Tag: WWE

WWE Announces Special Programming For Fastlane Sunday

WWE has announced a loaded line-up of special programming for Fastlane Sunday on social media, Peacock and the WWE Network.

The day will begin with a “Best Of” Fastlane compilation at 11am ET, and then wrap with the Fastlane pay-per-view later that night. The full line-up looks like this:

* 11am ET – Best Of Fastlane Matches on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

* 2:30pm ET – La Previa Spanish WWE Fastlane Pre-show on Peacock and the WWE Network, YouTube, WWE Español Facebook, WWE Español Twitter, Instagram, and WWE Español Instagram

* 4pm ET – Special WWE Fastlane edition of WWE’s The Bump on Peacock and the WWE Network, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram Live, and Twitch. Sheamus, Apollo Crews and actor Skylar Astin will appear. There will also be a special message from Paul Heyman ahead of Daniel Bryan vs. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns

* 6pm ET – WWE Fastlane Kickoff pre-show on Peacock and the WWE Network, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Live, Twitch, and TikTok

* 7pm ET – WWE Fastlane pay-per-view on Peacock and the WWE Network. You can click here for the current, updated card

* 7pm ET – WWE Watch Along Viewing Party on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Guests announced include Paige, Wade Barrett, Chad Gable, Otis, Kaitlyn, WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart, the cast of The Bump, Alyssa Marino, RJ City, Kaz, and Steve Buchanan of DraftKings, among others.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Announces Rhea Ripley’s RAW Debut

Rhea Ripley is scheduled to make her official WWE RAW debut on Monday’s post-Fastlane episode.

WWE announced tonight that Ripley will arrive on RAW during Monday’s show. There is no word yet on who she will wrestle.

Rhea Ripley to make Monday Night Raw debut

This is her brutality, and it has a new home on Monday Night Raw.

Over the last several weeks, the WWE Universe and the Raw Women’s Division have been warned, and this Monday, “The Nightmare” Rhea Ripley will finally arrive on Raw.

Will Ripley be looking to put the red brand on notice right off the bat?

Find out this Monday on Raw live at 8/7 C on USA Network!

Ripley has not wrestled since the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match at the Rumble pay-per-view back in January. Ripley entered that match in the #14 spot and lasted 39:06 before being eliminated last by winner Bianca Belair. She picked up 7 eliminations in the match – Toni Storm, Santana Garrett, Charlotte Flair (with Belair), Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose, Dakota Kai, and Alexa Bliss. Ripley’s last WWE NXT match was the Last Woman Standing loss to Raquel Gonzalez during the New Year’s Evil episode on January 6.

Ripley is the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion and a one-time NXT Women’s Champion.

WWE has been airing “coming soon” vignettes on RAW since the February 22 show. You can see all 4 teaser promos below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

A&E’s “Biography: WWE Legends” Full Schedule Revealed

The full schedule for A&E’s “Biography: WWE Legends” series has been revealed, courtesy of the Wrestling Observer. The series will tell the stories of eight WWE Hall of Famers, beginning on Sunday, April 18 at 8pm ET.

Each episode will air for two hours, and will serve as the lead-in to new episodes of the WWE Most Wanted Treasures series from A&E.

Below is the full schedule for the Biography series:

* April 18: Steve Austin
* April 25: Randy Savage
* May 2: Roddy Piper
* May 9: Booker T
* May 16: Shawn Michaels
* May 23: Bret Hart
* May 30: Mick Foley
* June 6: The Ultimate Warrior

A&E worked with WWE Studios on the series.

Foley recently noted on Twitter that his episode should air some time in June, but it looks like it will air at the end of May instead.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Fastlane 3/21/2021

DATE: March 21, 2021 7:00 pm
LOCATION: WWE Thunderdome, St. Petersburg, Florida
AVAILABLE ON:Peacock, WWE Network

Below is the current card:

WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Edge will be special enforcer.

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Big E (c) vs. Apollo Crews

WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair

Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre

Shane McMahon vs. Braun Strowman

Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton

Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/19/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX episode will feature the go-home build for Sunday’s Fastlane pay-per-view.

Hulk Hogan And Titus O’Neil Announced As WrestleMania 37 Hosts

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil have been announced as the hosts of WrestleMania 37.

WWE announced this morning that Hogan and Titus will host the two-night event from Raymond James Stadium. Hogan will be inducted into the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Class that weekend with the nWo, while Titus is a fixture in the Tampa Bay community.

WrestleMania 37 will take place on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Below is the updated card:

Hosts: Titus O’Neil and WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan

WWE Universal Title Match
WWE Hall of Famer Edge vs. Roman Reigns (c)

WWE Title Match
Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley (c)

SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks (c)

RAW Tag Team Titles Match
Omos and AJ Styles vs. The New Day (c)

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT UK Special Event Announced For WrestleMania 37 Week, Main Event Revealed

The next WWE NXT UK special event has been announced for WrestleMania 37 Week.

It was announced during today’s NXT UK episode that “NXT UK: Prelude” will air on Thursday, April 8 at 3pm ET on the WWE Network.

This special will air in the usual weekly NXT UK timeslot on the WWE Network. Thursday, April 8 is also the same date that Night 2 of NXT “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” will air, also on the WWE Network.

Prelude will be headlined by Rampage Brown vs. NXT UK Champion WALTER with the title on the line. Today’s NXT UK episode saw WALTER cut a promo on how he was looking for a new challenger. Brown interrupted and they came to blows. The match was later confirmed for Prelude.

Prelude will also feature Tyler Bate vs. Noam Dar under Heritage Cup Rules. The winner of that match will become the new #1 contender to NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion A-Kid.

This will be the fourth NXT UK special event to take place. The brand previously held a “Takeover: Blackpool” event on January 12, 2019, a “Takeover: Cardiff” event on August 31, 2019, and a “Takeover: Blackpool II” event on January 12, 2020. “Takeover: Dublin” was scheduled for April 26, 2020 but it was nixed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At one point it was re-scheduled for June 20 of this year, but there’s no word yet on if it’s still in the plans.

Keith Lee Issues Statement To Fans Following Recent WWE Absence

WWE RAW Superstar Keith Lee took to Twitter today to issue a statement for his fans.

Lee has been off WWE TV for longer than one month now, and there’s no confirmation on why he has been away. Lee thanked his fans for their support and said one day he will explain what’s been going on. He also said he will return at some point.

“I hear many of you. I see many of the messages. One day, I will explain it all for the ones true to me. For now, know that I more than appreciate the continued support. And WHEN I return, it will be filled with all the love I have for those that represent this #LEEGION,” Lee wrote.

Lee recently changed his Twitter name to “Impatient Lee” and told fans back on March 8 that he misses them too.

https://twitter.com/RealKeithLee/status/1372620911619215362
https://twitter.com/RealKeithLee/status/1369089509904769033

WWE noted at one point that Lee was injured, which is why they pulled him from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on February 21. He was scheduled to work a Triple Threat with Riddle and current WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, but was replaced by John Morrison to what WWE said were injuries. That match saw Riddle capture the United States Title from Lashley.

Lee has not wrestled defeating WWE United States Champion Riddle on the February 8 RAW show. Before that match he spent several weeks out of the ring, last wrestling on the January 11 RAW show in a win over Sheamus, which came after teaming with Sheamus to defeat The Miz and John Morrison earlier in the show.

Lee and Mia Yim (Reckoning) were engaged to be married back on February 11. Yim returned to the ring in late February after announcing a positive COVID-19 diagnosis in late January, but it was never reported that Lee had the coronavirus.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Eric Bischoff Announced For The WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE has announced Eric Bischoff for the 2021 Hall of Fame Class.

Bischoff appeared on WWE’s After The Bell podcast today with Corey Graves and Vic Joseph, where WWE confirmed the induction.

Bischoff will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 37 Week on Tuesday, April 6. The ceremony will air live on the WWE Network. He joins Molly Holly as confirmed names for the 2021 class so far.

As noted, the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame class will also be inducted during WrestleMania 37 Week this year. Names for that class include Batista, JBL, The Bella Twins, The British Bulldog, Jushin Thunder Liger and the nWo (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman).

