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WWE Raw Ratings Increase For Elimination Chamber Fallout (2/22)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.889 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week (1.810 million viewers with a 0.57 rating). 

Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday night:

  • The first hour did 1.978 million viewers and a 0.60 rating (A18-49).
  • The second hour did 1.926 million viewers and a 0.57 rating.
  • The final hour of the show had just 1.765 million viewers and a 0.53 rating.

This was the second straight week that Raw was up after doing its 2021 low. Last week was the go-home edition of the red brand for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event. 

This episode featured the fallout from the event and likely got more intrigue than most due to The Miz’s shocking Money in the Bank briefcase cash-in, which led to him beating Drew McIntyre for the WWE Title. 

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 2.217 million viewers. This is up from the 1.990 million viewers on FS1 that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown pulled in a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demos, up from the 0.57 rating the previous week’s show. The episode drew an average of 2.071 million viewers in the overnight ratings, up from the previous week that did 1.883 million viewers. 

The first hour saw it pull in 2.038 million viewers while hour two did 2.105 million viewers. The show did 1.905 million viewers in hour one while hour two did 1.862 million viewers two weeks ago.

WWE Biography Films & ‘Most Wanted Treasures’ Coming To A&E In April

Michael Reichlin
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WWE is partnering with the A&E Network to produce a series of 2-hour biography films focusing on some of the most legendary Superstars in pro wrestling history.

The films air every week starting Sunday, April 18th at 8pm (Eastern). Wrestlers to be featured include:

  • Stone Cold Steve Austin
  • Macho Man Randy Savage
  • The Ultimate Warrior
  • Rowdy Roddy Piper
  • Bret Hart
  • Shawn Michaels
  • Mick Foley
  • Booker T
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Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP and Head of Programming, A&E Network, said in a press release, “For more than two decades, ‘Biography’ has been the home for premium non-fiction storytelling and we are excited to expand upon that with this all-encompassing partnership with WWE This one-of-a-kind collaboration gives viewers the ultimate ringside seat as we chronicle the journeys of these cultural icons and the memorabilia that follows.”

More information about each film can is available at Corporate.WWE.com.

WWE is also partnering with A&E on the launch of a new series, “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures.” Stephanie McMahon and Triple H will lead a hunt for some of WWE’s most iconic missing memorabilia, including Kane’s original mask, Ric Flair’s Butterfly Robe, Andy Kaufman’s neckbrace, Andre The Giant’s passport and more.

In order to locate these priceless pieces of pro wrestling history, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will join forces with WWE legends including The Undertaker, Ric Flair and more.

WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures will air Sunday nights on A&E following the WWE Biography films.

Lawyer Stephen P New Comments On Joey Ryan’s Lawsuits

Chris Stephens
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Stephen P. New is a lawyer MLW fans will be familiar with. He sponsors the weekly episodes of MLW Fusion every Wednesday night. He appeared recently on The Jim Cornette Experience and spoke about Joey Ryan’s lawsuits against his accusers from the #SpeakingOut movement. New mentioned he has been in contact with Pelle Primeau, who currently has a GoFundme account up to help with his legal defense.

“Pelle Primeau had recorded a YouTube video, put it out on social media, it was about 35-40 minutes long, detailing some of the misdeeds of Joseph Meehan, professionally known as Joey Ryan,” New said. “Late in 2020, Mr. Meehan decided to sue not only Pelle Primeau, he sued Impact Wrestling for breach of contract down in Nashville, TN. He sued several young ladies and some others for what had been stated on social media.”

New continued to explain that Ryan has filed a lawsuit for $15 million against each defendant. The lawsuits were filed in California, despite the fact that several defendants don’t live there. Primeau reached out to New because of the wrestling connections they shared. New was able to get the lawsuit moved out of California to Pennsylvania federal court.

“This is a bully attempting to bully in a legal arena and we just don’t like bullies,” New said of Ryan.

Stephen P New Comments On Joey Ryan’s Lawsuits

New was also asked about Ryan being awarded a default judgment against an accuser recently. The defendant failed to reply to the lawsuit in time, leading to the judgment.

“She will probably, most likely, be forced to file bankruptcy, any of these defendants, if they are not able to satisfy a judgement. The interesting thing about that, Jim, is that intentional conduct and punitive damages can’t be bankrupt out.”

New continued to say that they would still be on the hook to pay punitive damages.

“Bankruptcy is only a limited option for these defendants if he wants to pursue that doggedly for a number of years and that’s no fun. The young lady that you mentioned, he got a default judgment against her. Default judgment is when somebody doesn’t respond to a lawsuit. At that point, the matter of did she do it is over.”

New’s comments can be heard in the player below:

10 Names Confirmed For WWE’s Latest Performance Center Class

Chris Stephens
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The newest class of students at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando reported today. The full class is expected to consist of over 20 new wrestlers to the company. 10 names have been confirmed thus far, some of whom are considered top prospects.

22-year-old former college football player, Parker Boudreaux, draws comparisons to Brock Lesnar frequently. He reported to the WWE Performance Center today according to a report from PW Insider. Boudreaux is someone WWE has had on their radar for some time.

