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WWE Changes Location Of Oct. 1 SmackDown Taping

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE has announced they are moving the location of its planned Oct. 1 SmackDown taping.

The company initially scheduled a SmackDown taping on Oct. 1 for New Orleans. The event was going to be held inside the Smoothie King Center. WWE has revealed a change in plans.

“STAMFORD, Conn., August 30, 2021 – The WWE Friday Night SmackDown live event scheduled for October 1 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans has been postponed. All original tickets will be honored for the new 2022 date.

Friday Night SmackDown on October 1 will now take place at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.

Additional ticket information on both events is forthcoming.”

WWE made the change due to Hurricane Ida.

WWE has been enjoying the ability to return to live crowds. The promotion created the ThunderDome in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of WrestleMania 37, the company wasn’t running events in front of a live audience for over a year. That changed in July when SmackDown was held live inside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Time will tell when the company will return to the Smoothie King Center but for now, the live SmackDown action comes to the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

WWE RAW Results (8/30): US Title Open Challenge, Tag Title Match, Charlotte vs. Nia Jax

Robert Lentini
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WWE Raw aired live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK. Damian Priest held an Open Challenge for the United States Championship. RK-Bro defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against Lashley & MVP in the main event.

RAW Results (8/30)

  1. Rhea Ripley def. Shayna Baszler
  2. Viking Raiders def. Jinder Mahal & Veer
  3. Damian Priest def. Drew McIntyre & Sheamus to retain the US Title
  4. Karrion Kross def. Humberto Carrillo via submission
  5. Nia Jax def. Charlotte Flair
  6. Omos def. John Morrison
  7. AJ Styles def. Xavier Woods via submission
  8. RK-Bro def. MVP & Lashley to retain the RAW Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Two Title Matches Were Announced For Tonight

United States Champion Damian Priest held an Open Challenge for the United States Championship to begin this week’s show. Priest said he feels alive and welcomed everyone to Monday Night RAW. Damian noted that he became the US Champion at SummerSlam and thanked the crowd for chanting “you deserve it!”.

Priest said he was going to show the United States Championship it deserves like those before him like Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, and John Cena. Damian called WWE Champion Bobby Lashley a coward for running away last week and promised that he wouldn’t do that.

Former United States Champion Sheamus interrupted and said that he actually agrees with Damian about Lashley running from a fight. Sheamus added that he likes that Damian is out here with a smile on his face offering an Open Challenge even if the people int his crowd don’t deserve it. Sheamus told Priest that he was going to give him a Brogue Kick and wipe the smile off of Damian’s face.

Drew McIntyre made his way to the entrance ramp and claimed that it was time for something fresh rather than Priest beating Sheamus’ ass for the 500th time. McIntyre noted that he has never been the United States Champion and said he wanted a title match tonight.

Sheamus and McIntyre started arguing before WWE Champion Bobby Lashley joined the party along with MVP. MVP asked the crowd to hold their applause for Lashley and a “Goldberg!” chant broke out. MVP said that they have already dealt with that problem and suggested that it would be good for business for Lashley to become a double champion.

RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro interrupted to a great reaction from the crowd. Orton called Lashley a greedy son of a bitch that wants something that he cannot have and that is a 2nd championship. Lashley told Orton that he was right about wanting a 2nd title but it could be the RAW Tag Team Championships. Riddle suggested that they defend the titles against Lashley and MVP.

Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce announced that Damian Priest will defend the US Title against Drew McIntyre and Sheamus tonight in a Triple Threat match. They also announced that RK-Bro will defend the RAW Tag Team Championships against MVP and Lashley tonight as well.

Rhea Ripley def. Shayna Baszler

Rhea Ripley squared off against Shayna Baszler in the first match of the night. Before the match, Rhea announced that Nikki A.S.H. will be in her corner tonight. Nia Jax said that she doesn’t know what Shayna will be able to do, but Nia vowed to splat Nikki and Rhea in the ring before the match is over. Nia added that she will do the same to Charlotte Flair later tonight.

Shayna dominated the action early and stomped on Ripley’s arm as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Shayna was still in control as Nikki cheered Ripley on. Ripley connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Baszler went for the Kirifuda Clutch as Nia sent Nikki through the barricade with a Samoan Drop. Rhea was able to counter the Kirifuda Clutch into a cover for the pinfall victory. After the match, Jax hit Ripley with a Samoan Drop in the middle of the ring.

Viking Raiders def. Mahal & Veer

Viking Raiders faced Veer and Jinder Mahal tonight on RAW. Veer beat down Ivar and tagged in Mahal. Jinder beat Ivar down some more in the corner and caught him with a knee to the midsection. Mahal leveled Ivar with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Ivar kicked out at two.

Ivar finally battled back and did a cartwheel before tagging in Erik. Erik hit Mahal with an elbow to the face and knocked Veer out of the ring. Erik launched Mahal to the outside and tagged in Ivar. Ivar hit a Cannonball off the apron onto Shanky and Veer. Back in the ring, Mahal went for a Clothesline but Ivar ducked. Erik tagged in and Viking Raiders planted Mahal with the Viking Express for the pinfall victory.

Damian Priest Retained In A Great Match

Damian Priest defended the United States Championship against Sheamus & Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat match. Priest and McIntyre beat the hell out of Sheamus to start off the action. The Celtic Warrior retreated out of the ring and Priest hit him with a Senton off the apron. Sheamus launched Priest into the barricade and started trading punching with McIntyre on the outside. McIntyre threw Sheamus towards Priest and Damian sent him over the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break with McIntyre daring Damian to get in the ring.

When RAW returned, Priest and Sheamus were battling in the ring. Sheamus connected with a Backbreaker and flexed. Priest tried to rip off Sheamus’ face mask but Sheamus sent the US Champion to the corner. Sheamus went for the 10 Beats but Priest blocked it with an elbow to the face. Sheamus bashed Priest again and then hit him with the 10 Beats of the Bodhran. Drew McIntyre got in the ring and connected with a Neckbreaker on Sheamus.

