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One More Round: Former WWE Star Announces Retirement Tour

December 12, 2021 • Admin

Hanging up the boots. Wrestlers have a weird situation when it comes to retirement. They can walk away at any time, but ultimately there is always the chance that they might come back into the ring. It isn’t like the mainstream sports where someone has to come back for a full season, meaning retirement can be hit or miss. Now another wrestler is getting ready for their final run. Nick Dinsmore, formerly known as Eugene, has announced that he will be taking part in his retirement tour over the course of 2022. Dinsmore is making himself available for matches, seminars and stand up comedy. No specific dates or matches have been announced as of yet. Dinsmore has been wrestling since 1996 and has worked as both a wrestler and a trainer in the WWE system. Eugene has begun his retirement tour! Last Call! One last time! There are select dates available so book Eugene ASAP for pro wrestling matches, seminars/match psychology, and also stand-up Comedy. Contact today by email: EugeneNickDinsmo..

REVIEW: OVW Christmas Chaos 2001: Tomorrow’s Superstars Back Then

December 11, 2021 • 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? OVW Christmas Chaos 2001 Date: January 31, 2001 Location: Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky Commentator: Jim Cornette Ah OVW, how much I love thee. This is from sometime around Christmas of 2001 which I’ll try to find an exact date for (future edit: got it). OVW was the official developmental organization for WWE for a very long time, just like FCW is now. They didn’t have PPVs but they had big shows where WWF guys would come down and this is one of them. The production value is very low here and the fact t..

WWE Making Major Changes To Superstar Contracts, No More Financial Bonuses

December 11, 2021 • Admin

There goes the brass ring. It is safe to say that things have been shaken up in WWE over the last year and a half and that might be continuing for a long time to come. The company looks almost nothing like it did just this time last year and it is almost scary to think about how things will look next. Now though, it seems that WWE has taken away something else from the wrestlers. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE has mostly done away with all financial bonuses that the wrestlers are able to make. Instead, the wrestlers are mostly limited to the amount on their contract, with pay per view, live event and merchandise bonuses being left out. There are some top stars who are still able to make more, but the lower level wrestlers have no bonuses available. The top stars should be fine. Check out what they do in WWE: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: So in other wor..

AEW Star Might Be Appearing On A Singing Competition Show

December 11, 2021 • Admin

It’s a different kind of show. Wrestlers have a weird reputation when it comes to celebrity status, as you do not get to see them doing much outside of the ring. They are well known for that kind of appearance, but it is rare to see what else they can do. Now though, we might be getting to see a wrestler try something else, though seeing them is not the point this time. AEW star Marko Stunt has announced that he has tried out for the singing competition show The Voice and has even received a call back to return for the next round. The idea of the show is that the judges will decide who should continue on the show based on the person’s voice rather than their look. Stunt sang I’m Yours by Jason Mraz for his audition song and is waiting on the next round of the competition. I signed up for an open call for The Voice, for tomorrow. Wtf am I doing lol — Mr. Fun Size (@realmarkostunt) December 6, 2021 About an hour left before the open audition. I’m ready, but man I get nervous… — Mr. ..

Major Update On Alberto El Patron’s Sexual Assault Charges

December 11, 2021 • Admin

That takes care of things. Wrestling fans watch their favorite, and sometimes not so favorite, stars on TV on a regular basis. It can be easy to forget that we are watching real people get in the ring every so often. These people have real life situations going on outside of the ring and no one of the most serious issues has been wrapped up in a bit of a surprise. According to PWInsider.com, former WWE Champion Alberto El Patron’s sexual assault charges were dismissed on Friday and the case is officially closed. A witness was said to be missing, meaning that El Patron is cleared of all liability in the situation. The trial was scheduled to have begun on Monday. El Patron has been regularly wrestling for a variety of promotions in Mexico over the last few months. This is a bit of a touchy situation so we’ll try something else. Here is a different Albert in action: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click ..

Who’s Left? Update On Goldberg’s WWE Contract

December 11, 2021 • Admin

Who’s left? There are certain wrestlers who don’t need much of an introduction. Something about them gets your attention immediately and that makes them incredibly valuable in a few ways. A promotion can put them on any show and get something out of them, which is the case with one certain living legend. We just might not be seeing that much of them in the future. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Goldberg has one match left on his current WWE deal and it is not clear if WWE will be re-signing him when his contract ends. Goldberg is highly paid for a light schedule and he has a no-cut clause in his deal. Goldberg’s most recent match took place in October at Crown Jewel, when he defeated Bobby Lashley. He is absolutely a force. Check out some of Goldberg’s higher profile matches: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: Goldberg is an interesting case, as he does feel lik..

Another Former WWE Star Now A Free Agent, Turned Down Chance To Re-Sign

December 11, 2021 • Admin

That’s it for her. There have been a lot of changes to WWE in the last year and a half, with more names leaving than most people can hope to remember. That is not a good thing to see, as it leaves a lot of wrestlers without a place to go. Some of them are a bit luckier than others though, and now one of them has officially wrapped up her time as part of WWE. Earlier this week, former NXT star Kairi Sane officially removed WWE references from her social media accounts. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Sane’s WWE deal has officially expired and she is allowed to work anywhere. WWE had wanted Sane to return to the company to wrestle, but Sane had no interest in living in the United States again. Sane recently opened a gym and wants to return to wrestling, though it is not clear where she will go. Sane was a heck of a star in WWE. Check out some of her time in the company: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post c..

WATCH: New Star Makes Save In WWE SmackDown Debut

December 11, 2021 • Admin

Welcome to the show. It would be an understatement to say that WWE’s roster has been shaken up in recent months, as well over a hundred wrestlers have been released from the company. That has resulted in quite the set of changes, some of which have been quite noticeable. Some of those spots are going to need to be filled, and one might have been covered this week. Xia Li made her SmackDown debut this week, saving Naomi from a three on one attack. Naomi had been scheduled to face Sonya Deville, who had Natalya and Shayna Baszler there to help. The match never started as Naomi tried to fight all three, drawing out Li for the save. Li wrestled in NXT for years and has had vignettes airing about her impending debut for the last few weeks. It was a nice debut. Check out Li’s first night on SmackDown plus some of her time in NXT: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: This has me interest..

AEW Rampage Results – December 10, 2021

December 11, 2021 • Admin

Rampage Date: December 10, 2021 Location: UBS Arena, New York City, New York Commentators: Excalibur, Taz We’re still in New York and this time there is a pretty big match on the card, as the Lucha Bros are defending the Tag Team Titles against FTR. Other than that, we have the in-ring debut as Hook, which should be a heck of a moment in its own right. This show tends to do well with the faster pace so let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Tag Team Titles: Lucha Bros vs. FTR FTR, with Tully Blanchard, is defending. Fenix grabs Harwood by the wrist to start and takes Wheeler down at the same time. Penta comes in to help take FTR down and it’s time for a breather on the floor. Back in and Penta takes off his glove but manages to roll Wheeler up for two. Now the glove is tossed to Wheeler, allowing Penta to catch him with a superkick. Fenix springboards in with a high crossbody but the momentum sends him outside. That means Harwood can drop Fenix back first onto the apron and the champs ..

Kyle O’Reilly Is Officially A Free Agent

December 11, 2021 • Admin

Add another one to the list. According to a report from PWInsider, Kyle O’Reilly has not-resigned with WWE and has officially become a free agent. Both he and Johnny Gargano have been removed from the company’s internal roster. This news comes after Gargano became a free agent the day before. He is currently free to work anywhere he wants to since there was no non-compete attached to his contract. O’Reilly has had quite a career in NXT. He was a three-time WWE NXT tag team champion, and also won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in 2018 with Adam Cole. The pair, along with Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong, was known as the Undisputed Era and was one of the most successful factions in NXT history. However, Cole and O’Reilly had an intense rivalry throughout most of 2021, which led to a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match at NXT Takeover: 36. You can see the final war of words below: [This post contains video, click to play] Editor’s Opinion: This isn’t surprising to me at all. With Bobby Fish a..

SmackDown Live Coverage And Results – December 10, 2021

December 11, 2021 • Admin

Smackdown Date: December 10, 2021 Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee We’re on the way to Day One and that means some more of the show needs to be put together. The main event of Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns for the Universal Title is now set, but we are now missing a Jeff Hardy, who was released earlier this week. That could shake things up a bit so let’s get to it. Here is Sami Zayn, in a wheelchair/leg cast/neck brace, with two male nurses pushing him to the ring. After a video on last week’s big beatdown at the hands of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, Sami says he is the toughest man in WWE. Sami talks about how this isn’t necessarily a conspiracy, but he was betrayed last week….and now he has to sue. He promises to sue everyone involved with last week but here is Paul Heyman to interrupt. Heyman: “You’re doing my people’s shtick. My people own entertainment in Hollywood.” Sami tells him to get out of his camera shot but Heyma..

You Might Be Seeing A Lot More Of Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn On WWE TV

December 10, 2021 • Admin

They’re a priority. WWE has a lot of wrestlers on its roster at the moment and some of them are rather high profile stars. You can see a lot of them on television every single week and it is rather fun to see what happens to them as they continue their paths through the company. Now though, two stars might be on their way out, which has changed the way they are presented. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn’s WWE contracts are expiring soon and WWE is doing what they can to try and keep them happy. This includes giving both of them more TV time, as Owens has bee featured in a feud with WWE Champion Big E. and Zayn has been working with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. Should they decide to leave, WWE can use them to put over other wrestlers. There is a lot of talent there. Check out what the two of them can do: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinio..

Possible Issues For AEW Bringing In Jeff Hardy

December 10, 2021 • Admin

That would be a big one. When a wrestler becomes a legend, it takes them up to another level. If nothing else, it allows them to get away with more than a few things that would torpedo other careers. Some of these things are a lot more serious than others, and one active legend might have enough issues to keep him from being signed to one of the biggest companies around. Earlier this week, Jeff Hardy was released from WWE, following an incident at a live event last weekend. Hardy had reportedly refused to go to rehab for his issues and was released as a result. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this could create a problem with Hardy potentially signing with AEW. While AEW would be interested in Hardy having one final reunion with his brother Matt, it would likely be on a zero tolerance policy for Jeff. It would be a reunion worth seeing. Check out what AEW might be able to put together again: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click ..

Why WWE Is Making Major Changes To One Of Its Weekly Shows

December 10, 2021 • Admin

I hope it’s erasable ink. WWE has all kinds of television shows and you could quite easily say that there are too many of them. With so much television, it can be easy to see the lack of focus, but sometimes WWE will run a show that has a specific purpose. Now though, one of WWE’s most focused shows is ready for a replacement and it seems to be one that is long overdue. According to Wrestling Observer Live, WWE will be likely to change the name of 205 Live. The show is no longer live and now WWE officials do not want their champions to be under 205lbs. The show has featured non-cruiserweight matches for several weeks now, as it has focused on lower level NXT stars. There is no word on when the change would take place or what the new name would be. This change was referenced this week on NXT by Joe Gacy, though the show was not specifically named. 205 Live has had its moments. Check out some of the better moments: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video,..

WWE “Ramping Up” One Of Its More Popular Divisions

December 10, 2021 • Admin

They have a focus. WWE has a lot of different divisions to their company and a lot of them are involved in producing content. That means they can do all kinds of things at once and showcase all of their rather impressive footage. You don’t get to see that from many promotions, and now we might be getting to see something different even by their standards. According to PWInsider.com, WWE is hoping to ramp up their documentary division in 2022 with new leadership. This comes after WWE stopped production and work on several of their documentaries this year, including not releasing some that were completed. There is no word on what caused WWE to stop producing them in 2021or what new projects they may be developing. WWE has done some great things with its history. Check out some of its better efforts: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: This is nice to hear, as the whole dropping the..

