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Edge Evaluates Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre & Finn Balor As WrestleMania Opponents

Michael Reichlin
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Edge is going to WrestleMania. The Rated R Superstar won the Men’s Royal Rumble last month and earned the right to challenge the champion of his choice at WWE’s biggest event of the year.

His Rumble victory came nearly a month ago, but Edge has yet to announce if he will challenge WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, Universal Champion Roman Reigns or NXT Champion Finn Balor.

Edge spoke to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated about the decision. He shared his thought process regarding each potential challenger.

“You need to start with Finn Balor,” said Edge. “He’s operating on an entirely different level in the ring right now than I’ve ever seen him perform. I love what he’s doing. With Finn, the story would be two guys who have wrestled all over the world, but never been in the same place at the same time. That’s very appealing to me.”

Drew McIntyre has taken a rocky road to the top and fought for everything he has. “A character like Edge would really respect Drew, so that type of match would be a different story and emotion, one based on mutual respect and who is the better man.”

Edge feels that Roman Reigns has finally ‘found his groove’ and is portraying the character everyone knew he could be.

“The handcuffs have been taken off, he’s being allowed to let this side out. Now you can see it and you can feel it. Knowing the kind of story we could create, I salivate over that. So look all those three options.”

His comments about Reigns finally being himself echo what Seth Rollins said about the Head of the Table earlier this week.

Whoever he picks, Edge says, “I’m in a position where I feel like I can’t go wrong.” He still can’t believe he is an active WWE Superstar after nearly a decade away from the ring. He never thought he’d have this opportunity again and is savoring every moment of this run.

Heath Miller Announces He’s Undergoing Hernia Surgery March 1st

Michael Reichlin
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Impact Wrestling star Heath Miller will undergo hernia surgery in a few weeks.

He’s been out of action for the past several months. We last saw him action at Bound for Glory in October, when he competed in the “Call Your Own Shot” Battle Royal.

Heath has been getting a lot of messages from wrestlers and concerned fans asking where he’s been. He tweeted a video message on Thursday addressing his condition.

He’s been visiting several doctors in hopes of getting a proper diagnosis and game plan for recovery. Heath revealed that he’s got a sports hernia on the left side of his pubic bone, another hernia on his right side, his abductor muscle is ripped off the bone and he’s got a rip in his abdomen wall on both sides.

“It’s a little bit of a mess,” he joked. He described the situation as “an up and down roller coaster ride of crap.”

Heath finally found a surgeon that will attempt to fix all of his ailments. The procedures are scheduled for March 1st.

You can check out Heath’s video message below. We wish him a speedy recovery!

https://twitter.com/HEATHXXII/status/1362582377621561345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1362582377621561345%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ewrestlingnews.com%2Fnews%2Fheath-reveals-that-hes-severely-hurt-will-be-undergoing-surgery

Finn Balor Says Randy Orton Could Help Bring NXT To The Next Level

Michael Reichlin
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NXT Champion Finn Balor was this week’s guest on the WWE After The Bell podcast.

Balor discussed his current run in NXT and revealed he initially thought he’d be there for just a few months. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Balor said of his time in NXT. “I was kind of under the impression that it was going to be a 3 month deal. Reboot Finn, reset and go back to RAW or go back to SmackDown, go back to things as normal.”

He added that things just evolved into something nobody expected, similar to how NXT has evolved as a brand. Sometimes, you have to know when to move from one chapter of your career to the next. Balor did this with his time wrestling in Europe, in Japan and in WWE.

“I don’t know what to expect going forward, I don’t know how long it’s going to last but I have to say, I’m super happy in NXT and there’s no reason for me to want to move anywhere in my career at this point.”

Randy Orton In NXT

Finn Balor was also asked which WWE Superstars he’d like to see in NXT. He said some fans might expect him to say Kevin Owens or Ricochet. However, he’d like to see Randy Orton on WWE’s black and gold brand.

“I feel like Randy could really bring NXT to the next level, with regards to the effect he’d have on the people around him in the locker room and in the ring, with his professionalism and his experience.”

Balor spoke fondly of his time working with Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe, noting that he leaerned a lot from both of them during his first NXT run.

Watch Finn Balor’s comments about Randy Orton in NXT:

Impact Draws Best Rating Since Kenny Omega’s Debut

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling drew its best rating of the year on Tuesday night with an episode that featured the promotional debut of Juice Robinson and David Finlay. According to ShowBuzz Daily, Tuesday’s episode drew 197,000 viewers on AXS TV and a 0.06 rating in the key demo.

The show finished 117th for the night. The top show on Tuesday night was NBC’s “This is Us” and the #2 show was the debut of “Young Rock.”

The rating is up from last week’s go-home show for the No Surrender event. That episode garnered 153,000 viewers on AXS TV and a 0.04 rating in the key demo. The Kenny Omega debut episode on December 8th, 2020 drew 221,000 viewers and a 0.08 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Interest for Impact’s latest episode likely increased following the No Surrender event on Impact Plus this weekend. It was announced at the conclusion of the show that David Finlay & Juice Robinson would make their promotional debuts this week. FinJuice defeated Reno Scum on Tuesday night before being confronted by The Good Brothers, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows.

The following matches have been booked for next week’s show:

  • Winning Team Faces Each Other For X-Division Title Shot
    Ace Austin, Chris Bey and Black Taurus vs Willie Mack, Josh Alexander and Trey Migue
  • #1 Contenders Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Jordynne Grace & Jazz vs Kimber Lee & Susan w/ Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tables Match
    Cody Deaner vs Jake Something

The company also announced this morning that their next streaming event will be on March 13th, 2021.

MLW Fusion Results (2/17): Filthy Island Special

Chris Stephens
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Major League Wrestling presented a special episode this week. Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy prevented a festival in Hawaii known as “Filthy Island.”

The full episode can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion 2/17 Quick Results

  1. Dominic Garrini defeated Mauna Loa
  2. Kevin Ku defeated Zenshi
  3. Rocky Romero defeated El Gringo Loco
  4. Aztec Jungle Fight
    Mil Muertes defeated Savio Vega
  5. Low Ki defeated King Mo

Here are key takeaways from the show:

The Von Erichs Invade Filthy Island!

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362205408622968832

After Low-Ki was victorious in the main event, Team Filthy hit the ring and looked to deliver a 3-on-1 attack. The Von Erichs theme music could be heard blaring as the brothers drove up in their jeep to make the save, however. They rid the ring of Team Filthy and according to MLW.com, Tom Lawlor fled the island and his whereabouts are unknown.

Controversy In Match Between Low Ki and King Mo

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362204853716586496

Dan Lambert was on commentary for this match and noted that he was concerned about the officiating in this match and that proved to be a very prophetic statement. Low Ki had King Mo locked in a triangle choke and it looked as though Mo was trying to reach out for the ring ropes. The problem is, there wasn’t any ring ropes, so it looked for all the world as if Mo was tapping when he tried to grab them.

Did Mil Muertes Bury Savio Vega?

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362202727313514498

This match came about after Savio Vega rejected Salina de la Renta’s offer to purchase a share of IWA Puerto Rico. Salina noted that the deal was not optional and now Vega would have to take on Muertes in an Aztec Jungle Fight.

In an undisclosed location, deep in the jungle, Muertes and Vega brawled. The camera cut away from the match on multiple occasions and went back to Filthy Island to cover the matches taking place there. Eventually, Muertes hit Vega in the head with a large crowbar and cover him for the 3. As the camera cut away, Muertes was digging a grave, presumably to bury Savio Vega.

Dominic Garrini Submits Mauna Loa

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362191619571728386

Mauna Loa is the name of an active volcano in Hawaii. It was also the name of a rather large man that Dominic Garrini submitted in the first match on Filthy Island. According to the graphic, Mauna Loa is a 14-time Polynesian Pacific Champion.

It was hard not to notice during this match that a real Fyre Festival-type situation seems to have occurred on the island. The rope without rings was placed on a field with few spectators scattered around. A broken down and dilapidated tent was also visible.

Mauna Loa actually seemed to have the advantage in the match until Lawlor yelled out that he should approach the contest as if he was fighting former MMA Fighter, Emmanuel Yarbrough. Garrini then hit a judo throw and locked in the rear-naked choke for the win.

Kevin Ku Beats Zenshi

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362195122088275970

Team Filthy continued its winning ways in the second match on Filthy Island as Kevin Ku defeated Zenshi. The match started in an interesting fashion, as Zenshi dropped down from the trees into the rope-less ring. He picked up the win with a Dragon Suplex after Zenshi hit the exposed post moments earlier.

TJP Heel Turn Confirmed?

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362197148394217475

TJP showed frustration with Bu Ku Dao after their recent tag-team loss. In an interview with Alicia Atout, TJP expressed that he doesn’t feel Dao has it to be successful and also made fun of his height. Atout accused TJP of bullying and he abruptly ended the interview.

Rocky Romero Picks Up Win Over El Gringo Loco

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1362200269753311235

Rocky Romero and El Gringo Loco faced each other in singles action on Filthy Island. At one point, Romero looked at the camera and dedicated the match to his dog. Well, Romero’s dog was likely thrilled to see him pick up the victory after delivering a tornado DDT.

MLW Top-10 Rankings

MLW released updated top-10 rankings this week.

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)

Konnan Released From Hospital, Battling COVID-19 (Updated)

Jake Skudder
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Wrestling legend Konnan has been hospitalized. According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, he is under medical care due to a kidney issue. Meltzer notes that his condition is serious, but that is all we know at this time.

Konnan, 57, has battled problems with his kidney before. He underwent a kidney transplant in 2007. There were complications following the surgery, but he eventually recovered. He’s spoken publicly about a history of abusing painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs “ruined his kidney.”

He boasts a long career and accolades across the globe. These accolades include becoming WCW World Television, United States and Tag Team Champion; CMLL World Heavyweight Champion and AAA Parejas Increibles Tag Team and Americas Heavyweight Champion.

SEScoops wishes Konnan a speedy recovery.

Update (2/18): According to Hugo Savinovich (via @Lucha Libre Online) Konnan has tested positive for COVID-19, which is why he is hospitalized. He recognized that his life was in danger, but hopes to be discharged over the next 48 hours.

Update (2/20): Konnan is out of the hospital and in better condition, per Dave Meltzer.

Update on Tessa Blanchard Potentially Going To AEW

Jake Skudder
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Tessa Blanchard has been a free agent since leaving IMPACT Wrestling on June 25th 2020. There were reports of Blanchard being racially abuse to talent in her past, and Tessa addressed these in an Instagram post back in September.

“I’ve been away for a while” Tessa Blanchard wrote last year. “The main reason for that is to focus on my wedding & honeymoon. The past few months I’ve gotten back to the basics & been focusing on the relationships I have with family, friends & myself.”

“Racist? That’s not me” Blanchard continued. “That’s never been me, I don’t have a history of being that way, I don’t have a history of using that language & that’s the end of it, it’s just not who I am. & I’m tired of being called & my family seeing me be called something so hateful.”

Tessa Blanchard To AEW?

It has been rumored since Blanchard left IMPACT that she may be going to either AEW or WWE/NXT. On the AEW side, commentator Tony Schiavone indicated that there’s no talks in place currently.

Speaking on the AEW Dynamite post-show, Schiavone said “I don’t think that’s happening.” That was specifically when Schiavone was asked if he had any knowledge of AEW wanting to sign Tessa Blanchard. “At least not anytime soon. I would have heard that [if she’s coming over].”

With Tessa’s past it may be more likely that WWE would be interested in signing her. WWE have shown through prior dealings that they are more inclined to take on talented individuals with potentially problematic pasts.

Backstage Update On Bo Dallas’ WWE Status

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former NXT Champion Bo Dallas hasn’t been seen on WWE programming for a while and there hasn’t been any update on his status with the company either.

Dave Meltzer recently talked about the former champion on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio and confirmed that he is still under contract with the company.

The wrestling journalist noted that the company has not released Dallas despite having nothing for him,:”he’s still there, still got a job. No idea what or why or anything. [It’s a] big mystery.”

The 30 year old had said that he was going on a ‘life changing expedition’ in late 2019 and fans would see a Bo they have never seen, but he hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since that year.

Bo Dallas last wrestled for the company during a house show in November 2019. His last on-screen appearance was at the Crown Jewel event in October the same year where he competed in the tag team turmoil match.

His last storyline was with Curtis Axel as part of the B-Team but the duo were disbanded when the company released Axel as part of the coronavirus budget cuts in April 2020.

