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PROGRESS World Title Match Airing on WWE Network This Weekend

Jake Skudder
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It was recently revealed that PROGRESS Wrestling will be returning as of next weekend. WWE recently confirmed via Twitter that Chapter 104: Natural Progression will be airing on the WWE Network Saturday 20th February at 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT.

The main theme of the show surrounds the Natural Progression Series tournament; however there are other bouts that will be featured on the night as well. One of the bigger matches now confirmed involve the PROGRESS Unified World Champion, Cara Noir.

PROGRESS World Championship

PROGRESS confirmed that the ‘Black Swan’ Cara Noir will be defending his Championship against Dan Moloney. The company confirmed the following via Twitter: “after NPS6 @drillamoloney has unfinished business with PROGRESS World Champion @Cara_Noir. Will Dan destroy the dream return of the Black Swan? Chapter 104: Natural Progression airs 20th February 3pm ET / 8pm GMT on Demand PROGRESS & WWE network.”

Dan Moloney was previously a competitor in the NXT UK promotion, although he was quietly released after a short run in the company. Moloney was one of the standout stars of the United Kingdom scene in 2019, and he looks to bring back that momentum when he returns to in-ring action next weekend.

PROGRESS Champion Cara Noir was also one of the huge success stories prior to the pandemic. This included a major bout against AEW star PAC, which you can check out here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that the company have been unable to run shows for almost a year. The last Chapter event 103: Beer Snake City took place on 23rd February 2020.

Pat McAfee Responds To Triple H, Addresses WWE Future

Jake Skudder
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Former NFL kicker and one time NXT performer Pat McAfee recently addressed his future with WWE. Speaking on his Pat McAfee Show podcast, the man who looked extremely impressive in his debut against Adam Cole last year discussed where he goes from here with the company.

NXT head 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.”

Pat McAfee on NXT/WWE Return

“I was talked about in the wrestling community yesterday by Triple H, actually, about my future plans. It was interesting,” McAfee began on the Pat McAfee Show. “I mean, all very nice things he said there, but me learning about being written off TV did happen live on the air. He’s a very nice man, Mr. H, for everything he said. He did say, basically, like, ‘Pat has been very busy. Kind of a fat a– right now. He’s going to have to get back into shape,’ basically is what he said. And then maybe we’ll think about something.”

“I’ve not heard anything, by the way,” McAfee continued. “Have not heard anything. No ideas. But I do believe the first step would be to have the diet match the amount of conditioning I’ve been doing in the Oculus. And when that happens, look out.”

There’s currently no confirmation on when or where Pat McAfee will return to WWE or NXT programming.

h/t to 411Mania for the transcription

Finn Balor Wants More Cross-Promotion in Wrestling

Jake Skudder
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WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor recently spoke on the concept of ‘cross-promoting’ multiple pro wrestling companies. 2021 has already been a big year for promotions outside of WWE; with NJPW, AEW, IMPACT and AAA all seemingly looking to trade talent over 2021 (at least).

Speaking to Bleacher Report’s Graham Matthews, Balor said “I know there’s a lot of cross-brand work going on, which is something I’ve been an advocate for for years. I don’t feel like we should be limited to what our contract says or what company we work for.”

“I feel like wrestling on the whole can be better if we all worked together” Finn Balor continued. “So if that means me going to Japan or me going to Europe or me going to Mexico? I’m down to do that. I’m all for the open-border policy, not just between countries but companies as well.”

With All Elite Wrestling dominating the Wednesday Night ratings most weeks? It may be time for NXT to pursue other options to generate more buzz around the brand. NXT/WWE have worked with other promotions in the past, with the likes of Hideo Itami (now in NJPW) going to Pro Wrestling NOAH for an appearance. WWE also has strong links with the likes of PROGRESS, ICW, OTT, EVOLVE and wXw; although these are of course not on the level of an IMPACT, AEW or NJPW.

The only other major promotions that WWE seemingly could work with are CMLL, AJPW, NOAH or Ring of Honor; although it would be extremely unlikely, especially in ROH’s case, as they are owned by Sinclair Broadcasting in their own right.

Whilst Finn Balor does make an intriguing point, there’s probably a very slim chance that WWE will operate with other major promotions going forward.

Sammy Guevara Reportedly Rejected Planned Storyline In Impact Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Sammy Guevara was reportedly sent home from the recent Impact tapings in Nashville. According to a report from Slam Wrestling, Guevara rejected a storyline that would have seen the 27-year-old debut in the promotion.

Chris Jericho is said to have come up with an idea for Guevara to appear in Impact Wrestling. This would take place after he quit the Inner Circle on Dynamite. Guevara, however, is said to have contacted Impact directly with complaints about the creative direction. Impact then contacted Jericho and Tony Khan about Guevara’s comments. It’s not known what Guevara’s complaints were or what he said to Impact.

It doesn’t appear as though Jericho was happy about whatever Guevara said to Impact, however. Jericho is then said to have reached out to his longtime friend, Don Callis, about “banning Guevara” from the premises. Jericho is then believed to have sent Guevara a text instructing him to head home and not attend the tapings in Nashville.

*Update*

The issue was covered recently on an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

“AEW and Impact are still working together. From an AEW standpoint, there’s not any heat on Sammy for what he did. From the Impact side, I’m sure there is. That’s just what the deal is,” said Dave Meltzer.

There had been speculation amongst fans online that Guevara could turn up in Impact Wrestling. Evidently, there were plans for this to happen at one point.

At the conclusion of last night’s No Surrender broadcast, Impact announced that NJPW Juice Robinson and David Finlay are coming to the promotion. Private Party and Matt Hardy have been in Impact for the last month. Kenny Omega frequently appeared on the show throughout December and January.

Huge Name Joining NJPW/IMPACT/AEW Partnership

Jake Skudder
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It was revealed during last night’s IMPACT No Surrender event that Juice Robinson and David Finlay would be heading to the promotion this week. Alongside KENTA, that makes three mainstay NJPW stars that have appeared on both AEW/IMPACT programming over the past few weeks.

It’s now common knowledge that All Elite and IMPACT have a working relationship; this began on-screen at the December 2nd ‘Winter Is Coming’ episode of AEW Dynamite. Kenny Omega and Don Callis aligned at the end of that show and Omega began appearing on IMPACT television.

It does appear however that there’s even more to come. Dave Meltzer confirmed on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that NJPW star Kazuchika Okada will be part of the ongoing partnerships between NJPW, AEW and IMPACT. Meltzer also noted that he does not know where Okada will be appearing first; but he stated that he is coming to either AEW or IMPACT.

Kazuchika Okada in TNA

This is another interesting wrinkle in the ‘Forbidden Door’ storyline that seems to be engulfing the major promotions outside of WWE. When Okada was originally in the TNA promotion back in 2010-2011. Whilst there Okada was used as a lower card performer, with a ‘Kato’ gimmick from The Green Hornet.

The way that Kazuchika Okada was used by TNA was so appalling that NJPW cut all ties with the promotion shortly after, vowing never to work with Total Nonstop Action again. Reportedly in 2017, representatives of the now IMPACT Wrestling spoke to New Japan officials. Members of the IMPACT team actually apologised for the way Okada was used earlier in the decade. It’s likely that the people who apologised weren’t even involved in his booking at that time.

If Kazuchika Okada were to make an appearance at an AEW or IMPACT show? It could be a huge power move for all involved. Okada is classed as one of the greatest IWGP Heavyweight Champions in history; there’s plenty of dream match scenarios that could occur if the ‘Rainmaker’ comes to the United States.

NJPW’s Juice Robinson & David Finlay Headed To Impact Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Doors between professional wrestling organizations are being opened and walked through with increased frequency lately. As announced on last night’s No Surrender event, NJPW’s Juice Robinson and David Finlay are headed to Impact Wrestling.

At the conclusion of last night’s broadcast on Impact Plus, a video promoting the debut of Juice and Finlay in Impact was shown.

Impact has also announced that both Juice and Finlay will be on the show Tuesday night.

Collectively known as “Fin Juice,” the pair are former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. They also won the World Tag League tournament in 2019. Robinson is also a former 2x IWGP United States Champion.

Don Callis On Juice Robinson

Don Callis had previously expressed that Juice Robinson was someone he would like to bring into his promotion. On an episode of his old “Killin the Town” podcast in 2018, Callis had the following to say about Juice.

“Juice is a tremendous performer with unlimited likeability and unlimited charisma,” Callis said. “He definitely is a rock star.”

“I really like him a lot,” Callis continued. “He’s a guy you build a company around.”

In the same interview from nearly 3 years ago, Callis made some prophetic statements.

“I agree with a lot of the conjecture online that talks about the fact that there are walls being broken down in the business right now,” Callis said. “I might just be the guy holding the hammer.”

Japan Bracket For AEW Women’s Title-Eliminator Tournament Revealed

Chris Stephens
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AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida took to Twitter recently to announce the Japan side of AEW’s women’s title-eliminator tournament brackets. Shida will call the action for the tournament matches hosted in Japan as well.

Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament Japan Bracket:

  1. Yuka Sakazaki vs Mei Surunga (February 15th, 2021 Show on YouTube)
  2. Veny vs Emi Sakura (February 15th, 2021 Show on YouTube)
  3. Maki Itoh vs Ryo Mizunami (February 15th, 2021 Show on YouTube)
  4. Aja Kong vs Rin Kadokura (February 15th, 2021 Show on YouTube)
  5. Quarter-Final: Winner #1 vs Winner #2 (Date TBD)
  6. Quarter-Final: Winner #3 vs Winner #4 (Date TBD)
  7. Semi-Final: Winner #5 vs Winner #6
  8. The winner will then face the winner of the American side of the bracket in the tournament finals.

In a series of Tweets, Shida introduced some of the competitors that will take part in the Japanese half of the tournament:

https://twitter.com/kaelanramos/status/1360316819949707264?s=12
https://twitter.com/KaelanRamos/status/1359921196440178691
https://twitter.com/KaelanRamos/status/1359936542609985546

The American side of the bracket is as follows:

  1. Thunder Rosa defeated Leyla Hirsch (2/10/21)
  2. Serena Deeb vs Riho
  3. Tay Conti vs Nyla Rose
  4. Britt Baker vs Anna Jay
  5. Quarter-Final: Winner #1 vs Winner #2
  6. Quarter-Final: Winner #3 vs Winner #4
  7. Semi-Final Winner #5 vs Winner #6
  8. The winner will then face the winner of the Japanese side of the bracket in the tournament finals.

