AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
According to a report from PWInsider in their Elite subscription based section, the mood backstage within WWE has begun to change as Vince McMahon continues on seeking a buyer for the company. It was also noted in the report the uncertainty of what a sale will mean has led to “waning morale.”
The report further indicates that everyone being on eggshells has started to return and that the “unbridled energy” Triple H has brought since taking over creative, is beginning to fade.
PWInsider’s Elite report concluded by saying they do not hear that wrestlers are walking on eggshells or that the unbridled energy for them is fading. It seems more from those that are working backstage. It was also noted that it is not as terrible as things once were, there is a sense of the energy waning because when WWE gets sold, it certainly means that changes will happen.
Source: WrestleView
Tonight’s WWE NXT on the USA Network at 8/7C.
My World With Jeff Jarrett podcast is live streaming The Celebration of Life for Jerry Jarrett on YouTube.
Trish Stratus was once again scheduled to appear on this week’s episode of RAW, but it didn’t wind up happening. This marks at least the second time in recent weeks that she’s been brought in and wasn’t used.
According to a report from Fightful, Stratus was originally set to make her return during Bayley’s Ding Dong! Hello segment, but that did not wind up happening as Lita and Becky Lynch appeared and challenged Dakota Kai and IYO SKY for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. That match will be taking place on next week’s episode of RAW.
For what it’s worth, Stratus was actually backstage at the RAW TV tapings in Ottawa, Canada. She had every intention of appearing on the show, but the segment was scrapped due to a “creative change.” Stratus wound up leaving the venue prior to the segment.
As of this writing, there is no word on if Trish Stratus will be appearing on WWE television going into WrestleMania 39. There have been rumors that Trish, Lita, and Becky Lynch will be teaming up to face off against Damage CTRL at WrestleMania 39.
Source: eWrestlingNews
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH TO DETERMINE NO. 1 CONTENDER FOR RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP:
Asuka def. Carmella, Liv Morgan, Natalya, Nikki Cross and Raquel Rodriguez
Bobby Lashley def. Brock Lesnar – due to DQ
After a spear, Lashley is able to get Lesnar in a Hurt Lock. Lesnar went for a low-blow and got disqualified, to a chorus of boos. As punishment for that, Lesnar just gave referee Chad Patton an F-5. Then, he hit Lashley with another F-5. Lesnar then tossed Lashley through the commentary table…and followed it up with giving ref Patton another F-5 on top of the broken table for good measure.
MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH:
Edge and Beth Phoenix def. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley)
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR THE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP:
Austin Theory (c) def. Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, Damian Priest, Johnny Gargano and Montez Ford
WWE’s medical team is then brought into the ring to help get Ford out, meanwhile, Rollins goes for a Stomp but misses. Despite that, he does hit a Pedigree, however, Logan Paul then arrives and nails a Buckshot Lariat, and before leaving he its a Stomp! He then slams the door shut and hangs onto the cage as Theory hits A-Town Down.
UNDISPUTED WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Roman Reigns (c) def. Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns stare each other down after the bell while the rabid audience goes wild for the challenger to kick things off. The two men finally lock up and Reigns drops Zayn with a shoulder tackle straight away. The second lock-up sees Zayn get the best of the situation, but that doesn’t last long as he gets dropped by an elbow from the champion. However, Zayn quickly turns things around by sending Reigns out of the ring as he dives over the ropes onto the “Tribal Chief,” which is met with a big response.
Back inside the ring, Zayn hammers down a series of punches before dropping down with an elbow drop from the top turnbuckle which gets a one-fall. However, Reigns then takes Zayn out of the ring and showcases his dominance again with a Drive By, but Zayn begins to fight back in the ring only to be dropped immediately with a big right hand. Reigns then talks trash to Zayn’s wife at ringside as then hammers in clothesline strikes in the corner before dumping him to the floor to his family.
Reigns talk more trash to Zayn’s wife and family as he drops him with a headbutt. Reigns then throw Zayn into the ropes, but he springboards back from the bottom rope with a leapfrog and he then flattens the champion with a clothesline and begins throwing hands toward Reigns once again to build momentum, hitting another big clothesline as he then sends Reigns out of the ring. He then attacks Reigns in front of his family but the champion responds and they head to the top turnbuckle, but Zayn fights back and hits a sunset flip powerbomb which gets him a near fall.
Reigns immediately hits several elbow strikes to regain control, following up with an urinagi, and this time it is Zayn who has to kick out at the last minute. Reigns looks for the attack in the corner but gets reversed as Zayn explodes him into the turnbuckles, but as he goes for the Helluva Kick, the champion reverses with a Superman Punch and almost gets the win. Reigns then looks for a Spear but Zayn leaps over him and as Reigns smashes into the turnbuckles he almost gets caught with a roll-up.
While he kicks out Zayn then suplexes him into the turnbuckles and he then mocks Reigns and hits a Superman Punch of his own, following it up with the Helluva Kick which almost gets the win, but Reigns kicks out! Reigns rolls out from the ring to take a breather, and that leads to Zayn trying to dive through the turnbuckles but he gets caught with a punch to the face from the “Head of the Table.”
Reigns then charges around the ring and looks for a Spear, but Zayn avoids it and Reigns crashes through the barricade. In the ring, Reigns misses with a Superman Punch as Zayn hits the Blue Thunder Bomb, but yet again Reigns kicks out! Reigns then drives Zayn back, but they crash into the official. While he is down Zayn hits another Helluva Kick and he has the title won, but there is nobody to count it!
Jimmy Uso then appears and nails Zayn with a series of Superkicks as he follows it with the Splash. Jimmy covers him as a new official appears, but Zayn kicks out! Zayn keeps trying to fight, but he is met with a headbutt as Reigns trash-talks him. He then goes for a Superman Punch but Zayn avoids it and Roman nearly hits the new official but he doesn’t! Zayn sends him out of the ring and knocks off Jimmy Uso with a Helluva Kick, but he turns around into a Spear. However, he kicks out again!
Reigns then gets slapped and the champion goes for a Superman Punch, but this time he hits the official! He goes down and Zayn hits the champion with a Superman Punch as Reigns fires back with one of his own and both men are down with no referee. Paul Heyman then pulls out a chair for the Tribal Chief, but Jey Uso then appears in the ring and Reigns hands him the chair. Jey teases hitting Reigns with the chair just as Sami did at the Rumble, but he doesn’t and Reigns takes the chair from him and pushes Jey in the face. Zayn goes for a Spear but Reigns moves and he accidentally hits Jey! After that Reigns uses the weapon repeatedly to beat down Zayn and he then nails the Spear, and this time he can’t kick out.
After the match, Jimmy Uso begins attacking Zayn until Kevin Owens makes his return! KO begins brawling with Jimmy and he then hits the ring to take down Reigns as well, nailing him with a Stunner, and Jimmy then eats one as well! Owens continues the attack with a Pop-Up Powerbomb that sends Jimmy through the announce table. He grabs a chair but Heyman begins punching him in the back so he eats a Stunner as well. Owens then steps aside and that allows Zayn to hit Reigns with one more Helluva Kick.
Reigns vs Zayn transcript from Wrestling Inc.
Alex Coughlin defeated JR Kratos
David Finlay defeated Bobby Fish
Kushida, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight and The DKC defeated Máscara Dorada, Josh Alexander, Adrian Quest and Rocky Romero
Strong Openweight Championship
KENTA defeated Fred Rosser (c) to WIN the Strong Openweight Championship
KENTA picked up the win with the Go To Sleep as CM Punk watched on from the stands after Juice Robinson returned to NJPW and decked Fred Rosser with a fistful of coins.
Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) (c) defeated West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson and Royce Issacs)
Loser Leaves NJPW
Eddie Kingston defeated Jay White
Jay White lost his Loser Leaves NJPW Match to Eddie Kingston following four Urakens and two Northern Lights suplexes. White was set to cut a post-match promo but he was suddenly attacked from behind by David Finlay, who cut a long promo about being a foreigner everywhere he wrestles.
Filthy Rules Fight
Tom Lawlor defeated Homicide
NJPW World Television Championship
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) defeated Clark Connors
IWGP Women’s Championship
Mercedes Monè defeated Kairi (c) to WIN the IWGP Women’s Championship
Moné became the second-ever IWGP Women’s Champion after defeating fellow former WWE talent KAIRI in the semi-main event of Battle in the Valley. Moné hit a Bayley-To-Belly and was put through a table in her NJPW in-ring debut before she picked up the win with her Moné Maker finisher. Moné and KAIRI then hugged after the match as Bayley watched on from the crowd.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
The XFL’s long-awaited return to action in 2020 was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, the spring start-up league has returned under new leadership, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s ownership group presiding over it.
The XFL’s 2023 season kicks off this weekend (February 17 & 18) on ABC and ESPN/FX
In conjunction, ESPN has announced that they will launch a weekly series to cover the league. Titled XFL Weekly, the show will air on Sunday at 2:30pm Eastern. It will be available on the ESPN app, ESPN social media channels, and YouTube. Jason Fitz and Skubie Mageza have been tabbed as hosts.
Saturday, Feb. 18
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| Vegas Vipers at Arlington Renegades | 3 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Orlando Guardians at Houston Roughnecks | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN/FX |
Sunday, Feb. 19
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas | 3 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Seattle Sea Dragons at D.C. Defenders | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN |
CARD
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR THE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP:
Austin Theory (c) vs. Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Montez Ford vs. Seth Rollins
UNDISPUTED WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Sami Zayn
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH TO DETERMINE NO. 1 CONTENDER FOR RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP:
Asuka vs. Carmella vs. Liv Morgan vs. Natalya vs. Nikki Cross vs. Raquel Rodriguez
MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH:
Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley)
Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar
New Japan Pro Wrestling returns to California for a major PPV event featuring the New Japan in-ring debut of Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks, in the WWE.
When: Saturday February 18, 2023
Where: San Jose Civic Arena in San Jose, CA
How To Watch: Live on Fite TV
CARD
Wrestling News Blog 