Bischoff last worked for WWE as the SmackDown Executive Director in June 2019. He was released from that role just a few months later in October. Bischoff has made three special appearances on AEW Dynamite since then.

Below is WWE’s full announcement, along with a clip from After The Bell:

Eric Bischoff to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Eric Bischoff, a pioneer behind the scenes in sports-entertainment, as well as an incredibly entertaining performer in front of the camera, is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. He was surprised with the news of his induction on WWE After the Bell, which you can listen and subscribe to on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

He will enter the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network in the rest of the world.

Bischoff broke into the sports-entertainment industry in the late 1980s for fellow Hall of Famer Verne Gagne’s AWA. He started off in sales but soon became an on-air talent, hosting the AWA’s shows on ESPN and interviewing the legendary territory’s stars. But as the 1990s arrived, the AWA was on the brink of going out of business, so Bischoff made a move that would eventually change the industry.

He joined World Championship Wrestling in 1991, hosting shows and calling the action on WCW’s weekly television shows. But by the mid-1990s, Bischoff had risen the ranks and became executive producer of WCW. He helped bring Hulk Hogan to the company and launched WCW Monday Nitro, the competitor to WWE’s Monday Night Raw that kicked off the infamous Monday Night War that helped make sports-entertainment a pop culture phenomenon.

Bischoff didn’t shy away from the camera either, joining up with 2020 WWE Hall of Fame inductees The nWo as they ran roughshod on the promotion. After WWE purchased WCW in 2001, he brought his brand of ruthless leadership to WWE in 2002 as the first General Manager of Monday Night Raw. His arrival was one of the most shocking moments in WWE history, and his time in charge of the red brand was defined by one simple phrase: “Controversy creates cash.”

Bischoff never strayed far away from controversy as General Manager, as he engaged in rivalries with the likes of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena. He continued to innovate, as well, with concepts like Raw Roulette and the Elimination Chamber, which lives on as one of WWE’s annual pay-per-view events.

For Bischoff’s innovation behind the scenes and his memorable performance in front of the camera, there is no greater honor than induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don’t miss Eric Bischoff take his place in the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. The ceremony will honor both the 2020 and 2021 classes.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Andrade Breaks Silence On WWE Status Reports

Andrade says the reports on his WWE status are true.

As noted last week, Wrestling Inc. exclusively revealed that Andrade requested his WWE release while backstage at the March 8 edition of RAW. It was later reported that he looked “absolutely miserable” while at the taping. This was revealed after Andrade dropped the “WWE” from his Twitter handle and removed WWE from his bio.

Andrade broke his silence on Twitter this morning and said the rumors are true. He said he does not know what the future holds, but he wants his dreams to come true.

“The rumors are true and I don’t know what the future holds but I want to make my dreams come true. thank you for giving me so much support these last days Los rumores son ciertos y no se lo que me prepara el futuro, pero quiero hacer realidad mis sueños. Gracias por tanto apoyo [folded hands emoji],” he wrote.

There is no word yet on if WWE has changed their mind on granting Andrade’s release request, but it’s been reported that he would not be released. He is still listed as a RAW Superstar as of this writing on the official WWE roster page. Andrade was not backstage for this week’s RAW but that is not unusual as he has not been backstage for most shows since taking a hiatus last year.

Andrade, who is engaged to be married to Charlotte Flair, last appeared on the WWE Draft edition of RAW in October of last year. He was taken out by “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in his last appearance. He then took some time off to undergo a minor procedure after the Draft, but was never officially drafted to RAW or SmackDown. Andrade was scheduled to be out of action for around a month, but has not been seen since then. There were rumors of a return to WWE NXT or a possible RAW storyline with Charlotte, but nothing ever came of those rumors.

After strong runs in Mexico and New Japan Pro Wrestling, WWE signed Andrade to work NXT in November 2015. He made his in-ring debut in January 2016 at a NXT live event, and had a successful run on the brand until being called up to SmackDown in April 2018 as a part of the Superstar Shake-Up. He is currently a one-time NXT Champion and a one-time WWE United States Champion. Andrade last wrestled on the October 12 RAW Draft show, which was a loss to Angel Garza.

https://twitter.com/AndradeElIdolo/status/1372539679053074435

Source: Wrestling Inc.