Vince McMahon & Macho Man’s Characters On “Young Rock” Revealed

Chris Stephens
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Young Rock debuts this week on NBC and wrestling fans will likely be pleased to know that two iconic personalities from the industry will be portrayed on the show. The Rock took to social media recently to reveal who will be playing the roles of Vince McMahon and “Macho Man” Randy Savage on the show.

Randy Savage, played by Kevin Makely:

Image

Vince McMahon, played by Adam Ray:

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Kevin Makely’s IMDB credits include Badland and Zeroville. Adam Ray was the voice of Slimer in the 2016 version of Ghostbusters. He was also a cast member on the 2016 reboot of MadTV.

Young Rock Additional Cast

More cast:

  • Joseph Lee Anderson – Rocky Johnson
  • Brett Azar – The Iron Sheik
  • Robert Crayton – Warren Sapp
  • Matthew Willig – Andre the Giant
Image
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The Rock talks about Young Rock

After the show was announced, Rock posted a video to social media where he spoke about the show.

“We’re going to find the Rock wreaking havoc in the streets of Hawaii getting arrested,” Johnson said in the above video. “We were forced to leave the island and move to all places, Nashville, Tennessee. Those were the years that were very formative and helped shape me. The confluence of wild personalities that came in and out of my life during these times are just fascinating.”

The Rock also recently discussed Young Rock on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:

Young Rock on NBC

Young Rock premieres Tuesday, February 16th on NBC. Here’s the official premise:

“As Dwayne Johnson runs for president in 2032, he takes a comedic look back at his extraordinary life through the outrageous stories of his family and youth that shaped him into the man he is today. He explores his childhood years living amid influential wrestling icons while his dad rose to fame in the business, his rebellious teenage years attending high school in Pennsylvania, and his football years teamed up with powerhouse players at the University of Miami. In his telling, Johnson explains that while his experiences have been larger than life, he remains a down-to-earth guy who still relates to the American people.

Young Rock key art

WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day Final Card, Live Coverage

Andrew Ravens
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The card for tonight’s (Sunday, February 14, 2021) WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day event has been finalized.

The company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center and will air on the WWE Network. This special will likely be headlined by WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Pete Dunne. 

This show marks the first special for the yellow brand in 2021, which features a stacked lineup. There are a total of five matches booked for this show with three of them being championship matches.

As a reminder, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight. The betting odds can be found here.

WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day Card

  • WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Pete Dunne
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Mercedes Martinez vs. Toni Storm – Triple Threat Match
  • WWE NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano vs. Kushida
  • MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter)  vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) – Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals Match
  • Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez – Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals Match

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans? Sound off in the comment section.

CM Punk Talks Edge Winning Men’s 2021 Royal Rumble Match

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar and UFC fighter CM Punk took to Twitter to answer fan questions recently. One of the questions posed to the Straight Edge Superstar surrounded Edge and his return to WWE.

Edge of course won the Men’s Royal Rumble match just under 2 weeks ago. The Rated R Superstar entered the match at the #1 slot and went on to outlast all 29 other Superstars to win the match.

CM Punk on Edge

When asked by a fan how he feels about Edge returning; Punk responded by saying that he is extremely happy that Edge gets to have his ‘second act’ in pro wrestling. “Super stoked for him to get a second act. And jealous of his abs.”

CM Punk has been outspoken on his criticism, and praise, of WWE Superstars since he joined the now sporadic WWE Backstage show in 2019.

Before Edge returned to WWE, it was probably more likely that Punk would return. Edge had to retire from in-ring competition following WrestleMania 27, with the then World Heavyweight Champion having extreme neck issues meaning that he could no longer wrestle. The prospect of CM Punk returning to pro wrestling gets dimmer and dimmer as the years roll on, but with the likes of Edge returning at such a high level it’s always worth saying ‘never say never.’

With the idea of CM Punk returning to the ring, it’s also worth mentioning that Punk recently mentioned 5 stars from AEW that he would be interested in facing if he ever returned to the ring. “I see five guys that have potential” Punk stated. “Hobbs, Darbs, Pillman, Starks, Jungle Boy. And that’s not to say there are others, but those guys stick out.”

Would you like to see CM Punk return to WWE or AEW? Let us know in the comments

Bully Ray: I’d Like To See Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania

Jake Skudder
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WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed the WWE Championship on the show. Ray was discussing the WrestleMania main event situation, with the odds on Edge deciding to face Roman Reigns at the show of shows this April.

With the Universal Championship match seemingly set, Bully Ray stated who he would like to see challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 37. “Based on story, and what I’ve seen lately? I would love to see Sheamus versus Drew. I really would” Bully Ray began on Busted Open.

Bully Ray on Sheamus

Bully Ray then said how he’s concerned that Sheamus hasn’t hit the point of ‘main eventing’ a WrestleMania. “I just don’t think Sheamus…I don’t think Sheamus’ star has risen since he’s come back to the point of WrestleMania main event.”