Bo Dallas has been a part of the WWE roster since 2008. He has won a few titles in the company during his time, including the NXT title in the brand’s early days.

Batista On Why He Was Turned Down A Role On The Walking Dead

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Hollywood career of Batista has been flourishing in recent years. The former WWE star has landed roles in many big-budget movies. However, he was still turned down a role in popular TV series The Walking Dead.

The former world champion was recently interviewed by Empire Magazine on the set of his upcoming Netflix film Army of The Dead where he talked about a number of things.

Discussing his efforts to get a role in the TV series, Batista revealed that he offered to make a free cameo but was turned down by the showmakers:

“I’m a zombie fan, I tried to get on Walking Dead for years. I said I would come and play a zombie for free, but they said, ‘You’re too big!’”

Batista also talked about his upcoming film which will be directed by Zack Snyder and he claimed that the movie has a ‘whole bunch of different layers.’

The former Evolution member was announced as an inductee for the 2020 class of Hall Of Fame before the event had to be halted due to coronavirus. It’s likely that the former world champion will return to the company for his induction during the upcoming WrestleMania weekend.

Exploding Barbwire Death Match Announced For AEW Revolution

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW has announced that Kenny Omega will be defending his AEW World Championship against Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch at the upcoming Revolution PPV.

The main event of this week’s episode of Dynamite saw the former AEW Champion teaming up with Rey Fenix, and Lance Archer to defeat the trio of Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade.

Mox however, got attacked by the Good Brothers after the match. Kenny Omega then came out with a mic while Gallows and Anderson were holding Jon.

The current champion showed some papers to his rival and revealed that the former WWE star slipped a rematch clause into their title match agreement.

Omega said that Moxley will get his rematch but he will choose the stipulation for it and he chose an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch.

Updated Revolution Match Card

The world title match is the sixth bout that has been announced for the Revolution PPV taking place on March 7. After the latest announcement, below is the updated match card for the show:

  • AEW Championship Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Jon Moxley
  • AEW Women’s Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Winner Of AEW Title Eliminator Tournament
  • AEW Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks (c) vs. Chris Jericho and MJF
  • Street Fight: Sting and AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin vs. FTW Champion Brian Cage and Ricky Starks with Taz
  • Face of Revolution Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Penta El Zero M vs. Scorpio Sky vs. 3 Contestants TBA
  • Singles Match With Winner Getting His Opponents 2021 Quarter One Earnings: Matt Hardy vs. Hangman Page

AEW Dynamite Results (2/17): Death Match Set For Revolution, Brian Cage Attacks Sting

AEW Dynamite Results (2/17): Death Match Set For Revolution, Brian Cage Attacks Sting

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. Riho made her return tonight and Moxley, Fenix, and Archer battled Kingston, Butcher, and Blade in the main event.

Dynamite Results (2/17)

  1. Hangman Page & Matt Hardy def. TH2
  2. Riho def. Serena Deeb to advance in the AEW Women’s Championship Eliminator Tournament
  3. Orange Cassidy def. Luther in a quick match
  4. Young Bucks def. Santana & Ortiz to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
  5. FTR def. Matt & Mike Sydal
  6. Jon Moxley, Rey Fenix, Lance Archer def. Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, The Blade

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Hangman Page Will Face Matt Hardy At Revolution In A Money Match

Hangman Page & Matt Hardy faced TH2 in the first match of the night. Hangman leveled Angelico with a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Suplex to Jack Evans. Matt Hardy tagged in and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count.

Page tagged in and hit a running Shooting Star Press for another near fall. Matt tagged back in and hit a Suplex before posing in the ring. Matt planted Evans with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Evans had tagged in. Jack beat down Matt in the corner of the ring and tagged Angelico back in.

Angelico rolled up Matt for a two count before applying a Headlock in the corner. Evans tagged in and bounced Matt’s face off the turnbuckle. Matt battled back and planted Evans with a Side Effect. Hangman tagged in and started unloading Clotheslines.

Hangman connected with a massive Spinebuster on Angelico and followed it up with another Clothesline. Hangman knocked Evans off the apron and planted Angelico with a Fallaway Slam. Page hit Evans with a Crossboy and then booted Angelico in the face for a near fall.

Angelico tagged in and walked into a Powerbomb from Hangman. Page then Powerbombed Evans on top of Angelico before Matt tagged himself in as Hangman was setting up for the Buckshot Lariat. Evans shoved Hardy into Hangman. Evans hit an ugly looking Phoenix Splash for a two count. Hangman Page came out of nowhere and leveled TH2 with a Buckshot Lariat. Matt Hardy then connected with the Twist of Fate for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Matt Hardy told Hangman that he is going to make a lot of money. Matt added that he is getting 30% of it and is proud Hangman decided to sign with him. Hangman said he had a good friend (Brodie Lee) that always told him to always keep an extra set of papers in his pocket.

Page noted that Matt didn’t read the contract and the Jaguars mascot made his way to the ring and handed Matt the contract. Hardy read it and announced that he will face Hangman Page at Revolution. Hardy added that the contract said Hangman will get all of Matt’s earnings for the first quarter of 2021. Matt challenged Hangman to put his first quarter earnings on the line and Page accepted the challenge. The Jaguars mascot attacked Hangman Page from behind and it was revealed to be Isiah Kassidy.

Hardy paid TH2 to attack Hangman from behind and beat him down. -1 instructed Dark Order to make the save and they beat everyone down besides Hangman. Alan Angels unloaded on Matt but Hardy knocked him out of the ring. Hangman went for the Buckshot Lariat but Matt ducked under it and retreated.

Riho Advanced In The Tournament

Riho faced Serena Deeb in the first round of the Women’s Elimination tournament. The winner of the tournament will earn a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship currently held by Hikaru Shida. Deeb was wearing a knee brace for the match and the announcers pointed out that she has a knee issue that will need to be addressed soon. The winner of the match will face Thunder Rosa in the next round.

Deeb and Riho locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the action. Deeb applied a Headlock and brought Riho to the canvas. Riho escaped but Deeb remained in control. Deeb connected with a shoulder tackle and went for the cover but Riho kicked out at one.

Riho connected with a Dropkick that sent Deeb to the canvas. Deeb slammed Riho’s neck into the bottom rope as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Deeb had Riho in a Headlock again. Riho battled to her feet and drove Serena to the corner of the ring.

Riho connected with a Snap Dragon Suplex to give her some time to regroup. Riho hit a knee to the midsection and went for the cover but Serena kicked out at two. Deeb blocked a Northern Lights Suplex and went for a Brainbuster but her knee gave out.

Riho connected with a Dropkick and climbed to the top rope. Riho went for a Crossbody but Serena rolled through and went to work on Riho’s knee. Deeb connected with a Dragon Screw and Riho collapsed to the canvas. Serena planted Riho with a swinging Neckbreaker but Riho somehow kicked out at the last moment.

Serena charged at Riho but the former AEW Women’s Champion tripped her up. Riho hit a 619 and followed it up with a Double Stomp off the top rope. Riho climbed to the top rope and hit a Crossbody for a near fall.

Deeb hit Riho with a Dragon Screw and followed it up with a Powerbomb. Serena locked in the Stretch Muffler submission but Riho countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Riho connected with a Northern Lights Suplex. Riho hit another Double Stomp off the top rope and went for the cover but Deeb kicked out at two.

Deeb and Riho traded roll-ups in the middle of the ring and Riho was able to keep Serena down for the victory in a terrific match. Riho advanced in the tournament and will face Thunder Rosa in the next round of the tournament.

Brian Cage Powerbombed Sting

Team Taz came down to the ring and Taz demanded that Sting come to the ring. Sting’s music hit and The Icon emerged from the entrance tunnel with snow falling down. Sting entered the ring and Taz asked for the music to be shut off.

Taz noted that Sting has his bat and claimed that Sting is nothing anymore without the bat. Sting tossed the bat away and took off his jacket. Sting threw the jacket at Brian Cage and hit him with a few punches in the corner. Brian Cage booted Sting in the midsection and Powerbombed Sting in the middle of the ring.

Kenny Omega Visited A School

AEW Champion Kenny Omega went to a school with Don Callis. Omega read from a book that described his match with Jericho in NJPW. Kenny said business raised dramatically because of him and explained that meant they made a lot of money.

Callis said his time was up and Omega started to leave. A kid asked if Kenny could come play and Don told them no. Callis suggested the kids play with Nakazawa and they said they hated him. The kids then piled on top of Nakazawa as Callis and Omega left.

Young Bucks Retained

Young Bucks defended their AEW Tag Team Championships against Santana & Ortiz. Inner Circle accompanied Santana & Ortiz. Santana and Nick Jackson started off the action. Ortiz and Matt tagged in and Matt connected with a flurry of Arm Drags. Ortiz hit an Arm Drag of his own but Matt responded with a Dropkick.

Santana tagged in and booted Matt in the midsection. Nick tagged in as Omega, Callis, and the Good Brothers were shown watching the match backstage. JR accidentally referred to Kenny as “WWE Champion” and said that this is becoming more insane every week. Excalibur joked that he thought JR was talking about the angle they were watching the TV from.

Ortiz planted Nick with a Backbreaker and started taunting Matt on the apron. MJF tried for a cheap shot but the referee caught him. The referee then kicked out Inner Circle from ringside. When Dynamite returned, Nick caught Ortiz with a boot to the face and tagged in Matt.

Matt Jackson hit Ortiz with a Clothesline and then delivered one to Santana. Matt climbed to the top rope and hit a Twisting Stunner on Santana for a near all. Santana battled back and hit an Avalanche Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Ortiz locked in a submission hold as Santana hit a Dropkick on Matt outside the ring. Matt broke the hold by hitting an Elbow Drop off the top rope.

Young Bucks hit the Doomsday Device and Matt was able to tag back in. Matt hit a Buckle Bomb and followed it up with a Superkick. Matt went for the cover but Ortiz was able to break it up at two. Santana hit a double Cutter and tagged in Ortiz. Santana & Ortiz hit the Street Sweeper and went for the cover but Matt broke it up at the last moment.

Santana and Ortiz Powerbombed Matt Jackson into the crowd at Daily’s Place. Ortiz shouted “the best!” several times and Nick capitalized with an inside cradle for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Inner Circle rushed the ring and beat Young Bucks down. Omega said they need to do something about this but Don Callis sent Good Brothers instead. Jericho locked in the Liontamer as MJF locked in the Salf of the Earth. Good Brothers slowly made their way to the ring and Inner Circle retreated. Jericho started mocking the Young Bucks’ parents ringside.

FTR def. Matt & Mike Sydal

FTR battled Matt and Mike Sydal tonight on Dynamite. Cody joined commentary for the match and announced Brandi is having a baby girl. Harwood and Wheeler isolated Mike in the corner but Sydal battled back and hit Dax with a Dropkick.

Matt tagged in and unloaded some kicks to Harwood. Mike tagged in and hit Dax with a Double Stomp. Wheeler tagged in and the Sydals greeted him with a couple knees to the face. Wheeler planted Mike with a German Suplex off the middle turnbuckle as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Matt hit Harwood with a knee to the face and sent him out of the ring. Mike then climbed to the top rope and hit FTR with a Moonsault outside the ring. Back in the ring, Matt went for the cover but Dax was able to kick out at two.

Wheeler caught Matt with an uppercut and then tagged in. Cash sent Matt to the corner and went for a Splash but Sydal got out of the way. Wheeler planted Matt with a Dragon Suplex but Mike broke it up at two. Mike tagged in and booted Wheeler in the face. Matt hit Double Knees off the top rope and Mike followed it up with a rough looking Splash for a two count. Matt climbed to the top rope but Dax tripped him up. Wheeler drove Mike to the corner and Dax tagged in. FTR hit Mike with the Big Rig for the pinfall victory.

After the match, FTR was about to cut off Mike’s hair but the lights went out. Jurassic Express appeared in the ring and Luchasaurus had a new mask. Jurassic Express beat FTR down and Luchasaurus Chokeslammed Cash Wheeler.

Omega Will Face Moxley In An “Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match” At Revolution

Jon Moxley, Rey Fenix, and Lance Archer battled Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade in this week’s main event. The match started out in a brawl with every wrestler battling in the ring. Butcher brought Archer out of the ring and slammed him into the barricade.

