Tag: WWE

Backstage News Regarding WWE Creative Frustrations Around Roman Reigns As Double Champion

According to WrestleVotes, the situation with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is “complex,” as WWE wants to go into WrestleMania with two champions, but also doesn’t want Roman Reigns to lose “at all” between now and WrestleMania, with “at all” emphasized. Citing a source, WrestleVotes said that WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and his team are “open to all things creatively here.”

Reigns has been WWE Universal Champion since August 2020, an unprecedented 741-day reign. Reigns unified that title with the WWE Championship in April by defeating then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of the second night of WrestleMania 38.

There has been speculation that Reigns will be facing his cousin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 39. The match has even been teased on Johnson’s NBC sitcom “Young Rock,” but Johnson’s schedule continues to fill up between his acting career and being a co-owner of the third iteration of the XFL. Johnson has been so busy that he even turned down hosting The Emmy Awards, which aired on Monday.

There had been speculation that Cody Rhodes could be the one to challenge and eventually dethrone Reigns. Rhodes suffered a torn pectoral muscle in June but could be back in time for the 2023 Royal Rumble in January.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT 2.0 Preview 9/13/2022: One-Year Anniversary Celebration

WWE NXT 2.0 celebrates its one-year anniversary of the NXT 2.0 rebranding.

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network:

Jerry Lawler Confirms Plans For Upcoming A&E Biography

WWE and A&E have produced over 130 hours of new content since they expanded their partnership in March. The current season of the series “Biography: WWE Legends” kicked off with an episode centered around The Undertaker and recently wrapped up with an episode dedicated to the first WrestleMania. Next season will include an episode featuring WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler.

“For next season, they’re doing my documentary for A&E, and we had the Batmobile out, driving it over to the Mid-South Coliseum where we had all those famous matches and all that sort of stuff,” Lawler said on the Johnny Dare Morning Show. “So yeah, it’s always fun to get the Batmobile out. I love looking at people’s faces.”

The series premiered in April 2021, with episodes featuring stars such as WWE Hall of Famers “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and Bret “The Hitman” Hart. A&E ordered more episodes, which began airing weekly in July. When the two sides expanded their deal earlier this year, WWE co-CEO Nick Khan commented on the successful partnership with A&E.

 “A&E is an amazing partner with an impressive lineup of signature series across its networks,” Khan said in the original announcement. “The expansion of our partnership will allow us to continue creating a massive slate of new content with a trusted partner while further establishing A&E as a destination for WWE fans for years to come.”

Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to “Johnny Dare Morning Show”

Madusa Autobiography Announced For 2023

With a career in the squared circle as storied as the one Madusa Miceli has had, one would think she would have more than enough material to write her own book. Evidently the women’s wrestling and WWE Hall of Famer agrees with that sentiment.

Canadian publishing company ECW Press, who have previously published wrestling biographies or autobiographies on Stu Hart, Bruce Hart, and Pat Patterson, as well as books detailing the history of Stampede Wrestling or the Death of WCW, have announced “The Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story.” The former WWE Women’s Champion is listed as the co-author of the book, along with Greg Oliver.

A description of the autobiography reveals that the book will cover Madusa’s in-ring career, including her time in All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling, WCW, and WWE as Alundra Blaze, and moments such as her tossing the WWE Women’s Championship in the trash on “WCW Monday Nitro.” The book will also delve into Madusa’s private life and her post-wrestling career as a monster truck driver, where she became the first woman to win the Monster Jam World Finals racing championship in 2005.

Madusa has remained active in wrestling over the last several years, appearing a handful of times on WWE TV and for AEW back in 2020, where she presented the AEW Women’s Tag Team Cup to eventual winners Diamante and Ivelisse. Her most recent appearance was on “NXT 2.0” this past July, announcing a fatal four way match for the then-vacant “NXT” Women’s Tag Team Titles.

“The Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story” will be available to read as of April 13, 2023, though fans can pre-order the book today.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 9/12/2022

WWE invades the Moda Center in Portland, OR for tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. Here is what’s on tap for tonight’s show:

  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah (c) vs. IYO SKY & Dakota Kai
  • Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair hosts an open challenge 
  • Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio
  • Johnny Gargano’s in-ring return against an unknown opponent

WWE SmackDown Preview 9/9/2022

Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown comes from the  the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA.

Pat McAfee joining ESPN’s College GameDay

Pat McAfee has landed another gig as he has signed a full-time deal with ESPN.

The former NFL punter will help host “College GameDay,” which is a show about college football that airs every Saturday morning during the football season.

The news was first reported by the New York Post. It has since been confirmed by McAfee.

McAfee said today on his podcast/radio show that he will be putting his SmackDown duties on hold during the college football season but he is still part of the WWE family.

McAfee said that he was thinking about doing both gigs at the same time but it’s tough for him to keep up with the travel schedule and WWE suggested for him to take the time away and he could return when the time is right.

“Now one of our guys is on College GameDay,” McAfee said in regards to a text message he got from an “OG” from WWE after praising the company on his show.

Triple H tweeted the following:

@PatMcAfeeShow approached us about his amazing opportunity with College GameDay. We’d never stand in Pat’s way, as he continues to architect his exceptional career. Pat will remain a member of the @WWE  Universe and we look forward to his return. #UpToSomethingSZN”

Source: WrestlingNews.co

Backstage News On How WWE Talent Feels About CM Punk’s AEW All Out Scrum Comments

It’s fair to say that the rumored backstage issues behind the scenes in AEW escalated significantly following the AEW All Out pay-per-view on Sunday night. In the post-show media scrum, newly-crowned AEW World Champion CM Punk went on a verbal tirade against his former friend Colt Cabana before targeting AEW’s “irresponsible” EVPs Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), while also furthering his spat with “Hangman” Adam Page. In light of reports of an ensuing backstage brawl between Punk, his friend Ace Steel, and the new AEW World Trios Champions Omega and The Bucks following Punk’s comments, reactions from behind the scenes at WWE have come to light.

According to Fightful Select, “numerous talent” reached out to them expressing their views on the situation, with one top talent noting that “the CM Punk that they knew years ago is being highlighted.” Additionally, two WWE talents reportedly confirmed to Fightful that the incident was not a work, and expressed their surprise that the situation happened. The pair called into question AEW chief Tony Khan, asking why he didn’t follow up with a comment after Punk criticized AEW’s EVPs. 

Meanwhile, one WWE talent said it feels as though Punk “is trying to run things, and it looks as though he’s doing it,” with another longtime WWE performer said they felt Punk was “unprofessional,” calling him “selfish and arrogant.” This sentiment was also reportedly shared by colleagues who worked with Punk on the set of the short-lived Fox program “WWE Backstage.”

The Fightful report had more to say, including the fact that a WWE official added — again seemingly calling Khan into question — that with Punk and The Elite feud, “the power had to be asserted in order to let everyone know that wasn’t tolerable.” The same official noted that such situations were very rare in WWE, because talent knew that while Vince McMahon at the helm, they would not be welcomed back, similar to how former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio was fired in 2014 following an altercation with an employee. A lack of discipline for the incident would also likely be poorly received given AEW’s recent suspension of Eddie Kingston for getting physical backstage with Sammy Guevara.

Finally, a top WWE name told Fightful that, in regard to the parties involved in the dispute, “if they don’t put their issues aside and make money from it,” then “none of them have business talking about drawing houses or losing fans or interest. They have a good show but this is still the biggest piece of business they’ve done and they have to capitalize.” AEW already has long history of using dirtsheet rumors and backstage incidents to further on-screen storylines.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT 2.0 Preview 9/6/2022

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network: 

Braun Strowman Makes Return On WWE Raw

The rumors of Braun Strowman’s WWE return were indeed true. 

Last night on “WWE Raw,” the Monster Among Men showed up midway through a Fatal Four-Way Match to determine the #1 contender for The Usos’ Undisputed Tag Team Titles, laying waste to all eight men in the match before posing for the fans. During the beatdown, Strowman also did his signature sprint around the ring before shoulder tackling Otis through the barricade and power slamming Angelo Dawkins through the announce desk.

The segment ended with Strowman beating up a bunch of security members, who ran down to the ring to try and end his carnage. Strowman received a loud ovation for his return, eliciting chants such as “Welcome Back!” and “Get These Hands” from fans in Kansas City, MO.

While it’s unknown if Strowman will be a babyface or heel character on the red brand, he appeared to play to the crowd at one point, indicating that he will be on the heel side of the roster. 

The former WWE Universal Champion was released by the Vince McMahon regime on June 2, 2021, as part of the company’s budget cuts. The chatter of his return picked up once Paul “Triple H” Levesque took charge of WWE’s Talent Relations and Creative departments in July. Since Triple H has assumed those roles, others such as Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Dakota Kai, Hit Row, Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano have also returned to the company. 

Strowman appeared in a backstage interview later on the show to announce he will be on “WWE SmackDown” later this week. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.