media

And NEW! Title changes can mean the world for a championship as it can breathe new life into the title’s status. Occasionally something just needs to be changed and that can make for a big moment. It can be even more impressive when someone special is involved in the titles changing hands. Both things were true this week, as a legend was involved in helping make another legend a champion.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE “Loves” This Superstar Backstage, Possible Future World Champion
The main event of this week’s Monday Night Raw saw Lita and Becky Lynch defeat Damage Ctrl to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Late in the match, Bayley interfered on Damage Ctrl’s behalf, prompting WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus to run to the ring and help take Bayley out. The win makes the first Women’s Tag Team Title reign for either Lita or Lynch.
It was a cool moment. Check out the title change, plus more from each of the new champs:
[This post contains video, click to play]

[T..

Monday Night Raw
Date: February 27, 2023
Location: Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves
We are less than five weeks away from Wrestlemania and you can see a lot of the show’s card from here. That means we should be in for a good event, as there is time to build things up in advance. Odds are we’ll hear a lot from Cody Rhodes this week, which often works out well. Let’s get to it.
We open with a recap of Friday’s Bloodline issues, as Sami Zayn seems to still be getting inside Jey Uso’s mind.
Here are Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa to mock the idea of there being problems in the Bloodline. Families fight all the time but if you come for one of them, you come for all of them. There have been a lot of people who thought the Bloodline was over and they were all wrong. So get them some opponents out here. Cue the Street Profits, who shout a lot and ask where Jey Uso is. Trash is talked and we’re ready to go.
Jimmy Uso/Solo Sikoa vs. Street Profits J..

He has fans. With so many talented wrestlers on the WWE roster, it can be difficult for a wrestler to find a way to stand out. Being able to have good matches on a regular basis helps, but there has to be something more to really push someone to the next level. It seems that a current star in WWE has done just that, and is receiving praise backstage as a result.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: One More: Sami Zayn Getting Another Title Shot Against Roman Reigns
According to WrestleVotes in an interview with GiveMeSport, several people backstage in WWE, including COO Triple H “love” Gunther, to the point where he may be a future World Champion. Other than Triple H, names such as Road Dogg and Jason Jordan are said to be fans. Gunther is the reigning Intercontinental Champion and has held the title since June 10, 2022. This gives him the longest reign since The Rock in 1997-98.
They’re onto something. Check out what Gunther has been doing in WWE:
[This post contains video, click to play]

[Th..

Run it back. Every so often, you will run across a match that is built almost solely on emotion. The build to the match goes so well that by the time it actually rolls around, you almost have to see what happens. That can make for some very special moments and it is even better when you get to see the match take place. Now we are going to get to see the rematch.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: He’s In Charge: Former WWE Champion Set To Host WrestleMania 39
The main event of WWE Elimination Chamber saw Sami Zayn challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title in Zayn’s hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. While Zayn lost, it took some interference for Reigns to retain and the match was close throughout. Now WWE is running the match again, this time at a live event on March 4 at the Coca Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This marks a rare live event appearance for Reigns, who wrestles on a relaxed schedule.
JUST ANNOUNCED! Canada’s own @SamiZayn takes on @WWERomanReig..

It’s a gig. WrestleMania has evolved so much over the years that it is almost nothing like what it was when it first started. The show has gone from little more than a really souped up live event to a stadium filling event that takes place over two nights. Things have gotten so much bigger that it needs someone to keep track of them all, which is what we will have again this year.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Monster Fight: New Match Officially Set For WrestleMania 39
This week on Monday Night Raw, the Miz was announced as the host of WrestleMania 39. The announcement came via the envelope that Miz’s wife Maryse gave him last week. After making the announcement, Miz was attacked by Seth Rollins and left laying. WrestleMania has had a host for the last several years, with names such as Hulk Hogan, Alexa Bliss, Bayley and the New Day serving in the role.
It is a tradition. Check out what the hosts have done over the years:
[This post contains video, click to play]

[This post contains vid..

That’s a big one. We are less than five weeks away from WrestleMania 39 and the card is rapidly filling up. There are already several title matches and grudge matches set for the show but there are still several names who need something to do on the show. That makes a WrestleMania spot even more important, and now two more of those spots have officially been filled.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Sheamus, Drew McIntyre And Braun Strowman Have Fun At WWE Live Event
Last week on Monday Night Raw, MVP issued a challenge for Brock Lesnar to face Omos at WrestleMania. This week, Lesnar was a guest on MVP’s VIP Lounge where he accepted the challenge, with the match being made official later in the night. Lesnar beat up MVP to commemorate the announcement. This will be the first time that Lesnar and Omos have ever faced off one on one.
Those are some large men. Check out how we got here and who is squaring off:
[This post contains video, click to play]

[This post contains video, click to..

It’s a different kind of show. There are all kinds of WWE events throughout the year and some of them are a bit more personal than the rest. While televised events go in a certain way, live events are much more geared to the crowd and that allows for some more unique moments. That was the situation over the weekend as some WWE stars had a bit of fun before a match.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Plan A: Here Are The Original Plans WWE Title Plans For WrestleMania 39 (They’re Different)
Over the weekend, WWE held a live event in Rockford, Illinois, featuring a six man tag match featuring Braun Strowman, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre vs. the Bloodline. Before the match, McIntyre was posing on the top rope when Sheamus lifted up the back of McIntyre’s kilt to look underneath. Strowman laughed at the situation, with McIntyre playing along as well. The Bloodline went on to win the match.
It was something funny. Check out what Sheamus did and the team in some more serious moments:
[This post contain..

They had other plans. We are less than five weeks away from WrestleMania 39 and the show’s card has mostly come together. There are already several matches planned for the show, some of which have either been set in stone or all but set for months now. However, there have been some plans that had to be changed, and now we know just how much one title situation was originally planned.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Pick A Side: More On WWE Hoping To Sign AEW Wrestlers, AEW Looking To Do The Same?
According to Fightful Select, the original World Title plans for WrestleMania 39 called for the Rock vs. Roman Reigns to take place on one night while a WWE Championship match between Seth Rollins and either Cody Rhodes or Drew McIntyre would take place on the second. Once it became clear that the Rock would not be at the show, McIntyre and Rollins were dropped, with Rhodes vs. Reigns being set instead. There is no word on if Rock vs. Reigns would have been for the Universal Title or how Reigns would..

They have targets. The rise of AEW has changed the wrestling world, as several names have been given a chance to showcase their talents at a level they never could have otherwise outside of WWE. Those wrestlers have become stars in their own right, but at the same time, their futures are not forever tied to AEW. WWE has their eyes on some of them, and things could be getting interesting.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WRESTLING RUMORS: WrestleMania 39 Will Be A Bit Different, Some Wrestlers Unhappy
Earlier this month, reports began to surface that WWE was interested in attempting to sign AEW’s Kenny Omega when his contract expires. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, several AEW deals are set to expire this year and WWE is going to “go hard at everyone good”. There were no other specific names listed. At the same time, several WWE deals will be expiring as well, with AEW hoping to pick up some stars that they can. Again, there were no names listed on who AEW might go after or when those d..

That would be different. WrestleMania has been a WWE tradition for nearly forty years and there is nothing to suggest that will change. The show has long since featured the biggest stars in the company in several matches over the course of the night. Over the last three years, and continuing this year, the show has spread to two nights instead of just one. Now the show might be in for another change and the WWE roster is reportedly unhappy.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Not For Him: 37 Year Old Second Generation Star Reveals Plans For WWE Run
According to Wrestlingnews.co, WWE COO Triple H is favoring a smaller WrestleMania card this year. As a result, several names who have been appearing on WWE TV in recent months may not appear on the show. This goes against the norm in previous years of getting as many wrestlers as possible on the card. There is also no battle royal planned this year to get more wrestlers to work the show. Finally, some wrestlers are unhappy with so many legends and cel..

What could have been. There are so many different ways to present a wrestler and some of them have been done many times over the years. A talented performer can make even the most overly done ideas work out well though and it can be interesting to see how they pull it off. Now we know what kind of plans WWE had for a second generation star before letting him go.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Young Fan Helps Seth Rollins In WWE Live Event Match Against Austin Theory
Former WWE star Davey Boy Smith Jr. was interviewed by Fightful Select and spoke about his return to WWE in 2021, when he was signed and released in the same year without making a televised appeared. Smith Jr. said that his gimmick would have been the Stampede Stud and he would have worked on SmackDown. Vince McMahon told Smith that his appearance was impressive but Smith said getting into that kind of shape was “costly” for him. While Smith said he would return to WWE, it would only be for the money without his heart bein..

Fan participation. There are a lot of factors in wrestling, but ultimately, the most important thing is to please the audience. If the fans do not care or are not happy with what they are seeing, they are not likely to keep watching later. One of the best ways is to give the fans a connection to what they are watching, which very well may have been the situation at a recent live event.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: What Could Have Been: How WWE Changed Plans For WrestleMania 39 Title Matches
WWE ran a live event in Champaign, Illinois on Saturday night, featuring a United States Title match with Austin Theory defending against Seth Rollins. During the match, Rollins sent Theory outside and grabbed his arms. As per Rollins’ request, a young fan hit Theory, who staggered away as a result. Rollins then high fived the fan and continued with the match, which he went on to lose.
This was pretty great. Check out what happened during the match, plus the two in a match elsewhere:
[This post contai..