Category: WWE

Backstage Update On Neville’s WWE Status

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Neville’s wife, Natalie Satterley, posted several photos on Instagram in March suggesting that they were leaving Florida and returning to England. It was noted by Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Neville has indeed moved back to the U.K., which almost surely means that he is not returning to WWE.

Neville had left WWE in mid-October, reportedly over frustration with his status in the company. He was scheduled to lose to then-WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore on the October 9, 2017 episode of WWE Monday Night RAW, and left the company after reportedly learning of the scheduled finish. The match resulted in Enzo losing the championship to Kalisto.

Since quitting the company, Neville had been wanting his release from the company. He is still under WWE contract and his deal is frozen for the time that he is not working, which means that he can’t wrestle anywhere else in the world. The Observer noted that it’s not known if he is being paid while his contract is frozen, although Meltzer presumed that he isn’t. It’s the same situation that led to Daniel Bryan and Rey Mysterio remaining with the company well after their original contracts had expired. Bryan’s contract was unfrozen when he did commentary for the Cruiserweight Classic and became SmackDown General Manager.

Below is one of Satterley’s posts from March concerning her move back to the U.K.:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf-wFtKh9UA/

Source: WrestlingINC

Info On Xavier Woods’ Injury To His Tongue

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Xavier Woods suffered a hole in his tongue during the loss to Cesaro on this week’s SmackDown. Woods posted the following on Instagram and revealed that he had 1 hole and 2 partial holes:

Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir On A Potential Showdown Between MMA & WWE Four Horsewomen

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As noted, WWE recently signed Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, putting all four of MMA’s Horsewomen in the company as they already have Ronda Rousey and WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler signed. Below is new backstage video of Cathy Kelley talking to Duke and Shafir. Shafir brought Troy along for the interview, who is her son with NXT Tag Team Champion Roderick Strong.

Shafir says it’s been brutal since signing with WWE but they are elite athletes and they get right back up. They hope to have similar success as Rousey and Baszler but as elite athletes this is just another place to conquer. Duke says the other Horsewomen have set good examples and they hope to accomplish similar things. Regarding the Mae Young Classic confrontation with WWE’s Horsewomen, Shafir hopes the training will lead to something between the two groups. Duke calls them the “Faux” Horsewomen and believes that something will happen in the future.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE Is Expected To Announce A Tag Team MITB Ladder Match Soon

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It looks like WWE may be adding a third Money In the Bank Ladder Match for the June 17th pay-per-view from Chicago.

There had been speculation on three MITB matches this year but RAW General Manager Kurt Angle only announced the men’s and the women’s matches at Monday’s RAW. Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Live that Angle was set to announce the third match for tag teams but plans were changed before RAW hit the air. Word is that officials figured they have 6 weeks until the pay-per-view and they didn’t have to announce all three matches right away.

The MITB Ladder Match for tag teams is expected to be announce soon. This match explains why WWE has had tag teams tweet videos about possibly qualifying or winning a briefcase and why there were three briefcases featured on the MITB promotional poster. No word yet on how many tag teams will be featured in the match.

Source: WrestlingINC

John Cena & Nikki Bella Still ‘Spending Nights’ Together

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Us Weekly reports that Nikki may be living with Brie and Daniel Bryan but she is still “spending nights” with Cena at his apartment.

“Nikki hasn’t moved out of John’s apartment, even though she very much wanted to after the wedding was called off,” a source told the magazine, adding that Cena “doesn’t want her to have to deal with moving after everything they have been through as a couple.”

People close to Cena and Nikki have noted to Us Weekly that the two “could get back together in a year” and that Nikki is very supportive of Cena but starting a family and having kids is “at odds” with Cena’s attention to his career.

As noted, the breakup and the fallout will be covered on the upcoming Total Bellas & Total Divas seasons.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE Hall Of Famer Lita Calls Greatest Royal Rumble A ‘Direct Conflict Of Interest’ (Audio)

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Lita is the first female WWE Hall of Famer to criticize the company for putting on a show in Saudi Arabia where women weren’t allowed to wrestle … calling it a “direct conflict of interest.”