Latest WWE Performance Center Class

In addition to Parker Boudreaux, the following names are also starting at the WWE Performance Center on Tuesday:

  • Bronson Rechsteiner – son of Rick Steiner, nephew of Scott Steiner, he was cut from the NFL and signed with WWE recently.
  • Angela Arnold – known on the independents at AQA, she is a graduate of Booker T’s school.
  • Christian Brigham – 7-year pro from the northeast trained by Brian Fury.
  • Anthony Henry – 19-year pro from Georgia. Former tag champion and mainstay in EVOLVE.
  • Christian Hubble – known on the independents as Blake Christian. Had been wrestling in Impact and GCW as of late.
  • Karissa Rivera – 3 year pro from New Jersey. Has worked as enhancement talent for NXT and the main roster.
  • Zoey Stark – formerly known as Lacey Ryan. Debuted in NXT already as part of the Dusty Rhodes Classic.
  • Cora Jade – formerly known as Elayna Black. She has also already debuted in the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Black had been wrestling on AEW Dark before signing.
  • Gigi Dolin – The new name of Priscilla Kelly, she is a former Mae Young Classic participant and also already debuted in the Dusty Rhodes Classic.
https://twitter.com/ParkerBoudreaux/status/1361721301199642625

Big E Launches Kickstarter For Black History Cartoon, “Our Heroes Rock!”

Chris Stephens
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Big E is hoping to teach people about Black History through a mix of animation, hip hop, and science fiction. He recently announced a Kickstarter campaign to fund the pilot episode of the show. So far, the campaign has raised over $25,000.

“Conceived as a hip-hop odyssey through Black History, ‘Our Heroes Rock!’ is an animated series that shines a spotlight on history’s unsung Heroes of color through infectious music, stunning 3D animation and a family-friendly, sci-fi-flavored narrative designed to appeal to both parents and kids alike.”

Ring gear designer Jonathan Davenport and The Sporting News’ Andreas Hale are also attached to the project. Grammy-nominated artist, Rapsody, is as well. Big E has joined forces with animation studio Something’s Awry, and OHR Media to hopefully turn the idea into reality.

“Our aim is to crowdfund the pilot episode, which will focus on the story of Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate into an elementary school in the South on November 14, 1960, with Rapsody narrating Bridges’ phenomenal story through rhythm and rhyme.”

A link to the official Kickstarter page is here.

Big speak further about the project and what he hopes to accomplish with it in the below video:

https://twitter.com/WWEBigE/status/1363866138577408001

Kenny Omega Comments on Brock Lesnar Dream Match

Jake Skudder
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AEW Champion Kenny Omega recently commented on the in-ring abilities of WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar. The former ‘Next Big Thing’ and WWE Champion has been away from the company since losing to Drew McIntyre at last year’s WrestleMania.

With Kenny Omega recently making comments about a potential WWE/AEW crossover; there has been discussion and clamouring from fans to see potential dream matches between the two biggest promotion in North America, if not the world.

A fan asked Kenny Omega on Twitter what his thoughts were on Lesnar. Omega replied to the prospect of having a ‘dream’ match against the former UFC fighter.

Kenny Omega on Brock Lesnar

“Brock is one of the greatest athletes and performers of all time” Kenny Omega wrote. “I’d need more friends if I were to face him.”

There was previously rumblings of Lesnar potentially joining AEW. Lesnar’s WWE contract was up for renewal and there was speculation that All Elite/Tony Khan had contacted Lesnar. With UFC now no longer on Lesnar’s radar, it is possible that he/his team were using potential AEW talks to negotiate a better deal with WWE. It has not been confirmed if Brock Lesnar is still signed to WWE at this point.

Former WWE Superstar Jon Moxley also recently discussed the potential of AEW and WWE working together. With Moxley having intrinsic knowledge of the company, he said it wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

“That would never happen” Moxley told to Inside The Ropes this week. “That’s not even worth wasting any mental energy to… You know. I mean, if you want to fantasy book some cool s**. You know, maybe you could fantasy book it for, like, fun magazine, stuff.”

Here are some of our recent articles related to Brock Lesnar & AEW:

Are there any dream matches you’d like to see? Would you prefer Lesnar or Omega face someone else in the other company?

Mick Foley – “WWE Do Not Mess Around With Rhea Ripley”

Jake Skudder
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WWE confirmed on last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW that Rhea Ripley will soon be coming to the main roster. The former NXT Women’s Champion is regarded by many as one of the best performers in the Women’s division, if not the entire company.

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley reacted to Ripley making her way to the Monday Night RAW roster. The Hardcore Legend appears to be very nervous about the way WWE will possibly book Ripley when she joins the likes of Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Peyton Royce on Monday nights.

Mick Foley on Rhea Ripley

“It’s vital that @WWE not mess around when it comes to pushing Rhea Ripley” Mick Foley wrote on Twitter. “PLEASE don’t allow her to suffer a 50/50 fate. Strap that rocket to her back, and see how far she can fly.”

The success rate for NXT Superstars moving ‘up’ to the main roster has been hit-or-miss over the past couple of years. Once main event talents such as Aleister Black and Andrade have been missing from RAW for months now; so it’s easy to see why Mic Foley would have reservations.

It has not been confirmed exactly when Ripley will be coming to RAW, but it is likely to be in the next few weeks.

Check out the hype video for the debuting Rhea Ripley below:

The Miz: “Do Not Plan On Being Transitional Champion”

Rayan Sayyed
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The Miz has said that he does not intend to be just a transitional champion.

The WWE Champion said that the idea of people thinking he can’t be a stable long-lasting champion only motivates him more.