“And I wish I did not have to say that” Bully Ray continued. “Because Sheamus is/has been so damn good and I could make an argument for him being the MVP of the WWE for a long time now; at least during the COVID era, with his matches and his promos and everything they’ve handed him. I’m just not sure if that’s a WrestleMania marquee main event [Sheamus vs McIntyre].”

Would you like to see Sheamus take on Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments

PROGRESS Wrestling Returning on WWE Network Next Week

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS Wrestling has confirmed that the promotion will be returning next week. WWE recently confirmed via Twitter that Chapter 104: Natural Progression will be airing on the WWE Network Saturday 20th February at 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT.

The show will take the format of the Natural Progression Series tournament. The NPS has always been a hugely important part of PROGRESS’ long history; with talents winning the tournament going on to not only become massive stars in the UK but globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that the company have been unable to run shows for almost a year. The last Chapter event 103: Beer Snake City took place on 23rd February 2020.

PROGRESS Natural Progression Series

The eight competitors in NPS7 include:

  • Kid Lykos II
  • Elijah
  • Big Guns Joe
  • Man Like Dereiss
  • Luke Jacobs
  • Ethan Allen
  • “The Kid Without Fear” Danny Black
  • “The Nigerian Kaiju” Warren Banks

The following week on February 27, WWE Network will be premiering Chapter 105: Bring The Thunder. This show will see the first ever Women’s Thunderb*stard match take place in the promotion.

PROGRESS sent out the following in anticipation of the return:

Chapter 104: Natural Progression is…you guessed it, the return of NPS and features all four of the quarter-final matches. Now more than ever there is incredible talent itching to make a name for themselves, and it only seemed fitting to mark the return of PROGRESS Wrestling with the best of British Wrestling today. Watch the trailer for NPS here.

Chapter 105: Bring The Thunder will follow on Saturday February 27th and we are proud to say the main event will be the first ever female Thunderb*stard match as well as having the conclusion of the Natural Progress Series 7.

Eric Bischoff On Wanting To Sign Jim Ross To TNA In 2011

Chris Stephens
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Eric Bischoff recently spent some time on his podcast discussing the commentary team in TNA during his tenure with the organization from 2010 to 2014. According to Bischoff, he wanted to hire Jim Ross to work for TNA in 2011.

Conrad Thompson asked Bischoff on the show what he thought of the commentary team of Mike Tenay and Taz that was in TNA at the time.

“I loved them both individually, I think they are both incredibly talented,” Bischoff said about the team. “I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again, and I’ll probably keep saying it until the day I can no longer say it. You’ve got two guys doing color. There was no play-by-play and I think that doesn’t serve the product.”

Bischoff continued to say that Mike Tenay was great at color commentary but did not know how to do play-by-play.

“To me as a producer, it was a huge, glaring, blackhole and a void in the product.”

Bischoff then said that it was the reason why he tried to get Jim Ross to TNA in 2011.

“It’s one of the reasons why I was instrumental in supporting Jim Ross coming to TNA,” he continued. “I was the one who supplied Dixie Carter with Jim Ross’ phone number to get that ball rolling. I knew we needed a good play-by-play guy with Taz in order to complete the story, complete the package.”

Ross never did sign with TNA. He continued to be employed by WWE at the time up until being fired in 2013.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE4nZ0uWXxI

Backstage News On Cameron Grimes’ New Gimmick

Chris Stephens
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Cameron Grimes returned to WWE NXT this week. He pulled up to the Capitol Wrestling Center in an expensive car and began tossing handfuls of cash around. According to comments made recently on Figure Four Daily, Grimes really did come into some money through the recent Reddit/Wall Street Bets controversy. He perhaps didn’t make as much as his on-screen persona seems to have, however, but still did pretty good.

“Cameron Grimes was injured, was taken off TV, they were going to reintroduce him,” Bryan Alvarez said on the show. “During this time, I presume Cameron Grimes was f***ing around on Reddit.”

“Cameron Grimes bought a whole bunch of AMC (the movie theatre, not Gamestop). He bought it at a very low price. I’m talking like $15 a share and then he sold it for like $350 a share.”

“So in fact, he made a s**t tonne of money off the whole Gamestop deal. Now, he didn’t make enough money to be Elon Musk. But he literally made probably easy 5 figures.”

Grimes is encouraging his followers to join him on his expedition to the moon, by downloading the Robinhood app.

He also revealed that he tossed out over $36,000 in cash during his segment on Wednesday night.

Kacy Catanzaro Releases Statement On Backlash For Lack Of Social Distancing

Chris Stephens
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WWE NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro has released a statement in response to backlash she has been receiving as a result of social media posts and videos that show her not adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Dressed in a “Baby Yoda” t-shirt, Catanzaro had the following to say:

“I know that people are concerned that I was at a restaurant over the weekend. I want everyone to know that I hear you and I appreciate the concern.”

Catanzaro then explained that in Florida restaurants are open for indoor dining up to a certain capacity.

“Here where I live in Florida, restaurants are open to a certain capacity. We wear a mask when we go in, when we leave, really anytime that we aren’t sitting down at our table we have to have a mask but when we are sitting down to eat or drink, we are allowed to take our masks off, and I know that that’s the part that people saw that people were upset with.”

People online have been sharing videos such as the one below:

Kacy Catanzaro Statement On Following COVID-19 Protocols and Guidelines

“I’m sorry for anybody that is upset. I understand your concern and I want you to know that I do care about the safety of others around me, and myself, and I follow all of the protocol.”

“Luckily for me, with work we get tested at least once per week if not twice sometimes,” she continued.

She continued to say that she does follow guidelines and does wear a mask.

“Everywhere that we have to, I wear my mask. I’m sorry that this moment made people think otherwise but I just want you all to know that I hear you, I appreciate the concern, I’m looking out for the safety of others around me as well as trying to take care of myself the best I can, and I wish the best for everybody else.”

Her statement can be viewed in the Tweet below:

https://twitter.com/KacyCatanzaro/status/1360385941718921223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1360385941718921223%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ewrestlingnews.com%2Fnews%2Fwwe-nxt-star-issues-statement-on-being-seen-at-restaurant-with-no-covid-19-mask-on

Kacy and her tag-team partner did dawn masks for the below charity event:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLNdMygjTCv/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD7SRFNDvGB/

Paige Featured In Music Video From Falling In Reverse

Chris Stephens
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WWE’s Paige stars in a new music video from Falling in Reverse released yesterday. Paige has been in a relationship with the group’s singer, Ronnie Radke, since 2018. The video is for the group’s newest single “I’m Not A Vampire (Revamped).” 

Paige took to her social media accounts to promote the music video.

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1360257819321143299

Paige also noted that she will be hosting pre-show events for two shows the band will be performing in April from an undisclosed location.

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1360372100502982658

“This is absolutely beautiful! Check out my friends amazing work! Raya you looked incredible and did so well, Ronnie killed it with those pipes. Visuals on point. Just epic all around!” Tweeted Zelina Vega.

Back in November, an obsessed fan was arrested at Paige’s home.

“Scariest thing ever. He told us symbols led him to us. But Ronnie got him in a hold until police got there. Wtf is wrong with people… thank god Ronnie is around to protect our house. Jesus,” she Tweeted about the incident.

Also in November, Paige was on the “Grown Ass Women” podcast and spoke about having been a victim of abuse in a previous relationship.

“In the end, it becomes a cycle. Eventually, something is happening to you every day,” Paige said.  “You could be trapped in a room for 6-7 hours, getting your ass beat every couple of minutes. And he’s doing all these crazy things to you.”

“I never thought that I’d be put in that position in my life, just cause of the way I was brought up,” Paige continued. “It happens to even the most strongest people and you should never feel bad about it.”

CM Punk Pays Tribute To Harley Race With New Tattoo

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk has gotten a new tattoo to honor the late Harley Race. The artist posted images of the tattoo on his official Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLNdNJ-n6gn/?utm_source=ig_embed

Race passed away from lung cancer on August 1st, 2019. A few months after his death, Punk spoke to Sportsnet about getting a tattoo to honor him.

“The Harley Race tattoo is in motion, so to speak,” Punk said during the interview. He also mentioned a tattoo he has honoring the late Mitsuharu Misawa.

“Harley was a big piece of my career whether people realize it or not,” Punk continued. “He’s somebody who deserves to be memorialized.”

CM Punk Harley Race Stories

Bruce Prichard once revealed that CM Punk actually took a shot of alcohol once to celebrate Harley Race’s birthday. Prichard told the story on an episode of his podcast.

“Everybody got shots for Harley’s birthday. Now Punk doesn’t drink, don’t do drugs, but he took a shot out of respect for Harley Race,” Prichard said on his podcast. “And he goes, ‘you know, Harley asked me to do it, one shot’s not gonna kill me. I’m not gonna go get hammered, I took a shot out of respect for Harley Race.’ and for whatever reason, I just thought that was cool.”

Gauntlet Match With Elimination Chamber Prize Announced For Raw

Anutosh Bajpai
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Having only one week to build up the announced Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship next Sunday, WWE is taking the Gauntlet route.

The company has announced that all six of the chamber match participants Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, The Miz, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and Sheamus will be competing in a gauntlet match at this Monday’s episode of Raw.

The winner of this competition will get the advantage of entering the Elimination Chamber match last. Though the company has not announced the order of superstars for this gauntlet match.

Shane McMahon made his return to WWE programming during this week’s episode of Raw and he announced the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE title during the opening segment of the show.

A second cage match was then announced on SmackDown. After Roman Reigns refused to put his title on the line inside the chamber, a match to determine his next challenger was announced.

The company announced that Jey Uso, Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Daniel Bryan, King Corbin and Sami Zayn will all be competing in SmackDown’s Elimination Chamber match next Sunday.

The winner of the bout will then face the Universal Champion Roman Reigns for his title on the same night and it would be interesting to see who ends up challenging the Tribal Chief for his title.

WWE Reportedly Signs Indie Star Christian Casanova

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE has signed the current Limitless Wrestling world champion Christian Casanova to a contract, according to reports from Fightful select.

The Indie star made his wrestling debut in 2014 and he has made his name in the Northeast independent scenes since then. Since his first match, he has wrestled for promotions such as Beyond Wrestling, GCW, EVOLVE, and even ROH

He has been on the company’s radar for a while. Now that the officials look to be hiring again after halting new signings during the coronavirus pandemic, they have finally made the move on Casanova.

He is not the only star who has signed with the company recently and reports have revealed that the officials have also signed Parker Boudreaux sometimes in the last few weeks.

For those who don’t know, Boudreaux is a former football player who bears a strong resemblance to Brock Lesnar. Some have even dubbed the young star as ‘the next big thing’ for WWE which is the moniker the promotion used for Lesnar during his early days.

There is no word yet on when Christian Casanova or Parker Boudreaux will start with the company but it’s likely that they will officially announce their signings once they have enough stars for the next Performance Center class.

WWE SmackDown Results (2/12): Seth Rollins Returns, Elimination Chamber Qualifying Matches

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. Seth Rollins returned to SmackDown tonight and there were two tag team qualifying matches for Elimination Chamber during the show.

SmackDown Results (2/12)

  1. King Corbin & Sami Zayn def. Rey Mysterio & Dominik to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match
  2. Big E def. Shinsuke Nakamura via DQ to retain the IC Title
  3. Bayley def. Liv Morgan
  4. Street Profits def. Otis & Chad Gable
  5. Daniel Bryan & Cesaro def. Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Reigns Will Defend The Title Against The Winner Of The Elimination Chamber Match

Universal Champion Roman Reigns came down to the ring with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman to begin this week’s show. Adam Pearce was already standing in the corner waiting for them. Roman told Pearce that he doesn’t have any authority over him and that he’s not waiting for him. Reigns brought up Edge and claimed that the Rated R Superstar was nervous last week because he knows what will happen to him at WrestleMania if he challenges him.

Reigns said that he will beat Edge so bad that he will have to be put on a Legends contract. Roman claimed that Edge won’t pick him because he is scared and vowed to hold onto the Universal Championship for as long as he wants it. Pearce said he has had this contract for a week but Heyman insisted he do it this way. Adam announced that the contract states that Reigns will defend the Universal Championship inside Elimination Chamber, just like McIntyre is putting the WWE Championship on the line in the chamber.

Paul said Roman’s contract doesn’t say he has to defend the title at the PPV but not inside the chamber. Heyman suggested that the superstar who wins the Elimination Chamber match will get a title shot on the same night. Paul noted that Pearce wasn’t happy about it and asked what the hell is he going to do about it. Heyman joked that last year’s WrestleMania was the lowest attended mania of all time because Reigns wasn’t there. Pearce said that there will be some qualifying matches tonight but Jey Uso and Kevin Owens do not need to qualify and are already in the Elimination Chamber match. Reigns got in Adam’s face and Paul slowly pulled him away.

King Corbin & Sami Zayn Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match

Pearce and Sonya Deville then had a conversation backstage. Deville suggested a tag team qualifying match where the winners will qualify for the Elimination Chamber match. Sonya announced that Rey Mysterio & Dominik will face Sami Zayn & King Corbin next in a qualifying match. Before the match, Sami brought his documentary crew to the entrance ramp and claimed that management helped Big E steel his Intercontinental Championship. Zayn added that he shouldn’t have to earn his way into the Elimination Chamber and said he was grateful his documentary crew is keeping their eyes on the WWE official.

Rey knocked Zayn off the apron and then sent Corbin to the corner to start off the action. Mysterio connected with a Dropkick and went for 619 but Sami tripped him up. Dominik came out of nowhere and leveled Sami with a Suicide Dive. Rey then sent King Corbin flying out of the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Zayn and Dominik were battling in the ring. Dominik hit a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Dominik connected with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Sami was able to kick out at two. Dominik hit Sami with a Senton and knocked Corbin off the ring apron. Sami rolled up Dominik for a two count and followed it up with the Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall.

Dominik planted Sami with a Neckbreaker and went for the cover but Corbin broke it up at two. Mysterio hit Corbin with a Senton and Rey and Dominik delivered a double 619. Back in the ring, Sami hit Dominik with an Exploder Suplex and then the Helluva Kick for the pinfall victory. King Corbin and Sami Zayn have qualified for the Elimination Chamber match.

Apollo Crews Attacked Big E

Intercontinental Champion Big E came to the ring and brought up retaining over Sami Zayn & Apollo Crews last week. Big E said that he vowed to be a fighting champion and was quickly interrupted by Apollo Crews. Apollo claimed that he can read Big E and knows he is out here to issue an Open Challenge for the Intercontinental Championship and accepted the challenge. Big E wanted to defend the title against anyone besides Apollo Crews because he already ad his chance. Big E told Crews to go back to catering and collect his little paycheck. Crews told Big E that he is not going to the back and will keep coming at Big E until he has the title.

Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hit and he accepted the Open Challenge and Apollo Crews was ringside for the match. Big E leveled Nakamura with a shoulder tackle and dragged him to the ring apron. Big E hit a Splash and went for the cover but Nakamura kicked out at two. Apollo Crews hopped on the ring apron and Big E chased him off. Shinsuke capitalized on the distraction with with a knee to the face.

Nakamura draped Big E across the top turnbuckle and hit a running knee to the midsection. Shinsuke leaped off the middle turnbuckle and hit a kick to Big E’s face for a two count. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Big E countered into a Uranage for a near fall. Big E was about to hit the Big Ending but Apollo Crews interfered and hit a Dropkick to end the match in a DQ.

Seth Rollins Returned

Seth Rollins made his return tonight and the locker room surrounded the ring during his entrance. Rollins was once again using the The Second Coming (Burn It Down) entrance music.

Rollins said it feels good to be back in the ThunderDome and back in the ring. Seth stated a lot has changed since he sacrificed himself at Survivor Series and he is the thing that has changed the most. Rollins noted that he has recently become a parent for the first time and is the proud father of a perfect baby girl.

Rollins claimed that change has given him a new vision and he sees some of the most talented performers in the industry surrounding the ring. Seth wondered where he would fit in on SmackDown and referred to himself as a great leader that will take SmackDown to new heights. Rollins claimed that he can be everyone’s leader, father, and mentor. Several superstars started leaving as Rollins said “all you have to do is embrace the vision”.

Cesaro was the only superstar still there but wound up leaving Seth alone as well. Rollins went after Cesaro on the entrance ramp and hit him with a chop block to the knee. Rollins unloaded on Cesaro and shouted that he will never live up to his potential without him.

Bayley def. Liv Morgan

Bayley squared off against Liv Morgan tonight on SmackDown. Ruby Riott was ringside for the match. Liv hit a Dropkick but Bayley shrugged it off and sent her to the corner. Bayley went for a Clothesline but Liv ducked and sent Bayley into the ropes. Liv delivered another Dropkick off the middle turnbuckle and went for the cover but Bayley was able to kick out at two. Natalya and Tamina were shown watching the match backstage as Liv went for a Splash off the steel steps but wound up launching herself into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Bayley went for the cover but Liv kicked out at two. Bayley connected with a Shoulderbreaker for a two count and Liv battled back with a Codebreaker for a near fall. Billie Kay showed up and tried to apologize to Ruby Riott. Bayley capitalized on the distraction and raked Liv Morgan’s eyes. Bayley planted Liv Morgan with the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory.

Street Profits Picked Up A Win

Street Profits faced Chad Gable & Otis in a tag team match. Chad Gable and Angelo Dawkins started off the match and traded Arm Drags. Montez Ford tagged in and Gable greeted him with a slam for a two count. Gable hit another Arm Drag and then applied an Armbar in the middle of the ring. Montez escaped and tagged Angelo Dawkins back in. Dawkins applied a Headlock but Chad broke free.

Otis tagged in and leveled Dawkins with a shoulder tackle. Otis followed it up with the Catepillar Elbow Drop and Gable demanded to be tagged in. Otis went for a Clothesline but Ford sent him out of the ring. Montez tagged in as Dawkins hit the Anointment. Montez connected with the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.

Banks & Belair Beat Down The Women’s Tag Team Champions

SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks came to the ring and said everyone is talking about Bianca Belair and her decision. Banks claimed that Bianca was like a “big little sister” and that she wants to face her at WrestleMania. Bianca Belair interrupted and claimed that she liked Sasha Banks as well but she is not the boss of her. Belair added that it is her time and she is enjoying every second of it.

Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler joined the party and Jax wondered how Banks and Belair can fit in the same ring with their giant egos. Shayna and Nia boasted about winning the Women’s Tag Team Championships at Royal Rumble and wondered why nobody is talking about them. Sasha rolled footage of Nia and Shayna losing on RAW and then Belair rolled footage of the now infamous “my hole” comment from Nia Jax after missing a Leg Drop on the apron. Nia got pissed off and tried to attack Belair but she was ready. Sasha and Bianca then tripped up Nia and she fell ass-first onto the apron again. Sasha and Bianca then took out Baszler in the ring.

Cesaro & Daniel Bryan Qualified For The Elimination Chamber Match

Daniel Bryan & Cesaro battled SmackDown Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode in the main event. The winners of the match qualified for the Elimination Chamber match. Bryan and Cesaro dominated the action early and isolated Ziggler in the corner.

Ziggler battled back and tagged in Robert Roode. Cesaro hit Roode with an uppercut and tagged in Daniel Bryan. Bryan hit Roode with a knee to the face and some Yes Kicks. Bryan went for the Yes Lock but Roode was able to get to the bottom rope to prevent the hold.

Bryan sent Roode out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but accidentally hit Cesaro. Sami Zayn and King Corbin came down to the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Ziggler had Bryan in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Ziggler brought Daniel to the corner and tagged in Roode.

Robert stomped Daniel Bryan to the canvas in the corner and then Ziggler caught him with a cheap shot as Roode distracted the official. Roode planted Bryan with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Bryan was able to kick out at the last moment. Cesaro finally was able to tag back in and whipped Ziggler into the turnbuckle.

Cesaro hit a massive uppercut and went for the cover but Ziggler kicked out at two. Ziggler hit Cesaro with a Fameasser for a two count. Cesaro hit a Backbreaker and then locked in the Sharpshooter on Ziggler in the middle of the ring. Dolph quickly tapped out and Cesaro & Bryan have qualified for the Elimination Chamber match.

After the match, Jey Uso attacked Cesaro from behind and him with a steel chair. King Corbin and Sami Zayn beat Daniel Bryan down before Kevin Owens rushed the ring. Owens hit Corbin, Bryan, Cesaro, and Jey Uso with a Stunner as Roman Reigns watched on. Owens shouted that he is coming for Roman Reigns and is not going away to close the show.

Second Elimination Chamber Match Confirmed, Roman Reigns To Face Winner

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has confirmed a big match featuring SmackDown stars for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event. 

The company had been advertising a blockbuster announcement by Paul Heyman and Universal Champion Roman Reigns for this show. That happened as Adam Pearce was trying to get Reigns to defend the Universal Title against several stars at this show. 

Unlike Raw’s WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, Reigns will just have one opponent instead of five. “The Big Dog” will defend the title against the winner of the Elimination Chamber Match immediately on the same night. 

Those in the Chamber match will be Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, King Corbin, Sami Zayn, Daniel Bryan, and Cesaro.

Over the last few months, Reigns had been feuding with Owens. Their first match took place at the TLC pay-per-view event while the rematch took place on the December 24th edition of SmackDown inside a Steel Cage, and their third bout was a Last Man Standing Match at last month’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view event. Reigns won all three matches. 

It had been previously reported that WWE didn’t have plans to feature an Elimination Chamber Match with women. Thus, speculation shifted towards Reigns and the Universal Title, which turned out to be the case. 

WWE presents the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day Betting Odds

Andrew Ravens
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The final betting odds have been released for the WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day

The card for the show that takes place this Sunday appears to be finalized as only 5 matches have been announced. It’s possible that a sixth match is added whether that be on the main card or pre-show. 

So far, three titles are on the line, but none are expected to change hands. Some of the more notable odds include MSK being favored to win the Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. There isn’t a favorite for the women’s tournament just yet. 

WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day Odds

As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of the show this Sunday. The favorites to win are listed as – while the underdogs are listed with +. Here are the final betting odds:

  • WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor (-400) vs Pete Dunne (+275)
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai (-225) vs Toni Storm (+300) vs Mercedes Martinez (+500) – Triple Threat Match
  • WWE NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano (-225) vs Kushida (+165)
  • MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) -200 vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) +150 – Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals Match
  • Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon (-120) vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez (-120) – Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals Match

WWE Employees Upset After Major Meeting

Andrew Ravens
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WWE held a meeting on Friday that didn’t go so well. 

It was reported by Fightful Select a major meeting took place today where many employees were told that they would not be provided promotions, bonuses, or raises. The meeting ended with several employees upset.

Per the report, it was said those who attended the meeting left with low morale. Employees from production, the WWE offices and other departments were involved. However, this was not a talent or wrestler meeting.

As it stands right now, there’s no word yet on why WWE isn’t providing pay raises or bonuses. This comes at a time where the company recently announced record financial results for 2020.

Overall revenue for 2020 was at $974.2 million, which represents an increase of 1% although the revenue for the fourth quarter was down 26% to $238.2 million. 

In the press release, Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon touted how WWE has continued to produce live content in new ways amid the COVID-19 pandemic and not live touring. 

On February 5th, Vince, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, Kevin Dunn, and WWE President Nick Khan increased the amount of WWE stock that they own. This came days after WWE reported their 2020 financials.

Davey Boy Smith Jr Confirms Talks With WWE

Andrew Ravens
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Davey Boy Smith Jr is currently on the free-agent market, but that could be changing soon as he has confirmed having talks with WWE regarding a return to the company.

It’s been reported that various promotions including AEW and WWE are interested in signing him after he finished up with MLW in December. The son of the late “British Bulldog” recently spoke to Metro UK. During it, he talked about having talks with WWE. 

“There’s been quite a bit of interest and a little bit of back and forth talk with myself and the company.” Smith stated. “I think that the plan – or what they were hoping – was for me to come to NXT UK. But unfortunately, right now because of Covid, those doors are kind of locked, we’ll see.”

He noted that there’s been interest from WWE about him going to NXT as he already lives in Tampa. At this time, they’re talking, but he’s trying to feel things out. 

‘We’re discussing and talking. I can’t exactly say anything for sure, but there’ve been talks.”

Smith also mentioned how there are other places he could sign with, but pointed out how he’s supposed to induct his father into the WWE Hall of Famer and the best decision may be to go back to WWE no matter which brand he ends up on. However, it’s just not any decision to make.

CM Punk Names 5 AEW Stars That Stand Out & Have Potential

Michael Reichlin
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Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has his eye on a few of All Elite Wrestling’s top young stars.

On Friday afternoon, Punk held an #AskPunk Q&A session on Twitter. Unsurprisingly, he was asked about AEW. User @HEELPags wrote, “What current wrestler in AEW would he most like to work with IF he ever came back?”

CM Punk named five AEW wrestlers that he sees having potential. Whether this means ‘potential’ to work with, or ‘potential’ to have successful careers, is open to interpretation. He named:

  • Powerhouse Hobbs of Team Taz
  • AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin
  • Brian Pillman, Jr. of the Varsity Blonds
  • Ricky Starks of Team Taz
  • Jungle Boy

These are great picks, as all 5 men are extraordinarily talented with bright futures.

CM Punk recently celebrated 7-Years since leaving WWE. He will soon appear in the pro wrestling series Heels, starring Stephen Amell, on the Starz premium cable network.

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