WrestleZone‘s Nick Hausman interviewed Lita, aka Amy Dumas, ahead of her upcoming UFO show debuting online tonight and when asked for her opinion on Greatest Royal Rumble said:

“I understand that they are a business, a global business, and always looking to expand their global presence. However, I do feel it’s a direct conflict of interest with them maintaining any integrity or truth to the fact that they say they would like to push forward women and their roles and their representation in the industry as anything remotely resembling an equal to a male.”

Lita added:

“Make the money, that’s fine, but don’t try to cover it up and be like, “No, we are doing this because we would like to in the future be able to help progress their culture forward!” No, you wanted the money and that’s fine. You’re a business and businesses make money. That’s okay. From your perspective over there, I don’t own your business, so that’s ok. But, from a PR perspective, don’t try to be like “We’re doing it because we want to help progress that culture forward.” No, it’s a direct conflict of interest, in my opinion.”

Listen to the interview below (GRR talk begins at 21:00).

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Charlotte Flair To Undergo Surgery After European Tour

Charlotte Flair

WWE star Charlotte Flair is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a ruptured breast implant according to a new report by PWInsider.com this week.

The belief is that Flair will undergo surgery shortly after the WWE European tour concludes, which officially kicked off this week in England and Germany.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the implant was ruptured before WrestleMania 34 but Flair didn’t want to miss the match with Asuka. WWE officials wanted her to work with Carmella at Backlash and then she wanted to work the European tour that kicked off this week because of what the tour pays.

Flair is looking to undergo the operation after the two-week tour so she doesn’t miss SummerSlam. The Observer adds that she will be out of action for a few weeks after the surgery. Flair is currently scheduled to compete in the women’s Money In the Bank ladder match on June 18th but they could shoot an angle to remove her from the match.

Flair has tried to keep the accident hidden and even had photographers shoot around it during a photo shoot for ESPN’s “The Body” issue.

Flair will also be forced to miss a scheduled appearance at the AEG Comic Con in Seattle shortly after the European tour as a result of the surgery as well.

The comic convention announced Carmella as Charlotte’s replacement and later deleted the tweet announcing she was missing the event due to surgery.

It’s clear she won’t be missing the tour as she tweeted out dates of all her appearances.

The story was also picked up by The Daily Star in the UK this week.

Flair, along with Ember Moon, have now qualified for the women’s “Money in the Bank” ladder match taking place in six weeks from Chicago. The surgery isn’t expected to keep her out of the ring long, nor is she expected to miss the PPV at this point.

Sources: WrestleView, WrestlingINC and Pro Wrestling Sheet

NXT Preview 5/9/18

Tonight on WWE NXT.

* Can Kassius Ohno avenge Johnny Gargano by punishing Tommaso Ciampa?

* Will The War Raiders leave Heavy Machinery in a heap?

* EC3 looks to build momentum against Raul Mendoza

WWE Files Lawsuit Against Foreign TV Distributor

Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that WWE has filed suit against a foreign television distributor who is allegedly withholding money from the company.

According to the docs filed in court today … WWE entered into an agreement with Transworld Television in which TWT had the right to solicit TV license agreements for WWE within certain geographical areas, but required the company to collect the money and pay a portion to WWE.

Transworld then made an agreement like this in 2014 with a company licensing WWE programming for television in Africa and the Middle East, but TWT failed to pay WWE any of the money following three payments received in 2017 for the content.

The wrestling company claims they sent multiple invoices and emails attempting to recoup the money — which totals $337,142.98 — but they’ve yet to hear back or receive payment.

WWE is now asking a judge to help them get the money back, plus interest, as well as legal fees.

Vader Hospitalized For A Third Time, Another Heart Surgery

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Leon White, known to wrestling fans as Vader or Big Van Vader, had another heart surgery yesterday. His heart had shifted to an irregular heart beat, which would increase his chances of a heart attack and stroke. Here is Vader’s official Tweet:

Brief timeline of Vader’s recent health issue:

Less than two years ago, Vader revealed that he had congestive heart failure and said that he had two years to live. Vader is now 62 years.

On March 26 2018, Vader’s son, Jesse announced on Twitter that Vader had underwent open heart surgery and has a long road to recovery.

On April 13th, 2018, Vader announced that he was released from the hospital.

On April 19, Vader announced on Twitter hat he was hospitalized due to pneumonia. In the tweet, Vader mentioned that his pain is through the roof and cannot breath.

Source: WrestleView