Drew went for the Future Shock DDT but Sheamus countered into a cradle for a near fall. Sheamus knocked McIntyre out of the ring and turned around into a punch to the face from Damian. Priest connected with a kick to Sheamus’ face and then delivered a Splash to McIntyre. Damian connected with a Clothesline on Sheamus and unloaded some more kicks to McIntyre’s ribs. McIntyre launched Damian out of the ring and flipped onto them to a big pop from the crowd.

Back in the ring, McIntyre hit a Michinoku Driver and went for the cover but Damian was able to kick out at two. Sheamus tied up McIntyre in the Tree of Woe and set up for a Superplex. Sheamus connected but got hit with a German Suplex at the same time from McIntyre that sent all three superstars to the canvas as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Sheamus and McIntyre were trading punches in the middle of the ring. Sheamus hit an Alabama Slam and went for the cover but Drew kicked out at two. Sheamus locked in the Cloverleaf submission but Priest broke it up with a boot to the side of the head. Priest connected with a Chokeslam and went for the cover but McIntyre broke it up this time.

The United States Champion traded punches and chops with McIntyre in the middle of the ring. Priest was about to hit the Reckoning but Sheamus leveled him with a Brogue Kick. Damian fell to the outside and McIntyre hit Sheamus with the Future Shock DDT. Drew set up for the Claymore but Sheamus countered with the Brogue Kick for a near fall.

Sheamus brought McIntyre up to the middle turnbuckle and planted Drew with White Noise for another near fall. Damian Priest got back into the ring and hit Sheamus with some strikes. McIntyre hit Sheamus with the Claymore and delivered the Glasgow kiss to Priest. Damian battled back and hit the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest is still the United States Champion. After the match, Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest shook hands as the crowd applauded.

Doudrop vs. Eva Marie

Doudrop faced Eva Marie on this week’s episode of WWE RAW. Doudrop slapped Eva in the face and then hit a Senton. Doudrop followed it up with a Crossbody and went for the pin but the match had not started. Mike Rome announced that Eva Marie is unable to compete as the crowd booed. Dourdrop grabbed the mic and announced herself as the winner and celebrated.

Karrion Kross Tapped Out Humberto Carrillo

Karrion Kross faced Humberto Carrillo tonight. The crowd was painfully silent as Kross came to the ring with the same mask he had last week and his ring attire still included suspenders. Carrillo connected with a Crossbody early but Kross shrugged it off and sent Humberto to the corner. Kross stomped on him and then hit an elbow to the face for a two count. Carrillo battled back with a Dropkick but Karrion locked in the Kross Jacket shortly after the submission victory.

Nia Jax Pinned The RAW Women’s Champion

Nia Jax faced RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair in a non-title match. Flair went for a Suplex but Jax easily blocked it and dropped Flair with a headbutt. Nia went for a Samoan Drop but Flair escaped. Charlotte bounced off the ropes but Nia met her there with a shoulder tackle.

Charlotte battled back and stomped on Nia in the corner of the ring. Flair applied a Headlock but Jax eventually broke free and hit another shoulder tackle. Charlotte went for a Headlock again but Nia slammed her to the mat. Charlotte kicked out of a cover and rolled out of the ring to regroup. Jax followed her out there and Charlotte connected with a Crossbody as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Charlotte made her way to the top rope and went for the Moonsault but Jax got her knees up. Jax hit a slam and went for a Leg Drop but Flair got out of the way. Nia went for a Samoan Drop but Flair blocked it. Charlotte hit a Russian Leg Sweep and went for the cover but Jax kicked out at two.

Charlotte hit Jax with a chop block and went to work on her leg. Flair set up for the Figure Four but Jax booted her into the turnbuckle. Nia Jax then connected with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

Omos def. John Morrison

John Morrison faced Omos on this week’s show. AJ Styles was ringside for the match. Morrison spent the beginning of the match avoiding Omos and catching him with kicks here and there. Omos eventually caught Morrison and sent him out of the ring. Morrison tried to leap off the steel steps but it got botched as Omos was nowhere near the steps. Morrison landed, stumbled around, and Omos awkwardly hit a Clothesline and then brought him back into the ring. Omos connected with a Chokeslam for the pinfall victory.

AJ Styles Tapped Out Xavier Woods

AJ Styles faced Xavier Woods tonight on RAW. Omos was ringside for the match. Styles backed Woods to the corner but Xavier responded with some chops to the chest. Woods bounced AJ’s face off the top turnbuckle but Styles responded with a chop of his own. Xavier planted Styles with a Russian Leg Sweep and went for a Dropkick but AJ got out of the way. Styles leaped onto Woods outside the ring but he caught him and slammed him off the barricade.

Back in the ring, Woods connected with a Senton and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two. Styles set up for the Phenomenal Forearm but Woods rolled out of the ring. Styles caught him with a Dropkick through the ropes and the action returned to the ring. AJ went for a cover but Woods was able to kick out at two.

AJ focused his attack on Woods’ knee and stomped on it several times. Styles locked in a Heel Hook in the middle of the ring but Woods escaped by bashing AJ in the face until he broke the hold. Woods hit an Arm Drag and then a kick to the midsection. Xavier followed it up with a forearm to the face and an Exploder Suplex for a two count.

Xavier went for a Suplex but AJ blocked it and hit the Pele Kick. AJ set up for the Styles Clash but Woods escaped. Xavier got Styles in the Tree of Woe and delivered a Dropkick to the face for a near fall. AJ hit Woods with a kick to the injured knee and applied the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring for the submission victory.