Kingston and Moxley traded punches outside the ring as well. Moxley sent Kingston into the barricade but Butcher and Blade attacked Jon from behind. Butcher rolled Moxley into the ring and connected with a Backbreaker.

Butcher tagged in and hit a Leg Drop for a near fall. Butcher threw Moxley to the turnbuckle and hit him with a Splash. Blade tagged in and connected with a Powerslam for a two count. Jon elbowed Butcher off the apron and planted Blade with a Neckbreaker.

Archer tagged in and punched Eddie off the ring apron. Lance connected with an Exploder Suplex that sent The Blade flying across the ring. Archer walked across the top rope as Rey hit Butcher off the ring apron. Archer leaped onto Blade as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Butcher hit Archer with a couple chops and Blade tagged in. Kingston tagged in and shoved Archer to the corner. Kingston hit some chops of his own and raked Lance’s eyes before Butcher tagged back.

Butcher continued to beat Archer down in the corner of the ring until Lance finally was able to battle back. Moxley Clotheslined Blade out of the ring as Archer leveled Butcher and Kingston with a Crossbody. Fenix tagged in and perched Butcher up on the top turnbuckle.

Fenix booted Butcher in the face and planted Kingston with an Arm Drag. Fenix then hit a dive onto Blade outside teh ring and a Cutter to Butcher back in the ring. Fenix hopped up to the top rope and hit a Frog Splash for a two count. Fenix hit Blade with a Dropkick and everyone was down.

Eddie and Moxley traed punches in the middle of the ring. Kingston connected with an Enziguri but turned around into a kick from Fenix. Jon Moxley then locked in the Bulldog Choke on Kingston but Butcher and Blade broke it up. Archer then Chokeslammed Fenix on onto Butcher and Blade. Lance followed it up with a ridiculous Cannonball off the apron.

Moxley and Kingston then traded punches again in the middle of the ring. Jon decked Kingston with a Clothesline and followed it up with the Paradigm Shift for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Impact Tag Team Champions Good Brothers attacked Moxley from behind. AEW Champion Kenny Omega made his way to the ring and said Jon is looking kind of pathetic right now. Omega told Moxley that he has his rematch at Revolution in an “Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match” at Revolution.

Opinion: I have no idea what an “Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match” is but I’m in. Omega and Moxley’s non-sanctioned match at Full Gear was great and I’m looking forward to the carnage this match will be at Revolution. Overall, I thought this was one of the better episodes of Dynamite as of late.

WWE NXT Results (2/17): Pat McAfee Appears, Six-Man Tag

Andrew Ravens
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0

The February 17, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart def. The Way (Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell).
  • Leon Ruff def. Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott.
  • Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro def. Jessi Kamea & Aliyah.
  • KUSHIDA def. Tyler Rust (w/Malcolm Bivens)
  • Zoey Stark def. Valentina Feroz.
  • Pete Dunne, Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan def. Finn Balor, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Johnny Gargano Looks For Austin Theory

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Johnny Gargano went on the hunt for Austin Theory after the prospect vanished while walking with other members of The Way (Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Indie Heartwell) backstage to the ring ahead of his North American Title defense against Kushida at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day. 

It appeared Lumis rendered him unconscious after placing a towel over his mouth and nose, implying it was chloroform. Shortly after, Lumis “hacked” Theory’s Twitter account and posted photos of himself. 

Gargano had missing posters. During the Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell tag team match, a white van had pulled up to the building. Gargano had left ringside to go check it out and got Theory, who had been tied up. 

Tag Team Match

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Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell took place in a tag team match. 

This was the first match of the night. The match was solid with the heels dominating the majority of the match with Moon getting the hot tag. Moon got the win with a roll-up on Heartwell off a distraction. 

This was a rematch from last week’s episode of NXT that saw Moon and Blackheart go over to advance to the finals of the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The babyfaces lost to Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez in the finals this past Sunday night at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day. 

Undisputed Era Follow-Up

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After Finn Balor had successfully retained the NXT Title over Pete Dunne in the main event of NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Balor was attacked by Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch in the ring until Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong) ran out and chased them off.

O’Reilly helped Balor up and told him how much he respects him, but Cole superkicked Balor then O’Reilly after O’Reilly was furious with Cole and said what he did to Balor was “bullsh*t.” 

The show opened with Kyle doing an interview in the ring about how the Undisputed Era is special and they were supposed to last forever. He said that Cole stabbed him in the back, but he’s still his brother. He wanted to know why Cole did what he did.

He said that he’ll likely punch him in the face, but he’s willing to hear him out. Strong came out and said Cole did what he did due to emotion. He said he knows Cole regrets what he did. Kyle told Strong to not get in the ring because he doesn’t trust him. He demanded for Cole to get out to the ring. Balor came out instead and said he was looking for Kyle. Balor told him to get in line behind him because they have some business to address.

He said that he knew not to accept Kyle’s hand and questioned his intentions behind it. Dunne, Lorcan, and Burch ran out to attack the three men. 

Main Event

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WWE had been advertising Karrion Kross vs. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar in a non-title match. 

That match was pulled and WWE did an angle where Santos did a promo about how he would face Kross on his time. William Regal then announced the match would take place and if Santos didn’t do it then he would be stripped of the title and suspended. 

Thus, we got Balor, O’Reilly, and Strong vs. Lorcan, Burch, and Dunne in a six-man tag team match instead. 

The match ended when there was a referee bump. Cole kicked Kyle in the head then hit a brainbuster to him on the steel steps. Dunne pinned Balor with the Bitter End. Cole ended the show while standing over Balor with the NXT Title.  

Pat McAfee Appears

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Pat McAfee appeared in a video while on a private plane. He said that fans now know what he knew about Adam Cole (referencing his attack on Kyle O’Reilly). He said that Cole was a scumbag and called the fans the wrestling internet community. He wants all apologies from fans regarding them being wrong about what he said about Cole. He noted he’s going to a beach while the bums [fans] were sitting at home. 

McAfee hadn’t been seen since TakeOver: WarGames last November. In 2020, he worked two matches with Cole. 

Triple H recently addressed Pat McAfee’s status in WWE during a recent media call:

“Pat’s limitations are…he’s a busy guy,” Triple H said. “Pat is one of the most successful… I hate to put a title on what he does because I feel like it’s limiting to him, but like you say… podcaster, media personality, sports world personality… almost every weekend that I look online during football season Pat seems to be trending on the weekends. His coverage of football, his association with FanDuel, just everything that he does.”

There’s still no word yet on when McAfee will work another match, but he did respond to Triple H’s comments shortly after the WWE Executive made them. 

Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler Confront Challengers

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Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai came out to the ring to join MSK to celebrate winning the men’s and women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. As a result of winning their respective tournament, Raquel and Kai are guaranteed a title match. 

They were quickly interrupted by WWE Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Raquel told Shayna that she doesn’t run NXT anymore. Their title match is set for March 3rd. Jax told them to calm down and she came here to honor Dusty. 

She recalls him praising her while she was in NXT. She said that he was right when he called her the biggest badest bi*ch in WWE. She said that they’re the most dominant tag team in all of WWE. Raquel said that Dusty never met her. Shayna said in two weeks, they will be coming to their home turf to embarrass them. Raquel said that she was going to take her boot and shove it up Jax’s hole that she will never get it out. 

Edge On Finn Balor: He’s Operating On An Entirely Different Level Right Now

Andrew Ravens
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0

Edge had the chance a few weeks ago to share the ring with WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor during an episode of NXT. 

The WWE Hall of Famer finds himself in an interesting spot kayfabe wise as he can pick which title he wants to challenge for at WrestleMania 37 after winning the Men’s Royal Rumble Match. 

He could go after the WWE Title, held by Drew McIntyre, Universal Championship, currently held by Roman Reigns, or Balor’s prestigious belt. However, WWE already has plans in place for him at the biggest event of the year. 

Edge did a promo segment on that NXT episode with Balor and Pete Dunne to further promote their match at the NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day special. 

While doing an interview with Sports Illustrated, the former WWE Champion gave some high praise to Balor. 

“You need to start with Finn Bálor. He’s operating on an entirely different level in the ring right now than I’ve ever seen him perform. I love what he’s doing. With Finn, the story would be two guys who have wrestled all over the world, but never been in the same place at the same time. That’s very appealing to me.”

Edge also talked about Christian’s in-ring return, Reigns, and more. The full interview can be found here.

Seth Rollins Sounds On Roman Reigns, Cancel Culture

Michael Reichlin
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0

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins returned to SmacDown last week. The former Shield member went on hiatus in December to be with his wife Becky Lynch, who recently gave birth to their daughter, Roux.

During an appearance on WWE’s The Bump digital series, he discussed a variety of topics, including fatherhood and Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

Rollins says he’s a bit confused by the way some fans reacted to his return on social media. Apparently some people thought fatherhood would have softened him up, but that’s not the case.

“[Maybe they thought] I was gonna come back, I don’t know, softer, in some way, that I was gonna be a bit of a snowflake, that being a dad was gonna make me a wimp, or it was gonna give me less conviction and that’s just not the case,” said Rollins.

“I’ve got this beautiful baby girl, and she is now the motivation for everything that I do. So I gotta double down, I gotta work harder, I gotta grind deeper to get where I wanna go. I’m not gonna sit back and pretend like I’m gonna come back and be a big softie. No, I’m gonna come back and double down on my beliefs and my convictions, not for me, but for her.”

Seth Rollins on Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns has been on a tear over the past few months. Rollins says Reigns is “absolutely killing the game” and has finally doing things his way.

“He’s doing incredible things as the Head of the Table, the Universal Champion, representing SmackDown,” Rollins said of Reigns. “You know, as good as he can. It’s really an incredible thing to watch someone really take hold of their own belief system, of their own career.”

Roman Reigns is a guy who always ‘did the right thing’ and followed the path that was laid out before him in WWE, according to Rollins. That yielded mixed results, with fans rejecting him as the top star for several years.

“Now, he’s really marching to the beat of his own drummer. He’s really doing his own thing and it’s paying dividends. It’s like I said, you can’t back down when people want to push against you. That’s something that’s big in our society today, is people wanting to backtrack and not put their beliefs out there, cause they’re so afraid they’re going to get judged with this cancel culture that’s going on. You can’t do that. You’ve gotta put your foot down and move forward or no progress will be made.”

WWE Elimination Chamber Betting Odds For Top Matches

Michael Reichlin
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0

The road to WrestleMania continues this Sunday when WWE presents Elimination Chamber live from St. Petersburg, Florida at the Thunderdome.

Online betting website BetOnline has released betting odds for the top matches on the card. Below are the favorites:

Raw Elimination Chamber Winner

Drew McIntyre is favored to retain the WWE Championship in the Raw Men’s Elimination Chamber match. Odds

  • Drew McIntyre: 1/2
  • Sheamus: 5/2
  • AJ Styles: 6/1
  • Randy Orton: 7/1
  • Kofi Kingston: 40/1
  • Jeff Hardy: 50/1

Smackdown Men’s Elimination Chamber Winner

Kevin Owens is favored in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match. The winner goes on to face Universal Champion Roman Reigns later in the evening.

  • Kevin Owens: 4/5
  • Cesaro: 3/2
  • Daniel Bryan: 9/2
  • Jey Uso: 10/1
  • Baron Corbin: 50/1
  • Sami Zayn: 50/1

Bobby Lashley (c) vs Keith Lee vs Riddle

Bobby Lashley is favored to retain the United States Championship over Keith Lee and Riddle.

  • Bobby Lashley: 4/7
  • Keith Lee: 7/4
  • Riddle: 4/1

WWE Films Pilot For New NXT EVOLVE Show

Andrew Ravens
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0

Back in December, it was reported WWE had been considering doing a new show for the NXT brand, which would see it be led by former EVOLVE co-founder Gabe Sapolsky. 

The idea behind it was to help out talent trying to make it on the NXT roster. On Wednesday, Fightful reported the company has taken another step further with the show as it now has a tentative title of NXT EVOLVE with Sapolsky and Jeremy Borash both heavily involved.

Dave Meltzer confirmed that a pilot has been filmed as well as Sapolsky being under control of the new venture. He couldn’t confirm any other details.

The report from Fightful goes onto state the tapings for the show had more of a “fight” feel and took place at a warehouse that was temporarily used when the Performance Center didn’t train talent. 

Josiah Williams served as the host with new graphics and a title belt already created with the NXT EVOLVE branding. As it stands right now, there’s no word yet on whether this show has been greenlit for production, announcers, intended talent, and the platform on which it will air. It’s possible that WWE adds commentary to the broadcast in post-production and if WWE can’t reach a television deal with a network, the likely home would be on the WWE Network. 

Originally, the plan for the show was to provide those in developmental more opportunity to work since WWE can’t run house shows. 

WWE purchased EVOLVE from Sapolsky and Sal Hamoui last July while Sapolsky has been an NXT consultant since 2018.

WWE Raw Ratings Rebound From Last Week’s 2021 Low (2/15)

Andrew Ravens
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0

Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.810 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week (1.715 million viewers with a 0.49 rating), which was the least-watched episode of Raw this year. 

This was the go-home edition of the red brand for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event. Next week will feature the fallout from this PPV, which is likely to get a small bump in viewership due to intrigue. 

Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday night:

  • The first hour did 1.935 million viewers and a 0.60 rating (A18-49).
  • The second hour did 1.806 million viewers and a 0.57 rating.
  • The final hour of the show had just 1.690 million viewers and a 0.53 rating.

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 1.990 million viewers. This is down from the 2.257 million viewers on FS1 that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown pulled in a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demos, down from the 0.65 rating the previous week’s show. The episode drew an average of 1.883 million viewers in the overnight ratings, down from the previous week that did 2.126 million viewers. 

The first hour saw it pull in 1.905 million viewers while hour two did 1.862 million viewers. The show did 2.144 million viewers in hour one while hour two did 2.108 million viewers two weeks ago.

AEW Rankings Report 2/17: Jurassic Express Moves Ahead Of FTR

Chris Stephens
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0

AEW has released new top-5 rankings for its men’s, women’s, and tag-team divisions. 

AEW Men’s Singles Rankings

AEW World Champion: Kenny Omega (1-0) 
TNT Champion: Darby Allin (2-0)

  1. Jon Moxley (2-0) 
  2. PAC (3-0) (+1)
  3. Cody Rhodes (2-0) (-1)
  4. Rey Fenix (3-1)
  5. Miro (2-0) (-1)

The only movement in the men’s singles rankings this week saw #2 PAC move up one spot over #3 Cody Rhodes. PAC defeated Ryan Nemeth last week while Rhodes injured his shoulder in a tag-team win with Lee Johnson over Cezar Bononi and Peter Avalon.

We still don’t have a World Title match announced for Revolution on March 7th. One would expect #1 Jon Moxley to receive a rematch against Omega but that has yet to be announced. TNT Champion Darby Allin is not scheduled to defend his belt on the show. He’ll be teaming with Sting against Team Taz in a street fight.

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AEW Women’s Singles Rankings

AEW Women’s Champion: Hikaru Shida (1-0) 

  1. Red Velvet (4-0)
  2. Britt Baker (3-0)
  3. Tay Conti (5-1) (+1)
  4. Serena Deeb (2-0) (-1)
  5. Thunder Rosa (3-1)

The only movement in the women’s division this week sees #3 Tay Conti move up past #4 Serena Deeb.

Everything in this division is about the women’s title-eliminator tournament at the moment. The tournament kicked off on Dynamite last week with #5 Thunder Rosa defeating the unranked Leyla Hirsch. The tournament will continue tonight when #4 Serena Deeb takes on former AEW Women’s Champion, Riho.

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AEW Tag Team Rankings

AEW Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (0-0)

  1. Chris Jericho & Maxwell Jacob Friedman (3-0)
  2. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) (3-0) (+1)
  3. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (1-0) (-1)
  4. Santana & Ortiz (3-1) (+1)
  5. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) (3-1) (-1) 

#3 FTR is not going to like the fact that #2 Jurassic Express has now moved ahead of them in the rankings. The only other movement in the rankings this week sees #4 Santana & Ortiz move ahead of #5 the Acclaimed.

Last week on Dynamite, #1 MJF and Chris Jericho defeated #5 The Acclaimed. On tonight’s show, #4 Santana and Ortiz will face The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Whoever leaves that match as champions will then face MJF and Jericho at Revolution.

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Cody Rhodes Talks Possible Cinematic Match with Sting

Jake Skudder
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0

AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes recently spoke to New York Post. The former TNT Champion discussed a number of topics during the interview, including a potential ‘cinematic’ match against Sting.

‘The Icon’ Sting signed for AEW and debuted back on December 2nd at the ‘Winter Is Coming’ episode of AEW Dynamite. With Sting’s advanced age (for pro wrestling) and history of spinal issues? At 61 years old, he will be somewhat limited as to what he can do in the ring.

Cody Rhodes on Cinematic Matches

Cody Rhodes discussed this and the possibility that he may be able to face the former WCW legend in a match.

“To me, the cinematic matches, they really don’t have a current definition” Cody began. “I’ve seen the Stadium Stampede and I’ve seen the [WWE] Boneyard [match]. I’ve seen various different ways to present cinematic. And really cinematic just means with different camera cuts.”

“It can mean a lot of things” Cody Rhodes continued. “But ask me that question again in a few months; because I want the opportunity to stand across from the Stinger and I think he knows that. It’s almost kind of itching at me under my skin that if there is somebody I wanted to beat? It’s the face of TNT’s hottest period and run.”

Sting will be teaming with Darby Allin to take on Team Taz at AEW Revolution in March.

Young Rock NBC Premiere Delivers Strong Rating (2/16)

Chris Stephens
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0

Tuesday night’s “Young Rock” premiere on NBC delivered an impressive rating, indicating sizable interest in the new series.

Over 5 million people tuned in to see the show. Young Rock was second on network TV for the evening, falling behind only “This Is Us” (also on NBC). It finished first for the night in the males 18-49 category.

Young Rock drew 5,034,000 viewers and did a 0.9 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is Us pulled in a 1.1 rating in the demo.

SNL veteran Kenan Thompson’s new show debuted following Young Rock. It brought in 4 million viewers and a 0.8 rating in the A18-49 demo.

Last night’s ratings via ShowBuzz Daily are below:

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“Young Rock focuses on different chapters of Dwayne Johnson’s life. From growing up in a strong and resilient family, to being surrounded by the wild characters of his professional wrestling family, to playing football at the University of Miami, the show will explore the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life characters he’s met along the way.”

Braun Strowman Calls Out WWE Signee Parker Boudreaux

Chris Stephens
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0

Parker Boudreaux is considered a blue-chip prospect for WWE. He recently signed with the company and has been backstage at events as of late.

