Tag: WWE

WWE NXT Star Drew Gulak Makes Statement On Backstage Incident With Ronda Rousey

As the lawsuit against Vince McMahon alleging sex trafficking and abuse continues to move forward, stories of WWE’s backstage culture over the years have continued to emerge. Among the most outspoken about WWE’s culture is former WWE star Ronda Rousey, who has called out McMahon, Bruce Prichard, and several others for their previous behavior.

Rousey saved her most explosive revelation for a Tuesday appearance on “Banfield,” where she claimed WWE star Drew Gulak grabbed the strings of her sweatpants and attempted to pull them as he walked by. The incident, which occurred in front of Bruce Prichard and a WWE writer, who showed no reaction, left Rousey taken aback by Gulak’s actions, and she would later confront him over the incident, leading to Gulak apologizing.

One day after Rousey’s “Banfield” appearance, Gulak responded, taking to X to give his version of events.

“Backstage at a WWE event in 2022, I saw Ronda talking with a group in the hallway,” Gulak tweeted. “I stopped to say hi and shake all their hands, and in an attempt to shake her hand, I accidentally touched her drawstring. Complete accident, and one that I had apologized to her for the mishap.”

Rousey has yet to comment regarding Gulak’s version of events, while WWE has yet to acknowledge either Rousey or Gulak’s statement. Signed by WWE following the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016, Gulak currently works on WWE’s “NXT” brand as the leader of the No Quarter Catch Crew stable. He most recently competed on “NXT” TV two weeks ago, defeating Riley Osborne in a Heritage Cup match.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Former WWE Star Ronda Rousey Goes Off About Incident With NXT’s Drew Gulak

With the recent release of her book, “Our Fight: A Memoir,” Ronda Rousey has been discussing the years she spent in WWE, and not always in the most positive manner. Appearing last night on NewsNation’s “Banfield,” Rousey discussed an uncomfortable incident involving WWE star Drew Gulak.

“One time, I was waiting to go talk to Triple H in the writers’ room or something,” Rousey said. “I was standing there with Bruce Prichard and another one of the writers and — God, I forgot his name. … This guy that I was barely an acquaintance with grabs the string of my sweatpants as I’m walking by.”

Rousey later recalled the individual as Gulak, who currently appears on “WWE NXT” as a member of the No Quarter Catch Crew. The former WWE star remembers Gulak holding onto the string of her sweatpants and walking in another direction while other WWE officials stood nearby and had no strong reaction.

“I’m just like, ‘What the f*** was that?'” Rousey continued. “Why are you grabbing the string of my sweatpants? If my husband was standing here next to me, would you feel comfortable walking up to me and grabbing the string of my sweatpants? And nobody around me acted like … it was abnormal.”

Being shocked that something like that would happen to her, a high-profile star, in plain view of other people, Rousey remembered wondering what kind of things were happening to other women in the company behind closed doors. To Rousey, it seemed as though the issue was so prevalent in WWE that it was seen as an everyday part of the company’s culture. Rather than letting things go, Rousey said that she went to speak to Gulak about what had happened.
 
“I went and confronted him later and I was like, ‘If I ever hear about you putting your hands on any other woman like this or doing anything like this to me ever again, … we’re gonna have a problem,'” Rousey said. “He was like, ‘No, no, no. I’m glad you said something.’ He really backpedaled … but it just put a really sour taste in my mouth about the culture there and what’s considered acceptable.”

Rousey signed with WWE in 2017 after wrapping up her MMA career and made her debut in 2018. She wrestled 142 matches in WWE before departing the company in 2023, stating that she was going to retire. Rousey later performed at several independent shows and on an episode of Ring of Honor but has otherwise stayed away from wrestling.

Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to NewsNation’s “Banfield,”

WWE RAW Preview 4/1/2024

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Last RAW before WrestleMania 40.

Tonight’s first hour of WWE Raw will air commercial free.

  • The Rock and Roman Reigns to appear
  • Eight-man tag match: DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) and The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh
  • Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
  • Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed

Update On Bo Dallas’ WWE Status

Bo Dallas is making his way back to WWE television. He was brought back to the company and paired with his brother, Bray Wyatt, after Wyatt’s return at the 2022 Extreme Rules PLE, where Dallas took on the role of the Uncle Howdy character. However, both Dallas and Wyatt were taken off television in March due to Wyatt’s health issues. Tragically, Wyatt passed away in August from a heart attack.

Today, Peacock released the documentary “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.” Towards the end of the documentary, a video that seems to hint at Dallas’s future. A lantern pans out with a voice urging the audience to “run,” a phrase often used by Wyatt on WWE television. A silhouette of a figure was also shown.

According to Fightful Select, this is a teaser for Dallas’s eventual return to WWE TV. However, the exact timing and plans for his return remain unclear.

A representative from WWE stated that they didn’t want to rush Dallas back following the tragic passing of his brother.

Source: eWn

WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler Reportedly Recovering From Surgery

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler recently underwent knee replacement surgery, according to PWInsider. Lawler’s health has been touch and go for years, suffering a second stroke in February last year — the effects of which required their own series of surgeries — but he has been recovering well since. He suffered his first stroke in 2018, six years after having cardiac arrest live on WWE TV. 

Surprisingly enough, “The King” has remained active in wrestling despite his long-standing health issues, wrestling as recently as January 2023. He even had a title run in Arkansas after putting his career on the line at 70-years-old, lasting 121 days. But the Hall of Famer was last seen in WWE in November 2023, announcing competitors for the “WWE NXT” Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline, the latest of his sporadic appearances following his last full-time run as a commentator in 2020. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/29/2024

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown live on FOX from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

  • Jade Cargill to make her first official appearance as a SmackDown Superstar
  • WrestleMania 40 Six-Pack Ladder Match Qualifier: Grayson Waller and Austin Theory vs. The Street Profits 
  • WrestleMania 40 Six-Pack Ladder Match Qualifer: New Catch Republic vs. Legado Del Fantasma 
  • Randy Orton and Kevin Owens vs. Pretty Deadly
  • Bianca Belair vs. Dakota Kai

Corey Graves Officially Announces WWE Speed Starting In April, Winner Gets New Title

WWE has announced that they will introduce a new title and a new match type called WWE Speed beginning next month.

“WWE SmackDown” commentator Corey Graves announced on X that the WWE Speed matches will last 3 minutes and air exclusively on the social media platform X. He revealed that WWE Speed will kick off on April 3, a few days before WrestleMania 40.

“Starting April 3, WWE Speed, airing exclusively on X, brings a fresh and dynamic new twist to classic in-ring competition, where some of the fastest and toughest WWE Superstars do battle with time itself because in WWE Speed our Superstars only have 3 minutes to defeat their opponent,” revealed Graves. “3 intense, adrenaline-fueled minutes where strategy, agility, and strength collide. This isn’t just another match; this is a sprint to the finish line. The prize? The prestigious, first-ever WWE Speed Championship. So brace yourself for a tournament like no other where every match is a finale, every second could define a Superstar’s legacy. WWE Speed, April 3, exclusively on X.”

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1773122996061770152

In his announcement, Graves didn’t reveal the Speed Championship, but judging by the graphics WWE has used so far, it could likely have a green theme. WWE and X announced a partnership to create the Speed title last month, and reports suggest both main roster and “WWE NXT” stars will feature in it. New Catch Republic’s Pete Dunne has reportedly been involved in the WWE Speed matches as a producer. The last singles title that WWE introduced was the 24/7 Championship in 2019, which was an intergender title that was made inactive in 2022. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Star Alexa Bliss Offers Update On A Possible Return

It’s been quite awhile since WWE fans have seen Alexa Bliss in a wrestling ring. The former five-time WWE Women’s Champion and three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion hasn’t wrestled a match since January 2023, when she unsuccessfully challenged Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble. But Bliss is now hinting that a return to the squared circle could be on the horizon.

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Taking to X on Tuesday afternoon, Bliss noted that she was “back at it,” posting emojis a muscle flex and lifting weights, signaling she was back working out. Though Bliss didn’t provide any further clarification, several fans, and even the official account for the USA Network, came away from the tweet excited, anticipating a potential WWE return.

https://twitter.com/AlexaBliss_WWE/status/1772700710729035877
https://twitter.com/USANetwork/status/1772704838217842836

Bliss’ absence was brought on by a variety of factors, including an appearance on Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” and a skin cancer scare shortly after her match at the Rumble. Bliss went public with her diagnosis in March, and days later would reveal she was cancer-free after undergoing a procedure soon after. Just two months later, Bliss revealed she was pregnant with her and her husband, singer Ryan Cabrera’s, first child, extending her absence. Bliss would give birth to the couple’s daughter, Hendrix, on November 27.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Slammy Awards Set To Return On WWE WrestleMania Weekend

WWE issued the following: 

THE SLAMMYS: THE FANS CHOICE AWARDS TO AIR LIVE ON SUNDAY, APRIL 7 FROM WWE WORLD AT WRESTLEMANIA

Streaming Live Across WWE Social Platforms with Voting Open Today Until Wednesday, March 27

STAMFORD, Conn., March 22, 2024 – WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards will take place at WWE World at WrestleMania on Sunday, April 7, and air live across WWE’s YouTube channel, Facebook, X, Twitch and TikTok.

Hosted by Cathy Kelley and WWE Superstar Big E, alongside special guest appearances from additional WWE Superstars, The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards will celebrate the very best achievements across the WWE Universe over the past year.

Voting for The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards is open now and will run until this Wednesday, March 27, at www.wwe.com/slammys.

WWE and Fanatics Events, the live and special event division of Fanatics, recently announced details for WWE World at WrestleMania, a five-day interactive fan experience taking place from Thursday, April 4 through Monday, April 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. WWE World at WrestleMania will feature a variety of immersive experiences for fans including a central main stage that will host roundtable discussions with top WWE Superstars, a WWE 2K24 Showdown gaming tournament, live podcast recordings, live memorabilia and autograph sales through Fanatics Live, and the largest WWE Superstore in WrestleMania history. The event will also feature exclusive merchandise and meet-and-greets with WWE Superstars and Legends, in addition to immersive exhibits and memorabilia honoring WrestleMania’s 40-year history.

Tickets for WWE World at WrestleMania are going fast and available to purchase now. For further details, visit: www.fanaticsevents.com/wwe.

WWE NXT Preview 3/26/2024

Tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

  • The Wolf Dogs (Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin) vs. Alpha Academy’s Otis & Akira Tozawa –If Alpha Academy wins, they are added to the NXT Tag Team title match at Stand & Deliver
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams “Prime Target” vignettes
  • We’ll hear from Ridge Holland
  • Ilja Dragunov vs. Stacks Lorenzo
  • Shawn Spears vs. Dijak
  • Josh Briggs vs. Duke Hudson
  • Thea Hail vs. Jazmyn Nyx
  • Lola Vice open challenge