Tag: WWE

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/26/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will feature fallout from last Sunday’s WWE Fastlane pay-per-view.

WWE has not announced any matches for tonight’s show but they are teasing a confrontation between WWE Hall of Famer Edge and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns as they prepare for their WrestleMania 37 match. It’s believed that WWE may add Daniel Bryan to Edge vs. Reigns tonight, to make it a Triple Threat.

RAW Superstar Charlotte Flair is rumored to make an appearance on tonight’s show but that has not been confirmed.

WWE Reportedly Not Planning To Tour Soon

WWE reportedly has no plans to resume touring any time soon.

While many venues are re-opening across the country and various sports leagues are bringing back fans amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sports Illustrated reports that WWE does not have plans to tour throughout the first half of 2021.

There is no word yet on if WWE is looking to resume touring during the second half of this year.

WWE officially announced earlier this week that the next ThunderDome residency will begin next month at the Yuengling Center in Tampa. SI reports that the current plan is for WWE to remain at the Yuengling Center while gauging whether it is prudent to return to a weekly live event model or not.

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon noted this past February during the 2020 Q4 earnings call that the company expected a gradual return to ticketed audiences, but that it was too early to say exactly when that would happen. Vince also noted that they are ready to resume touring when they are able to, adding that they could turn around a live event in just 6 weeks when able to.

“We are ready,” McMahon said. “We are the most flexible, adaptable media company in the world. We can turn something around in terms of live events in six weeks. It just speaks to our ability to innovate as a media company and continue in this current environment to create long term value.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Superstar Danny Burch To Miss Several Months With Injury

WWE NXT Superstar Danny Burch will miss several months of in-ring action due to his shoulder injury.

Burch suffered a separated shoulder during last week’s NXT main event, which saw he and Oney Lorcan retain the NXT Tag Team Titles over Karrion Kross and NXT Champion Finn Balor. The injury came when Kross hit a double suplex and Burch landed awkwardly.

Vic Joseph noted during this week’s NXT show that Burch is expected to be out of action for 6 months.

NXT General Manager William Regal was forced to vacate the NXT Tag Team Titles due to Burch’s injury. Night One of “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” on Wednesday, April 7 will feature a Triple Threat for the vacant titles with MSK vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Legado del Fantasma.

There’s no word on what WWE has planned for Lorcan while Burch is out. He lost a singles match to Kross on tonight’s show. There has been some speculation on Lorcan and Pete Dunne teaming up.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Bella Twins Reportedly Set For WWE In-Ring Return

This year’s WWE Hall of Fame will feature both the 2020 class and the 2021 class. The Bella Twins are set to inducted as part of the 2020 class, and they may be in store for an in-ring comeback as well.

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that The Bella Twins are going to return to wrestle. The return date has not been set, but Meltzer noted that the plan is for them to come back in the fall of this year.

The Bella Twins have discussed an in-ring return in the past. They have also expressed their desire to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Nikki Bella recently discussed returning to action on The Bellas Podcast. She also revealed that she has not been cleared for an in-ring return due to her neck injury.

“I really want to do a WWE return with you Brie. I really want to go after the tag titles,” Nikki said (h/t to Digital Spy). “That’s one thing I really want to do before I hang up the Nikes for good. I at least want to do that one last run.

“I guess I have been talking about this run as if I am cleared, which I am not cleared to wrestle.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Peacock To Review All WWE Content For Potential Removal Of Controversial Moments

Peacock is continuing to review and remove controversial WWE Network content.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Peacock had removed the WrestleMania 6 match between Bad News Brown and WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper, where Piper wrestled with half of his body painted black, and cut promos in blackface. A 2005 Survivor Series segment where Vince McMahon dropped the N-word to John Cena was also removed.

In an update, Peacock is reviewing all 17,000 hours of WWE content to ensure it aligns with Peacock’s standards and practices, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It was also noted that WWE is being made aware of any edits.

WWE and Peacock still expect to have the WWE library available for viewing on-demand in time for SummerSlam in late August, but all classic content will be reviewed before it is added.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 3/24/21

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming two-night “TakeOver: Stand and Deliver” event during WrestleMania 37 Week.

WWE Officially Announces Next ThunderDome Home

The WWE ThunderDome is headed to the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

WWE officially announced today that their new ThunderDome residency at the Yuengling Center will begin with the post-WrestleMania 37 edition of RAW on the USA Network, on Monday, April 12.

“WWE takes great pride in providing our fans and network partners with cutting-edge production and one of the most interactive atmospheres in all of television every single week,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Production. “We look forward to the next iteration of the WWE ThunderDome at Yuengling Center as we continue to take the fan experience to a whole new level.”

It was noted that more than 650,000 fans have registered for WWE ThunderDome crowds since last August.

WWE confirmed that they will continue to run closed-set tapings at the Yuengling Center, with COVID-19 protocols in place for talent, crew and employees.

There is no word yet on how long the Yuengling Center residency will run for. WWE’s first ThunderDome residency was at the Amway Center in Orlando, which began last August. They then moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on December 11. The Yuengling Center will be the third ThunderDome venue of the COVID-19 era.

The Yuengling Center sits on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, and was once known as the University of South Florida Sun Dome. The venue has a capacity of 10,411 when there are no COVID-19 protocols in place. The University of South Florida currently has three teams that call the Yuengling Center home – the South Florida Bulls men’s basketball team, the South Florida Bulls women’s basketball team, and the South Florida Bulls women’s volleyball team. The teams are not currently playing due to the pandemic, so games will not be a problem for WWE.

WWE ran the Yuengling Center many years ago before there were bigger options in the area. The 1995 Royal Rumble pay-per-view was held in the arena, along with Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 1985 and SNME in December 1988. WWE would have a short move from Tropicana Field to the Yuengling Center as the drive is around 30 minutes. It’s been reported that WWE wanted to keep the ThunderDome in or near the Tampa area.

WWE will wrap their residency at Tropicana Field with upcoming tapings going into WrestleMania 37 Week. 

Below is the full announcement from WWE issued today:

WWE® THUNDERDOME™ TAKES OVER YUENGLING CENTER

STAMFORD, Conn., March 24, 2021 –WWE® (NYSE: WWE) will bring its world-class viewing experience, WWE ThunderDome, to Yuengling Center as it remains in Tampa with a new residency starting with Monday Night Raw® on April 12 at 8 pm ET on USA Network.

The move to Yuengling Center continues WWE’s longstanding relationship with the state of Florida and marks the next phase of WWE ThunderDome, which launched to critical acclaim last August at Amway Center in Orlando and has continued over the past four months at Tropicana Field in Tampa. Yuengling Center sits on the campus of one of Florida’s largest universities, the University of South Florida.

Featuring a state-of-the-art set, video boards, pyrotechnics, lasers, cutting-edge graphics and drone cameras, WWE ThunderDome provides an immersive viewing atmosphere and virtually brings thousands of fans into the arena via live video, in conjunction with The Famous Group and its proprietary technology, for every Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown® and WWE pay-per-view event. WWE ThunderDome received top honors at last year’s Sportel Awards for Best Virtual Fan Experience.

“WWE has always been a highlight of our event mix and bringing this world-class residency to Yuengling Center only strengthens our relationship,” said Kevin Preast, Executive Vice President of Event Management at Vinik Sports Group. “Hosting WWE ThunderDome is another step towards a full return of hosting more events in the area.”

“WWE takes great pride in providing our fans and network partners with cutting-edge production and one of the most interactive atmospheres in all of television every single week,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Production. “We look forward to the next iteration of the WWE ThunderDome at Yuengling Center as we continue to take the fan experience to a whole new level.”

To date, more than 650,000 fans from around the world have registered to be part of WWE ThunderDome. Fans can register for their virtual seat to be part of upcoming WWE shows via http://www.WWEThunderDome.com or at WWE’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages.

Raw, SmackDown and pay-per-view programming will be produced at Yuengling Center on closed sets with only essential personnel in attendance. WWE will continue to administer its health and safety protocols for talent, crew and employees in conjunction with each production, including PCR testing for COVID-19, social distancing and wearing masks.

The Undertaker Reveals Kane’s WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

Veteran WWE Superstar Kane will be going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

Kane appeared on WWE’s The Bump this morning and was surprised by The Undertaker with the announcement. You can see video from the appearance below.

