Category: WWE

Raquel Rodriguez Pulled From Active WWE Roster

Raquel Rodriguez revealed in January that she had been diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), which caused her to take a break from WWE TV. Individuals with MCAS experience allergic symptoms like hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and severe diarrhea.

Although Rodriguez made a comeback in February, she almost missed the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 pay-per-view event due to a flare-up of her condition.

According to a report from Pwinsider, Rodriguez has now been removed from the active WWE roster. It was mentioned that she is currently listed internally alongside other talents who are currently inactive.

Source: eWn

WWE Releases Trailer For Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal

Last year, WWE star Windham Rotunda, known onscreen as Bray Wyatt, died of a heart attack at the age of 36. As the wrestling world continues to mourn the late performer, WWE is preparing to release a documentary focusing on Rotunda’s career, titled “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.” The first trailer offers a glimpse at what audiences can expect to see.

The doc is set to include interviews from Paul “Triple H” Levesque, John Cena, Braun Strowman, Rotunda’s partner Joseann “JoJo” Offerman, and more. Additionally, Mark Callaway, better known as The Undertaker, will narrate the feature. “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” is also set to include never-before-seen footage and interviews with the late performer.

“Becoming Immortal” is scheduled to debut on Peacock on April 1, 2024 — just a few days before the annual WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Wyatt is rumored to be included as an inductee into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame class, but his inclusion has yet to be officially confirmed by the promotion.

Levesque, WWE’s booker and Chief Content Officer, took to social media to comment on the upcoming Wyatt documentary.

“Windham Rotunda had a brilliant mind,” Levesque said. “There was no wall he wouldn’t break down in the name of storytelling. You had no choice but to believe in him. He was just that good. It’s time for his story to be the one that’s told.”

Rotunda — whose father, grandfather, uncle, and younger brother were all wrestlers — first signed with WWE in 2009. The documentary will detail Rotunda’s rise as the Wyatt character as well as some of the struggles he faced throughout his time in the promotion.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

El Hijo Del Vikingo Forced To Vacate AAA Mega Championship

AAA star El Hijo del Vikingo has had to relinquish his AAA Mega Championship due to him being sidelined after suffering an injury.

The Mexican promotion announced on social media that Vikingo has vacated his title, and that a new champion will be determined at next month’s Triplemania XXXII show in Monterrey on April 27. Qualifiers for the match at Triplemania XXXII have begun, with Alberto El Patron winning the first qualifier match, defeating Psycho Clown and Cibernetico.

Vikingo’s reign as AAA Mega Champion lasted 833 days, which is the longest reign in the title’s history. The 26-year-old had to vacate the championship after a knee injury that he suffered recently forced him to undergo surgery. The Mexican star revealed later that he has ruptured ligaments and a torn meniscus, with reports suggesting that he could be out for anywhere between five and nine months. His injury occurred during a match on AULL in February, with the match being stopped due to its seriousness.

His reign as AAA Mega Champion began at AAA Triplemania Regia II in December 2021, when he defeated Jay Lethal, Bandido, Samuray del Sol, and Bobby Fish in a five-way match. Vikingo, who has wrestled in AEW and ROH since his debut AEW match against Kenny Omega in March 2023, last defended the Mega Championship in January on ROH against Action Andretti. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Asuka Reportedly Injured During Latest SmackDown

It hasn’t always been the smoothest road to WrestleMania 40, with plans involving The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and Roman Reigns changing a few times, while an injury to CM Punk also led to an audible regarding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. Now, another injury has emerged to potentially throw a monkey wrench into WWE’s plans for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

PWInsider reports that Asuka, one-half of the Women’s Tag Champions with Kairi Sane, suffered an injury to her knee on “SmackDown” this past Friday night. The news will not come as a huge shock to viewers, as Asuka could be seen limping during the closing angle of “SmackDown,” where she, Kairi, Dakota Kai, and WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY attacked Bayley following the latter’s match against Kai.

Asuka was subsequently pulled off the road this weekend, as a precaution, and is expected to undergo medical tests to determine the severity of the injury. At this time, it remains to be seen whether Asuka will be able to wrestle through the injury, or if she will be forced to take significant time off. It would be Asuka’s second notable injury in three years, after she was forced to miss 9 months of action from July 2021 to April 2022 due to an arm injury.

While no match had been announced for Asuka and Kairi at WrestleMania, it was expected that the duo would put their titles on the line on either Night One or Night Two of the event. Should Asuka be forced to miss significant time, she would become the second WWE women’s star forced off of Mania this year due to injury, joining Charlotte Flair, who suffered an injury wrestling Asuka back in December and is expected to be out till later this year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage Update On WWE Allowing Shayna Baszler To Work Bloodsport X Event For GCW

Details have emerged regarding the recent announcement that WWE star Shayna Baszler will appear at GCW’s Bloodsport X event on April 4. In an update posted to F4WOnline, Dave Meltzer said he was told the decision came from WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and that he has a different view on WWE talent appearing with other promotions than did Vince McMahon. 

Baszler’s appearance at Bloodsport won’t be the first time WWE sends talent elsewhere this year either, having previously sent Charlie Dempsey to All Japan Pro Wrestling in January. The event has historically been hosted by Josh Barnett — except Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport in 2018 — and is promoted under the GCW umbrella. Barnett was Shayna Baszler’s coach early in her transition from MMA to professional wrestling. Bloodsport competition differs from traditional wrestling as it takes place in a ring without ropes or turnbuckles, and matches can only be won via submission or knockout. 

This event will be the tenth iteration, ahead of Bloodsport Bushido in Tokyo slated for June 22, and is also slated to feature Nic Nemeth — formerly Dolph Ziggler in WWE — as he faces “Speedball” Mike Bailey, due to be Bailey’s third Bloodsport outing. A whole slew of names are involved elsewhere, with Josh Barnett facing Johnny “Bloodsport” Hennigan, Minoru Suzuki vs. Royce Isaacs, and former “WWE NXT” stars Timothy Thatcher and Axel Tischer set to collide. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/15/2024

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown, which airs live on FOX from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN.

  • WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio returns
  • Bayley vs. Dakota Kai
  • The Rock to appear

Jerry The King” Lawler is expected to be at SmackDown tonight in Memphis, but it has not been confirmed if he will appear on TV.

Report: Lia Maivia To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame, Bray Wyatt Still Unconfirmed

WWE is rounding out this year’s slate of WWE Hall of Fame inductions and a new report from The Wrestling Observer shines a light on two more names who could possibly be inducted in this year’s ceremony in Philadelphia, PA.

According to The Observer, Lia Maivia, former wrestling promoter and grandmother to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has been confirmed as an inductee in this year’s class. A WWE source confirmed Maivia would join Thunderbolt Patterson, Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, Muhammad Ali and The US Express’s Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham. A list recently circulated with all of the mentioned names, as well as Bray Wyatt, but The Observer was unable to confirm Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) as an inductee. Wyatt, the son of inductee Mike Rotunda and nephew of Barry Windham, died suddenly last year at the age of 36.

This year’s Hall of Fame ceremony is the first one put together without the input of longtime WWE figurehead Vince McMahon, who retired in disgrace earlier this year following allegations of sex trafficking. Maivia’s grandson, The Rock, is also said to have a certain amount of say in this year’s ceremony as a result of his new place on the TKO Group Holdings Board of Directors. The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set to take place on April 5 after “WWE SmackDown.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Jerry “The King” Lawler Reportedly Set For Friday’s WWE Smackdown in Memphis, Missing Convention

PWInsider reports that Jerry Lawler announced that he will miss The Big Event convention in New York as he is set to be at WWE SmackDown this Friday in his hometown of Memphis. He will appear at the taping but it’s unknown if he will be on camera.

Lawler said he was unable to get a flight after SmackDown to get him to NYC before the convention, so he had to back out.

WWE NXT Preview 3/12/2024

Scheduled for tonight’s WWE NXT on the USA Network:

  • NXT North American Championship: Oba Femi (c) vs. Brooks Jensen
  • Gigi Dolin vs. Arianna Grace
  • Shawn Spears vs. Ridge Holland
  • Thea Hail & TBA vs. Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • Trick Williams to appear

WWE RAW Preview 3/11/2024

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender Gauntlet Match: Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh vs. Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bronson Reed
  • Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan