News

WWE Reportedly No Longer Testing For Marijuana

April 21, 2022 • Admin

That’s something specific. The WWE has come a long way when it comes to its drug testing policies. The company does not have the best history in regards to taking care of its wrestlers but the last several years have seen a much strong emphasis on the situation. However, one change has taken place recently as the company seems to be lightening up on a specific area. According to Fightful Select, WWE has not suspended or fined wrestlers for positive marijuana tests in years. WWE’s official drug policy on its website states that wrestlers will be fined $2,500 for a positive test, though WWE is apparently not enforcing this part of the policy. A WWE higher up said that he hasn’t heard as much as gossip about marijuana in years, let alone a fine being levied. There is nothing to suggest that any other parts of the policy have been relaxed. Opinion: This shouldn’t be a surprise and it is kind of hard to argue against the policy being lightened up. At the end of the day, there are states i..

LISTEN: WWE Star Releases A New Song With A Specific Theme

April 21, 2022 • Admin

It’s something else he can do. There are a lot of talented people in the wrestling industry but some of them are rather skilled at things that have nothing to do with the ring. Fans can be surprised by what they see from wrestlers who are getting the chance to showcase another talent and that is the case again, as a WWE star has released something that has nothing to do with wrestling. Monday Night Raw’s MVP has released a new rap song on Spotify called “Legalize It” featuring Smoke DZA and 80 Empire. The song title is a reference to legalizing marijuana as the song was released on April 20, an unofficial holiday among marijuana users. MVP has released his own music for several years, including his own solo theme song during his time in WWE. Hey everybody, I just released a new song. It's available now on Spotify! ??? #LegalizeIt @smokedza @80Empire_ pic.twitter.com/9oQUjxk7PM — MVP (@The305MVP) April 20, 2022 Opinion: I’m not a rap fan so I can’t speak to the quality of the s..

Former WWE Star Returns To Performance Center (With A Guest)

April 21, 2022 • Admin

Welcome back, kind of? There has been a long list of departures in WWE over the last several months and there is always the chance that even more names could leave. While many of the wrestlers were released, there have also been some who have left on their own. That means they might be back one day, and now one of them has come back, at least for a visit. NXT’s Malcolm Bivens has posted an image to Twitter, showing he and former NXT star Johnny Gargano at the WWE Performance Center. Gargano is seen with his son in the photo, meaning that it was taken within the last three months. Gargano left NXT in December and has yet to wrestle again elsewhere, as he has said that he is keeping his options open. There is no word on when he will be announcing his next signing. Fatherhood whoopin his ass. pic.twitter.com/tIPK4ooSkG — MALCOLM (@Malcolmvelli) April 19, 2022 Opinion: I’m curious to see where Gargano goes next, as he is one of the more decorated wrestlers of this era. I don’t know how..

BREAKING: AEW Makes Major Announcement, Huge Show Coming Soon

April 21, 2022 • Admin

Cross promotion. While AEW and WWE get most of the attention in the wrestling world, there are a lot of other promotions out there worth a look. You have probably heard of several of them but they could all use some extra recognition. That is the case with one major international promotion, but now it is going to be getting some major attention on a huge stage. This week on AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole announced a special pay per view event on June 26 at the United Center in Chicago. The event will be called Forbidden Door, which will include New Japan Pro Wrestling stars meeting AEW stars. New Japan wrestlers have appeared in AEW before but never for an entire show. There is no word on who will be appearing on the card and no matches have been announced. Opinion: I don’t think this is the biggest surprise but it should at least make for a good show. The show is the kind of thing that the AEW fans are going to eat up and now they will be getting the kind of show they have wanted. There sh..

AEW Dynamite Live Coverage And Results – April 20, 2022

April 21, 2022 • Admin

Dynamite Date: April 20, 2022 Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur Battle Of The Belts has come and gone and now we should be on the way to Double Or Nothing in May. That means it should be time to start getting ready for the bigger pushes as the card hasn’t been set up so far. CM Punk gets to face Dustin Rhodes tonight so let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Opening sequence. Dustin Rhodes vs. CM Punk They shake hands to start and it’s a feeling out process to get things going. The fans are split as they go technical, with a headlock not getting either of them very far. Punk takes him to the mat and cranks on the leg a bit but Dustin is right back up with a wristlock. Some armdrags into an armbar slow Punk down but he sends Rhodes outside, where the knee is banged up. Back in and Punk stays on the leg with some elbows and kicks as we take a break. We come back with Rhodes sending him outside and hitting some cl..

