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Latest On WWE Moving NXT To Tuesdays After WrestleMania

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE is planning to move NXT to Tuesday nights after WrestleMania 37, effectively ending the Wednesday night wars with AEW.

According to PWInsider which previously confirmed that they have an episode scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 has now provided some more update on the situation. The WWE production schedule for the month of April now “lists WWE NXT for Tuesdays every week post WrestleMania weekend.”

This means that the first NXT episode on Tuesday will be aired on April 13 after WrestleMania 37 and the show will be a regular for Tuesday nights afterwards.

The move will put Impact Wrestling against the show and we can expect AXS TV to shift Impact to Thursdays so it remains unopposed.

NXT Moving To Tuesdays

The night 1 of the TakeOver: Stand & Deliver is currently scheduled to air on USA Network on April 7. Night two will then be broadcasted on the WWE Network.

If these listings are accurate, then it will mean that the upcoming Takeover event will be the final NXT show to be broadcasted on Wednesday nights before the change of schedule.

The change will mean that AEW Dynamite will not have any wrestling show competing against it on Wednesdays after the Show Of Shows. So it will be interesting to see how it affects the brand’s ratings.

Sabu: “WWE Hall Of Fame Is The Fakest Ever”

Anutosh Bajpai
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With WrestleMania 37 being just around the corner, the talks about Hall Of Fame are picking up as well and former WWE star Sabu has shared some interesting thoughts on the same.

The ECW original recently had an interview with The NWC Show where he talked about things such as today’s wrestling being too scripted and more.

During the interview, Sabu revealed his thoughts on the WWE Hall Of Fame, and the former ECW world champion called it the ‘fakest Hall Of Fame’:

“You know, I talk bad about the Hall of Fame because I think it’s a fake Hall of Fame, but I would do it because it’d be a good payoff, you know? So, I’d do it for the payoff, but I might ‘motherf–ker!’ when I do the speech, if I did a speech, I might ‘motherf–ker!’ it. I might,”

“I think the WWE Hall of Fame is the fakest Hall of Fame there is.” said Sabu, “I mean, they don’t honor wrestlers, they just try to [induct] who can sell tickets. Tickets are the next thing.”

The former ECW star isn’t the only wrestling name to have dissed the Hall Of Fame publically and Scott Steiner has also previously shared a similar opinion saying that it only exists in Vince McMahon’s mind.

During the same interview, Sabu provided a big spoiler for the upcoming Hall Of Fame as well, revealing a potential inductee for the 2021 class. You can check out his comments on the matter here.

Reason For WWE Removing Charlotte Flair From WrestleMania Graphics

Anutosh Bajpai
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The removal of Charlotte Flair from the WrestleMania 37 promotional graphic has been a topic of discussion among fans making them wonder if there is some tension between her and WWE.

PWInsider has now provided some update on the situation and the site notes that the former champion has been removed from the advertising as a precautionary measure in case she is not cleared in time to return.

For those who don’t know, Flair herself revealed on Monday that she has tested positive for coronavirus. Though the word is that she had tested positive before this week and it’s the reason why she has been absent from recent Raw episodes.

WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair also took on his Twitter to comment on the situation, indicating that the Queen will be missing the Show Of Shows this year.

Her fiancé Andrade however, recently suggested on Twitter that the female star might be cleared to return in a few days so there is still a chance that Charlotte would return to the company before the big event:

WWE has announced that Rhea Ripley will be challenging Asuka for the Raw women’s championship at the upcoming WrestleMania 37 event, a spot that was originally rumored for Charlotte.

If she does end up returning before the big event, it’s likely that the company will alter this bout in some way, possibly making it a triple threat for the title.

RVD Slated For WWE Hall Of Fame, According To Sabu

Anutosh Bajpai
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ECW legend and former world champion RVD will apparently be going into Hall Of Fame this year, according to his friend and fellow ECW original Sabu.

Sabu recently had an interview with The NWC Show where he talked about a number of different things and also shared his opinion on the WWE Hall Of Fame.

During the interview, he also made some interesting claims saying that RVD is going to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame during the WrestleMania 37 weekend:

“Hey, Rob Van Dam is getting into the Hall of Fame this year, I think. I wasn’t supposed to say nothing but you can tell people that. Exclusive, right,”

RVD’s WWE career started in 2001, a few months after the closure of ECW. He went on to have a successful WWE career, winning over half a dozen titles in the company before his release in 2007.

The hardcore star returned to the company for a year-long run in 2013. He has made several sporadic appearances since then. The former champion has also been working with the company recently for a WWE Icons episode based on him.

If this news is true, then RVD will be joining Molly Holly and Eric Bischoff in the 2021 class of Hall Of Fame and they will be inducted alongside the 2020 class during the upcoming WrestleMania weekend.

