Month: February 2016

Brock Lesnar’s WWE WrestleMania 32 Opponent Changed?

Source: WrestlingINC

As seen at last night’s WWE FastLane pay-per-view, there was no angle setting up the expected Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt match at WrestleMania 32. The Wyatts only appearance at the show was in their loss to Ryback, The Big Show and Kane.

Wrestling Inc.’s Sean Ross Sapp speculated on last night’s live edition of the Wrestling Inc. podcast that it appeared as if Lesnar is now facing Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania. While both Vince Russo and myself felt that Ambrose has not been booked strong enough for a match against Lesnar at the big event, Dave Meltzer noted on last night’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that Lesnar vs. Ambrose is now indeed the match at ‘Mania.

According to Meltzer, the original plan was for Bray Wyatt to interfere in the WWE Fastlane pay-per-view main event, however that was changed and Wyatt vs. Lesnar is no longer happening.

Major New Japan Pro Wrestling Star Leaves Company

Source: WrestlingINC

New Japan Pro Wrestling has taken another hit, as Enuhito is reporting that Kota Ibushi is leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling and DDT to be a freelancer.

Ibushi is reportedly leaving because of the physical and mental toll working for the two companies has taken on him. Ibushi is starting a new organization called Ibushi Wrestling Research Institute. He can still work for NJPW and DDT, because he will not be contracted to either.

Ibushi will return from a major neck injury on March 22 at DDT Ryogoku, but officially as a member of IWRI. New Japan has now lost Ibushi, AJ Styles, Doc Gallows, Shinsuke Nakamura and Karl Anderson in recent months.

WWE Fastlane Results: 2/21/16

(Kickoff) – 2 of 3 Falls Match for the WWE United States Title: (C) Kalisto VS Alberto Del Rio

Winner: Kalisto

 

Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch VS Naomi & Tamina

Winners: Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch

 

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: (C) Kevin Owens VS Dolph Ziggler

Winner: Kevin Owens

 

Erick Rowan, Luke Harper & Braun Strowman w/ Bray Wyatt VS Kane, Big Show & Ryback

Winners: Ryback, Big Show and Kane

 

WWE Divas Title Match: (Charlotte w/Ric Flair VS Brie Bella

Winner: Charlotte (Figure Eight)

 

AJ Styles VS Chris Jericho

Winner: AJ Styles (Calf Crusher)

 

R-Truth VS Curtis Axel

Winner: Curtis Axel

 

Triple Threat #1 Contender’s Match – Winner faces Triple H at WrestleMania 32 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman VS Roman Reigns VS Dean Ambrose:

Winner and New #1 Contender: Roman Reigns

 

 

 

 

Update On Karl Anderson Coming To WWE

Source: WrestlingINC

Japanese wrestling reporter Enuhito noted on Twitter that Karl Anderson just revealed he’s going to WWE. Anderson appeared with partner Doc Gallows in what was apparently their final New Japan Wrestling appearance today. They defeated The Briscoes the day before. Anderson reportedly told fans he wants to come back but has to go find out “who he is.” No updated word yet on Doc Gallows coming in but he’s expected to join Anderson. Below are Enuhito’s tweets and a photo of the two from Japan:

WWE Fastlane Card: 2/21/16

Triple Threat #1 Contender’s Match
Brock Lesnar VS Roman Reigns VS Dean Ambrose
Winner faces WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H at WrestleMania 32

Intercontinental Championship
(C) Kevin Owens VS Dolph Ziggler

WWE Divas Championship
(C) Charlotte w/Ric Flair VS Brie Bella

AJ Styles VS Chris Jericho

Big Show, Ryback & Kane VS The Wyatt Family (Braun Strowman, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) w/Bray Wyatt

Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch VS Naomi & Tamina

Edge & Christian’s Cutting Edge Peep Show with guest WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day

Kickoff Pre-show: United States Championship – 2 out of 3 Falls
(C) Kalisto VS Alberto Del Rio

New Tag Team Name For Dash & Dawson

Source: WrestlingINC

A while back WWE applied to trademark “The Revival” for use with a character. WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Dash and Dawson have used the hashtag on Twitter but now they’re being billed as “The Revival” at NXT live events.

Who Might Be Inducting The Fabulous Freebirds Into The WWE Hall Of Fame This Year?

Source: WrestlingINC

It looks like WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Von Erich may be inducting Michael “PS” Hayes and The Fabulous Freebirds into the 2016 Hall of Fame class this year.

Von Erich noted on Twitter that he got the call to come to WrestleMania 32 this week. The Von Erich family are legends in Texas and feuded with The Freebirds for years. Kevin tweeted:

SmackDown Preview: 2/18/16

Brock Lesnar Returns to SmackDown. For the first time in 12 years, Brock Lesnar will step into a SmackDown ring tonight on USA Network.

Will we see AJ Styles VS Chris Jericho at WWE Fastlane?

The Wyatt Family will go to war with The Devil’s Favorite Demon, The Big Guy and The World’s Largest Athlete at WWE Fastlane. In light of this mega-clash of the titans, will the Wyatts offer a hint to their strategy when their address the WWE Universe tonight on USA Network? Do they have something else planned for their opponents? Or could their powerful opposition once again bring the fight to them?

Which Divas conflict will bring chaos to SmackDown?

Sheamus, Rusev and Alberto Del Rio VS Lucha Dragons and Dolph Ziggler

Mauro Ranallo was replaced by Michael Cole on this week’s WWE SmackDown because Ranallo was sent home with the flu.

WrestleMania 32 Plans For WWE Divas

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter via WrestlingINC

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE officials are looking at having two Divas matches at WrestleMania 32 this year. No word yet on what those matches are but it was reported recently that Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks vs. WWE Divas Champion Charlotte in a Triple Threat was in the works. The other match would be one to get several Divas on the card.

Wanderlei Silva’s Lifetime Ban Reduced

Source: MMAJUNKIE

The Nevada State Athletic Commission today voted to suspend Wanderlei Silva for three years following a re-hearing on a lifetime ban issued 17 months ago.

The NSAC banned Silva and fined him $70,000 for evading a drug test in connection with a proposed fight against Chael Sonnen at UFC 175.

Silva’s suspension is retroactive to the date of his evasion, May 24, 2014, meaning he is eligible to apply for a license on May 25, 2017. He is also required to provide a clean drug test upon applying for a new license.

The NSAC decided against a monetary penalty toward Silva since his proposed bout with Sonnen didn’t take place and he did not receive a purse.

The decision comes nine months after a judge called the NSAC’s lifetime ban arbitrary and capricious, and overturned it, sending the case back to the commission for a re-hearing. The second hearing was delayed on multiple occasions.

Silva was not present at the hearing today in Las Vegas and was represented by his longtime attorney, Ross Goodman, who attempted to reassert his argument that the commission overstepped its bounds by punishing Silva, who was unlicensed at the time of his evaded test. Commission chair Anthony Marnell shot down Goodman’s attempt, arguing it was “irrelevant” to the re-hearing.

The NSAC’s attorney, Caroline Bateman, recommended a suspension in the range of 32 to 48 months based on decisions from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and World Anti-Doping Agency. Former NSAC chairman and commissioner Francisco Aguilar recommended the 36-month punishment after an initial proposal of four years by commissioner Pat Lundvall, who called Silva’s behavior “some of the most egregious actions we’ve seen from an athletes.”

The NSAC’s decision is likely to spur an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court from Goodman, who in a previous interview said he needed the commission to re-hear Silva as a precursor to additional legal action.

Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC), 39, retired after his lifetime ban, but this past month was released from his UFC contract after he apologized for accusing the promotion of fight-fixing. Silva is scheduled to appear tonight at the Bellator MMA Fan Fest at Dave & Busters in Houston, TX which is being held the day before Bellator 149, that will air live on Spike TV – Friday, 9/8c.

On Monday, Silva made a mock poster of him opposite Fedor Emelianenko in the upstart Japanese promotion Rizin FF, suggesting his desire to fight the former PRIDE heavyweight champion.