Backstage Update On Sasha Banks’ Injury

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Sasha Banks has not wrestled a legitimate match since she faced Ronda Rousey for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble PPV last month. Banks first missed out on competition a couple of weeks ago during a qualifying match to be part of the Elimination Chamber for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at this Sunday’s Elimination ChamberPPV. With Banks remaining sidelined, Bayley would ultimately pick up the slack and get the victory for her team in the qualifying match.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer notes that, as of Tuesday, Sasha Banks has been officially cleared to return to in-ring competition. Banks was only partially cleared on Monday’s RAW, which explains why she was briefly in the three-team match before taking a bump into the barricade and being escorted to the backstage area by refs & trainers.

Banks and Bayley, also known as the “Boss N’ Hug Connection,” are scheduled to start Sunday’s Chamber match against the team of Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. The other teams in the match are The IIconics, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, Carmella and Naomi, Tamina Snuka and Nia Jax.

WWE provided their own storyline update last night on SmackDown with the announcement that Banks “re-aggravated her shoulder injury” during the three-team match on Monday’s RAW. Despite that, Banks took to Twitter yesterday to emphasize that she will be ready to go on Sunday at the Chamber pay-per-view in Houston, TX. She tweeted the following:

Whatever it takes, I’ll be ready! #EliminationChamber

— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) February 12, 2019

Source: WrestlingINC

Wrestling Legend Pedro Morales Dies At 76-Years-Old

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Wrestling legend Pedro Morales has passed at away at the age of 76.

WWE.com confirmed Morales’ passing on Tuesday. The former wrestler had reportedly been battling Parkinsons Disease in recent years.

WWE.com posted the following:

WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Pedro Morales has passed away.

A native of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, Morales moved to New York in his youth and debuted in the ring in 1959 at age 17. After establishing his reputation as a fiery competitor in WWE on the east coast, Morales traveled west to territories in Texas and California, where he competed for much of the 1960s. In California, he battled The Destroyer in a famous rivalry, and formed a popular tag team with Pepper Gomez.

Morales returned to WWE in 1970, and in less than a year, he captured the WWE Championship from Ivan Koloff inside Madison Square Garden. During his nearly three years on top, Morales developed a passionate following in the northeast, particularly among New York City’s growing Hispanic population.

More than 22,000 fans turned out to Shea Stadium in 1972 to watch him battle close friend and former champion Bruno Sammartino in the main event of the inaugural Showdown at Shea supercard. After 75 minutes of action, the bout was ruled a draw in accordance with the state athletic commission’s strict 11 p.m. curfew.

He held the WWE Title for a staggering 1027 days before losing it to Stan Stasiak in December 1973. Morales puts his name in the record books again in 1980 when he won the World Tag Team Titles with Bob Backlund and then the Intercontinental Title to become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history.

Morales hung up his boots in 1987 but continued on as an ambassador for sports-entertainment. He later became a commentator for both WCW and WWE’s Spanish announce teams, and in 1995, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

WWE extends its condolences to Morales’ family, friends and fans.

Mustafa Ali Replaced In Elimination Chamber Match Due To Injury

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It was announced last night on SmackDown live that Mustafa Ali has been replaced in the WWE Championship – Elimination Chamber Match with Kofi Kingston.

As noted, Mustafi Ali suffered a concussion at Sunday’s WWE live event in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Ali was scheduled to be re-evaluated at SmackDown in Toledoby WWE doctors to determine if he was able to compete at Elimination Chamber this Sunday.

Ali addressed not being able to compete this Sunday at Elimination Chamber in a video on SmackDown last night.

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 2/12/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio with the final hype for Sunday’s WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

* High-stakes Gauntlet Match to take place to decide who enters last in WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match

* The Usos to join Shane McMahon & The Miz on “McMiz TV”

* Will Andrade start to end the legend of Rey Mysterio?

* What does Charlotte Flair’s WrestleMania shocker mean for Team Blue?

Paige Opens Up About Hitting Rock Bottom After Her Suspensions And Leaked Sex Tapes

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Most wrestling fans are aware of the peaks and valleys that Paige has gone through in her career – both inside and outside of the ring. But many may not be aware of just how low those valleys were in the aftermath of her 2016 WWE suspensions for violating the Wellness Policy and the subsequent leaking of sex tapes involving Paige.

Paige suffered from bouts of depression and was nearly suicidal by 2017 as she dealt with the fallout of her private life becoming public. She was also treated for anorexia and her hair started falling out according to a profile from the New York Post.

“To be publicly humiliated like that was terrible, and I don’t wish that for anyone,” Paige said.

All the while this was going on, Paige was also dealing with a neck injury that kept her on the shelf for a year-and-a-half.

When she thought she had hit rock bottom, a random encounter with a seven-year-old girl at a grocery store changed Paige’s outlook on life.

“Of course, [the girl] didn’t have the internet and thought I was the most beautiful and most successful woman in the world,” Paige said. “It opened my eyes to so many things. I was like, ‘I’m gonna let videos get in the way of things?’

“I thought, what am I doing? I need to be successful for her. My whole journey was supposed to be about inspiring people.”

Just as Paige strives to inspire others, this chance encounter with the young girl inspired Paige and she was able to snap out of the funk she had been in.

Unfortunately, a new injury to her neck would ultimately end Paige’s career, but as one door closes, another one opens and Paige became the General Manager of SmackDown Live until this past December.

She also launched a makeup and clothing line and her journey in wrestling has made its way to the big screen. Fighting With My Family debuts in theaters on Friday and it depicts the career of Paige up to her becoming the youngest Divas Champion in WWE history.

The film is co-produced by The Rock and it also features several other wrestlers including Zelina Vega and The Big Show.

Source: WrestlingINC

Mustafa Ali WWE Status And Injury Update

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Mustafa Ali suffered a concussion at Sunday’s WWE live event in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Sunday’s live event saw Ali team with Tye Dillinger for a win over Samoa Joe and Shelton Benjamin.

Ali was scheduled to be re-evaluated today at SmackDown in Toledo. If doctors won’t clear him to compete, a decision will then be made on who will replace Ali in the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Title at Sunday’s pay-per-view. Ali has reportedly told WWE officials that he’s able to work, but they won’t wait around and see what happens between now and Sunday, and won’t risk it as they will pull him from the Chamber match if he’s not cleared today.

Tonight’s SmackDown is scheduled to feature a Gauntlet Match to determine who enters the Chamber in the final spot on Sunday. Ali is scheduled to work the Gauntlet with WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy. It’s been reported that WWE is planning on blaming Ali’s situation on Orton.

There’s no word yet on who might replace Ali in the Chamber but speculation is that the spot could go to someone like Rey Mysterio, Andrade, Shinsuke Nakamura or Rusev, depending on who challenges WWE United States Champion R-Truth. Stay tuned for updates on Ali’s status for the Chamber.

Source: WrestlingINC

Dave Bautista In Talks With WWE For WrestleMania 35 Match, But Also Has Interest With AEW

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Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that Dave Bautista is in talks with WWE for a match at WrestleMania 35, but it’s not set in stone yet … and All Elite Wrestling is expressing interest.

According to multiple sources, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star is deep in talks with WWE about a return on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”

However, we’re told he’s 50/50 on returning at this point based on how talks have gone.

In addition to this, we’re told there’s been interest expressed to Dave from All Elite Wrestling and he isn’t turning them away. Our sources say he’s listening to what both companies have to offer.

For those unfamiliar, AEW is the new company started by the billionaire Khan family with Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks serving as Executive Vice Presidents. Chris Jericho is also signed to the company and it’s rumored a TV deal is on the horizon.

As you may recall … Dave last made a WWE appearance in October during SmackDown 1000’s Evolution reunion. The segment ended with a tease for a future match between Batista and Triple H. The next month, however, Triple H got injured at WWE Crown Jewel.

The WWE Exec has since been cleared to train again though, as he revealed on a media call.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Lana And Rusev Have Been Dropped From Total Divas

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Lana and Rusev’s tenure on Total Divas is coming to an end, and Lana isn’t happy about it.

Lana — who joined Total Divas as a main cast member in the show’s sixth season — announced that the couple would no longer be involved with the E! reality series while being interviewed by Lillian Garcia on the most recent episode of Chasing Glory.

“Kevin Dunn told me that E! Executives took a poll and that we are strongly disliked by the demographic,” Lana told Garcia, after mentioning that she and Rusev had once been told they were going to get their own spin-off series. “They do not like us and that I’m hated, we’re hated, and that the E! Executives thought that our stories were very slapstick, and they were a strong no,” she added.

“I was shocked. I just sat there. It was like my tryout for WWE all over again. I’ve gone through a lot of different range of emotions. I’ll cry, but when I get hurt, I get really angry. That’s how I deal with hurt, I get really angry. Like, who is this new E! Executive?”

The clearly distraught superstar continued: “It’s just that I’m not liked and one part of me is like – and I said that – Mark Carrano and Kevin Dunn was there and I said, ‘Maybe, I’m just not a likable person.’ I know I’m a good person, but maybe I have a boring personality because I’m just not liked.”

The Ravishing Russian went on to say that the way the show was edited to make her look bad:

“There’s so many things in edit that I was royally screwed over,” she claimed, before acknowledging that she knew what she was signing up for. “I understand that when you sign up for reality TV, you have to be ready to be not perfect and I was OK with that.”

“I’ll make my own show. Once I get rejected from somewhere or whatnot, I’m moving on,” Rusev chimed in.

Listen to the full interview below. The aforementioned convo begins at the 38-minute mark.

https://app.stitcher.com/splayer/f/199606/58705473

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

RAW Highlights (Videos) Vince Suspends & Pulls Becky From Mania Match, Replaced With Charlotte, New RAW Tag Champs

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Last night on WWE RAW, Triple H & Stephanie McMahon announced that “The Man” Becky Lynch seen her doctors and was cleared and Becky apologized to them to end her suspension and get her Title match with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35. But then Vince McMahon came out and suspended Becky for 60 days in-which would mean she will miss WrestleMania. Vince announced that she will be replaced with Charlotte Flair.

Reports are that the plan for the RAW Women’s Title match at WrestleMania 35 is a triple threat match with Ronda defending her title against Becky and Charlotte.

The Revival finally defeated Bobby Roode and Chad Gable to become RAW Tag Team Champions, which you can see below plus some other highlights from last night’s WWE RAW: