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Lars Sullivan Posts Images Of Proposed “Brilliant Behemoth” Gimmick

Chris Stephens
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Lars Sullivan was released by WWE last month. He took to Instagram recently and posted a picture of what many are taking as images of a canceled gimmick he was to have in WWE.

Feast your eyes on The Brilliant Behemoth, Lawrence Sulivan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLDmynMJJbK/

Reason For Lars Sullivan Release

Sullivan’s release from WWE was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“He was going to get a push, a real big push as a matter of fact, and he could not handle the pressure. He had an anxiety attack, he was suffering even before. Then he stopped coming, kept not coming, and at that point, this has happened before,” said Dave Meltzer on the show.

“He was supposed to beat John Cena at the 2019 WrestleMania and he no-showed the angle where he was going to layout Cena to set up the angle,” Meltzer continued. 

“They brought him back a second time with a big push, he got the knee injury. They brought him back a 3rd time with a big push, he stopped coming. At that point, I think it was inevitable how it was going to end up.”

Sullivan signed with WWE and reported to the Performance Center in 2014. His last official match was a win over Shorty G on Smackdown back in October.

Top WWE Executive: We Want Cardi B

Jake Skudder
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WWE wants to work with pop music superstar Cardi B.

Nick Khan, WWE’s President and Chief Revenue Officer, recently spoke to Forbes about the business side of the company.

During the discussion, Khan addressed WWE utilizing celebrities to generate additional interest in the product. In recent weeks, we’ve seen rap star Bad Bunny involved in storylines.

There’s also been some buzz about WWE working with Cardi B. Khan confirmed WWE wants to work with the “WAP” singer in the near future. “Obviously, there is no touring right now,” he said. “The ability to get Bad Bunny for however long this run is going to be, and you’re going to see a lot of him; I don’t believe that would have existed in a world where Bad Bunny was on tour.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced WWE to adapt the way it does business in many ways. The silver lining is that it has also created the opportunity to work with big names from the entertainment industry, since they’re less busy and not on tour.

“We’re always going to want Bad Bunny, Cardi B to get involved,” Khan continued. “It made it a touch easier to get a deal done this time because they weren’t, over the course of however long the deal is, is not in 25 different cities during that time. The bulk of concert money is made in the summertime. It doesn’t appear as if there are going to be big tours during the summer. Even we’re all hopeful, so we’ll see what folks we’re talking to and who you’ll see in the mix.”

Cardi B was recently name dropped during the RAW Legends Night episode. This lead to several back and forth exchanges between Cardi B and several WWE Superstars, including Trish Stratus and Lacey Evans.

Whether WWE will be able to bring the hip-hop megastar into the fold remains to be seen; although she would be a major name to bring in for a WrestleMania appearance. Bad Bunny will already be performing at WrestleMania, and it is rumored that he will be teaming with Booker T or Damian Priest to take on The Miz and John Morrison in a tag team bout.

Cody Rhodes Clarifies: Is The Nightmare Family A Faction In AEW?

Chris Stephens
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The Nightmare Family added two new members yesterday when Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solow joined the group. Cody Rhodes recently clarified that The Nightmare Family is not a traditional pro-wrestling faction.

“I will say it’s not a routine wrestling “faction”. More a ensemble of focused individuals, some who train at the factory together, who just have a singular focus over the sport. Authentic relationships. Not always together, but ready when the call comes, and will have your back,” Cody Tweeted.

Nightmare Family Roster

The updated Nightmare Family roster is below:

  • Cody Rhodes
  • Dustin Rhodes
  • Brandi Rhodes
  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Arn Anderson
  • QT Marshall
  • Lee Johnson
  • Billy Gunn
  • Austin Gunn
  • Colten Gunn
  • Aaron Solow
  • Nick Comoroto

A little under a year ago, Cody got the Nightmare Family logo tattooed on his neck. He explained his decision to do so in an Instagram post.

“I’m humbled by the run I’ve been on and the love of the fans. Incredibly lucky man. It was very simple, I wear a lot of brands…I wanted to make sure mine was one of them. And I wasn’t hiding it,” he wrote.

Sting Segment Confirmed for AEW Dynamite (02/10)

Jake Skudder
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AEW has confirmed that ‘The Icon’ Sting will be appearing on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. The former WCW and WWE Superstar has made sporadic appearances for the promotion ever since the ‘Winter Is Coming’ episode of Dynamite back on December 2nd 2020.

Sting’s appearances thus far have mainly seen The Icon confront Team Taz and stand alongside TNT Champion Darby Allin. It was confirmed recently that Sting will be taking part in a Streetfight at the AEW Revolution PPV. That show will be taking place on March 7, 2021 at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. 

All Elite sent out a tweet to reveal that Sting will be speaking to Tony Schiavone this Wednesday on Dynamite. “We are on the road to #AEWRevolution and this Wednesday on #AEWDynamite, @tonyschiavone24 interviews @sting! Watch Dynamite at 8/7c on @TNTDrama.”

It is unknown at this point what the interview will entail, although it may be time for AEW to shed some light on why Sting has chosen to align himself with the aforementioned Darby Allin; perhaps the fact that the mysterious characters have a common enemy in Team Taz? Or could it be more?

Nia Jax Trending After Bizarre Moment On RAW

Chris Stephens
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A highlight featuring Nia Jax on last night’s edition of RAW is garnering a lot of attention online. Jax was wrestling Lana last night and missed a leg drop on the ring apron. Nia opted to sell the move by screaming “My hole!” just before being pushed through a table by Lana. You can see a clip of the moment in question here:

https://twitter.com/gif_skull/status/1358982180454625284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1358982180454625284%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fwwe%2Fnews%2Fwwe-raw-nia-jax-trending-my-hole-lana-tables-match%2F

Nia Jax tweeted the following on Tuesday morning after having a few hours to reflect on her viral moment from Raw:

https://twitter.com/NiaJaxWWE/status/1359178888954454017

Nia Jax “My Hole” Reactions

As you can imagine, Nia Jax screaming, “My Hole!” in pain got a lot of attention on social media. Numerous wrestling personalities have been reacting to the clip on Twitter.Mick Foley believes that “My Hole” could become Nia Jax’s version of Austin 3:16.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1358981577179545604

Mickie James was sympathetic to Nia’s plight online. She posted the following:

Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly seems to be having a good time with it.