Kane joins Khali, Molly Holly and Eric Bischoff as confirmed names for the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame Class. Rob Van Dam is also expected to be announced by WWE soon.

Kane, who has been with WWE since 1995, has not wrestled for the company since a surprise appearance in the 2021 Royal Rumble Match this past January. Before that his last match was a WWE 24/7 Title change with current champion R-Truth at the September 16, 2019 RAW in Knoxville. His last regular match was teaming with The Undertaker for a loss to WWE Hall of Famers Shawn Michaels and Triple H at Crown Jewel 2018. Earlier this week he announced his re-election campaign for Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

The 2020 and 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will air on Tuesday, April 6 during WrestleMania 37 Week, via Peacock and the WWE Network. The 2020 Class features JBL, The Bella Twins, Jushin Thunder Liger, “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, and the nWo (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman).

Kane to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Kane is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. The Big Red Monster was surprised with the news by his brother, The Undertaker, during WWE’s The Bump.

The Devil’s Favorite Demon will be enshrined in the hallowed hall during the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

Kane’s legendary career was intertwined with The Deadman’s from the very beginning. Long thought to have perished in a fire at their family’s funeral home, Kane emerged through hellfire and brimstone to haunt his brother in Fall 1997, infamously tearing the door off Hell in a Cell to confront Undertaker and begin one of WWE’s most truly heated rivalries.

To settle their score, The Big Red Monster and The Phenom clashed in every conceivable type of match. They battled surrounded by flames in the first-ever Inferno Match, were locked inside Hell in a Cell and even tried to bury each other alive. It’s surprising that they were ever able to get along, but they did, proving to be one of WWE’s most deadly tag teams. The Brothers of Destruction wreaked havoc on WWE, capturing the World Tag Team Titles and the WCW Tag Team Titles.

Kane has also embraced the lighter side of things in WWE, as best evidenced by his time as a member of Team Hell No with Daniel Bryan. The pair’s sojourn to anger management classes had WWE fans rolling on the floor in laughter, as did their infamous attempt to “hug it out” in the middle of the ring. Warm embraces aside, the duo was also a threat in the ring and captured the WWE Tag Team Titles.

When not part of a tag team, Kane also proved to be one of the most dominant Superstars in history. The Devil’s Favorite Demon captured the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, ECW Title, Intercontinental Title and won the 2010 Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Anyone with a resume like that is destined for the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don’t miss Kane take his place in sports-entertainment history during the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere. The ceremony will feature the enshrinement of the 2020 Class, featuring The nWo, The Bella Twins, JBL, British Bulldog and Jushin “Thunder” Liger, as well as the 2021 Class, which includes Kane, Molly Holly and Eric Bischoff.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Great Khali To Be Apart Of 2021 WWE Hall Of Fame

Former World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

WWE India released new video of Ranjin Singh (Dave Kapoor) revealing the big news to Khali. Singh works WWE creative and once managed Khali.

WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, which are scheduled to air on Tuesday, April 6 via Peacock and the WWE Network during WrestleMania 37 Week. Below is the current line-up for the 2020 and 2021 classes, along with the video of Singh and Khali:

2021 CLASS:

* The Great Khali

* Eric Bischoff

* Molly Holly

* Rob Van Dam (to be confirmed by WWE)

* Names TBA

2020 CLASS:

* The Bella Twins

* JBL

* Jushin Thunder Liger

* “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith

* The nWo (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman)

Rob Van Dam Is Reportedly Set To Be Inducted Into The 2021 WWE Hall Of Fame

Former WWE Champion Rob Van Dam is reportedly set to be one of the inductees in the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2021.

WWE has not confirmed RVD as an 2021 Hall of Fame inductee.

Rob Van Dam joined WWE during the invasion angle in 2001 after Vince McMahon purchased ECW. During his time in the company, he held every championship that he could physically contest during that period.

He also competed in other major wrestling promotions during his career, such as World Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling.

According to Fightful Select, Rob Van Dam will join Eric Bischoff and Molly Holly as inductees for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame. RVD will also be featured on an episode of the WWE Icons documentary series, which he revealed will come out in May.

Mr. Monday Night has had an illustrious career in the wrestling industry, and he undoubtedly deserves to join other legends in the prestigious WWE Hall of Fame.

Source: sportskeeda