Possible Reason Bray Wyatt Has Not Come To AEW

April 20, 2022 • Admin

There’s a reason for that. AEW has changed the way the wrestling world works and a lot of that is due to the company allowing several new wrestlers a chance to appear on the big stage. Some of them might have been around before but now they have a chance to work somewhere other than WWE. Not every former WWE star comes to AEW though and now we know why that is the case with one of them. During a discussion on Twitter, Dave Meltzer was asked about WWE stars coming to AEW and vice versa. A fan brought up Bray Wyatt, but Meltzer said that Wyatt’s asking price was very high. There is no word on whether or not Wyatt and AEW will come to terms at some point in the future. Wyatt left WWE last July and has yet to wrestle again since. He has been working on a film project during his time away from the ring. I know it's my site, but WWE would be interested in almost any top AEW act right now. Also, AEW would be interested in virtually any WWE top act right now. https://t.co/LMVdSEkpb7 — ..

All Time Wrestling Great Reportedly Dealing With Health Issues

April 20, 2022 • Admin

Please don’t be serious. There are certain wrestlers who become legendary in the sport for one reason or another. You might see a wrestler become a legend because of how they look or talk, but some of them become such stars because of what they can do in the ring. It is special to see someone that talented wrestle a match, but now one of the best ever seems to be having some problems. During the latest edition of his DDT Snake Pit Podcast, Jake Roberts revealed that Ricky Steamboat was going through health issues. Roberts did not go into detail on what was wrong with Steamboat or how serious the issues were, nor has Steamboat commented on the situation. Roberts did mention that he hopes it is not due to the DDT that he gave Steamboat on the concrete floor during a match between the two in 1986. Steamboat retired from active wrestling in 1994 but has wrestled the occasional match since. Opinion: I’m not sure what is going on with Steamboat and I hope that it isn’t anything too serious..

Possible Explanation For Why A Monday Night Raw Team Split

April 20, 2022 • Admin

There’s your reason. Teams and groups split up all the time in wrestling though it might not be the most obvious reason. It can make for some rather annoying moments as a team might still be popular before they are taken apart. That annoyance can go away a bit if you find out what there are bigger plans going on and that seems to be the case with a recent WWE split. This week on WWE Monday Night Raw, Rhea Ripley attacked Liv Morgan to end their team. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, the split may have taken place to set up Ripley as the next major challenger for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Title. This may also explain why Sonya Deville’s shot at Belair was moved to next week on Monday Night Raw rather than next month at WrestleMania Backlash. Opinion: I could certainly go for Ripley getting a title shot as a serious monster but I don’t know if I would believe her winning the title. If nothing else, Ripley vs. Belair sounds like a Summerslam showdown rather than a WrestleMania B..

That Looks Rough: Possible Injury For NXT Star

April 20, 2022 • Admin

That doesn’t look good. You never want to see a wrestler get injured. In addition to not wanting to see someone in pain, you don’t know how long they are going to be on the shelf. It can be terrible to see a wrestler go out of action and there are some injuries that are worse than others. Now a popular NXT star seems to be hurt and it does not look to be the best situation. Io Shirai has appeared in a photo posted to social media from Easter Sunday. In the photo, Shirai is seen with a boot on her foot and crutches next to her. There is a chance that Shirai was injured during Stand & Deliver when she attempted a moonsault onto Kay Lee Ray (see the clip in the second tweet below). Shirai has not appeared on television since the show. It should be noted that there is NO speculation about Shirai’s injury, including how severe it is or if it has taken place whatsoever. This is still considered speculation. Io appears to be in a boot and on crutches (see bottom right of first picture), mak..

Steve Austin On Another WrestleMania Appearance, His Health After His Match

April 20, 2022 • Admin

They might want him again. There are very few stars in wrestling history who have come close to the level of Steve Austin. As the face of one of WWE’s most famous eras, Austin is the name that many fans will first associate with wrestling. It means a lot to get him to appear and after he came out of retirement at WrestleMania 38, fans began wondering if he would be back. Now we might know something else about his future. Following his return to the ring at WrestleMania 38, Austin appeared on the Brewbound podcast. During the interview, Austin said that he feels 100% and that it was an honor to be on the show. In addition, Austin said that while you could never say never, he was likely done with wrestling. However, if Vince McMahon were to call him to appear at WrestleMania 39 in some capacity, he would be there. Opinion: As much fun as having Austin back in the ring earlier this month really was, that is the kind of thing that needs to stay as a one off. At the end of the day, Austin..

WWE Changes Two More Names By Getting Rid Of A Tag Team’s Identity

April 20, 2022 • Admin

There they go again. There are a lot of wrestlers in WWE and some of them are among the better known names in wrestling. You might see some names who are successes around the world and that can give them a history before they make it to WWE in the first place. That being said, WWE has a tendency to change names at the drop of a hat and that seems to be what they have done again. This week on NXT, the Grizzled Young Veterans, comprised of James Drake and Zack Gibson, had their names changed. Not only are they now just Drake and Gibson, but the Grizzled Young Veterans name has been dropped as well. This comes as WWE has been changing the names of several wrestlers, many of whom are in NXT. Vince McMahon has ordered the name changes to avoid wrestlers using their more famous names in case they go to AEW. Opinion: For lack of a better term, this is WWE’s thing at the moment, whether it makes sense or not. I think I get McMahon’s thinking behind the changes, but that doesn’t make them the..

Another AEW Name Announces Departure From The Company

April 20, 2022 • Admin

Fare thee well. AEW has shaken up the wrestling world and it has made for some rather exciting moments. There is something special about seeing someone show up and making their AEW debut, as the company has landed some major stars. That creates the problem of overloading the roster, which means some wrestlers have to make their leave. Now we have another name being written off of the roster. Jack Evans has announced that his AEW contract will be expiring later this month and he will not be re-signing with the company. Evans described his time with the company as “fun and enjoyable” and thanked the fans and company for the time. During his time with AEW, Evans was mainly a tag team wrestler in the Hybrid 2 with Angelico. Evans last wrestled on AEW Dark on February 5. My time with #AEW has been a fun and enjoyable but it has come to an end as I will not be re-signed when my contract ends at the end of April. I'd like to thank everyone at AEW and the AEW fans for the opportunity. ..

Back Again: WWE Wants To Bring Back Two AEW Stars

April 20, 2022 • Admin

They want them back? AEW has changed the way the wrestling world works and that is not a bad thing. The company has allowed all kinds of wrestlers a chance to get in the ring and on a bigger stage for the first time in a very long while. Some former WWE stars have made their way to AEW but now WWE wants two wrestlers who have worked there before to come back. According to Fightful Select, WWE is interested in bringing FTR back once their AEW contracts expire. FTR’s AEW contracts expire at some point this summer and WWE wants them to return to the company. However, AEW also has a one year option that they can exercise on the two. FTR wrestled in WWE as the Revival from 2014-2020, winning five Tag Team Titles between NXT and the main roster. There is no word on if FTR is interested in returning to WWE. Opinion: I can’t fathom the idea of FTR returning to WWE, as they are able to wrestle all kinds of great matches against top opponents and it makes things that much better for fans. Why ..

You Won’t Be Seeing Two NXT Wrestlers For Very Different Reasons

April 20, 2022 • Admin

Back to NXT soon? There are a lot of reasons to move a wrestler off of television in one way or another. Some of these ways might be due to a storyline while some might be for a legitimate reason. You don’t know when you might be seeing another wrestler again, as they could be gone for a long time. That might be the case again this week with two names at once. An announcement on this week’s NXT revealed that two wrestlers will be missing for the time being. Following Von Wagner attacking Ikemen Jiro last week, Jiro has suffered internal injuries and will be out of action for about a month. In addition, Wagner has been fined and suspended for an undisclosed amount of time. This comes after Jiro’s partner Kushida left the company when his contract expired. Opinion: This feels like a way to get around Kushida leaving WWE, as the other two didn’t have anything to do. I’m not sure what that is going to mean for Wagner and Jiro going forward, but at the moment they get to figure out someth..

NXT Results – April 19, 2022

April 20, 2022 • Admin

NXT Date: April 19, 2022 Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph Things are both picking up and being let down around here. While Pretty Deadly and some other imports are a nice upgrade, the NXT Title picture is leaning more into B movie territory as Joe Gacy becomes more of a Bond villain parody. Hopefully the things in the middle can make it better so let’s get to it. The opening recap looks at Pretty Deadly winning the Tag Team Titles and Joe Gacy telling Bron Brakker he needs to make a sacrifice. Here is Pretty Deadly for a chat. They have dominated England and decided it was time to come to America and dominate here as well. And it wasn’t even that hard! Cue the Grizzled Young Veterans (with the graphic ignoring their first names, which has me worried). Drake says Pretty Deadly wouldn’t have won had they been here and it is time for the Veterans to win the titles. Cue Legado del Fantasma to brawl with the Veterans though and a..

REVIEW: Multiverse Of Matches: When Worlds Bump Into Each Other

April 19, 2022 • Admin

Welcome to KB’s Old School (and New School) Reviews. I’ve been reviewing wrestling shows for over twelve years now and have reviewed over 6,000 shows. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a new review here on Wrestlingrumors.net. It could be anything from modern WWE to old school to indies to anything in between. Note that I rate using letters instead of stars and I don’t rate matches under three minutes as really, how good or bad can something that short be? Multiverse Of Matches Date: April 1, 2022 Location: Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, Texas Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt This was a show that got my attention as it has a pretty nice card with a lot of things going on. The idea is that there are multiple companies coming together with some representatives for some matches we might not have seen before. That should be enough, even if this is just a side trip on the way to Rebellion. Let’s get to it. I was in attendance for this show, sitting opposite the ent..

WATCH: Ric Flair Gets Back In The Ring, Takes Bumps With Jay Lethal

April 19, 2022 • Admin

One more time? There are very few wrestlers in history as famous as Ric Flair. Over a career that spanned the better part of forty years, Flair became one of the true icons of wrestling. This included more title reigns than anyone should be able to keep track of, plus a legacy of catchphrases and appearances that will never be matches. Flair also has a history of rivalries, and now he is working with one of his more infamous rivals. Flair has posted a video to Instagram, showing himself in a ring with AEW’s Jay Lethal. The video shows the two training and taking bumps, including a slam and a headlock takeover. The video ends with the two exchanging WOO’s in a callback to their infamous segment in Impact Wrestling. Charlotte, Flair’s daughter, responded with a comment saying “Dad WTF.” Flair, 73 years old, has not wrestled since the September 15, 2011 episode of Impact Wrestling. It was something else. Check out the Flair vs. Lethal video, plus their legendary WOO Off: [This post con..

Alexa Bliss Reportedly Unhappy With WWE Creative, Complains To Vince McMahon

April 19, 2022 • Admin

Can you blame her? There are so many people on the WWE roster that it can be difficult to come up with something for everyone to do. Some of them have been around for a very long time and can often need something new to make things fresh. That makes sense in theory, but sometimes WWE can’t make it work. It seems to be the case again and one of the wrestlers isn’t pleased. According to Fightful Select, Alexa Bliss is frustrated with her lack of creative direction in WWE. Bliss reportedly pitched to be part of the Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair match at WrestleMania 38 though she did not appear. At spme point, she reportedly spoke to Vince McMahon about her issues. Bliss has not appeared since Elimination Chamber in February, which was her first match since Extreme Rules in September. Between her matches, she appeared in a series of vignettes on Monday Night Raw, showing her in therapy to rid herself of her obsession with her Lily doll. There is no word on when she will be returning to W..

Backstage Reason For WWE’s Recent Name Changes

April 19, 2022 • Admin

I guess that counts. There are a lot of seemingly random changes that take place in WWE and a lot of them seem to stem from Vince McMahon’s crazy decisions. Some of these changes feel like they come out of nowhere and last as long as McMahon thinks it is a good idea, which might be the case again. Now we do have an idea of why McMahon is making the changes he has made. WWE has recently changed several wrestlers’ names, with the new rule saying that wrestlers are unable to use their real names or names they used on the independent circuit. According to Wrestling Observer Live, McMahon issued the change as a way to prevent wrestlers from using their WWE names if/when they leave for AEW. The idea has led to changes such as Austin Theory becoming just Theory and a variety of other changes to brand new names. Opinion: It does make sense, but ultimately I don’t think fans are going to care that much about what an easily identifiable wrestler is going to be called. Fans are going to know if..

Yowza: Eye Popping Audience In India For WrestleMania 38

April 19, 2022 • Admin

That’s something to brag about. WWE is the biggest and most powerful wrestling promotion in the world and has been for a very long time now. While the company has been centered in the United States for their entire history, it also has a long run of success outside of the company. Now they are having another success from another part of the world on its biggest nights of the year. According to India.com, WrestleMania 38 set a new record for wrestling viewership on the Sony Sports Network. The show was viewed by 56.1 million viewers over the show’s two nights. The debut of Veer Mahaan on Monday Night Raw the following night was credited with a 9% increase in the show’s viewership. WrestleMania 38 took place on April 2 and April 3 at AT&T Stadium. Opinion: I’d certainly call that a success, as tens of millions of people watched WWE’s show. I’m not sure what that compares to other wrestling shows in India but it is certainly a good looking number for WWE. It also shows why Mahaan is goin..