Batista Pulls Out Of This Year’s WWE Hall Of Fame Ceremony

Chris Stephens
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Batista (aka Dave Bautista) will not be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year despite having been announced as a member of the Class of 2020. Both the 2021 and 2020 classes were to be inducted in a virtual ceremony this year. Batista recently revealed that he asked WWE to delay his induction.

“To the WWE Universe. Unfortunately due to previous obligations, I am unable to be a part of the WWE Hall of Fame this year. By my request, they have agreed to induct me at a future ceremony where I’ll be able to properly thank the fans and people who made my career possible,” Batista Tweeted.

WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020 and 2021

WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees include:

  • Batista
  • The nWo (Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman
  • The Bella Twins
  • JBL
  • British Bulldog
  • Jushin “Thunder” Liger

WWE Hall of Fame Announced Class of 2021 thus far:

  • Molly Holly
  • Eric Bischoff

WWE Raw Ratings Dip For Fastlane Fallout (3/22)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.816 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. As a result, This is down from last week’s 1.843 million viewers and 0.56 rating.

This was the fallout edition of Raw for Sunday’s Fastlane pay-per-view event, which featured the return of The Fiend, who had been off TV since December when he was burned alive. Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday night:

  • The first hour did 1.878 million viewers and a 0.52 rating (A18-49).
  • The second hour did 1.841 million viewers and a 0.53 rating.
  • The final hour of the show had just 1.729 million viewers and a 0.53 rating.

This episode featured Asuka vs. Peyton Royce, The Miz vs. Jeff Hardy, Sheamus vs. Bobby Lashley, and Kofi Kingston vs. AJ Styles.

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 2.093 million viewers. This is down from the 2.171 million viewers on FOX that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown pulled in a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demos, down from the 0.61 rating the previous week’s show. The episode drew an average of 1.945 million viewers in the overnight ratings, down from the previous week that did 2.010 million viewers. 

The first hour saw it pull in 1.868 million viewers while hour two did 2.023 million viewers. The show did 2.028 million viewers in hour one while hour two did 1.992 million viewers a week ago.

Britt Baker Wants To Work With Adam Cole, But Won’t Leave AEW

Chris Stephens
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Wednesday night wrestling couple Adam Cole and Britt Baker have been dating since 2016. Baker recently commented on how she’d like to one day be in the same promotion as Cole, but she doesn’t plan on leaving AEW.

“It’s no secret he comes to AEW sometimes and hangs out in the back,” Baker said on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette. “His best friends are the Bucks and Kenny, so he’s got tonnes of friends there.”

“I know this is going to create probably a little bit of controversy but I would love to work in the same company one day,” Baker continued. “I think that would make things a little bit easier. With that being said, I’m probably never leaving AEW because that’s my home.”

Baker noted recently that the two began dating after she stumbled upon his profile on the Bumble dating app and then messaged him directly on Facebook about it.

NXT Tag Titles Vacated Due To Danny Burch Injury

Chris Stephens
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Danny Burch suffered a shoulder injury last week on NXT. Unfortunately, NXT General Manager William Regal recently announced that the NXT tag-team titles will be vacated due to Burch’s injury.

“As first reported on the NXT Injury Report, Danny Burch suffered a shoulder injury and I can now confirm, along with the following X-ray, that Danny suffered a separated shoulder. William Regal told me he will be providing an update shortly to the NXT Universe,” Tweeted host of WWE the Bump, Matt Camp.

William Regal then responded to Camp’s comments by noting the NXT tag-team titles will now be vacated. Regal also stated that he will address the state of the titles on Wednesday night.

NXT Tag Team Championship Statistics

Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan became the 20th team to win the belts since their inception in 2013. PAC and Oliver Grey were the inaugural champions.

Only 2 teams, The Revival (aka FTR) and Undisputed Era have won the belts more than once.

The Undisputed Era holds most records with the belts, having held them 3x for a combined 606 days. The Ascension holds the record for the longest single-reign with the titles. They held the belts for 364 days from 2013-14.

Ethan Page Reveals Why He Chose AEW Over WWE

Jake Skudder
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New All Elite Wrestling signee ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page recently held a Q&A session on his YouTube channel. This was the first Q&A since Page was confirmed as an AEW star back at the Revolution PPV.

Ethan Page first answered who in the promotion he is looking forward to face in the ring. “I would love to wrestle Rey Fenix,” said Page. “He’s a wrestler that clearly makes his opponents better and make them raise their game a little bit. I think he’d be an awesome match. There’s the obvious choice of me and Ricky Starks just posing, looking into the camera, doing a runway walk. Or me vs. MJF in a trash talk centric match.”

“Then there’s the obvious choice; me vs. Christian or Chris Jericho” Ethan Page continued. “Me being the number one up and coming Canadian wrestler right now, I think that be iconic to have a bunch of Canadians in a match together. That be cool. I would say those are my options.”

Ethan Page on WWE vs AEW

Page finished by saying why he opted to choose AEW over going to WWE.

“I’m going to give you a very lazy answer,” Page began. “I wanted to go to AEW from the chance that I even thought about wanting to move one place to the other. AEW was always at the top of the list.”

“First of all, in WWE I would not be able to do this stream with you guys tonight” Page noted. “I wouldn’t be able to answer these questions, do my vlog, Twitch; any outside stuff like that. And I think AEW gives their talent very good creative freedom to be who they are. You’re going to see All Ego Ethan Page.”

Update On Bea Priestley’s Status With NJPW

Chris Stephens
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Bea Priestley is no longer a member of Will Ospreay’s United Empire faction. She was kicked out of the group, and seemingly Ospreay’s romantic life, at the conclusion of the New Japan Cup finals this weekend.

As it turns out, Priestley is not expected back in New Japan Pro Wrestling and the angle was likely her send-off. This was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“Her contract with New Japan is ending very shortly and it’s not being renewed, she’s done with New Japan. And that is on her as far as the decision, it’s not on them. It’s not like they decided not to use her, it’s she decided not to do New Japan once her contract’s up.”

“This wasn’t an angle necessarily to do a big split-up. It’s possible she’ll come back on April 4th (Sakura Genesis), it’s only a couple of weeks away and she’s going to be in Yokohama which is 25 minutes from Tokyo.”

So, Priestley is finishing up with New Japan but may still be in the area for Sakura Genesis when Ospreay takes on Kota Ibushi. Ospreay has also promised that a new member of the United Empire will be revealed on the show.

Tony Khan Confirms AAA Star Will Be Returning To AEW

Jake Skudder
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AEW President Tony Khan recently confirmed that AAA star Laredo Kid will be returning to the promotion this Wednesday.

Laredo Kid first performed in All Elite back at Fyter Fest 2019. The AAA star’s appearance on Wednesday will be his debut on AEW’s Dynamite show.

“Nearly 2 years after his AEW debut in a classic match at Fyter Fest 2019; Laredo Kid will return for his AEW Dynamite debut this Wednesday LIVE on TNT” Tony Khan wrote on Twitter.

Tony Khan on Laredo Kid

Khan confirmed that Laredo Kid will be joining Death Triangle members Penta and Rey Fenix. Kid replaces PAC who was injured at the AEW Revolution PPV, hurting his ankle.

“Reuniting with the Lucha Brothers Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M to battle World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler.”

PAC and Rey Fenix are the number 1 contenders to The Young Bucks’ AEW Tag Team Championships. It has not been confirmed when the match for the titles will be taking place.

“With PAC recovering from injuring his ankle at Revolution, he’s not yet cleared for the tag title shot with Rey Fenix v. The Young Bucks” Khan continued on Twitter. “So Death Triangle are bringing back the Lucha Brothers’ original Trios partner Laredo Kid to get the edge ahead of the title match!”

Renee Paquette On Why She Wants To See CM Punk Return To Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Renee Paquette recently stated in an interview that she thinks it would be a shame if CM Punk never returns to wrestling. The host of Oral Sessions spoke to Metro UK recently about her former WWE Backstage co-host.

“I think it would be an absolute shame if he did not come back,” Paquette said about Punk during the interview. “Like you said, that passion is still there! He’s a wrestler! He is a wrestler through and through.”

“Whether he was busy doing movies or TV shows or other aspirations that he has, I think at the end of the day wrestling is the thing that makes that guy tick.”

CM Punk hasn’t wrestled a match since 2014 and has stuck largely to MMA commentator roles and acting.

“I think for him to not come back in some capacity, whatever creative he ends up working out that he really wants to do – I think ultimately, that that’s what it would come down to for him, is finding that great creative.”

Renee continued to say that it won’t be money that eventually gets Punk back in the ring, however.

“Paycheques are nice too, but really I think it’s just being able to tell the stories that you wanna be able to tell,’ she continued. “He’s got lots that he could serve up to both promotions – WWE or AEW.”

“But people would lose their minds to see him come back, so let’s hope that he doesn’t have too much dust on those boots.”

WWE RAW Results (3/22): Rhea Ripley Challenges Asuka, Randy Orton Summons The Fiend

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. It was the first episode following WWE Fastlane. Randy Orton summoned The Fiend and Rhea Ripley challenged Asuka to a match at WrestleMania during tonight’s show.

RAW Results (3/22)

  1. Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus
  2. Asuka def. Peyton Royce
  3. The Miz def. Jeff Hardy
  4. Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles
  5. Drew McIntyre def. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
  6. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
  7. Braun Strowman def. Elias

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Drew McIntyre Confronted Lashley

Lashley battled Sheamus in the first match of the night. Sheamus controlled the action early and connected with a Clothesline. Sheamus followed it up with a knee to the face and then stomped on Lashley in the corner in the ring.

Lashley battled back and planted Sheamus with a Suplex. Sheamus hit Lashley with an uppercut when Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin showed up ringside. Sheamus got distracted and Lashley capitalized with a Clothesline. Shelton then hit Sheamus with a cheap shot while the referee was distracted as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Lashley connected with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Sheamus kicked out. Lashley got distracted by Cedric Alexander and Sheamus rolled him up for a two count. Sheamus sent Lashley into the ring post and followed it up with a couple Clotheslines.

Sheamus knocked Lashley to the apron and clubbed him across the chest. Sheamus climbed to the top rope and connected with a Flying Clothesline. Back in the ring, Sheamus hit another Flying Clothesline from the top and went for the cover but the WWE Champion was able to kick out at two.

Sheamus caught Lashley with a knee to the face for another near fall. Alexander distracted Sheamus again and Lashley capitalized with a Spinebuster. Lashley then applied the Hurt Lock on Sheamus for the submission victory. After the match, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander beat Sheamus down outside the ring.

Drew McIntyre rushed down the entrance ramp and sent Alexander flying over the barricade. McIntyre dared Benjamin to fight but he retreated. Drew slowly made his way to the apron and inside the ring with Lashley. The two superstars circled each other and Lashley raised the WWE Championship in Drew’s face.

They started arguing and MVP broke it up. MVP told Lashley to save it for WrestleMania as McIntyre dared him to throw the first match. MVP instructed Lashley to think about business and WrestleMania and eventually Lashley exited the ring.

Lashley got pissed off at Cedric and Shelton and told him that he didn’t their help. MVP added that you have tarnished the image of Lashley by making it seem like he couldn’t beat Sheamus. MVP told them to think about what they are going to do to make that right.

Asuka Will Face Rhea Ripley At WrestleMania

RAW Women’s Champion Asuka faced Peyton Royce tonight on RAW. Asuka applied a Headlock but Royce broke free. Asuka danced around the ring and dropped Peyton with a shoulder tackle. Royce tripped up Asuka and went for a Heel Hook but the RAW Women’s Champion quickly grabbed the ropes to break the hold.

Peyton then was able to get Asuka in the Heel Hook in the middle of the ring. Asuka broke the hold with a couple kicks and both superstars slowly made their way back up. Royce bounced Asuka’s face off the middle turnbuckle and followed it up with a slam for a two count.

Asuka went for the Hip Attack but Royce got out of the way. Peyton grabbed Asuka’s hair and ripped her down to the floor as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Asuka rolled up Royce for a two count. Asuka connected with a Hip Attack and then a German Suplex.

Asuka followed it up with a Shining Wizard and went for the cover but Peyton was able to kick out at two. Asuka climbed to the top rope and went for a Dropkick but Peyton dodged it. Asuka hit a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Peyton kicked out at two.

Peyton climbed to the top rope and hit a Double Stomp but Asuka waas able to kick out at two. Asuka applied the Asuka Lock in the middle of the ring and Peyton Royce had no choice but to tap out.

After the match, Rhea Ripley made her way to the ring. Ripley grabbed a microphone and told Asuka that she is one of the greatest women’s champions in WWE history. Ripley challenged Asuka to a RAW Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania. Asuka accepted and told Ripley that she wasn’t ready for her.

The Miz Will Face Bad Bunny At WrestleMania

The Miz and John Morrison came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV. The Miz noted that he has had a rough go of it as of late but didn’t need to listen to Damian Priest & Bad Bunny laughing at him. Miz wondered who Bad Bunny thinks he is and claimed that he showed zero respect towards him.

Miz ran down his accomplishments in WWE and how he is the only two time Grand Slam Champion. The Miz and Morrison complained about not being featured on the WrestleMania poster while Bad Bunny is on it.

The Miz congratulated Bad Bunny on getting his attention and Morrison rolled footage of Miz smashing Bad Bunny with a guitar. Miz said that was a lesson to all entertainers that think they can be supestars. The Miz and Morrison then rolled a preview of their new song “Hey Hey Hop Hop”. Miz challenged Bad Bunny to a match at WrestleMania and vowed to end his career.

Jeff Hardy then faced The Miz in a singles match. Hardy challenged Miz to fight on his own and Miz sent Morrison to the back. Jeff dominated the action early and connected with a Splash for a near fall. Miz sent Jeff Hardy into the ring post and followed it up with the Skull Crushing Finale. After the match, Bad Bunny got some revenge and smashed a guitar over Miz’s back. Bad Bunny then accepted Miz’s challenge to a match at WrestleMania.

Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles

AJ Styles made his was to the ring with Omos to hype their RAW Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania. Styles said he was excited to see what Omos is going to do to New Day at WrestleMania in his debut match.

Styles complimented New Day but said that they will become the new RAW Tag Team Champions. New Day interrupted and pointed out that AJ and Omos have never wrestled a match together and are not a team. Woods and Kingston joked that AJ is a tiny man that hides behind a giant and has him do his bidding.

Woods added that Omos deserves better and AJ shouted that he found him. Kingston said AJ doesn’t even know Omos and asked what his favorite ice cream flavor is. AJ guessed wrong and then Kingston asked who Omos’ favorite superstar was. Styles guessed himself and Omos said it was Andre the Giant. Styles then challenged Kingston to a singles match.

Kingston applied a Headlock and brought AJ down to the canvas. Styles broke free but Kofi dropped him with a shoulder tackle. Kingston followe dit up with an elbow to the face for a two count. Kofi hit SOS and followed it up with a Dropkick that sent AJ out of the ring.

Styles sent Kingston into the steel steps as Woods and Omos had a stare down as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Styles was in control and had Kofi trapped in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Kofi broke free and hit Styles with a Dropkick to the face.

Kofi hit the Boom Drop and geared up in the corner of the ring. Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise but Styles countered with a kick that caught Kofi on the side of the head. Styles applied the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring but Kofi reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

AJ hit Kofi with a Dropkick to the knee and made his way to the ring apron. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Woods distracted him. Kingston then hit the SOS for the pinfall victory.

Alexander & Benjamin Are Barred From Ringside At WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre faced Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin in a Handicap match. If McIntyre won the match, Benjamin and Alexander would be banned from ringisde for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.

McIntyre planted Shelton with a Suplex and then hit Cedric with some chops in the corner. Drew sent Alexander flying across the ring with a Back Body Drop. McIntyre was about to hit Benjamin with the Claymore but Cedric dragged him out of the ring.

Hurt Business battled back and sent McIntyre out of the ring. Cedric connected with a Suicide Dive and then sent Drew into the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, McIntyre hit Alexander with a Clothesline and then hit Benjamin with the Future Shock DDT. McIntyre hit Benjamin with the Claymore and delivered on to Cedric Alexander for the pinfall victory. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander are barred from ringside at WrestleMania.

MVP scolded Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin for losing. Lashley then walked into the locker room and said he will give anyone an opportunity if they take out McIntyre before WrestleMania.

Opinion: It doesn’t seem consistent that Lashley would want McIntyre taken out before WrestleMania, when just two hours ago he complained that Cedric Alexander interfering in his match against Sheamus made him look weak.

Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler Picked Up A Win

Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke faced Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler tonight on RAW. Reginald was ringside for the match and Naomi & Lana joined commentary. Reginald kept interfering and it led to Nia Jax hitting Dana Brooke with a Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory.

Braun Strowman Will Face Shane McMahon At WrestleMania

Elias, Jaxon Ryker, and Shane McMahon came to the ring. Elias and Shane performed a song entitled “Braun is stupid” and poked fun at him. Elias then faced Strowman in a rematch from Fastlane. Strowman sent Elias into the turnbuckle and beat him down in the corner as Shane looked on from ringside. Strowman hit Ryker with a shoulder tackle and then connected with a Running Powerslam on Elias for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Shane hit Strowman with the crutch but he didn’t move. Strowman then charged at Shane and McMahon scampered out of the ring. Braun noted that it looks like Shane’s knee is fine now and challenged him to a match at WrestleMania. Shane said Strowman can have any type of match that he wants and accepted. McMahon added that he is going to win because Strowman is stupid.

The Fiend Will Face Randy Orton At WrestleMania

Randy Orton came to the ring at the end of RAW and said that after tonight there will be no more Fiend, Alexa Bliss, and the bullshit is coming to an end. Alexa Bliss interrupted and said “be careful what you wish for”. The Fiend showed up and Orton poured gasoline on him. Randy made it seem like he was going to light The Fiend on fire but hit him with an RKo instead.

Alexa Bliss got in the ring and The Fiend got back up. The Fiend locked in the Mandible Claw and planted Orton with the Sister Abigail. The Fiend and Bliss pointed at the WrestleMania sign as fire went off. It was then annonced that The Fiend will face Randy Orton at WrestleMania to close the show.

Opinion: I thought this week’s episode of RAW was dissappointing. It doesn’t feel like WrestleMania season at all in my opinion on RAW. I keep waiting for this show to improve but it seems like another shake-up is needed for that to happen. It was great to see Rhea Ripley on RAW and she is an absolute star. However, I don’t get why she was awarded a title shot. The Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber PPVs just happened. It kind of defeats the purpose of those events if a superstar can just get a title match handed to them.

WWE Officially Announces Bad Bunny’s WrestleMania 37 Match

Andrew Ravens
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Bad Bunny’s match has been announced for the upcoming WWE WrestleMania 37 PPV.

On Monday’s episode of Raw, WWE had The Miz challenged the rapper to a match at the event.

This rivalry dates back to the Royal Rumble. Bunny accepted the challenge after hitting a guitar strike of his own, which was a play on Miz attacking Bunny a few weeks ago. 

It was originally reported WWE had planned for Bunny to team up with Damien Priest to take on Miz and John Morrison. Clearly, plans changed. It should be noted that Priest will be in Bunny’s corner while Morison will be in the corner of Miz. 

WWE presents WrestleMania 37 on Saturday, April 10th, and Sunday, April 11, 2021 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:

Updated WWE WrestleMania 37 Card

  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge
  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre
  • WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair
  • WWE Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. AJ Styles and Omos
  • WWE Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley
  • Bad Bunny vs. The Miz
  • Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon

Rhea Ripley Challenges Asuka To Title Match At WrestleMania 37

Andrew Ravens
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Rhea Ripley has ended speculation as to what she would be doing when she was called up to the main roster. 

The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion did so during Monday’s episode of Raw. It happened after Asuka had beaten Peyton Royce. This led to Ripley coming out to the ring and challenging Asuka for the strap at WrestleMania 37. 

It was previously reported by PWinsider.com that she was headed to the main roster soon and then WWE started airing hype videos for her debut. Ripley’s Last Woman Standing match loss to Raquel Gonzalez at NXT New Year’s Evil special was planned to be her final appearance for the brand. Dave Meltzer later reported that her moving to the main roster was imminent. 

Ripley held the NXT Women’s Championship once during her time in the developmental system after winning the title from Shayna Baszler in December 2019. 

Ripley made some main roster appearances in the build-up to WrestleMania 36 last year during her feud with Charlotte Flair. 

WWE presents WrestleMania 37 on Saturday, April 10th, and Sunday, April 11, 2021 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks.

WWE ThunderDome Residency At Tropicana Field Ends Before WrestleMania, TV Tapings Schedule

Andrew Ravens
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It’s been previously reported that WWE was likely moving out of the Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida in April and that is happening. 

The reason is due to the Tampa Bay Rays needing to get their home field back from WWE just in time for the regular MLB season to start.

Spectrum Sports 360’s Jon Alba reported Monday that he was told WWE’s ThunderDome residency at Tropicana Field will end with the Friday, April 2nd SmackDown. 

The Rays’ first home game is set for Friday, April 9th. Per the report, the conversion back to a baseball facility has already begun in some parts of the park.

Due to this, the go-home editions of Raw and Friday Night SmackDown heading into WrestleMania 37 will be taped before they depart from the stadium, according to POST Wrestling.

The taped Raw will air on Monday, April 5 and the taped episode of SmackDown will air Friday, April 9.

Fightful Select previously reported the Hall of Fame will be taped over two days – the week prior on Tuesday & Thursday – at Tropicana Field before the end of WWE’s residency. 

The Hall of Fame ceremony will air on Peacock on Tuesday, April 6. WrestleMania takes place on April 10th and April 11th. 

Charlotte Flair Confirms She Has Tested Positive For COVID-19

Andrew Ravens
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There has been a lot of speculation among fans regarding the status of Charlotte Flair as she disappeared from WWE television. 

It turns out the former WWE Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion tested positive for COVID-19. She shared the news in a statement on her Twitter account by writing the following: 

“I know everyone has been wondering where I have been. I tested positive for COVID and have been home resting Folded hands. Thank you everyone for your love.”

This would explain why she is not backstage at Raw this week. As it stands right now, it’s still not clear why she was pulled from WrestleMania 37 ads over the weekend. She had been rumored to challenge Asuka for the Raw Women’s Title at the biggest event of the year for the company next month. 

Before this announcement, the word that was going around in WWE was that her absence from TV in the few weeks had nothing to do with the issues between WWE and Andrade, who was granted his release on Sunday.

Clearly, there’s no word yet on when she’ll be back nor if this will impact her plans at WrestleMania.

Randy Orton On His WWE Position: “I’ll Have That Mother F–king Spot As Long As I Want It”

Andrew Ravens
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Randy Orton has been a top star in WWE since winning the World Heavyweight Title in the main event of the 2004 SummerSlam pay-per-view event. 

He’s been in that spot despite any setbacks that he’s created in his way and will likely be in that position until he walks away from the business. On late Sunday night after being beaten by Alexa Bliss at Fastlane, he gave credit is due. 

A fan sent out a tweet about how Orton mentioned WWE producer Shane Helms during his new Broken Skull Sessions interview with Steve Austin for taking the RKO in the early days of his career. Helms responded to that tweet by writing, “Yup. @RandyOrton is one of those rare people in this biz that actually give credit where it’s due.

Orton responded to Helms and made it known that he will have his spot in WWE as long as he wants to have it. 

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for many different people. I’ll never forget that. But I know, and they know. No problem giving credit where credit is due. I have a spot. I’ll have that MOTHER F–KING spot as long as I want it. But make no mistake, I didn’t get here by myself.”

“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt returned with a new look at Fastlane to attack Orton, which is likely leading to a match between them at WrestleMania 37.

Thea Trinidad Praises Andrade Following His WWE Departure

Andrew Ravens
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Andrade requested his release from WWE earlier this month, but at first, it was denied. Six days later, WWE announced in a statement posted on their website Sunday evening that he had been released. 

Andrade later took to Twitter to issue a thank you statement to fans in addition to influential people such as Paul Heyman, Triple H, and William Regal. 

The former WWE United States Champion had been paired with Thea Trinidad, better known as Zelina Vega, during the majority of his time with WWE. They found success in NXT and on the main roster. 

Thea took to Twitter this afternoon to praise Andrade for his work and the person that he is by writing the following: 

“Since the moment I met you, I knew that you not only were an amazing person but also one of the most talented in this business and you’d be successful no matter what. I’m so grateful to know you, share these memories and have a brother for life. Love you hermano #TranquiloForLife.”

Andrade is not under a 90-day non-compete clause following his WWE departure. Thus, he’s free and clear to sign with any promotion that he wants to do business with. Vega is also a free agent after being released by the company last year. 

Update On Charlotte Flair Possibly Missing WrestleMania

Chris Stephens
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Charlotte Flair hasn’t wrestled in 3 weeks and her fiancé was recently released by WWE. There appears to be some secrecy regarding future plans for Flair as it concerns WrestleMania as well. Flair’s image was recently removed from some promotional material for Mania. This led to many fans believing Flair won’t be on the card. Her status for the show was addressed by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“As far as Charlotte and WrestleMania, I’ve been asking that all week and everyone’s avoiding me on that one,” Meltzer said on the show. Flair is currently filming a movie (Walking Tall reboot) but that might not be what is preventing her from being on Mania.

“There’s definitely a story that’s not the movie because if it was the movie it wouldn’t be hidden, I would know it. I think I know but whatever,” Meltzer continued. “It’s definitely something that’s being hidden.”

“It’s not just the movie thing, there’s something else going on,” Meltzer continued.

There had been rumors that Flair would be facing Asuka again at Mania this year. Flair defeated Rhea Ripley on the show last year. She lost to Becky Lynch in the main event triple threat match with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35. Flair defeated Asuka at WrestleMania 34. She lost a Fatal 4-way to Bayley at 33. Flair won the inagurual WWE Women’s Championship in a triple threat with Sasha Banks and Lynch at 32.

Gable Steveson Tweets At Vince McMahon Following NCAA Title Win

Chris Stephens
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The University of Minnesota’s Gable Steveson celebrated winning the NCAA wrestling title at 285 lbs by doing a giant flip on the mat. He then took to Twitter to send a message to WWE’s Vince McMahon.

https://twitter.com/GSteveson/status/1373804070474031112

Gable’s brother Bobby Steveson is already training at the WWE Performance Center. University of Minnesota alumni Brock Lesnar has trained with both Steveson brothers as well.

Gable Steveson’s WWE Ambitions

Steveson spoke to Gopher Sports about his relationship with Brock Lesnar.

“My relationship with Brock has been awesome. It’s outstanding that a guy like that has noticed me and has gone out of his way to be there for me and guide me in the right direction. We all know who Brock is on TV, but behind everything else, he is a nice person and he has done some amazing things for me.”

In the same interview, Steveson spoke about his WWE ambitions.

“This is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid. Everybody grew up watching WWE when they were young, I know I watched it. It’s just been a lifelong dream of mine.” 

Steveson also said he hopes to be a “Paul Heyman Guy” during his time with WWE.

“Every great spokesperson needs its next public figure. Some day, I wish that I can be that next public figure for [Heyman].”

https://twitter.com/JoshNorris/status/1373454789607047174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1373454789607047174%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbringmethenews.com%2Fminnesota-sports%2Fgophers-gable-steveson-wins-ncaa-heavyweight-championship-celebrates-with-backflip

Andrade Thanks Triple H, Paul Heyman & More Following WWE Release

Michael Reichlin
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Andrade will soon be a free agent after WWE granted his release over the weekend.

On Monday, he issued a brief statement on social media thanking select people in WWE. He specifically thanked Triple H, Paul Heyman and William Regal for the years of support behind the scenes. He also thanked his fans and offered a “big hug” to the talent and WWE employees who he got a chance to work with.

Andrade is engaged to WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair. Most married men are familiar with the phrase, “Happy Wife, Happy Life.” Based on this tweet, the former NXT Champion subscribes to this idea.

WWE announced Andrade’s release on Sunday. In a statement posted at WWE.com, the company wished him the best in his future endeavors.

Superstars who are released by WWE are customarily bound by a 90-day non-compete clause. If this condition applies, he would be free to work elsewhere at the end of June 2021.

The 31-year-old grappler recently filed to trademark his former ring name, La Sombra. Andrade will be a coveted free agent when he is able to work elsewhere this summer.

Mick Foley Calls For Lex Luger To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall of Fame

Chris Stephens
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Mick Foley recently penned a column for Chris Jerichos’ website, WebIsJericho, about Lex Luger. Foley makes the case for Luger to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in the piece.

“In the simplest terms, Lex Luger was far too big of a star not to be in the WWE Hall of Fame,” Foley wrote. “He was one of the very biggest stars of his era, and during his heyday – 1987-1999 – he headlined more pay-per-view shows, sold more tickets, and appeared on more magazine covers than all but a select few superstars of his era.”

Luger is a 2x WCW World Champion. He won the title for the first time in 1991, defeating Barry Windham in a steel cage match at the Great American Bash that year to win the vacant belt. He’d win the belt again in 1997 after defeating Hollywood Hogan on an episode of Nitro.

Mick Foley Compares His Career To Lex Luger’s

“For comparison’s sake, I consider myself a pretty solid choice for the WWE Hall of Fame,” Foley continued. “I certainly don’t remember any type of outcry coming from people who did not think I deserved induction. My career covered the same general era as Luger’s – give or take a few years. I headlined 10 PPV main events in my career – about half as many as Lex. I appeared on the cover of PWI twice. And I was a pretty darn important guy in the business. But so was Lex – and unlike me, he had the pressure of carrying his promotion for months on end.”

Luger also had a run with WWE in the early to mid 1990s. He started with Vince McMahon’s World Bodybuilding Federation in 1992 before debuting as the Narcissist in 1993. Luger would be packaged as the All-American after that and entered into a feud with Yokozuna. He’d later form the Allied Powers with the British Bulldog before returning to WCW for the first-ever edition of Nitro in 1995.

“It is my hope that this article will get people talking so that even if it does not open the right eyes or change the right minds to facilitate a 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction, this article – and the buzz I hope it creates – might just serve as a reminder to fans of his era, just how good Lex really was, and perhaps introduce a new generation of fans to “The Total Package.”

Lex Luger replied to Mick Foley’s article, telling, him, “Wow Mick !!! Thank you so much for this beautifully written kind and thoughtful article. I admire you as as a fellow performer but much more so for the positive difference you make in my life and so many others just by being who you are. Honored and grateful my friend.”

Foley revealed that he’s been planning to write this article for several years.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1374009031778516994

NJPW Announces Lineup For Sakura Genesis

Chris Stephens
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Will Ospreay will have the chance to win the IWGP World Championship (formerly the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental titles) at Sakura Genesis on April 4th. He earned the right to challenge Kota Ibushi for the title after winning the 2021 New Japan Cup.

Ibushi and Ospreay have met 3x in singles competition. The first time was at WrestleKingdom 13 when Ospreay defeated Ibushi for the NEVER Openweight title. Ibushi has defeated Ospreay 2 years in a row in the G1, however.

NJPW has announced the full lineup for the show.

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
    Kota Ibushi (c) vs Will Ospreay
  • IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
    El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. SHO & YOH
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale 
  • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Shingo Takagi vs. The Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & a mystery partner
  • Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
  • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado

Will Ospreay Comments On Actions During New Japan Cup Final

Ospreay spoke backstage about winning the cup and delivering a cutter to Bea Priestley at the end of the show.

“I’m sure you’ve got a lot of questions that need answering” Will Ospreay began, speaking backstage. “I can answer some questions. I love the idea of being the best wrestler in the world.”

“As much as this trophy means a lot to me It doesn’t make me the best wrestler in the world, does it?” Ospreay continued. “Being the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion means you’re the best wrestler in the world, does it not?”

“And I love that more than I love anything, or anyone. So if I can give an OsCutter to a woman I love more than anything in the world? A woman that’s been in my life now for five years; I have a house, I have a family with that girl…but it means nothing to me.”

Kurt Angle On How Much Money He Made During His First Year In WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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New WWE superstars usually do not make a lot of money in their first year with the company but it wasn’t the case for the former world champion Kurt Angle.

The heavyweight star found success in his amateur wrestling career early on and this success apparently helped in launching his WWE career.

The former world champion talked about his first year on the latest episode of his Kurt Angle Show podcast, and revealed that he actually made $1 million during his debut year:

“You know what, my guarantee was $75,000, so I made well over that. What I was surprised about, and I promised J.R this when I accepted that contract, he said ‘you’re going to get $75,000 a year for five years.’

I signed the contract, I said ‘don’t worry about it because I’m going to make a million in my first year.’” said Kurt Angle, “He’s like, ‘whatever you say.’ So I did, I did make a million, which I’m really proud of.”

Kurt then revealed that the money did not come from merchandise sale as he was a heel at the time and the amount he was paid was mostly for wrestling:

“I wasn’t selling merchandise. They weren’t hopping off the shelves and people weren’t buying Kurt Angle stuff because I was a heel. So I didn’t make a lot on that. I got paid to wrestle and I got paid very well to do it.

So making a million dollars a year without any kind of merchandise, I made maybe 30 or 40 grand with merchandise, that was about it. I made a lot of money wrestling and I did exceed the goal that I told JR I would do.”

Kurt Angle is one of the four people to complete an amateur wrestling Grand Slam. He made his first WWE appearance in 1996 and signed a contract with the company in 1998.

Angle went on to have a successful WWE career. He won over half a dozen titles in the company before leaving the promotion due to health reasons in 2006.

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