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Jeff Jarrett Podcast With Conrad Thompson To Debut Next Month

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RAW Results (4/12)

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

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Lashley Dominated

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

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

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

The Viking Raiders Returned

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

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

Charlotte Flair Complained For Five Minutes

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

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

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

Asuka vs. Ripley Was A Botchfest

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

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

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

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

Alexa Bliss Has An Evil Puppet

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

Miz & Morrison def. Damian Priest

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

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

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

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

Shayna & Nia Won Via Countout

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

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

New Day def. Elias & Ryker

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

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

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

Firefly Fun House Returned

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

McIntyre Earned A Rematch Against Lashley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charlotte Flair Returns On WWE Raw

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Viking Raiders Return To Action On WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
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The Viking Raiders are back. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

List Of Producers For WWE WrestleMania 37 Matches

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

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

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

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

Night 1 

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

Night 2 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Superfan: The Story of Vladimir

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bianca Belair Talks About Her Emotional Experience at WrestleMania

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

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

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

Bianca Belair’s Emotional Weekend

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

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

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

Details On Alexa Bliss’ Special Effects At WrestleMania 37

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Announces Changes To The RAW Announce Team

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

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

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

What will happen to Samoa Joe and Tom Phillips?

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

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

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

Backstage News On Sheamus Beating Riddle For The US Title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WrestleMania Night 2 Results:

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

Here are the takeaways from Night 2 of WrestleMania 37:

Randy Orton def. The Fiend

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

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

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

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

Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler Retained

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

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

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

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

Kevin Owens Picked Up A Victory

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

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

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

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

Sheamus Captured The United States Championship

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

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

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

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

Apollo Crews Captured The Intercontinental Championship

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

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

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

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

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

Rhea Ripley Won The RAW Women’s Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roman Reigns Retained The Universal Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roman Reigns Survives Triple Threat Match, Retains WWE Universal Title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rhea Ripley Wins WWE Raw Women’s Title At WrestleMania 37

Andrew Ravens
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Asuka stepped into the ring with Rhea Ripley with the Raw Women’s Title on the line at Sunday’s WWE WrestleMania 37 pay-per-view event from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Peacock.

The match saw both wrestlers get plenty of offense. At one point, Asuka hit a DDT off the apron. Ripley won with the Riptide for the win. 

Originally, Charlotte Flair was slated to challenge Asuka for the title but then a turn of events changed that. Flair was informed by WWE that she wasn’t medically cleared because they thought she was pregnant, which ended up being a mistake on the behalf of the company. Then, Flair tested positive for COVID-19.

With Flair on the sidelines, WWE made the call to have Ripley take her place with the idea that they could always add Flair into the match and make it a three-way bout. 

Ripley dropped the NXT Women’s Title to the daughter of Ric Flair at WrestleMania then went into a feud with her and Io Shirai for the title on NXT TV. Shirai later dethroned Flair for the title. Ripley was also an entrant in the 2019 women’s Royal Rumble.

https://twitter.com/WrestleMania/status/1381433346232844288

What are your thoughts on Ripley winning the Raw Women’s Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Apollo Crews Wins WWE Intercontinental Title With Help From Dabba Kato

Andrew Ravens
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The latest match between Big E and Apollo Crews took place in a Nigerian Drum Match at Sunday’s (April 11, 2021) WWE WrestleMania 37 pay-per-view event.

The match had weapons around the ring from kendo sticks to tables to drums. The finish saw Crews put him on a table, but missed a splash off the top rope and went through it. This led to Commander Azeez aka Dabba Kato to run out and attack Big E, which led to Crews winning the title. 

On the April 2nd edition of SmackDown, Crews cut a backstage promo challenging Big E to this match. In that promo, he noted that it was an ancient duel created by his ancestors for those who are wronged to get a chance to make things right. 

WWE had Crews debut this character back in February where he has since embraced his Nigerian heritage and claiming to be a descendent of Nigerian royalty. WWE started this promo when Big E noted in a promo that Crews wouldn’t be getting another shot at the title, but they did an angle where Crews attacked Big E with the steel steps. 

Last month at the Fastlane pay-per-view event, Big E retained against Crews, but after the match, Crews attacked him. There was a six-man tag team match on an edition of SmackDown in late March where Crews pinned Big E. 

Sheamus Wins United States Title At WWE WrestleMania 37

Andrew Ravens
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Matt Riddle vs. Sheamus put on a hard-hitting style of a match with the WWE United States Title on the line on the second night of the WWE WrestleMania 37 pay-per-view event. 

The match that was held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida saw a back and forth spot fest. Riddle hit some dives off the top rope and a spot on the outside. Sheamus got a close nearfall with the brogue kick. The finish saw Sheamus hit the brogue kick when Riddle was going for a moonsault off the middle rope. 

WWE set up this match on the March 29th edition of Raw when Sheamus defeated Riddle in a non-title match. Before it started, Sheamus sent Riddle into a production crate while backstage. 

The end of that contest saw Sheamus pin Riddle after hitting a knee strike. After the match, Riddle got some payback when he knocked Sheamus, who was celebrating, out of the ring. Before that, Sheamus did a segment where he was interrupted by Riddle, who asked multiple questions. When Sheamus acted like he was interested in riding Riddle’s scooter, Riddle was about to give it to him, but Sheamus instead attacked him with it.

https://twitter.com/WWENetwork/status/1381419608133996549

What are your thoughts on Sheamus winning the United States Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Kevin Owens Beats Sami Zayn, Hits Stunner To Logan Paul At WrestleMania

Andrew Ravens
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Kevin Owens battled his bitter rival turned best friend Sami Zayn with Logan Paul being at ringside as Zayn’s special guest at WrestleMania 37 on Sunday night. 

The match featured Owens getting the early offense until Zayn hit him with a brainbuster on the apron. Owens did later follow up with a frog splash off the top rope. Owens hit a stunner for the win. 

Post-match, Paul checked on Zayn then congratulated Owens for the win. Zayn was upset by it and confronted Logan about it. He shoved Zayn down then walked out. Paul raised the hand of Owens, but it got booed by the fans. Owens laid out Paul with a stunner. 

Paul’s involvement in this match started earlier this month when Paul accepted Zayn’s invitation as a guest for Zayn’s red carpet premiere of his documentary trailer that was shown on the April 2nd edition of Friday Night SmackDown. 

The trailer aired and showed him feeling that everyone was against him. Zayn asked for Paul’s thoughts following the end of the trailer, Paul stated put a lot of effort into the trailer. This led to Owens coming out and giving Zayn a stunner then telling him to stop with the conspiracies.

Owens brushed against Paul after he left the ring and later in the show, Zayn attacked him. 

The latest installment in the feud started when Owens told Zayn to stop with the constant conspiracy theories and Zayn fired back by saying that Owens is part of the conspiracy.

Bianca Belair Reacts To WrestleMania 37 Main Event Win

Jake Skudder
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WWE SmackDown Superstar Bianca Belair won the SmackDown Women’s Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 37 Night 1. The ‘EST of WWE’ had a historic match against Sasha Banks that saw her win with her KOD finisher.

Following the match Belair appeared backstage during the WWE Watch Along taping. Bianca Belair took some time to speak about her massive win before the show went off air.

“I feel like we just felt the moment” Bianca Belair began speaking to Watch Along. “We just wanted to extent that moment and we wanted that image to be in the world. Being there, I can honestly say the beginning was one of my favourite parts of the match.”

Bianca Belair on Title Win

“That moment in the beginning, that’s what I’m going to remember for the rest of my life” Belair continued. “My mind is blown, I’m just so full of joy.”

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” Belair added. “I knew I had to give it my all, Sasha Banks is amazing and I can’t thank her enough. I love competition and she brought it.”

“I wanted to face the best Sasha Banks and I had to bring my best” Belair concluded. “I will say I am ready for a rematch because I want to prove that tonight… I want to cement it, that I am the EST of WWE.”

Steve Austin Promo Released for WrestleMania 38 in Texas

Jake Skudder
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WrestleMania 37 is halfway through, with Night 2 taking place tonight from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The promo for WrestleMania 38, which takes place in Dallas, Texas next year has been released and features Stone Cold Steve Austin.

“They say everything’s bigger here, and not to mess with us,” Austin begins the video. “Cause this place runs deep in our hearts.”

“Here’s the bottom line” Steve Austin continues. “This is where the jaws will drop, the feet will stomp, the crowd will roar, and the Superstars will soar.”

