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Vince McMahon, the architect behind WWE's global success, has once again captured headlines. Amidst swirling rumors of reclaiming control over WWE, McMahon has ...
Smackdown Date: February 17, 2023 Location: Bell Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett We are a day away from Elimination Chamber and that means this is likely to be the Sami Zayn show. Tomorrow night the hometown boy Zayn gets his shot at Roman Reigns and I think the people might be a bit interested. Other than that we have Gunther defending the Intercontinental Title against Madcap Moss. Let’s get to it. We open with a recap of last week’s Usos/Bloodline drama, with Jimmy Uso getting caught lying about Jey Uso and Sami Zayn. Hence Roman Reigns telling the Usos to stay home this week. Natalya/Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey/Shayna Baszler Fallout from Rousey and Baszler hurting both of them. Baszler cranks on Natalya’s arm to start and it’s quickly off to Rousey for another battle over arm control. Shotzi comes in to actually take Rousey down, setting up Cattle Mutilation of all things. Rousey powers out but gets sent outside, allowing Shotzi to hit a pr..
That’s a different way to go. Late last year, Bray Wyatt returned to WWE television after a year and a half absence. Since then, he has developed a still somewhat confusing relationship with a masked man named Uncle Howdy and defeated LA Knight in a match at the Royal Rumble. That still feels like a warmup for Wyatt, and now we might have an idea of where he is going next. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Slight Shift: WWE Reportedly Changed Plans For Trish Stratus’ Return, Still Set For Comeback This week on SmackDown, Wyatt and Howdy interrupted a Hit Row promo and took out the team. After, Wyatt said that he was back in control of his mind before bringing up Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley at Elimination Chamber. Wyatt said that whoever won the match should be ready to run, suggesting that the winner would be facing Wyatt at some point in the future. Neither Lashley nor Lesnar have ever faced Wyatt in a singles match. This could be interesting. Check out the comments, plus who Wyatt is comi..
She’s back. The main event of tonight’s episode of Raw featured a steel cage match between Becky Lynch and Bayley that was originally supposed to take place at Raw XXX. While Bayley would have backup with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, it appeared that The Man had some backup too. In the closing moments of the match, Lynch was getting ready to escape the cage, when interference from Kai and Sky prevented The Man from getting out. Just when it looks like Bayley was going to get the win, WWE Hall of Famer Lita made her return to television to even the odds. She would fight off Damage Control, slam the door in Bayley’s face, and allow Lynch to get the win. Lita was last seen on WWE programming at the 2022 Elimination Chamber premium live event, where she lost a match to Lynch. Editor’s Opinion: I did not see this one coming, but I’m glad I did! It’s always great when Lita is on television, and she looked fantastic in her role as always. If this leads to a tag match between the two opposing s..
Not quite the same. The biggest wrestling story of the year thus far has been Vince McMahon’s return to WWE. McMahon more or less forced his way back to control of the company and the question remains what kind of impact that is going to have on WWE. There are several questions left to be answered, but now we do know that one major thing about McMahon seems to have changed. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: She’s Out: More On Stephanie McMahon’s Decision To Leave WWE Earlier this week, a new report revealed that McMahon had returned to his office at Titan Towers. However, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, McMahon is now working shorter hours than his original time with the company. McMahon was notorious for working incredibly late into the night but now is said to leave at a “normal” time as he is only working on selling the company. There is nothing to indicate that McMahon has had any hand in WWE creative since his return. McMahon was a bit odd. Check out some of his moments in..
She had a reason. WWE has been undergoing a lot of changes in recent months and most of them involve people named McMahon. One of these is Stephanie McMahon, who retired from the company and very well may never be back. This comes as her father Vince is taking over WWE again, and now we know a bit more being Stephanie’s thought process that led to her decision. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Bray Wyatt Explains How The Fiend “Died” According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the word going around WWE is that Stephanie left the company before she could be demoted. With Vince back in control of the company, there was no reason to believe that she would remain as co-CEO. Stephanie had already attempted to go on a hiatus in 2022 and had already decided and did not need the job or money. There is nothing to suggest that Stephanie will be returning to WWE. Stephanie was a force in WWE. Check out some of her time in the company: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post co..
The changes continue. There have been all kinds of changes taking place in WWE in recent months and there is nothing to suggest that those changes are ending. The majority of the changes have involved wrestlers returning to the company after being released or fired, but those are not the only movements. In addition, there have been some behind the scenes changes, and now we are seeing more of them. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: It’s Something: First Details Set For Royal Rumble Pitch Black Match According to Fightful Select, WWE made cuts to its office staff on Friday, though it is not clear how many cuts were made or which departments they came from. WWE has not made any announcement about the cuts and there is nothing to suggest that there have been cuts to the roster. This comes as Vince McMahon has taken control of WWE again and has been bringing in some of his former staff. There have been a lot of WWE firings on screen over the years. Check out some of the better ones: [This post co..
So maybe not? We are in a very strange time for WWE as things are moving so fast that it is hard to keep track of everything. The difference this time is that it is at the very top of the promotion, with the future ownership being questioned. That has opened up a variety of options, but now it seems that one of the leading candidates may not be as close to control as expected. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WRESTLING RUMORS: When Vince McMahon Could Appear On WWE TV Again Earlier this week, a rumor circulated that WWE had been sold to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which planned to take the company private again. However, new reports from Ariel Helwani of BT Sports, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics and Jon Alba of Fite TV say that they have heard nothing of such a sale. At the moment, WWE has yet to comment on the story, though the company has been rumored to look at a sale in recent days. Contrary to reports stating otherwise last night, there is no deal in place at this precise moment for ..
That’s a special status. There are all kinds of wrestlers in WWE but only a handful of them reach the top level. Those are the names who can get away with quite a bit more than the rest and are given a good bit of leeway. You can see them in various special situations which feel very different from anything else. Now we have another legend suggesting that a current star has such a different status. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: VIDEO: Sami Zayn Tries To Be Roman Reigns In Huge Main Event WWE Hall Of Famer appeared on the Strictly Business podcast where he discussed the idea of wrestlers having creative control in their contracts. Bischoff alleged that Brock Lesnar has such control in his WWE contract and “exercises the hell out of it”. Lesnar wrestles a limited schedule for WWE and reportedly gets to hand pick his opponents. There is no word on when he will be wrestling next. Lesnar has been a force in WWE. Check out some of his recent exploits: [This post contains video, click to play] ..
Let the bidding begin. According to a report from CNBC, WWE has hired JPMorgan to begin the process of selling the company. This is being reported following the news that Vince McMahon returned to the company yesterday. The report states that if a deal occurs, it would likely occur in the next three to six months. In addition, WWE plans to talk to potential buyers before it makes a decision on TV rights renewal agreements. McMahon had the following to stay in a statement: “My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.” His return doesn’t affect current leadership as Stephanie, and former CAA agent Nick Khan are co-CEOs. However, it remains unclear what type of role, if any, Vince would want at WWE if he sold the company. WWE has told investors that his role is essential in “our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines.” Currently, Vince doesn’t h..
That’s a nasty one. Wrestling is a physical sport that does not often get the credit it deserves for everything that can go wrong. The wrestlers are highly trained and skilled professionals who know what they are doing, but there are times when something might not go as planned. That can often lead to a problem, which is what happened this week in a nasty situation. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: More Gold: WWE Considering New Main Event Level Title This week on SmackDown, Imperium attacked Braun Strowman, with Gunther putting him in an armbar. Ricochet ran in for the save with a chair to chase Imperium off, but one of his swings accidentally hit Gunther in the face. Gunther was busted open and, according to PWInsider.com, was immediately rushed to the back. After being checked out, Gunther was said to be fine and there is nothing to suggest he will miss any time. This didn’t look good. Check out the segment, plus another look with the chair shot and the two of them in a more controlled sit..
NXT Date: December 27, 2022 Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph We’re taped again this week to close out the year. With about five weeks to go before Vengeance Day, there is quite a bit of time to fill and some of that will have to be covered tonight. This week’s show will feature a North American Title match, as Wes Lee defends against Tony D’Angelo. Let’s get to it. Julius Creed is ready to prove a point against JD McDonagh, even if Brutus Creed ate all of the green bean casserole. JD McDonagh is glad that the holidays are over so people don’t have to pretend they like their families anymore. Julius Creed vs. JD McDonagh Julius’ brother Brutus is here. Feeling out process to start, though McDonagh claims a pull of the hair. They fight over arm control until Julius bounces off the rope to armdrag him outside. That means a drop onto the announcers’ table but McDonagh is back up with a posting as we take a break. Back with Julius..
NXT Date: December 20, 2022 Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph We are almost done with the year and won’t have another live show until January, as this week and next week are taped in advance. The big story coming out of last week is Roxanne Perez winning the Women’s Title from Mandy Rose, who is already gone from the promotion in a surprise. That is going to lead to some fallout so let’s get to it. We open with a long recap of Perez winning the Women’s Title over Rose last week. Opening sequence. Carmelo Hayes vs. Axiom Trick Williams is here with Hayes. Feeling out process to start with Axiom’s headlock being countered into a headscissors. Back up and Axiom misses a kick to the head but grabs a northern lights suplex for two. Hayes’ springboard cutter misses hard though and we take a break. We come back with Axiom in control and grabbing a waistlock. That’s reversed into a crossface but Axiom slips away without much trouble. ..
And there it is. During the media scrum for the upcoming ROH Final Battle pay-per-view this weekend, Tony Khan revealed some of the details behind William Regal’s departure from AEW and return to WWE. Khan said that Regal approached Megha Parekh, who is part of AEW’s legal team, with a request for the promotion not to renew his deal, as he wanted to return to WWE. Not only is his son working in WWE, but he also wanted to coach alongside some of his old friends now that Triple H has gained control of the company. Furthermore, Khan says that Regal’s release dictates he can go back to WWE and coach but not be an on-air personality in 2023. Tony Khan says William Regal's release dictates he is able to go back to #WWE and coach, but not be able to go on-air in the next year. He says he was surprised by the tweet from WWE showcasing him on TV. #AEW #ROH #FinalBattle — Jon Alba (@JonAlba) December 7, 2022 He was written off of television on last week’s episode of Dynamite, when MJF..
He’s still on their minds. This has been one of the most eventful years in the history of wrestling but nothing really comes close to Vince McMahon stepping down as head of WWE. McMahon had been in charge of the company for about forty years and several people have never seen WWE under someone else’s control. Now though, we have heard his name again on WWE programming in a positive light. During the opening match of this week’s NXT, commentator Booker T. mentioned McMahon, referring to him as one of the all time great wrestling minds. The mention came during a list of other promoters, including Paul Bosch. This was one of, if not the, first mentions of McMahon since he officially retired from WWE on July 22 in the midst of an investigation over a string of payments to various women over the years. It was part of a big show. Check out some more of this week’s NXT: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click ..
NXT LVL Up Date: November 25, 2022 Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida Commentators: Sudu Shah, Byron Saxton It’s Black Friday and that seems to be a rather appropriate term for a night with LVL Up. The show has had its recent bright spots and that is about all you can expect from a short burst of decent. I’m not sure what to expect this week and in this case, that might be a good thing. Let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Xyon Quinn vs. Tank Ledger They fight over wrist control to start before switching off to a test of strength. With that not working, Ledger hiptosses him over but gets sent face first into the middle buckle. Quinn hits him with a hard clothesline, only to get driven hard into the corner. A fall away slam sends Quinn flying for a change but he’s right back with the Death Valley Driver. The running forearm finishes Ledger at 4:54. Result: Xyon Quinn b. Tank Ledger – Running forearm (4:54) Amari Miller says she can get serious against Elektra Lopez ..
That’s an upgrade. WWE has been going through a lot of changes this year and by far the biggest has been the change over from Vince McMahon to the new regime, mainly headed by Triple H. Things have gone in a new direction in the months since McMahon retired, and now we know a bit more about how much of an impact the change has had backstage in the company. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Welcome Back? Controversial 43 Year Old Former Star Working Backstage At Survivor Series A new report by Fightful Select has more details on how the backstage atmosphere has changed since McMahon retired. According to the report, the locker room’s morale has greatly improved under the new regime, as things are seen as much more easygoing with less worry about being in trouble or fired over something out of your control. While some wrestlers are still not being used, their situations have improved, including with wrestlers having more creative input. This comes after what was seen as a creative low point for ..
Becky Lynch has been out of action with a separated shoulder since August 1st. She was written off WWE television after suffering an attack from Damage Control. Big Match Becks hasn’t been featured on WWE programming since SummerSlam, but there are some rumors swirling about a potential WWE return must sooner than you’d think. Following this week’s Monday Night Raw, WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair has formed most of team for Survivor Series WarGames. However, she’s still one more member shy in the match. The rumor mill is reporting that Becky Lynch is anticipated to be revealed as the fifth member of the team soon. Related: Becky Lynch Explains What Hurt Her Friendship With Charlotte Her role in the WarGames Match would make sense given the angle at SummerSlam before she was put on the shelf by Damage Control. Becky Lynch coming for revenge in her return adds a lot to the match and gets her rolling into WWE programming before the end of the year. Word on the street is that th..
NXT LVL Up Date: November 18, 2022 Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida Commentators: Sudu Shah, Byron Saxton We are on the way to Survivor Series and for once there was something a little different here last week. Granted it was just a six man tag but after the months of the same formula, a little change was nice to see. There is no reason to believe that will stick this week, but at least they made things better once. Let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Thea Hail vs. Dani Palmer The rest of Chase U is here with Hail and this is Palmer’s debut. Palmer even shakes hands with Chase U to start so she seems rather nice. They fight over arm control to start, with Hail getting the better of things off an armbar. A springboard wristdrag keeps Palmer in trouble before we get the armbar sequel. Back up and Palmer flips her over to set up a standoff in a bit of a surprise. Palmer manages to grab an abdominal stretch, which Hail breaks away from to start the comeback. A neckbre..
He seems happy. It has been a very busy year in the wrestling world with one major wrestling story after another taking place. The biggest of them all has been the resignation of Vince McMahon from WWE, as the company is now under new control for the first time in decades. It was not clear how much of a difference that would make but now a prominent WWE name is weighing in. WWE broadcaster Michael Cole appeared on the Pat McAfee Show to discuss how the company has changed since McMahon retired. Cole said that everything has been great, especially behind the scenes. He described it as a different world, with ratings and stories being positive. Cole called McMahon “a second dad in many ways” and the only person he had ever worked under in wrestling. Finally, Cole said that things had to keep going though and the show must go on. Cole has been around for a long time. Check out an awesome salute to his career: [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: It is still weird to see..