Who was Sarah Pierce, the woman beaten by Nia Jax on Raw?What’s the story?
On
the last episode of Monday Night Raw, Nia Jax again faced a “local
talent” and destroyed her in a very short amount of time. The woman was
named as Sarah Pierce on Raw, but she is, in fact, a Southern
California-based Indie wrestler named Heather Monroe. In case you didn’t know...
Nia Jax has become the monster of the
Women's Division on Raw. She has faced and destroyed, numerous women
similar to the way she did last night against Pierce. Jax has made the
step up from NXT to the main roster pretty well, and will at some point
become the Raw Women’ s Champion, potentially coming off the back of her
long-running feud with current Champion Bayley.
Heather Monroe is
a popular name on the Southern California indie scene. She appeared in
renowned female only promotion Shimmer in late 2016 and looks to have a
good future in professional wrestling. The heart of the matter
Having
Nia Jax beat women who are not a part of the full-time roster is a
great way to give her a lot of wins and make her look like the monster
she really should be in WWE. It gives WWE the opportunity to make Nia
Jax look a lot better than she may actually be, and get her ready to
become the Women’s Champion down the line. What’s next?
Nia
Jax should keep on beating local talents in this same way. Before
heading to the top of the card in the Women’s division and actually
challenging for the gold, Jax can build up an aura of being a monstrous
villain by destroying so many opponents.
A big match could be on
the cards at WrestleMania, with a rumoured fatal four way for the
Women’s Championship set to take place, featuring current Champion
Bayley, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Nia Jax. Sprotskeeda’s take
Having
Jax continue to destroy women like this is the perfect way to make her
look like an unstoppable machine, without having to sacrifice any of the
other stars of the Raw Women’s Division.
If WWE wants to make her
look like a credible challenger for the Women’s Championship then they
should keep rolling these kinds of opponents off the production line for
her to beat up and pin.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter,
Naomi injured her left knee when she performed the Split-Legged
Moonsault near the end of her Elimination Chamber match against Alexa
Bliss.
It was also noted that the injury is similar to the one
Rollins suffered. While WWE has not revealed the details of her return,
GM Daniel Bryan suggested that Naomi could be out of action for a
minimum of 30 days.
In case you didn’t know..
In
case you missed the last episode of SmackDown Live, Alexa Bliss became
the champion for the second time after she defeated Becky Lynch, albeit
with a little help from Mickie James.
Check out the highlights of the title match, as it happened:
The heart of the matter
As
noted on the latest episode of SmackDown Live, Naomi was forced to
relinquish her SmackDown Women’s Championship as she was unable to
defend it, due to the injury she suffered during her Elimination Chamber
match against Alexa Bliss.
Here is a video of Naomi relinquishing her title:
What’s next?
At
this moment it is still unknown whether Naomi would recover in time for
Wrestlemania. As far as SmackDown Women’s title is concerned, it looks
like Bliss and Lynch would renew their rivalry. Allwrestlingnews has
suggested that Tamia could also be thrown in the title picture.
Sportskeeda’s take
After
Finn Balor, another Superstar’s rise to the top came to an abrupt stop
end due to the unfortunate injury. On the other hand, SmackDown's plans
in relation to the Women's division are in jeopardy as renewing the
Bliss-Lynch rivalry is not ideal, considering that Lynch is already in a
programming with Mickie James.
Tamina’s return could sort their
vows, but for now, things don’t look good for the blue brand. As for
Naomi, we wish her a speedy recovery and hope that the injury does not
hinder her momentum.
As
reported on our podcast, the “Dirty Sheets”, Brock Lesnar’s retirement
from MMA is far from legit. Vince McMahon was said to not be overly
thrilled with Brock Lesnar’s physique at the Royal Rumble and advocated
that he would prefer Brock to look how he did at UFC 200.
In order
to take any substances that would aid this, Brock Lesnar would have to
retire from MMA in order for USADA to no longer test him up until May
and through WrestleMania season, as the current sanction means Brock
would be tested from May if he were to remain an active MMA fighter.
In case you didn’t know..
Brock Lesnar allegedly notified UFC
that his days fighting in the Octagon are now over. Lesnar failed
multiple drug tests stemming from his UFC 200 showdown with Mark Hunt in
Las Vegas last year, which led to a one-year suspension of his fighting
license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), as well as a
$250,000 fine.
Lesnar returned to UFC in 2016 after five years
away, defeated Hunt, but then was hit with two anti-doping violations
from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which oversees the UFC's drug
testing program. Lesnar proclaimed his innocence.
He tested
positive for clomiphene, an oestrogen blocker that can remain in the
system for about a month after use. His team said it believed the
substance in question was part of a foot cream used by Lesnar in the
lead-up to the fight, but he was unaware it contained banned substances.
If
Lesnar wanted to get back into the Octagon, he would have been eligible
in July of this year. This retirement announcement freezes the
suspension, and he'd have to fulfil it if he still has a desire to fight
down the line.
The heart of the matter
The main
fact to look at here, is that if Brock Lesnar decided he wanted to fight
in MMA again, he would simply pick up the testing where he left off, so
he would be tested for five more months. The fact Brock allowed himself
to be tested for seven months up until this point, proves he has no
plans on giving up MMA.
The retirement simply allows him to cease
testing and get into the shape Vince McMahon wants him to be in for
WrestleMania. Brock is exempt from the WWE’s wellness policy, so he can
do what he likes and look fantastic until he decides to fight in MMA
again.
That will most likely be after WrestleMania 34 when his
current WWE deal runs out. It’s unlikely Brock would sign another WWE
deal for three more years, unless he was allowed to do MMA fights at the
same time.
Brock knows there are a plethora of winnable MMA
fights out there for him, even though he will soon be approaching 40
years of age. Brock was paid MORE MONEY to fight Mark Hunt at UFC
200 than he will make in all of 2017 with the WWE; let that sink in.
What’s next?
Brock
will be winning the Universal Title at WrestleMania and will likely
drop it at SummerSlam. He will probably then put over another WWE talent
on his way out at WrestleMania 34, meaning the WWE would have got what
they needed from Brock, depending on if suitable stars exist.
I
believe they do in Balor, Reigns and Nakamura. However, if the WWE get
cold feet, Brock could easily stay on longer. However, I feel the WWE
ideally want out of the $3.1M a year, while Brock could make more money
in UFC and Bellator, especially Bellator, who would pay as much as UFC,
but offer Brock much easier fights.
A fight with Fedor would be a monster money maker for Bellator and both the fighters involved.
Sportskeeda’s take
It’s
a strange time to be talking about Brock Lesnar leaving the WWE to do
more MMA. The timing couldn’t be more strange. Brock is working more WWE
dates than ever since he returned in 2012. He is about to become the
WWE’s Universal Champion on the biggest match on their biggest card of
the year. However, the facts are all there to see.
Brock’s WWE
deal will finish after WrestleMania 34. The WWE will have Brock drop the
title before then and put a significant loss on Brock to an up and
coming star. In addition to that, if we look at the MMA side of things,
Brock allowed himself to be tested for seven whole months before pulling
the plug on testing, at the request of Vince McMahon, and announcing
his ‘fake’ retirement.