Steve Austin on WrestleMania 38

“When the roofs are blown off, asses get handed, and moments are made in the only way we know how” Austin concluded. “What?! WrestleMania calls and Dallas says, ‘Oh, hell yeah!’”

As of writing, WrestleMania 38 is scheduled to take place on April 3, 2022 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which itself is in the Dallas area.

It’s worth noting that the video itself only says April 2022; but this might be innocuous and not a conscious decision to leave out.

Check out the full promo from Stone Cold below:

Chris Jericho Explains Signing With AEW To Steve Austin

Chris Stephens
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The episode of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions with Chris Jericho is currently streaming on the WWE Network. Early on during the conversation, Jericho explained to Austin his decision to sign with AEW in 2019.

“I never thought that I would really work anywhere outside of WWE in the states, for example, after being there for 19 years or so,” Jericho said on the show.

“When AEW was about to start and Tony Khan had this idea,” Jericho continued. “Now, you’ve been around longer than I have but you hear this all the time, ‘oh, there’s going to be a new promotion, there’s a guy whose got money,” whatever, you hear it all the time. So, when I started talking to him, I started realizing that there was something different here about this opportunity to start a new company.”

Jericho then started talking about AEW and Tony Khan having the things needed to be successful with a new wrestling promotion.

“What you need for that, is you need 3 things: finances and passion, that’s one. You need a television contract, and you need talent. You need about 4-6 guys you can build a territory around. Talking to Tony, he had the finances, he had the passion. Then when we started sniffing around, we realized there was a group of guys whose contracts were all coming up at the same time.”

“Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Young Bucks, Chris Jericho, Hangman Page, guess what? There’s your six guys right there, you can start a company on that. 6 legit guys you can build around and Jericho’s got the name value. These other guys, Cody to an extent, but nobody had really heard of the Young Bucks in the mainstream, or Kenny, or Hangman. So, when you see these guys, you’re like ‘where have these guys been?”

“All 3 of those factors all came together in a perfect storm to where we’re like we have a chance to really do something here. The contract with TNT was big because I think at first we were thinking maybe Showtime, or HBO, or Netflix, all these different ideas. But you have to have network TV to get off the ground and TNT provided that.”

The full episode is streaming on the WWE Network now.

Becky Lynch Teases WrestleMania 37 Night 2 Appearance

Jake Skudder
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Even though Becky Lynch already teased appearing at WrestleMania 37 Night 1, she appears to be at it again for Night 2.

Sending out a congratulatory tweet for Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, Lynch wrote “Nothing Is Guaranteed Here Tonight Tomorrow What’s next Over.” Much like yesterday’s seemingly innocuous post; this seems like nothing until you realise that the words spell out ‘N.I.G.H.T.T.W.O.’

After this, Lynch wrote “just kidding! Congratulations @SashaBanksWWE and @BiancaBelairWWE. Way to make history.”

Now Becky Lynch could be trolling, or just getting fans off of the scent. There’s still a chance that she makes a shock appearance tonight.

It’s only a rumor, but it was reportedly by Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE were looking at a potential ‘Ding Dong, Hello’ segment with Bayley and Lynch herself. This was apparently being looked at for Night 1 but never came to fruition.

Bayley did appear during Night 1, but she didn’t host her talk segment. There’s a chance that WWE decided to move the segment to Night 2, as the rain delay (WrestleRania, thanks Cole) meant the company couldn’t fully begin proceedings until around 35 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Do you think that Becky Lynch will appear tonight? Let us know in the comments

WWE Announces Superfan: The Story of Vladimir Documentary

Chris Stephens
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WWE fans likely know Vladimir Abouzeide’s face if they don’t know his name. For over 30 years, he’s been a fixture at WWE events. WWE announced yesterday that a documentary on the superfan is in the works. The film will feature interviews with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Jimmy Hart, Bruce Prichard, and others. It will air on Peacock and the WWE Network.

Triple H also recently revealed that Vladimir is now the company’s first-ever officially certified superfan.

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

“I felt like he was at just about every show that I watched,” Sam Roberts says in the newly released Superfan trailer.

