Rey Mysterio is set to make his return to the ring for WWE at the April 27th Greatest Royal Rumble event from Saudi Arabia, according to PWInsider. This has not been confirmed but it’s believed that Rey will be working the 50-man Rumble main event.
In an update on Rey’s contractual status, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Rey has not agreed to terms for a new WWE contract as of Thursday of this week, but both sides are still negotiating a deal. The appearance in Saudi Arabia is a one-shot deal.
It’s still expected that Rey will sign with WWE but if he does, he won’t be immediately returning to TV for a regular role as he’s committed to dates for Arolucha and New Japan Pro Wrestling through late summer at least.
Despite getting engaged at WrestleMania 34 last year, John Cena and Nikki Bella have confirmed that they recently ended their relationship.
The couple released a joint statement to Us Weekly saying, “While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another.
John and Nikki began dating in 2012. They most recently tagged together during a match that took place in Madison Square Garden last month.
The statement concludes, “We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.”
John Cena took to Twitter and Instagram to give his response to the news.
Hardship, loss, and humility are extremely difficult waters to navigate, but perseverance thru them builds a strength to withstand anything life throws your way.
There has been a push within WWE for Bray Wyatt to turn on Matt Hardy and then be the leader of SAnitY on the main roster, according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. No word yet on if they are moving forward with this idea but it has been pitched.
Wyatt recently joined Hardy and helped him win the fifth annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34. They are set to team on Monday’s RAW to face The Revival with the winners facing The Bar for the vacant RAW Tag Team Titles at the April 27th Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia.
This week’s dark main event at the WWE NXT TV tapings saw NXT Champion Aleister Black defeat SAnitY leader Eric Young. He then took out SAnitY members Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe. With SAnitY being off TV for at least the next few weeks, there is some fan speculation on this being their last appearance before being called to the main roster.
As noted earlier, via Wrestling Observer Radio, the new contract for WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar was made on the Monday before WrestleMania 34 at the go-home RAW in Atlanta and was signed on Sunday before the match in New Orleans. This is a new deal and not an extension of the previous deal. Very few people knew about the new deal and Roman Reigns though the was winning the title until the day of the big event. The original ending to the match had Reigns coming off the ropes and getting caught with the F5, but he was to counter it into a Spear for the pin and the win. They changed that finish and went with Lesnar hitting the F5 for the pin. The match went as planned and no one went off-script.
Regarding the length of the new contract, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that it is not listed as a one-match deal but it does end before SummerSlam in August. The new deal allows Lesnar to negotiate one UFC fight while under contract with WWE but the fight would take place after the deal expires.
Lesnar’s new deal also includes a significant pay raise. Lesnar is set to defend the title against Roman Reigns in a Steel Cage match at the April 27th Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia and there will likely be other dates between now and August but the two sides will be right back where they started once it expires. It’s always possible that a new deal is signed later this year.
On a related note, while almost no one knew of the finish at WrestleMania, Paul Heyman was aware of who would win. The Observer adds that most talent contracts are handled by Triple H and Talent Relations but Lesnar deals with Vince McMahon. As we’ve noted, Heyman has also just signed a new short-term deal with WWE.
Recently on The Steve Austin Show, WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin shared his thoughts on WWE WrestleMania 34 including the strong in-ring debut of former mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey. Austin praised the mixed tag team match with WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle as Rousey’s partner against WWE’s power couple of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.
According to Austin, he “absolutely loved” the tag match, which saw the Olympians pick up a submission victory over Mr. & Mrs. H.
“This was such an entertaining match and I was really wondering how Ronda would handle the moment. Some people have questioned some of her interview skills, and she’s not used to being on an RF mic in front of 20,000 people in these arenas. Mostly it’s trash-talk, and soundbites, and stuff like that and a shoot aspect, and not following storyline stuff, I was wondering, ‘would the moment be too great for her?’ And this match was so damn entertaining.” Austin continued, “there were so many twists and turns, and submission-type moves, and right when you thought, ‘well, here’s the finish,’ they extended it – that wasn’t the finish. And the crowd bought into this. It started off a tad slow. People were wondering, I think, just like I did, but boom! They set the hook there, mister. And, damn near from the bell, it was on. That crowd, everybody there was into that match.”
Although Rousey smiling during her WrestleMania entrance was a bit awkward to ‘Stone Cold’, he appreciated the rationale for a more “accessible” presentation of ‘The Baddest Woman On The Planet’.
“When she came out smiling, she looked like a million bucks.” Austin recalled, “I liked the plaid skirt and she came out. She had her gear on and then it was time. She got her game face on at the point, but I know where that came from. I’ll guarantee you that was straight out of the old man. ‘Go out there and smile’ because we know she’s a badass. We know she [has] got that mean mug face when it’s time to go out there and do business. And there were plenty of opportunities, and that did happen during the course of the match, but it felt a little weird to me, too, but, I think that he wanted her to smile just to be accessible, maybe to calm the nerves or maybe she’s more free when she’s focused, that laser-focus that she has. But I didn’t expect her to smile. But it was her first big performance in front of 78,000 people. Some people were knocking her on it. I could go either way on it, but I do know that when the bell rang, I was watching her body language and hang onto that tag rope.”
Also during the podcast, Austin suggested that WWE put Rousey in a position to succeed on ‘The Grandest Stage Of Them All’ and masterfully executed its gameplan. While Austin hinted that ‘Rowdy’ has more work to do to carry her own weight, ‘The Rattlesnake’ gave the WrestleMania match and Rousey’s performance the grade of A+.
“Obviously, they put a lot of time into this, she’s obviously a very talented person, and you had three hands in there with Kurt, Steph, and Triple H being able to go out there and help along with the referee,” Austin explained. “So all of the pieces were set in place for this thing to be, and this thing was built to make all of them shine, but specifically Ronda and help get her over. And yeah, this one, I thought they knocked a grand slam, the bases were loaded, and they knocked it out of the park. And so, we’ll see what happens in the future when she starts moving into single’s endeavors, tag team endeavors. Yeah, this was great and they pulled it off. So she still has work to do, but as far as her performance goes, I give her an A+. And I give the match an A+ because that’s how entertained I was by it.”
Lawler went into detail about his fiancée Lauryn first noticing the symptoms.
“The right side of my mouth was drooped all the way down and I turned to talk and I couldn’t say anything. Lauryn screamed, ‘oh my, God, you’re having a stroke’. I couldn’t talk. They would come and ask me questions, like who’s the president? Of course, I knew the answer, but I couldn’t say it.”
He admitted to Action News 5 that he is very lucky.
“I realize I was really lucky. I’ve always felt blessed. I feel like it didn’t even happen. I don’t feel any different. My speech and my memory are fine. So yeah, I’m blessed.”
“It was a pretty scary situation. When they got me back from the CAT scan, they informed me, too, that where the blood was bleeding out was on the cognitive part of my brain, which controls your speech and part of your memory, so at this time, I really couldn’t say anything.”
WWE announced that Ronda Rousey will be wrestling on the upcoming European Tour this May. WWE issued the following announcement:
With a triumphant WrestleMania debut under her belt, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey will compete in Europe for the first time under a WWE banner during four dates of this May’s WWE Live tour.
Whom Rousey will face has yet to be determined, but given the show-stealing performance the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion put on at WrestleMania, the events are sure to be must-see.
Tickets for Rousey’s European debuts – as well as WWE’s other Live Events throughout Europe – are availablehere.
WWE has announced that Chris Jericho will replace Rusev at the upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event on April 27 to face The Undertaker in a casket match.
Originally, the Casket Match was to be between The Deadman and Rusev. However, Lana, who originally showed public support for her husband competing against The Undertaker, recently tweeted second thoughts over The Bulgarian Brute competing in the grisly bout.
