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WWE NXT Results (4/13): Franky Monet Debuts, Open Challenge, Karrion Kross Speaks

Andrew Ravens
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The April 13, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

The April 13, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • NXT Tag Team Champions MSK def. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick to retain.
  • Mercedes Martinez def. Jessi Kamea.
  • KUSHIDA def. Santos Escobar to become the new WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion
  • Isaiah “Swerve” Scott def. Leon Ruff.
  • Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon def. The Way

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Karrion Kross Opens

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New NXT Champion Karrion Kross kicked off the show with an in-ring promo as he is fresh off beating Finn Balor for the NXT Title at last week’s TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. 

He put over Balor for being one of the greatest to ever do it but proved that Balor’s beliefs were wrong. He said that he controls everything and is in command of NXT until he says so. He said no one will outwork him and if anyone wants the title then step up because he’s ready to roll heads. 

He said he doesn’t care who it is or what they’ve done because he will fold everyone until no one is left. He said it doesn’t matter where the time is, everyone pays the toll. 

Raquel Gonzalez Speaks / Franky Monet Debuts

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Raquel Gonzalez made her first appearance on WWE television after winning the NXT Women’s Title from Io Shirai on the first night of NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver event last week. 

Gonzalez walked out to the ring for a promo about her road to being champion. She said that the one person to realize her dedication and that’s Dakota Kai. 

Franky Monet, formerly known as former Impact Wrestling star Taya Valkyrie, made her debut on this show by interrupting the champion. Monet congratulated her on the title and said that she is La Wera Loca and the best division on the planet is a whole lot better now that she’s here. 

Monet left and out walks Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley then SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair.  They held up their titles in the ring and congratulated each other. That was it. 

WWE started airing videos a few weeks ago where a Pomeranian dog was shown entering the WWE Performance Center and running around the building. The latest video showed the dog coming up to a woman in high heels. 

The dog in the videos was Valkyrie and John Morrison’s Pomeranian Prince Presley. WWE also filed for the ring name in February. 

Roderick Strong Gone From NXT

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WWE did this interesting angle backstage where Roderick Strong was with his wife, Marina Shafair, and gave NXT General manager Wlliam Regal an envelope. 

Regal asked if he was sure about this decision and Strong said yes. So Strong is gone from NXT. It looks like he’s headed to the main roster whether that be on Raw or SmackDown. 

Open Challenge

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Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar issued an open challenge on this show after Escobar became the undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion by defeating Jordan Devlin in a ladder match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two last Thursday.

When the COVID-19 pandemic last year, WWE announced a tournament to crown an interim champion, which was won by Escobar. So who answered the open challenge? 

Well, first, Santos cut a promo about being the undisputed champion and how his family is full of warriors as they always fight. Thus, that’s why he wanted this open challenge. KUSHIDA answered the call. 

It was a fun back and forth match that came down to KUSHIDA getting a quick roll-up win. After a quick commercial break, Jordan Devlin walked up and told KUSHIDA that after he goes home for a break, he’s coming for KUSHIDA and the title. 

Tag Team Title Match

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New NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defended against Drake Maverick & Killian Dain.

The champions went over with their finishers in a solid match. Post-match, Imperium laid out MSK. 

MSK became the NXT Tag Team Champions by defeating The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) and Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) in a triple threat match at last week’s NXT TakeOver special. Maverick & Dain became the number one contenders to MSK’s titles by defeating Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) on the pre-show.

Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

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Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott in a singles match took place. 

The backstory behind this match is due to them being rivals as Ruff and Scott were participants in the Gauntlet Eliminator. Scott eliminated Ruff during the match, which was won by Bronson Reed to become the #1 contender to Johnny Gargano’s North American Title. 

Scott went over with his finisher in a solid match. 

Tag Bout

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The Way (NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano, Austin Theory, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) vs. Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in an eight-person tag match took place. 

The reason this match was booked was due to Reed winning the Gauntlet Eliminator match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one and advancing to challenge for Gargano’s North American Championship at night two, but fell short to retain his title. On the flip side, Blackheart & Moon retained their titles against LeRae & Hartwell at night two.

During the match, Heartwell had Lumis walk her backstage and she winked behind his back. The finish saw Reed hit a splash off the top rope to Theory. 

KUSHIDA Wins WWE NXT Cruiserweight Title

Andrew Ravens
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Santos Escobar issued an open challenge on Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT where he cut a promo before the match about how he comes from a family that is full of warriors. Thus, that’s why he was being a fighting champion and opening the door for anyone to take him up on his offer to step up and challenge him for the Cruiserweight Title. 

KUSHIDA was that star, who brought the fight to him. The back and forth match ended when they were trading roll-ups and KUSHIDA was the one to come out on top.

Post-match, KUSHIDA was seen in the backstage area with William Regal when Jordan Devlin walked up and congratulated him on the big win. He said that he’s going home and when he comes back, he’s coming after KUSHIDA and the title. 

Last year, WWE had to come up with a tournament to crown an interim champion due to the COVID-19 pandemic and because Devlin, who was the champion at the time, couldn’t make it to the United States. Escobar won his version of the NXT Cruiserweight Championship by winning the tournament as he beat Drake Maverick in the tournament finals.

Just last week at the TakeOver: Stand and Deliver special, Escobar beat Devlin in a ladder match to become the undisputed champion. 

Backstage News On WrestleMania 37 Universal Title Triple Threat Match

Andrew Ravens
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Edge, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns battled in the main event of WrestleMania 37 – Night 2 for the Universal Title with “The Big Dog” coming out on top to retain his title. 

The match was highly praised among fans. Fightful Select reports Reigns’ advocate, Paul Heyman, was instrumental in orchestrating the match layout, which is like he has done in the past while working with Brock Lesnar. 

The report stated unlike the other matches featured on the card, the finish had been decided relatively early. As noted, there were several matches on the card that had their finishes changed over the weekend such as The Fiend vs. Randy Orton. 

Also, Edge and Bryan had creative input and came up with several ideas for the match. It was stated the entire finished product is considered a collaborative effort. The clever spot where Bryan had the yes lock while Edge had the crossface on Reigns at the same time was something that Bryan had pitched. 

Regarding the decision to put Bryan in the match, the idea was only solidified the week of Fastlane.

Finally, it was stated that the match was received well backstage as Reigns received a great deal of praise for his performance.

The Undertaker Explains Why He Kept His Retirement Speech Short

Andrew Ravens
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The Undertaker made his latest WWE appearance at the Survivor Series pay-per-view event in which was promoted by WWE as his “Final Farewell.” 

Taker started out by saying for 30 years he has walked to the ring to lay people to rest. He said that now his time has come to let The Undertaker rest in peace. 

Many fans were somewhat disappointed by the fact that The Deadman didn’t say much considering it was his retirement speech. While speaking on the Victory Over Injury Podcast, The Undertaker talked about this. 