The following Twitter user was questioning the time they spend watching wrestling. Nia Jax was able to show them it’s all worth it, however.

“I don’t know anything that’s happening today really other than Nia Jax said my hole on RAW cause that’s my entire feed,” Shazza McKenzie Tweeted.

“On a crisp February evening with scattered clouds and occasional starlight, on a Monday filled with both promise and potential, Nia Jax landed on her butt and screamed “My hole!”” Tweeted Matt Fowler.

Nia’s loss to Lana on RAW last night comes on the heels of her and Shayna Baszler winning back the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at the Royal Rumble on Sunday.

Rapper Bow Wow Says He Wants To Wrestle For WWE, Superstars Respond

Chris Stephens
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Rapper Bow Wow hopes to fulfill a lifelong dream of wrestling for WWE one day.

The 33-year-old is getting headlines for a tweet about his future career plans. He’s working on his final rap album and then plans to focus on other areas of interest. He will continue acting in movies and serving as a television host. He also wants to climb into the squared circle.

NXT’s Bronson Reed was quick to welcome Bow Wow to the industry.

Retribution’s T-Bar is not shy on social media. He posted the following reply to Bow Wow’s comments:

https://twitter.com/TBARRetribution/status/1358797149547487234

“Are you mad because ill become champ faster than you? Or are you mad that like mike is more legendary than you will ever be? DROPS MIC,” Bow Wow replied.

“Those sound like fighting words Air Bud. Why don’t you fly your “private jet” down to the @WWE ThunderDome and back them up?” T-Bar answered.

Earlier today, Bow Wow said that Bad Bunny is on his list.

John Morrison seemed to invite Bow Wow to help with his feud with Bad Bunny.

Ricochet seems interested in facing him.

Bow Wow wants to tag with Rey Mysterio and win the WWE tag-team championships. This drew a reaction from Mysterio’s current tag partner, his son Dominik.

“Gotchu Dom but now i got TBarr and little ricochet wanting the smoke. Im all for it,” Bow Wow responded.

Updated Card For WWE Elimination Chamber (2/21)

Michael Reichlin
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The road to WrestleMania continues with WWE’s next pay-per-view event, Elimination Chamber.

The big news coming out of Monday’s Raw was Shane McMahon returning to announce the show’s main event. We now have three matches confirmed. The following matches are set for the PPV:

WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match:
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. AJ Styles

United States Championship Match:
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Riddle vs. Keith Lee

RAW Women’s Championship Match:
Asuka vs. (c) Lacey Evans (w/Ric Flair)

With less than two weeks until the event, expect to see more match announcements on Friday’s SmackDown.

WWE Elimination Chamber takes place Sunday, February 21st from the ThunderDome in St. Petersburg, Florida. The event will air live on the WWE Network.

WWE RAW Results (2/8): Title Matches Set For Elimination Chamber, McIntyre vs. Orton

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field. Drew McIntyre battled Randy Orton in the main event. There were three title matches set for WWE Elimination Chamber announced tonight. Lashley will defend the United States Championship against Riddle & Keith Lee in a Triple Threat match and Asuka will put the RAW Women’s Championship on the line against Lacey Evans. Drew McIntyre will defend the WWE Championship against Sheamus, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, The Miz, and AJ Styles inside the Elimination Chamber.

RAW Results (2/8)

  1. AJ Styles def. Jeff Hardy via submission
  2. New Day def. RETRIBUTION
  3. Lacey Evans def. Charlotte Flair via DQ
  4. Damian Priest def. Angel Garza
  5. Keith Lee def. Riddle
  6. Lana def. Nia Jax in a Tables match
  7. Naomi def. Shayna Baszler
  8. Randy Orton def. Drew MCIntyre via DQ

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

McIntyre Will Defend The WWE Title Inside Elimination Chamber

Adam Pearce kicked off the show and welcomed Shane McMahon back. Shane said that he had a blockbuster announcement and Adam Pearce announced that Drew McIntyre will defend the WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber match. Pearce added that all of McIntyre’s opponents will be former champs including Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, The Miz, and Sheamus.

Shane exited and AJ Styles made his way to the ring with Omos. Styles told Pearce that he was doing a great job and that he was a genius for having McIntyre defend the title in the Elimination Chamber match. AJ noted that it is the road to WrestleMania and it will be a perfect time for him to become WWE Champion for the third time. Styles joked that he always thought Pearce was a dumbass and that he is going to give everyone a preview of what is going to happen in the chamber match tonight.

Drew McIntyre confronted Shane McMahon and said he thought he would be facing Sheamus at Elimination Chamber. Shane told McIntyre that they needed something big for the Elimination Chamber and that Drew should want to prove that he is a fighting champion.

Sheamus later confronted Adam Pearce and complained about not getting a one on one match with McIntyre. Sheamus wondered if Adam Pearce didn’t think he was a draw because he heard Shane say this was all Pearce’s idea. Sheamus vowed to unleash hell at Elimination Chamber and told Pearce that it will be his responsibility.

AJ Styles Tapped Out Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy squared off against AJ Styles in the first match of the night. Hardy controlled the action early and focused his attack on AJ’s arm. Jeff took AJ down with a Clothesline and went for the cover but Styles was able to kick out at two. Jeff Hardy tweaked his knee and limped out of the ring. Jeff struggled to his feet and Styles leveled him with a chop block. Styles then slammed Hardy’s knee into the ring post and rolled back into the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Styles was still in control and was stomping on Hardy’s injured knee in the corner. AJ locked in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring but Hardy was able to reach the bottom rope to break the submission. Styles tried to sent Hardy to the ropes but Jeff’s knee gave out and he fell to the canvas. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Jeff saw it coming and tripped him up on the top rope.

Hardy hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a Splash for a near fall. AJ went for the Styles Clash but Jeff escaped and connected with the Twist of Fate. Jeff slowly made his way to the top turnbuckle and went for the Swanton Bomb but Styles got out of the way. Styles locked in the Calf Crusher once again and Hardy tapped out.