All over the world, little boys and girls are celebrating #RusevDay, they smile for the greatest Superstar ever ! I’ve already spoke with @WWE officials to change that match because I REFUSE to let my husband @RusevBUL compete in a Casket Match at #WWEGRR! Happy #RusevDay
The Casket Match undoubtedly belongs to The Undertaker, as The Demon of Death Valley has claimed victory in several of these harrowing contests, wherein a Superstar only wins when he gets his opponent into the casket and closes the lid. Although Jericho has never been a part of such an ominous showdown, WWE’s first Undisputed Champion has battled in virtually every other kind of match WWE has to offer, and if his extensive résumé says anything, it’s that he knows how to win when it counts.
Which of the two iconic Superstars will walk out, and which will be carried out in a casket? Find out at the Greatest Royal Rumble event, Friday, April 27, at 7 p.m. AST. The event streams live on the award-winning WWE Network with a tune-in time of 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, and with a special, one-hour Greatest Royal Rumble Kickoff starting at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. It will be available on pay-per-view outside of the Middle East with regional broadcast information forthcoming, and tickets will be available Friday, April 13.
WWE did not clarify if Jericho will still take part in the 50 Man Greatest Royal Rumble match the same night. Jericho was added to the Rumble match along with RAW General Manager Kurt Angle and 13 other new names in an announcement on Tuesday.
Below is the updated card for the big event from Saudi Arabia, which will air live on the WWE Network:
Steel Cage Match for the WWE Universal Title
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Title
Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Seth Rollins
Match for the Vacant RAW Tag Team Titles
Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy or The Revival vs. The Bar
SmackDown Tag Team Title Match
The Usos vs. The Bludgeon Brothers
WWE Cruiserweight Title Match
TBA vs. Cedric Alexander
WWE Title Match
TBA vs. AJ Styles
WWE United States Title Match
TBA vs. Jinder Mahal
50-Man Royal Rumble Match
Chris Jericho, Elias, Kurt Angle, Baron Corbin, Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods, Apollo, Titus O’Neil, Shelton Benjamin, Chad Gable, Sin Cara, Goldust, Mojo Rawley, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Kane, Big Show, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, TBA
According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, the agreement for a new deal was made on the Monday before WrestleMania 34 at the go-home episode of RAW and was signed on Sunday before the match. It’s a new contract, not an extension of his existing deal, and is at a higher rate. Meltzer noted that it’s not known if the new deal is a one-match contract or for more than that.
The agreement was kept quiet and very few people knew about it. Meltzer stated that Roman Reigns found out about it on the day of WrestleMania, and had thought he would be winning the title from Lesnar up until that point. The original ending was supposed to have Reigns coming off the ropes and get put into an F5, however he would counter it into a spear and pin Lesnar to win the match. It was changed to Lesnar hitting the F5 and beating Reigns.
The match went off as planned, and nobody went off-script.
It was reported earlier in the week that the new deal allows for Lesnar to fight in the UFC. Obviously, if it’s a one-match contract, then it’s a moot point anyway.
Meltzer also noted that Lesnar has yet to re-enter the USADA testing pool. Lesnar was suspended by the USADA for testing positive for a banned substance, estrogen blocker clomiphene, in an out-of-competition test and in-competition test prior to his fight with Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016. Lesnar was suspended for one year by USADA, however the suspension was frozen after Lesnar announced his retirement from MMA. Lesnar still has six months of his suspension to complete once he re-enters the USADA testing pool, so if Lesnar is serious about returning to the UFC, it’s unclear why he has yet to re-enter the pool.
“War Raiders” Hanson and Rowe debuted on WWE NXT TV during last night’s main event with Heavy Machinery vs. Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli. You can see video from the debut below. While they are no longer using the War Machine name, they are still using Hanson and Rowe.
