Tonight’s WWE RAW will air live from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee as the build to WWE Day 1 continues.
* RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defends against Liv Morgan
* WWE Champion Big E vs. Kevin Owens in a non-title Steel Cage match
* The Miz welcomes WWE Hall of Famer Edge to MizTV
It appears fans will have to wait until Tuesday’s NXT to know if Sunday’s WarGames event was Johnny Gargano’s final outing in WWE.
After Sunday’s show went off the air, fans at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL chanted “Thank You, Johnny” and “Please Don’t Go” to show their appreciation for Johnny Wrestling.
As seen in the video below, Gargano addressed fans after Team Black & Gold (NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Gargano, Pete Dunne, LA Knight) lost to Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller) in the main event.
“Candice [LeRare] is going to be really upset that I just blew our undefeated streak,” Gargano began. “Our WarGames record in our house, so I mean that’s… I’m in trouble when I get home. Trust me, guys.”
An emotional Gargano proceeded to thank fans for their overwhelming support.
“You guys are saying ‘thank you’ to me when, really, I want to say ‘thank you’ to all of you,” Gargano said. “Without all you, there wouldn’t be a Johnny Wrestling, and that’s true. You guys know I love you right back. But, with that love, I am an open book to you guys, and I’m always 100% honest and 100% authentic with you. Because I feel like you guys aren’t just fans, we’ve know each other for such a long time, you guys are like my family. This is like my family.”
In conclusion, Gargano stated that he would address his WWE future on Tuesday.
“And, right now, I’m beat up, I’m sore, I’m tired, I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Gargano admitted. “But, I want to tell you guys everything and will tell you guys everything this Tuesday night. OK? Thank you. And we’ll come right back here Tuesday night and I’m gonna tell you guys everything, OK?”
Gargano’s WWE contract was previously set to expire on Friday, Dec. 3. However, he would sign a one-week extension to participate in the WarGames match. His contract expires on Friday, Dec. 10.
Johnny Gargano also tweeted a “thank you” message to his peers after Sunday’s event. You can watch a video of him addressing fans below.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WOMEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team Gonzalez (Raquel Gonzalez, Io Shirai, Cora Jade, Kay Lee Ray) defeated Team Kai (Dakota Kai, NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne)
NXT TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
Imperium (c) defeated Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner
– After the match, fans are chanting “thank you Kyle!” He bows to the crowd and thanks them. Wagner is seething behind him. Wagner attacks but it backfires and O’Reilly takes Wagner down. O’Reilly stands over Wagner and yells at him. Fans chant his name as O’Reilly exits, yelling some more at Wagner.
HAIR VS. HAIR MATCH
Cameron Grimes defeated Duke Hudson
– After the match, Grimes is immediately all smiles as the music hits. Hudson is shocked and disappointed as the referee orders him to the other ring where the barber’s chair is set up. Hudson tries to retreat but Grimes rolls him back in. Hudson drops Grimes with a clothesline. Hudson places Grimes in the chair as fans boo. Hudson grabs the clippers and turns back around but Grimes kicks him in the face. Grimes nails the Cave-In for a pop. Grimes shows off the clippers as fans cheer him on. Grimes puts Hudson in the chair and shaves some hair off, most but not all, and Hudson quickly retreats. Grimes takes a seat in the chair as his music starts up. Hudson retreats as Grimes gets one last “to the moon!” pop from the crowd.
NXT CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
Roderick Strong (c) defeated Joe Gacy
– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Kyle O’Reilly, asking what happened after their loss to Imperium when Von Wagner tried to attack him. O’Reilly says he’s been in the business for a long time and if Wagner thinks he didn’t smell that turn coming from a mile away, Wagner is as dumb as he looks. Kyle says this is the first time he hasn’t been in WarGames and he’s hungry for some steel, so he challenges Wagner to a Steel Cage match on Tuesday’s NXT. O’Reilly storms off.
MEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team New School (Bron Breakker, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller) defeated Team Old School (NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, LA Knight)
WWE SmackDown Superstar Jeff Hardy was reportedly sent home by officials this weekend.
Hardy missed Sunday night’s WWE live event from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, and word going around is that he was sent home from the road, according to PWInsider.
Hardy worked Saturday’s live event in Edinburg, Texas, teaming with King Xavier Woods and Drew McIntyre against WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos in the main event. After spending most of the match in the ring, getting worked over by The Bloodline and apparently becoming more sluggish as the match went on, Hardy made a hot tag to McIntyre but then immediately disappeared into the crowd.
Hardy reportedly went into the crowd at that point, followed by security, but never returned to the ring, and didn’t even participate in the post-match celebration with Woods and McIntyre. For what it’s worth, a fan at the Edinburg live event noted that Hardy stopped to greet just about every fan at ringside and on the entrance-way as he made his way to the ring before the six-man main event began.
Hardy was not backstage for last night’s live event in Corpus Christi, and was replaced by Rey Mysterio.
There is still no concrete word on what led to Hardy disappearing at Saturday’s live event, and why he was sent home from the road.
Hardy last worked on TV during Friday’s SmackDown as he and McIntyre interrupted an episode of Happy Talk with Madcap Moss and Happy Baron Corbin. WWE then announced Hardy and McIntyre vs. Moss and Corbin for next Friday’s SmackDown, which would be a rematch from the November 26 SmackDown match that Hardy and McIntyre won.
For what it’s worth, Hardy took to Instagram and posted selfie a video around 23 hours ago. There is no caption to the post, which he usually includes. The brief clip also does not have any sound, and can be seen below.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
DATE: December 5, 2021 8:00 pm
LOCATION: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
AVAILABLE ON: Peacock, WWE Network (outside of the U.S.)
CARD
MEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team Old School (NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, LA Knight) vs. Team New School (Bron Breakker, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller)
WOMEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team Gonzalez (Raquel Gonzalez, Io Shirai, Cora Jade, Kay Lee Ray) vs. Team Kai (Dakota Kai, NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne)
NXT CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
Joe Gacy vs. Roderick Strong (c)
NXT TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner vs. Imperium (c)
HAIR VS. HAIR MATCH
Cameron Grimes vs. Duke Hudson
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will take place from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas as the road to Day 1 continues.
What will happen when Brock Lesnar returns to SmackDown this Friday?
Last week’s SmackDown saw Sami Zayn win a Black Friday Battle Royal to become the new #1 contender to Reigns, and there should be a follow-up to that this week.
It’s also expected that Kofi Kingston will return to TV tonight to assist King Xavier Woods. Kingston had taken some time off to be with his wife for the birth of their third child, but he returned last week in a dark main event.
There’s no word on if the top blue brand match for WWE Day 1 will be announced tonight, but it’s possible after this week’s RAW led to Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. WWE Champion Big E being announced for the New Year’s Day pay-per-view.
WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix is moving on from the WWE NXT announce team.
Phoenix took to Twitter today to announce that Sunday’s WarGames event will be her final night on NXT commentary with Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett. She confirmed that she will remain a part of WWE, but she is stepping away from the weekly WWE gig to spend more time with family.
Phoenix thanked Joseph, Barrett, Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips, Mauro Ranallo, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Michael Cole. She also said the brand will always be a part of her.
“Ahead of WarGames, I wanted to share that this Sunday will be my final night in NXT,” she wrote. “While I will remain a part of WWE, I have made the choice to step away from the weekly broadcast booth to spend more time with my family. This was not an easy decision, as I have loved my three plus years and 135 episodes with NXT and am incredibly proud of the brand. I will forever be grateful to Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips, Mauro Ranallo, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Michael Cole, and my entire NXT family both in and out of the ring for the amazing opportunity. NXT will always be a part of me and Auntie Betty will always be a part of NXT. Leave the porch light on for me!”
Phoenix, who is married to WWE Hall of Famer Edge, joined the NXT commentary team back on May 15, 2019. She recently got into the country music business, releasing her “Stone Rose & Bone” debut EP on November 12.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE has announced a new NIL program that will provide a pathway for athletes to go from college to WWE.
RAW Superstar and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was signed to WWE’s first NCAA NIL (name, image, likeness) deal back in September, shortly after the NCAA began allowing athletes to make money from their own name, images and likeness.
Now WWE has announced their own NIL (Next In Line – name, image, likeness) program to enhance the talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes.
WWE’s Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development Paul “Triple H” Levesque noted in today’s press release that the WWE NIL program has the potential to change the business.
“The WWE NIL program has the potential to be transformational to our business,” he said. “By creating partnerships with elite athletes at all levels across a wide variety of college sports, we will dramatically expand our pool of talent and create a system that readies NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.”
The first class of NIL partnerships will be revealed in the coming weeks.
All athlete partnerships will have access to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, along with other resources such as brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing, and community relations. Some athletes will be offered a WWE contract after completing the program.
Stay tuned for more on the WWE NIL program. Below is the full press release issued to us today:
WWE® LAUNCHES NIL PROGRAM: NEXT IN LINE™
New Program to Provide Clear Pathway from Collegiate Athletics to WWE
STAMFORD, Conn., December 2, 2021 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced the launch of a groundbreaking NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program that will provide a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.
Following a historic new policy by the NCAA effective July 1, 2021, which ushered in the NIL era allowing college athletes the ability to monetize their name, image and likeness, WWE has constructed a comprehensive program to recruit and develop potential future Superstars. Dubbed “Next In Line™,” the NIL program aims to enhance the talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds.
“The WWE NIL program has the potential to be transformational to our business,” said Paul Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy and Development. “By creating partnerships with elite athletes at all levels across a wide variety of college sports, we will dramatically expand our pool of talent and create a system that readies NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.”
All athlete partnerships will feature access to the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., in addition to resources across the organization including brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing and community relations. Upon completion of the NIL program, select athletes may earn an exclusive opportunity to be offered a WWE contract.
In September, WWE announced its first NIL deal with heavyweight freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson who captured a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The agreement allowed Steveson to return to the University of Minnesota for his senior season where he is defending his NCAA National Championship while beginning his Superstar training with WWE.
WWE will unveil the first class of NIL partnerships in the coming weeks.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett has joined the ownership group for Capital City Baseball’s Springfield Slidders franchise in Springfield, IL. Jarrett was approached with the idea of coming on board as a co-owner and, as we were told, he “jumped at it.” The man who approached Jarrett was Jamie Toole, a long-tenured minor league baseball executive who recently served simultaneously as the General Manager for two other teams.
Jeff Jarrett’s role with the team will see him bring more entertainment to the games. The Slidders play around 30 – 32 games a season which leaves the park empty for more than 300 days a year. Jarrett will be infusing the Slidders’ games with music and other entertainment beforehand, between innings and afterward. It is not expected that Jarrett will have a hand in the day-to-day decisions of the actual team.
On the other 300 some-odd-days a year Jarrett is expected to present circuses, live music, and, of course, pro wrestling at the park. This position was described to us as “right in Jeff’s wheelhouse.”
In a recent The Wrestling Inc. Daily interview, Jarrett discussed the opportunity so many released WWE and ROH talent creates at the moment.
“I think there’s much more of an opportunity, an exponential more of an opportunity,” Jarrett said. “The reason I say that is, 2002, there was a bad taste.
“That is something that me and Conrad have gone in-depth on My World about it. Unless you really lived it and breathed it, like me and my team did at the time, you didn’t understand the backlash that the Attitude Era caused with the decision-makers.”
It should also be noted that the entire presentation of the team is expected to see an overhaul. That includes renaming of the team from the Springfield Slidders to something else.
A live stream of the launch press conference is expected for this afternoon and will be available via the My World Facebook page.
The Sliders play in the Prospect League, a wooden-bat, summer league of college baseball players who play for different schools and regions of the country but are united as a team by their love of baseball. For those just learning about the Sliders, a wooden-bat league allows players to use the bats similar to those used in the major leagues. Normally metal bats are used by college, high school and youth baseball because they rarely break. But they also strike baseballs far differently than wooden models. Major-league scouts welcome the opportunity to see how players handle wooden bats.
Click here for more information on the Sliders and the Prospect League.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight’s WWE RAW will air live from the UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