New Day def. RETRIBUTION

New Day faced RETRIBUTION (T-Bar and Slapjack) in a tag match tonight and Kofi Kingston returned to action. Mustafa Ali joined commentary for the match as Mace stood behind him. Slapjack got Woods in a Waist Lock and Xavier quickly broke free. Woods applied a Headlock and then leveled Slapjack for a two count. Woods went back to the Headlock as Mustafa Ali called New Day “coporate puppets”. Kofi tagged in and hit Slapjack with a chop to the chest.

Slapjack battled back with an uppercut and T-Bar tagged in. T-Bar leveled Kingston with a Clothesline and then slammed him to the canvas. Kingston sent T-Bar out of the ring and leaped over the top rope onto him as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, T-Bar had Woods trapped in the corner of the ring. Slapjack tagged in and connected with a boot to the midsection.

Xavier tried to battle back but Slapjack caught him with a knee to the face. T-Bar tagged in and prevented Woods from tagging out with a big boot to Kingston on the apron. Slapjack tagged in and hit Woods with a Belly to Back Suplex. Kofi finally tagged back in and hit Slapjack with some chops. Kingston connected with the Boom Drop and then Trouble in Paradise to T-Bar on the apron. New Day hit Daybreak on Slapjack for the pinfall victory.

Lacey Evans Earned A Title Shot At Elimination Chamber

Lacey Evans came down to the ring with Ric Flair to begin the 2nd hour of RAW. Ric shouted that he doesn’t take orders from any woman and will not stay home. Ric added that everyone knows that Charlotte doesn’t need him but he has found someone that has all the physical tools to be a star that needs him. Flair vowed to train Lacey Evans to become the next RAW Women’s Champion and that their relationship is just casual. Lacey called Ric “cute” and claimed that Charlotte is ungrateful.

Charlotte interrupted and joined them in the ring. Charlotte told Lacey that if she really wanted to learn she would go to the Performance Center but instead is trying to use Ric Flair to advance her career. Charlotte told Ric that she never said she didn’t need his help and is simply telling him how he really looks. Charlotte told Ric that she doesn’t care who he manages as long as he doesn’t bring her down with him.

Lacey Evans suggested that they work together as a tag team and Flair said Asuka is already her tag team partner. Lacey said her sights on the RAW Women’s Championship and that Ric has heard from WWE officials that if she beats her, she will be next to challenge Asuka for the RAW Women’s Championship. Charlotte said she wanted the match now and Ric shouted “no!”. Lacey then attacked Charlotte and slammed her into the steel steps before accepting the match.

Charlotte still managed to start off the match in control and beat Lacey down in thecorner. Evans battled back but Charlotte caught her with a boot to the face. Flair connected with a Dropkick that knocked Evans to the apron. Lacey tripped Charlotte up and hit her with an Elbow Drop for a near fall. Evans did the Flair strut and that pissed Charlotte off. Charlotte hit a Suplex that sent Lacey out of the ring. Charlotte then strutted around and Lacey awkwardly tripped her up on the apron as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Lacey went for an Armbar but Charlotte broke free with a kick to the face. Evans responded with a Clothesline and went for the cover but Charlotte was able to kick out. Lacey went for a Moonsault but Charlotte got her knees up and unloaded some chops that sent Evans to the canvas. The action tumbled out of the ring and Charlotte got distracted by Ric. Lacey capitalized and slammed Charlotte’s injured arm to the floor.

Back in the ring, Lacey went for the Figure Four but Charlotte broke free and connected with a Spear. Charlotte stared at her father before punching Lacey in the face a few times. Charlotte then lost it and continued to beat Lacey down in the corner for a DQ. It was later announced that Asuka will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans at Elimination Chamber.

Damian Priest def. Angel Garza

Edge said last week was a long week but it was amazing because it all started by winning the Royal Rumble. He noted that he went to RAW, NXT, and SmackDown and came face to face with all three champions. Edge said that landscape has changed since Drew has to defend his title in the Elimination Chamber against five former champions and claimed that he liked his odds against every single one of them. Edge added that he doesn’t like Drew’s odds of walking out as the champion and said he was going to wait until after Elimination Chamber.

The Miz interrupted with Angel Garza and John Morrison. Miz stated that Edge has always been the ultimate opportunist and is waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The Miz said he will be there with the MITB contract if Edge does win and will leave WrestleMania as champion. Edge told Miz that he put the MITB contract on the map and claimed that he thinks on a different level than The Miz. Edge said Miz is content with being “awesome” and he did that 20 years ago. Edge added that he needs to see this story through and become champion before leaving the ring.

Angel Garza squared off against Damian Priest. The Miz, John Morrison, and Bad Bunny were ringside for the match. Priest leveled Garza with a boot to the face for a two count. Garza hit Damian with a cheap shot as Miz and Morrison distracted the referee. Angel Clotheslined Priest out of the ring and distracted the referee as Miz and Morrison stomped on him. Bad Bunny distracted Miz and Morrison by stealing the briefcase. Morrison got it back but the referee kicked them out. Angel Garza was then distracted by Bad Bunny and Preist capitalized with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory.

Keith Lee Outlasted Riddle

Keith Lee faced Riddle tonight on RAW. MVP joined commentary for the match and had the United States Championship with him. The match started out back and forth for the first couple minutes. Riddle applied a Sleeper Hold but Keith wouldn’t go down. Keith Lee slammed Riddle to the mat to break the hold and then locked up with him in the middle of the ring. Riddle hit Keith with a Pele Kick and Lee stumbled to the corner.

Riddle hit a forearm to the face and went for an Exploder Suplex but Keith blocked it with the Grizzly Magnum. Keith went for the Spirit Bomb but Riddle escaped and hit a knee to the face for a one count. Riddle climbed to the top rope and hit the Floating Bro for a near fall. Riddle went for a knee strike but Keith caught him. Riddle locked in a Triangle submission in the middle of the ring but Riddle broke it up with a Buckle Bomb. Riddle hit the Final Flash but Keith bounced off the ropes and hit the Spirit Bomb for the pinfall victory.

After the match, United States Champion Bobby Lashley attacked Keith Lee from behind. Keith charged at him but Lashley planted him with an impressive Chokeslam. Riddle went after Lashley but the United States Champion applied the Hurt Lock. Lashley leveled Keith Lee with a Clothesline outside the ring and then launched him into the ring post. Lashley grabbed the steel steps and bashed Keith in the face with them. It was later announced that Bobby Lashley will defend the US Title against Riddle and Keith Lee in a Triple Threat match at Elimination Chamber.

Lana Put Nia Jax Through A Table

Nia Jax faced Lana in a Tables match tonight on RAW. Shayna Baszler and Naomi were ringside for the match. Nia shoved Lana to the mat, pulled her back up and elbowed her in the face to start off the action. Jax followed it up with a massive Powerbomb and then delivered another one as Naomi looked concerned. Nia smirked and started taunting Lana before locking in a Stretch Muffler submission. Lana shouted at Nia to stop but she opted to slam her face into the turnbuckle.

Lana caught Nia with a couple of kicks and avoided a Splash. Nia just shoved Lana to the canvas to stop her momentum. Lana was able to get Nia to the apron and hit her with a few kicks. Jax held onto the ropes and knocked Lana back down with a headbutt. Jax then put her boot on Lana’s throat and went for a Leg Drop but Lana got out of the way. Lana then shoved Nia through a table to win the match. After the match, Shayna tried to attack Lana but Naomi made the save and sent her on the retreat.

Naomi def. Shayna Baszler

Naomi then faced Shayna Baszler when RAW returned from a break. Shayna went after Naomi’s arm and stomped on it in the middle of the ring. Lana was still ringside as Nia Jax was helped to the back during the break. Shayna locked in the Kirifuda Clutch but Naomi was able to reach the ropes. Baszler attacked Lana and launched her into the barricade before returning to the ring. Naomi capitalized and rolled up Shayna for the victory.

Sheamus Interfered In The Main Event

Randy Orton battled Drew McIntyre once again in this week’s main event. Orton went for an RKO right away but Drew was ready. Orton rolled out of the ring to regroup and got a kick to the face he tried to get back inside. McIntyre went for the Draping DDT but Orton broke free. McIntyre exploded out of the corner with a Clothesline and then Sheamus’ music hit. Sheamus ran down to the ringside area but didn’t into the ring. Orton capitalized on the distraction and sent McIntyre into the ring post as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Orton bounced Drew’s head off the announce table and slammed him on top of it as Sheamus looked on. Orton brought McIntyre back inside the ring and hit him with a knee to the ribs. McIntyre and Orton then traded punches to the face in the middle of the ring. McIntyre hit a Neckbreaker and went for the Future Shock DDT but Orton countered into a cover for a two count.

McIntyre planted Orton with a Spinebuster for a near fall. Drew made his way to the top turnbuckle but Orton caught him with a jab to the face. Randy connected with a Superplex and both superstars crashed to the canvas. Randy attempted a cover but the WWE Champion wouldn’t stay down. McIntyre hit the Glasgow Kiss but Orton shrugged it off and hung up Drew in the ropes.

Orton connected with the Draping DDT and went for the RKO but Drew countered into the Future Shock DDT. McIntyre set up for the Claymore but Sheamus hopped into the ring. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but McIntyre dodged it. Sheamus accidentally leveled Orton with the Brogue Kick to end the match in a DQ. McIntyre then hit Sheamus with the Claymore to close the show.

WWE Title Match Made Official For Elimination Chamber PPV

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, the top match from the Raw brand on the Elimination Chamber card will feature the WWE Title. 

It was confirmed on Monday’s episode of Raw that McIntyre will defend the WWE Title against several stars at the show. Adam Pearce introduced Shane McMahon in the opening segment so he could reveal that McIntyre, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, The Miz, and Sheamus will battle it out in an Elimination Chamber Match with the title on the line. 

WWE had McIntyre address the recent actions of his best friend on the same show that also saw him battle Orton in a non-title match. 

WWE kicked off the program with McIntyre and Sheamus on the February 1st edition of Raw when Sheamus turned heel by attacking McIntyre, which came after the company had been putting over their friendship in recent months. 

After the beat down, Sheamus cut a promo about how McIntyre is no longer his friend and declared that he wants McIntyre’s WWE Championship. McIntyre retained his WWE Championship against Goldberg at the Royal Rumble.

WWE holds the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, which will air on the WWE Network.

Vince McMahon & Other Top Executives Increase Amount Of WWE Stock They Own

Andrew Ravens
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Vince McMahon was among a few top WWE executives to buy more WWE stock in recent days. 

WWE has uploaded several SEC filings to their corporate website regarding Vince, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, Kevin Dunn, and WWE President Nick Khan increasing the amount of WWE stock that they own. All of the purchases were done on February 5th. 

Vince has picked up 19,875 shares for a total of 89,496, which totals over $4 million. 

Vince’s daughter, Stephanie, added an additional 5644 shares of WWE to her name and has 82,042 in total stock, which is over 3 million dollars in worth. 

Triple H, the son-in-law of Vince and husband to Stephanie, picked up 5644 shares, which now sees him have a total share of 87,046. His total stock is also worth a little over $4 million. 

Khan also acquired 15310 shares of stock. Dunn, who is one of WWE’s longest-tenured employees, added 7552 shares bringing his total number of shares to 81,411.

This comes at a time where WWE is at its most profitable due to the increase in TV rights fees. The company has also recently signed a United States streaming deal with NBCU to move its US rights of the WWE Network to Peacock. 

Jon Moxley Says Kenta Has To Answer For All Of His Trash Talk

Michael Reichlin
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AEW star Jon Moxley and KENTA of New Japan Pro Wrestling will share a ring at least twice this month. According to Moxley, it’s almost time for KENTA to pay for all the trash talking he’s done.

This Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Moxley and Lance Archer team up against AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and KENTA. The match is historic for multiple reasons. Most notably, it’s the first time a talent contracted with NJPW will wrestle for AEW.

The match will serve as an ‘appetizer’ to the main course – when Jon Moxley defends the IWGP United States Championship against KENTA at NJPW New Beginning USA on February 26th.

Jon Moxley Ready for KENTA

Jon Moxley recently spoke with New Japan Pro Wrestling about the upcoming title defense. The master of the Paradigm Shift / Death Rider says it’s almost time for KENTA to pay for all his trash talking.

“People like to talk a lot of trash, and people are running around with briefcases, and contracts, and they’re fighting over the right to be the United Stated champion and hold that belt or whatever,” said Moxley. “I still hold that belt, so that’s my belt. You’re going to have to beat me in the ring for it.”

Moxley continued by saying that running your mouth can make you a lot of money in this business. It can also bring upon you a world of pain you might not be able to handle.

“When I get into the ring with KENTA, sh*t’s going to go down, and he’s going to have to answer for all this stuff that he said with his mouth,” he said. “And you know, your mouth can make you a lot of money in this business, but your mouth can really cause you a lot of pain and torture and pain, blues, and agony in this business you know when you overstep your boundaries with the words that come out of your mouth.”

You can watch Jon Moxley’s comments about KENTA in the player embedded below:

Omega & Kenta vs. Moxley & Archer Set For Next Week’s AEW Dynamite

WWE Superstar Spectacle: From an Indian Fan’s Point of View

Staff
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WWE is finally starting to make inroads into one of the largest untapped market they have for their product, India. Known for being the second most populous country in the world with 1.4 Billion people, India has long been one of the markets many companies have tried to enter. Given the large population, capturing even a tiny percentage of the market enables the company to reach another level.

With the WWE Superstar Spectacle, WWE hosted one of their first televised events directed completely towards their Indian audience.

What WWE knows, and what not too many viewers know, is that WWE already has a large ready-made market in India. When it comes to viewership, WWE is second only to cricket, a sport that has been compared to a religion for many Indians. The large portion of the WWE audience in India is young and it’s a burgeoning audience. However, the biggest challenge that WWE will face in the country is breaking down societal  and cultural barriers.

WWE is not widely accepted in Indian culture because the violence in the genre lends it a taboo quality that’s difficult to overcome. Thus, while large portions of the Indian audience are watching WWE, the same audience are not discussing it openly among themselves as the do cricket in fear of being judged. Getting acceptance among Indian audience will be the first and biggest step for the company.

The Indian WWE fanbase, however, can be divided into two broad categories – casual fans and smart fans.

WWE’s Indian Fanbase

Much like the rest of the world, India has a diehard smart fanbase for WWE, who not only follow RAW and SmackDown, but NXT as well, while also seeing the documentaries released by the company on their network.

With a massive broadcast partner in the form of Sony Sports Network, WWE is broadcast live, as well as repeated throughout the day at prime times, given the interest the product has garnered.

The second more casual fan may not regularly watch the shows religiously, but they tune in t times and add to the viewership tremendously, simply because of how many of them there are.

For example, according to reports by Economic Times, WrestleMania 33 had a massive reach across all their channels with repeats included of 67.3 million viewers. When it comes to consumption of WWE on YouTube, India ranks first as well. According to another report from The Bridge last year, WWE weekly shows attract a total of 335 million unique viewers over a whole week.

In 2018, WWE made the brave and controversial decision of deciding to push Jinder Mahal, someone who had only been treated as a jobber before. The move was an obvious one to pander to Indian fans, but it was not as successful as WWE hoped. While Mahal did appeal to the fans, the fact that he was a heel, that he had a stereotypical Indian gimmick, and that he was made Champion out of nowhere and with no apparent build all worked against him.

What WWE had failed to note, is that back in the day, they had already cracked the Indian equation with a giant. Mahal found success and pushed the WWE market in India more, but he himself did not find the same popularity that his predecessor had.

The Role of Indian Pro Wrestlers

When The Great Khali first came to WWE, he was fierce and known for his huge height. The fact that he used those attributes to run over his opponents, including the likes of Batista, The Undertaker, and Triple H, made him a convincing character. He was someone the fans could understand and get behind and they did in force. His popularity sky rocketed until he was a household name and every Indian knew of him, in the same manner they know of The Rock, John Cena, or Hulk Hogan.

Even more interestingly, when his weaknesses and slowness became more apparent and his push disappeared, his popularity in the Indian market didn’t. He is still famous and an extremely beloved figure among Indian fans. As a result, the natural push he got could be a lesson to WWE, as it was clear that much like the rest of the world, Indians like representation on the biggest stage, but only when it’s not forced.

That’s exactly the chance WWE has with their newest crop of stars at the WWE Superstar Spectacle.

WWE Superstar Spectacle

The recent Superstar Spectacle was huge for India and quite a lot of people tuned in, as it was the first time that WWE was shown taking active and real interest in the Indian wrestling scene. There was a lot of support there, but at the same time, people were worried the Idian show might be nothing more than another Saudi Arabia, where WWE panders to the fans and leaves and the Indian stars find no standing outside India.

However, those following the product know this is not the whole case as WWE is actively trying to make India their base of operations in Asia and that’s something that is appreciated. Superstar Spectacle allowed a lot of young stars to shine through, with Guru Raaj, Jeet Rama, Sareena Sandhu, Indus Sher, Dilsher Shanky, and Giant Zanjeer, all being appreciated by the fans for their performances. If WWE can continue to book them so strongly, and find others like them, then they might have found a huge launchpad for their product in India.

At this time, they have everything in their control, and it depends on how they plan to develop. Given the proper push, they could find themselves sitting with a massive market share in the country.

Damian Priest Officially Added To RAW Roster, Comments On Bad Bunny Angle

Chris Stephens
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Damian Priest is officially a member of the RAW brand now. He took part in the Royal Rumble and then defeated the Miz in singles action last Monday night in his first match for the brand. Priest spoke to SI.com recently about his main roster debut, being a member of the RAW brand, and participating in the 2021 Royal Rumble match.

“This is the dream. It’s been my dream since I was a child, and what excites me the most is I’m starting all over again,” Priest said. “I’m a beginner on Raw. I had that feeling when I first started in this business, and again when I started in NXT. And the icing on the cake is this roster here, which is the absolute best in the world. Edge, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Keith Lee, The Fiend [Bray Wyatt]. Those are the people I get to work with on Raw.”

Priest now looks to be headed into a program aligned with Bad Bunny going up against the Miz and John Morrison. He also spoke to SI.com about the angle.

“The past week, it’s been like a haze. I’ve been asking myself, Did that really just happen? This whole thing has been so awesome. I’m starting with The Miz, who is a true WWE superstar, one that is also well known outside of wrestling. I’m happy to get to mix it up with him, and like you said, Morrison is amazing.”