Boudreaux posted video online yesterday that is garnering attention. The former UCF football star says he’s played his last ‘snap and is now focused on his pro-wrestling career.

https://twitter.com/ParkerBoudreaux/status/1361721301199642625

Boudreaux continued to post several images to his Twitter account. Braun Strowman then responded to one Twitter user’s belief that Boudreaux could face Strowman at WrestleMania someday.

Paul Heyman had noted that he believes Boudreaux could be “The Next Big Thing” which is a line he previously used for Brock Lesnar.

Boudreaux previously noted that he gets comparisons to Brock Lesnar as well as Rocky IV’s Ivan Drago.

“I probably get that one every day,” he said to the Bleacher Report. “I’ll get [Ivan] Drago from Rocky. I’ll get [Brian] Bosworth. Everybody has something. It’s pretty funny.”

Jim Ross has also spoken about Boudreaux’s potential. He sent out the following Tweet last April.

Braun Strowman returned to action on this week’s edition of RAW. He had been on the shelf with a blood infection that caused him to lose 15lbs.

NJPW Reportedly Turns Down AXS TV Deal for Roku

Jake Skudder
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0

It was recently confirmed that New Japan Pro Wrestling have signed a television deal with Roku in both the United States and United Kingdom.

In an update to that deal, NJPW reportedly turned down a deal from AXS TV and opted to go with Roku. New Japan was previously on the AXS TV network before the broadcaster purchased IMPACT Wrestling. AXS chose to emphasise their new wrestling content and there wasn’t a place for NJPW.

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio; Dave Meltzer confirmed that NJPW decided to go with Roku. The reasoning was that they felt the streaming brand was better in terms of ongoing company strategy. This strategy includes expanding more into the Western markets.

NJPW and Roku

The deal with Roku is not exclusive, meaning that New Japan can pursue a cable network deal down the line if they so wish. This would not have been the case with AXS TV and thus why NJPW opted to go with the streaming platform.

The NJPW Roku channel was launched on Thursday 11th February. New Japan Pro-Wrestling is a new one-hour weekly show that premieres Thursdays at 5pm (Eastern). Additional NJPW content from 2020 will also be available on-demand.

A press release at the NJPW website includes quotes from NJPW and Roku executives.

“Our fans in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are among our most loyal, and they have been very clear that they want NJPW’s content made available to them,” said Takami Ohbari, President of NJPW. “NJPW is unlike any other pro-wrestling in the world. It is the most athletic, sports-oriented pro-wrestling on the planet, and we are excited to bring our athletes and matches to these markets in such a major way. Thank you to The Roku Channel, and we look forward to a successful partnership that brings NJPW to millions of new fans around the world.”

MLW Filthy Island Preview: Aztek Jungle Fight, No Holds Barred

Michael Reichlin
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0

Major League Wrestling presents a special edition of MLW Fusion tonight, Filthy Island.

The following matches are announced for this broadcast:

  • Aztec Jungle Fight: Mil Muertes vs. Savio Vega
  • No Holds Barred: Low Ki vs. King Mo
  • Dominic Garrini vs. Mauna Loa
  • Rocky Romero vs. Gringo Loco

MLW Fusion premieres Wednesday nights on Fubo Sports, Pluto TV and the MLW YouTube Channel at 7pm (Eastern). The show is replayed Saturdays on beIN Sports at 10pm (Eastern).

https://youtu.be/4HJyrBJJDEo

WrestleMania IV & V Venue Demolished

Chris Stephens
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0

Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, host venue for WWE WrestleMania IV and V, was demolished Wednesday morning. The poorly-performing casino had been closed since 2014 and Donald Trump has not been associated with it since 2009.

“The way we put Trump Plaza and the city of Atlantic City on the map for the whole world was really incredible,” said Bernie Dillon, the events manager for the casino from 1984 to 1991.

“Everyone from Hulk Hogan to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was the whole gamut of personalities. One night before a Tyson fight I stopped dead in my tracks and looked about four rows in as the place was filling up, and there were two guys leaning in close and having a private conversation: Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty.”

The actual WrestleMania events were held in nearby Jim Welan Boardwalk Hall. Trump Plaza was given the host-venue naming rights for the events.

“It was like that a lot. You had Madonna and Sean Penn walking in. Barbra Streisand and Don Johnson, Muhammad Ali would be there. Oprah sitting with Donald ringside,” Dillon continued. “It was a special time. I’m sorry to see it go.”

WrestleMania IV featured “Macho Man” Randy Savage win the WWF Championship in a single-elimination tournament. He defeated Ted Dibiase in the finals. The following year, WrestleMania V featured the Mega-Powers exploding when Savage took on Hulk Hogan. Hogan would regain the title in the main event.

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Teddy Hart Is Back In Jail Again

Chris Stephens
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0

Teddy Hart is currently being housed in the Tarrant County Correction Center in Fort Worth, Texas on various charges.

Hart was originally arrested and charged for “injuring a disabled person, evading arrest, and being in possession of a controlled substance” back in 2016. His records show he was also arrested on these same charges back in October and now again on February 10th, 2021. This likely means he has been arrested for violating the terms of his release on these charges.

The ever-useful Twitter account “@IsTeddyHartinJail” has been providing updates:

https://twitter.com/IsTeddyInJail/status/1361840374143139840

Teddy Hart has had many legal challenges over the years. He was arrested and charged with DUI, evading arrest, and auto theft in 2017. Hart was also arrested on sexual assault charges in 2014 but those charges were dropped in 2016.

He was arrested for possession and intent to sell or distribute a schedule III substance around this time last year in Virginia. A few weeks later he was arrested again for violating his house arrest. Then a few weeks after that, he was arrested for the 3rd time in under a month for strangulation resulting in wounding/bodily harm stemming from a domestic abuse incident.

He would later release a YouTube video talking about those arrests.

“When I went to go pick up some weed, I guess my license plate, which we have already knew had someone else’s name on it. I tried to explain to the officer that it’s already been taken care of. The officer said there’s nothing he could do about it and searched the car and needed to impound the car because the car came up as not mine and the registration [didn’t match] the license… While they were searching the car, they found some steroids, and they found some weed. Those are both charges and now I’m sitting in jail waiting,” Hart said.

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