Category: WWE

WWE HOFer Goldberg Says Vince McMahon Never Gave Him The Retirement Match He Expected

WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg has hit out at Vince McMahon after the former WWE Chairman didn’t stand by a promise he made to the former WCW star.

In his recent appearance on “Steve & Captain Evil: The Podcast,” Goldberg revealed that McMahon had promised him a retirement match after the veteran star agreed to face Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia in 2022. He disclosed that he had COVID prior to the show and had to work hard to get in shape, but McMahon didn’t honor his promise.

“Vince is like Dana White. He’s the big boss and he makes everything happen. In all honesty, he gave me the opportunity to put my wife and my son on the front row and gave me the ability to perform again in front of them. So, I owe him everything,” Goldberg admitted. “Until we went to Saudi Arabia and he asked me to put Roman Reigns over, and I had COVID. I remember calling him from my house and I said, ‘Listen, here is the deal. I’ll do it if you give me a retirement match.’

“I did what he asked. As a performer that runs around in his underwear … I was 56 years old when I did this. As a human being, you’re conscientious about how you look in a bathing suit. Especially two months prior to being in that bathing suit, you couldn’t work out for two months because you had COVID. I put myself in a horribly shi*ty situation to get what I wanted to, but to satiate him and to give him what he wanted. Problem is he never held up his bargain.”

The legendary star didn’t mince words about how he feels about McMahon at the moment: “Vince is a piece of sh*t as far as I’m concerned.”

Earlier this year, Goldberg flouted the idea of possibly having a retirement match in Israel. His last match in WWE was the aforementioned match against Reigns, where he lost to the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion by submission.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Corey Graves Open To One-Off In-Ring Return

WWE commentator Corey Graves hasn’t competed in years, but the former NXT Tag Team Champion isn’t opposed to a one-off return to the ring.

In a recent interview with “Steelers Takeaways“, Graves spoke about possibly returning to the ring after being medically cleared in 2020. He said,

“The transition in a weird way saved me from what could have been. Instead of grieving over the loss of my dream as an in-ring performer, it gave me something new to focus my energy on while staying in the business. I found a new mountain to climb. In hindsight it really helped me deal with that loss.

“I have a clean bill of health now, thanks. I actually got medically cleared a couple of years ago to perform in the ring again. I flirted with the idea and am waiting for a potential opportunity if it presents itself. More of a one-time ting like McAfee has done – not as a full-time in-ring performer.”

Graves currently calls the action on WWE SmackDown with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole. His last official match for WWE took place at a March 2014 WWE NXT live event.

Source: eWn

CM Punk Wins First WWE Match In Nearly A Decade, Cuts Promo

CM Punk made his in-ring return at WWE’s Live Event in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, after a triumphant return at Survivor Series: War Games. Punk faced former WWE NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio and the former AEW World Champion was victorious, his first WWE win since January 2014.

According to Justin J. Lopez on X (formerly known as Twitter), Punk pinned Mysterio after a GTS. The former WWE Champion then took to the microphone to address the Manhattan crowd.

“There’s a little part of me that came here for me, but you guys are the high tide that raises all ships,” Punk said. “You have carried me throughout my career to my greatest moments and this is one of them.” Punk then told the crowd to look at their fellow members of the WWE Universe and say hello and shake hands, much like the “Sign of Peace” at Catholic Mass. Punk says that he’s grateful to wake up and to be in the ring and for each and every fan that came to see him wrestle.

“I came to finish what I started. It starts tonight in the world’s most famous arena and the greatest fans on earth,” Punk said. “The Voice of the Voiceless” then said he’d win the Royal Rumble and head to WrestleMania. “That isn’t me finishing my story, that’s just me getting started.”

Punk was not done making his thoughts known, as WWE cameras caught up with “The Second City Saint” after the win, where he said, “King’s back, best in the world.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 12/26/2023

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

All or Nothing Match: Bronco Nima & Lucien Price vs. Duke Hudson & Andre Chase. Duke 

  • Heritage Cup Championship Match: Noam Dar vs. Josh Briggs 
  • Cora Jade vs. Karmen Petrovic
  • Bron Breakker vs. Nathan Frazer
  • Joe Gacy vs. Joe Coffey.
  • Breakout Tournament Semifinals Match: Riley Osborne vs. Lexis King 
  • Breakout Tournament Semifinals Match: Oba Femi vs. Tavion Heights
  • NXT Underground Match: Eddy Thorpe vs. Dijak

WWE SmackDown Preview 12/22/2023

WWE SmackDown will air tonight on FOX taped last week from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

  • WWE United States Championship No. 1 Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Santos Escobar vs. Bobby Lashley
  • WWE United States Championship No. 1 Contender’s Tournament Semifinals: Kevin Owens vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • NXT North American Championship Match: Dragon Lee defends against Butch
  • Holiday Havoc Match: Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Zelina Vega and Michin vs. Damage CTRL’s IYO SKY, Bayley, Asuka and Kairi Sane
  • AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa

Authors Of Pain Returning To WWE TV Soon

The Authors of Pain will return to WWE television soon.

Fightful Select reports that WWE plans to have the Authors of Pain return to live programming soon.

The current plan is to have Akam and Razer appear on SmackDown, though nothing is set in stone. WWE Hall Of Famer Paul Ellering has been expected to join the duo on TV.

Akam and Razer were released from their WWE contracts in September 2020.

The Authors of Pain had been re-signed with the WWE in 2022 before the return of Vince McMahon as chairman in January 2023 and they were on the internal travel list as of May 2023.

Source: eWn

Hulk Hogan Gets Baptized: ‘Greatest Day Of My Life’

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan announced on Instagram Wednesday, that he had been baptized in a special ceremony at the Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida.  

“Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life,” the 70-year-old posted to Instagram, along with footage of the baptism. “No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!” 

“In my opinion, this is the greatest decision you could ever make. Can’t wait to hang out with you in heaven. #amen #merrychristmas #hulkhogan #hulkamania“

Hogan’s wife, Sky Daily Hogan, also took part in the baptism, which involved fully submerging themselves in a large body of water. 

Video footage shows Hogan and his wife both in white smiling as they are dipped into the water. Hogan also wore his trademark bandanna in white, along with a silver cross necklace for the occasion.

He was baptized in a special ceremony at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida. The professional wrestler has spoken publicly about his Christian beliefs in the past. He says, he was saved when he was 14/yrs old and rededicated his life this past April. The woman with him is his wife, Sky Daily Hogan.

“I accepted Christ as my savior at 14yrs old and the training, prayers and vitamins kept me in the game but now that I am one with God, the main event theme of surrender, service and love makes me the Real Main Event that can slam any giant of any size through the power of my Lord and Savior and so it is, even now brother, AMEN!” Hogan shared on his X account, formerly known as Twitter, in April.

WWE NXT Preview 12/19/2023

Tonight’s WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

  • WWE NXT North American Championship: Dragon Lee (c) vs. a member of the No Quarter Catch Crew
  • Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley
  • Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Gallus
  • Thea Hail & Jacy Jayne vs. Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament: Lexis King vs. Dion Lennox
  • NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament: Tavion Heights vs. Luca Crusifino

WWE RAW Preview 12/18/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Wells Fargo Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

  • WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship Match: The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and Damian Priest (c) vs. The Creed Brothers
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (c) vs. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter 
  • WWE International Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs. The Miz – If Miz loses, he will not be able to challenge for the title as long as Gunther is champion.
  • Seth Rollins will address Drew McIntyre

Backstage Update On Omos, Dexter Lumis, And Odyssey Jones WWE Absences

Omos, Dexter Lumis, and Odyssey Jones all seemingly vanished from prominent spots on WWE TV, leaving fans with little indication of their futures.

Fightful Select is reporting that Omos is off TV to keep the giant superstar’s appearances special so that he can transition into an attraction role like Brock Lesnar or in the past Big Show. Omos currently works on select Live Events against talent like Akira Tozawa. There are reportedly few pitches if any headed his way. Omos last worked a notable program with Brock Lesnar, which culminated in the opening match of Night 2 of WrestleMania 39.

Dexter Lumis is currently not injured, but not on tour. The popular NXT star is said to be ready to go whenever Creative has plans for him, but like Omos there are no plans at the moment.

One superstar that has been the subject of pitches is Odyssey Jones. Jones has reportedly been pitched as an addition to the faction of Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits, though there have yet to be any developments past the pitch stage. Jones has been on the road, working tag matches with Cameron Grimes against Austin Theory and Grayson Waller at Live Events.

Jones has actually been mentioned by Omos in the past as someone that he would like to wrestle. The future special attraction said that he feels a responsibility to his fellow giant wrestlers to help them learn to adapt to life on the road, which is often not friendly to people of their size.

Source: Wrestling Inc.