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Sources close to the situation have revealed that when actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr made headlines with claims about tension between ESPN and W...
What could have been. The Royal Rumble is one of the most important matches of the year as WWE gets ready for the Road To Wrestlemania. The match can launch someone up to the next level in a way that is all but guaranteed to work. Various wrestlers have done exactly this in recent years, but now we know something else about how WWE changed plans to help someone get a big rub. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: It’s A Hit: Backstage Reaction To Raw XXX Former WWE writer Chris Dunn appeared on the Public Enemies podcast and talked about the planning for the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble. The original plan for the match called for Charlotte to win, with Bianca Belair being eliminated in the middle. Then WWE writer Ryan Ward said that with the original plan of Edge and Charlotte winning the Royal Rumble, no new stars were being made. As a result, Belair was swapped in as the winner instead of Charlotte. Belair went on to win the SmackDown Women’s Title in the main event of WrestleMania 37 Night One. Th..
Maybe it’s him. Roman Reigns has dominated WWE over the last two years, holding the Universal Championship since August 2020. During his reign, Reigns has dominated the WWE roster and there have been very few people who have bee able to give him a run for his money. That leaves some former WWE names interested in trying their luck, and now another is interested in giving it a shot. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Star Power: Former WWE Writer Reveals Discussed Jimmy Fallon WrestleMania Segments Former WWE star Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder, posted a tweet asking what he should do in 2023. The RetroMania Wrestling Twitter account replied with an image of Cardona facing Reigns at WrestleMania 39, with Cardona liking the post. Cardona has discussed returning to WWE at some point in the future, though there is nothing to suggest that a return is imminent or even officially being negotiated. 2020…Got Fired 2021…Reinvented Myself 2022…Made the indies my bitch 2023…?!?!?! — Matt Card..
What could have been. Celebrities have been a part of WrestleMania throughout the event’s history. You will almost always see some sort of celebrity involvement at the show and it can be fascinating to see someone come into the wrestling world. It can make for some interesting moments, and now we have an idea of what one celebrity could have done to make his WrestleMania appearance a special one. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Slow And Steady: Update On WWE’s Plans For Drew McIntyre’s WWE Return During a recent edition of his Turnbuckles podcast, former WWE and Tonight Show writer Jon Rineman discussed Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon possibly hosting WrestleMania 34 in 2018. There had been discussions, but everything ultimately fell through and Fallon did not appear. However, ideas were discussed, including John Cena putting a sign on Fallon’s back saying “I WANT A MATCH”. Fallon would have then bumped into Vince McMahon, who would put Fallon in an impromptu match. The match would have seen F..
Something out of nothing. There are all kinds of ways for a wrestler to make a connection with the crowd and one of the most effective is a catchphrase. Someone saying something that the fans instantly recognize is one of those things that will work almost every time. No matter what else is being said, you know who is speaking every time. Now we know a bit more about how one of the best known modern catchphrases came about. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Maybe Later? WWE Reportedly Canceled Battle Of Wrestling Families Vickie Guerrero was recently interviewed by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and spoke about the origin of her “Excuse Me” catchphrase. Guerrero explained that one night she was scheduled to do a promo but specifics were changed several times throughout the day. As a result, Guerrero was a bit shaken and as the fans began jeering her, she eventually yelled EXCUSE ME. The WWE writers continues using in it her promos and it became her catchphrase. Guerrero has done a lot over the year..
It’s another field. Wrestlers are very talented performers in that they are able to go to a ring or grab a microphone and convince fans to watch something that they are doing. That is more difficult than it seems but it can be very effective when it is done right. It also isn’t the only talent that wrestlers have though, and now one prominent name is getting to showcase another one. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Perfect Timing: AEW’s Saraya Undergoes Ironic Surgery AEW’s Thunder Rosa has released a video on her Instagram showing her recording her first single in a studio. Rosa says that the song will be released at some point in early 2023 and that she would be releasing a video of her recording the song on her Patreon. She has also been working with a writer and a singing coach for the song. Rosa has been injured since August and there is no word on when she will be returning to the ring. She seems interested. Check out Rosa in the studio and in the ring: [This post contains video, click..
He has some options. There are all kinds of stars in WWE’s developmental system and some of them are among the best wrestlers around today. It means a lot for one of them to move up the ladder, You can tell that some of the NXT stars are all but destined to become main roster stars as well and now one of them has set his signs on some rather top level opponents. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: ….What? Former WWE Writer Reveals Bizarre Ideas That Didn’t Make It Very Far During a new interview with WWE Die Woche from the official German WWE Instagram page, NXT Champion Bron Breakker spoke about who he wanted to face on the main roster. Breakker mentioned Roman Reigns at the top of his list, while also naming other former World Champions, such as AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins and more. Breakker has been the NXT Champion since April 4. Breakker is a force on his own. Check out what might be coming for some top names one day: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains..
It would be an idea. There are all kinds of ways to present a wrestling story and some of them can be issues fans can relate to. At the same time though, there are some stories that are a little bit more outside of reality, as you would not be likely to see them take place in most people’s lives. Now we are hearing about some pitched ideas in WWE that would fit either list. Former WWE writer Brian Gerwitz took to Twitter in response to recent “discussed” Royal Rumble plans. Gerwitz revealed some ideas that were “discussed” during his time with the company. Gerwitz mentioned two stories, neither of which ever made it to television. First up, there was an idea pitched of Vince McMahon having a midlife crisis, resulting in him growing a beard, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and singing Black Eyed Peas songs. The other idea would have involved Kaval, better known as Low Ki, revealed as Undertaker’s long lost son. There is no word on how close WWE came to using either idea. Things “discussed” i..
That’s a lot of money. WWE has long since been the world’s biggest and most dominant wrestling promotion. The company has more money than it knows what to do with, which has led to some questionable spending choices before. Some of these are absolutely bizarre but now we might have the most out there decision that wound up costing WWE tens of thousands of dollars. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: HIM? WWE Discusses Possible Men’s Royal Rumble Winner (And It’s A Big One) During a new interview with the Wrestling Perspective Podcast, former WWE creative team member and MLW owner Court Bauer told a story about the Boogeyman. At the time, Boogeyman was feuding with John Bradshaw Layfield, who was in the ring when Boogeyman caused worms to rain from the ceiling. Layfield wound up rolling around in worms and Bauer says Vince McMahon found the visual hilarious. McMahon then asked how much the worms cost and a writer’s assistant said that due to the worms being organic, the stunt cost $30,000. Bauer a..
Yeah he did that. There has never been anyone like Vince McMahon in the history of wrestling and there never will be again. McMahon was the definition of a one of a kind personality who was known for his odd quirks, including getting annoyed at things for no apparent reason. There have been several instances of single words driving McMahon crazy over the years and now we know another one. During a recent edition of his Wrestling With Freddie podcast, former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. revealed that McMahon would get angry when someone used the word “strap” to refer to a championship during a promo. While McMahon would not allow the word “belt” to be used, the word “strap” would reportedly cause him to go into a rage, to the point where nothing else in the promo mattered to him. McMahon retired from WWE earlier this year after nearly 40 years in charge of the company. Opinion: This is about as McMahon of a thing as you can get and I’m not remotely surprised. He has always been known..
It set them apart. There are very few names who have become the undisputed face of WWE over the years. These are some of the biggest names in the history of wrestling and they are often around for a long time. Every now and then you get to see two of them face off over an issue. That was the case at one point, but it was the result of a personal issue between them. In his new book “There’s Just One Problem…: True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE”, former WWE writer Brian Gerwitz talked about the real life issues between the Rock and John Cena. The Rock’s side of the issue came from Cena saying that he felt the Rock never gave anything back to WWE after leaving for Hollywood. The worst part was that Cena made the comments in an interview rather than saying them to Cena’s face. Cena and the Rock would later make amends and face each other at WrestleMania 28 and 29. Opinion: This is the kind of thing that can cause some issues for everyone involved as Cen..
That takes something special. In the history of professional wrestling, there has never been anyone as powerful as Vince McMahon and there likely never will be again. McMahon ran the most dominant wrestling promotion in the world for several years and was the biggest influence on wrestling for a very long time. It was rare to see him admit a mistake, but we do know at least one time when he did so. In his new book “There’s Just One Problem…: True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE”, former WWE writer Brian Gerwitz told a story of McMahon rehiring Vince Russo as a member of the creative team in 2002. After hearing Russo talk about his ideas, McMahon apologized to the team and reportedly said “This isn’t going to work…I’m sorry I brought that a****** back.” Russo’s return to the company lasted less than a month before he signed with NWA-TNA. Opinion: McMahon is known to do a lot of things, but apologize is rarely one of them. It takes a lot for him to beli..
Perhaps the top story in professional wrestling in the last 20 years took place last week as Vince McMahon announced that he was retiring and stepping away from WWE. This means that for the first time in 40 years, there will be new leadership in the most profitable wrestling company in history. Naturally, this decision would lead to several mixed responses from all different members of the wrestling community. Current and former wrestlers, employees, dirt sheet writers, and fans have different memories, thoughts, and feelings about the legacy Mr. McMahon will leave behind. Not to be outdone, AEW President and CEO Tony Khan also chimed in and gave his thoughts on the landscape of professional wrestling. However, in doing so, he may have unintentionally done something that will spark a chain of events I have seen coming for about three years. In my opinion, with one single tweet, Tony Khan has shown the world what really matters to him and, in doing so, has foretold the demise and dow..
I guess he didn’t fit? There are a lot of storylines in wrestling and some of them have to include some very specific wrestlers. Some of the stories are just not going to work with the wrong people in there and sometimes you have to make the right kind of adjustments. That seems to be the case again in WWE, as someone has been moved out of a story that was built around him in the first place. According to Pro Wrestling Torch, Max Dupri is done with the Maximum Male Models stable, with his sister Maxxine Dupri taking his place as of this week’s SmackDown. Max was said to not be fitting in and “rubbing some people the wrong way”. There is no word on what is next for Max in WWE. According to Fightful Select, Vince McMahon had the idea for the character and wanted Max to be nothing like LA Knight from NXT. Max would also challenge the writers for what he was being told to say. McMahon’s retirement could be seen as a positive for Max, who has supporters in WWE and could get another opportu..
Flash from the past. WWE has been around for a very long time now and the company has a rather incredible history. Over time, there have been a lot of different periods and eras, some of which are a lot more famous than others. There have been some very famous ones though, and WWE seemed to be interested in bringing back something that likely would have only fit in one era. In a new interview with NBC Sports’ Boston Steve, former WWE star Killer Kross talked about an idea he had pitched to revive the Corporate Ministry. Kross felt that the idea would work due to nostalgia and said that there was a group of writers on board with the concept. The idea would have been to fictionalize the idea of cults and evil businesses and put them on television with nostalgia thrown in. There is nothing to suggest that the idea ever went past the planning stage. Opinion: I’m not sure I could imagine this working, as the Corporate Ministry is about as Attitude Era as you could get. While I get the ide..
It might be a little while. There have been all kinds of changes taking place as of late in WWE, with some of those taking place behind the scenes. Those changes have caused various changes to take place in front of the camera as well. Some of the changes might not have taken effect just yet though, and that seems to be the case with one of the more interesting ones. Last month, reports stated that Triple H had returned to the WWE Performance Center and declared that he was “back”. However, according to PWInsider.com, the NXT leadership team has not changed and there is nothing to indicate that Triple H has any official position. Shawn Michaels is still the brand’s manager, with head writer Johnny Russo, Nick Bonnano and George Caroll as the writers. There is no word on when, or if, Triple H will resume any kind of authority. Opinion: This is the kind of thing that shouldn’t surprise you in WWE, as the company continues to change one thing after another. I’m not sure where this is go..
The sincerest form of flattery. Wrestlers are almost walking cartoon characters a lot of the time, as they do things that no rational person would ever consider and somehow make it work. That is a style that has worked for the better part of ever in wrestling and it always will. Sometimes you see someone do something very over the top that gets a positive reaction, and that certainly seems to have been the case this week. This week’s Monday Night Raw opened with Kevin Owens coming to the ring to Steve Austin’s theme music, complete with an Austin shirt, Austin’s signature jean shorts and a bald cap. Owens went on to beat up a ringside attendant as Austin did over the years and drank a beer. The segment received some attention online, with Mick Foley praising it and Taz pointing out that Don Callis did something similar at AEW Revolution with Kenny Omega’s music. Taz also said he was expecting more from a company with so many writers. MAN, I LOVE THIS TYPE OF THING! Great job by KO t..
That isn’t a good thing to see. There are several common criticisms of WWE these days and a lot of them seem to be focused on the way WWE presents its storylines. This is often blamed on the creative team, but the situation is a little more complicated than that. WWE has all kinds of people on its creative team, but that comes with some issues of its own. Now we know something more about how things tend to go. According to the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast, WWE writers have said that WWE “beats the creativity out of you”, with some of the writers having lost all of their confidence in their abilities. This comes despite the writers having experience on top level television shows. WWE creative is responsible for coming up with the ways stories are presented, though Vince McMahon has the final say on who is pushed in what way. Opinion: Is this a surprise in any way? WWE has a long history of turnover on the creative team with all kinds of stories about how they are often seen as being ..
That could be terrible. There are all kinds of stars in WWE but only a handful of them are near the top of the card. The very few that make it to the top are among the bigger names in wrestling today and WWE needs them to be the faces of the company. Sometimes those faces can be taken away for awhile for one reason or another though and that seems to be the case again. This weekend at Elimination Chamber, Bobby Lashley defended the WWE Title inside the Elimination Chamber but was never officially involved in the match. Instead, Lashley was taken out after Austin Theory was thrown into his pod, with the official explanation being that Lashley had suffered a concussion. However, as reported by former WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide via an interview with The Ringer and later confirmed by PWInsider.com, Lashley has suffered a shoulder injury and will be getting it looked at this week. There is no word on the extent of Lashley’s injury or how long he could be out. Opinion: That does not sound ..
That wouldn’t get him very far. There are a lot of people who have to work together to make WWE run as smoothly as it can. That is not easy to do and a lot of what you see on television comes from the minds of the company’s producers. These people help put the show together, though some of them have different priorities. That was on display over the weekend and it did not go well. This weekend’s men’s Royal Rumble match featured the return of Shane McMahon, who entered the match at #28 and eliminated Kevin Owens before making the final three entrants. According to Ringsidenews.com, there is a significant amount of heat backstage on McMahon, who was the lead writer and producer for the match. McMahon was said to have insisted that the match be built around himself and being put over and was “fighting with people to do so.” Some wrestlers, including some who never complain, were said to be loudly complaining about how hard McMahon was pushed in the match. Opinion: This is something tha..