“I do not plan on being a transitional champion,” Miz told Sports Illustrated. “That idea only fuels my fire, and hearing it is nothing new. That idea only fuels my fire, and hearing it is nothing new. It makes me think back to when I cashed in the Money in the Bank contract and won the belt in 2010. People thought I would lose, but I didn’t. Instead, I won the WWE Championship.

When I won, I heard I was only going to be a transitional champion, but I went on to main-event WrestleMania and I won, as a bad guy, in the main event, which never happens. Ten years later, I heard the same thing: I’d never win the title. So this is another opportunity for me to prove people wrong, which is what I plan on doing.”

The Miz also talked about how grateful he is when Vince McMahon trusted him to become WWE Champion when no one else would. He trusted him enough to let him go up against John Cena at WrestleMania 27 and Miz says this helped him learn a lot from the top stars.

“Vince trusted me when no one else did,” Miz said. “He trusted me to go up against John Cena at WrestleMania 27 and to be in that story with the Rock, who had just come back to WWE. I got lost in that story. They were made men by then, and I still needed to make myself. Working live shows with Cena and Randy Orton, that taught me what it takes to be a main-eventer. And I’ve never stopped listening or learning,” The Miz said.

The Miz also recalled facing AJ Styles when The Phenomenal One came to the WWE. For Miz, AJ’s wrestling style was very different than he was used to, and that’s when he knew he needed he had to elevate his work.

Miz also thanked his wife Maryse for giving him confidence that brought him to a new level. The Awesome One declared that he is ready to be the face of WWE with his title and carry it with the prestige and honor it deserves.

Also read: The Miz Makes History By Becoming First 2-Time Grand Slam Champion

Samoa Joe “Not Putting A Timetable” On In-Ring Return

Rayan Sayyed
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Samoa Joe has been absent from in-ring action due to being injured. Since then, he transitioned as a color commentator on Raw, and debuted on the commentary table in November 2019.

With fans wondering when we can see Samoa Joe back in the ring, the Destroyer recently commented on his condition in a recent interview.

While not committing to a timeframe, Samoa Joe assured fans that he will be back in the ring soon, as soon as he recovers and is cleared to compete again. Speaking to Sportskeeda about his in-ring return, Joe said, “As far as the timetable, no. But I just want to reassure people that you know this point, WWE medical is doing the best for my health and my well-being, and I’m appreciative of it, so we’re taking our time.”

Joe continued, “We’re making sure that I’m as healthy as I can be. And we are… Yeah, I think that’s essentially it, you know, I’m not putting a timetable on it because the type of injury is not something that I want to rush, obviously, for obvious reasons. So, yeah, I mean, that’s essentially the update.”

Samoa Joe also gave some more details, saying that there have been some holdups from a technical standpoint when it comes to his return due to the current pandemic situation as medical personnel are not readily available. He added that a careful approach is being taken and he appreciates the recovery time.

News of Samoa Joe being injured first came out in October 2019 when he injured his thumb and was sidelined for months due to it. Joe couldn’t catch a break from injuries though, as he returned in early 2020 and suffered a concussion. Then, he got injured again in February during a commercial shoot. This put him on the shelf for an extended period of time than expected. Hopefully Joe is able to make a successful recovery soon but in the meantime, we can enjoy him on the commentary booth.

Rhea Ripley Officially Joining WWE Raw Brand

Rayan Sayyed
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Rhea Ripley is officially headed for WWE’s main roster. A vignette aired on Monday’s WWE Raw announcing she is headed to the red brand soon.

Fans last saw Rhea Ripley in January at NXT New Year’s Evil. She lost to Raquel Gonzalez on the show in a Last Woman Standing Match.

WWE has not announced exactly when Rhea Ripley will join Raw, but you can see the promo video below:

Rhea Ripley In WWE

Rhea Ripley is a former NXT Women’s Champion and NXT UK Women’s Champion. She competed in the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble. She eliminated the most competitors (7) and lasted an impressive 39 minutes in the match.

Ripley appeared on WWE Raw last year when she was NXT Women’s Champion. She feuded with Charlotte Flair and is the first woman to defend the NXT Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. She wrestled on Raw last February and defeated Sarah Logan in singles action.

Rhea Ripley participated in 2017 in the Mae Young Classic and was later signed to a contract for NXT. She appeared on the second Mae Young Classic, as well. She was later moved to NXT UK where she became the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion.

She then moved to NXT where she won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Shayna Baszler in December 2019. Ripley has been a woman of many firsts in WWE. It will be interesting to see how she makes her name known WWE’s main roster.

Mick Foley on Rhea Ripley

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley commented on the news, pleading the WWE to “not mess around” in regards to pushing Ripley.

“It’s vital that @WWE not mess around when it comes to pushing @RheaRipley_WWE. PLEASE don’t allow her to suffer a 50/50 fate. Strap that rocket to her back, and see how far she can fly.”

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1364067284831059972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1364067284831059972%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ewrestlingnews.com%2Fnews%2Fmick-foley-comments-on-rhea-ripleys-wwe-main-roster-debut

WWE Raw: Championship Match Set For Next Week

Rayan Sayyed
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0

The Miz will have to defend his newly won WWE Championship next week on Monday Night Raw already as he’s set to face Bobby Lashley in a title match.

On this weeks’s episode of Raw, The Miz, with John Morrison celebrated his successful Money in the Bank cash-in on Drew McIntyre at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event on Sunday. However, the celebrations soon came to a halt as Bobby Lashley and MVP of The Hurt Business interrupted and reminded The Miz of the deal that they struck backstage prior to the cash-in. It was revealed that according to the deal, Lashley would get a title shot against Miz if the former assisted the latter by weakening McIntyre.

WWE Raw Results (2/22)

Miz said that he needed some more time to make the decision and Lashley gave him an hour to decide. However, he still couldn’t reach a decision and begged for more time. This led to Braun Strowman and Shane McMahon coming out. Strowman was not happy that he was left out of the Elimination Chamber match.

Shane McMahon set a matchup between Strowman and Lashley, with the stipulation that if Strowman won, he would be added to the Miz vs. Lashley title match. Lashley would go on to win the match, however, by kicking out of Strowman’s running powerslam and hitting him with a spear for a successful pinfall victory. After the match, Lashley put Strowman in the Hurt Lock and beat down the Miz with a spear.

Bobby Lashley then held up the WWE Championship as the show ended.

WWE RAW Results (2/22): WWE Title Match Set For Next Week, Braun Strowman vs. Lashley

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome. It was the first episode of RAW following the Elimination Chamber PPV. In addition to the takeaways below, a vignette aired during tonight’s show and it was revealed that Rhea Ripley is on her way to RAW.

RAW Results (2/22)

  1. Riddle def. John Morrison
  2. New Day def. RETRIBUTION
  3. Hurt Business def. Lucha House Party
  4. Damian Priest def. Bad Bunny
  5. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax def. Charlotte & Asuka
  6. Sheamus def. Jeff Hardy
  7. Naomi & Lana def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
  8. AJ Styles def. Ricochet
  9. Lashley def. Braun Strowman

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Lashley Warned The Miz

RAW kicked off with a championship celebration edition of Miz TV. The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract last night on Drew McIntyre and became the new WWE Champion. Miz raised the WWE Championship above his head and pyro went off.

The Miz boasted about his career and that how everyone else from his generation are gone but he is still standing in WWE. The Miz started rambling about how the fans do not respect hit before Bobby Lashley and MVP interrupted.

MVP congratulated Miz on his victory and said Miz must have forgotten to mention that Lashley attacked McIntyre last night. Miz claimed he was getting to that and thanked them both. MVP said it was time to reveal the terms of their business arrangement and that Lashley deserves a title shot because Morrison was a part of the reason he lost the United States Championshionship last night.

The Miz agreed that Lashley deserves a title shot but said he never set a date to it. The Miz added that he is really busy and that there is just no time right now. Lashley grabbed Miz by his tie and told him he has an hour to give him what he wants or he will send Miz to the emergency room. A countdown to “Lashley’s Ultimatum” was then shown for the remaining first hour of the show.

Riddle Picked Up A Win

New United States Champion Riddle squared off with John Morrison in in a non-title match. Riddle and Morrison traded shots in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Riddle shrugged off a boot to the face from Morrison and planted him with a Gutwrench Suplex for a near fall.

Morrison poked Riddle in the eye and beat him down to the canvas. John then locked in a Dragon Sleeper hold in the middle of the ring. Riddle escaped but Morrison booted him to the outside. Morrison leaped onto Riddle and then rolled him back into the ring.

Riddle battled back and connected with a Brainbuster on the ring apron. Riddle followed it up with the Floating Bro and then a German Suplex for a near fall. Morrison hit an awesome Spanish Fly on the middle rope and went for the cover but the United States Champion was able to kick out at two.

Riddle connected with the Bro 2 Sleep but Morrison regrouped and booted Riddle to the apron. Morrison slammed Riddle to the canvas and made his way to the top rope. Morrison went for Starship Pain but Riddle got his knees up. Riddle then quickly hit the Bro Derek for the pinfall victory.

New Day def. RETRIBUTION

New Day faced RETRIBUTION tonight on RAW. Woods and T-Bar started off the action. T-Bar beat Woods down before Kingston tagged in. T-Bar brought Kofi to the corner and Mace tagged in. Mace knocked Kofi to the canvas and slammed the back of his head on the mat a few times. T-Bar tagged in and hit a Backbreaker for a near fall. RETRIBUTION hit High Justice on Kingston but Mustafa Ali demanded that they hit the move again. Kingston sent Mace out of the ring and hit T-Bar with Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory.

Strowman Will Earn A Title Shot If He Defeats Lashley Tonight

Bobby Lashley and MVP came down to the ring with Adam Pearce to begin the 2nd hour of RAW. The Miz and Morrison then made their way to the ring. The Miz told Lashley that he needs more time and Bobby told him to quit stalling. The Miz said he just needs some more time to give the fans the WWE Championship match they deserve. The Miz suggested that they wait a week or so before Braun Strowman interrupted.

Strowman shouted that he deserves a title shot and complained about Pearce & Shane McMahon holding him out of the Elimination Chamber match last night. Shane McMahon joined the party and came down to the ring. Shane told Pearce to tighten things up around here a bit and informed Strowman that he can’t just demand a title shot whenever he wants it.

Shane said that the Elimination Chamber was for former WWE Champions only. Strowman shouted that idea sucked and everyone else sucks. Strowman demanded a title match tonight and Shane told him that idea sucks. Shane said that if Strowman can defeat Lashley tonight, it will be The Miz vs. Strowman vs. Lashley for the WWE Championship next week. After the promo, Lashley attacked Strowman from behind and hit him with a chop block to the knee.

Hurt Business Dominated

RAW Tag Team Champions Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin) faced Lucha House Party tonight in a Tornado Tag Team match. Hurt Business dominated early and beat Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado down in opposite corners of the ring.

Dorado dragged Cedric out of the ring and booted him in the face. Lucha House Party planted Benjamin with a DDT and followed it up with a Splash for a near fall. Gran Metalik went for a Double Stomp but Cedric got out of the way. Shelton hit Metalik with Paydirt for the pinfall victory.

Damian Priest def. Angel Garza

Damian Priest faced Angel Garza tonight on RAW. 24/7 Champion Bad Bunny was ringside for the match. Priest started off the match in control but Garza battled back and brought Damian to the canvas. Angel unloaded some punches to the face and started taunting Bad Bunny.

Damian booted Garza in the side of the head and connected with the Broken Arrow but Angel kicked out at two. Garza hit a massive Clothesline that knocked Damian out of the ring. Garza dared Bad Bunny to get into the ring and Priest capitalized on the distraction by connected with Hit the Lights for the pinfall victory. After the match, Drew Gulak tried to attack the 24/7 champion but Bad Bunny sent him over the ropes.

Randy Orton Is Distracted By Alexa Bliss

Randy Orton cut a backstage promo and said “failure” is not a word he is familiar with but it has surrounded him lately. Orton noted that he was the first man eliminated last night during the chamber match and wondered what the distraction was. Orton then rolled footage of him setting The Fiend on fire two months ago at WWE TLC. Orton claimed that he was distracted by Alexa Bliss. Orton then coughed up a bunch of black liquid and scampered away.

Charlotte Flair & Asuka Aren’t On The Same Page

Charlotte Flair and Asuka faced Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler tonight on RAW. Asuka and Shayna Baszler started off the action. Asuka took control and sent Shayna out of the ring with a Hip Attack as Charlotte connected with a Dropkick on Nia Jax as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, RAW Women’s Champion Asuka was the superstar isolated in the corner and beaten down as Charlotte waited for a tag. Flair tagged in and unloaded some stomps to Baszler’s midsection. Nia Jax planted Charlotte with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two.

Asuka tagged in and made her way to the top rope. Asuka leveled Shayna with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Hip Atttack. Asuka hit Nia with Double Knees and went for the cover but Jax kicked out at two. Asuka went for an Armbar but Shayna broke it up with a kick to the face. Charlotte accidentally booted Asuka in face and Nia hit a Leg Drop for a pinfall victory.

Later on RAW, Charlotte had a discussion with her dad and said he cannot focus with this Lacey Evans stuff. Charlotte told Ric that it wasn’t funny that he pretended that he was the father of Lacey’s baby. Charlotte got emotional and told her dad to go home and let her create her own path.

Opinion: Charlotte’s backstage promo with Ric was performed well, I just don’t care about the material. We’ve already seen it. I also find it comical that Charlotte wants to be different from Ric Flair, but comes down to the ring in a robe, struts like Ric, does the chops, has a remixed version of his theme, and the Figure Four is one of her finishers. That seems to be a gigantic contradiction.

Lana & Naomi Picked Up A Win

Naomi & Lana faced Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke tonight. The Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax were shown watching the match backstage. Rose and Brooke dominated the match early and isolated Lana in the corner. Naomi tagged in and teamed up with Lana to hit some kind of Facebuster on Mandy Rose for the pinfall victory.

Sheamus def. Jeff Hardy

Sheamus battled Jeff Hardy tonight on RAW. Sheamus dominated the action early but Jeff was able to battle back. Jeff sent Sheamus out of the ring and hit Whisper in the Wind off the steel steps and Sheamus fell in to the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Sheamus was back in control and hit White Noise for a near fall. Jeff booted Sheamus in the face and hit a Splash off the middle turnbuckle for a two count. Sheamus caught Jeff with a knee to the face and followed it up with the Brogue Kick for the pinfall victory.

AJ Styles def. Ricochet

AJ Styles faced Ricochet tonight. Omos was ringside for the match. AJ quickly took control and Suplexed Ricochet into the turnbuckle. Ricochet battled back and went for the 450 Splash but Styles got out of the way. AJ then hit the Styles Clash for the pinfall victory. After the match, Omos planted Ricochet with a Chokeslam.

Lashley Dominated Braun Strowman

Lashley faced Braun Strowman in the main event of this week’s RAW. If Strowman won, he would be added to the WWE Championship match next week. WWE Champion The Miz joined commentary for the match.

Lashley connected with a slam and went for the cover but Strowman kicked out at two. Braun hit a Splash in the corner and tossed Bobby out of the ring. Strowman charged at Lashley but he moved and Braun crashed into the steel steps.

Back in the ring, Lashley hit a Dropkick to Strowman’s knee and followed it up with a Flatliner for a near fall. Lashley went for the Hurt Lock but Braun blocked it. Lashley then went for a Suplex but Braun escaped and connected with a Clothesline. Strowman planted Lashley with the Running Powerslam and went for the cover but Lashley somehow kicked out at two.

Lashley hit a Spinebuster and followed it up with a Spear for the pinfall victory. After the match, Lashley got Strowman in the Hurt Lock and threw him out of the ring. The Miz tried to attack Lashley from behind but Bobby planted him with a Spinebuster. Lashley followed it up with a Spear and raised the title to close the show. The Miz will defend the WWE Championship against Lashley next week.

Opinion: Lashley looks as dominant as ever and will absolutely deserve the WWE Championship when he wins it. Overall, this week’s RAW was a forgettable show with several stale rematches.

Jon Moxley Doesn’t Think WWE And AEW Will Ever Work Together

Andrew Ravens
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Jon Moxley is the latest person from AEW to address whether there would ever be a working relationship between All Elite Wrestling and WWE. 

AEW President Tony Khan and top AEW Executive Cody Rhodes seem to think that a possible collaboration is possible. However, the former AEW World Heavyweight Champion doesn’t seem to think so. 

“That would never happen. That’s not even worth wasting any mental energy to… You know. I mean, if you want to fantasy book some cool s**. You know, maybe you could fantasy book it for, like, fun magazine, stuff,” Moxley stated in a recent interview with Inside The Ropes.

“You know, Like back in the day, in magazines, you used to always have, like, ‘Dream match. Bill Goldberg versus Steve Austin,’ in ’98. But that ain’t gonna happen.”

He continued, “It’d be cool to think about the cool s**t that could happen, you know, like a big summit at the Tokyo Dome, AEW, NJPW, WWE or some s**t but that s**t ain’t going to happen. So, you know, they do their thing. They stay over there.”

All Elite Wrestling currently has a working relationship with Impact Wrestling and NJPW. 

Current AEW World Champion Kenny Omega also commented on such a relationship being possible as he thinks the final forbidden door will be opened.

Carlito Discusses His WWE Status

Andrew Ravens
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Carlito made a surprise WWE return last month when he worked the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and a tag team match the following night on Raw. 

Shortly after his appearance at this year’s Royal Rumble PPV, there were various reports about how WWE brought him in not just for the matches, but also to have a tryout as an agent. 

Carlito was on today’s episode of The Wrestling Inc. Daily podcast where he was asked about his WWE status. 

“Right now, I don’t know where I sit. There was never a trial or something to be a producer backstage or something,” Carlito revealed. “None of that was was ever mentioned to me. All we talked about was the Rumble and RAW, and then after that, who knows? But as of now, I’d love to come back. It’s all in the air right now. I have no idea what’s next for me.”

He stated that he’s open to coaching young talent or any good ideas. 

“I’m open to whatever ideas are out there. As long as it’s a good idea, I don’t mind,” Carlito said. “I know I’m a little long in the tooth now. What’s the saying? I got more years behind me than ahead of me. I like helping out the new talent and stuff. If somebody’s got a good idea, then I’m happy to hear it.”

He later stated that one of his goals is to help out Latino wrestlers.

Jey Uso Shows Off Minor Toe Injury From WWE Elimination Chamber

Andrew Ravens
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Jey Uso took part in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match and suffered a minor injury in the process. 

The WWE star took to  his Instagram Stories this morning where he shared two photos of the bruised toe with the caption, “Went to war last night, one of my toes ain’t make it!!!”

He entered at #6 as he spent around 10 minutes in the match before being eliminated last by Daniel Bryan, who won the opening contest of the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event. 

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In another post on Instagram, Jey mentioned that brother Jimmy Uso was at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida to train for his return to the ring.

Jimmy has been sidelined for nearly a year after suffering a knee injury at WrestleMania 36 Night One. He took part in the Triple Threat Ladder Match with Kofi Kingston and then-SmackDown Tag Team Champion John Morrison.

At the time, it was reported he was supposed to be back between November 2020 and January 2021 after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery. However, in December, Jey went on record by stating in an interview that his brother was expected back in the ring during January or February 2021.

There have been no reports about when exactly he’ll be back or what creative has for him.

Kenny Omega: AEW-NJPW Relationship “Not A Full Talent Exchange”

Chris Stephens
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Kenny Omega recently clarified that AEW’s agreement with NJPW is not a full-blown talent exchange. He spoke with Talk Sport recently about what fans can expect from the agreement reached between the two promotions.

“So you talk about the ‘forbidden door’ and people talk about it being open. It’s been ‘kicked open!’ or ‘blown open!’ Do I look at it as this gigantic door in the distance… I feel like it’s opened a crack and there’s this heavenly light shining through,” Omega said.

Omega then clarified that a few wrestlers will go from one promotion to the other but it won’t be a full talent exchange.

“A couple things slip through the cracks, you know what I mean? You might get a guy here or there sneaking in from one side to another, but it’s not going to be a full talent exchange where it’s a free-for-all going both ways.”

He continued to say that the agreement is hampered by international travel restrictions.

“It’s more the traveling restrictions and the things that make traveling between countries difficult is actually what is hurting us. But, in the same way, it helped this whole thing become a possibility because now we’ve been able to take a step back and take a look at the world we’ve realized there’s something a lot bigger than company pride or competing with everyone else around you trying to make yourself the number one brand.”

In response to a fan question on Twitter, Omega also recently stated that he believes Brock Lesnar is one of the best performers in history.

The full interview with Kenny Omega is here.

Anna Jay Out 6-12 Months With Shoulder Injury

Chris Stephens
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AEW star Anna Jay will be out of action for the next 6-12 months due to injury. According to AEW, the Dark Order member will require shoulder surgery.

Anna Jay has been replaced in the AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator tournament by Madi Wrenkowski, a student and protege of Thunder Rosa.

AEW announced the news on Monday. Anna Jay commented on her injury, stating that she’s super upset about the situation, but will come back stronger than ever.

Anna Jay & The AEW Women’s Eliminator Tournament

Fans began suspecting something was up with Anna Jay on on Monday. She was conspicuously absent from AEW’s promotion for this week’s Women’s Eliminator tournament matches. She also did not appear on this week’s Being The Elite.

https://twitter.com/genwhyprod/status/1363924993072070657

Wrenkowski trained out of the Hybrid School Of Wrestling in San Antonio. She made her pro-debut in 2019 and has competed on AEW Dark previously.

Tonight’s show on YouTube will feature the semi-finals of the Japanese side of the bracket and two 1st round matches from the American side of the bracket. The scheduled matches are below:

  • AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator Tournament (1st Round American bracket)
    Tay Conti vs Nyla Rose
  • AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator Tournament (1st Round American bracket)
    Britt Baker vs Madi Wrenkowski
  • AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator Tournament (2nd Round Japanese bracket)
    Emi Sakura vs Yuka Sakazaki
  • AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator Tournament (2nd Round Japanese bracket)
    Aja Kong vs. Ryo Mizunami

MLW Announces “Never Say Never” Signature Event

Chris Stephens
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MLW’s next signature event will be “Never Say Never” on Wednesday, March 31st. The show will air on YouTube, Roku, DaZN, and Fubo Sports. It will also air on BeIN Sports on Saturday, April 3rd, 2021.

“In continuing our efforts to give back to the MLW diehard fans, we look forward to giving them the fastest hour of action featuring the climax of rivalries and a championship title fight,” said Court Bauer.

This will be the first signature event for MLW since last month’s Kings of the Colosseum event on January 6th, 2021. Much like last month’s event, this show will run about 55-60 minutes and fit in one episode of MLW Fusion.

The promotion has not been announcing where their shows are being taped, though the venue most recently used looks an awful lot like Orlando’s Gilt nightclub.

There will be no episode of MLW Fusion this week. Rather, the league will be airing a classic episode of MLW Underground from its original run.

On the most recent episode of Fusion, MLW released its updated top-10 rankings:

MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)

  1. Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion) (Dynasty)
  2. Tom Lawlor (Opera Cup Winner) (Team Filthy)
  3. Lio Rush (MLW Middleweight Champion)
  4. Low Ki
  5. Mads Krugger (Contra Unit)
  6. Richard Holliday (Dynasty)
  7. Mil Muertes (Azteca Underground)
  8. Myron Reed (Injustice)
  9. Calvin Tankman
  10. Jordan Oliver (Injustice)
https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1363873250183290885

Dynamite Kid Episode Confirmed For Dark Side Of The Ring Season 3

Chris Stephens
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Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 has been confirmed by VICE to begin airing sometime this year. Several topics for the 3rd season have already been confirmed and a new one was just revealed today. According to a report from PW Insider, an episode focussed on the life and career of The Dynamite Kid, Tom Billington, is in the works.

Billington’s children, his ex-wife Michelle, and his sister-in-law Julie Hart have all been interviewed for the episode.

Dynamite Kid wrestled with Stampede Wrestling in Calgary and NJPW in Japan during his early career. He became well known for innovative matches with guys like Bret Hart in Calgary and Tiger Mask in Japan. In 1984, he signed with WWE and teamed with his cousin Davey Boy Smith Jr. as the British Bulldogs, where they are former WWF Tag Team Champions.

He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Tokyo Sports in 1991. He was elected to the Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995. Unfortunately, Dynamite was confined to a wheelchair due to injuries around 1997. He then suffered a debilitating stroke in 2013.

Dynamite Kid passed away in 2018 at the age of 60 due to his numerous health ailments.

Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 Episodes

The third season of Dark Side of the Ring will cover the following topics:

  • Brian Pillman (Season Premiere)
  • FMW (Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling)
  • XPW (Xtreme Pro Wrestling)
  • Nick Gage
  • WCW/NJPW Collision In Korea 1995
  • The Smith Family (Grizzly Smith, Sam Houston, Rockin’ Robin & Jake “The Snake” Roberts)
  • Ion Croitoru (a.k.a. Bruiser Bedlam, Johnny K-9)
  • Chris Kanyon

More topics for Season Three of Dark Side of the Ring will be revealed in the months ahed. The season will span 14 episodes, so there is still a lot more info to come.

WWE Announces NXT To Air Live In Canada Starting This Week

Chris Stephens
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WWE fans in Canada will soon be able to watch NXT live Wednesday nights.

Up until this week, WWE fans in Canada had not been able to see NXT until a 1-hour version of the show aired on Fridays. They could also wait until the show was posted on the WWE Network. Sportsnet and WWE have reached a new agreement that will see NXT air live on Sportsnet starting this Wednesday.

Triple H, WWE’s Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development, commented on this new pact.

“Our fans in Canada have been all in on NXT since day one,” said Triple H. “We’re thrilled about this expanded partnership with Sportsnet which will help us grow NXT’s reach throughout the country and introduce even more fans to the newest generation of WWE Superstars.”

Sportsnet VP of Programming Greg Sansone said, “WWE provides some of the most electrifying entertainment in all of sports, and the passion of their fanbase in Canada is second to none. Reinforcing our already robust slate of live WWE programming with NXT was an easy choice and one our audiences have been asking for. We can’t wait to see the newest generation of Superstars live in action every Wednesday night.”

For more on WWE’s partnership with Sportsnet, visit Corporate.WWE.com.

Wednesday’s NXT will see Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar and Xia Li vs. Kacy Catanzaro.

Hiromu Takahashi To Miss 6 Months With Injury

Chris Stephens
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Unfortunately for fans of the popular junior heavyweight, Hiromu Takahashi is going to miss as long as 6 months with a torn pec. NJPW announced the injury today on social media. The company has yet to announce what will happen to Takahashi’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in the wake of his injury.