Priest continued to talk about what it has been like working with Bad Bunny.

“And I get to work with Bad Bunny. Some people love that Bad Bunny is in WWE; some people hate it. Our fans don’t always accept outsiders, but when it comes to Bad Bunny, he’s one of us. This isn’t some star just coming to WWE for a paycheck—he loves this, and it is very authentic. He wants to learn, and he’s enjoying this and making the most of every second.”

Nightmare Family Adds 2 Members, More Matches Added To AEW Dynamite

Chris Stephens
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AEW has added 2 matches to Wednesday’s Dynamite lineup. Cody Rhodes has also announced that the Nightmare Family has added 2 new members as well.

AEW announced that “Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth will take on PAC on Dynamite this week.

AEW has also announced that the Women’s title-eliminator tournament kicks of this week. Thunder Rosa will take on “Legit” Leyla Hirsch on the show.

The updated lineup for the show is:

  • PAC vs Ryan Nemeth
  • Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament (1st Round)
    Thunder Rosa vs Leyla Hirsch
  • Cezar Bononi & Peter Avalon vs. The Nightmare Family (Cody Rhodes & Lee Johnson)
  • The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho & MJF)
  • TNT Championship
    Darby Allin (c) vs. Joey Janela
  • Kenny Omega & KENTA (w/Don Callis) vs. Jon Moxley & Lance Archer

The Nightmare Family Adds 2 New Members

Cody Rhodes announced 2 new members for his Nightmare Family stable. Aaron Solow and Nick Comoroto have joined the faction.

The updated lineup for the Nightmare Family is below:

  • Cody Rhodes
  • Dustin Rhodes
  • Brandi Rhodes
  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Arn Anderson
  • QT Marshall
  • Lee Johnson
  • Billy Gunn
  • Austin Gunn
  • Colten Gunn
  • Aaron Solow
  • Nick Comoroto

Two matches on Dark this week will feature Nightmare Family teams. SCU will take on Lee Johnson and Aaron Solow. Additionally, Nick Comoroto will team with the Natural Nightmares to take on Vary Morales and the Jersey Muscle Society.

Dax Harwood Calls Edge & Christian “Pretty Overrated”

Chris Stephens
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Christian returned to the ring for the first time in almost 7 years at the Royal Rumble (not counting his “match” with Randy Orton last June). Edge and Christian embraced in the ring as fans grew excited about the possibility of them teaming up once again. Dax Harwood was recently asked online about a fantasy FTR vs Edge & Christian match. Perhaps surprisingly, Harwood doesn’t sound like he was much of a fan of the team. He noted that he considers them “pretty overrated.”

Harwood also responded to a fan who was critical of his opinions on Edge and Christian.

Harwood’s partner, Cash Wheeler, recently praised Christian heavily online, however.

Edge recently commented on him and Christian both being back in a WWE ring in 2021. He spoke to the Sporting News about Christian’s Royal Rumble return.

“I was one of the few that was privy to the fact that he got cleared a few months ago. We didn’t know he was going to be in the Rumble until Friday, though,” Edge said. “I was in the midst of driving down to his house from North Carolina to stay for the weekend. And then we found out and we’re like “OK, well, we’ll drive over to the rumble together then.”

Shawn Michaels Compares His Career To Tom Brady’s

Chris Stephens
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43-year-old Tom Brady won his 7th Super Bowl last night. If there is one wrestler who knows about performing on the biggest stage in his industry at an older age, it is Shawn Michaels. HBK was asked by SI.com about his WrestleMania 25 match with The Undertaker recently. At the time, Michaels was 43-years-old too, just like Brady is now.

“Your age, that number, it drives you,” said Michaels. “Before that match, Undertaker and I acknowledged that people on the card were younger, faster and even better, so we tapped into our strength. We harnessed experience, 20 years of a backstory, and focused on what we did best.”

“I know the two worlds are very different, but we knew how to tell the story and Brady knows how to win the game,” HBK continued. “If Brady is great on Sunday, it’s not going to be because of his scrambling ability or long runs. He’s going to have to play to the best of his ability, doing what he does best. That was the same premise behind what I did, which wasn’t X’s and O’s like football. I knew, in order to be great, I had to play into the storytelling aspect of wrestling.”

Shawn Michaels On Deciding To Retire

HBK would later say he made the decision to retire in the build-up to his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25. The following year, HBK would wrestle the Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 again, but this time with his career on the line. HBK would lose and not wrestle again until Crown Jewel in 2018.

“I can’t even remember who it was, but like a month before WrestleMania 25 asked how old my boy was. I said he was nine and the guy said, ‘Wow, halfway gone.’ He said he was halfway to 18 and when he’s 18 he’s gone. That blew me away… He’s halfway gone and I’m not going to miss that,” Michaels said to ESPN.

Shaul Guerrero Announces Break From Wrestling To Focus On Mental Health

Chris Stephens
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Shaul Guerrero has announced that she is canceling her upcoming bookings in pro-wrestling to focus on her mental health. The 30-year-old daughter of Eddie and Vickie Guerrero took to social media to post a statement on the matter.

“Official today I am withdrawing from all performances and appearances scheduled in conjunction with wrestling,” Guerrero said.

“After a very scary mental illness crisis I am no longer advised by loved ones and professionals to participate in high stress events at this time.”

“I deeply apologize to the fans who have been respectful and supportive of me and who continue to do so.”

Guerrero continued to say she will be using her time away to get treatment.

“I will be using this time to seek the help I need, reestablishing my eating disorder treatment and hopefully get answers and solutions to reach a health mental state.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this may bring. Best, Shaul Guerrero.”

Guerrero was with WWE under the name Raquel Diaz from 2010 to 2014. She is a former FCW Divas Champion and a former “Queen of FCW” winner in the promotion.

She was also the ring announcer for AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Cup tournament last summer. Guerrero married Matt Rehwoldt, better known to wrestling fans as Aiden English, in 2016.

Dax Harwood Opens Up About Battle With Bulimia

Chris Stephens
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Many wrestlers deal with body image issues. Dax Harwood of FTR recently opened up about problems he’s had with his weight. The former AEW World Tag Team Champion reveals that he has battled the eating disorder bulimia.

