Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Bell Centre in Montreal with the fallout from WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble event and the final hype for Backlash.
* Monster Among 49 Men makes history
* Brock Lesnar bests Roman Reigns in controversial Steel Cage Match
* The Era of Wokenness begins
* Who will dare step to Ronda Rousey?
* The Architect leaves Saudi Arabia with the Intercontinental Championship
Over the past 30 years, WWE has transferred a territorial promotion into a global enterprise. Over WrestleMania 34 Week, Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon spoke at the yearly Business Partner Summit to discuss the evolution of WWE from then to now. McMahon commented on how the company is able to touch every part of the world via digital and social media, and how the company has become a media powerhouse.
Stephanie explained how her father, Vince McMahon, started with a brand, and took that vision to transform shows inside a smoke-filled armory into a stadium with smoke from the pyrotechnic display at WrestleMania.
Although eight out of 10 adults recognize the term WrestleMania and nine out of 10 adults recognize the term “WWE,” it was not as popular in the 1980s. As a result, Vince McMahon made the decision to rebrand the company to a more expansive term than “pro wrestling.”
“Advertisers either had an adverse reaction to the words ‘professional wrestling,’ or they simply didn’t understand what it was,” said Stephanie. “So, how could we create a term or a label that potential partners could understand? How could we describe the WWE was based on larger-than-life characters enthralled in relatable storylines? That was when we coined the term ‘sports entertainment’.”
Now, television audiences can see the ripple effect when viewing other companies such as ESPN, as well as performances at the Super Bowl, World Cup, and news sites coining the term “infotainment.” Stephanie adds that the greatest asset of the WWE is the company’s “ability to reimagine storytelling… whether it was capturing the all-American fervor of the 80s, the spirit of the antihero in the 90s, or the rise of the underdog in the 2000s.” WWE’s storytelling, according to Thom Loverro of The Washington Times, birthed the “entire reality television industry – scripted dramatic conflict posing as reality.”
Stephanie went on to explain the advent of the PG era, which started in 2008.
“10 years ago, WWE once again reimagined our content and made the strategic decision to become more family-friendly, to grow our multi-generational audience and attract more blue-chip partners,” said Stephanie. “Looking around the room here today, it’s easy to see that this strategy worked.”
Now, according to Stephanie, WWE’s goal is to position the company alongside fortune 500 companies, be a part of pop culture, and enhance and expand their partnerships.
Source: WrestlingINC with credit to the WWE Business Partner Summit
Earlier this month, there was an incident between WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts and New Japan Pro Wrestling star Harry Smith (aka Davey Boy Smith Jr.) at WrestleCon in New Orleans. The two exchanged words and Smith threw a hot cup of coffee in Jake’s face. Security quickly cleared the area and police were called, but Smith left the building before police could speak with him.
According to F4WOnline, it now looks like Roberts will be dropping charges against Smith after the two spoke on the phone, which was set up by Bret Hart.
Smith wasn’t happy about things Roberts had said about his Father, Davey Boy Smith (aka The British Bulldog), during a podcast with Roddy Piper.
Both apologized privately, but Smith also apologized publicly earlier today.
https://twitter.com/DBSmithjr/status/990523284562292736
Source: WrestlingINC
Titus O’Neil entered the WWE Greatest Royal Match as number 39 and made probably the most hilarious entrance ever.
While running down the ramp he faceplanted so hard that he slid under the ring, causing the announcers to die of laughter.
In case you missed it, check it out below:
* The Briscoes defeated The Motor City Machine Guns (ROH World Tag Team Championship)
* Dalton Castle defeated Flip Gordon (Proving Grounds Match – Non-Title)
* Coast 2 Coast defeated The Dawgs, The Addiction, and Silas Young / The Beer City Bruiser (Four Corner Tag Team Survival Match)
* Cody (with Bernard The Business Bear) defeated Punishment Martinez
* Jay Lethal defeated Scorpio Sky
* Adam Page, Nick Jackson and Matt Jackson defeated The Kingdom
* Marty Scurll defeated Kenny King
* Deonna Purrazzo defeated Kelly Klein
* Josh Woods defeated Shane Taylor
Daniel Bryan set a new WWE Royal Rumble record in the Greatest Royal rumble match in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Bryan entered the match at number 1 and was in the final three with Big Cass and the winner Brain Strowman. Bryan lasted 1 hour, 16 minutes and 5 seconds before being eliminated by Big Cass.
WWE issued the following statement on Bryan’s record setting performance:
Daniel Bryan sets Royal Rumble Match record
Daniel Bryan may not have won the first-ever 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble Match, but he did make history.
Mere weeks after returning to the ring following a three-year hiatus, the former WWE Champion set a record for the longest time spent in a Royal Rumble Match. Entering in the No. 1 spot, Bryan fought his way through all 50 entrants, making it to the final three.
All told, Bryan was in the match for a staggering one hour and 16 minutes. This shatters the record previously held by Rey Mysterio, who lasted for one hour, two minutes and 12 seconds in the 2006 Royal Rumble Match, which Mysterio won.
Bryan was eliminated by Big Cass, who was tossed by winner Braun Strowman. The “Yes!” Man will have an opportunity to get some retribution against the big man, though, when the two Superstars collide at WWE Backlash on Sunday, May 6 on WWE Network.
John Cena vs. Triple H – Winner: John Cena
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Cedric Alexander vs. Kalisto – Winner: Cedric Alexander
RAW Tag Team Championship: “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) – Winners and new RAW Tag Team Champions: “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt
United States Championship: (C) Jeff Hardy vs. Jinder Mahal – Winner: Jeff Hardy
SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos – Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
Intercontinental Championship – Ladder Match: (C) Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe – Winner: Seth Rollins
We get a video package on the WWE tryouts held in Jeddah this past week Mike Rome is in the ring now with 4 standout prospects from the tryouts – Nassar, Hussein, Monsoour and Fisal. They get pops from the crowd and two of them cut brief promos, which are pretty good. The music interrupts and out comes former WWE Superstar Shawn Daivari making his return. His brother is with him, WWE 205 Live Superstar Ariya Daivari. They’re carrying the Iranian flag and most fans boo them. Ariya takes the mic first and runs down each prospect, saying they’re not real athletes. Real athletes, like The Daivari Brothers, come from the strongest nation in the world – Iran. More boos. Shawn talks trash on the mic now. Ariya gets in the face of Monsoour and shoves him. Monsoour drops him. Fizal drops Shawn with a kick. Hussein with a big slam to Shawn next. Nassar grabs Shawn next and tosses him out of the ring in front of his brother. The prospects stand tall and get pops from the crowd before standing tall together. (Transcript from WrestlingINC)
WWE Championship: (C) AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Double Count Out
Casket Match: The Undertaker vs. Rusev – Winner: The Undertaker – Taker put Rusev and Aiden English in the casket
Universal Championship -Steel Cage Match: (C) Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns – Winner: Brock Lesnar – Reigns speared Lesnar through the cage. Refs ruled Brock hit the ground first.
50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble Match:
1.) Daniel Bryan
2.) Dolph Ziggler
3.) Sin Cara
4.) Curtis Axel
5.) Mark Henry
6.) Mike Kanellis
7.) Hiroki Sumi
8.) Viktor
9.) Kofi Kingston
10.) Tony Nese
11.) Dash Wilder
12.) Hornswoggle
13.) Primo Colon
14.) Xavier Woods
15.) Bo Dallas
16.) Kurt Angle
17.) Scott Dawson
18.) Goldust
19.) Konnor
20.) Elias
21.) Luke Gallows
22.) Rhyno
23.) Drew Gulak
24.) Tucker Night
25.) Bobby Roode
26.) Fandago
27.) Chad Gable
28.) Rey Mysterio
29.) Mojo Rawley
30.) Tyler Breeze
31.) Big E
32.) Karl Anderson
33.) Apollo Crews
34.) Roderick Strong
35.) Randy Orton
36.) Heath Slater
37.) Babatunde
38.) Baron Corbin
39.) Titus O’Neil
40.) Dan Martha
41.) Braun Strowman
42.) Tye Dillinger
43.) Curt Hawkins
44.) Bobby Lashley
45.) The Great Khali
46.) Kevin Owens
47.) Shane McMahon
48.) Shelton Benjamin
49.) Big Cass
50.) Chris Jericho
Winner: Braun Strowman
Daniel Bryan set a new Royal Rumble record, lasting 1 hour 16 minutes and 5 seconds. Bryan entered #1 and was in the final 3 with Strowman and Big Cass.
* Dalton Castle vs. Flip Gordon (Non-Title – Proving Ground Match)
* The Briscoes vs. Motor City Machine Guns (ROH World Tag Team Championship)
* Cody vs. Punishment Martinez
* Scorpio Sky vs. Jay Lethal
* The Kingdom vs. Adam Page and The Young Bucks
* The Dawgs vs. Coast 2 Coast vs. The Addiction vs. Silas Young and Beer City Bruiser (Four Corner Tag Team Survival)
* Kelly Klein vs. Deonna Purrazzo
* Kenny King vs. Marty Scurll
Just a month after signing a new television deal, Major League Wrestling announced on their website Thursday they have signed former NWA, WCW and WWE play-by-play announcer Tony Schiavone to a multi-year contract as the primary voice of the company.
Schiavone began his broadcasting career at Jim Crockett Promotions in 1984 before moving to Turner Broadcasting starting in 1984 until where he hosted World Championship Wrestling broadcasts along side David Crockett on TBS. In April of 1989 Schiavone left Turner Broadcasting after signing a one year deal with then the WWF. He would later return to WCW in 1990 as the lead announcer for WCW Saturday Night and was the main voice for WCW Monday Nitro and Thunder until the company was purchased by WWE in March 2001.
MLW CEO Court Bauer had the following to say about the signing:
“For three decades, Tony has been one of the most prominent voices calling the action. His work is the soundtrack that fans grew up listening to and today we are thrilled to know he will continue in this high visibility role for years to come. Tony’s standards, historical knowledge of the sport and enthusiasm for sharing the backstories of the wrestlers who enter the ring enriches the broadcast experience for the MLW and beIN SPORTS audience.”
You can read the full press release at MLW’s website.
Source: WrestleView
Braxton Sutter announced his departure from Impact Wrestling last night on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BraxtonSutter/status/989648808849141762
Sutter aka Pepper Parks signed with Impact in 2016 and the following year became part of a popular storyline involving his real-life wife Allie, Mike Bennett, Maria Kanellis and Laurel Van Ness.
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