Tag: WWE

Becky Lynch Becomes First WWE Star To Land ESPN The Magazine Cover (Photo)

RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch just became the first WWE Superstar to appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine.

As seen below, Lynch and actress Alison Brie of Netflix’s GLOW series are gracing the cover of the “Blockbuster Issue” from ESPN The Magazine. The issue hits newsstands this Friday.

Below is WWE’s announcement on the cover, along with the cover photo:

Becky Lynch and Alison Brie to be featured on cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Blockbuster” issueBecky Lynch has taken over the sports-entertainment scene in the last year, and this Friday, you can find the Raw Women’s Champion with actress Alison Brie on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Blockbuster” issue.

The new issue focuses on the intersection between Hollywood and sports. Lynch and Brie, who is the star of Netflix’s hit comedy show “GLOW” on the 1980s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling promotion, got together for an interview about the obstacles they face in their respective industries, the toughness of women, and much more.

The Man is the first WWE Superstar to ever appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. Get your hands on the issue when it hits newsstands this Friday.

https://twitter.com/espnW/status/1148603606385463296

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Luke Gallows And Karl Anderson Sign New Deals With WWE

As noted last week, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson had reportedly agreed to terms with WWE on a new five-year deal, but it wasn’t clear if they had officially signed.

On Saturday morning’s Wrestler Observer Radio it was updated they have “absolutely signed” with WWE and Dave Meltzer reported WWE is making bigger offers than people think, Gallows and Anderson being one of them. They had previous turned down deals worth $500,000, so WWE obviously upped the ante to keep the tag team around.

Melter also noted WWE isn’t looking to lose anybody right now, and it’s unlikely anyone will be fired, aside from disciplinary reasons.

Last week, WWE put The Club back together as we saw AJ Styles turn heel at the end of Monday’s RAW by attacking WWE US Champion Ricochet.

Styles is expected to have another match against Ricochet at WWE Extreme Rules and in WWE’s RAW preview for tonight – WWE is wondering if The Club is “taking over the red brand,” possibly teasing new opponents for the stable.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 7/8/19

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ with the final red brand hype for WWE Extreme Rules.

* Andrade & Zelina Vega throw down the gauntlet

* Is The Club taking over the red brand?

* Roman Reigns & mystery partner to face Shane McMahon & Drew McIntyre before No Holds Barred Tag Team showdown at Extreme Rules

* Rey Mysterio returns to Raw this Monday night

* R-Truth wants his “baby” back!

* Will “Jealous” Joe get payback against the WWE Champion?

* What’s next for Braun Strowman after Falls Count Anywhere Match incident?

Rey Mysterio Will Return From Injury Tonight On RAW

Following an injury that forced him to drop the United States Championship, Rey Mysterio will return to Raw this coming Monday.

WWE.com announced the following:

Following the unbelievable set of circumstances in which he was forced to relinquish the United States Championship due to a shoulder injury, Rey Mysterio will return to Raw this Monday night.

What will The Greatest Mask of All Time have to say upon his return and how will he impact the ever-changing landscape of the red brand? Find out when Raw goes down this Monday night at 8/7 C on USA Network.

Booker T Backs Out Of Starrcast III Convention

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T announced on Twitter earlier this week that he was backing out of the Starrcast III convention in Chicago next month. The convention is running in conjunction with AEW’s All Out pay-per-view in the Chicago area.

Dave Meltzer of F4Wonline.com reported that Booker pulled out of All Out after agreeing to come, which if this wasn’t a typo, could indicate Booker was planning on attending the AEW pay-per-view. Meltzer added that Booker said, when pulling out of the event, that he found out the WWE vs. AEW war was very real, and he didn’t want to be in the middle of it. Meltzer also said he was told to expect “another major counter by WWE” soon.

Booker still makes appearances on WWE pay-per-view panels, and is likely signed to a Legends deal. It’s interesting that WWE may have influenced his decision to back out of Starrcast as they apparently do not have issues with him working with Impact Wrestling. Booker’s Reality of Wrestling promotion is teaming with Impact this Saturday, July 6, for a joint show in Texas City, TX, at the World Gym Arena that ROW owns.

You can see Booker’s tweet on the Starrcast booking below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Officials Upset With How The WWE UK Title Was Disrespected At A Recent OTT Indie Event

WWE officials are reportedly not happy over how the WWE UK Title was used at a recent indie event in Ireland, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Indie wrestler David Starr, who has spoken out against WWE several times in the past, faced WWE UK Champion WALTER in the main event of Over The Top Wrestling’s WrestleRama 3 event in Dublin, Ireland from the National Basketball Arena, back on June 23. They did an angle during the match that saw Starr grab the title, shout at WALTER for selling out, and then disrespect the title by stomping on it. Fans in the arena popped for the spot and WALTER would go on to win the match.

It was originally believed that WWE approved the angle with the title belt, but that’s not the case. WWE did not give the OK for the belt to be stomped on, and very few knew about it ahead of time. The Observer reports that WALTER and Starr made the call to shock people live, knowing it would get over in a big way. The reaction from within WWE was not positive as many wrestlers thought it was disrespectful and the higher-ups weren’t happy either.

There’s no word yet on if the heat will lead to any kind of punishment for WALTER, or if it would stop WWE from allowing talents to work future OTT events.

Pete Dunne ended up knocking Starr on Twitter, which you can see below. You can see also see fan footage of the spot below:

https://twitter.com/PeteDunneYxB/status/1143128317975027712

https://twitter.com/irishslamdan/status/1142923351347912704

https://twitter.com/irishslamdan/status/1143120778638123008

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Reportedly Worried About Losing Teenage Fans To AEW, Backstage News On Ricochet’s Push

WWE officials have been very aware that they have lost touch with a key demographic – teenagers, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.

There’s reportedly been concern that the company will completely lose their teenage viewers when AEW TV starts on TNT in the fall.

WWE’s recent attempts at an edgier product will work with keeping teenage fans and making new ones in that demographic. There was a feeling that they had to take this new edgier direction to help with the demo, and for other obvious reasons.

Regarding Superstars that could connect with teenagers, Meltzer noted that there aren’t many younger top talents on the main roster, but we could see some called up soon.

The new push for WWE United States Champion Ricochet is likely being done, at least in part, to help with the teenage demographic. New RAW Executive Director Paul Heyman is said to be very high on Ricochet. Meltzer noted that Ricochet is a talent that can likely appeal to teenagers and that is a new goal for the company – to make sure teenagers don’t go to AEW before their weekly TV show starts later this year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Wrestling Legend Jacques Rougeau Sr. Passes Away At 89

Canadian wrestling veteran Jacques Rougeau Sr. passed away on July 1st at the age of 89. He is succeeded by his sons Raymond, Jacques, and Armand. Leading up to his death, Rougeau had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.

Rougeau’s family had issued a statement for the public on his passing. After being translated from French, the Rougeau statement reads:

“It is with sadness and sorrow that we announced the death of Mr. Jacques Rougeau yesterday, July 1st, 2019, at the age of 89 years. He has struggled for some time with pulmonary fibrosis, but he has gone quietly, we loved him so much.

“This love is also shared with the public. In the company of his brother Jean, it is sunny in the four corners of Quebec, especially in the 60s and 70s.

“While the Quebec landscape was suspended several years and it was important to share it with those who follow, that we love, that we love in his public career. There is a name that resonates so much in this environment and these three sons, Raymond, Jacques and Armand, one of his daughters, Joanne, whom three of his grandchildren walked, he passed, every day, the middle of the fight at one time or another.

“But he was a popular wrestler, he was a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather just as much loved and esteemed. He was the quiet strength of our family and his departure is and will be very painful.

“Friends of the media and wrestlers, we thank you for the love you gave him, that you were assured that this feeling was shared.”

Jacques Rougeau Sr. began his wrestling career in 1955. His wrestling journey moved onward after his brother Johnny Rougeau began operating Montreal based wrestling promotion All-Star Wrestling. Rougeau continued his wrestling career in NWF Buffalo and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Rougeau’s son, Jacques Rogeau Jr. won the WWE Intercontinental Championship and Tag Team Championship as part of The Quebecers. Rougeau’s daughter Joanne also worked for the WWF as local promoter in the Quebec region.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Luke Gallows And Karl Anderson Re-Signing With WWE?

The belief within WWE is that Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have agreed to terms on new WWE contracts, according to PWInsider, but those new deals may not have been signed yet.

Gallows and Anderson reuniting The Club with AJ Styles is seen as a good sign that the former RAW Tag Team Champions will be staying with WWE. There had been strong speculation on Gallows and Anderson leaving WWE when their current contracts expire this fall. They had reportedly turned down lucrative five-year deals and were unhappy with how they had been used in the WWE storylines.

Gallows, Anderson and Styles have tweeted on The Club and Monday night’s RAW that saw Styles turn heel turn on WWE United States Champion Ricochet. You can see their comments below:

https://twitter.com/KarlAndersonWWE/status/1145931306083246080

https://twitter.com/LukeGallowsWWE/status/1145949567487287297

https://twitter.com/AJStylesOrg/status/1145900022208311299

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 7/2/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live takes place from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas as the road to Extreme Rules continues.

* Can Kofi Kingston bounce back from Six-Man Tag Team loss to Samoa Joe?

* Is Bayley ready for Alexa Bliss?

* Will The New Day continue to chase after Bryan & Rowan’s titles?

* Will Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville continue to torment Ember Moon?