RK-Bro Retained

RK-Bro defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against WWE Champion Bobby Lashley and MVP in the main event. AJ Styles joined commentary and Omos stood behind him. Riddle and Lashley started the match off. Riddle got in some kicks on the WWE Champion but Lashley responded with a big Clothesline. Lashley showed off his strength and held up Riddle for a bit before planting him with a Vertical Suplex for a two count.

MVP tagged in and Riddle drove him to the corner. Orton tagged in and beat MVP down. Randy stomped on MVP’s hand and took a gander at Lashley before stomping on the hand again. Riddle hit a Floating Bro but couldn’t go for the cover because MVP rolled out of the ring. Lashley checked on MVP and Riddle flipped onto them as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Orton connected with a Clothesline on MVP in the corner. Orton fired up the crowd and unloaded some punches to MVP’s face. Orton connected with a Powerslam and set up for the RKO. Lashley tried to get in the ring but Orton saw it coming and hit the Draping DDT. Orton was about to hit Lashley with the RKO but MVP broke it up with a kick to the face. MVP sent Orton into the ring post and tagged in the WWE Champion.

Lashley beat Orton down in the corner with some powerful strikes before driving his shoulder into Randy’s ribs a few times. Lashley hit a Neckbreaker and set up for the Hurt Lock. Orton went for the RKO but Lashley blocked it. Riddle tagged in and booted Lashley in the face. Riddle went for an Exploder Suplex but Lashley blocked it. Riddle connected with a knee to the face and followed it up with the Floating Bro off the top rope. Riddle went for the cover but MVP broke it up at two. MVP sent Orton out of the ring and tagged in. Riddle booted MVP in the face and both superstars fell to the floor as Orton shoved Lashley into the ring post outside the ring.

Omos then grabbed Orton but Riddle broke it up with a Dropkick through the ropes. Riddle then hit MVP with the Floating Bro for the pinfall victory. Riddle and Orton are still the RAW Tag Team Champions. After the match, Lashley absolutely leveled Riddle with a Spear but turned around into an RKO out of nowhere from Orton. Randy then shouted for the titles and posed with Riddle on the entrance ramp to close the show.

NJPW Strong Moving To Saturday Nights Starting Sept. 18

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

NJPW Strong will have a new air date and time.

Strong has been airing on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET. With AEW Rampage being introduced at that night and time slot, it appears NJPW has wasted little time making a move.

The company has announced that starting on Sept. 18, NJPW Strong will now be airing on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. ET.

“September 18 will see a brand new era for NJPW STRONG. After growing consistently on Friday nights at 10/9c, September will see weekends get even STRONGer, with a new timeslot on NJPW World and FITE of Saturdays at 8PM eastern, and 5PM Pacific. With a new day, a new time, and new crowds, we can’t wait to have you join us for a new STRONG starting on September 18!”

NJPW Strong has served as New Japan Pro Wrestling’s push for the United States market. The promotion got a good taste of success in America when Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Hangman Page were under the NJPW banner. NJPW also had a successful event with Ring of Honor at Madison Square Garden in New York City back in April 2019.

NJPW has been making an effort to stay relevant in the U.S. The promotion planned to go solo with an MSG event in NYC in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed that plan. Former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay will be a regular on Strong as his storyline friction with NJPW management over being stripped of the world title continues.

Tajiri To Debut at MLW Fightland On October 2nd From Philadelphia

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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MLW has made a big reveal for its upcoming Fightland event.

Fightland is scheduled to take place inside the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Oct. 2. The event was announced back in June.

MLW took to its Twitter account to reveal that Tajiri will be making his way to Fightland.

https://twitter.com/mlw/status/1432506647486861312?s=21

MLW Fightland

Here’s what is planned for the event according to the listing on the official 2300 Arena website.

  • Scheduled to appear:
  • World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu
  • National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone
  • The Von Erichs
  • King Muertes
  • Azteca Underground
  • Alicia Atout
  • Mads Krügger
  • “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
  • Davey Richards
  • Richard Holliday
  • World Middleweight Champion Myron Reed
  • EJ Nduka
  • Calvin Tankman
  • Gino Medina
  • Ikuro Kwon
  • Jordan Oliver
  • And MORE!

Of course, you can now add Tajiri to that list.

Tajiri left WWE back in 2017. He returned to Japan to compete for All Japan Pro Wrestling. During his time with AJPW, Tajiri captured the Gaora TV Championship. He also won the AJPW TV Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Yusuke Kodama and Hokuto Omori. Tajiri is also a former two-time World Junior Heavyweight Championship in AJPW.

Stick with SEScoops.com for more information on the Oct. 2 MLW Fightland card as more details become available.

Original WWE Raw Plans Scrapped

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s WWE Raw TV event was described as a “crazy” day backstage that saw some changes made to the original plans of the show. 

WWE had been advertising Bobby Lashley vs. Sheamus in a non-title match, but Vince McMahon scrapped plans for that match and instead, booked RKO Bro defending the Raw Tag Team Championships against Lashley and MVP.

Also, Damian Priest was scheduled to defend the United States Championship against Drew McIntyre in the first match on Raw after issuing an open challenge. However, that was changed to Priest defending in a Triple Threat Match against Sheamus and McIntyre.

All of these changes were made official during the opening segment of the show on the USA Network from Oklahoma City, OK at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. 

Pwinsider.com reported that a lot of things were switched around including where certain segments aired. Plans changing in WWE isn’t anything new, but it’s been quite some time since so many matches advertised in advance had been changed the day of the show.

As previously noted, the John Morrison vs. The Miz match that had also been advertised didn’t take place as scheduled and was pulled from the Raw preview article published on WWE’s website. 

WWE Adds New Wave Of PC Recruits Including Steveson & Joseph Fatu

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE has announced a new wave of Performance Center recruits and there are a couple of key names.

United States Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has been the talk of both the wrestling and MMA communities. Steveson appeared during the SummerSlam event. WWE honored him for winning gold for the U.S. in wrestling. Steveson has expressed his desire to step inside a WWE as a member of the roster.

Steveson is indeed a part of the new wave of PC recruits, but it isn’t Gable. Instead, it’s his brother, Bobby. Bobby Steveson has wrestled at the University of Minnesota. This is the same university that Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin attended.

Another interesting name on the list is Joseph Fatu. Fatu is the younger brother of Jimmy and Jey Uso. Joseph stands at 6’2, 240 pounds, and has played football in college.

Ben Buchanan has also been recruited. He is the son of former WWE star Bull Buchanan. Bull Buchanan wrestled in WWE from 1997-2003, winning tag team gold along the way. Ben was a wrestling champion at an Alabama state high school.

Here’s a full list of the Performance Center recruits.

  • Bobby Steveson
  • Joseph Fatu
  • Ben Buchanan
  • Brady Booker
  • Jessica Woynilko
  • Joshua Dawkins

CM Punk: ‘Heels’ Character Is An Homage To Tracy Smothers

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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CM Punk says that his Ricky Rabies character on “Heels” is in honor of Tracy Smothers.

“Heels” airs on Starz. Its debut episode premiered on Aug. 15, just before Punk’s big AEW debut. The show stars Stephen Amell, who plays the role of heel Jack Spade. Alexander Ludwig plays the role of Spade’s brother, Ace.

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

Punk also plays a heel wrestler on the show, taking on the role of Ricky Rabies. During an interview with Sportskeeda, CM Punk revealed that Rabies is an homage to the late Tracy Smothers.

“Ricky Rabies is Tracy Smothers you know and we lost Tracy a couple of years ago and he was the first name I ever wrestled, maybe. I wrestled Tracy Smothers in a barn in Southern Indiana in 1999 or 2000, something like that. And he just walked up to me, he’s like, ‘hey man I seen you work, you’re good, listen, uh, I can’t remember sh*t you know, is it okay we just go out there and do it? I can’t memorize this and that, we can talk about it but I’ll just forget it.'”

Smothers passed away on Oct. 28, 2020. He was 58 years old. Smothers had been battling cancer and heart issues.

Damian Priest To Open Aug. 30 Episode Of Raw With Open Challenge

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE United States Champion Damian Priest will open Monday Night Raw tonight (Aug. 30).

Tonight’s episode of Raw will take place inside the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sheamus will be looking for revenge after WWE Champion Bobby Lashley left him high and dry during a tag team match last week.

After the tag match, Sheamus confronted Lashley face-to-face. The two had to be separated by MVP.

WWE has announced that Priest will be getting Monday Night Raw started. He’ll be putting his United States Championship on the line in an Open Challenge.

A matchup between The Miz and John Morrison had been set for tonight’s Raw, but that is no longer being advertised. The Miz recently turned his back on Morrison after the two had been hinting at a split.

Here’s a look at what’s been announced for tonight’s Raw thus far.

  • Eva Marie vs. Doudrop
  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Sheamus in a non-title match
  • Damian Priest defends his WWE United States Title in an Open Challenge

Can’t catch the action live? Be sure to check out the homepage of SEScoops after tonight’s episode of Raw as we’ll be posting results, which will include video highlights.

Samoa Joe has huge praise for NXT cruiserweight

Jake Skudder
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WWE NXT Champion Samoa Joe recently spoke to Mediotiempo. The Samoan Submission Machine discussed several topics during the interview, including who he sees on the NXT roster as talents for the future.

“I open the doors to everyone, it’s time for them to stop looking and start acting” Samoa Joe responded when asked who should step up to him on the roster, including former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar.

“I didn’t see him show [what he has] when he should’ve done, but I always want to fight the best, regardless of whether they are Mexicans or of any nationality, [but only] if they worthy of challenging me for the championship. Of course I give the option to Santos, and all those who want to put themselves to the test,” Joe continued.

Samoa Joe on Santos Escobar

“He is an exceptional talent, comes from a family fighting legacy and knows perfectly well about this business” Joe added. “He is athletic, agile, he knows how to fly, but he has also understood what we are looking for in WWE, he shows personality and charisma, he is definitely one of the best in NXT. Not for nothing, but he has already held a championship.”

It remains to be seen if Santos Escobar will be used in a main event capacity on NXT going forward.

It will also be interesting to see how long Joe remains NXT Champion, as the company is reportedly looking to move away from ‘indie’ talents and develop more homegrown athletes to rise the ranks to the main roster.

Update On When Sasha Banks Could Return

Chris Stephens
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Sasha Banks hasn’t wrestled since an August 7th WWE house show in Fort Myers, Florida. Both Banks and Bianca Belair were pulled from house shows two weeks ago, and Banks did not perform on SummerSlam either. Belair lost in just 25 seconds to Lynch at SummerSlam.

Banks is not expected back for Friday’s Smackdown or this weekend’s house shows. According to PWInsider, WWE is hopeful she will be medically cleared to return in time for the Madison Square Garden Super Show on September 10th.

“The hope, should all go well, is that Banks will return to the road for the company the weekend of 9/10,” wrote Mike Johnson. It should be noted, this is not a definitive return date, but that is when the company expects her to be back.

Sasha Banks Hiatus

It is not clear what has led to Banks’ recent absence from WWE programming or Belair missing house shows earlier this month.

Following WrestleMania in April, Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks have wrestled four times on WWE house shows. Belair has won 3 of those matches and they once went to a double count-out. Belair is the only person to defeat Banks in a singles match so far in 2021.

Roman Reigns Completes A Year As Universal Champion

Rayan Sayyed
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Roman Reigns has hit a milestone in his career today. He officially completed one year as WWE Universal Champion after he won it from Bray Wyatt in a No Holds Barred Triple Threat match, in which he pinned the other participant, Braun Strowman. This match took place at Payback on August 30, 2020, marking 365 days officially since Reigns became champion.

