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Former WWE Star Makes Big Debut at IMPACT Rebellion

Alex Laybourne
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In the build-up to IMPACT Rebellion, all talk was on the main event title match, however, it was the returning W Morrissey who stole the early credits. Making his debut as a substitute for the injured Eric Young in the Violent by Design 8-man tag match.

Whether the injury was genuine or rather a well-timed piece of story telling the addition of Morrissey to the Impact roster is a big move.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COG_WqEq0UF/

Morrissey is better known for his time with WWE wrestling as Big Cass. He is a man on a personal and professional mission after a series of real-life issues derailed his wrestling career. Morrissey has been brutally open and honest about his battle with depression and alcohol addiction. Seeing him back on the main wrestling roster is the start of his redemption.

Morrissey looked to be in the best shape of his career. Taking the took the fight to James Storm and his crew. While the rivalry between Storm and Young had been the driving factor behind the meeting, yet it was Morrissey who stole the show.

Not only did he get a considerable chunk of in-ring time, but he also picked up the win. Hitting an impressive East River Crossing on Willie Mack. After the bell, Morrissey continued to rain down blows on his fallen opponent, in a clear statement to his VBD brethren that he is ready to help their cause and bring the violence.

It remains to be seen what the plans are for Morrissey following his IMPACT debut. However, in aligning himself with Eric Young he is surely going to be seeing a lot of TV time.

WWE Sign Indian MMA Star Sanjana George

Alex Laybourne
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After a sudden surge of redundancies, WWE has now announced the signing of a new superstar, Indian MMA figure Sanjana George.

The 26-year-old made the announcement on her Instagram page and is the latest Indian signing from WWE, who first started having tryouts in the country back in 2019. India is a vast country filled with WWE fans, and the company have made no attempts to hide their intent on capitalizing on their popularity out there. In fact, George is just one of four new signings from the country.

Sanjana George first started her MMA training when she was just 17 and will join a WWE roster that is already filled with ex-MMA fighters.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COBfCghjXec/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

“I have no prior experience in wrestling, so they are training me from scratch. It’s a challenge, but I have the best coaches in the industry, and I am getting better every day.”

George is already in Florida training at the performance centre. With her previous company training experience and her young age, it can’t be long before we see Sanjana George – or whatever her ring name will be – making her debut.

Sanjana George is the second female Indian wrestler to join the roster alongside Kavita Devi. Only time will tell if George can follow in the footsteps of compatriots The Great Khali and Jinder Mahal and capture WWE gold, but with such a strong pedigree behind her, the future is looking bright.

Beyond that, George will now serve as a role model to young Indian women who hold their own dreams of reaching the big stage.

Nation of Domination Reunion Announced

Chris Stephens
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Ron Simmons, Mark Henry, D’Lo Brown, and the Godfather will be reuniting for a show in Qatar next year. Qatar Pro Wrestling has a history of bringing in big names from wrestling’s past to their shows. They have not held an event since the onset of the global pandemic, however.

QPW is gearing up to return in 2022. They have announced that on February 26, 2022, they will return for a show at the Lausail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar. The Nation of Domination reunion will take centerstage. The show will stream on FITE.

QPW Press Release On Nation of Domination Reunion

“QPW confirms that The Nation of Domination will be reunited for the first time in 22 years and will make their first appearance on Qatar. WWE Hall of Famers Mark Henry, Ron Simmons and The Godfather, along with former WWE Intercontinental Champion, D’Lo Brown, will do their first appearance together in over 22 years. This will be for QPW’s SuperSlam 3 on Doha, Qatar.”

The promotion also noted that Bret Hart, Sting, Eric Bischoff, and Booker T will also take part in the show.

“The Nation of Domination will be the special guests for that night. WWE Hall of Famers Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Sting, Eric Bischoff and Booker T are also confirmed for the event.”

QPW Super Slam II can be viewed in the player below:

Possible Spoiler On Surprise Debut At Impact Rebellion PPV

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling presents a big PPV tonight. The AEW World Championship and the Impact World Championship will both be on the line when Kenny Omega takes on Rich Swann. According to a report from Inside the Ropes, former WWE Superstar Big Cass is about to debut for the promotion “imminently.”

This could mean that Big Cass, who now wrestles under the name CazXL, will appear on tonight’s show or on upcoming episodes of Impact’s weekly television show.

CazXL recently returned to the wrestling ring for Lariato Pro Wrestling. The promotion is owned by Doc Gallows and its events stream on Impact Plus.

Recently, Big Cass took part in an interview with Chris Van Vliet.

“I would love to go to AEW. I’d love to go back to WWE, go to AEW, IMPACT, New Japan, Ring of Honor, wherever,” CazXL said about his future. “Those conversations with Gallows and Anderson have happened and it’s something I would love to do. But one day at a time is the way I take it, I don’t want to look too far into the future. If a phone call comes tonight that’s great, if it doesn’t come for another 3 – 4 months or a year, that’s fine too. I’m open to go anywhere and to have fun, and to make a name for myself.”

Former Lucha Underground Champion Teases AEW Appearance

Chris Stephens
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Former Lucha Underground Champion, Marty “The Moth” Martinez, could possibly be appearing in an AEW ring shortly. Martinez was the 3rd last holder of the LU title. He won it from Pentagon Dark after cashing in the Gift of the Gods title but would drop it back to Pentagon shortly after.

Martinez took to Instagram last month to mention that he’s training for a comeback at QT Marshall’s gym in Atlanta.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL99Y9QF80Q/

He also posted a photo to Instagram recently and mentioned that he’d had a “fun week of shooting some wrestling” and tagged the post with several AEW hashtags including #AEWDark #AEW and #NightmareFactory.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COBP36PntCp/?igshid=1dkh95zgem06l

In his post from March, he explained his absence from wrestling in recent years.

“In Feb 2019, I herniated my L4 & L5 in my spine while doing a workout stream. (twitch.tv/martythemothcasaus). Not lifting, I herniated them while hugging my pup on stream. Yes, I got injured hugging my adorable dog. Docs said I needed surgery. I opted for stem cells instead. I’ve spent the last 2 years relearning how to walk without pain from sciatica & muscle tension. I had to relearn how to run on the treadmill. Spent more time on rehab than heavy weights. My stream watched the struggle. I learned that progress is just as important as results. I had already beat sleep apnea, learned to manage my lyme disease, & I spent way to much time fighting to be healthy that there was not a chance in hell I wasn’t chasing my dream with it.”

Deonna Purrazzo On Released WWE Talent She Wants In Impact

Chris Stephens
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Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo will face Tenille Dashwood tonight at Rebellion. She appeared on Busted Open Radio recently and spoke about the PPV. Additionally, she also discussed which recently released WWE Superstars she would like to see in Impact Wrestling.

“Everyone that this happened to last year, myself included, has kind of found a new home and landed on their feet and been successful,” Purrazzo said referencing her release from WWE in 2020 (transcriptions via 411Mania). “So, I think this had to happen to the next round of people, and we set that template of it’s going to be OK, you will be successful and thrive wherever you land.”

“Obviously, I want my best friend Chelsea Green to come back to Impact. Mickie James is a former Knockouts Champion. And then I also love Cassie and Billie as individuals and as a tag team. I think of those four we would benefit tremendously from and vice versa.”

Purrazzo continued to say that as the Forbidden Door has been kicked open, she wants to defend the Knockouts belt across multiple promotions.

“Wrestling isn’t the boys club anymore. I want our Knockouts Championship to be contended for all over the world,” Purrazzo continued. “I know that whoever is in charge of the AEW women’s division and Tony Khan want their championship to be held in the same contention. So, if we can have Kenny vs. Rich, champion vs. champion, why can’t we have Deonna vs. Shida? Our division is continuously growing and is one of the best in the world. Their division, in the same light, is continuously growing and is becoming one of the best in the world. There is no lose-lose, no matter what the match is between Impact’s women’s division and AEW’s women’s division.”

Final Card For Tonight’s Impact Wrestling Rebellion PPV

Michael Reichlin
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Impact Wrestling presents Rebellion tonight live on pay-per-view. The event is available for purchase at FITE.TV.

History will be made as Impact World Champion Rich Swann battles AEW World Champion Kenny Omega.

The following matches are scheduled Rebellion:

  • Impact & TNA World Champion Rich Swann vs AEW Champion Kenny Omega
  • X-Division Champion Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander vs. TJP
  • Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Tenille Dashwood
  • Knockouts Tag Team Champions Fire N’ Flayva vs. Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering
  • Impact Tag Team Champions FinJuice vs. The Good Brothers
  • Violent by Design vs. James Storm & Chris Sabin & Willie Mack & Eddie Edwards
  • Matt Cardona vs. Brian Myers
  • Last Man Standing: Sami Callihan vs. Trey Miguel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MTg9NkTyYA

The Miz Wants To Be Johnny Cage In Mortal Kombat

Chris Stephens
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The Miz believes he would be perfect in the role of Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat. The latest installment in the film/video game franchise was released recently but the Cage character does not appear in it. Assuming the character is brought back at some point, The Miz would like to portray him.

The Miz took to Twitter to make his case.

Xavier Woods expressed that he likes this potential casting choice:

Co-creator of Mortal Kombat Ed Boon also seems interested in Miz’s idea:

The film appears to be quite popular amongst wrestlers. It was released in the United States on April 23rd. Miro saw to it that some from the AEW roster were treated to an early screening, however.

“Thanks for the movie King of the boys !” wrote Stu Grayson in response on Twitter.

“MMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth’s greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe,” reads a description of the film.

It is the first Mortal Kombat film in close to 25 years. The last installment was Mortal Kombat: Annihilation released in 1997. An animated film, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, was released last year on April 14th, 2020.

Paul Heyman Sends Stark Warning To Daniel Bryan Ahead of Universal Title Match

Jake Skudder
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The ‘Special Council To The Tribal Chief’ Paul Heyman recently sent a warning to Daniel Bryan ahead of next week’s episode of WWE SmackDown. Daniel Bryan will be facing Roman Reigns in the main event of the show for the Universal Championship.

Should Bryan lose, he will be ‘banished’ from SmackDown.

“If Roman Reigns wins, and I assure you he will win, that’s it for Daniel Bryan” Paul Heyman began on Talking Smack. “He’s out of here, he’s not coming back, like the Midnight Rider. He’s out. O-U-T. Gone! Banished from SmackDown.”

Paul Heyman on Daniel Bryan vs Roman Reigns

“No more Daniel Bryan. No more Bryan Danielson, no more ‘American Dragon,’ no more Brie Bella’s baby daddy around here” Heyman added. “Gone! Finished! Kaput! Out the damn window!”

“If you’re a fan of Daniel Bryan, I encourage you, I implore you to watch next Friday night, live on SmackDown” Paul Heyman continued. “It’s the last chance you’re going to get to see Daniel Bryan in action.”

“You [Daniel Bryan] pushed the Tribal Chief too far. Now, as you should have learned at WrestleMania, now come the consequences” Heyman concluded.

Do you think that we’ll see Daniel Bryan end up on RAW, or maybe even NXT? Let us know in the comments

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

Triple H Talks The Potential of a Physical WWE Hall of Fame

Jake Skudder
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Triple H recently appeared on ESPN’s Cheap Heat podcast with Peter Rosenberg. Hunter Hearst Helmsley discussed a number of topics during his time on the podcast, including the company building a ‘physical’ Hall of Fame building with interactive elements.

“For me to say, ‘It’s on the way’ makes it sound like we’re already building it” Triple H began on Cheap Heat. “It is definitely something that we contemplated in our mind. It has to be done right.”

“In the world today, it’s a funny thing; people go like, ‘oh my God, that would be fascinating to go to see somebody’s old trunks’ or… Hall Of Fames like that, physical Hall Of Fames, museums like that tend to be money pits and not do well because over time, people will [see] them and just think, ‘well you need to make it something more’” Triple H added.

Triple H on Hall of Fame Building

“I think if it was interactive, with technology the way that it is now? Those objects were there, things that people can see and be wowed by, but also there’s reasons to keep going back” The Game continued, giving context as to why WWE may not have as of yet pulled the trigger on creating a building for their HOF.

“I’m of the opinion that, there means to be more than a thing you go to one time and go like, ‘Oh that was neat. I saw some boots'” The WWE executive noted. “But more of a, ‘you gotta go see this. I was there. There’s a virtual this, there’s a 3D that.'”

“Technology takes you to another level” Triple H concluded. “Like Disney, you go see these incredible things but also have these mind-blowing experiences around WWE and you can also spend the day there.”

Would you like to see a physical Hall of Fame built? Let us know in the comments

credit to Fighter Fans for the transcription

Bayley Says That Bianca Belair ‘Got Lucky’ at WrestleMania 37

Jake Skudder
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WWE Superstar Bayley will be taking on Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.

Appearing on Talking Smack, Bayley said how Belair ‘got lucky’ in her WrestleMania 37 Night 1 main event win over former Champion Sasha Banks.

“Alright, she got lucky” Bayley began on the WWE Talk Show. “You know what? This little honeymoon phase of hers? It’s done for! I’m back! She had her little luck in the Royal Rumble. She had a lot of luck at WrestleMania.”

Bayley on Bianca Belair

“You know how many times I’ve beaten Sasha Banks?” Bayley continued. “You don’t see me with balloons everywhere. Dancing with my husband, get a life! This is our profession. You’re not at home, sister. And now you’re going to walk back into the ring with Bayley.”

Bayley of course was not part of a match for WrestleMania 37. It was rumored that the former WWE Women’s Champion would host her ‘Ding Dong, Hello’ segment at the show of shows and re-introduce Becky Lynch to the WWE Universe. This of course never came to pass and we still await the return of Lynch.

credit to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

LA Knight Talks Being Hated In NXT For The First Three Months

Jake Skudder
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Former IMPACT World Champion and NXT Superstar LA Knight recently spoke to Busted Open Radio. The outspoken Superstar discussed a number of topics during his time on the show, including why he was ‘hated’ during his first three months on the NXT brand.

“I have to say that I’m a bit of an introvert, I stay to myself” LA Knight began on Busted Open. “Especially if I don’t know people. So if I’m brand new to a locker room? I’ll say hello to everybody, and I’ll just kind of go off by myself; because in my mind I’m thinking, ‘I don’t want to bother anybody.’”

“If somebody wants to talk to me or if I have something really important to say? I’ll approach them” LA Knight added. “But otherwise I’m going to say hello, and then I’m gonna go do my own thing. That’s until somebody shows an interest or whatever starts talking to me.”

LA Knight on NXT Career

LA Knight finished by revealing that it usually takes a while to get ‘used’ to him in a locker room situation. This has led to him not being liked straight away in some of the places he has worked, including NXT.

“So now you see me carrying myself in a certain way; then you see what I do in the ring on a microphone, which is uber confident” Knight added. “And all of a sudden I’m not talking to anybody in the back and then people are like what ‘who the hell’s this guy think he is?’”

“When I got to NXT the first time here, I was hated for like the first three months” LA Knight concluded. “And it’s usually like a three month period before everybody kind of figures out like, ‘oh wait, this guy’s actually okay.’

credit to Fighter Fans for the transcription

Do you think that LA Knight could end up being a major star in WWE? Let us know in the comments

Final Card For Impact Wrestling Rebellion PPV

Andrew Ravens
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Impact Wrestling is back with another show, so let’s take a look at the card for the Rebellion pay-per-view event. 

The event takes place on tonight (Sunday, April 25, 2021) from Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Rich Swann vs. AEw World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega in a title vs. title match is the main event. Mauro Ranallo is being brought in as the special announcer for the match. 

The show kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be distributed on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view, including DISH, DirecTV, iN Demand, Vubiquity, Rogers, Bell, Shaw and Sasktel across North America, and streaming live globally exclusively on the FITE.tv app

This will be the second PPV event of the year for Impact. The card that features several big matches appears to be finalized.

Rebellion Final Card

  • AEW World Champion Kenny Omega vs. Impact Wrestling World Champion Rich Swann – Title vs. Title Match
  • Impact Wrestling X-Division Champion Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander vs. TJP.
  • Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Tenille Dashwood.
  • Impact Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Champions Fire N’ Flayva vs. Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering.
  • Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions FinJuice vs. The Good Brothers.
  • Violent by Design vs. James Storm & Chris Sabin & Willie Mack & Eddie Edwards.
  • Matt Cardona vs. Brian Myers.
  • Sami Callihan vs. Trey Miguel – Last Man Standing Match

Christian Cage Discusses Samoa Joe Being Released from WWE

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

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

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

Samoa Joe: “Top Performer”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Angle and Flair 1

Kurt Angle on Ric Flair Advice

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

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

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

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

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

Snoop Dogg Says WWE Disciplined Him For AEW Appearance

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

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

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

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

749ed8dc93809f7261fd9f5191ea93d2

Snoop Dogg’s AEW Appearance

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

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

Watch Snoop Dogg’s comments this situation here:

Snoop’s Doggy Splash

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

Snoop’s History With WWE

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

Check out some of Snoop’s memorable WWE appearances:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Big E… Goldberg Says You’re Next!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SmackDown Results (4/23)

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

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Daniel Bryan & Cesaro def. Jey Uso & Rollins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tamina def. Nia Jax

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

Apollo Crews Retained The IC Title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aleister Black Returned

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

Bayley Laughed In Belair’s Face

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

Rey & Dominik Picked Up A Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reigns Will Defend The Title Against Daniel Bryan Next Week

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

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

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

Bayley vs. Bianca Belair Set For WWE WrestleMania Backlash

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

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

Check out their interaction on Friday’s WWE SmackDown:

WrestleMania Backlash Card

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

WWE presents the WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, May 16, 2021 from Tampa, Florida at Yuengling Center that will air on Peacock.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Introduces New Class Of International Performance Center Recruits

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

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

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

WWE made the announcement by issuing the following: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AEW Blood and Guts: May 5th

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

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

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

NWA: When Shadows Fall PPV Announced For June 6th

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Cena Comments On Missing WrestleMania This Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Cena vs John Oliver

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

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

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

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

Impact 4/22 Quick Results:

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

Rich Swann and Kenny Omega’s Final Segment Before Rebellion

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

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

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

Violent By Design Scores Victory Ahead Of Rebellion

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

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

Rachael Ellering To Team With Jordynne Grace At Rebellion

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

The Good Brothers and FinJuice Prepare For Rebellion

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

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

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

Tenille Dashwood Defeats Susan En Route To Rebellion

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

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

Sami Callihan Sends Trey Miguel A Warning Ahead of Rebellion

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

Brian Myers Sends Matt Cardona A Message Ahead of Rebellion

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

Final Lineup For Rebellion

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

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