As much as Brock Lesnar looks like he’s a
WWE guy through and through right now, I think it’s certain that big
fights with either Overeem in UFC or Fedor in Bellator, are in his
future- and at $5 million, minimum, per fight, who can blame him.
Charlotte is one of the greatest female athletes in the world todayEver
since the introduction of women to the UFC, we've seen some of the most
remarkable fights in the history of the company take place. People like
Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes and Miesha Tate have shown the world what
they can do, and in the process have changed the sport forever.
So then, why not build on this legacy with a whole host of women who know a thing or two about starting a revolution.
The
worlds of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts collide more
often than you might have thought, with the two forms of sports
entertainment requiring a number of similar attributes in order to
succeed. Sure, pro wrestlers wouldn't be able to just walk into the
Octagon, but with a bit of fine tuning, it's certainly possible.
Which is why we've created a list
detailing five women within the WWE right now who could continue to pave
the way for young fighters of the future. It would definitely lead to
quite an interesting transition period for them all, but confidence is
the key to success and these women know a thing or two about that, given
their backgrounds.
So with all of that in mind, let's take a look at five female superstars who should try their hand at MMA.
#1 Charlotte Flair
Is there anyone better right now?
Charlotte
Flair may be the queen of the squared circle, but if her rapid
development as a professional wrestler is anything to go by, then it
seems entirely possible that she could thrive in other sports, too.
She
is young, athletic and appears to be genetically superior to just about
everyone she gets in the ring with, which is saying something, given
the quality of her opposition in the past.
Her ability to learn
and grow as a performer is staggering and she continues to get better
with each passing week. If you can translate that into the mixed martial
arts world then you've got a real talent on your hands, and given her
early success in the WWE, it seems entirely possible that she can pull
this off.
Plus, just think about how great Flair vs. Rousey would be. We move on to a woman who helped to kickstart Charlotte's career.
The Rock made more news than the entire episode of RAW.What’s the story?
While
yesterday’s RAW was quite a decent episode, the best moment came after
the cameras stopped rolling at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The
Rock had fun with the crowd while the production crew prepared
the backdrop for the scene where Paige won the Divas title from AJ Lee
on her first night on RAW for the upcoming movie on Paige’s family,
‘Fighting With My Family’.
As you all may know by now, The Rock
called up CM Punk after the fans in attendance vehemently chanted for
the controversial former star.
The Great One took to Twitter to
explain his actions, which would have resulted in an instant suspension
or firing had it been done by someone else: In case you didn’t know....
It
was when Rock was playing to the crowd that the fans started chanting
CM Punk’s name. The Great One shut them down and said that the former
WWE Star wasn’t part of the movie. But what he did next may have
infuriated the management, but totally satiated the fans who were
looking to be entertained.
Rock got his phone out and called up
Punk himself, but thankfully for Vince McMahon, it went to voicemail.
His subsequent Facetime attempt too failed due to poor connectivity. In
case you haven’t watched the epic segment, here is the video:
CM
Punk responded to his name being mentioned on RAW with this tweet in
which he completely ignored The Rock and rather focused on thanking the
fans: The heart of the matter
While
everyone expected something special from the Rock, no one expected him
to whip his phone out and call Punk out. This was before Rock and his
production team recreated the moment when Paige won her first Divas
Championship from AJ Lee on RAW. Paige’s role is being played by
Florence Pugh while AJ Lee is being portrayed by former TNA Knockout and
Austin Aries’ fiance Thea Trinidad.
The Rock is infamous for
doing things on his own peril as he is a bonafide mega star that WWE
direly needs. According to reports, the WWE management was not happy
with the whole improvisation and had even sent out a guy to tell the
legend to stop what he was doing.
Vince McMahon was reportedly
not happy with the dark segment due to obvious reasons, which is why WWE
decided not to post the video on its Youtube channel. Impact
If
you think CM Punk has buried his differences with WWE and is on his way
back soon, tuck those hopes away immediately. It’s not happening
anytime soon. The segment was just Rock doing what he does best –
improvise and give the fans something different to mark out on.
The
Rock isn’t going to apprehended as he is the only superstar who has the
liberty to flirt with controversy and get away with it. Sportskeeda’s take
The
Rock and his audacity to pull off such things make him one of the
greatest to have ever worked the fans. Imagine what would have happened
if he would have called Punk on live TV?
Wha was even more hilarious was Punk walking his dog Larry during the whole incident. Epic no-sell we say.
Steph loves to show the world who is bossStephanie
McMahon isn't the most enjoyable character in the world of professional
wrestling. She always seems to talk down to Superstars and never really
receive any comeuppance for it - oh, other than the spear from Roman
Reigns, of course. That was worth it - not.
One of the big issues
that people have with good old Steph is her self-proclaimed "signature
move" of the slap. Now, some people will try and defend her case by
insinuating that she has to look as strong as possible in her role but
that really is a load of horse dung.
Stephanie looks strong so
that she can massage her own ego, and that's an increasing problem when
you consider that the main goal is to get other talent over.
Alas, we have been subjected to many
slaps over the years that have genuinely felt like they've been directed
at us as opposed to the Superstars involved. With recent victims
including the likes of Batista and Roman Reigns, it's easy to forget
that Steph's slapping days date back well into the Attitude Era and some
of the people on the receiving end of it may really make your stomach
turn.
So without further ado, let's take a look at five superstars
you forgot Stephanie McMahon slapped. Note - the term "Superstar" is
used rather loosely, here.
#1 Mick Foley
A blast from the past for the current partners in crime
Whilst
many people are probably surprised that this hasn't happened in the New
Era, they'll be even more shocked to learn that Stephanie actually has
laid one on Mrs Foley's Baby Boy more than a decade ago. During a match
in which Foley was the special guest referee, Stephanie unleashed a
vicious slap that really took Mick off guard.
It was a classic
case of Steph seeming as if she was above and beyond the standard
wrestling law, but we'd like to think that it was Mick's idea in the
first place as opposed to being the other way round. In reality, this
one may have been the least damaging when you consider how much physical
torment Mick had already gone through by that stage in his career.
Bang bang indeed. We move slightly up the card to a man who didn't take any nonsense whatsoever.
AJ
Lee had some interesting thoughts on who would be playing her in the
upcoming, “Fighting With My Family,” film and she took to Twitter to
express them.
In case you didn’t know...
“Fighting
With My Family,” is the upcoming major motion picture from The Rock’s
Seven Bucks Studios and WWE Studios about former WWE Divas’ Champion,
Paige’s life and journey to stardom in the WWE.
The movie will
star The Rock, Vince Vaughn, Lena Headey and Florence Pugh. The movie is
based on a documentary of the same name that was produced for Channel 4
in the United Kingdom.
This past Monday night after Raw went
off the air, The Rock came out to tell the crowd that remained at the
Staples Center what they were doing. The scene that they were filming
for the movie is believed to be Paige’s main roster debut in WWE when
she defeated AJ Lee for the Divas’ Championship.