“I’d already come to peace with my decision, but it was really real once I put the hat and coat on. Knowing I was putting the hat and coat on for the last time and walking to the ring in that capacity, it was tough.

It was probably best that I didn’t say much more than I did or I would have killed 30 years of work and turning into a blubbering idiot. It was a tough moment. I had already come to grips with the fact that I had gotten everything out of this sponge that you’re going to get, but when I put the hat and the coat on, things feel different. ‘I might have one more in me.’ No, that was it.”

At the ceremony, Vince McMahon did a short introduction speech then various legends that are close friends with Taker came out only to disappear before Taker came out to the ring.

MLW Talking With Notable Company About Potential TV Deal

Andrew Ravens
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Last month MLW President Court Bauer indicated that the promotion has signed a new broadcast deal, but no news following that had come out until now. Pwinsider.com reported the promotion is talking with a potential partner in Discovery. 

Of course, Discovery had a short relationship with Impact Wrestling a few years ago as the promotion aired on Destination America, which is under the Discovery banner. 

Discovery’s launch of their new streaming service Discovery+ has seen the company be aggressive towards acquiring new content. Fans can watch Dark Side of the Ring on the streaming service, which airs on VICE TV. 

It will be interesting to see whether MLW can make such a deal, which opens up some possibilities such as airing on Discovery or Investigation Discovery as they are in the area of 96 million homes. 

Another possibility is DSports, which could help them internationally the platform has a strong mark share in a number of countries as a sports network. It should be noted that Discovery has been interested in the past with having wrestling on their networks as they had talks with WWE last year regarding the WWE Network.

WWE Releases Salaries For Vince McMahon, Triple H & Other Top Executives

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has released a new SEC filing ahead of its annual stockholder’s meeting in May.

This is where they listed salary and compensation for top executives for 2021, which you can see here: 

  • Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon: $1,400,000
  • President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan : $1,200,000
  • Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon: $730,000
  • EVP, Global Talent Strategy & Development Triple H: $730,000

WWE stated, “In respect of 2021, we did not grant any salary increases to our named executive officers.”

For comparison, WWE also listed the earnings for these executives for last year that salary, stock awards, non-equity incentive plan compensation, and other compensation: 

  • Vince: $3,905,792
  • Khan: $12,964,565 (Khan was granted a $5 million sign-on bonus. He joined the company in August 2020. He received $6,799,138 in stock awards)
  • Stephanie: $2,187,266
  • Triple H: $2,318,280

Regarding Stephanie, it was stated in the filing, “In 2020, Shane McMahon was retained as a performer for the Company for which he received minimum guaranteed performance fees and royalties aggregating approximately $820,369.”

Finally, WWE has “booking agreements” listed for Triple H and Stephanie. Here’s an excerpt: 

Paul Levesque. We have a booking agreement with Mr. Levesque which currently runs until March 30, 2022, and thereafter extends for successive one-year periods unless either party gives notice of nonextension at least 90 days prior to the expiration date. Under this agreement, Mr. Levesque is entitled to a minimum guaranteed annual payment of $1 million which the Company is entitled to recoup from all payments under the agreement including pay for performing in live and televised events and royalties for merchandise sold utilizing Mr. Levesque’s name and/or likeness.

Stephanie McMahon. We have a booking agreement with Ms. McMahon which currently runs until October 6, 2021, and thereafter extends for successive one-year periods unless either party gives notice of nonextension at least 90 days prior to the expiration date. Under this agreement, Ms. McMahon is entitled to a minimum guaranteed annual payment of $750,000 which the Company is entitled to recoup from all payments under the agreement including pay for performing in live and televised events and royalties for merchandise sold including Ms. McMahon’s name and/or likeness.

WWE Raw Ratings Reach 2 Million Viewers For WrestleMania 37 Fallout (4/12)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 2.026 million viewers with a 0.68 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week’s 1.701 million viewers and the 0.52 rating.

This week’s episode was the post-WrestleMania 37 edition of Raw. The post-WrestleMania 36 edition of Raw last year did 2.118 million viewers and a 0.70 rating.

Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday night:

  • The first hour did 2.125 million viewers and a 0.69 rating (A18-49).
  • The second hour did 2.091 million viewers and a 0.71 rating.
  • The final hour of the show had just 1.862 million viewers and a 0.65 rating.

This episode featured Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka, Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose, John Morrison & The Miz vs. Damian Priest, and Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman vs. Randy Orton in a triple threat match.

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 2.250 million viewers. This is up from the 2.137 million viewers on FOX that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown pulled in a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demos, up from the 0.57 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 2.036 million viewers. 

The first hour saw it pull in 2.060 million viewers while hour two did 2.099 million viewers. The show did 2.020 million viewers in hour one while hour two did 2.041 million viewers a week ago.

Rhea Ripley Talks Vince McMahon’s Reaction to WrestleMania 37 Win

Jake Skudder
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WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley recently spoke to TV Insider. The Australian Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including her RAW Women’s Championship victory at WrestleMania 37.

Ripley defeated Asuka on Night 2 of WrestleMania 37, using her Riptide finishing move to get the win and cement her place on the Red brand of WWE going forward on Monday nights.

Rhea Ripley Talks Vince McMahon

“One of the big ones was talking to Vince McMahon afterward” Rhea Ripley said during the interview, discussing what it was like backstage after her big win. “Hearing him say ‘well done’ and that I did great. It was so surreal.”

“It’s a dream, and I’m living it” Ripley added. “To have the big boss man say well done was pretty insane to me.”

Rhea Ripley also revealed some advice that Paul Heyman gave her. “It was Paul Heyman who said to me, ‘You can stay humble, but don’t stay silent’” Ripley revealed. “That really hit me because I’m a very humble person.”

“I do my job and do what I’m told” Ripley added. “Sometimes that isn’t the best way to do things. I will take that advice with me as I keep working.”

CM Punk Comments On Potentially Wrestling Kenny Omega or Triple H

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk’s new horror film “Jakob’s Wife” is available on-demand and in select theatres beginning April 16th. He recently sat down with Uproxx to promote the film and during the conversation, he talked about what would have to happen for him to return to wrestling and who he would like to face if he does so.

“I think the right combination could maybe be figured out, but it’s also not for me to figure out. It’s not my world anymore,” Punk said when asked about potential getting back in the ring. “I’m certainly not Hulk Hogan, where I’m going to show up somewhere and like, ‘no, this is how it’s going to be.’ The wrestling world doesn’t necessarily need CM Punk and that’s absolutely fine. Everyone seems to be doing great. I don’t know, it’s like flavors of ice cream. I walk into an ice cream shop one time and I’m like, ‘Oh, that seems like a good flavor. Give me two scoops of that.’ It’s just gotta be the right time, right place, right situation.”

Punk also spent some time talking about possible future opponents he could face in either AEW or WWE. Kenny Omega and Triple H’s names were both mentioned.

“From a creative mind standpoint, stepping back and looking at the landscape of everything, there are people in WWE that I have wrestled before that maybe, in a certain situation could be interesting,” Punk continued. “There’s also the business side of things. What’s the biggest possible match for CM Punk? I think there’s Kenny Omega on the one side. And, you know, unfortunately, ironically enough, for me to go back to WWE, who’s the biggest match for me? It’s probably Triple H. That’s ironic because it’s nothing I’m interested in. It’s just what it is. Am I going to be a businessman and say that’s the match, that’s the big-money match? Well, it’s not my money, so it’s not for me to say.”

The full interview can be read here. The trailer for Jakob’s Wife is below:

Ace Austin On What Stars From AEW He’d Like To Face

Chris Stephens
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2x and current X-Division champion Ace Austin will defend his title against both TJP and Josh Alexander at Rebellion later this month. He sat down for an interview with Chris Van Vliet recently. During the discussion, Austin spoke about which stars from AEW he’d like to face now that the “forbidden door” has been opened.

Austin noted Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, and PAC as potential future opponents.

“I know the Twitter-verse wants to see me and Sammy Guevara. That’s a match that has never happened one-on-one. We did have a triple threat once for XWA with Anthony Henry. A lot of people want to see me and Darby too. PAC also for sure, we are both ultimate athletes. But Kenny Omega, that is inevitable”

Austin also spoke about meeting AJ Styles at a TNA Meet and Greet in 2014.

“For $20 I got a photo of me and AJ Styles in the ring when I went to an IMPACT Show in 2014. I had never been in a ring before that. As soon as I stepped on the canvas, it was like nothing I stepped on before. I lost my balance, total fail. That was January 2014,” Austin continued. He would also mention that he started training not long after that.

While Austin has a big title defence upcoming, he says he’s got his eyes on a bigger prize. Austin is hoping to get into the Impact world title picture once again.

“I haven’t taken my eyes off of the World Title since Slammiversary. When I ended up back in the X Division picture, I have option C. I knew that becoming X Division champion meant that there was a sure fire way I could get a title shot. After Rebellion, who knows what that might mean?”

The full interview can be viewed in the player below:

NXT Preview: Loaded Lineup For Tonight’s Tuesday Premiere

Michael Reichlin
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Tonight marks a new chapter for NXT, as WWE’s black and gold brand moves to Tuesdays.

Several new champions were crowned at Takeover: Stand and Deliver. Karrion Kross is the new NXT Champion. Raquel Gonzales is the NXT Women’s Champion. MSK now hold NT’s tag team titles and Santos Escobar is the undisputed cruiserweight champ.

WWE has announced the following items for NXT:

  • NXT Champion Karrion Kross will open the show.
  • We’ll hear from new NXT Women’s Champion, Raquel Gonzalez.
  • NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will face Drake Maverick & Killian Dain
  • Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar has issued an Open Challenge.

Franky Monet, who appears to be former Impact Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie, debuts

We’ll see footage from what happened after Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole’s unsanctioned match at Stand & Deliver.

  • Leon Ruff will face Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

The Way (Johnny Gargano, Austin Theory, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) will face Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in an 8-person mixed tag team match.

Backstage News On Randy Orton Defeating The Fiend At WrestleMania

Chris Stephens
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Randy Orton defeated the Fiend to kick off night 2 of WrestleMania 37. Bliss ended up costing Fiend the match when she appeared atop the jack-in-the-box with a black ooze dripping down her forehead. Orton then hit Wyatt with the RKO and pinned him to win.

According to a report from Fightful, the original plan was for the Fiend to defeat Orton on the show. Then over the weekend, Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard are said to have changed the finish to Orton going over. Those involved in the angle were not given an idea where the story was headed beyond that it was supposed to be used to write Orton off from television for some time.

Orton would wrestle last night in a triple threat to determine a #1 contender to Lashley at WrestleMania backlash. It’s possible Prichard and Vince wanted Orton to win at Mania so that he could be involved in that match and ultimately take the pin so that Strowman wouldn’t have to.

Prichard and McMahon were said to have been happy with how the angle played out at Mania. On RAW last night, Bliss cut a promo saying she has realized she doesn’t need “the Darkness” anymore. She also introduced a new doll friend and appears to be keeping her new persona but moving away from the Fiend. Wyatt meanwhile, appeared in a FireFly Fun House segment and claimed he has now been re-born.

Jeff Jarrett Podcast With Conrad Thompson To Debut Next Month

Chris Stephens
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WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett is the latest wrestling great to start a podcast along with Conrad Thompson. The first episode will air on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021.

“For years I’ve been asked, ‘If I could do a podcast with anyone in wrestling today, who would it be?’ And I’ve always been consistent that one of those names is Jeff Jarrett,” Thompson said in a press release. “If Jarrett’s life was a movie script, nobody would believe it. I can’t wait to dive into Jeff’s story and hear directly from one of the most accomplished and controversial people to ever be in the wrestling business. ‘My World’ is going to be a can’t-miss podcast.”

The 53-year-old is a former WCW World Champion, NWA World Champion, and AAA Mega Champion. He is in both the TNA and WWE Hall of Fames.

“The King of the Mountain and the Podfather finally coming together,” Jarrett said. “I’ve been aware of Conrad for quite some time now, and he’s obviously a skilled interviewer with great passion for the wrestling business. He not only does his homework but asks the questions the fans really want to know the most.

“I can’t wait to get started on May 4.”

WWE RAW Results (4/12): WWE Title Match Set For WrestleMania Backlash, Viking Raiders Return

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome on the campus of the University of South Florida. It was the first episode of RAW following WrestleMania 37. Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, and Braun Strowman battled in a Triple Threat match in the main event. The winner of the match will face Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.

RAW Results (4/12)

  1. Lashley def. Riddle
  2. Viking Raiders def. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander
  3. Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka ended in a no context (Charlotte interference)
  4. The Miz & John Morrison def. Damian Priest in a Handicap match
  5. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke via countout
  6. New Day def. Elias & Jaxson Ryker
  7. Drew McIntyre def. Randy Orton & Braun Strowman to earn a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Lashley Dominated

Riddle confronted Bobby Lashley backstage and challenged him to a WWE Championship. Riddle quoted Lashley saying anyone can have an opportunity and Lashley shoved him to the floor. Lashley said Riddle was a loser and he is a winner, and tonight he is going to show him the difference.

Lashley then battled Riddle in a non-title match. Lashley attacked Riddle during his entrance and launched him into the barricade. The WWE Champion continued to dominate as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Lashley slammed Riddle to the canvas and unloaded some punches. Riddle finally was able to get in some offense and connected with a few kicks. Riddle hit a knee to the face and made his way to the top rope. Riddle went for a Senton but Lashley caught him in the Hurt Lock for the submission victory.

