NXT tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.
Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will be a two-hour special with the announcement of the 2018 NXTYear-End Awards nominees and a look back at the black & yellow brand’s 2018.
* Matt Riddle and Kassius Ohno lock up in TakeOver rematch
* NXT Year-End Award nominees to be announced
* Relive NXT’s wild and crazy 2018
205 Live tonight at 7 ET on WWE Network.
* Kalisto vs. Lio Rush in a Royal Rumble WWE Cruiserweight Title Fatal 4 Way qualifying match.
* Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa in a Royal Rumble WWE Cruiserweight Title Fatal 4 Way qualifying match.
Back to back episodes of NXT UK today at 3 ET and 4 ET on WWE Network.
* By order of NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint, Tyler Bate & Trent Seven will go head-to-head against Gallus’ Mark Coffey & Wolfgang in a Semifinals showdown to determine who will go to NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool and compete for the forthcoming NXT UK Tag Team Championships.
* The undefeated monster “Bomber” Dave Mastiff will once again battle his bitter adversary Eddie Dennis
* Kenny Williams & Amir Jordan take on the newly-formed “European Union” of Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel
* Jinny will face Candy Floss
One of the most well-known names in pro wrestling history has passed away. WWE announced that WWE Hall of Famer “Mean” Gene Okerlund has died away at the age of 76.
Okerlund was the premier voice of WWE programming back in the 1980s, known for his charismatic interview skills and colorful personality. A two-time Slammy winner, “Mean Gene” was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
“In his early days, ‘Mean Gene’, as he was named by fellow Minnesotan, Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura first came to prominence by interviewing the greatest stars of the AWA, including Ventura, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and Hulk Hogan,” WWE said in a statement. “In 1984, Okerlund made the move to WWE where he became a staple on national cable television by continuing to interview the biggest names in sports-entertainment like Hogan, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and many more.”
In 1993, Okerlund went to WCW where he stayed until WWE bought them in 2001. Gene returned to WWE to commentate the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-Seven. He continued to be a part of WWE programming, appearing on the WWE Network show Legends’ House in 2014. The last appearance for Okerlund on WWE programming was during the 25th Anniversary of RAW, where he interviewed A.J. Styles.
Source: WrestlingINC
Below are some of the reactions from the wrestling world on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Ligero1/status/1080491123070717952
https://twitter.com/VickieGuerrero/status/1080500471377338368
https://twitter.com/KingRicochet/status/1080501848791048194
https://twitter.com/LanceStorm/status/1080506550697975810
https://twitter.com/mauroranallo/status/1080510122760142848
https://twitter.com/DakotaKai_WWE/status/1080507839716700161
https://twitter.com/TeganNoxWWE_/status/1080508036333096962
Former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee is headed to the squared circle.
McAfee announced on the latest episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” that he’s come to terms on a deal with WWE, according to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet.
“WWE has formally offered me a multi-year contract,” McAfee said. “Who knows what we’re going to be doing over there, they just want me to come make some content. And we’ll see where it goes.”
“I am very excited for this,” he added. “This is a dream come true.”
McAfee had dreams of becoming a professional wrestler before pursuing a football career and trained with wrestling legend Rip Rogers after retiring from the NFL last year.
A seventh-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, McAfee compiled 26,669 punting yards and 21 tackles during his eight-year career.
Pat McAfee retired from the NFL in 2016 at the age of 29-years-old. He went on to join Barstool Sports and become one of the site’s most popular personalities before leaving in August.
Sources: TheScore and Pro Wrestling Sheet
CBS Sports has named Becky Lynch their 2018 Wrestler of the Year.
The Man took to Twitter today and responded to the honor. She wrote, “Start of 2018, I couldn’t even get on TV. You’re never truly down, you’re never truly out. Stand up and fight. Keep swinging even if you don’t know what you’re swinging for, or at. If you’re like me you’ll eventually slap a head that deserves it and the whole world will notice.”
CBS’ praise for Lynch included the following:
“In a year filled with stunning developments, no one shook up the world of professional wrestling more than Becky Lynch, who has turned both WWE and the business as a whole on its head over the last six months by not only winning the hearts and minds of fans across the globe but doing so while standing out as “The Man” in an industry historically dominated by men. The 31-year-old Rebecca Quinn — largely marginalized by WWE over the last two years despite being a clear fan favorite — has not only become arguably the most popular superstar in the company, she looks to have forced it to change its plans for its biggest show of the coming year, WrestleMania 35 in New York. And that is why Lynch is the 2018 CBS Sports Wrestler of the Year.How has she done it? Quite simply by showing a renewed confidence and natural swagger that has been compared to everyone from Steve Austin to Roddy Piper to countryman Conor McGregor. In actuality, the comparisons do not do Lynch justice and hardly explain why she is now “The Man.” Lynch has quite simply become the best version of herself, a take-no-prisoners bad-ass who is defying convention by exorcising the demons created from two years of being kept out of the championship picture.”
Becky Lynch responded with the Tweet below:
https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1078047928973967360
Below is the full list of the 2018 CBS Sports Pro Wrestling Award winners. Those marked with an asterisk (*) were WWE-only awards
Source: CBS Sports and WrestlingINC
Bullet Club will be throwing a tailgate party before WrestleMania 35 in New Jersey and Tama Tonga made the announcement from Korakuen Hall.
The NJPW star has been teasing a block party for weeks and now we know why.
“The Bullet Club Block Party” will officially take place on Sunday, April 7 in conjunction with Jimmy’s Seafood. More details will be announced on January 2.
According to the event’s Twitter page, “This isn’t some invade the parking lot and throw up a tent event. This is gonna be at a real venue where WE call the shots, so be ready for a real party.”
Tonga published a video announcement shot in the ring after a match.
Watch the announcement below.
https://twitter.com/Tama_Tonga/status/1078010743054893056
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
The holiday season is a time for giving and Zack Ryder helped with that by recording a video message to let two young fans know they’ll be going to WrestleMania 35.
The footage was shared on Twitter and shows two parents in a video message who get interrupted by Ryder, much to the surprise of the children watching.
“Mom and Dad want you to know how proud they are of you and they have organized a very special Christmas present for both of you,” Zack explains to the kids. “Grab your passports and pack your bags, because you’re going to WrestleMania 35 in New York.”
https://twitter.com/RookeryMike/status/1077942297864491014
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
NXT, tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.
* Will Heavy Machinery end Undisputed ERA’s reign of dominance?
* Belair, Shirai, Yim and Evans to clash in NXT Women’s Title No. 1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way Match
* Will NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa address the steel cage controversy?
* Jaxson Ryker plans to “Do unto others” and enjoy it
Back to back episodes of NXT UK, today at 3 ET and 4 ET on WWE Network.
* Gallus’ Joe Coffey vs. Ligero
* Kenny Williams vs. Jordan Devlin
* Zack Gibson & James Drake vs. “Wild Boar” Mike Hitchman & “Primate” Jay Melrose
* Marcel Barthel makes his NXT UK debut against Mark Andrews