Paige will be
played by Florence Pugh in the film. AJ Lee is being portrayed by Thea
Trinidad, who may be better known for her time as Rosita in TNA. She is
currently pursuing acting, while still wrestling occasionally. She had
one match in NXT, which was a losing effort against Asuka on the October
26th, 2016 episode.
The heart of the matter
The former WWE Divas’ Champion took to Twitter to comment on Thea Trinidad playing her in the film.
It
would seem that AJ is in a very positive mood in regards to the filming
of the movie, as well as who was cast to portray her in the film.
What’s next?
Considering
the speed with which, “Fighting With My Family,” has gone from The Rock
buying up the rights to casting the film, then shooting an important
scene for the movie, we wouldn’t be surprised if this movie comes out
relatively soon.
Sportskeeda’s take
It’s
very refreshing to see a former WWE Superstar have such a bright outlook
on someone else portraying them on film. We’re happy that AJ seems to
be in good spirits about Trinidad playing her in the project, and we
wish both ladies continued success in the future.
We can’t wait
to see, “Fighting With My Family,” when it hits theatres and we will
keep you up to date as more information becomes available regarding a
possible release date.
Kurt Angle speaks about Goldberg, Lesnar and Hall Of Fame
What’s the story?
In a recent interview with Ring Rust Radio, Kurt
Angle spoke about multiple topics ranging from the Hall Of Fame
induction to his opinion about his ex-coworkers. The motive of this
interview was to promote the AngleStrong app which is created to aid
those who are dealing with alcohol and substance addictions.
Kurt
Angle has come in limelight after the announcement of his inclusion in
the Hall Of Fame. In the interview, Angle speaks about his reaction when
he received the phone call regarding his induction:
“When
I did get the call, I was thinking I was getting a call to wrestle, but
they presented the Hall of Fame to me. I was elated and I know I don't
much time left for wrestling and I am transitioning, so it was OK. I was
all right doing it, but I did bring up the fact that am I going to be
able to wrestle again and basically, I was shot down and told, 'Let's
get you to the Hall of Fame and we will talk after that.' There are no
plans for me wrestling.”
In case you didn’t know...
Kurt Angle was announced as the first
inductee into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Even though many rumors circulated
online about Angle’s return to WWE after his departure from TNA, nobody
expected Angle to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame right away.
Angle,
aged 48 years, is still an active wrestler and doesn’t plan to retire
anytime soon. He is slated to face Cody Rhodes in a Steel Cage Match at
Wrestlefest XXI, which will be his last match for an independent
promotion.
Kurt Angle had made his debut in 1998 and went on to
perform for WWE till 2006. After his departure from WWE, he went to TNA
where he spent more than a decade and became a World Champion a record
six times.
The heart of the matter
Brock
Lesnar won his second world Championship against Angle at Wrestlemania
XIX. These two men had several interactions throughout their time in
Smackdown and together, they provided the fans with many thrilling and
exciting moments. Kurt Angle had the following to say about the Beast
Incarnate:
"Brock is the greatest athlete I've
ever gotten in the ring with. He can be the best at whatever he wants to
be. He was an NCAA champion, a UFC champion and he was one cut away
from making an NFL team and without ever playing a game in his life. I
know his capabilities, and he has that kind of potential. To show that
kind of versatility, not many people can do that. Brock is a special
athlete not because he is so big and strong, but because he's such a
great damn athlete and one of the best I ever got in the ring with.”
Kurt
Angle’s induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame was announced in January,
which came as a surprise to him as he insisted that he was nowhere close
to hanging up his boots and wished to have one last run with WWE.
He
also revealed that an in-ring return has not been discussed yet with
the WWE. Although fans are desperate to see Angle wrestle again, WWE
seems to be in no hurry. Even Kurt Angle is hopeful about making his
long-awaited wrestling comeback to the company where he started his
illustrious professional wrestling career.
Kurt Angle has pitched
various ideas for his comeback which include managing American Alpha and
facing AJ Styles. A reunion with Shelton Benjamin and him taking reins
of one of the brands as the general manager is also speculated.
The
one thing sure about his involvement is that he won’t be wrestling on a
weekly basis. Given Angle’s age, it would be a surprising move by WWE
if they use him as a weekly in-ring performer. He is expected to play a
part-time role with WWE and speaking of part-timers here's what Angle
had to say about Goldberg and how his current run inspires him:
"Goldberg's
a great wrestler, and in his prime, he was the man, especially for WCW.
I don't think his WWE career ended the way he wanted it to, but he is
an incredible athlete and he has done a lot of pro wrestling. It's nice
to see somebody of his stature and somebody that hasn't been there in 14
years to go in there and get a great spot. It does give me a lot of
hope.”
What’s next?
The
Hall Of Fame Ceremony will take place on 31st March at Amway Center,
Orlando, Florida. Kurt Angle is set to headline the class of 2017 and
would also make an appearance at Wrestlemania.
Even though there
are no announcements about the former Olympian’s in ring return, it is
imminent that the WWE Universe would get to witness the prowess of the
Wrestling Machine soon inside the squared circle.
Sportskeeda’s take
Kurt
Angle is one of the best in-ring technicians to ever step foot in the
ring. His matches with Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar and Shawn Michaels
were nothing short of classics. Angle has won multiple championships
throughout his tenures with WWE and TNA and as fans we would like to see
more of it.
With returns of Goldberg and the Undertaker, the fans
definitely want to see Kurt Angle compete with the current crop of
talent at WWE. Fans have craved a Kurt Angle return for many years now
and it seems as if they won’t be disappointed this time.
It is
great to see that Angle and WWE have mended their relationship and are
willing to give the WWE Universe what they want. He will be back to the
pinnacle of sports entertainment to provide us with more spectacular
moments.
Nikki Bella had a wardrobe malfunction in a recent video posted on her official Facebook page in a video featuring herself, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Brie Bella and the Bella twins’ adorable pets- Winston and Josie.
Wearing a sheer top with a plunging neckline, Bella bent forward, pampering her pets, when she had the little slip-up.
In case you didn’t know...
Nikki
Bella is a former two-time WWE Divas Champion and three-time Slammy
award winner, with two of her Slammys shared with her sister Brie Bella.
Brie herself is a former Divas champ and three-time Slammy award
winner.
Daniel Bryan has won multiple titles in
the WWE and has been working as SmackDown’s on-screen (kayfabe) General
Manager. John Cena is a 16-time WWE World champ who, love him or hate
him, needs no introduction to pro-wrestling fans.
The heart of the matter
First
of all, let’s give it up for Nikki Bella who genuinely seems to love
her dogs. That said, her little wardrobe malfunction has driven the
internet crazy within a few hours of the video being posted online.
At
around the one-minute mark you can’t help but notice a...ahem...dress
slip-up, so to speak. Not only that, her top’s plunging neckline threw
caution to the wind more than a couple of times, particularly in the
first minute of the video, which you can see above.
Nikki’s video
also featured her sister Brie, brother-in-law Bryan, and boyfriend, John
Cena. Nikki and Brie had an awkward conversation about ‘Tea-Bagging’
(no seriously! Actual ‘Tea-bagging’ not the millennial slang).
The
video also showed Nikki, Brie and John checking out Daniel Bryan’s
vegetable garden; where Bryan proudly displayed his 8-Inch carrot (no
pun intended).
What’s next?
After
everything that’s happened over the past couple of weeks in Nikki and
Cena’s respective careers, WWE creative seems to be alluding to a
Wrestlemania storyline involving the aforementioned power couple on one
side and former-Cena rival Miz and his wife Maryse, on the other.
Considering
the fact that Maryse attacked Nikki on WWE SmackDown’s most recent
episode, I think it’s safe to say that ‘Fearless Nikki’, won’t back down
against the French-Canadian WWE heel and her husband the Miz.
Sportskeeda’s take
The
Bellas’ pets are truly adorable and if you don’t follow the Bella
Twins’ goofy video posts online, you’re truly missing out on something.
In today’s day and age, Nikki’s wardrobe malfunction is, frankly
speaking, nothing to fret about.
And as far as Daniel Bryan and
his ‘Carrot’ goes, as John Cena says in the video- ‘Pay no attention to
the evident size of the carrot’. Again, no pun intended. Do you
think Daniel ‘8-Inch Carrot’ Bryan Rules? Yes! Yes! Yes!
Stay tuned in for more happenings from the world of pro-wrestling and the WWE Universe.
Fighting With My Family will be a biopic based on Paige and her family of pro wrestlers.
What’s The Story?
Following this week’s episode of Raw, a crew from WWE
Studios, along with The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions, took over The
Staples Center in Los Angeles. The film crew, along with the actresses
portraying the roles of AJ and Paige, were there to use the live crowd,
to film a vital scene for the upcoming documentary “Fighting With My
Family.”
During filming at The Staples Center, the crew filmed the
scene where Paige defeated AJ Lee for the WWE Divas Championship. Here
are tweets from fans in attendence:
In case you didn't know...
WWE
Studios has partnered with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s production
company, Seven Bucks,” to film a biopic about WWE Wome’ns Superstar
Paige and her family of professional wrestlers.
The Rock has
partnered with his long-time manager, Dany Garcia, to create their own
unique production company. As far as the company name, “Seven Bucks,” it
has deep, personal meaning for The People’s Champion.
He has
often talked about how in 1995 he only had seven bucks to his name. Then
in 1996, he was wrestling at flea markets for a mere 40 bucks per
night. Now, The Rock is widely regarded as the most successful person in
entertainment, as well as a member of Forbes Top 25 Most Powerful
People.
A fan in the crowd took this photo during the filming
The heart of the matter
Paige,
despite her recent controversy surrounding her suspension, as well as
her relationship with Alberto Del Rio, remains as one of the most adored
women wrestlers in the industry. Her unorthodox upbringing makes for a
perfect film.
Paige, her parents, as well as her two brothers are
all in the professional wrestling industry. She actually made her
in-ring debut at the age of 13.
Former TNA Knockout Rosita (Thea
Trinidad) played the role of AJ Lee, while Florence Pugh is portraying
Paige throughout the documentary. Also, some fans noticed a familiar
face taking the bumps as Paige. That's because top indie star Tessa
Blanchard is working on the film, as an in-ring stunt double. Sportskeeda’s take
Paige
and her family have always been an intriguing band of grappling
misfits. Their unique way of living life on the road, and in the ring,
is one that takes a special type of person. Paige’s rise to supremacy in
the WWE has been fascinating to witness, and should indeed make for an
entertaining film.
Hopefully, Paige and the WWE creative powers
that be can put the past behind them and everyone can move forward.
There’s no question Paige has a lot of miles left in her career, I just
hope she isn't be persuaded one way or another, by an outside voice.
Serena’s husband-to-be posted the picture on the site he createdWhat’s the story?
It has become customary for WWE
to send customised WWE Championship belts to winners of major sporting
events, so it was no surprise when the company announced that tennis
star Serena Williams would receive one after winning grand slam number
23 last month at the Australian Open.
The belts come with custom side plates and references to the achievement.
Serena’s fiancé, entrepreneur and
investor Alexis Ohanian, has since taken to social media site Reddit to
post a picture of the title alongside a banana for size reference. The
belt is as glorious as one would imagine, and the side-plates mention
all four of the grand slam tournaments that Serena has won during her
illustrious 22-year career.
That is either a big belt or a tiny banana
In case you didn’t know...
By
sending customised WWE Championship belts to successful sports
champions, WWE gains itself a huge amount of mainstream media coverage.
In the last year alone WWE has sent customised belts to SuperBowl
champions the New England Patriots, Stanley Cup winners Pittsburgh
Penguins and the World Series winning Chicago Cubs.
Each time WWE sends a belt, the mainstream media inevitably picks up on it and gives the act of respect some valuable coverage.
By
defeating her sister Venus in the final of the 2017 Australian Open,
Serena Williams passed Steffi Graf as the most successful tennis player
in the Open Era, winning her 23rd grand slam in the process.
By succeeding in Melbourne, Serena now stands just one win from
equalling the all-time record, held by Australian legend Margaret
Court. The heart of the matter
The
picture of the Championship belt was posted on Reddit by the user
kn0thing, better known to the community as one of the co-founders of the
site, Alexis Ohanian. It was Ohanian and Steve Huffman who initially
created the site back in 2005, and in the 12 years since, Reddit has
grown to be used by over 234 million unique users worldwide.
In
2016, it was announced that Ohanian and Serena were engaged, and whilst
the wedding date is yet to be announced, the wedding itself will surely
be one of the media events of whichever year it takes place. What’s next?
The
French Open takes places at the end of May this year and will represent
a chance for Serena Williams to equal the all-time record for grand
slam tennis victories. Serena last won the Roland Garros tournament in
2015 but came up short in the final in 2016 to first-time winner Gabriñe
Muguruza. Sportskeeda’s take
Will Serena
receive another title if and when she breaks Margaret Court’s record?
Time will tell, but WWE’s decision to send these belts continues to be
another genius marketing tactic.
WWE recognised the 44th President of the United States, on this week's episode of Raw
What's the story?
In
line with their celebration of Black History Month, WWE recognised the
contribution and achievements of Former American President, Barack
Obama. WWE aired a one-minute video package of Obama, with WWE’s
resident African American stars speaking about the man.
Rosa Parks
and Jackie Robinson are two other luminaries who had been recognised by
WWE as well, in a similar format. A video of Obama’s tribute has been
linked below.
In case you didn’t know...
WWE
celebrates Black History Month every year to celebrate the
accomplishments of men and women of colour. While wrestlers of
African-American origin have been recognised in the past, this year WWE
looked outside the squared circle to find role models from the
African-American community.
Vince McMahon has been very vocal about
Martin Luther King being an inspiration to him, and thus, this month
has become an annual tradition. Obama himself has been part of WWE’s
programming in the past, most notably in Tribute to the Troops,
addressing the armed forces.
The heart of the matter
Superstars
Mark Henry, Sasha Banks, Cedric Alexander and Kofi Kingston were all
part of the tribute to Barack Obama. Sasha Banks said- ‘Calm and
collected, Obama’s success served as a reminder for what so many people
before him worked so hard to achieve, and in turn, they work hard to end
injustice at home and around the world.’
Mark Henry added:
‘Barack
Obama led the nation through an uncertain time, but his inspirational
message of hope and change was embraced around the nation and celebrated
around the world.’
What’s next?
We're
certain that Black History Month will continue to remain an annual
tradition for WWE, and even this year, more Superstars of colour will be
recognised by WWE. Will this mean that more African-American Superstars
will get pushed? Only time will tell for sure.
Sportskeeda’s take
Across
the internet, fans have speculated that WWE only conducts this program
as a means to appeal to all communities. That said, we feel it's a
wonderful initiative at least on the surface and is also a welcome
distraction during any show, especially if its three hours long.
At
the same time, to play Devil's Advocate, we wonder if this vignette
could have been better served as a tribute to Ivan Koloff and Nicole
Bass.
The Wyatt Family did not take to Miz & Maryse’s celebration
What’s the story?
After 205 Live went
off the air, the filming of The Rock’s movie about Paige began just
like on the last episode of Raw, which resulted in the ropes being
changed to red and also the graphics changing from 205 Live to RAW.
After
the filming, The Miz & Maryse attempted to celebrate their
three-year wedding anniversary by dancing but were interrupted by the
WWE Champion Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton.
In case you didn’t know...
The Rock’s movie about Paige had a scene filmed after RAW went off the air. The match was the recreation of Paige vs. AJ Lee on the RAW after WrestleMania 30 which saw Paige defeat AJ Lee for the Divas Championship on her first night on the main roster.
After SmackDown Live, another
scene seemed to have been filmed, although no details about the filming
have been reported as yet. Although Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton only
appeared in a backstage segment on SmackDown Live, they came out for the dark segment.
The heart of the matter
As mentioned above, the reason the ropes and the setup is like that of RAW is because it was redone to film a scene for the movie. Here is are the clips of Wyatt & Orton ruining the celebrations.
What’s
interesting is that The Wyatts played the position of the babyfaces in
this situation to send the crowd home happy. Normally they are
positioned as heels on television, especially Bray.
What’s next?
Bray Wyatt will be heading into WrestleMania as
WWE Champion, and he will likely face Randy Orton and Luke Harper or AJ
Styles. The rumoured match at the moment is a three-way dance between
the Wyatt Family members.
Sportskeeda’s take
It
is interesting to see The Wyatts positioned as a babyface. As Jim Ross
constantly says “Bray Wyatt is a babyface in the making”. Bray can be
one of the defining Superstars of the New Era, due to his strong
character work.
The WWE Universe gets more invested in
character-driven performers over just in-ring skill. With a babyface
push, Wyatt can find his way to becoming one of WWE’s icons of the
future. It is good to see his potential being recognised by WWE.
As
for the dark segment, it seemed like an absolutely hilarious segment to
send the live crowd home happy. The Miz is perfect for such situations.
“The Face That Runs the Place,” to meet, “The Most Must-See Superstar in WWE History.”
What’s the story?
As it was announced during Talking Smack this week, John Cena will be the special guest on Miz TV next week during Smackdown Live.
In case you didn’t know...
At
the Elimination Chamber pay per view, John Cena eliminated The Miz from
the Chamber match for the WWE Championship in short order. Also on that
event, Nikki Bella was inadvertently shoved into Maryse during a
backstage fight with Natalya.
Tonight on Smackdown! Live,
Natalya was just about to tap out to an STF from Nikki Bella during a
Falls Count Anywhere match, when Maryse came out with a lead pipe and
attacked Nikki, hitting her several times with the weapon. The Miz
finally held his wife back, but the damage was done and Natalya won the
match.
Later on, John Cena and The Miz were
involved in a battle royal to determine the Number One Contender for
Bray Wyatt’s WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33. Cena and Miz went
after each other from the moment the match started, but Cena ultimately
overcame and eliminated The Miz.
“The Most Must-See Superstar in
WWE History,” did not take kindly to his dismissal from the match, as he
got back into the ring and proceeded to eliminate John Cena from the
match, as well. Cena charged back towards the ring, but WWE officials
were able to keep the two separate.
The heart of the matter
John
Cena will be a guest on Miz TV next Tuesday night on Smackdown Live,
and it is likely that Cena and Miz get into a very heated exchange,
possibly leading to their match at WrestleMania 33 becoming official.
It
has long been rumoured that John Cena and Nikki Bella would face The
Miz and Maryse in a mixed tag team match at the Showcase of the
Immortals.
What’s next?
We’ll have to wait and see what happens during Miz TV next Tuesday night on Smackdown! Live.
Sportskeeda’s take
Pardon
us if we’re not exactly jumping for joy at the thought of this match,
as we’ve long been hoping that the rumour was just that, or that we may
have possibly been stuck in a really bad dream.
Alas, it looks as
if that is going to be the reality for the two “power couples” of WWE at
WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida: John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The
Miz and Maryse.
Emma actually slapping Bayley in the faceWhat’s the story?
Emma
recently trolled Bayley on Twitter with a picture of a magazine article
that shows Bayley being put in the “Emma-lock” submission hold by
Emma. In case you didn’t know...
Bayley and Emma’s careers were on a similar path, but they both took very different roads afterwards.
Emma
initially debuted on Raw as the awkward lady friend of Santino Marella.
She was on the main roster for a brief period before Santino retired
suddenly, causing her to be sent back down to NXT.
She
reinvented herself as a heel and spent the better part of the remainder
of her time in NXT as a punching bag for Bayley and Asuka. She would
eventually return to the main roster with her NXT character in the build
up to WrestleMania 32.
Unfortunately,
Emma suffered a significant back injury a few months later and would go
on the shelf until last week on Raw, when she re-debuted as Emmalina, a
gimmick that was supposed to be a more glamorous version of her
previous character.
However, WWE officials were not pleased with
her perceived “lack of commitment” to the character and nixed plans of
her playing the said character.
Bayley, however, skyrocketed to
the NXT Women’s Championship and held down the division while Sasha
Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte all moved up to the main roster. Bayley
bested Emma on a few occasions while both were in NXT but ultimately
succumbed to the buzzsaw known as Asuka.
Bayley was subsequently
called up to the Raw roster in late 2016, and recently won the WWE Raw
Women’s Championship from Charlotte. The heart of the matter
In
what seems like a light-hearted jab, Emma recently took to Twitter to
promote a column featuring her in the Australian version of Oxygen
magazine. In the photo for the piece, she is seen with Bayley trapped
in the Emma Lock.
You can see the full tweet below: What’s next?
Bayley will be defending the WWE Raw Women’s Championship at WWE Fastlane on March 5th against Charlotte. It is unknown when we can expect to see Emma back on the main roster. Sportskeeda’s take
Nothing
will likely come of this. It was probably just Emma’s attempt to stay
relevant while her career goes through yet another period of
uncertainty.
Losing a Champion and Gaining another all on SmackDown Live
What’s the Story?
SmackDown
Women’s Champion Naomi kicked off tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live
by relinquishing the championship due to injury. Naomi suffered a knee
injury and will likely miss her opportunity to head into WrestleMania as
the champion.
The
request came at the hands of General Manager Daniel Bryan who ordered a
championship match to take place between Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch
following the title being vacated which was won by Bliss; marking her
second championship in the WWE.
In case you didn’t know
Naomi
won the SmackDown Women’s Championship by defeating former champion
Alexa Bliss at the SmackDown exclusive pay-per-view, Elimination
Chamber. This title win marked the first championship of Naomi’s career
and was rumored to be heading into WrestleMania 33, which will hail from
her hometown of Orlando, as the champion.
A knee injury was up on
SmackDown Live and many fans speculated that it was a work, but
SEScoops reported that Naomi didn’t work any WWE live events this
weekend and that while this confirmed her knee injury as legitimate,
little was known about the injury until tonight’s episode of SmackDown.
Bliss
and Lynch have been feuding since the inception of the SmackDown
Women’s Championship. Lynch was the first SmackDown Women’s Champion,
but would lose the belt to Bliss at the SmackDown exclusive pay-per-view
TLC. The heart of the matter
Bryan booked a
match between Bliss and Lunch for the vacated championship so there
will likely be a new champion crowned tonight, but this still comes as
disappointing news for the former champion Naomi.
She has
constantly been talking about her goal of heading into her hometown of
Orlando, Florida for WrestleMania as a champion, but that no longer
seems like a viable option. What’s next?
Bliss
is still in allegiance with Mickie James, who has been feuding with
Lynch since 2016. These three women have dominated the SmackDown Women’s
Division and will more than likely continue to do so until after
WrestleMania 33.
Expect to see all three women involved in a match involving the SmackDown Women’s Division at the Showcase of the Immortals. Sportskeeda’s Take
This
comes as very sad news for Naomi who has lost one of her major goals,
but this is good news for Bliss who gets to add another title win to her
resume.
Hopefully Naomi makes a speedy recovery so she can
continue to make a name for herself as a top wrestler in the SmackDown
Women’s Division. For now, the fans of SmackDown Live will have to enjoy
The Wicked Witch of the WWE continue to build up accomplishments in her
young career.
Alexa Bliss was crowned the new SmackDown Live Women’s Champion
SmackDown
Live took place in Ontario, California tonight. The show was
main-evented by a 10 man battle royal to see who would face Bray Wyatt
at Wrestlemania 33. Let’s go ahead and take a look at he results.
Nicole also featured at Wrestlemania XV as Sable's bodyguard
What’s the story?
According
to the Cagesideseats, former bodybuilder and professional wrestler
Nicole Bass-Fuchs passed away on Friday night shortly after being taken
off life support. She died aged 52.
Following the sad demise, Nicole’s partner Christine Marrone posted thisvon Bass' Facebook page:
“Just want to make it clear that I will
not be answering and who, what, where, when, why questions right now.
Nicole always kept her personal things private and I will do the same
for her.”
In May 2016, Bass had posted a picture of
herself in a hospital with a similar caption where she refused to say
why she was there. “My answer .... 'It's private!”, she wrote.
In case you did not know
The
WWE diva rose to fame during the Attitude’ era in the late 1990s. After
being trained at ECW's House of Hardcore, she appeared at Wrestlemania
XV as Sable's bodyguard and also feuded with Debra McMichael and was a
love interest of Val Venis.
However, she left the company after
filing a lawsuit of $120 million against the promotion after she claimed
to be sexually assaulted by Steve Lombardi while traveling to England
for an event. However, the case was dismissed after a three-week trial
and the New York City jury ruled in favor of the company in 2002.
Prior
to her career in wrestling, she had also appeared on the famous radio
show, The Miss Howard Stern New Year's Eve Pageant in 1993. The heart of the matter
The
52-year-old American wrestler died due to a heart attack, which caused
her to become brain dead. She was eventually taken off life support.
Nicole’s
partner Christine Marrone also said, “'I have been sitting here with
her in the room 24/7 since she got here making sure she was being given
the best possible care. Today we learned that there is nothing else that
can be done.”
According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, she was reportedly suffering from financial and health issues in recent years also. Sportskeeda’s take
Bass
was popular for her physique and unique baritone. It’s a sad demise to
digest for entire wrestling fraternity and we here at Sportskeeda, offer
our condolences to the family and friends of Nicole Bass-Fuchs.
Managers have powerful roles in the lives of fighters
Being
a manager in the sports business takes a lot of stress and effort, more
notably so in combat sport. A small part of Muhammad Ali’s success was
also courtesy the assiduous efforts of his manager Jabir Herbert
Muhammad, who managed him from 1966 until his retirement in 1981.
He
was considered as one of the most powerful managers in the business,
having negotiated the first multi-million dollar earnings for the
legend.
Managers are powerful people. Ask anyone what the role of a
manager in the UFC is and nine times out of ten it would be a succinct
“to help the fighter sign the contract”. The hard truth is that the role
of a manager spans way beyond just helping the MMA hopeful put pen to
paper.
It is an extremely challenging job to ensure that things go according to what’s best for the fighter.
With
that said, how would it be to have WWE-style managers manage UFC
fighters? Would things be different if people of the calibre of Paul
Heyman and co. take charge of the fighters in the Octagon? Here are five
reasons why management in the UFC needs a WWE-esque facelift!
#5 To help their fighters achieve Superstardom
The client and the manager
Unlike
how it was back in the day, every successful fighter requires a manager
who can act as a springboard and a mouthpiece, thereby pushing the
virtues of Citius, Altius and Fortius in equal proportions.
This
is something that the WWE swears by, which is why there have been
managers like Paul Heyman, Paul Bearer, Brother Love, Ted DiBiase,
calling the shots for some of the biggest Superstars in the business. A
manager leverages the Superstar onto a higher platform, ensuring that
he/she is a saleable commodity in the market!
Having a manager
also saves the fighters the ordeal of selling themselves. Having a
WWE-styled manager smoothen things for the UFC fighters and would help
them focus solely on the fight, leaving the manager to deal with the
peripherals.
A manager who cuts promos also saves the fighters the
effort of rehearsing a script before the actual fight, thereby making
the promo look one hundred percent legit! Imagine how iconic it would be
to see someone of the calibre of Paul E. Dangerously to cut promos for
some of the top-gun fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship?
Does The Boss have a legitimate case for gimmick infringement?What’s the Story? WWE
Superstar Sasha Banks called out Maybelline for its latest makeup
campaign that is similar to her ‘Boss’ gimmick. The tag-line for the
latest Maybelline advertisement is ‘Lash Like A Boss’ and features a
ring with the word “BOSS” in Gold which is worn by the model in the
poster; similar to the rings that Banks wears that say “LEGIT BOSS.” In case you didn’t know...
Banks joined the WWE through NXT in
2012, but wouldn’t debut her gimmick as The Boss until 2013 when she and
Summer Rae formed the Beautiful Fierce Females. Since then, Banks has
become one of the biggest stars in the WWE.
She won the NXT
Women’s Championship before she debuted on the main roster and became a
3-time Raw Women’s Champion during her feud with Charlotte Flair.
Maybelline’s
‘Lash Like a Boss’ advertisement hasn’t been around very long and has
only been in circulation as recent as the past month. There have only
been two commercials for the product since its release and they both
begin with the caption “That Boss Life.” The heart of the matter
In
professional wrestling, it’s rare that wrestlers are trendsetters, but
Banks and the WWE may actually have a case here. Just looking at the
advertisement, its clear that there are many similarities between
Banks’ gimmick and the Maybelline advertisement. What’s next?
Though
it is interesting that that a makeup company could be potentially
ripping off a woman’s gimmick without even using that woman in the
commercial, it’s more likely that nothing will come from this.
The
terms “Boss” and “Like A Boss” have been a part of popular culture for
quite some time now. It would be hard for the WWE to prove anything if
it were to take this up in court; which is probably something that’s not
on their radar. Sportskeeda’s take
The
timing and release of the Maybelline Boss commercial indicate that
whoever was in charge of the advertisement had some knowledge of the
gimmick and attempted to get away with it. Whether they will is
ultimately a decision for officials in the WWE to make and not Banks. Tweet speak
Several fans responded to Banks’ thread with various responses including Xavier Woods of The New Day.
Former TNA President Dixie Carter didn’t do a great job of running the company.What's the story?
Anthem
Sports and Entertainment Executive Vice President, Ed Nordholm, and new
Impact Wrestling Executive Producer Jeff Jarrett spoke to Newsweek.
When part of the conversation turned to the “horrible state” that
former TNA CEO Dixie Carter left the company in, Nordholm had this to
say:
“The buck has to stop someplace and it was with
her. The reality is the company got into a dire position and she was
CEO, some of the stuff we've had to clean up is monumental”
In case you didn’t know...
Jeff
Jarrett and his father Jerry formed TNA Wrestling in 2002. Dixie Carter
invested a lot of money into the company, before eventually becoming
CEO and President. Jeff Jarrett left TNA in late 2013 and formed his own
company Global Force Wrestling.
With widespread reports of staff
and talent going unpaid, the company looked for financing from external
sources. In stepped Smashing Pumpkins musician Billy Corgan, who made
three cash loans to TNA, believing that if the promotion defaulted on
those loans due to insolvency, he would become the owner of the company.
When
everything went wrong, Corgan sued TNA but ended up settling the case
out of court. Here’s what Jeff Jarrett said on the Carter vs Corgan
court case.
"It was a black-eye on the industry. It
wasn’t fruitful for anyone—whether you’re a fan of, a wrestler, an
employee. It was a really ugly, unfortunate situation. It wasn’t good
for the industry. It was hard watching that court case on social media
of all places, I had guys and girls in WWE call me legitimately worried
about everyone.”
The whole Carter vs. Corgan case
was made worse by the fact that a lot of it played out via Twitter. As
Jarrett himself says, “It was a black eye on the industry”. Anthem
Sports then went on to purchase the company from Carter, and one of
their first acts was to bring back Jarrett in the Executive Producer
role. The heart of the matter
Here’s what Nordholm went on to talk about how he felt while watching the whole conundrum:
“I
was angry with her when myself and Len got the full story of how she
ran things. She was putting herself and her family in financial trouble
to keep it going.”
Most fans already knew that TNA
was in a mess with Carter at the helm. To see the new owners talk about
how much of a mess it actually was is slightly shocking. From money
troubles to nonsensical tv programming, to mistakenly sending an email
criticising the bosses of their tv network, to the bosses of the tv
network the weekly show was shown on, it was just a comedy of errors on
an epic scale. What’s next?
Impact
Wrestling is looking to become a viable alternative to the WWE once
again. With Jarrett back in charge of the wrestling side of things and
Anthem in charge of the business side of things, the future looks
brighter for them.
The first TV tapings with Jarrett in charge
take place in early March, maybe then we will see what direction the new
bosses plan to take with the company. Sportskeeda’s take
There’s
no doubt that Dixie Carter has her place in the history of TNA
wrestling. It’s just a shame that the majority of wrestling fans will
remember her more for the way things ended.
This is a new start
for the entire company, but we probably won’t see a whole host of
changes in quick succession. Anything that changes needs to be done
slowly and put the right people into the important spots on the card,
not just reverting to the style of booking that almost killed TNA in the
past.
Has the era of Wyatt finally begun?What’s the story?
In an interesting turn of events, Cagesideseats has now reported that John Cena won the WWE Championship from AJ Styles at Royal Rumble so that he could put Bray Wyatt over. In case you didn’t know...
Bray Wyatt won the WWE Championship for
the very first time at SmackDown’s exclusive PPV Elimination Chamber.
Wyatt defeated five other Superstars including Cena and Styles in an
effort to win the gold.
Two nights later on SmackDown, he defended
the title for the first time against Styles and Cena in a Triple Threat
match. Cena ate the pin from Bray after he hit him with his trademarked
Sister Abigale.
In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the match: The heart of the matter
The
claim was seconded by Sean Waltman, who earlier this week suggested
that Cena insisted on eating the pin from the Eater of Worlds on both
occasions ( SmackDown and Elimination Chamber).
By the end of the
Triple Threat match last Tuesday, the Leader of Cenation was heard
whispering something along the lines of, “You’re a proper champion now”
to Bray as he pinned him to retain the title. A class act indeed from
the 16 time WWE Champion! What’s next?
Since
Randy Orton has decided to forgo all the privileges that come with
winning the Royal Rumble, SmackDown will now host a Battle Royal to
decide the no. 1 contender for the WWE Championship. While this does not
necessarily mean that the winner would face Wyatt for the title at
Wrestlemania, it would certainly give us some insight into what might
come next. Sportskeeda’s take
If the
rumours are anything to go by, John Cena once again proved that he is an
epitome of professionalism. After being subjected to years of criticism
for burying up and coming talents, Cena is finally at a juncture where
he can give back big, while he slowly writes himself off the WWE
ecosystem.
The Rock surely has one fight left in himWhat’s the story?
Eight-time WWE champion The Rock
will be returning on today’s episode of Monday Night Raw. He mentioned
in his Instagram post that he will be there on the show at Staples
Center in Los Angles, California.
He posted a picture on Instagram with Florence Pugh, who is portraying the role of Paige on the big screen, at the venue.
A post shared by therock (@therock) on In case you didn’t know…
The
Rock was a regular part of WWE programming back in 2004. He was also
present in the lead-up to WrestleMania 20 but his contract expired at
the end of the year. After that, no one in WWE contacted him regarding a
renewal.
He opened up about not being offered a contract renewal
throughout 2005, especially in an interview with WWE.com, back in
October 2005. He made occasional appearances through 2009 on WWE
programming.
He was announced as the host of WrestleMania 27. His
return marked the beginning of a two-year storyline with John Cena. The
duo’s bouts at WrestleMania in 2012 and 2013 would headline the
highest-grossing events in WWE history.
Since 2014, he has been
making part-time appearances. Most recently, the Rock appeared at
WrestleMania 32, where he defeated Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan in an
impromptu match. The heart of the matter
The
Rock was shooting a few scenes for the feature film on Paige, alongside
actress Florence Pugh and there have been no advertisements regarding
his return whatsoever. However, one might remember that back in 2011, he
made a comeback to WWE without any prior advertisement.
In his
post, he has only spoken about the film, thanking all the crew members
and the fellow actors. Nevertheless, he did mention that they will be
bringing their production to rock the Staples Center tonight. It could
mean anything. What’s next?
We need to wait
and see if the Rock indeed makes a comeback on tonight’s show or not.
Although it may not be an actual match, his very return will be enough
to excite us. Sportskeeda’s take
In fact,
in 2011, even the wrestlers and the production staff were unaware of the
Rock’s return and it wasn’t until the day that there was any hint of
his return. He deliberately arrived the building late and only posted a
photo of himself filming a promo backstage just an hour before his
return.
Wrestling fans will be hoping to get to see the man back in action. Surely he has got one fight left in him.
Ambrose had to take on two former World Champions in the main event of WWE Edmonton
SmackDown Live went
north of the border when they took over Edmonton, Canada. Tickets did
not sell all too well, as the upper part of the arena was fully empty.
Barry Fillion reported that he got a 4th-row seat ticket despite just
going an hour before the show to buy the tickets.
Regardless, the show was said to be enjoyable, and here are the results:
#1 Apollo Crews vs Dolph Ziggler
Said
to be a really good opening match, there were a lot of false finishes,
but Crews picked up the win after the sit-out powerbomb.
Result: Apollo Crews defeated Dolph Ziggler
#2 The Ascension vs Heath Slater & Rhyno
Said to be a fun match, Slater & Rhyno won after a gore from the Man Beast on Viktor. Result: Heath Slater & Rhyno defeated The Ascension
#3 Mojo Rawley vs Aiden English (w/ Simon Gotch)
Described
as the "bathroom break" match by some fans, Mojo Rawley won with the
tilt-a-whirl slam on English. The Vaudevillains attempted many heel
tactics but were ultimately unsuccessful as Mojo Rawley defeated Aiden
English. Result: Mojo Rawley defeated Aiden English
#4 Natalya & Tamina vs Alexa Bliss & Carmella (w/ James Ellsworth)
Natalya
played face since they were in Canada. The finish of the match saw
Tamina super kicking both James Ellsworth and Alexa Bliss. Natalya won
with the sharpshooter on Carmella.
Tamina was said to have done very well upon her in-ring return. Result: Natalya & Tamina defeated Alexa Bliss & Carmella
CaptionWhat's the story?
Independent
pro wrestler and model Thea Trinidad, who previously worked as “Rosita”
in TNA Wrestling, has been cast as an unnamed Divas Champion in the
upcoming film Fighting With My Family, chronicling the life and family of current WWE Superstar Paige. In case you didn't know...
Fighting With My Family was announced
earlier this year as a joint venture between WWE Studios and Seven Bucks
Productions, the studio owned by iconic wrestling legend and Hollywood
megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The film will explore the
history of the Knight wrestling family, as well as the 24-year-old
Paige's journey from teen wrestler to the youngest female champion in
WWE history. Stephen Merchant (The Office) will write and direct, with The Rock producing and starring in the movie.
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) will play Paige's mother, while English film great Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)
will play her father, Ricky Knight. Vince Vaughn has also landed an
unnamed role in the film, while young unknown actress Florence Pugh will
play Paige herself.
26-year-old Trinidad worked under the name
“Rosita” during her run with TNA Wrestling, where she is a former
Knockouts Tag Team Champion. She has also made appearances for the
Mexican AAA promotion, Ring of Honor, Jeff Jarrett's Global Force
Wrestling, and faced off against NXT Women's Champion Asuka in late
2016.
She is currently engaged to NXT Superstar Austin Aries. The heart of the matter
The Rock made the announcement on Friday afternoon that Trinidad would be joining the cast of Fighting With My Family.
She will be playing an unnamed former WWE Divas Champion in the film,
which is currently in pre-production. The following is from the Great
One's official Instagram account:
“Casting the right
woman to play our champion was critical. I wanted to keep the integrity
of our movie's authenticity. We had to find a woman who not only has a
real star quality, but she also had to have a real reverence and love
for our unique wrestling business. Thea has been working extremely hard
for years on the independent wrestling circuit and for those who
understand what that means – you know how much one has to love our crazy
business to work independently for years.”
Who
the Divas Champion Trinidad will be emulating has not yet been named,
and it's possible she will remain nameless depending on how large the
role really. Current speculation is that the character is based on AJ
Lee. Paige defeated Lee to win the now-defunct Divas title on her first
night with the main roster, and the two developed a rivalry before the
later eventually retired from wrestling altogether.
Sportskeeda's Take
Trindad
seems like a great choice, especially if she's being cast to represent
AJ Lee. She certainly bears a resemblance in the photo posted by The
Rock. As the fiance of Austin Aries, and a solid ring worker in her own
right, it's possible this film could lead to a full-time position on the
NXT roster in the future
Joey Ryan sure does love getting under the skin of Cody RhodesWhat’s the story?
The feud between Joey Ryan and Cody Rhodes went to new heights at APW #WEOUTHERE two nights ago when the King of Dong Style showed up for his match with The Berkley Brawler dressed as Cody’s former character, Stardust.
Ryan
was to be billed as ‘Stardong’ and wowed the crowd with all of the
trademark taunts of The Inter-dimensional Oddity. Ryan’s arrogance would
get the better of him, however, but his point was clear for all to see.
Ryan would reappear later in the
evening in an attempt to cost Cody his match against Penta el Zero M
(the former Pentagon Jr.) but was unsuccessful, incurring the wrath of
Penta in the process.
After the match, Cody would put the cherry
on top of Ryan’s bad night by challenging him to a steel cage match,
which Ryan is yet to accept. In case you didn’t know
The
Joey Ryan/Cody Rhodes feud has been boiling on the independent scene
ever since Cody arrived, with Ryan hitting The Grandson of a Plumber
with his trademark YouPorn Plex.
Ryan
also went so far as to carry Rhodes’ stricken wife to the back after
Cody had accidentally hit Brandi Rhodes with his Cross Rhodes move.
Joey
Ryan is one of the most notorious names on the pro wrestling circuit,
he is also a co-founder of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and the former PWG
World Champion. Many will know him from either his brief tenure in TNA
or his many viral endeavours on the independent wrestling scene. The heart of the matter
Cody
has long since shed himself of his Stardust skin and Ryan’s decision to
dredge this unwanted memory up from the past will only intensify the
bad blood between the two.
Ryan has since taken to Twitter to
reject Cody’s offer of a steel cage match, but this is pro wrestling
after all; another bout between the two is somewhat inevitable.
Grow up. I'm just the dick guy. I don't do cage matches.
What’s next?
One can only assume that the feud between the two will continue at APW’s debut show at the legendary Cow Palace on May 6, 2017.
Will
it continue inside a steel cage? Ryan will surely hope and pray that it
doesn’t, with Cody looking to get The King of Sleaze all to himself
inside the cage. Sportskeeda’s take
Whilst
the exposure of independent wrestling has hugely improved in the last
few years, many promotions continue to have a tendency to book ‘dream
cards’ as opposed to coherent story-driven events.
Ryan and
Rhodes’ feud is refreshing for this reason, and Ryan’s attempts to
escalate the beef at APW #WEOUTHERE can only be applauded.