The Viking Raiders Returned

Viking Raiders made their return tonight and faced Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin. Cedric and Shelton got the jobber entrance for this match. Alexander and Benjamin isolated Erik in the ring to start off the action. Benjamin hit a knee to the face for a near fall.

Ivar finally tagged in and unloaded some strikes to Shelton Benjamin. Ivar planted Shelton with a Side Slam and followed it up with a Crossbody. Shelton kneed Ivar in the midsection but he shrugged it off and slammed Benjamin to the mat. Cedric tagged in and walked into a Clothesline. Ivar squashed Alexander in the corner and they followed it up with the Viking Experience for the pinfall victory.

Charlotte Flair Complained For Five Minutes

Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring and noted that she wasn’t on WrestleMania. Flair stated that she is a franchise player and what she does in the ring is sacred to her family. Charlotte added that it wasn’t her fault that she was on WrestleMania and Asuka didn’t accept her challenge.

Flair said Rhea Ripley is the biggest snake in the locker room and claimed that Asuka manipulated her way into a rematch tonight. Charlotte listed every female in the locker room and said that nobody compares to her.

Flair told all the fans who think she steals opportunities from their favorites, she is not going to apologize for being too good. Charlotte demanded that everyone show her some respect and to enjoy the title match that she should have been in.

Asuka vs. Ripley Was A Botchfest

Rhea Ripley defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Asuka in a rematch from Night 2 of WrestleMania 37. Rhea Ripley controlled the action early as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Ripley leveled Asuka with a Clothesline and launched her into the turnbuckle.

Asuka leveled Ripley with a Dropkick off the top rope and bought herself some time to regroup. Asuka hit the Hip Attack and went for the cover but Rhea powered out at two. Asuka missed with a Dropkick and Ripley applied a submission hold.

Asuka reached the ropes and then a series of botches occurred where it looked like Rhea and Asuka were completely lost. Asuka and Rhea then battled outside the ring and Charlotte Flair attacked them both to mercifully end the match. Charlotte then mocked them both before leaving.

Opinion: I have no idea what the hell happened with this match but Jim Ross would describe it as “bowling shoe ugly”. Rhea and Asuka looked like they’ve wrestled a match before tonight. It was bizarre to watch the botches mount up and it just made both superstars look terrible. It was a wonderful moment when Charlotte interfered because it just signified that the match was over.

Alexa Bliss Has An Evil Puppet

Alexa Bliss cut a promo from her swing set. Bliss said once upon a time there was a little girl who lost but one day she was rescued from the darkness. The darkness protected her and taught her everything it knew. Bliss said that the darkness went away and that was when the little girl realized that she never needed the darkness after all. Alexa realized that she can do everything on her own and that the darkness was standing in her way. Bliss added that she has unlocked something truly evil and introduced “Lily”, her new puppet friend.

Miz & Morrison def. Damian Priest

The Miz, John Morrison, and Maryse came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV to hype their reality show airing after RAW. Miz claimed he turned Bad Bunny into a WWE superstar and rolled highlights of him at WrestleMania. Damian Priest interrupted and said Bad Bunny put in the work to live his dream in a WWE ring.

Miz mocked Priest because he was upstaged by Bad Bunny and failed to have a WrestleMania moment. Miz and Morrison challenged Priest to a Handicap match and Damian accepted. Priest beat Miz down in the corner to start off the match.

Morrison tagged in and hit Damian with an Elbow Drop for a two count. Priest booted Morrison int he face and hit him with a Splash in the corner. Priest hit Miz with a Chokeslam and went for the cover but Morrison broke it up at two. Maryse hopped up on the apron for a distraction and Miz was down to his underwear. Miz rolled up Damian and used the ropes for leverage for the pinfall victory.

Opinion: I guess someone will have to explain to me why this match needed to happen in the first place, and why Damian Priest lost it to The Miz in his underwear.

Shayna & Nia Won Via Countout

Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler faced Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose in a non-title match tonight. The champs controlled the match early and isolated Dana Brooke in the ring. Shayna bounced Dana’s head off the turnbuckle and Nia followed it up with an elbow to the midsection for a two count. Jax then applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Mandy tagged in and got in some offense before Nia slipped on the apron. Mandy and Dana laughed and then ran away because Nia was pissed to end the match in a countout.

Opinion: Unfortunately, this show has been terrible so far. It was a funny moment that Mandy Rose slipped during her entrance for the Tag Team Turmoil match during Night 1. However, a funny moment is all that it was and it has passed. As Shane McMahon would say, this was stupid. What kind of babyface team purposely loses a match by countout?

New Day def. Elias & Ryker

Elias and Jaxson Ryker went to perform a song to honor Shane McMahon but New Day interrupted and mocked them. Ryker and Elias then battled New Day in a Tag Team match. New Day controlled the match early as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Woods went for a Crossbody but Ryker caught him with an elbow to the face. Elias tagged in and went for the cover but Woods kicked out at two. Ryker hit a Backbreaker but Woods kicked out at two again. Kofi finally got the tag and sent Ryker out of the ring.

Kington hit Elias with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Double Stomp for a near fall. Kingston connected with a Backbreaker and tagged in Woods. Xavier connected with a Stomp off the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Firefly Fun House Returned

Bray Wyatt returned for a new episode of Firefly Fun House. Abby the Witch referred to Alexa Bliss as a “b*tch” and Bray said “witches be wildin”. Wyatt claimed that he felt great and it is time for a brand new start for all of us. Bray said he feels reborn and there will be no more clout chasing in this simulation.

McIntyre Earned A Rematch Against Lashley

MVP came to the ring and was about to introduce Bobby Lashley for a championship celebration. Drew McIntyre interrupted and said he is man enough to admit he made the first mistake at WrestleMania when he allowed MVP to distract him.

McIntyre told MVP to keep growing Lashley’s ego and dress him in the fancy suits. Drew added that he wants Lashley’s head as big as possible because eventually he is going to have a rematch. McIntyre said when he hits the Claymore, Lashley will fall all the way down and look up at him as the new WWE Champion.

Braun Strowman joined the party and got in McIntyre’s face. Randy Orton came down to the ring as well before Adam Pearce interrupted. Pearce announced that Orton, Strowman, and McIntyre will have a Triple Threat match tonight. The winner will face Lashley at the next PPV called “WrestleMania Backlash”.

Strowman, McIntyre, and Orton battled in the main event. Orton rolled out of the ring as Strowman hit McIntyre with some chops in the corner of the ring. The action spilled to the outside and McIntyre bashed Strowman in the face with the steel steps. Orton then slammed McIntyre onto the announce table as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Orton and McIntyre teamed up and sent Strowman out of the ring. Orton leveled Drew with a Clothesline and stomped on his hand. Orton launched McIntyre over the announce table and to the floor outside the ring. Strowman hit McIntyre with the steel steps and delivered a Clothesline to Orton.

Braun bashed Drew in the face again with the steel steps and rolled Randy into the ring. Orton caught Strowman in the ropes and planted him with the draping DDT. Orton hit the RKO but McIntyre broke up the cover at two with a Claymore to Orton. McIntyre then pinned Orton to win the match and earned a rematch against Lashley at WrestleMania Backlash. After the match, MVP showed up on the entrance ramp. T-Bar and Mace attacked McIntyre to close the show.

Opinion: I was shocked at how bad this week’s show was. I don’t want to see McIntyre versus Lashley again and why T-Bar & Mace have replaced Alexander & Benjamin is beyond me. There really isn’t much positive to say about this show and that is incredibly disappointing for the RAW after WrestleMania.

Charlotte Flair Returns On WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
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Charlotte Flair has made her return to WWE television. 

She did so on the April 12th edition of Raw for a promo segment in the first hour. She talked about how she was upset about missing WrestleMania 37 because she’s a true superstar. She said that she wasn’t on the card due to things out of her control. 

She listed various things from teaming with and challenging Asuka to Lacey Evans getting pregnant to her father acting like a fool. She called Rhea Ripley a snake. Flair said that no one compares to her and she is the karma that will come upon the women’s division because she is the opportunity. 

The former Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19. It wasn’t known exactly when she tested positive for COVID-19, but she did miss several episodes of Raw. 

It was first speculated about what was going on with Flair when she was pulled from advertisements for WrestleMania 37. It was originally reported that WWE had plans for Flair to wrestle Asuka for the Raw Women’s Title at WrestleMania 37. WWE later changed plans and confirmed Ripley would step up to wrestle Asuka at this show.

Flair also had to deal with a misunderstanding with WWE over a false pregnancy test. 

https://twitter.com/MsCharlotteWWE/status/1381794024529481728

The Viking Raiders Return To Action On WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
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The Viking Raiders are back. 

Ivar and Erik made their returns to in-ring action on Monday’s episode of Raw from Tampa, Florida at Yuengling Center when they worked a tag team match against Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander.

The returning stars went over in the contest after hitting their finisher to Alexander. 

Ivar was on the sidelines due to an injury as he underwent neck surgery in September of last year.

Before the surgery, he had been dealing with neck issues, but aggravated it while doing a suicide dive during an eight-man tag team match on the September 7th Raw episode. This match saw the Viking Raiders in action together as The Hurt Business with Cedric Alexander battled Ivar, Erik, Ricochet, and Apollo Crews.

He got the surgery done by Dr. Andrew Cordover at Andrews Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama.

With his tag team partner on the sidelines, Erik had surgery done by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama to have some surgical hardware removed from his arm.

List Of Producers For WWE WrestleMania 37 Matches

Andrew Ravens
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After all the build and lead-up, WrestleMania 37 is in the books after being held over the course of two nights – Saturday and Sunday – this past weekend from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Peacock. 

The first night opened with WWE Champion Bobby Lashley retaining the strap against Drew McIntyre while Bianca Belair won the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship from Sasha Banks in the headliner. 

On the second night, Rhea Ripley won the Raw Women’s Title from Asuka and in the headliner, Universal Champion Roman Reigns retained the title over Edge and Daniel Bryan. 

Pwinsider.com has gathered a list of producers for each match, as seen below: 

Night 1 

  • Sasha Banks vs. WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair was produced by TJ Wilson aka Tyson Kidd.
  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre was produced by Jamie Noble and Jason Jordan.
  • The Miz and John Morrison vs. Damian Priest and Bad Bunny was produced by Adam Pearce.
  • Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins was produced by Shane Helms.
  • The New Day vs. WWE Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos was produced by Chris Park.
  • Tag Team Turmoil Match: Carmella & Billie Kay vs. Lana & Naomi vs. Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose vs. Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Tamina was produced by TJ Wilson and Pat Buck.
  • Steel Cage Match: Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon was produced by Michael Hayes.

Night 2 

  • Triple Threat Match: WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan was produced by Michael Hayes.
  • Asuka vs. WWE Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley was produced by TJ Wilson.
  • Randy Orton vs. The Fiend was produced by Jamie Noble.
  • Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – producers not known.
  • Nigerian Drum Match: Big E vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews  was produced by Jason Jordan.
  • Matt Riddle vs. WWE United States Champion Sheamus was produced by Chris Park.
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax vs. Natalya and Tamina was produced by TJ Wilson and Pat Buck.

Original Plans For Randy Orton vs. The Fiend At WrestleMania 37

Andrew Ravens
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WWE opened the second night of WrestleMania 37 with Randy Orton battling Bray Wyatt, who was portraying his Fiend character. 

After a distraction by Alex Bliss, who appeared from the giant music box at ringside and had black goo on her head, Orton managed to hit the RKO for the win. 

This finish caught many fans and even oddsmakers off guard as Wyatt had been the big favorite heading into the match. The end of the match also felt flat to some. 

Fightful Select reports that the plan as of last Friday was for The Fiend to win the match. However, the decision was made over the weekend to have Orton win the bout. It was noted there was never a plan in order for a Firefly Funhouse Match. 

Those associated with the angle were never given an endgame at any point prior to the weekend. In fact, the only thing that was known was how it would write Orton off of television for a good period of time as originally planned.

The surprise finish was pitched over the weekend as Bruce Prichard and Vince McMahon were instrumental in the change and the decision-making associated.

Finally, it was said management was happy with the finish as it played out, but the wrestlers they’ve heard from were exceedingly confused.

Full Details On WWE Documentary, ‘Superfan: The Story of Vladimir’

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has recognized Vladimir Abouzeide as the company’s first-ever officially-certified “Superfan.” Abouzeide was honored with a plaque this past weekend at WrestleMania:

In addition to this superfan plaque, Abouzeide will be the subject of a WWE Network Documentary airing this summer on Peacock.

Superfan: The Story of Vladimir

Here is WWE’s official announcement for the the upcoming documentary, Below are more details on the documentary, Superfan: The Story of Vladimir.

This summer, WWE Network Documentaries will shine a light not on a famous Superstar or Legend of the ring, but on one of WWE’s most devoted fans.

You might not know Vladimir Abouzeide by name, but to any longtime viewer, his face is almost as recognizable as Shawn Michaels’ or John Cena’s.

That’s because for more than 30 years, Abouzeide — the subject of the upcoming documentary, Superfan: The Story of Vladimir — was a fixture at ringside in WWE’s home arena of Madison Square Garden. Anytime a wrestling ring was erected inside MSG, you could count on Abouzeide being in the front row, a grin spread ear-to-ear as he cheered on his favorite Superstars and gave the business to the rest.

It was there in October 1986 that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, during an edition of “Piper’s Pit,” invited Abouzeide into the ring to lend his opinion on which Superstar Hot Rod should team with against Paul Orndorff and Harley Race. Excitedly, Abouzeide leapt onto the apron and declared, “Hulk Hogan,” causing his fellow fans to erupt in approval. With that, the match was made.

“[Vladimir] carved himself a niche of popularity among the Garden faithful by showing his support for the Superstars who appeared in the World’s Most Famous Arena,” late WWE Hall of Fame announcer Howard Finkel wrote in a 2015 article about WWE’s most famous fans.

Abouzeide’s domain spanned beyond 4 Pennsylvania Plaza in the Big Apple, beyond even the New York metropolitan area at large. Over the years, he could be spotted in the crowd at dozens, perhaps hundreds, of WWE pay-per-views and TV shows, like sports-entertainment’s more conspicuous version of “Where’s Waldo?”

“I felt like he was at just about every show that I watched,” Sam Roberts says in the newly released Superfan trailer, echoing the sentiment of eagle-eyed WWE fans around the world.

Indeed, Abouzeide’s omnipresence turned him into a celebrity of sorts to fans and Superstars alike — Diesel greeted him by name as he strode down the aisle at WrestleMania XII, held in Anaheim, Calif. — but it also sparked intrigue. How was one man able to attend so many events, let alone always be in the front row? Did he have an inside connection to the company?

Superfan: The Story of Vladimir, which features interviews with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Jimmy Hart, WWE executive Bruce Prichard and others, tackles these questions and more as it formally introduces Abouzeide to the WWE Universe for the first time.

The culmination of more than two years of filming, the documentary also examines the profound effect that the Covid-19 pandemic — which brought live-event attendance to a standstill in early 2020 — has had on Abouzeide.

“The relationship that Vladimir has with WWE, it’s part of his moral fiber,” Jeff Jarrett says in the Superfan trailer. “It is part of his identity, and that was taken away.”

After many months of not attending WWE events, Abouzeide finally returned at this year’s WrestleMania, where he not only took in The Show of Shows live and in-person but was even recognized by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, as he was presented with a plaque and named WWE’s first Official Superfan.

Don’t miss Superfan: The Story of Vladimir when it debuts this summer, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network everywhere else. Keep an eye on WWE Network social channels in the coming months for details on the documentary’s premiere date.

Bianca Belair Talks About Her Emotional Experience at WrestleMania

Michael Reichlin
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Bianca Belair made history this past weekend at WWE WrestleMania. The 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble winner defeated Sasha Banks to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.

It was an emotional weekend for the the 32-year-old champion. Bianca Belair spoke with SportsKeeda about her WrestleMania experience, including what it was like arriving to the stadium on Saturday, working with Sasha Banks and much more.

“I was just overcome with all types of emotion,” Belair said. “Just the fact that we were at WrestleMania. It was the main event. We were at the main event of WrestleMania and we were creating history. When I looked across at Sasha Banks, I couldn’t help but smile. I know that we were both fighting for a title, but it was… This moment, it was more than just about me. It was more than just about Sasha. It was more than just about us.”

Bianca Belair’s Emotional Weekend

Belair said they got to the stadium around 1pm on Saturday. She could feel the anticipation building until that moment that she and Sasha Banks were across the ring from one another. “To finally be in that moment and just stand in that moment and be able to hear the fans. We haven’t had fans for over a year. To be able to finally hear the fans and hear them chanting EST and Boss. It was just an amazing feeling. I was overcome with emotion. It was just overwhelming.”

She is grateful that she got a chance to make history with Sasha Banks and says “The Boss” elevates everyone that she works with.

“She definitely elevated me last night and I am forever grateful to her for that,” said Belair. “But we’re still going to be fighting it out because I have something that she wants now.”

Details On Alexa Bliss’ Special Effects At WrestleMania 37

Chris Stephens
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Randy Orton vs the Fiend kicked off night 2 of WrestleMania 37 on Sunday night. Orton pinned the Fiend following an RKO, delivered as Wyatt had just been distracted by a black-ooze-leaking Alexa Bliss. Bliss sat atop a giant Jack-in-the-Box as ooze dripped down her face. It was somewhat reminiscint of when Papa Shango put a curse on The Ultimate Warrior and caused a similar-looking black goo to drip down his forehead.

According to recent online posts, horror special effects legend Tom Savini was behind Bliss’ ooze-dripping. Savini’s team has been behind The Fiend’s look and masks and designed Bliss’s headpiece and special effects for Mania as well.

Savini’s partner, Jason Baker, took to Twitter to credit those involved.

In 2019, Baker took part in an interview and spoke about working with Wyatt on his new character.

“That man is… what’s that old saying? The razor’s edge between genius and insanity? And that man walks that razor’s edge constantly,” Baker said. “Very, very smart. Smarter than a lot of people give him credit for. Great to collaborate with. You think you’re gonna throw an idea at him, he comes back with eight. You think you’re gonna hit him up with a piece of trivial knowledge, he’ll hit right back. He’ll see your trivial knowledge and then raise ya. He is a unique, unique human being. It’s been an absolute pleasure and an honor to get to collaborate with this gentleman — with someone who just puts such a thought process into his craft.”

WWE Announces Changes To The RAW Announce Team

Chris Stephens
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The WWE RAW announce team moving forward will be Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, and the newly hired Adnan Virk. The broadcaster is from the Toronto area and has worked for TheScore, TSN, ESPN and for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. WWE announced that Virk will continue his work for the MLB Network in addition to performing on RAW.

“I’m elated to be joining the premier sports-entertainment company in my new role with WWE,” said Adnan Virk.  “As a kid who grew up idolizing WWE Hall of Famers like Bret Hart and Ric Flair, the opportunity to call modern legends like Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair and so many others alongside Corey Graves and Byron Saxton is truly humbling.”

Virk also had this to say about this historic career milestone:

What will happen to Samoa Joe and Tom Phillips?

With Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, and Adnan Virk as the new RAW announce team, that seemingly leaves Tom Phillips and Samoa Joe without roles. According to the Athletic, Phillips will stay on as the host of 205 Live and work on special projects for the WWE Network.

As for Samoa Joe, he might be headed back to the active in-ring roster. WWE stated the following in today’s press release as it concerns Joe.

“Samoa Joe remains part of the WWE talent roster.”

Backstage News On Sheamus Beating Riddle For The US Title

Chris Stephens
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Sheamus defeated Matt Riddle for the United States Championship on Night 2 of WrestleMania 37. According to recent comments on Wrestling Observer Radio, Riddle had never been planned to win the title. It was something WWE felt they had to do after Keith Lee was pulled from shows.