Rey Mysterio Is Getting His Own Animated Series (And It Sounds Good)

December 10, 2021 • Admin

That’s quite the honor. To say that a wrestling show is an ensemble piece is an understatement. There is so much going on during any given show that it is almost impossible to keep track of everyone at once. Sometimes it would be nice to have some wrestlers get more focus, and now that is going to be the case in a big way. It just won’t be in a wrestling ring. According to Wrestlinginc.com, Rey Mysterio has announced that he will be starring in a new animated series for Cartoon Network Latin America, beginning in 2022. The series will be called Rey Mysterio vs. La Obscuridad and will star Mysterio and a wrestling fan named Oscar as they fight a villain named Uroboros. There is no word on any other wrestlers potentially appearing on the show. Mysterio is already pretty close to a superhero. Check out some of his better moments: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: This is the kind ..

WWE Couldn’t Make Up Their Mind About This Week’s Monday Night Raw

December 10, 2021 • Admin

You could go one way or the other. This week’s edition of Monday Night Raw was bookended by a pair of huge matches. The show opened with a steel cage match between WWE Champion Big E. and Kevin Owens, while the main event featured Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defending her title against Liv Morgan. That is quite the lineup, but it almost went a bit differently. According to PWInsider.com, WWE originally planned for the cage match to main event this week’s Monday Night Raw. The change was made due in part to the show taking place on the anniversary of the first women’s main event between Lita and Trish Stratus on December 6, 2004. Originally, the cage match was to have been a segment between Owens and Big E. talking about their upcoming match. It was a busy night. Check out the two matches, plus the main event’s inspiration: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: That’s not exact..

Reigning World Champion Tests Positive For Coronavirus

December 10, 2021 • Admin

It never ends easily. One of the wrestling stories that has flown a bit under the radar this year has been the huge changes to Ring of Honor. The company has gone from one of the bigger promotions in the country to mostly non-existent after this weekend’s Final Battle pay per view. Now though, it seems that we might not be getting to see the final show as planned. Ring of Honor has announced that World Champion Bandido has been diagnosed with the Coronavirus, meaning that he will not be able to defend the title against Jonathan Gresham at Final Battle. There is no word on any potential replacement for the match, as Final Battle is scheduled to be the final Ring of Honor event until the second quarter of 2022. Bandido has held the title since Best In The World in July. #FinalBattle update. Get well soon @bandidowrestler! Match updates will be released as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/3qlSUTn0vY — ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) December 9, 2021 Bandido has been a strong champion. C..

Johnny Gargano Becomes A Free Agent

December 10, 2021 • Admin

Johnny Wrestling won’t be doing so in WWE anymore. According to a report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, Johnny Gargano will become a free agent tonight at midnight, as he and WWE could not come to terms on a new contract. Johnny Gargano will leave WWE and is set to become a free agent at midnight, as he and WWE did not extend his contract, Fightful Select has learned Fightful Select has the full story, and a lot more details.https://t.co/jM7CQKzSuH pic.twitter.com/71ySbaZedc — Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) December 10, 2021 According to the report, Gargano will be free to work anywhere he wants to since there is no non-compete attached to it. Furthermore, WWE attempted to sign him multiple times, including over the past few weeks. Gargano didn’t sign a new deal when other top NXT names did in 2019, and several people within the company said there was not sufficient incentive for those stars to make a deal. Sources say that the split between Gargano and WW..

Pat McAfee Signs $30M Per Year deal with FanDuel

December 10, 2021 • Admin

That will work. According to reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Pat McAfee has signed a new deal with sports betting site FanDuel for them to remain the exclusive sportsbook of his show, “The Pat McAfee Show.” The deal is reportedly worth around $30 million per year. Sources: The Pat McAfee Show and FanDuel have agreed to terms on a new deal, ensuring that FanDuel continues to be the exclusive sportsbook of the show. It’s a 4-year, massive deal that includes an opt-out after three years. Sources: The Pat McAfee Show and FanDuel have agreed to terms on a new deal, ensuring that FanDuel continues to be the exclusive sports book of the show. It’s a 4-year, massive deal that includes an opt-out after three years. ??? — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 9, 2021 It’s a roughly $30 million per year deal, industry sources say. It’s a roughly $30 million per year deal, industry sources say. ? https://t.co/dd9ZbPlqmv — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania..