As noted, former TNA X Division Champion Rockstar Spud is no longer with Impact Wrestling. PWInsider is reporting that WWE is looking to sign Spud and add him to the Cruiserweight division. Spud joined the TNA roster after winning the first TNA British Boot Camp in 2013. He had most recently been feuding with Swoggle, f.k.a. Hornswoggle in WWE, losing their blowoff match on the June 29th episode of Impact Wrestling taped in India.
PWInsideris also reporting that WWE is looking to finally call Hideo Itami up from NXT and join the Cruiserweight division. It was noted that while there is no date set for his debut, WWE intends to move him to 205 Live when they have creative plans for him. Itami signed with WWE in 2014, however had been plagued with injuries. He made one appearance on the main roster, competing in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, where he was eliminated by The Big Show, who went on to win the match. Itami recently was defeated by Aleister Black at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III on August 19th in Brooklyn, NY.
Nikki Bella was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars on Monday night following her performance on this week’s Halloween-themed episode. Nikki tweeted out this reaction after.
Beyond shocked & sad about @artemchigvintse & I’s elimination. 9’s & the power of the #BellaArmy last week is shocking!……
Nikki Bella is eliminated on “Dancing with the Stars”
Nikki Bella danced her way into America’s hearts on Monday night, but the Mirror Ball Trophy won’t be hers on Season 25 of “Dancing with the Stars.”
While Nikki scored a season-high 46 points from the judges last week, that score combined with viewer votes still eliminated her from the competition in a shocking double-elimination, where the Superstar was voted out alongside Vanessa Lachey.
Nikki won the hearts of the judges and America on Monday’s Halloween Week episode, however, performing a spooky jive with professional partner Artem Chigvintsev. The dance earned her just a 24, but the audience gave her a standing ovation.
Can’t get enough of Nikki? Don’t miss her on Wednesday’s Season 7 premiere of E!’s Total Divas this week.
RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon made her return to WWE TV on last night’s RAW from Baltimore in the opening segment. This was her first appearance since WrestleMania 33 earlier this year.
Stephanie interrupted RAW General Manager Kurt Angle’s opening segment, featuring the RAW roster on the stage, and announced that Angle would be the Team Captain for the RAW vs. SmackDown 5-on-5 Traditional Elimination Match at the November 19th Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Stephanie also threatened Angle’s job if he comes up short at Survivor Series.
Pro Wrestling Sheet has confirmed Rockstar Spud is no longer with Impact Wrestling and was told his release was done at the wrestler’s request.
PWInsider first reported on his exit from the company this morning and we’re told his choice to ask for a release wasn’t done out of ill will. It was merely a business decision.
Spud started with Impact in 2012 after winning the first season of their British Boot Camp series and became Dixie Carter‘s “chief of staff.” He went on to have a memorable feud with Ethan Carter IIIthat ended in a hair vs hair match.
His last match for the company was a Street Fight against Swoggle in May.
No word on what the wrestler has lined up for the future.
Many WWE Superstars get the documentary treatment to track their return from injury … but following Raw this week, Samoa Joe is asking why he wasn’t awarded that luxury.
For those whose missed it, Joe made his expected return from injury tonight and was victorious in a match against Apollo Crews. He also choked out Titus O’Neil.
While speaking with Mike Rome after the show, the Samoan Submission Machine said he’s not putting people on notice because everyone already knows how tough he is. He then complained about the lack of hype over his comeback.
The 25th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw will broadcast from TWO locations … one of which being the site of it’s very first episode.
The show will emanate from the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center — where the first Raw took place — on January 22, 2018.
In addition to the Superstars from Raw and SmackDown Live, the event will also include special appearances from The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash.
This will be Taker’s first time on WWE TV since his supposed retirement.
Some might find it surprising that Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar have never faced each other in a wrestling ring. In fact, the two of them have never even met face-to-face. In a recent interview with The Hannibal TV, Lashley called out Lesnar and said he believes it’s a fight that needs to happen.
“It’s not on me, it’s on him,” Lashley said. “I’m not the type to call people out. I have mad respect for Brock and I have mad respect for everybody in the fight business and in the wrestling business. But I think it’s just one of those things that needs to be done.”
Lashley currently competes in Impact Wrestling while Lesnar is the WWE Universal Champion, so a wrestling match is unlikely to happen any time soon. What is more likely is an MMA fight, as both Lashley and Lesnar are experienced combat fighters. Lashley said he believes a fight with Lesnar would attract casual and hardcore fans alike because of the entertainment factor.
“There’s big matchups all the way across the board. They looked at Brock fighting Jon Jones, that was one thing that was talked about, everybody was like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome!’ Floyd Mayweather fighting Conor [McGregor], these are different matchups that people want to see,” Lashley said. “I think right now people are starting to move more into that entertainment aspect of wanting to see those different contests and different matchups. Brock and myself, whether it’s in professional wrestling or whether it’s in a fight, I think it needs to be done.”
Lashley said it’s up to Lesnar or Paul Heyman to make the fight happen. He’s currently signed to Bellator MMA and last fought in October 2016 when he defeated Josh Appelt by second-round submission. Lesnar’s most recent fight came at UFC 200 in July 2016 when he defeated Mark Hunt by unanimous decision, but the win was vacated after Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance.
Lashley and Lesnar would provide an interesting matchup as they are both powerful strikers with strong wrestling pedigrees. Lashley wouldn’t offer a prediction for how a potential fight with Lesnar would go, but he said he likes his chances.
“Until the fight happens, no one knows,” Lashley said. “I think I would do well. I think our styles are very similar and I think it’s gonna be tit-for-tat in a lot of ways.”
WWE announced The Undertaker will be making an appearance on the 25th anniversary of Raw on January 22, 2018. This will be his first WWE TV appearance since losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33 in April. Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, and other WWE legends will be in attendance, as will both the Raw and SmackDown rosters. The show will emanate from two locations, the Barclays Center and Manhattan Center in New York City. Bellow is WWE’s full statement:
“As first reported by The New York Post, the 25th anniversary of Monday Night Raw will emanate from Barclays Center and Manhattan Center in New York City on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, and air live on USA Network at 8/7 C. Tickets are available for each event starting this Friday, Nov. 3, through all Ticketmaster outlets, http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.Superstars from both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown LIVE will be at Barclays Center, while the event at Manhattan Center, the site of the first episode of Raw, will feature both WWE Superstars competing, plus special appearances by WWE Legends The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash, among others. VIP packages, including a meet-and-greet with a WWE Legend, will be available for fans at Manhattan Center.
What unforgettable moments will happen as the longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime television history celebrates its 25th anniversary from two separate locations? Find out on Jan. 22, either in person or on the home of Monday Night Raw, USA Network!”
It’s not just Dusty Rhodes concepts and brand names WWE is mining from their Jim Crockett Promotions archive. Looks like they’ve also enlisted longtime JCP/WCW announcer Tony Schiavone to promote the Nov. 25 Starrcade event in Greensboro, North Carolina. As far as we know, it’s still just a loaded house show, but that hasn’t prevented them from pulling out some pretty cool stops to sell this bad boy.
Here’s Schiavone delivering an old school WCW “Control Center” rundown of the card:
Jinder Mahal (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a Steel Cage match for the WWE title
Natalya (c) vs. Charlotte Flair in a Steel Cage match for the SmackDown Women’s championship
AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin (c) vs. Rusev in a Triple Threat for the United States title
The New Day vs. The Usos (c) in a Texas Tornado match for the SmackDown Tag Team championship
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler
Breezango vs Aiden English & Mike Kanellis w/ Maria Kanellis
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. Gallows & Anderson
Also scheduled to appear: The Hardy Boyz, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