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

News On How Long Bad Bunny Has Been Training For WWE Debut

Chris Stephens
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Bad Bunny impressed a lot of fans last night with his performance at WrestleMania 37. He teamed with Damian Priest and defeated John Morrison and the Miz in tag-team action. According to a report from Wrestling Observer Radio, the recording artist has been training for months for his WWE in-ring debut.

“Bad Bunny, I mean you have to give him all the credit in the world,” Dave Meltzer said. “He went down (to the WWE Performance Center) in like December or early January. He’s basically been training for this match ever since.”

“The match was way better than it had any right to be. It was really actually one of the better matches on the show,” Meltzer would later add.

The report also stated that Damian Priest was working with a bad back. Meltzer noted that this might be the reason why Bad Bunny did much of the work for his team.

“Priest has a bad back so that is perhaps some of it. I guess the idea of why they were talking about a singles match was because of Priest’s injury. I thought it was Morrison’s injury but it was Priest’s injury but he was just cleared,” Meltzer said.

What Happened After WrestleMania Went Off The Air?

Chris Stephens
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Night 1 of WrestleMania 37 is in the books and history has been made. Bianca Belair is the new Smackdown Women’s Champion after defeating Sasha Banks in the main event. The show ended on the WWE Network/Peacock with Belair celebrating with the title. There was more that took place than what the fans at home saw, however.

As captured by fan-recorded videos, while Belair was celebrating, her husband Montez Ford joined her in the ring. Ford would celebrate with her before again leaving the ring to allow Belair to celebrate on her own once again. She then went to her family who was ringside and celebrated with them as well. Finally, she made her way up the ramp and eventually to the back.

Other fans caught video of the defeated Sasha Banks enjoying Belair’s post match celebration.

What Did Bobby Lashley Do After Defending His WWE Championship?

Bobby Lashley successfully defended the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre last night. Following his match, and after cameras had cut away from him, Lashley is reported by Fightful to have gone to the endzone area of the field and bowed to the fans.

Following his victory in the night’s opening contest, Lashley took to Twitter to post the following:

WWE WrestleMania Night 1 Results: Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair, New Champs, Bad Bunny

Robert Lentini
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WWE WrestleMania Night 1 aired live from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. Bobby Lashley put the WWE Championship on the against Drew McIntyre in the first match of the night. Sasha Banks defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair in the main event tonight.

WrestleMania Night 1 Results:

  1. Bobby Lashley def. Drew McIntyre to retain the WWE Championship
  2. Natalya & Tamina won the Tag Team Turmoil match to earn a title shot during Night 2
  3. Cesaro def. Seth Rollins
  4. AJ Styles & Omos def. New Day to capture the RAW Tag Team Championships.
  5. Braun Strowman def. Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage match
  6. Bad Bunny & Damian Priest def. The Miz & John Morrison
  7. Bianca Belair def. Sasha Banks to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion

Here are the takeaways from Night 1:

Bobby Lashley Retained The WWE Championship

Bobby Lashley defended the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the first match of the night. There was a forty minute rain delay to begin the show. MVP was ringside for the match. Lashley and McIntyre locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the action.

Lashley connected with a shoulder tackle but Drew hopped right back up. The WWE Champion took control of the match and beat McIntyre down for a few minutes. Lashley planted McIntyre with a Neckbreaker and went for a cover but Drew kicked out at two.

Lashley charged but McIntyre got out of the way and the WWE Champion crashed into the ring post. McIntyre went for an Armbar in the middle of the ring but Lashley escaped by unloading some punches to McIntyre’s face.

McIntyre hit a Northern Lights Suplex but Lashley responded with a slam of his own for a near fall. Drew battled back and connected with a series of elbows to the face. McIntyre followed it up with a Reverse Alabama Slam and went for the cover but Lashley powered out at two.

Both superstars battled on the turnbuckle and McIntyre went for a Kimura Lock but Lashley blocked it. McIntyre sent Lashley flying to the canvas and the crowd got on their feet. McIntyre went for the Claymore but Bobby countered with a Spinebuster.

McIntyre hopped right up and hit a Belly to Belly Suplex. Drew then followed it up with three Future Shock DDTs for a near fall. Drew went for the Claymore but Lashley slinked out of the ring. Drew then flipped onto Lashley and MVP as the crowd erupted.

Drew went for a Flying Clothesline but Lashley countered with an Exploder Suplex. Lashley hit another slam and set up for the Hurt Lock. McIntyre escaped and applied the Kimura Lock in the middle of the ring. Lashley battled through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

McIntyre hit the Glasgow kiss and went for the Claymore but MVP distracted him. Drew then missed and Lashley applied the Hurt Lock in the middle of the ring. McIntyre tried to escape but Lashley wouldn’t let go. McIntyre passed out and Bobby Lashley retained the WWE Championship.

Natalya & Tamina Will Face Shayna & Nia Tomorrow Night For The Titles

Lana & Naomi and Billie Kay & Carmella started off the Tag Team Turmoil match. The last team standing will face Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler for the Women’s Tag Team Championships on Night 2 of WrestleMania 37.

Naomi hit Carmella with a Dropkick and brought her to the corner. Lana tagged in and connected with a Bulldog. Lana drove her knees into Carmella’s back but Carmella shrugged it off. Carmella slammed Lana to the mat at tagged in Billie Kay.

Billie bounced Lana’s face off the turnbuckle but Lana battled back with a Russian Leg Sweep. Naomi tagged in and booted Billie in the face. Lana booted Carmella out of the ring as Naomi hit a kick to Billie’s head for a two count. Billie Kay then rolled up Naomi for the elimination.

Riott Squad was next up and Carmella stomped Liv Morgan down in the corner. Billie Kay tagged in and planted Liv with a Suplex. Billie went for the cover but Ruby Riott broke it up at two.

Billie Kay rolled up Liv as Carmella shoved her boots on Billie’s back for leverage but the referee caught her. Liv hit Double Knees and Riott tagged in. Ruby hit Billie with a Senton for the pinfall elimination.

Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose were the next team in the match. Dana Brooke planted Ruby with a Blockbuster and went for the cover but Liv broke it up at the last moment. Dana followed it up with a Neckbreaker on Ruby for a near fall.

Liv tagged in and hit Mandy with an Enziguri. Morgan went for the cover but Rose kicked out at two. Ruby hit the Riott Kick but Dana Brooke broke up the pin. Mandy hit Liv with a punch and sent her to the turnbuckle. Rose sent Ruby out of the ring and perched Liv up on the top turnbuckle.

Morgan knocked Dana off the apron but she hopped back up and tagged in. Mandy hit Liv with a Superplex and Dana climbed to the top rope. Dana connected with a Swanton and went for the cover but Liv reversed it into a roll-up for the pinfall.

Natalya & Tamina were next up. Natalya went for a Sharpshooter but Liv was able to escape. Natalya planted Liv with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Ruby broke it up at two. Tamina knocked Ruby out of the ring and went back to the apron. Ruby tagged in and beat Tamina down int he corner.

Riott booted Tamina in the face and Liv tagged back in. Ruby hit Tamina with a Senton and Liv went for the cover but Tamina powered out at two. Natalya tagged in and hit the Hart Attack on Ruby in the middle of the ring. Natalya smiled and made it seem like she was going for the Sharpshooter. Natalya opted to tag in Tamina and she hit a Splash off the top rope for pinfall victory. Natalya and Tamina will face Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax tomorrow night for the Women’s Tag Team Championships.

Cesaro def. Seth Rollins

Cesaro faced Seth Rollins tonight at WrestleMania. Cesaro leveled Rollins with an uppercut and went for the Swing but Rollins broke free. Cesaro hit a Dropkick and went for a Gutwrench Suplex off the middle rope. Seth escaped and hit a Buckle Bomb for a near fall.

Rollins and Cesaro then traded shots in the middle of the ring. Rollins hit a Superplex and rolled through for a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Cesaro responded with a flurry of uppercuts and posed for the crowd in attendance. Cesaro leveled Rollins with a Clothesline and went for the cover but Seth kicked out at two.

Cesaro set up for the Swing but Rollins countered into a roll-up for a two count. Cesaro went for the Swing again but Seth escaped and hit an Enziguri. Rollins went for the Stomp but Cesaro countered into the Swing for nine rotations and went for a Sharpshooter but Seth quickly reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

Seth dodged the Neutralizer and caught Cesaro with a knee to the face. Rollins followed it up with a Slingblade and made his way to the top turnbuckle. Seth hit a Corkscrew Splash for a near fall. Cesaro connected with the Neutralizer this time but Seth was able to kick out at the last second.

Rollins then planted Cesaro with a Pedigree for a two count. Seth shouted that he was a god because he survived the Neutralizer and the Swing. Rollins went for a Stomp but Cesaro dodged. Rollins stayed on the attack and leveled Cesaro with a kick to the back of the head.

Seth went for the Stomp but Cesaro countered with an uppercut. Cesaro lifted Rollins up onto his shoulders in a UFO Spin. Cesaro flexed for the crowd and Rollins with the Swing for 23 rotations. Cesaro quickly hit the Neutralizer for the pinfall victory. This was Cesaro’s first singles victory at WrestleMania and it was long overdue.

Styles & Omos Won The RAW Tag Titles

New Day defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against AJ Styles & Omos tonight. AJ Styles and Kofi Kingston started off the action. AJ went for the Calf Crusher early but Kofi blocked it. Kingston hit a slam and twerked in the ring as Woods played the trombone.

Xavier tagged in and tripped up Styles. Woods connected with an Elbow Drop for a two count. Woods applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring as Omos started at him from the apron. Kingston tagged in and hit a Double Stomp but Styles kicked out at two.

Styles went for an Enziguri but Woods ducked under it and dragged him back to the corner. Kingston hit a Splash and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two. Woods climbed to the top rope but Styles escaped and tagged in Omos.

Woods tried to prevent it but he was too late. Omos got into the ring and the crowd erupted. Xavier booted Omos in the knee but he was unfazed. Kingston tagged in and leaped off the top rope but Omos caught him. Omos hit a massive Backbreaker and bent Woods across his knee.

AJ Styles leaped off of Omos’ shoulders and hit Woods with a Phenomenal Forearm. Omos then hit Kingston with a ridiculous Powerbomb for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles and Omos are the new RAW Tag Team Champions.

Braun Strowman Picked Up A Victory

Shane McMahon squared off with Braun Strowman in a Steel Cage match tonight. Jerry “The King” Lawler joined commentary for the match. Before the match, Elias and Ryker attacked Strowman and hit his legs with steel chairs. Shane hit Strowman in the legs with the steel chair several more times before trying to escape out of the cage.

Strowman brought Shane down to the canvas but McMahon danced around Strowman. Shane hit Strowman with some punches as Braun limped around the ring. Shane bashed Strowman in the face and went for the cover but Braun kicked out and sent McMahon flying across the ring.

Shane tried to crawl through the cage door but Strowman caught him with a massive slam. Strowman slammed Shane into the steel cage several times and McMahon collapsed to the canvas. Strowman hit a Splash against the steel and then grabbed his left knee in pain.

Braun went for a Running Powerslam but his knee gave out. Shane shoved Strowman into the steel and followed it up with a DDT in the middle of the ring. Shane connected with the Coast to Coast Dropkick for a two count.

Elias and Ryker started climbing up the cage and tried to get Shane out. Strowman launched himself into the cage and Ryker & Elias fell to the floor. Braun and Shane then battled on the top of the cage. Shane found a toolbox randomly and hit Strowman in the face with it.

McMahon had the match won but took a moment to taunt Strowman from the outside of the cage. Strowman grabbed Shane’s hand and peeled apart the steel cage. Braun dragged Shane back inside and beat the hell out of him in the corner of the ring.

Strowman and McMahon then fought on the very top of the cage. Shane pleaded for mercy but Strowman wasn’t having it. Strowman launched McMahon back down to the mat as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Braun said this was for every person that has ever been called stupid and planted Shane with the Running Powerslam for the pinfall victory.

Bad Bunny & Damian Priest def. The Miz & John Morrison

Damian Priest & Bad Bunny faced The Miz & John Morrison tonight. Booker T joined commentary for the match and Miz & Morrison had a bunch of bunnies during their entrance. Bad Bunny showed up on top of an 18-wheeler and got a great reaction from the crowd.

Priest and The Miz started off the action. Miz backed to the corner and told Damian to back off. The Miz demanded that Bad Bunny get in the ring and called him scared. Bad Bunny tagged in and jabbed Miz in the face and Morrison shouted “that was luck”.