Harwood took to Instagram to post side-by-side photos of himself along with comments about his condition:

“Getting real for a second, I’ve always struggled with my weight,” Harwood wrote. “At one time, I was actually bulimic. My highest weight was 282lbs, which on a 5’10” frame is not very “attractive”; nor healthy. I’ve tried every diet, but they rarely worked because I’m so afraid of food. I was scared of going backwards.” 

Harwood then spoke about how “Body Transformation Specialist” Ferlan Bailey helped him achieve his fitness goals.

“With the help of my friend @ferlanbaileyifbbpro, he’s put me on a healthier path and continues to guide me along even when I question him,” Harwood continued.  “More than a coach, he’s a great human being. If you have dietary or workout needs, this is the guy for you! Thank you Ferlan, for all your help. Now all you Internet fans can go back to talking about my dad bod and loose skin!”

Harwood and tag-team partner Cash Wheeler are currently in a program with Jungle Boy and the Jurassic Express in AEW. The team was not permitted to wrestle in the battle royal to determine new #1 contenders to the tag belts last week due to their post-match assault on Jungle Boy two weeks ago.

You can see Dax Harwood’s photos and inspirational message here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK-DuevDscD/?utm_source=ig_embed

WWE Raw Preview (2/8): Orton vs. McIntyre, Charlotte & Lacey Evans

Michael Reichlin
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WWE returns to the ThunderDome tonight for a new live episode of Monday Night Raw.

The following items are advertised for the broadcast:

  • WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will face Randy Orton in a non-title match.
  • How will McIntyre respond to Sheamus giving him a Brogue Kick last week? WWE.com asks, “With an inevitable title clash on the horizon, what will Drew McIntyre have to say to his former best friend?”
  • Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans will come face-to-face. For more on the Charlotte Flair / Lacey Evans segment, check out the WWE website preview below:

Join us here later tonight for our WWE Raw Results & Takeaways.

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week’s WWE Raw:

John Cena & Batista’s Super Bowl Ads, AEW Stars At The Big Game

Michael Reichlin
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WWE legends John Cena and Batista appeared in commercials that aired during Sunday’s NFL Super Bowl game.

John Cena appeared in an ad for the Mountain Dew Major Lemon soft drink. As seen below, fans are encouraged to count the number of Major Lemon bottles that appear in the ad for a chance to win $1 million.

Batista appeared in an ad for Rocket Mortgage along with comedy great Tracey Morgan. “Watch Tracy Morgan, Dave Bautista and Liza Koshy in our Super Bowl LV commercial prove that from murder hornets to buying a home, certain is better – way better.”

https://youtu.be/EMgA-y2nRWE

AEW Stars at Super Bowl LV

Several people from All Elite Wrestling (AEW) were in attendance for the big game. AEW President Tony Khan, Le Champion Chris Jericho, Cody and Brandi Rhodes were all on site for the festivities.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLBHkaxDnqw/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLAio5mDSVp/?utm_source=ig_embed

More From the Super Bowl

WWE is sending the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a replica WWE Championship Belt for winning Super Bowl LV:

Finally, WWE congratulated Rob Gronkowski for his latest Super Bowl victory. Gronk is a former WWE 24/7 Champion.

Kiera Hogan Implies Sasha Banks Stole Her Look

Rayan Sayyed
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Kiera Hogan recently took an indirect shot at Sasha Banks during SmackDown, where she called out The Boss for copying her look and attire.

The Impact Wrestling star took to Twitter and posted the following about the supposed similarities between her and the SmackDown Women’s Champion’s attire and entrance, along with a GIF of herself: “Imma leave this here, Check my fit though ? often imitated never duplicated and that’s on periodt ? you can’t do it like me boo #HottestFlame.”

“‘If you want it come and get though! Make sure you want it for I give it though” and that’s on PERIODT POOH ? #HottestFlame #BlueFlame #FirenFlava.”

The one half of the current Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion didn’t name The Boss of course, but fans were quick to figure out who she was talking about.

Even though it’s true that the style seems a bit similar, with Sasha Banks sporting blue colored hair and dressing in all black for her promo, it is most likely just a coincidence as she has been using attires similar to this one for a while now.

Sasha Banks hasn’t responded to the post, most likely because her username wasn’t mentioned directly and both the wrestlers are separated by companies.

However, many of Banks’ fans were quick to defend her and flooded Kiera Hogan’s Twitter mentions. When she started getting Banks’ fans in her replies she posted a reaction GIF of a person laughing with the caption, “Insecure?! Y’all got me…”

Hogan seemed pretty unbothered by all the attention, however, as she snapped back by posting, “Y’all profile pictures aren’t even pictures of you! Outta here! Big mad! Be true to you boo and stop worrying about me”

This begs the question: will we get to see the two of them in the ring anytime soon? Probably not, as Kiera Hogan is under a multi-year contract with Impact Wrestling at the moment. But it will surely be interesting to see both the blue-haired stars have a go at it.

Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time Hogan has said someone has stolen her style. Back in 2018, in an interview, she claimed that Ember Moon stole her gimmick when the two were at a WWE tryout together in 2015.

Edge Says He Didn’t Think He Or Christian Would Ever Be Back In WWE

Rayan Sayyed
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Edge made his return on last week’s Royal Rumble match and after a seven month absence as the #1 entrant and won the match by eliminating Randy Orton. This would mark the second time Edge would win the Royal Rumble and the only star to win the match after being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Apart from Edge, we got another surprise in the form of a returning Christian, who entered the Royal Rumble match at #24. During the match, we saw a brief reunion of Edge and Christian before the latter got eliminated by Seth Rollins after lasting over 18 minutes.

As big of a moment as it was to see Edge return and get the chance to challenge a champion of his choice at WrestleMania 37, it was equally touching to see Edge and Christian embrace in the ring. Speaking on Christian’s return, Edge said that he was one of the few who had knowledge of his friend’s return.

“I was one of the few that was privy to the fact that he got cleared a few months ago. We didn’t know he was going to be in the Rumble until Friday, though,” Edge told Sporting News. “I was in the midst of driving down to his house from North Carolina to stay for the weekend. And then we found out and we’re like “OK, well, we’ll drive over to the rumble together then.”

Edge: “We Didn’t Think We’d Ever Be Back”

Edge also said that even though he already knew it was going to happen, seeing Christian walk down the ramp towards the ring was a surreal moment for him. When asked if either of them thought they would get to see this moment.

“Nope. We didn’t think we’d ever be back, period,” said Edge. “And I think that’s what was going through my mind. Even though I knew it was going to happen, still, to see him walking down there, and for me to have been in the ring by that point for like 35 minutes, I just had to take a second.”

Edge added that it wasn’t just his character who was reacting to the moment. It was real. Fans saw a genuine moment when Edge saw Christian walking to the ring. In his words, the fans witnessed “something that he was never supposed to do again.”

Edge also talked about the time when he got injured as he suffered a torn tricep on Backlash back in June 2020. He said that he can usually gauge when he could return to the ring, and he expected himself to be ready to be back for the Royal Rumble.

RELATED: Edge On Potential Reunion With Christian – “It Needs To Happen”

Sasha Banks Is Headed To NASCAR’s Daytona 500 On February 14th

Rayan Sayyed
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Sasha Banks has been named as the honorary starter for NASCAR’s 63rd Daytona 500 racing event, which means she will wave the green flag on February 14 to start the Great American Race.

Sasha Banks is the latest addition to the list of top names who have appeared at NASCAR Daytona 500. Last week, American rapper Pitbull, who is also the co-owner of NASCAR Cup Series team Trackhouse Racing, was named as the grand marshal for the event. A grand marshal’s job is to wave flags throughout the track to inform the drivers about the conditions on the track and drivers’ situations during the event.

Reacting to the news, Sasha Banks said that she would be making history by appearing on the most-watched auto racing events of the year.

“You have to think about that,” Sasha said in a video released by WWE. “That’s history. Legit history. And to be honest, I don’t know much about racecars, but I do know I love to drive fast, okay? And I am the Legit Boss and I am going to bring my ‘bossness’ to it. So I cannot wait to wave that flag like the standard that I am. You know what I am saying?”

It was also mentioned that Sasha is following in the footsteps of the likes of George H. W. Bush and fellow WWE star John Cena, among others. To this Sasha said that she’s not surprised she’s included in this list of huge names. “I mean, I am Sasha Banks. I mean, I can’t be surprised. I am so excited, I cannot wait. […] I am so excited to be among the list of so many incredible, amazing men and women… but Sasha Banks? I mean, who else, right?”

Sasha Banks came out as the winner of the SmackDown Women’s Championship match at Hell in a Cell and a feud with Carmella with the two meeting in the ring most recently at the Royal Rumble. Banks is expected to defend her title against Bianca Belair, the winner of the Women’s Royal Rumble at WrestleMania 37.

ALSO READ: Sasha Banks Wants To Team With Snoop Dogg at WrestleMania

Damian Priest On What Triple H Told Him About Main Roster Call Up

Chris Stephens
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Before he took part in the 2021 men’s Royal Rumble, there had been plenty of rumors regarding when Damian Priest would debut on the main roster. He recently spoke to Sportskeeda about all the various things he heard and was told leading up to his debut.

“You know how it is in this business, you hear things and you’re told things, but things didn’t change. And being that it was that far out, you know, it’s one of those like, ‘Hey, it’s looking like’… but nobody ever wanted to just tell me straight out, because everybody said the same thing. It was like, ‘but you know how things can change, so take it as a maybe.'”

Priest continued to talk about his reaction to hearing rumors he might be in the Rumble match.

“Then there was obviously the, ‘you might be in the Rumble.’ So then there’s that, but also the same thing, ‘like that would be cool, but as of right now, I’m an NXT superstar. Let me just focus on who I want to work with next and what I want to do here.”

Finally, it was Triple H who officially told Priest he was headed to the main roster. Priest spoke about what Triple H said to him.

 “He wanted to tell me face to face and shake my hand and congratulate me. I appreciate that he was the one just cause he’s helped me so much, and he believed in me. That’s the main thing. Like he’s actually believed in me and helped me to believe that it’s okay to be myself. So I was really appreciative that he was the one and the words he said to me, you know like, as far as like going forward and it was super cool.”

Bruce Prichard On Sgt Slaughter Winning WWF Title During Gulf War

Chris Stephens
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Sgt. Slaughter won the WWF Championship while working an angle where he was an Iraqi-sympathizer and admirer of Saddam Hussein. He defeated The Ultimate Warrior for the title at the 1991 Royal Rumble. Bruce Prichard recently discussed the 91 Rumble on an episode of “Something to Wrestle With” and spoke about the decision to put the title on Slaughter at the time.

Slaughter’s Royal Rumble victory took place on January 19th, 2021. Operation Desert Storm began 2 days earlier on January 17th, 1991.

“This was probably just a little too soon, a little too close to home and I don’t think that anyone ever really thought, until (the weekend of the Rumble), that we were actually going to have a full conflict and go to war,” Prichard said.

“This one turned into that major war that people hadn’t been apart of in many, many years and I think that it just affected the psyche of the country,” Prichard continued.

slaughter champion
Sgt. Slaughter as WWF Champion

Bruce Prichard On Similar Storytelling In Other Forms Of Entertainment

Prichard also mentioned how other forms of entertainment will use war as a storyline.

“Look at the movies that they did with the Japanese, and the war, and Hiroshima and different things like that, Pearl Harbor. World War I, World War II were glamorized in the movies, and the villains were accentuated, the evil Russians, the evil Germans, the evil Japanese. That had taken the shape of the villain in America’s eyes.”

He also made specific mention of Americans being used as heels in Japanese wrestling.

“You look at Japanese wrestling, where Japanese wrestling really took off is when they started bringing Americans in to be the villains, the heels.”

Bruce Prichard On Similar Characters In Wrestling

Conrad Thompson asked Prichard about similarities between Sgt Slaughter’s 1991 title win and the Muhammad Hassan character in WWE years later.

“I’d say both were victims of bad timing as well as just bad characters,” Prichard said.

“I think if they had been done at any other time, when some of the outside circumstances hadn’t taken place, I think they would have been fine. But when you start seeing people in war, which they had never seen in real-time before. You got to remember, your closest war was Vietnam.”

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