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In a recent development, the wrestling business can be brutal, and Shotzi Blackheart’s story is the latest reminder. After a tough ACL injury and months of grue...
CM Punk isn’t your average superstar. When he speaks, people listen and lately, he’s not thrilled about the upcoming Netflix series WWE: Unreal. Despite being f...
Pro wrestling has always been a business of surprises—shocking returns, dramatic betrayals, and yes, big-time departures. Over the past few years, one of the mo...
Carlito has officially announced his departure from WWE—and he’s embracing the opportunity. After his recent WWE contract expired and the company opted not to r...
It’s part of his thing. There are certain wrestlers who become popular with the fans for one reason or another, but in some cases their popularity rises after they hang up their boots. It can be rather interesting to see what a wrestler comes up once their career is over. This is certainly true with a former WWE star, who now thinks that his gimmick has been stolen by someone who came along later. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BREAKING: WWE Possibly NXT Women’s Title, New Champion To Be Crowned Former WWE star Virgil has taken to Instagram, announcing that he has been inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame. He thanked his favorite opponents in the business, including names such as Andre the Giant, Randy Savage and Bret Hart, along with the “million dollar dandy El Dandy”. Finally, Virgil thanked Damage CTRL for allowing him to be their hero and accused the Miz of stealing his gimmick. There is nothing to suggest that WWE has inducted Virgil into the Hall Of Fame. View this post on Instagram A ..
That’s a special moment. While wrestling is scripted and the results are known ahead of time, there are certain things about it that are more realistic than others. At the end of the day, these wrestlers are out there doing their jobs in front of millions of people. That can make for some tricky situations as they try to do their work while keeping their minds right. Sometimes that needs a boost, and that was the case in an infamous moment. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Not Yours: WWE Facing Possible Legal Action Over New Nickname Back at WrestleMania 35 in 2019, Bayley and Sasha Banks lost the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. This reportedly led to a situation where the two threw a fit, including rolling around on the floor of the locker room while complaining about their creative direction. Bayley has tweeted a photo of herself and Trish Stratus, talking about how Stratus talked to “us” after the loss, revealing secrets of her personal life, the business and her strengths and weaknesses. Bayl..
It’s an interesting choice. It had been previously reported that Rey Mysterio will be given the ultimate honor within WWE, and become a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2023. But who will be the one to induct Mysterio? According to a report from Dave Meltzer, former WCW superstar Konnan will do the honors of bringing Mysterio into the Hall of Fame. From Wrestling News: Konnan was the most obvious choice because they have been close for decades, dating back to Rey and Konnan’s early days in the wrestling business. This might be Konnan’s first appearance at a major WWE event. Konnan wrestled briefly as Max Moon on non-televised matches in 1992 but those matches never aired and he left the company before the character debuted on TV with Paul Diamond playing the role. Konnan will be inducting Rey into the Hall of Fame. Rey asked for him and the company approved it. As noted last night, to me it was the only choice. — Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) March 11, 2023 Editor’s Opin..
Smackdown Date: March 10, 2023 Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett We are just over three weeks away from Wrestlemania and the biggest development coming into this show was Jey Uso rejoining the Bloodline by taking out Sami Zayn. That seems to be the step that we have been waiting for on the way to whatever the Usos and Zayn are going to be doing at Wrestlemania so we might see something big tonight. Let’s get to it. We open with a recap of Jey rejoining his brother Jimmy on Smackdown. Cody Rhodes made the save to tie it into the World Title situation. The Usos arrive and are greeted by Paul Heyman. Jey asks where Roman Reigns is but Heyman hugs him. Jey says let Reigns know he’s here so Heyman goes to find him. When asked why he turned on Sami Zayn, Jey says he’ll make it clear tonight. Jimmy says Cody Rhodes needs to stay out of the Bloodline’s business. Opening sequence. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus vs. LA Knight vs. Xavier..
Sights set. There are all kinds of talented wrestlers on the WWE roster but it can be difficult for all of them to find something to do. With that many people, even the amount of television time that WWE has is often not enough. Sometimes those wrestlers have to be grouped together, and that is what a certain manager is teasing again, with quite the array of names. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Let’s Get Rowdy: Update On Ronda Rousey’s WrestleMania 39 Status MVP has posted a photo to his Instagram, showing him backstage with Omos, the Street Profits and NXT’s Carmelo Hayes. The caption says that MVP is “backstage in Boston to talk to some people…” but does not say what they were talking about. This comes amid rumors of Hayes being called up to the main roster and possibly joining the Hurt Business, but those plans were never confirmed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The 305 MVP (@the305mvp) There is some talent there. Check out these stars in action: [This post contains vid..
That would be a change. NXT stars are in a strange place as they are trying to get over in front of their own television audience but also trying to get over with the WWE. Their ultimate goal is to get to the main roster, which can come in a variety of ways. Occasionally it involves joining an established group and now an NXT star may be in the running to do just that. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: A Big One: WWE Reportedly Believes They Can Sign Kenny Omega According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE is considering calling up Carmelo Hayes from NXT and having him join a reformed Hurt Business. There is no word on when this would take place, though the Hurt Business is currently not around. Hayes is a former two time North American Champion and has been rumored for a call up over the last few months. This is noted as still being seen as speculation rather than something definitive. Hayes is a star. Check out what might be coming to the main roster: [This post contains video, click..
He’s a hit. There are few ways to gauge how successful a wrestler has been but you can often tell when someone is a success or not just by the feeling. That is not enough for a business though as they are going to need something more concrete. One of the most telling ways is merchandise sales, and a recently returned star is doing quite well in that regard. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Boss: Update On Vince McMahon’s Current Work In WWE Cody Rhodes returned to action at the Royal Rumble last weekend, winning the men’s namesake match. As a result, Rhodes will go on to WrestleMania to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. According to Fightful Select, Rhodes’ merchandise sales were “outstanding” at the Royal Rumble and following Monday Night Raw. Rhodes competed on Monday Night Raw, defeating Finn Balor in the show’s main event. Rhodes is on a roll. Check out what he has been doing lately: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play]..
This past week on Raw, WWE presented its 3oth Anniversary show, also known as ‘Raw XXX’. It featured the return of many legends, including Ric Flair, who not only introduced his daughter, Charlotte, but also took time to try to mend some fences backstage. On the latest “To Be The Man” podcast, Flair talked about his experiences at ‘Raw XXX’: On being back at a WWE show: “It was phenomenal. I gotta tell you, I learned more about myself and more about what I’ve missed in the business and what I hadn’t missed in one day because I haven’t been here for a long time. I felt like I was respected. I felt like I was wanted. I felt like I was part of it again. I walked away a better man with a better understanding of who I am as a person and what the business is about.” On apologizing to Becky Lynch: “It started out with me and Hunter talking for about an hour, which is a private discussion, but resolving a lot of issues that have been lingering for a couple years, and then I apologized to ..
One more time. Stables have been a major factor in WWE for decades now and they continue to be around in modern times. The idea makes sense as it allows the large WWE roster to be grouped together a bit, with different wrestlers being put into one place. It can mean a lot when a stable breaks up and now we very well could be seeing the reunion of a rather successful team. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Over the last few weeks, MVP has been trying to convince Bobby Lashley to reform the Hurt Business, but Lashley has turned him down every time. However, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lashley has been pushing for a reunion of the team behind the scenes. As a result, the wheels have been set in motion for the team to reform, though it is not clear when it will take place or who will be involved. The team originally formed in May 2020, split up in September 2021, reunited later in the month, and split up for good in January 2022. The team was certainly a success. Check out the..
Thirty years in the making! Wrestling is a lot of things, but ultimately it is a business, with the main idea being to get people to watch. Without fans watching, there is not going to be much of a future to the place. Drawing an audience is what matters most at the end of the day and now the biggest wrestling company in the world has set a new record when it comes to drawing in money through fans. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Other One: Steve Austin vs. Brock Lesnar Reportedly Pitched For WrestleMania 39 This week’s edition of Monday Night Raw marked thirty years of the show, with the event being held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. WWE has announced that the show has set an all time record for the highest domestic gate in the history of Monday Night Raw. There was no word on the gate or the previous record, though commentary did announce a live attendance of 16,975. It was a special show. Check out what happened at Raw XXX: [This post contains video, click ..
WWE CEO Nick Khan was recently interviewed on the Bill Simmons Podcast, where he discussed a number of topics. Among them were the idea that AEW is competition, his relationship to Tony and Shad Khan and more. Below are some highlights from the interview: On if he sees AEW as competition: “Well how do you think they’re doing now? Simmons responded, “Not as well although I think they are having a better 2023 than 2022.” On his relationship with Tony Khan: “I think a couple of things. I’ve never met the kid Tony Khan, seems like a nice kid to me. I don’t know him. I have met his dad who randomly I sat next to at some sports business luncheon that Stephanie and I went to a year and a half or so.” On Shad Khan: “I could not be more impressed with the dad. He made his money in the auto parts business, I believe. So he knows that inside out. I don’t believe he’s involved on the wrestling side of the business, outside of financing it. He has the pockets and that’s awesome and I’m sure ..
See him again? We are almost on the Road To WrestleMania 39 and that means it is time for WWE to start cranking up the build towards the show. This can include bringing in a variety of stars, both new and legendary, for the event. WWE has done some of this on television, but now it seems that there might be something else that they have already done that they are waiting to release. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Family Business: Second Generation Star Likely On Way To WWE, Joining His Father John Cena appeared on the December 30, 2022 SmackDown, teaming with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. According to Fightful Select, Cena also filmed some kind of a segment with Austin Theory, which will air at a later date. Theory was scheduled to work a live event that night but was flown to Tampa, Florida to film the segment. There is currently no word on what the segment is for, whether it may be something for a digital exclusive, a WWE2K video game or as a way to set up a future matc..
He’s in. The WWE roster has quite the collection of talent but at some point, fresh names have to be brought in. The company can only get so far with the same wrestlers and it can be a big deal when someone new shows up. There are all kinds of places to get wrestlers from, including smaller promotions. Now it appears that a second generation star is making his way to WWE. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Round Two: Belief That Vince McMahon Could Release Several WWE Wrestlers If This Happens According to Fightful Select, former NWA star Colby Corino is on his way to WWE. Corino announced that his NWA deal expired earlier this year, allowing him to sign anywhere. There is no word on when Corino will officially sign with WWE or report to the Performance Center to begin training. Corino’s father Steve currently works for WWE as a trainer and NXT producer. Colby has had a nice career of his own. Check out some of his work: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, cl..
Sometimes you need a new job. At tonight’s Impact Wrestling Hard to Kill pay-per-view event, Frankie Kazarian announced that he had signed a new, long-term contract with the promotion. Kazarian cut a promo during the show, stating that after wrestling from Impact, he had to decide whether to remain complacent and be with “people he thought were his friends” or push himself and he chose to push himself. According to a report from PWInsider, after his 40-minute match with Josh Alexander, Kazarian asked AEW to be released and it was granted. It was said to be a completely amicable situation based on Kazarian wanting to push himself harder as he’s getting closer to the latter point of his career. In Impact, he’d had a chance to be more in the mix than he’d likely be able to get the opportunity to do in AEW, given how massive that company’s roster is. It was said that Kazarian “did business the right way” and would be welcomed back into their locker room anytime. Editor’s Opinion: I ab..
WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther was recently interviewed by the Dallas Morning News where he discussed a number of topics. Among them were the rumors of WWE’s upcoming sale, his relationship with Stephanie McMahon, thoughts on the Royal Rumble, and more. Below are some highlights from the interview: On the refuted reports on social media that WWE was being sold to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and his reaction to the news… Gunther: “I mean, rumors are rumors. And at the end of the day, I’m not the CEO. I’m a wrestler. So, I focus on what I do in the ring and leave the business to the people that do business.” Also on the business side, Stephanie McMahon just left the company, what was your relationship with her? Gunther: “To be fair, I only had very brief interactions with her. She’s always been very nice and very lovely. And yeah, I’m happy for her that she’s going to be able now to take time off and enjoy time with her family. And yeah, I think you should be hap..
It’s that time of year. We are just over two weeks away from the Royal Rumble and that means it is time to start putting together the lineups for the show’s namesake matches. This includes thirty men and thirty women, which can make for quite the collection of talent in both. It also often means a bunch of returns and surprises, and this time we have an idea of who might be included. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Family Business: Update On Shane McMahon’s WWE Status, How Much He Was Paid In 2022 PWInsider.com is reporting a variety of names who could be returning at the Royal Rumble, though it is not specified if they will be in the Royal Rumble matches or just at the show in some way. First up, Edge and Beth Phoenix are expected for the show, likely to set up a mixed tag match against Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley at Elimination Chamber. Second, Doudrop has been discussed for a possible return. This comes after Doudrop revealed that she had recently gotten over an illness. Finally, Logan Paul..