Author: John Bass

WALTER Undergoes Unnecessary WWE Name Change

NXT 2.0’s “Ring General” WALTER has been given a new ring name by WWE. For some reason.

WALTER has a new name! The former NXT UK Champion revealed that his new name was Gunther following the main event of this week’s NXT 2.0.

It all went down at the WWE Performance Center on Tuesday, January 18. In what was his first singles match on NXT 2.0, “Der Ring General” went one-on-one with Diamond Mine’s Roderick Strong in a thrilling main event. It was a hard-hitting bout, and Strong put up a good fight, but ultimately, WALTER was too powerful a foe to overcome. With his brute strength and wily in-ring skills, the gargantuan Austrian eventually overpowered the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion and finished him off with a brutal powerbomb for the 1-2-3.

After the bell, WALTER got on the mic to make a declaration. “The winner of the match … is GUNTHER!” as his Imperium colleagues Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner appeared and proceeded to deliver a beat down to the still-reeling Roderick Strong. Strong’s Diamond Mine underlings Brutus and Julius Creed ran to the ring to make the save and a three-on-three brawl ensued as the show went off the air.

Changing WALTER’s name to Gunther seems pointless — and it is definitely pointless — but it could mean that WWE has some big plans for him. Right?

“It is tough to bet against Walter,” Triple H said of Gunther (back when was Gunther was still called WALTER) during an appearance on The Bump back in January 2021. “Anyone who has watched him over the last few years, anyone who has recently watched him against Ilja [Dragunov], one of the most physically imposing, physically dominating performers out there. There’s no wasted movement, he’s not flashy, he doesn’t care about how it looks, he’s just effective.”

Source: TheSportster

Mustafa Ali Requests Release From WWE

Mustafa Ali took to Twitter to request his release from WWE.

“I have a message that is much bigger than my dreams in pro wrestling,” Ali wrote. “Despite my best efforts, I will not be able to deliver this message while working with WWE.

“Therefore, I am requesting my release from WWE.”

Ali signed with WWE in 2016 to wrestle in the Cruiserweight Classic. He last wrestled on the October 29, 2021 episode of SmackDown, losing to Drew McIntyre. Ali took time off for paternity leave last November and welcomed his third child later that month.

Last November, Ali posted a “better America” promo that was supposed to be used for a storyline that was ultimately nixed. The angle getting dropped reportedly had nothing to do with Ali taking time off, as Ali noted it was nixed because it was “controversial”.

On an episode of The Bump last November, Ali said that he believed that he was the “most unheard voice in the history of WWE.”

“I think I’m the most unheard voice in the history of WWE,” Ali said, partially in character. “With zero hesitation in my voice, with no flinch whatsoever, I will say pound for pound, I am the most underutilized talent in this company’s history. Does that put it into perspective for you?

“Here’s the thing, I speak many languages, and one of them is the truth, and I know that’s a foreign language, especially around the WWE Universe. But the truth is, I’ve been great this entire time. All it is is an opportunity that I’m asking for. And when I do have those opportunities, some outside intervention always just seems to show up conveniently.

“You mentioned one person who did that hashtag, #JusticeForAli. Listen, I’m that same guy who came back from a serious, almost career-ending injury, and for weeks, all I heard was, ‘Kofi, Kofi,’ night in and night out. I moved on, but I’m rehashing here. Same thing at Money In The Bank. The next night, they were dancing with Brock [Lesnar]. Where was Justice for Ali then? I’m not looking for anyone’s support. I don’t need anyone’s support. The only thing I need is an opportunity. I’ll handle the rest.”

https://twitter.com/AliWWE/status/1482767832567930885

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 1/18/22

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 will be the second episode of the new era with NXT Champion Bron Breakker leading the brand.

The 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will kick off tonight, and continue next week. First round matches include MSK vs. Jacket Time, Edris Enofe and Malik Blade vs. Legado del Fantasma, The Creed Brothers vs. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, and Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward.

As seen in the promo below, WWE is teasing an appearance by Elektra Lopez on this week’s show. She picked Santos Escobar over Xyon Quinn on last week’s NXT.

Below is the current line-up for tonight:

* Elektra Lopez plans to unleash

* The 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic kicks off

* Tony D’Angelo hosts a memorial service for Pete Dunne

* WALTER vs. Roderick Strong

GCW Confirms Jeff Jarrett vs. Effy For The Wrld On GCW PPV

WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett vs. Effy is now official for The Wrld On GCW.

The feud between Double J and Double F began at GCW’s Die 4 This event a few weeks back, where Jarrett made his GCW debut to interrupt a “State of Effy” speech, attacking Effy with his guitar. After a few words on social media between the two, Jarrett then appeared at GCW’s Say What You Will event this past weekend, and attacked Effy’s partner, Allie Katch, with a guitar.

Effy challenged Jarrett to a match earlier this afternoon, as seen in the Twitter video below, and now the challenge has been accepted as GCW confirmed the match this evening.

https://twitter.com/EFFYlives/status/1483142558515666944
https://twitter.com/GCWrestling_/status/1483206723263414272

GCW’s The Wrld On GCW pay-per-view will be held this Sunday, January 23 from a sold out Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Below is the updated card, along with related tweets:

GCW World Title Match
Homicide vs. Jon Moxley (c)

Open Challenge for the GCW World Tag Team Titles
TBA vs. The Briscoes (c)

Grab The Brass Ring Ladder Match
Participants TBA
Winner can choose any match at any time.

ROH World Title Match
Blake Christian vs. Jonathan Gresham (c)

Jeff Jarrett vs. Effy

Matt Cardona with Chelsea Green vs. Joey Janela

Ruby Soho vs. Allie Katch

Team Bandido (Bandido, Laredo Kid, ASF) vs. Team Gringo (Gringo Loco, Demonic Flamita, Arez)

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 1/17/22

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma with more build for the Royal Rumble.

Cody Rhodes Is Reportedly A Free Agent

AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes is reportedly a free agent.

Rhodes’ AEW contract reportedly expired at the end of 2021, technically making him a free agent, according to Fightful Select. Rhodes has been working without a contract since then.

Rhodes’ status as a free agent has been known by many within AEW for a few weeks now.

There is no word on when Rhodes is expected to sign a new AEW contract, but we will keep you updated. You can click here for what Rhodes recently had to say to Sports Illustrated about his future with the company.

Rhodes, who also works as an Executive Vice President for AEW, became a three-time TNT Champion by defeating Sammy Guevara for the title back on the Holiday Bash edition of AEW Rampage on December 25. He was scheduled to defend against Guevara in a rematch at Battle of The Belts on January 8, but was pulled from the show due to a medical issue. Guevara defeated Dustin Rhodes to become the Interim AEW TNT Champion at Battle of The Belts instead.

Rhodes is scheduled to make his return on this week’s AEW Dynamite from Washington, DC, but there’s no word on when the title match with Guevara will take place.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Announces Elimination Chamber For Saudi Arabia

WWE has officially announced the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

WWE announced today that they will return to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 19 for the next Elimination Chamber event.

Elimination Chamber 2022 will be held at a new venue built in 2021, the Jeddah Super Dome, billed as the world’s largest pillarless superdome. A media report from last year noted that the dome can hold 5200 vehicles, but did not include the number of seats. WWE previously ran the King Abdullah International Stadium when in Jeddah.

WWE’s announcement today noted, “The Elimination Chamber show complements the commitment of the General Entertainment Authority to provide the most famous international events and entertainment shows. This show was preceded by several previous partnerships with WWE to present international shows in the kingdom, which achieved remarkable local and international success, including the recent WWE Crown Jewel show in Riyadh Season 2021 and WWE Super ShowDown in the previous Riyadh Season in early 2020.”

It was reported last week that WWE may be re-branding Elimination Chamber to WrestleMania Chamber, but nothing has been confirmed as of this writing and today’s announcement did not include a name change.

There’s still no word on if WWE will hold a men’s and women’s Chamber match in Saudi Arabia, but we will keep you updated.

WWE and the Saudi General Sports Authority announced in 2018 that they were entering into a 10-year strategic multi-platform partnership to support the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, which is the Kingdom’s social and economic reform program. The deal called for two events to be held per year, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced delays in 2020 and 2021. WWE visited Saudi Arabia for Greatest Royal Rumble and Crown Jewel in 2018, Super ShowDown and Crown Jewel in 2019, and Super ShowDown in 2020, then Crown Jewel this past October.

WWE said they will announce more Elimination Chamber details in the coming weeks.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Rampage Preview 1/14/22

Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT was taped earlier this week from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina.

* An appearance by Jay Lethal

* A special look at Thunder Rosa and Mercedes Martinez

* Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta

* Shawn Spears vs. Andrew Everett

* Penelope Ford, The Bunny and Nyla Rose vs. Red Velvet, Kris Statlander and Leyla Hirsch

* AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express defend against John Silver and Alex Reynolds

WWE SmackDown Preview 1/14/22

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will take place from the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska with more build for the Royal Rumble.

WWE has not announced any matches as of yet for tonight’s SmackDown, but they have confirmed that RAW Superstar Seth Rollins will be appearing to build to the Royal Rumble match with WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

Regarding Reigns, it’s expected that he will celebrate 500 days as champion tonight. He passed the milestone earlier this week.

SmackDown will likely see more blue brand Superstars announce their spots for the Royal Rumble after Sheamus confirmed his participation last week.

Tammy Sytch Arrested For Weapons Possession And Terroristic Threats

Tammy Sytch, formerly WWE’s Sunny, is currently being held in Monmouth County jail.

Wrestlers winding up on the wrong side of the law is certainly nothing new. However, it seems to happen to Tammy Sytch, better known to wrestling fans as WWE’s Sunny, more often than most. Sytch has been arrested multiple times and spent numerous spells in jail from 2012 up until last year. Now the Hall Of Famer has been arrested again and is currently being held in Monmouth County jail.

According to TMZ, Sytch faces two charges of illegally possessing a weapon, and one charge of making terroristic threats. The only additional information known at this time is that the weapon, or weapons, Sytch had were not firearms. New Jersey classes the weapon possession charges as third-degree, and the terroristic threats as a fourth-degree crime.

Third-degree crimes carry a maximum of five years each in New Jersey, and one year for a fourth-degree crime. That means if Sytch is convicted of all three, she could be facing up to 11 years in prison. As mentioned above, Sytch has spent a few spells in jails, prisons, and correctional facilities. However, she has never come close to spending that long a spell behind bars.

https://mobile.twitter.com/WWEHOFerSunny/status/1480724124100091908

The ins and outs of what happened exactly are unclear at present. However, she did update fans on Twitter earlier this week by revealing she was “going through some shit”. It’s possible whatever Sytch was referring to on social media a few days ago is connected to or has led to what got her arrested on Thursday. Here’s hoping the whole situation sounds much worse than it appears on the surface.

Despite the many returns of female Superstars from the past in WWE over the past few years thanks to the women’s revolution, there has been no indication Sunny will ever appear in WWE again. The last time she was ever openly connected to the company was when she was inducted into the Hall of Fame over a decade ago. It’s unlikely she will ever return to WWE TV in the future, especially if the latest charges brought against her result in convictions.

Source: TheSportster