Tag: WWE

Kenny Omega Talks AEW’s Upcoming Console Game, Won’t Be On The Same Level As WWE 2K22, Cross-Platform

Kenny Omega is excited to see what WWE 2K22 has to offer.

This time of year is always pretty busy for the wrestling business. Elimination Chamber has been and gone, AEW Revolution is still to come, and then the month after that we’ve got WrestleMania. This year will actually be a little busier than usual as wrestling fans’ more than two year wait for a new WWE game will come to an end.

WWE 2K22 launches on March 11, with those of you who pay extra for the Deluxe Edition getting the opportunity to play three days earlier. As 2K reveals more and more about its upcoming game, wrestling video game fans are wondering when exactly AEW’s first console game will be here. There was a time when it almost seemed as if the two games might launch at roughly the same time.

Kenny Omega spoke about the project during an appearance on Wrestling Observer Radio. Suffice to say, AEW’s first game will not be launching at the same time as WWE 2K22. The Cleaner didn’t want to commit to anything but did say the team behind the game is hoping to reveal new information and perhaps even some new footage during the week of Revolution.

“We were hoping to possibly show a little more of where we’re at and progression and reveal possibly a new character,” Omega said. The Cleaner was also very candid about 2K22, admitting that AEW’s first offering simply won’t be able to compete with WWE’s next game. “We’ll never be able to compete with the production values of WWE’s game. 2K22 is absolutely gorgeous, I’m excited to see all their bells and whistles.”

Omega also revealed that the AEW console game will support cross-platform play. “We have a lot of match types, game modes, there is going to be cross-platform and an online component where you can create your own lobby,” Omega explained.

Even if you own it on one console, you’ll still be able to play with and against those who own it on something else.

Cross-platform is a long-awaited but relatively new feature in the video game world. The ability to play games online even if you own a title on PlayStation and your friend has it on Xbox. Such a new concept that some studios still aren’t interested. There has been no confirmation whether WWE 2K22 will do the same, although it seems likely as Community Creations will be able to be shared across multiple platforms.

As for which platforms AEW’s unnamed game will be available on, Omega did not divulge that information. Probably PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC and maybe even Nintendo Switch. That’s all speculation at this point, and it’s also worth noting that there has currently been no mention of WWE 2K22 launching on Switch. It might happen eventually but won’t arrive on March 11 as is the plan for other platforms.

It’s certainly an exciting time for the wrestling video game landscape right now. The first impressions of 2K22 are already in and while there have been good things relayed to those who are interested, those impressions appear to be mixed overall. Even though there’s still a long way to go for AEW, and Omega is being somewhat coy about it, there will still be a lot of excitement for the promotion’s first game. As Eric Bischoff always says, it doesn’t need to be better, it just needs to be different.

Source: TheSportster

Bobby Lashley May Require Shoulder Surgery

WWE released a storyline update on Bobby Lashley after today’s WWE Elimination Chamber event from the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Lashley had entered concussion protocol.

According to former WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide from The Ringer Wrestling Show, Bobby Lashley is actually dealing with a legitimate shoulder injury and could be out of action for a while. The injury reportedly happened at the Royal Rumble against Brock Lesnar.

“I have it under good authority that Bobby Lashley is shoot hurt and has been hurt since the Rumble match,” Kazeem Famuyide revealed. “If you noticed he hasn’t worked any RAWs. He hasn’t really defended his title. He was shoot hurt at the [Brock] Lesnar  Rumble match. Again, I was wondering how they were going to work him in there while being hurt. I’m assuming this concussion protocol thing is the way to get him out there.

“From what I’m told, it’s for at least four months. Shoulder surgery. I’m hearing that he might not even make it to Mania. From what I’m told he is shoot hurt and should be out for some time.”

The latest episode from The Ringer Wrestling Show is available below.

Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to The Ringer Wrestling Show

WWE RAW Preview 2/21/22

The post-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE RAW will air live tonight from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.

No matches or segments have been announced for tonight’s RAW but new WWE Champion Brock Lesnar is scheduled to appear for a follow-up on his title win at Elimination Chamber. Bobby Lashley is also advertised to appear, but WWE may keep him off to sell the concussion storyline from Elimination Chamber. According to a report Lashley may need shoulder surgery and could be out awhile and miss WrestleMania 38.

Logan Paul is rumored to team with The Miz to face The Mysterios at WrestleMania 38. The Miz is teasing a potential surprise for tonight’s RAW but there’s no word on if Paul will be there live.

It’s rumored that Randy Orton and Riddle will get their title shot from RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy tonight, but that has not been confirmed.

WWE is expected to pick up the WrestleMania 38 build now that Elimination Chamber has passed.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Elimination Chamber Results 2/19/2022

PRE-SHOW
Rey Mysterio defeated The Miz

WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE MATCH
Roman Reigns (c) defeated Bill Goldberg by submission

ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR A RAW WOMEN’S TITLE SHOT (Winner will receive a WrestleMania 38 title match for the RAW Women’s Title)
Bianca Belair defeated Doudrop vs. Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Nikki A.S.H. vs. Alexa Bliss

Ronda Rousey and Naomi defeated Sonya Deville and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair by submission (Rousey had to compete with one arm tied behind her back)

FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH
Drew McIntyre defeated Madcap Moss w/ Happy Corbin

RAW WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH
Becky Lynch (c) defeated Lita

SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
The Viking Raiders vs. The Usos (c)

The Usos attacked Viking Raiders during ring entrance, match never started

ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR THE WWE TITLE
Brock Lesnar defeated Seth Rollins vs. Austin Theory vs. Riddle vs. AJ Styles vs. Bobby Lashley (c)

Seth Rollins tossed Theory into Lashley’s pod with a Buckle Bomb, knocking Lashley out. Lashley never entered the match, he was placed in a concussion protocol for testing

Brock Lesnar is the new WWE Champion

Lesnar is set to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38 in a Title vs. Title match.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2/19/2022

DATE: February 19, 2022 12:00 pm
LOCATION: Jeddah Super Dome, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
AVAILABLE ON: Peacock (U.S.), WWE Network (International)

CARD

ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR THE WWE TITLE
Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins vs. Austin Theory vs. Riddle vs. AJ Styles vs. Bobby Lashley (c)

ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH FOR A RAW WOMEN’S TITLE SHOT
Doudrop vs. Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Nikki A.S.H. vs. Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss
Winner will receive a WrestleMania 38 title match for the RAW Women’s Title.

WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE MATCH
WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns (c)

RAW WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH
WWE Hall of Famer Lita vs. Becky Lynch (c)

SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
The Viking Raiders vs. The Usos (c)

FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH
Madcap Moss vs. Drew McIntyre

Ronda Rousey and Naomi vs. Sonya Deville and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair

The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio

WWE NXT Level Up Preview 2/18/22

The premiere of WWE NXT Level Up will air tonight on Peacock and the WWE Network at 10pm ET. This is the new NXT show replacing WWE 205 Live.

NXT Level Up was taped earlier this week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, before NXT Vengeance Day hit the air.

WWE has announced the following line-up for tonight’s Level Up premiere:

* Harland vs. Javier Bernal

* Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley vs. Kayla Inlay and Fallon Henley

* Edris Enofe vs. Kushida in the main event

 WWE released footage of Nile and Malcolm Bivens introducing Paxley as a new prospect for The Diamond Mine.

WWE SmackDown Preview 2/18/22

The WWE Elimination Chamber go-home edition of SmackDown on FOX will air tonight, taped last week from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

The show was taped due to WWE traveling to Saudi Arabia for Elimination Chamber.

The Undertaker Announced For 2022 WWE Hall Of Fame Class

As expected, since WrestleMania is in Dallas and he finally retired for real this time, WWE has revealed The Undertaker will become a Hall of Famer this year.

WWE tweeted the news below shortly after it was broken by The New York Post. The company has given the chance to unveil Hall of Famers to various publications in recent years, and it obviously needed a big one to break that The Deadman will become a Hall of Famer.

As mentioned above, WrestleMania will take place in Dallas this year. Despite being billed from Death Valley, in keeping with The Phenom’s gimmick, Texas is The Undertaker’s home state, so fitting that this where will be where he is inducted. Next year WrestleMania goes Hollywood, and it might be a while before The Show of Shows returns to Texas, so it really had to be this year if WWE wanted it to happen as close to his hometown as possible.

The Deadman wrestled his final match almost two years ago. A Boneyard Match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. Since Taker appeared to retire on a number of occasions before that, many fans weren’t convinced he was done for good. Later that year, he appeared at Survivor Series in a segment that was dubbed his farewell ceremony. The event marked almost exactly 30 years since his very first night in WWE.

Source: TheSportster

WWE issued the following announcement on The Undertaker induction into the 2022 Hall of Fame.

The Undertaker just became the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022, as first announced by the New York Post.  The Deadman will be enshrined in the hallowed hall during the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as part of WrestleMania Week.

The WWE Hall of Fame at a ceremony will take place Friday, April 1 at American Airlines Center in Dallas as part of WrestleMania Week.  The event will stream live exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network everywhere else.  In addition, for the first time in history, WWE will present both Friday Night SmackDown and the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony live on the same night at American Airlines Center, giving all fans in attendance an unprecedented opportunity to witness both events for one price. Tickets for the special 2-for-1 SmackDown + Hall of Famego on sale this Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketmaster.  

Also, don’t miss The Undertaker’s first comments on his monumental Hall of Fame induction when he joins The TODAY Show tomorrow morning on NBC.

In an extraordinary career that spanned three decades, The Undertaker loomed over the WWE landscape like a menacing shadow, spelling out doom for those who dared cross him. Imbued with seemingly mystical abilities and preternatural in-ring skill, the legendary Phenom operated on his own level.

First introduced at 1990’s Survivor Series, The Demon of Death Valley was soon battling with Hulk Hogan, then at the top of the food chain in WWE. This clash set the tone for Undertaker’s dominant career. No one was too big, and no one was safe from his gloved grip.

A multi-time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, a seven-time tag team titleholder and a Royal Rumble Match winner in 2007, Undertaker has cemented his place among the greatest in the game. A true in-ring pioneer, he was part of many WWE firsts, including the first-ever Casket Match at Survivor Series 1992, the first-ever Buried Alive Match in 1996 and the inaugural Hell in a Cell Match in 1997.

But there was one achievement that stood out above all others that is unlikely to ever be topped. Since WrestleMania VII in 1991, The Undertaker maintained a winning streak on The Grandest Stage of Them All that grew to an astounding 21-0, with milestone victories over the likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Randy Orton, Diesel, Kane and so many more. Only Brock Lesnar proved capable of upending The Last Outlaw in his yard, snapping The Streak in an earth-shocking upset at WrestleMania 30. The iconic Superstar closed the book on his Showcase of the Immortals career with an astonishing 25-2 record, most recently scoring an incredible victory over AJ Styles in a Boneyard Match.

Undertaker’s incomparable career concluded at Survivor Series on Nov. 22, 2020 when The Deadman retired, fittingly at the same event he debuted and exactly 30 years to the day he first stepped into a WWE ring.

In the face of all challenges, The Deadman would rise time and time again, stronger and mightier than ever to serve as sports-entertainment’s grim reaper of justice with his name permanently etched like an epitaph on the history books of WWE. No grave could hold him, no god could claim him and no devil would have him. In the end, there would only be one suitable resting place for the almighty Deadman: the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don’t miss The Undertaker take his place in sports-entertainment history during the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 1, streaming live exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network everywhere else.

Cody Rhodes Hasn’t Signed With WWE & An AEW Return Is Reportedly Possible

Apparently, AEW’s door hasn’t shut on Cody Rhodes just yet.

Cody Rhodes is thought to be an imminent WWE signing following his AEW departure this week but, as reports would have it, the former All Elite EVP isn’t completely out the door just yet.

The American Nightmare was reported to have fashioned a move away from the promotion due to a number of issues, including a loss of booking power, financial disagreements, and other personal problems with Tony Khan. His wife, Brandi, left along with him. And while Cody is rumored to be WWE bound, sources claim she won’t be joining him there should he sign.

Vince McMahon is reportedly very excited over the possibility of having Rhodes back on the roster and plans to give him a major push if it comes to that. There’s already talk of the former AEW superstar being involved in tapings this coming weekend while there’s been speculation pointing to a match at WrestleMania 38.

As things stand, though, Rhodes is still a free agent, and reaching a deal with AEW isn’t yet out of the question.

According to Fightful (H/T WrestlingNews.co), the show Rhodes To The Top has not been canceled, and the direction is still being discussed. The show is centered on Cody and Brandi’s AEW life but was produced by Shed media US and Warner Horizon Unscripted Television so, theoretically, it could go on without involvement from AEW.

Said publication also reports that Rhodes has not put pen to paper on a deal with WWE and, until such a time, there’s a chance of him returning to AEW.

Khan was said to be in a poor mood after talks ended with Rhodes earlier this week, which could be because he wanted him to stay. The former TNT Champion had mentioned his unhappiness to the other company EVPs around two weeks ago, but they all expected him to agree to a deal.

Source: TheSportster

New Details On Why Cody Rhodes Left AEW, Cody To WWE Update, Brandi

Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso reports that multiple sources have said Brandi is not expected to join Cody in WWE.

It was also said that Cody could begin working for WWE as soon as this weekend, potentially visiting the WWE Performance Center in Orlando to film segments for his return.

Rhodes left WWE back in 2016 after being frustrated with a lack of direction, and dissatisfaction with certain members of the WWE creative team, mainly over his Stardust character. It was noted that this will be a non-factor in his upcoming return to WWE as he is expected to have a far different relationship with Vince and the writing team.

Regarding Cody’s AEW departure, Barrasso reports that another key factor in the decision was losing all responsibilities related to booking. Rhodes was originally a part of the process, but Khan, as AEW’s Head of Creative, has taken full control.

There is no timeframe for Rhodes’ return to WWE, but Barrasso reports that sources have confirmed he is headed back. There is also no word on if a deal has been reached. It’s believed that Rhodes could end up being a WrestleMania 38 surprise, or WWE could hold him off until the RAW After WrestleMania, which is the biggest RAW episode of the year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.