Bad Bunny caught Miz with another right hand to the face and the former WWE Champion fell against the ropes. Bad Bunny took Miz down and unloaded some more punches. Miz battled back and stomped Bad Bunny to the canvas.

The Miz stared at Booker T for a moment and it cost him. Bad Bunny hit an Arm Drag that sent Miz out of the ring. Bad Bunny rolled up Miz for a near fall and The Miz retreated to the corner. Morrison gave Miz a pep talk in the corner of the ring and told him to not get angry.

Miz calmed down and booted Bad Bunny in the midsection. Bad Bunny hit Miz with a Hurricanrana and Morrison tagged in. Bad Bunny dropped John with a Headbutt and followed it up with a Splash. The Miz hit Bad Bunny with a cheap shot and tagged in.

The crowd booed as Miz taunted Bad Bunny in the ring. Bad Bunny battled back with some punches to Miz’s face and then knocked Morrison off the apron. The Miz prevented a tag and Bad Bunny rolled him up for a two count.

Morrison tagged in and did the Spin-a-Roonie to mock Booker T. The Miz and Morrison then stomped Bad Bunny down to the canvas as Priest pleaded for a tag. Bad Bunny planted Miz with a DDT off the middle turnbuckle and both men fell to the mat.

Damian Priest finally got the tag and unloaded some kicks to Morrison. Priest leveled John with a Clotheslines and fired up the crowd. Damian then hit a Chokeslam on Miz and went for the cover but Morrison broke it up. Priest and Bad Bunny hit Falcon Arrows in stereo but Miz and Morrison kicked out.

Bad Bunny hit Miz with a Crossbody off the top rope and rolled him back into the ring. The Miz hit Priest with a Skull Crushing Finale but Bad Bunny broke it up. Bad Bunny then hit Morrison with a Destroyer on the floor outside the ring and Miz looked shocked. Priest then lifted Miz up in the Electric Chair and Bad Bunny hit a Crossbody off the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Bianca Belair Won The SD Women’s Title

Sasha Banks defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair in the main event of Night 1. Bianca Belair was on the verge of tears at the beginning of the match but pulled herself together. Belair and Banks locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the action.

Banks shoved Belair down but the challenger hopped right up. Belair taunted Banks and went for the KOD but Sasha escaped. Banks bounced Bianca’s face off the turnbuckle and Bianca tumbled out of the ring. Sasha hit a Suicide Dive but Belair rolled through. Bianca showed off her power and walked up the stairs with Banks lifted above her head.

Belair threw Banks into the ring but Sasha caught her with a Dropkick for a one count. Sasha followed it up with a knee to the face for a near fall. Sasha slowed things down and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Bianca broke free but Sasha caught her with a knee to the face.

Sasha went for a Double Knees but Belair caught her with a slam. Banks grabbed Bianca’s hair but it backfired and Belair threw her into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Bianca connected with a massive Vertical Suplex. Sasha went for an Arm Drag but Belair blocked it and hit a Dropkick.

Bianca hit a Standing Shooting Star Press and slammed her to the mat. Bianca went for a 450 Splash off the top rope but Banks got her knees up. Bianca responded with back to back Powerbombs for a two count. Banks connected with a DDT but Belair was able to kick out at two.

Sasha hit a Frog Splash for a near fall. Banks dragged Bianca outside and launched her into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Sasha used Bianca’s hair and locked in the Bank Statement in the middle of the ring. Belair was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold and Banks was pissed off.

Bianca drove Banks to the turnbuckle and hit her with some kicks to the midsection. Belair and Banks battled on the top rope. Banks got Belair in the Tree of Woe and went for a Double Stomp but Belair dodged it. Belair then hit the 450 Splash for a two count.

Belair went for the KOD but Banks landed on her feet. Bianca whipped Sasha with her hair and the sound echoed throughout the stadium. Belair then planted Sasha Banks with the KOD for the pinfall victory. Michael Cole accidentally shouted “Sasha kicked out!” while the match was clearly over.

Opinion: Night 1 of WrestleMania absolutely delivered and it was excellent to see fans back. Bad Bunny impressed the hell out of me in a match that had zero expectations for. Cesaro and Seth Rollins had a very good match as well. The main event had a disappointing build but it was great to watch Bianca Belair have her WrestleMania moment. I’m sure there will be many more for Bianca during her career.

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