This is Reigns’ second run with the Universal Championship, with a total of 429+ combined days as champion. It is also the second longest reign, ranking after Brock Lesnar’s combined reigns of 680+ days with a total number of 3 reigns.

Roman Reigns took to Twitter this morning to celebrate his career milestone. He asked fans to celebrate him as their Universal Heavyweight Champion. “365 days as Your Universal Heavyweight Champion… #CelebrateMe,” he posted.

Reigns recently was confronted by John Cena who made his return to the WWE at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on July 18 where Reigns had just gotten done successfully defending his title against Edge. Cena challenged Reigns for a title match at Summerslam, but Reigns initially rejected it. It was later made official and the two squared off in the ring again, and Reigns was able to defeat Cena to retain the title. However, Brock Lesnar’s entrance music played and he came out in a mohawk ponytail getup. He confronted him as the two stared down each other and traded some words. The special counsel for Reigns, Paul Heyman, also took to Twitter to mark one year of their partnership. Heyman said that he’s been “rescued” by Reigns. “EXACTLY 1 YEAR AGO, I was rescued by Roman Reigns. In the 52 weeks that have transpired since then, the #TribalChief has redefined the medium, disrupted the status quo and titled the axis of what it means to be THEE top superstar in WWE … and we’ve only just begun!”

Ric Flair Films Promotional Material For Tony Khan’s Jacksonville Jaguars

Chris Stephens
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Ric Flair wants to help Jacksonville Jaguar fans support their home team this year. Flair recently posted a video to his official YouTube page featuring backstage footage of him recording the “Wooooo Cam” to be played at Jags home games. In the video, Flair asks fans to give “2 claps and a Ric Flair” to support the team.

The Jaguars are owned by Shahid Khan, father of AEW President Tony Khan. While Flair’s involvement with the Jags could lead to speculation he’s on his way to AEW, it appears Flair is hoping to film “Wooooo Cams” for a variety of different sports teams.

“Look For The WOOOOOCam To Hit All Sporting Teams In 2022!” a description of Flair’s video reads.

Ric Flair & The Jacksonville Jaguars

This is not the first time the 16x World Champion has supported the team. Before the 2017 NFL season, Flair sent motivation t-shirts to the Jaguars as well.

Flair also helped the Jacksonville Jaguars welcome #1 Draft Pick Trevor Lawrence to the franchise this spring. He spoke to the media about Lawrence’s potential in Jacksonville.

“I don’t know Trevor Lawrence,” Flair said to Outkick. “But if he lives up to only half the hype, it’s going to be great. It gives that organization some notoriety.”

Ric Flair To AEW?

While his filming of the Wooooo Cam for the Jags might be unrelated to his future wrestling contracts, recent reports have stated that Flair is expected to sign with AEW. His free agency was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“While nothing has been announced, the word going around is that it seems to be a lock Ric Flair will be headed here when he is legally able,” wrote Dave Meltzer. 

Ric Flair Expected To Sign With AEW

Charlotte Flair Not Interested In WWE Queen of the Ring Tournament

Michael Reichlin
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Charlotte Flair is the most decorated women’s champion in WWE history. She’s an 12-time Women’s Champion, a 2-time NXT Women’s Champion, she won the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble and has achieved countless other accolades.

This fall, WWE will present the first-ever Queen of the Ring tournament. The finals are rumored to take place in October at WWE’s next live event from Saudi Arabia.

During a recent media call with Inside the Ropes, Charlotte said it’s great that WWE is holding a women’s tournament because it will bring opportunities for the participants.

Charlotte Flair “Motivated & Inspired” By Andrade’s WWE Departure

Charlotte Not Interested In QOTR

Charlotte says WWE should use the Queen of the Ring to elevate some NXT talent, in addition to women on the main roster. She also implies that she’s too big a star to be involved.

“Being that I’m already The Queen, if it was to happen, I believe whoever wins it has to face me, since I am The Queen of Queens, right?” asked Charlotte. “Like I don’t think I have to be in it. I already have the title. I think they should have the opportunity to face me if they win.”

The interviewer said that match could be billed as, Queen vs. Queen. However, Charlotte set the record straight and said she’s the only queen in WWE, no matter what they call this tournament.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Charlotte. “It won’t be Queen vs. Queen. It will be Queen vs. the Woman Who Won the Tournament. OK? Let’s get something right.”

Charlotte Flair Showered With “DMD” Chants During Live Interview

Shingo Takagi Cleared To Return At NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam

Chris Stephens
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IWGP World Champion Shingo Takagi and Los InGobernables member BUSHI have been cleared to return. Both wrestlers had tested positive for COVID-19 2 weeks ago and were removed from the recent NJPW tour.

On August 15th, both Takagi and BUSHI were found to have elevated temperatures and were given PCR tests. On August 18th, NJPW announced that they had both tested positive for COVID-19.

Both wrestlers will return at the Wrestle Grand Slam events scheduled for September 4th and 5th in Tokorozawa’s MetLife Dome.

NJPW has also released the lineups for those two shows.

Wrestle Grand Slam – MetLife Dome – Night 1 – September 4th, 2021

  • IWGP United States Championship
    Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
  • Provisional KOPW 2021
    No DQ, I Quit Match
    Chase Owens (c) vs. Toru Yano
  • SHO vs. YOH
  • Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
  • STARDOM exhibition match (Pre-Show)

Wrestle Grand Slam – MetLife Dome – Night 2 – September 5th, 2021

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
    Shingo Takagi (c) vs. EVIL
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
    Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
    Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
    Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
  • STARDOM exhibition match (Pre-Show)

NWA 73: New Tag Champs Crowned

Rayan Sayyed
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At NWA’s 73rd Anniversary Show last night, new tag champs were crowned. La Rebelión, the team of Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450, defeated the defending champions Aron Stevens and Kratos to successfully capture the NWA World Tag Team Championships.

La Rebelión ended Aron Stevens and JR Kratos’ ten-month reign when Bestia 666 got Kratos out of the way with a moonsault from the top rope, following which Bestia and Mecha Wolf hit Stevens with Mark of the Beast and won by pinfall. La Rebelión have become the first wrestlers born in Mexico and Puerto Rico to hold the NWA tag titles.

Konnan, who was at their corner, took the mic after their victory and said that he’s proud of the winners who became the new NWA World Tag Team Champions as well as the fact that they’re the first champs who are born in Mexico and Puerto Rico. He also gave a shout-out to the women wrestlers from the night prior at NWA EmPowerrr. Allysin Kay and Marti Belle (aka The Hex) became NWA’s first Women’s Tag Team Champions by defeating KiLynn King and Red Velvet in the finals of the tag title tournament.

This is not the first time that La Rebelión has captured tag title gold. In 2019, they won The Crash Tag Team Championships from AEW’s The Lucha Brothers. They would hold on to the titles until dropping it in February 2020 to the freelance tag team Los Traumas.

In the main event of the show, Trevor Murdoch defeated Nick Aldis to capture the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship for himself. The important week for NWA has ended with two back-to-back pay-per-view events, starting with the first-ever all-female event NWA Empowerr and then the 73rd Anniversary Show. Ric Flair also made an appearance on the anniversary show where he thanked many in the wrestling industry including WWE and Vince McMahon.

Kevin Owens Looks Back On His WWE Universal Championship Run

Rayan Sayyed
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Kevin Owens won the WWE Universal Championship on the August 29, 2016 edition of Raw, marking five years since his run as champion. The title was introduced in July of that year with Finn Balor becoming the inaugural champion. He had to relinquish the title the next night after becoming the champion though.

A fatal four-way elimination match was set involving Kevin Owens, Big Cass, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins with Owens winning the title when Triple H interrupted the match and turned on Rollins. Owens would go on to keep the title on his waist for 6 months until he would lose to Goldberg at Fastlane 2017.

Kevin Owens Remembers His Universal Title Win

To mark the fifth anniversary of his Universal title reign, Owens posted a video on Twitter this Sunday where he talked about this career milestone and also thanked his fans.

“Hey guys, my wife reminded me today that five years ago something really cool happened. I saw on Twitter that a lot of people were also reminding me what happened. Man, the last five years have been a roller coaster… Lots of highs, lots of lows. The highs are great, but the lows, sometimes, they’re really hard to take for somebody who cares a lot, and who is very passionate about this, like I am.”

“But I’ve been so lucky because I’ve had a really great career. I’ve had my wife, my kids, and my parents who are all fantastic at helping me navigate through this. It’s not just them, I have really great friends, really great colleagues to go on this ride with. And I have everybody watching this right now,” Owens stated.

“I’ve been lucky to have a loyal following along me for that ride. And that’s you guys, today, reminding me of what happened five years ago when I won the Universal Title. So I figured this was a good time to say thank you to all of you. For being there for the highs, for being there for the lows, just for being there for the whole ride.”

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/1432010423218343949

Kevin Owens has been in involved in title match programs as recently as early this year, however, he hasn’t been successful in capturing any championship. It would be interesting to when Owens will be able to break this dry spell and capture gold once again.

Related: Kevin Owens: WWE Crew Helped Me During ThunderDome Era

Billy Corgan Considers Ric Flair Biggest Legend In Wrestling

Rayan Sayyed
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Ric Flair made his appearance at the NWA’s 73rd Anniversary Show where he heaped praise for a bunch of wrestling personalities with Billy Corgan included. The Nature Boy thanked Billy Corgan for inviting him to the event and for contributing to the industry.

Billy Corgan is excited to work with Ric Flair and called him the biggest legend in wrestling. “Ric Flair, I don’t know if there’s a bigger legend in wrestling, right? You could say Vince McMahon but Vince McMahon, although he has wrestled, he’s an owner and a personality first and a professional wrestler second, and I think he would agree with that,” Corgan told Metro.

“Ric is the most decorated story and probably most mainstream thing, to this date, in professional wrestling which is pretty incredible considering how long he’s been in the business.”

Corgan said that Flair did a lot to promote the show, even beyond his contractual obligations. He also noted that Flair has a lot of opportunities now and he should explore all of them. Corgan added that he would love to have Flair on board to work with him.

“He has so many opportunities and I think he should explore all these opportunities. I’m glad to be in business with him on this, of course I would love to have him back.”

Corgan also told a story from his childhood when he would watch wrestling and wonder why Ric Flair’s on-screen persona made him care feel anger. “I remember watching RIc Flair on television and thinking, “Who is this guy?” Ten years old, you’re watching going, “Who is this guy? What’s he talking about, and why does he make me angry when he talks? Why do I care that he’s riding around in a jet?”

Corgan said that these attributes of Flair have stuck with him ever since he was a child, and he sees the same qualities in Trevor Murdoch, who just became the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Ric Flair Thanks Vince McMahon & Triple H At NWA 73

Rayan Sayyed
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Ric Flair appeared on National Wrestling Alliance’s 73rd Anniversary Show on Sunday night where he cut an emotional promo and thanked Triple H, Vince McMahon, among others on the show. The 10-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion also thanked his wife, NWA president Billy Corgan, AEW president Tony Khan on the show among other WWE stars like Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho.

Ric Flair first thanked his wife Wendy and said that whenever he fell down, she was there to pick him up. Just like Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Steve Austin, and everybody else were there to pick him up.

The Nature Boy thanked Vince McMahon by stating that he loves him, and McMahon is the reason why he’s here. Flair also added that McMahon is not going to watch this but he’s going to hear about it. Flair added that Vince would say, “Ric Flair’s back where he belongs, with anybody he wants to be with on a given night.”

https://twitter.com/SkullsMedia/status/1432154196711673861

Flair also thanked Billy Corgan for inviting him to the event and then also mentioned Tony Khan for changing the wrestling scene.

Flair continued, by thanking Hunter for reminding him every time that he’s Ric Flair and for not giving up on him. He also thanked Shawn Michaels for carrying him to a great retirement match at WrestleMania XXIV. The NWA Hall of Famer also added that he wanted Randy Orton to break hi record of capturing the World Title 16 times, though he thinks Charlotte Flair would be able to catch up eventually soon. He mentioned names like Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold who grew up on the NWA.

https://twitter.com/SkullsMedia/status/1432155662088167425

Related: Trevor Murdoch is the New NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion

Trevor Murdoch is the New NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion

Alex Laybourne
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For months now Trevor Murdoch has been hunting Nick Aldis. Going into NWA 73 this weekend, the journey had reached its peak. The outcome was simple. Either Trevor Murdoch would win the NWA title, or he would retire from professional wrestling.

The stage was set for an epic confrontation, and ultimately, Trevor Murdoch emerged victorious to cap off the ultimate Cinderella story. Ending Nick Aldis’s reign at 1043 days.

The victory capped off a monumental weekend for the NWA. Two successive days of PPV wrestling, including the first-ever all-female PPV Empowerrr the night before. After Trevor Murdoch’s victory, his family joined him in the ring, swiftly followed by none other than Ric Flair. Flair cut a great promo praising both Murdoch and Nick Aldis.

The victory marks the first reign as  NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion for Trevor Murdoch, who previously captured the NWA National Championship in 2020, after making a return to professional wrestling following his early retirement.

Many fans will remember Murdoch from his run in the WWE. There he was a former tag-team champion alongside Lance Cade. He also enjoyed a successful career on the independent circuit.

Trevor Murdoch Completes His Cinderella Story Comeback

In recent years, the wrestling world has seen numerous amazing comebacks. Daniel Bryan, Edge, CM Punk and now possibly Paige. However, while not as high profile, the resurgence of Trevor Murdoch should surely be added to that list.

In 2018 Murdoch retired from professional wrestling. Now, he has one of the most prestigious titles the industry has known around his waist. His deep ties to Harley Race are no secret, with Murdoch regularly working at the Harley Race Wrestling Academy. He had also previously stated that one of his driving motivations for making his return to wrestling and joining the NWA was to honor the memory of his friend.

Trevor Murdoch is officially recognized as the 98th NWA World Heavyweight champion. Who his first challenger will be remains to be seen, however, a rematch with Aldis is surely on the cards?

Paul Heyman: I Was Rescued By Roman Reigns

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Paul Heyman believes that ever since Roman Reigns has acknowledged him, he’s been rescued.

Heyman serves as the “special counsel” for Reigns on WWE SmackDown. The partnership began back in Aug. 2020. This solidified the heel turn of Reigns and he has dominated as the WWE Universal Champion for over 360 days. Many believe it was a much-needed change for Reigns.

Heyman took to his Twitter account to celebrate the one-year anniversary of being aligned with the “Tribal Chief.”

“EXACTLY 1 YEAR AGO, I was rescued by Roman Reigns. In the 52 weeks that have transpired since then, the #TribalChief has redefined the medium, disrupted the status quo and titled the axis of what it means to be THEE top superstar in WWE … and we’ve only just begun!”

Heyman has found himself in a rough spot in regards to his role as “special counsel.” Brock Lesnar, someone who Heyman has long advocated for, made a surprise appearance at the end of SummerSlam and stared down with Reigns. Jimmy and Jey Uso questioned Heyman, asking if he knew Lesnar would show up.

Before SummerSlam, Paul Heyman told Ryan Satin that no one can serve as “special counsel” better than he can (h/t Fightful).

“This, I can do, and I dare say I do it better than anybody else,” said Heyman. “I have redefined the medium from manager to advocate to special counsel. That may be me drinking my own kool-aid, but it tastes good at the moment. I’m challenged every day to be even better.”

Chris Jericho Confirmed For Interview On Sept. 1 AEW Dynamite Episode

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Chris Jericho will be making an appearance on the upcoming edition of AEW Dynamite.

Jericho is set to put his in-ring career on the line against MJF on Sept. 5. The match will be featured on the All Out PPV card. If MJF wins, then Jericho can never wrestle for AEW again.

The official Twitter account of AEW revealed that Jim Ross will be doing an in-ring interview with Jericho on the Sept. 1 episode of Dynamite.

Chris Jericho made the challenge to MJF on the Aug. 25 edition of Dynamite.

“I am proposing one final match. One final fight at All Out on September 5th. And I’ve been thinking about this long and hard, and I’m serious when I say this, if I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t belong in AEW anymore. It’s inside my head. If I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t deserve to be ‘Le Champion’ anymore.

“So this is what I propose. If you beat me MJF, I will go to that commentary table full-time on Rampage, hell maybe someday I’ll commentate Dynamite as well because if you beat me I will never wrestle in AEW again.”

MJF responded, accepting Jericho’s challenge but he gave him a stern warning.

“Being able to say that I ended Jericho, now that’s legendary. So you know what, Chris? You want the match? You got it.

“I want you to really consider this, Chris. I want you to really mull this one over. Because you are putting your in-ring career on the line against the same man who has mopped the floor with you not once, not twice, but three times! You sure you want this match, bud? Because if I were you I wouldn’t because I’m better than you and you know it.”

Damian Priest Credits The Miz For Helping Him Improve Promo Work

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Damian Priest says The Miz is someone he’s been able to learn from as far as promo work is concerned.

Priest and The Miz have been feuding for months. During their time on TV, Priest has been able to grasp doing promos. Once WWE transitioned from the ThunderDome back to live crowds, Priest had to speak in front of large audiences.

During an appearance on After The Bell with Corey Graves, Priest admitted that while being on the mic is nerve-racking, The Miz was able to teach him a lot.

“I couldn’t ask for a better way to segue from NXT to Raw than working with The Miz. He just knows how to be important. He knows how to be front and center and be a star. Just being in the ring with him, I can feed off that stuff and learn. Watching him do things, I’m like, ‘Oh, I should probably do it that way.

“To me, the most uncomfortable thing is holding a microphone and speaking to the WWE Universe. With him, I see how his flow goes and how he breaks and how he makes sure that you understand every single word he says. Being in the ring on Miz TV, I’m listening to him speak and the way he delivers it. You can see when I start speaking and by the end, I’m more speaking how he does. I’m like, ‘This is why he’s so good.’ The way his speaking gear changes and he can deliver different types of emotions and levels.”

Damian Priest has been receiving a steady push on WWE television. He is the current United States Champion. He won the title from Sheamus at SummerSlam. At WrestleMania earlier this year, he teamed with Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny. The two defeated The Miz and John Morrison.

Mark Henry Reacts To Matt Hardy’s Injury Against Orange Cassidy

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Mark Henry has given his take on Matt Hardy’s recent injury.

The Aug. 25 edition of AEW Dynamite opened with a matchup between Hardy and Orange Cassidy. At one point in the match, Cassidy landed a flying crossbody and Hardy was clocked right on the nose. Hardy began bleeding and the aftermath was a busted face. Cassidy ended up winning the match.

Henry was asked about Hardy’s injury during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio and had the following to say.

“I don’t know if you all paid attention, but Orange Cassidy, right before they went to the finish, he did a flying cross body where he cross bodied Matt Hardy right across the face. I hope that Matt Hardy is alright because I saw him later on in the evening, and his eye was shut, his nose was broken, his face was swollen up to where I couldn’t recognize him if I didn’t know what clothes he had on.”

Hardy has been in a feud with Orange Cassidy that started when Cassidy took issue with Hardy’s treatment of Wheeler Yuta. It was explained on AEW TV that Cassidy felt Hardy targeted Yuta, who has aligned himself with Cassidy and Chuck Taylor, because he’s a newcomer to the promotion.

Matt Hardy says his feud with Orange Cassidy is personal now that he’s busted his face.

“When you come for the KING, you’d best not miss. Your best shot missed, OC. You didn’t finish me. You couldn’t end me. This is personal now. You can’t BREAK what’s already BROKEN.”

Tony Khan: I Had Been Talking To CM Punk For A Really Long Time

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Tony Khan admits he had been in talks with CM Punk for quite a while.

When CM Punk arrived in AEW, it was the worst kept secret. AEW intended for it to be that way, dropping hints of Punk’s arrival for weeks. When Punk made his appearance on the second episode of Rampage, the crowd inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois came unglued.

During an interview with the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Khan revealed that he had been speaking to CM Punk for years.

“We’ve been talking a really long time, and a few years ago, it just wasn’t the right time. I think he wanted to see how this thing went. He wasn’t ready to come back to wrestling, especially not for a startup company. Now we’re long past the startup phase. It’s been really successful. We signed a big TV extension and I think once we got the extension and it looked like we were going to be in place for a while, it probably made the company look a lot more like a stable option for CM Punk, honestly.”

Punk is set to have his first match since 2014. He’ll share the ring with Darby Allin on the All Out PPV event. It’ll be held inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Sept. 5.

Paige Says “I’m Not Done Yet” As She Trains For In-Ring Return

Rayan Sayyed
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Paige hasn’t been seen in WWE for some time now, even though she is in contract with the company. Fans hope they could see her make an appearance in some capacity on WWE programming, however it looks like she does not much time left with the company. In a recent Twitch stream, Paige revealed that the current deal she is signed up with expires in less than a year.

Paige said that her contract is going to be up in June of next year, and she doesn’t know if WWE would even want her back. She did, however, add that if they wanted her back she would love to be able to continue Twitch as part of her new deal.

“My contract is up in June of next year. Who knows if they would want to give me a new contract? Who’s to say they would want to? If they did, I’d love to have Twitch as a part of the contract,” Paige said.

On Sunday, the former WWE Divas Champion assured fans that she’s motivated to get back in the ring one way or another .

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1432051493553664002

Paige’s Future

Paige was last seen as part of WWE Backstage, which stopped being a weekly show as FS1 announced the suspension of the production of the show in June last year.

Paige hasn’t been seen in the ring for a long time. She made her debut as a 21-year-old when the women’s division was beginning a revolution and Paige was one of the women at the front of it. Unfortunately, she suffered a neck injury which sidelined her for 18 months. She retired from WWE in 2018 after she suffered a second injury.

She’s still hopeful she could make a comeback to wrestling like Daniel Bryan and Edge did. “I’d come back tomorrow if I could, but I’m always going to have in the back of my head, what if?” she said. “I might not be mentally ready to come back, but when I am, watch out world, you’re going to be in trouble.”

Paige also provided an update of her health recently, revealing she’s getting stronger. “You guys I’m getting stronger, squatting 185lbs again.” wrote Paige on Twitter, “I know it’s not a ton but it’s a big accomplishment for me who was worried to do any gym stuff because of my neck. But my neck is feeling so awesome. I’m so proud of myself.”

You can follow Paige (Saraya) on Twitch and on her new TikTok account.

@saraya

First Tik tok. Who’s here for it? #Birthday #Spinarooni #Paige #WWE #fyp? #AmIDoingThisRight?

? original sound – Saraya
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