Author: John Bass

WWE RAW Preview 1/18/21

Tonight’s WWE RAW will feature more build for the upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

WWE has announced that Alexa Bliss will return to action on tonight’s RAW, her first match since defeating Nikki Cross on the November 23 RAW. She will be facing the RAW Women’s Champion and one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions tonight – Asuka.

RAW will also see Randy Orton react to last week’s fireball attack by Bliss. WWE announced a storyline injury update last week, noting that Orton suffered minor burns to the face.

WWE has not announced any other happenings for tonight’s show, but we know that WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will not be appearing live in person due to his COVID-19 diagnosis. There’s no word on when WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg will appear again to promote the Royal Rumble match with McIntyre.

WWE Announces WrestleMania 37 Location Change, Venues For Upcoming WrestleManias

WWE has announced that the location for WrestleMania 37 has changed. The location was Los Angeles, California but now WrestleMania 37 will be at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The Raymond James Stadium was the original location for WrestleMania 36. As noted, the location was moved to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando due to COVID-19.

The dates for WrestleMania 37 are April 10 and April 11. In the coming weeks, WWE will be announcing ticket availability and safety protocols for the event.

WWE also announced dates and locations for WrestleMania 38 and WrestleMania 39.

WrestleMania 38 will be in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium on April 3, 2022.

WrestleMania 39 will be in Los Angeles, California at Sofi Stadium on April 2, 2023.

Below is the “WrestleMania Report” that WWE posted on Twitter. The video features Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Sasha Banks, and Paul Heyman.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill Results 1/16/21, Madison Rayne Announces Retirement

Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson with Don Callis defeated Rich Swann, Chris Sabin, and Moose

BARBED WIRE MASSACRE
Eddie Edwards defeated Sami Callihan

The Karate Man defeated Ethan Page

IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Deonna Purrazzo (c) defeated Taya Valkyrie

IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
Manik (c) defeated Chris Bey and Rohit Raju

Matt Cardona made a surprise appearance against Ace Austin.

Austin came out to the ring, demanding to be added to tonight’s triple threat match for the X-Division Title since he believed he was the number one contender after winning this year’s Super X Cup. Scott D’Amore came out and ended up offering a different opponent to Austin in the form of Cardona.

Cardona ended up winning the match via disqualification after Fulton got involved in the bout. Post-match, Cardona was able to fight off both guys, landing radio silence on Fulton.

Matt Cardona defeated Ace Austin with Madman Fulton

https://twitter.com/TheMattCardona/status/1351186443591417863

IMPACT KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz defeated Havok and Nevaeh to win the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship

OLD SCHOOL RULES SIX-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
Eric Young, Deaner, and Joe Doering defeated Cousin Jake, Rhino, and Tommy Dreamer

Crazzy Steve and Rosemary defeated Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb

PRE-SHOW
Brian Myers defeated Josh Alexander

At the end of the pre-show on AXS TV, Madison Rayne announced that she is retiring from Impact Wrestling and will focus on being a wife and mother.

https://twitter.com/IMPACTWRESTLING/status/1350610271421739008

Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill 1/16/21

DATE: January 16, 2021 at 8:00 PM ET
LOCATION: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
AVAILABLE ON: FITE, Traditional PPV

Impact Wrestling Hard to Kill takes place tomorrow night on Impact Plus, FITE and Traditional PPV. The pre-show will air on AXS TV at 7 pm ET. The main card starts at 8 pm ET.

CARD

Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers with Don Callis vs. Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose

IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie

IMPACT KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz vs. Havok and Nevaeh

OLD SCHOOL RULES SIX-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
Eric Young, Deaner, and Joe Doering vs. Cousin Jake, Rhino, and Tommy Dreamer

BARBED WIRE MASSACRE
Eddie Edwards vs. Sami Callihan

IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
Manik (c) vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju

The Karate Man vs. Ethan Page

Crazzy Steve and Rosemary vs. Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb

PRE-SHOW
Josh Alexander vs. Brian Myers

WWE SmackDown Preview 1/15/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will feature more build for the upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

WWE Reportedly Planning A New WrestleMania 37 Date

WWE is reportedly planning to move the WrestleMania 37 date from March 27 to April 11.

It was noted by Fightful Select that everything is still subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but internally the current plan is for WrestleMania 37 to take place on April 11.

A date change was rumored several months ago, to either April 11 or April 18, but now it looks like they have decided on April 11.

The WrestleMania 37 location is also up in the air. It was revealed a few months back that WWE was possibly planning to move the event from the previously-announced location of SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles, CA area, to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL which was the originally planned location for WrestleMania 36 until the coronavirus pandemic forced that event to be held at the closed-set WWE Performance Center.

In an update on the WrestleMania 37 location, the show will not be held in California but it was noted that if the date of April 11 holds up, then WrestleMania won’t be taking place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL or at the Amway Center in Orlando, as MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays and the NBA’s Orlando Magic will be using those venues. Raymond James Stadium is not a lock for WrestleMania 37 as of now, but the venue currently does not have any events planned for WrestleMania 37 Weekend.

WWE should be making official announcements on WrestleMania 37 Weekend soon, but as of now the internal calendars list Sunday, April 11 as date for The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Moose To Replace Alex Shelley In The Impact Hard To Kill Six-Man Main Event

Impact Wrestling has announced a change to the main event for Saturday’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view.

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose will be replacing Alex Shelley in the six-man main event.

The new main event will see Moose, Impact World Champion Rich Swann and Chris Sabin take on AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Impact World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers.

Impact noted that Shelley informed them late last night that he is unable to travel to Nashville for the pay-per-view due to unavoidable circumstances.

“When we got the news from Alex there was no question what we needed to do,” said Impact Co-Vice President Scott D’Amore in a press release. “Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures – I personally contacted Moose and he accepted the match immediately. I know Rich Swann in particular has his issues with Moose. but this is time to put personal issues and egos aside.

“HARD TO KILL is a huge event for IMPACT Wrestling and a historic one for professional wrestling in general. IMPACT Wrestling needs to put our best foot forward. Moose fits that bill. He is a physical specimen, a five-tool athlete, and has proven himself to be a world-class professional wrestler. Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers will have their hands even more full now when they step into the ring with IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann, IMPACT Original Chris Sabin, and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose.”

The Impact Hard To Kill 2021 pay-per-view will take place this Saturday, January 16 from Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Possible Name For Second MLW Show, Note On Talent Getting Pushed, Lio Rush Working On LP With Myron Reed

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the second weekly series that is currently in the works will be called MLW Rebellion. As noted, they are talking with English and Spanish-language networks and streaming services.

– It was also noted that most of the talent being pushed on MLW TV right now have been signed for three-to-five years.

– Lio Rush recently moved to Los Angeles to start a career in hip-hop. In an interesting note, he’s working on an LP with Myron Reed, who he defeated to win the MLW Middleweight title. Rush has also worked some with Wale.

Source: 411Mania

Rock N’ Roll Express, Tony Atlas, Wildfire Tommy Rich & More Named to Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame 2021 Class

The 2021 class of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame has been revealed, with Rock N’ Roll Express, Tony Atlas and more set to be inducted. The Hall of Fame announced the following names as 2021 inductees, per PWInsider:

* Pioneer Division: Mad Mountain Dean & Paul Bowser
* TV Era Division: Tiger Conway Sr. & Jose Lothario
* Modern Era Division: Tony Atlas & Wildfire Tommy Rich
* Womens: Judy Martin & Juanita Coffman
* International: Leo Burke
* Executive: Don Owen
* Tag Team Division: Rock ‘n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton)
* Territory Era: Skandor Akbar
* Referee: Ronnie West

The induction weekend is currently scheduled for May 13th through the 15th and would be when both the 2020 and 2021 classes are inducted. Details on that event are still to come as they work towards a resolution for an event that is safe in the face of the pandemic.

Source: 411Mania

AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash (Night 2) Preview 1/13/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash (Night 2) episode airs on TNT at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.

* PAC vs. Eddie Kingston

* Miro vs. Chuck Taylor (If Chuck loses, then he has to be Miro’s “young boy” until after Kip and Penelope’s wedding)

* “The Waiting Room” with Britt Baker featuring Cody

* FTR (with Tully Blanchard) vs. Jurassic Express (with Luchasaurus)

* Darby Allin (c) vs. Brian Cage with Taz (AEW TNT Championship)

* Serena Deeb (c) vs. Tay Conti (NWA Women’s World Championship)

* The Elite in action

* What is Inner Circle’s New Year’s Resolution?