Takahashi was scheduled to defend his title on night 2 of the Castle Attack show on February 28th in Osaka. He was to face El Phantasmo on the show.

“I’m sorry to everyone at Korakuen Hall,” Takahashi Tweeted regarding missing the recent “Road to Castle Attack” event today.

Takahashi’s Los Ingobernables stablemate, Tetsuya Naito, is also on the shelf at the moment. He is nursing a knee injury but is still scheduled to face Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles on night 2 of Castle Attack.

Takahashi has been one of the most decorated junior heavyweights in recent years. He is a 4x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Takahashi is also a 2x winner of the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament in 2018 and 2020. Last year, Tokyo Sports presented him with the “Fighting Spirit Award.” He is also a 1x CMLL World Lightweight Champion.

Kenny Omega Reveals Timetable For AEW Video Game Release

Anutosh Bajpai
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Kenny Omega has provided new details regarding the AEW video game that is currently in development.

During his recent interview with TalkSport, AEW’s World Champion provided some updates on the game’s progress. He also revealed the timetable for its eventual release.

Omega first explained how they are trying to make a game that will be enjoyable for casual and hardcore gamers alike.

When is the AEW video game coming out?

The AEW video game is currently scheduled to be released during the first quarter of 2022.

“I would say in a perfect world, give it about a year’s time,” said Omega. “We’re working really hard and we’re lucky to have two teams. One in America and one in Japan, working on this almost around the clock.

He continued, “We do know that time is of the essence. We can’t let this sit around forever and people want a game like, yesterday. We do want to release something as soon as we feel it’s ready and representative of what our brand should be and what will make fans happy.”

More on the AEW video game

AEW wants to create a game fans will love, but do not want to keep people waiting forever. They want to avoid a Street Fighter 5 or Cyberpunk situation. Those games were delayed repeatedly.

Apart from this, Kenny Omega also talked about the technical aspects of the game. They are working diligently to capture the essence of the different wrestling styles represented by AEW’s roster.

There’s much more to the interview. If you’re interested in AEW’s video game, visit TalkSport to read all the quotes from their chat with Kenny Omega.

Click below to learn more about the AEW video game:

Angry Miz Girl Reacts To The Miz Winning WWE Championship

Jake Skudder
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Almost 10 years ago The Miz won the WWE Championship for the first time by cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase. Mike Mizanin appeared on the November 22nd episode of Monday Night RAW; then cashed-in on then Champion Randy Orton to win the title for the very first time.

One of the organic moments from the cash-in was the reaction from a young fan in the crowd. That young fan was dubbed ‘Angry Miz Girl’ and became a meme for some time. The young fan even won a Slammy for fan reaction of the year.

The Miz on Angry Miz Girl

Mike Mizanin cashed-in once again last night at the Elimination Chamber PPV and became the WWE Champion, once again.

Sportskeeda spoke to Angry Miz Girl after the Elimination Chamber PPV to get her reaction on the situation. “I personally think he’s [The Miz] one of the best on the roster” Caley/Angry Miz Girl stated. “I know it’s a big change from my opinion 10 years ago; but I love him when he’s a heel champion. I think he’s got the personality for it down to a T.”

Caley also noted “I loved meeting The Miz and he was always super kind to me and he worked super hard, so I definitely think he deserves it.”

Check out the reaction from the new WWE Champion below:

Cesaro Shares Emotional Message After Elimination Chamber

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cesaro had cut a passionate promo prior to the Elimination Chamber PPV which turned a lot of heads and made the former US Champion the favorite of many to win the cage match.

The Swiss Superman then went on to deliver another impressive performance at the PPV yesterday night but he wasn’t able to win the bout in the end.

The former champion took on his Twitter after the PPV to share an emotional message with the fans and Cesaro thanked everyone who believed in him:

“I’ve been driving for an hour in silence. I don’t really know what to say. So close. Thanks to everyone who believed and still does. I still do. I appreciate you. Always.”

Cesaro started the Elimination Chamber match alongside Daniel Bryan and he was one of the final three contestants of the bout, surviving for over half an hour inside the steel structure.

It looked like he was building some momentum towards the end when he hit Bryan with a Gutbuster and followed it up with a Cesaro Swing on the former world champion.

However, Jey Uso came out of nowhere and delivered a superkick to the former champion. He then hit a Frogsplash and eliminated Cesaro, before being eliminated himself by the eventual winner Daniel Bryan.

News On How Many Fans WWE Is Expecting At WrestleMania 37

Anutosh Bajpai
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It has been clear for a while now that WWE is looking forward to having a live audience at WrestleMania but the company hasn’t revealed any details of how many fans they are expecting yet.

Dave Meltzer provided some update on the plans during the latest Wrestling Observer Radio and he revealed that the officials are planning to have 30,000 fans for each night of WrestleMania 37.

He further noted that most of the fans who will be attending the PPV are expected to come from local areas in Florida as well as some domestic travellers from other states. Though the report did not reveal when the company will announce the ticket details for the fans.

WWE announced the plans for having WrestleMania in two nights once again back in January alongside the confirmation of the venues for the event in 2022 and 2023.

Stephanie McMahon then confirmed the rumors a few days later and WWE’s chief brand officer admitted that they are planning to bring the fans back for their biggest show of the year.

WrestleMania 37 will be taking place from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida this year on Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, April 11, 2021.

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