact Tag Team Championships
    FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson)
  • Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs Tenille Dashwood
  • X-Division Championship
    Ace Austin (w/Madman Fulton) (c) vs. TJP vs. Josh Alexander
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Fire N Flava (c) vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering
  • Brian Myers vs Matt Cardona

Chelsea Green Comments On Her WWE Release

Chris Stephens
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Chelsea Green was recently released by WWE as part of the cuts made last week. She recently took part in an interview with Chris Van Vliet and spoke about her reaction to being let go.

“At first I was kind of emotionless and I guess confused. My way of handling that has always been to go into overdrive with what’s next?” Green said. “That’s always the way my brain has worked with everything. So even when I became the IMPACT Champion, literally that night, what’s next? What am I going to do next?”

Green continued to talk about how her fiancé, Impact’s Matt Cardona, helped her that day.

“First of all, he warned me that this was coming. Not necessarily to me, that I was going to get fired. But he did call me and give me a 10-minute gap between the time he told me people are letting go and me getting let go. He gave me that warning then I texted him and said ‘OK, I’ve been released.’ I’m not joking he was home within 30 minutes. My Pro-Wrestling Tees store was up, he’s all go go go! Even harder than I was. I think that’s kind of the same way I felt when he was released.”

Chelsea Green: Hot Mess

Green also talked about characters and stories she pitched while with WWE. It does seem as though Green is interested in returning to her “Hot Mess” persona.

“I can’t tell you how many ideas I came up with. If I think about it, they all led back to The Hot Mess. But with that being said, it wasn’t The Hot Mess like you saw at IMPACT. I tried to pitch a darker, creepier Hot Mess that you could relate to. Not just like the girl at the bar, more so any psychotic person you’ve had in your life.”

She continued, “It could be anyone. I was always working on ideas that led me turning into The Hot Mess. It’s what I love, I just want to do character work. I don’t need to wrestle. I’m totally cool with not wrestling, I want to tell a story.”

The full interview with Chelsea Green and Chris Van Vliet is in the player below:

MLW Returning To 2300 Arena, Welcoming Back Fans

Chris Stephens
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MLW will return to Philadelphia’s famous 2300 Arena on July 10th, 2021. Fans will be welcomed back in the building for the show and tickets are on sale now.

On MLW Fusion this week, Court Bauer announced that the company will be taking 2-months off. The episode of Fusion on May 5th will be considered the end of the season. A new season will then kick off with the July 10th show in Philadelphia.

This news comes on the heels of MLW announcing a new partnership with VICE TV. MLW will debut on the network on May 1st with content from its archives to get viewers up to speed on the promotion. VICE TV’s 3rd season of Dark Side of the Ring is then set to premiere on May 6th.

In addition to the deal with VICE TV, MLW is also said to be in negotiations with other networks, including Discover Plus.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385567882180956162/

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that MLW will be looking to add new talent to its roster shortly.

“MLW is looking at adding a lot of new talent with the new deals, both to freshen up, and also because a lot of the Mexican talent they had been featuring won’t be available because of the difficulty right now in getting visas renewed,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Alicia Atout interviewed MLW’s Court Bauer about all the latest developments:

WWE Fires Longtime Employee After Ugly Practice Called Out On Social Media

Chris Stephens
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WWE has a longstanding practice of sending wrestlers their personal belongings in trash bags after they’ve been fired.

WWE released several Superstars last week in the latest round of budget cuts. One of these Superstars is legendary performer, Mickie James.

James received a care package from WWE this week. Upon opening it up, she saw that her personal belongings were thrown in a garbage bag. She brought this to the attention of WWE boss Vince McMahon, unsure if he’s aware of this ugly policy.

WWE Executives React

WWE executives Stephanie McMahon and Triple H reacted to the situation. Stephanie says she embarrassed by WWE’s actions and apologized to Mickie James personally and on behalf of the organization. She noted that ‘the person responsible’ has been fired.

Triple H called the treatment disrespectful and reiterated that the person responsible is no longer with WWE.

According to multiple sources, longtime WWE employee Mark Carrano, Senior Director of Talent Relations, was fired on Thursday.

More Former Superstars Speak Out

Several former WWE Superstars, coincidentally all women, spoke up on social media and said they experienced the same treatment over a decade ago.

Gail Kim followed up by giving her personal opinion of Mark Carano. She tweeted, “I know the WWE trolls are going to come for me, but Mark was not a good human being. I don’t think he should necessarily get blamed for this incident but I hope this karma makes him realize and wake up. Be a nice human and maybe things will change for you.”

CM Punk offered up the following in response to Triple H:

The Undertaker Feels He Should Have Been At WrestleMania

Alex Laybourne
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If there is one superstar above all others who is synonymous with Wrestlemania, then it is the Undertaker. From The Streak to his cinematic boneyard match with AJ Styles, the Undertaker has seen and done it all.

The fact that the Undertaker was not on the card at Wrestlemania this year was not lost on fans, and it was not lost on the man himself.

In a recent interview with Sports Interactive, Mark Calloway admitted the WrestleMania weekend stirred that familiar itch.

“I was fine all the way until that first ballyhoo of fireworks,” he said. “I kept thinking to myself, ‘You should be there.”

The Undertaker: Time To Step Aside

A Wrestlemania without the Undertaker certainly felt strange. Yet, despite the itch, Calloway is a man who knows when it is time to step aside. Revered by all backstage, his respect was someone every man on the roster wanted to earn. However, there comes a time when the torch needs to be passed, and at 56 years old, that time came. The Undertaker officially retired on November 22nd, 2020.

“There was a bit of an emotional tug of the heartstrings watching this year, but it’s time for me to step aside and let this next generation have the reins and go where they’re going to go.” Calloway said.

It remains to be seen whether the Undertaker will ever be seen back in WWE, in a non-active capacity. For now, the deadman is content to take some much needed time off to adjust to the next stage of his life.

AEW Dynamite Draws 1.104 Million Viewers, 0.37 Rating

Michael Reichlin
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TV viewership data is in for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite on TNT, the second week of the ‘unopposed’ era.

The April 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 1.104 million viewers. The show did a 0.37 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic and finished #2 on cable for the day. The numbers come courtesy of ShowBuzzDaily.

For comparison, Monday’s WWE Raw averaged 1.907 million viewers and did a 0.61 rating. Dynamite’s viewership is up since NXT moved to Tuesday’s, but AEW still has a ways to go before they catch WWE’s flagship show.

This was the 4th most-watched episode of AEW Dynamite. MTV’s The Challenge season finale was the highest-rated show of the night, but AEW has a chance to claim that mantle next week.

Overall, this is a strong showing for AEW. The next big test for AEW comes in two weeks, when the company presents Blood and Guts on the May 5th episode.

Check out our results and takeaway’s from this week’s AEW Dynamite:

EC3 Hospitalized With An Infection

Chris Stephens
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ROH’s EC3 revealed on Instagram recently that he has been in the hospital for 5 days with an infection. It is not immediately clear what type of infection he is dealing with.

#ControlYourNarrative CAN KILL YOU

That’s not strictly just an attention grabbing headline. it’s more of an update.?

Short version; an infection I neglected proper care for, put others people’s needs before mind, went straight empath, caught up to me and broke me.?

Long version; it’s extensive, I’ve been hospitalized 5 days and we’ll need longer.

Anyways I will heal, if you want to help drop a comment or a thought or affirmation.?

Please do no not text. PLEASE.all I ask. If you want to help let me be alone,

ControlYourNarrative?

FreeEC3 #ec3

DONTTEXTIMEANINITANDDONTHUNYTMEDOWN #LETMESLEEP #THANKS

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN8tlpBBBRd/?igshid=102lgh71smdwv

EC3 On Signing With Ring Of Honor

Earlier this year, EC3 spoke about his decision to sign with Ring of Honor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLw4p51hvT-/?utm_source=ig_embed

“I very much look forward to etching my name amongst (and above) those who built the foundation Ring of Honor, competing with it’s exceptional roster, finishing what I have started with Jay Brisco, and carrying the #brand forward into the future it deserves.”

Christian Talks About What He Loves About AEW, His Debut & More

Michael Reichlin
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Christian Cage is the latest guest on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, presented by the AEW Casino mobile game.

Christian recently signed with All Elite Wrestling and has vowed to, “Out. Work. Everyone.” During this discussion with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards, Captain Charisma spoke about his AEW debut, what he loves about AEW and much more.

Christian made his AEW at the recent Revolution pay-per-view. He was the ‘big signing’ teased by Paul Wight. Even though he’s been a household name for decades, Christian reveals that he wasn’t sure how fans would react to him in AEW.

“I get there, and straight onto a bus, and it’s nerve-wracking you know, because you’d be like, ‘Will anybody even care that I’m here?’” he said. “You know, you have those kind of thoughts that go through your head a little bit.”

Christian in AEW

Christian’s first match for AEW was against fellow veteran Frankie Kazarian. It was Christian’s first singles match in seven years. He felt Kazarian was the right guy to work with for his debut.

“I wanted to raise his stock no matter what happened in that match, and I know he felt the same way,” said Christian. “When you have two guys committed to that purpose, I think you’re gonna go out there and do something really special.”

Christian was with WWE since the Attitude Era in the late 1990’s. He knows that system inside and out. There are several ways that AEW differs from WWE. Christian says that one thing in particular that he enjoys is the amount of time that AEW gives talent to do their thing. “That’s the thing, too, that I love about AEW. There’s so much time in these matches to tell these stories.”

Other topics discussed include Jon Moxley’s role in Christian joining AEW, his appreciation for AEW’s tag team division, who he’s excited to work with and more.

Listen to Christian on AEW Unrestricted in the link embedded below.

Park To Be Renamed In Honor Of Bruno Sammartino

Chris Stephens
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Bruno Sammartino lived in Ross Township, Pennsylvania for 58 years. The town has announced plans to rename a park in honor of him. Sangree Park will be officially named “Bruno Sammartino Park.” A new sign will be unveiled at a ceremony tomorrow.

A report on Bruno Sammartino Park from CBS Pittsburgh is below:

The unveiling of the sign commemorating Bruno and the renaming of the park comes just over 3 years after his death. Sammartino died on April 18, 2018 from multiple organ failure due to heart problems. He was 82 at the time of his death.

Sammartino was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame at Madison Square Gardens is the biggest thing in my life,” Sammartino said in an interview with ESPN. “Anytime that people feel that you accomplished enough to enter into a Hall of Fame, of course this is a tremendous, tremendous thrill for me. I had a lot of my success due to appearing at the Garden.”

Following news of Sammartino’s death, Vince McMahon Tweeted that he was one of the finest men he ever knew.

“One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business. Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. He will be missed,” Vince McMahon Tweeted.

MLW Fusion Results (4/21): Hammerstone Challenges Jacob Fatu, Court Bauer Announcement

Chris Stephens
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Major League Wrestling Fusion this week featured Court Bauer making a big announcement, a huge upset in the main event, and your boy Hammer challenging the MLW World Champion.

The full episode can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion 4/21 Quick Results:

  1. Rocky Romero defeated Gino Medina
  2. King Mo defeated Robert Martyr 
  3. Bu Ku Dao defeated TJP

Rocky Romero defeats Gino Medina

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385009090183708677

NJPW’s Rocky Romero faced off with former member of the Dynasty Gino Medina in the night’s opening contest. Commentary played up Romero’s NJPW affiliation and also mentioned Tom Lawlor competing on NJPW Strong, where he has made it to the finals the New Japan Cup USA.

Romero pulled of the victory with an arm-bar. That’s two straight losses for Medina, who recently lost to Richard Holliday as well.

PWI Top-10 Rankings

New top-10 rankings were released on this week’s episode as well.

MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)

  1. Alexander Hammerstone (Dynasty) (National Openweight Champion)
  2. Tom Lawlor (Team Filthy)
  3. Lio Rush
  4. Mads Krugger (Contra unit)
  5. Richard Holliday (Dynasty)
  6. Low Ki
  7. Mil Muertes (Azteca Underground)
  8. Myron Reed (Inustice)
  9. Calvin Tankman
  10. ACH

King MO defeats Robert Martyr

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385013331665334275

King Mo dismantled his opponent in quick fashion this week. The referee eventually called for the bell as Mo had his opponent locked in a standing guillotine.

After the match, head coach at American Top Team Dan Lambert and King Mo cut a promo on the referee and Low Ki. King Mo said at ATT they don’t tap or submit and the next time him and Low Ki face each other, he’s going to break him in half.

Court Bauer Makes An Announcement

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385016621350199298

Alicia Atout interviewed Court Bauer this week to talk about the company’s future. Bauer spoke about the new deal with Vice TV and also hinted there are other opportunities in the works as well.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385015563710255115

Bauer revealed that the company will close out “this season” on the May 5th show in two weeks and then kickstart a new season in July. When the company returns later this summer, they will welcome back fans into the arena. Their first taping for the new season will be held at the historic 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Bu Ku Dao Pulls Off Big Upset

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385021666418376704

TJP turned heel by turning on his protege Bu Ku Dao recently in MLW. TJP said that Dao just wasn’t pulling his weight when the two had teamed up together. Dao would get revenge on his former mentor in this week’s main event, however. After a back-and-forth match, Dao overcame a referee bump (when he’d had TJP down for a 3 count) to hit a spinning flatliner and get the pin. What a win for Bu Ku Dao!

Hammerstone Challenges Jacob Fatu

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385021925118853123

Before the show came to a close this week, we got a snippet from a press conference with Alexander Hammerstone. Your boy Hammer said he was tired of the debate regarding who is the best between MLW’s two champions. He called out MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu for what will be a giant main event match.

 “Jacob Fatu, the ball is in your court. The challenge is out there.”

Coming Up In MLW

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385014844018020353

Here is what is upcoming for Major League Wrestling:

Next week’s episode:

  • Tom Lawlor vs Marshall Von Erich

May 5th, 2021:

  • MLW World Middleweight Championship
    Lio Rush (c) vs Myron Reed

July 10th, 2021

  • MLW Begins its new season with a show from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia

Damian Priest Talks if Bad Bunny Will Ever Make WWE In-Ring Return

Jake Skudder
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WWE Superstar Damian Priest recently spoke to Graham Matthews of Fansided. The RAW Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including his angle with Bad Bunny and the impressive debut the Latin artist had at WrestleMania 37.

“We talked about [a potential return] before and after,” Priest began, saying how Bad Bunny feels regarding a WWE in-ring return. “There’s no question that we’ll see Bad Bunny in a WWE ring again. When? I don’t know.”

“He’s really busy, he’s going to start touring again soon” Damian Priest added. “That’s a wild schedule he has to prepare for. But I’d be shocked if we never saw him again. It’s impossible.”

Damian Priest on Bad Bunny

“The love he has for this business and now the love this business has for him, there’s no way I don’t see him coming back” Priest concluded.

Damian Priest finished the interview by saying how Vince McMahon reacted to his own performance at WrestleMania 37. “I made sure to do what he wanted and he told me, ‘I gave you direction last week and this week you implemented it and you did exactly what I wanted you to do. That’s all I ask for. Thank you.’”

“I said, ‘No, thank you.’ That was it” Priest revealed. “At WrestleMania, he gave me a hug and said, ‘Congratulations, I’m happy for you. You did your job well. You should be proud.’”

Would you like to see Bad Bunny back in a WWE ring? Let us know in the comments

Kurt Angle Reveals There Are ‘Plans’ For Him To Make WWE Return

Jake Skudder
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0

WWE Hall of Famer and TNA alumni Kurt Angle recently appeared on Hannibal TV. The man considered one of the greatest ‘all-round’ performers in WWE history discussed a number of topics during the interview, including how he may be returning to WWE sooner rather than later.

“Well my relationship with WWE is really good and I like to keep it that way” Kurt Angle began the interview. “I don’t have any plans of going to AEW. I haven’t really spoke to them that much.”

“There’s just a couple messages sent back and forth but nothing serious” Angle revealed, negating any rumors that he was going to be All Elite bound. “I have something going on with WWE right now and it most likely will materialize.”

Kurt Angle on WWE Return

Angle finished by elaborating, somewhat, on those plans; “I can’t talk about it but that’s what I’m waiting on and I don’t wanna mess that up. The company’s been so good to me and I wanna be loyal to them.”

Kurt Angle’s last WWE match took place back at WrestleMania 35 against Baron Corbin. Angle has previously had a GM position on Monday Night RAW, so there’s a chance he may return for a similar role if and when he were to return.

Angle has stated in the past that he would like to work with Chad Gable, so that is also a possibility down the line.

credit to POST Wrestling for the transcription.

Would you like to see Kurt Angle back in WWE? Let us know in the comments

Daniel Bryan Considering Stepping Back from being a Fulltime Superstar

Alex Laybourne
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0

WWE superstar Daniel Bryan has shocked fans in a recent BT Sport interview. Talking about the match and his future, Bryan opened up and admitted he is considering stepping back from fulltime wrestling.

Daniel Bryan, who won the hearts of the wrestling world during his underdog run that culminated in a huge win at Wrestlemania 30, has had a storied career. From earning his stripes on the indie scene to conquering the top of the mountain in WWE, and returning from a career-ending injury. He is a man who has done it all.

Yet now, it would seem, that the near-guaranteed hall of famer is considering calling it a day on his glittering career.

Thoughts of Retirement

When discussing his experience at WrestleMania, Daniel Bryan reflected on feeling disconnected from the moment. As a veteran of the industry, that was an unfamiliar feeling and something Bryan found a bit scary.

“It was really bizarre. I don’t know why or how it happened, but it was unlike anything I’ve felt while wrestling before.”

“Maybe it was a sign that it’s time to let go of being a full-time wrestler, which is something that I have been thinking for a while.”

They say that when it’s your time to stop, you just know. Maybe now is the right time for Daniel Bryan to step away. Doing so on his own terms as opposed to when it was previously forced upon him.

With his words hinting at retirement, could it be that his late inclusion at WrestleMania was his goodbye swan song?

Reason Why Charlotte Flair Is Off WWE Television

Jake Skudder
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0

Charlotte Flair recently returned to WWE television following WrestleMania 37. The former RAW Women’s Champion returned to face Asuka on this week’s episode of RAW, with Rhea Ripley interrupting the match and causing Flair to be distracted and lose to Asuka.

Following the match, Charlotte Flair attacked WWE referee Eddie Orengo. This caused Flair to be ‘fined’ (in storyline) by Adam Pearce to the sum of $100,000.

Even though Flair has only just returned, she is now back off of WWE programming. The reasoning for this is Flair getting dental work done, this is according to a report from Alex McCarthy on the Wrestling Daily podcast.

Charlotte Flair on Suspension

Flair reacted to the storyline news on Twitter, alluding to a potential feud with Rhea Ripley down the line on Monday nights.

“This whole thing sped past ridiculous, jumped over absurd and landed right on stupid” Flair tweeted. “The top two wrestlers in WWE having a classic match on the flagship show, and for what? To be ruined by a petulant child with Road Warriors cosplay shoulder pads.”

“They found one other thing as well: audacity” Flair added. “The audacity to fine me. The audacity to physically remove me from MY RING and remove me from a building with MY NAME on the marquee. The fine? The suspension? Adam Pearce? All the same, a joke.”

Checking In From Somewhere

Meanwhile, the 13-time Women’s Champion appears to be enjoying her time away from WWE. The daughter of Ric Flair checked in this week from an exotic location. Here she is with her man, former WWE Superstar Andrade.

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