“Riddle was never supposed to be champion,” said Dave Meltzer. “They had to do it because Keith Lee was supposed to win it but then Keith Lee for whatever the reason, whatever the reason is, was pulled. They had to get the belt of Bobby Lashley because they were giving the WWE title to Bobby Lashley.”

Riddle won the US title from Bobby Lashley at Elimination Chamber in a triple threat match that also involved John Morrison.

“So, Riddle got the belt because there was no other choice and this rectifies it. It’s too bad because Riddle had a great match and Riddle can be a star but he’s just going to be R-Truth and that’s all there is.”

Sheamus’ win at WrestleMania 37 was the 171st time the United States Championship has changed hands since its inception in 1975. Lex Luger holds the record for most combined days spent with the title with 950 days spent across 5 title reigns.

WWE WrestleMania Night 2 Results: Universal Title Triple Threat, New Champions Crowned

Robert Lentini
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WWE WrestleMania Night 2 aired live from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. Roman Reigns put the Universal Championship on the line against Edge and Daniel Bryan in a Triple Threat match in the main event. Asuka defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley. Apollo Crews challenged for the Intercontinental Championship against Big E in a Nigerian Drum Fight. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Natalya & Tamina.

WrestleMania Night 2 Results:

  1. Randy Orton def. The Fiend
  2. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax def. Tamina & Natalya to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  3. Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn
  4. Sheamus def. Riddle to win the United States Championship
  5. Apollo Crews def. Big E to become the new Intercontinental Champion
  6. Rhea Ripley def. Asuka to win the RAW Women’s Championship
  7. Roman Reigns def. Edge & Daniel Bryan to retain the Universal Championship

Here are the takeaways from Night 2 of WrestleMania 37:

Randy Orton def. The Fiend

Randy Orton faced The Fiend in the first match of the night. Alexa Bliss came down the entrance ramp as Orton was waiting in the ring. Bliss started turning a gigantic jack in the box and The Fiend popped out.

The Fiend leaped off the box and leveled Orton with a Clothesline. The action spilled out of the ring and Orton slammed The Fiend on the announce table. The Fiend locked in the Mandible Claw but Orton broke free and hit a DDT.

Orton dodged a Senton from The Fiend and hit another DDT. The Fiend applied the Mandible Claw and set up for the Sister Abigail but Alexa Bliss popped out of the box with black goo coming down her face. The Fiend got distracted and Orton hit an RKO for the pinfall victory.

Opinion: This was awful and was correctly booed by the crowd in attendance. There was a holy sh*t chant when Bliss emerged, followed by some loud boos once everyone realized that was it. Hell of a way to kill the crowd at the beginning of the show. At the very least, this was slightly better than the worms projected onto the ring at WrestleMania 33.

Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler Retained

Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Natalya and Tamina in the 2nd match of the night. Nia Jax and Baszler dominated early and sent Tamina out of the ring. Tamina eventually tagged back in and knocked Nia off the apron. Shayna went for the Kirifuda Clutch but Tamina blocked it.

Tamina climbed to the top rope but Shayna caught her with a kick to the face. Nia tagged in and hit a massive Crossbody off the middle turnbuckle. Tamina battled back and hit a Body Slam.

Tamina went for a Splash off the top rope but Nia got out of the way. Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter on Nia but Shayna broke it up. Baszler then applied the Kirifuda Clutch on Natalya and she passed out. Baszler and Jax are still the Women’s Tag Team Championships.

Opinion: I would have rather just seen the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania than whatever the point of this was. I thought Natalya and Tamina were heels, so I didn’t understand who WWE wanted the fans to cheer for. The Riott Squad would have made more sense in this match.

Kevin Owens Picked Up A Victory

Kevin Owens faced Sami Zayn tonight at WrestleMania. Logan Paul was ringside or the match. Sami rolled out of the ring right away after Owens hit a Powerbomb. Back in the ring, Owens slammed Zayn across the top rope and followed it up with a Clothesline.

Owens hit a Cannonball and made his way to the top rope but Sami rolled to the apron. Kevin followed him and Sami hit a Brainbuster on the ring apron. Sami hit Owens with a Michinoku Driver and went for the cover but Owens was able to kick out at two.

Kevin Owens hit a Splash off the top rope and went for the cover but Sami kicked out at two. Owens followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Sami connected with another Brainbuster and went for the cover but Owens kicked out at two as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.

Sami went for a Superplex but Owens countered into one of his own and both superstars fell to the canvas. Zayn hit Owens with a Helluva Kick and went for another one but Owens countered with a Superkick. Owens hit another one and planted Sami with a Stunner for the pinfall victory. After the match, Logan Paul shook Owens’ hand. Kevin looked at his hand and then at the crowd as they chanted “yes!”. Owens then planted Logan Paul with a Stunner.

Sheamus Captured The United States Championship

Riddle defended the United States Championship against Sheamus tonight at WrestleMania. Sheamus leveled Riddle with a shoulder tackle to begin the action and went to work on Riddle’s arm.

Sheamus hit a Backbreaker and went for the cover but Riddle powered out at two. Riddle planted Sheamus with a Suplex but the Celtic Warrior battled back. Sheamus hit an Alabama Slam and went for the cover but the United States Champion kicked out at two.

Riddle knocked Sheamus to the floor and connected with a Moonsault. Back in the ring, Riddle hit a Senton off the top rope for a two count. Sheamus went for White Noise off the top rope but slipped. Sheamus recovered and hit White Noise and then a Knee Drop for a near fall. Riddle went for another Moonsault but Sheamus countered into a Brogue Kick for the pinfall victory. Sheamus is the new United States Champion.

Opinion: The botch during the White Noise spot was unfortunate but the finish to this match was excellent. Sheamus has been a workhorse and absolutely deserved this victory and moment at WrestleMania.

Apollo Crews Captured The Intercontinental Championship

Big E defended the IC Title against Apollo Crews in a Nigerian Drum Fight (Hardcore match). The match started off with Big E and Crews trading shots with kendo sticks. Big E sent Apollo out of the ring and grabbed a gong. Apollo booted the gong away and hit Big E several times with a kendo stick.

Back in the ring, Big E sprinted across the ring and hit Apollo with a massive Spear that sent Crews to the floor. Apollo regrouped and planted Big E with a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron.

Apollo set up the steel steps next to the ring apron but it completely backfired. Big E hit Crews with a Uranage onto the steel steps and started trash talking. Crews grabbed a kendo stick and brutally beat Big E down in the ring with it.

Crews climbed to the top rope and went for a Splash but Big E got out of the way and Apollo crashed through a table. Big E hit the Big Ending but Dabba-Kato showed up. Dabba attacked Big E and then dragged Crews on top of him for the pinfall victory. Apollo Crews is the new Intercontinental Champion.

Opinion: I guess everyone is supposed to forget Dabba-Kato’s stint on RAW Underground or the fact that he was drafted to the brand. He was also Babatunde in the Greatest Royal Rumble a few years back. Having said that, this was still a very entertaining match and it was cool to see Apollo have a meaningful win at the biggest show of the year. Big E and Apollo beat the hell out of each other tonight and it was fun to watch.

Rhea Ripley Won The RAW Women’s Championship

Asuka defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley tonight at WrestleMania 37. Asuka hit a Dropkick and then rolled up Ripley for a two count. Asuka quickly hit another Dropkick but Rhea bounced back and sent Asuka to the corner.

The RAW Women’s Champion tripped Ripley up and bounced her face off the turnbuckle. Ripley rolled out of the ring to regroup as Asuka danced around. Ripley got back into the ring and connected with a slam for a near fall.

Ripley started mocking Asuka and slapping her in the back of the head. Rhea hit a Dropkick of her own and stared at the RAW Women’s Champion as she was laid out on the mat.

Asuka tripped up Rhea and applied a Knee Bar in the middle of the ring. Ripley broke free and planted Asuka with a German Suplex for a near fall. Rhea perched Asuka up on the top turnbuckle but the Empress of Tomorrow connected with an elbow to the face.

Asuka followed it up with a Dropkick off the top rope and both superstars fell to the mat. Asuka connected with a German Suplex and then the Hip Attack in the corner. Asuka booted Rhea in the face and followed it up with another Hip Attack for a two count.

Ripley hit another Dropkick and Asuka tumbled out of the ring. Rhea bounced Asuka’s head off the ring apron and rolled her back inside. Asuka caught Rhea on the apron and planted her with a DDT to the floor.

Back in the ring, Asuka hit a knee to the face for a two count. Asuka went for an Armbar but Ripley escaped by throwing Asuka into the turnbuckle. Rhea then hit the Riptide for the pinfall victory. Rhea Ripley is the new RAW Women’s Champion.

Opinion: I thought this match was alright but it would have been better if there was any semblance of a build for it. Rhea Ripley is incredibly talented but I barely had a reaction to her winning the title.

Roman Reigns Retained The Universal Championship

Roman Reigns defended the Universal Championship against Edge and Daniel Bryan in a Triple Threat match in the main event of Night 2 of WrestleMania 37. Reigns went right after Daniel Bryan and leveled him with a punch to the face.

Reigns beat Edge down in the corner and sent Bryan out of the ring. Jey Uso attacked Daniel Bryan and sent him into the steel steps as Triple Threat matches have no disqualifications. Jey delivered a Superkick to Edge as well. Bryan hit Reigns with a Suicide Dive but turned around into another Superkick from Jey.

Edge had enough and launched Jey into the steel steps. Edge went after the Universal Champion and slammed Roman Reigns into the ring post. Edge then hit Jey with a DDT onto the steel steps. WWE medical officials helped Jey backstage as Bryan and Edge battled in the ring.

Bryan went for a Hurricanrana but Edge rolled through and slammed Daniel to the mat. Reigns and Edge then traded punches on the ring apron. Bryan got back in the action and leveled Edge with a Dropkick off the top rope.

Bryan went for a Suicide Dive but Reigns countered into a Suplex outside the ring. Back in the ring, Roman leveled Edge with a massive Clothesline as the crowd booed. Edge dodged the Superman Punch and connected with a DDT. Edge went for a Spear but Roman countered with a Superman Punch that landed this time.

Both Edge and Reigns went for a Spear at the same time and collided in the middle of the ring. Bryan hit Roman with a Flying Headbutt and went for the cover but the Universal Champion powered out at two.

Daniel delivered some Yes Kicks to both Edge and Reigns in the ring. Bryan hit Edge with the Running Knee and booted Roman in the face for a near fall. Daniel applied the Yes Lock in the middle of the ring but Edge broke it up. Bryan got Edge in the Yes Lock but the Universal Champion quickly broke it up.

Roman Powerbombed Daniel Bryan on top of Edge in the middle of the ring. The action spilled to the outside as the crowd chanted “Roman sucks!”. Reigns got distracted by the crowd for a moment before sliding the steel steps next to the announce table.

Reigns Powerbombed Bryan through the announce table but turned around into a Spear from Edge. The Rated R Superstar brought a chair into the ring but Roman ripped it away. Reigns went for the Guillotine Choke but Edge shoved him to the turnbuckle. Edge then locked in a Crossface in the center of the ring.

Roman was about to tap out but Bryan grabbed his hand at the last moment. Bryan applied the Yes Lock while the Crossface was locked in. Edge and Bryan then traded heatbutts to break the holds as the WWE Universe chanted “this is awesome!”. Bryan started stomping on Edge’s neck and set up in the corner for the Running Knee.

Edge countered with a Spear and delivered another one to Reigns. Edge went for the cover but Daniel Bryan dragged referee Charles Robinson out of the ring before his hand hit the mat for a third time. Edge got pissed off and started bring more chairs into the ring.

Edge hit Bryan and Reigns several times with the chair before putting Daniel’s head on the steel chair. Edge did the same to Roman Reigns and grabbed another chair. Edge hit Bryan with a ConChairTo but was attacked by Jey. Edge took out Jey but turned around into a Spear from Roman Reigns. Roman then hit Edge with the ConChairTo and pinned both superstars to retain the Universal Championship.

Opinion: This match had a terrific build and it delivered tonight. Unfortunately, Night 1 was a much better show in my opinion and it was tough for Night 2 to overcome the terrible start. Reigns, Edge, and Daniel Bryan put on the match of the night to close the show. I loved the finish with Reigns pinning both men to retain as well.

Roman Reigns Survives Triple Threat Match, Retains WWE Universal Title

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, Edge, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns battled in the main event of WrestleMania 37 – Night 2 for the Universal Title.

The match was a fight as they brawled around ringside. Reigns powerbombed Bryan through the announce table. Bryan and Edge did a double submission hold on Edge. Edge hit a spear to Reigns only for Bryan to pull out the referee to break it up. Edge hit a conchairto to Bryan then Reigns hit a spear to Edge and did a conchairto to Edge for the win and to retain the title.  

The WWE Hall of Famer worked the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event by entering the Men’s Royal Rumble Match at number one and lasted more than 58 minutes to eliminate Randy Orton to win the match.

At the time of his return, Edge had been sidelined since last year when he suffered an injury during a match with Randy Orton at the WWE Backlash pay-per-view event.

WWE decided to change plans when they had Bryan feud with Reigns for the title as “The Big Dog” first beat the fan favorite star at the Elimination Champion pay-per-view event only for them to do a rematch at Fastlane the following month.

Edge was the special guest enforcer for the contest. The finish of that match led to Bryan being added to the Mania headliner as he actually tapped out Reigns after the referee was knocked out. However, Edge hit a spear to both Reigns and Bryan, which led to Reigns pinning Bryan. 

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1381442902677712898
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